The House You're Building

  Introduction :  All over the world, no matter what culture or time period, traditions are part of the human experience.  Anticipating a gathering of friends and family, with routines that we repeat annually when we gather is something hardwired into us. The God who created us implanted this desire into humanity and guided His people to memorialize His story of rescue within them.  As we continue our broad survey of Exodus, this week’s section of the book is as familiar as the plagues to most readers-the Passover and exit from Egypt as they miraculously cross the Red Sea.    Not only did God institute these rituals to remind His people in the past of His great power and holiness, He uses them as a symbol for us today.  The Passover commemorated the Israelite’s escape from death, as the blood on the door served as a vivid picture they were sin was covered, which would signal the angel to pass over their home.  As we read of the Feast of Unleaven...

        Orient   John 15:18-16:15 This section of Scripture contains more final words from Jesus to His followers after the Passover meal and before His arrest.  The content also outlines challenges we can expect as believers and how the Holy Spirit counters those situations, strengthening us for the hardship to come.  Jesus uses this opportunity to explain why it’s better He leaves to return to the Father.    Introduction It is an exciting scenario to imagine being one of the disciples.  What would it have been like to walk with Jesus, hear His teaching that isn’t recorded in Scripture, hang out with Him and share a private joke or two. Like the apostles, we would be a first-hand witness to all his miracles and see with our own eyes the people He healed and taught.  Every day would be a spiritual high; there would be no limit to the imagination of what God could do. What could bring them down in their fervo...