Redeemer Bible Church Santa Barbara

Now the real action begins – the God of Israel goes about delivering His pitiful people. But, in various ways, none of the stories play out as we might expect. And that’s often like our lives, right?

The preview and summary of Judges in today’s text foreshadows the dark cycles that will confront us over the next months. Yet glimpsing through is the never-ending, overwhelming, extraordinary love of God.

One preacher calls Judges a wild ride. Another considered titling his sermon series Despicable People Doing Despicable Things. If it’s that dark, why study it? Because our God in His kindness has left us a record of how He deals with His troubled people through dark, troubling days. We need that word today, right?

Living faithfully as Jesus-followers is, on one level, simple and basic. But sometimes living faithfully comes with complex realities that must be navigated with wisdom. It seems increasingly so these days. But we’ve direction that is certain and sure.

It’s not easy to wait, especially when we see others getting what they want and seem satisfied, while we still suffer. How can we avoid living for earthly values while we are surrounded by this thinking every day? Keeping the end in mind is the fight for every believer to live by faith and not by sight.

Second Peter is an exercise in reminding. This is important for people like us, because we are too often distracted and forgetful. Be reminded today!

Risk is inevitable, unavoidable, yet often unwanted. We live in a day and age where we have much to lose and risk is something to be mitigated rather than embraced. Yet, for those who have been bought by the blood of Christ, whose Lord is Jesus Himself, and who desires to glorify God, risk is right! What are we willing to risk? What’s the goal of risk? How do we determine when to risk?

Scoffers gonna scoff. Certainly throughout history many have mocked the apparent delay of Jesus’ return – that’s the very issue our text addresses. But really, what’s up with that? What’s taking so long? And what difference does it all make?

Those who scoff at the existence of God are in a dangerous position, but the existence of scoffers is also a threat to the church. How do scoffers negatively impact us? What should we do about it?