A constant problem for the reputation of the church is the presence of persons who claim to be believers but deny the faith with their lives. This problem is not new. In fact, in John 8:30-59, Jesus had an extended argument with some who had believed in him but ended up wanting to kill him. Their lives showed that God was not their father, no matter what they said. Ever since then, there have been many so-called Christians who follow their own wills rather than Jesus' words. Let's make sure we are not among their number. (sermon notes)
This section of Exodus is a combination of moral, ceremonial, and civil laws, which point us to Christ and/or guide our lives today.
The extraordinary events in Jerusalem and the mundane events in Nazareth reveal Jesus' uniqueness and his ordinariness.
In response to King Saul’s second major error and his excuse, Samuel famously declared that to obey is better than sacrifice.
