FBCC - Second Serving

Jesus: More Than a Miracle Worker Mark 7:31–37 Introduction: When a Favor Becomes an Expectation Have you ever done something nice for someone—a small favor, a bit of help—only to find that word spreads, and suddenly, you become “the person who does that thing”? Maybe at work, you’re the one who always fixes the printer. In your family, you’re the go-to person for advice. In the neighborhood, you might be known for lending a hand. Before you know it, people come to you, not for who you are, but for what you can do. This is what we see happening with Jesus in Mark 7:31–37. News of His miracles has spread, and people are seeking Him, but not necessarily for the right reason. They are excited about the wonders He performs but fail to grasp the deeper purpose behind them. Background & Context: A Land of Mixed Belief “Then he returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis” (Mark 7:31). Jesus is in a region called ...

Obadiah 10–14 Do Not Gloat Over the Day of Your Brother God is faithful. That truth is cause for songs of joy among His people, yet it is also a sobering reality. He is faithful not only in His blessings but also in His judgments. He is faithful to His promises of salvation and equally faithful to the curses He declared in His covenant. This means we must take seriously the whole counsel of God. The passage before us forces us into difficult territory. Israel has broken God’s law, and the covenant curses have fallen on Jerusalem in horrific ways. These are not verses that sit comfortably on a devotional calendar or appear in children’s Bible storybooks. Yet they are inspired Scripture, preserved for our instruction, and they confront us with the holiness of God in a way that is impossible to ignore. As we walk through Obadiah 10–14, we will not shy away from what is written. We will face it head on, with the hope that in doing so, the character of God will shi...

Obadiah 15-18 For the day of the LORD is near upon all the nations Introduction As we have been working through Obadiah, we have seen that it is a heavy book. It builds toward a sobering truth, the Day of the LORD is coming. What was once revealed in glimpses against individual nations will one day be poured out upon every nation at once. The message is dark and somber, yet it does not leave us without hope. There is a hope available to all who believe. Though it may seem hidden at first, the key of salvation has already been given and secured for us through the Gospel of Christ. But if we reject Him, we are no different than Edom, who mocked God’s faithfulness until the day wrath came. The Day of the LORD for all nations Obadiah declares that the day of the LORD is near upon all the nations and that as you have done, it shall be done to you, your deeds shall return on your own head. This day is not a secret, and we should not be ashamed to speak of it. The prophets spoke of it...

Obadiah 5–9: “Will I Not on that Day, Declares the LORD” Most people have never read Obadiah. It is a single chapter tucked among the minor prophets. Yet in these verses God speaks with a weight that cannot be ignored. In Obadiah 5–9, God declares the end of Edom. This is not an ordinary setback. It is total judgment. We are confronted with the consuming fire of God’s judgment and we are invited to hear His voice and then to see the beauty of the refuge we have in His Son (Obadiah 5–9). What Ordinary Loss Teaches Us, and What It Does Not God begins with two simple pictures to help us feel the difference between normal loss and divine judgment. Thieves do not take everything. They take what they can carry. Grape pickers do not clean a field to the last grape. They leave edges and fallen clusters behind. In both cases something is left. Life continues. “If thieves came to you, if plunderers came by night, would they not steal only enough for themselves. If grape gatherers came...

Jude: Distorting Grace, Denying Christ Introduction and Purpose Foreword The book of Jude is about urgency. It warns the church against false teachers who twist the grace of God and deny the Lord Jesus Christ. In just one chapter, Jude confronts compromise, unmasks deception, and calls believers to contend for the faith once for all delivered to the saints. It tells us plainly that the gospel must be guarded. This letter was written to Christians in a moment of danger. Instead of being attacked from the outside, the church was threatened from within. Certain people had crept in unnoticed, flattering for gain, pursuing their own desires, and leading others away from the truth. Jude does not waste time debating them. He reminds the church of God’s past judgments, exposes the character of false teachers, and urges believers to build themselves up in the faith, praying in the Spirit and waiting for the mercy of Christ. What began as a reprieve after completing the book of Judges ...

Obadiah 1-4 The Pride of Your Heart Has Deceived You Main Point God has spoken, pride lies, and false saviors fail. Introduction The book of Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament, yet its message is sharp and clear. God will humble the proud, and false saviors cannot stand on the Day of the Lord. Obadiah speaks against Edom, the descendants of Esau, who placed their confidence in high rocks, strong defenses, and the pride of their hearts. This is not only ancient history. The same warnings confront us today. Judges showed that God’s people fell apart when they did what was right in their own eyes. Jude warned that false teachers twist grace and lead the church astray. Obadiah declares that those outside God’s covenant who trust in themselves will fall. Pride blinds. Sin destroys. God judges. Only His King can save (Obadiah 1:1 to 4). 1. A Message from the LORD of Coming Judgment Obadiah opens with a vision. The message did not come from his imagin...