• was being changed by the grace of God. Charlie had a testimony of coming to faith in Jesus Christ. And as you would expect of someone who follows Jesus, change occurred. He was not the same man when he started his public, political career. As he matured and grew as a Christian, his message and emphasis shifted for the better.
• loved his opponents. Charlie was known for wanting to talk with those whom he disagreed. Much of the time, it was very evident that he not only cared about the issue he was discussing but about the person with whom he was talking. Scripture and the Gospel were often shared. He told people he would pray for them. He didn’t want to just win arguments but wanted to win people to Jesus.
• took his faith to the public square. One of the things Charlie is criticized for the most is how political he was. At this point, let’s agree on the following (1) much of politics today are issues regarding foundational things Christians must defend such as marriage, the sanctity of human life, and sexual ethics. (2) loving one’s neighbors is a desire to see them flourish. This necessitates speaking the truth and advocating for just policies and practices. (3) Christian beliefs ought to overflow into life. For Charlie, this meant taking an active role in politics. By and large, I believe that we are better off for his work.

To be sure, much more could be said. But I will conclude by…

(1) commending a couple of resources that have encouraged and challenged me. The first one is an interview with Scott Polender, a friend and colleague of Charlie Kirk.  The second is an article entitled “We Can’t Replace Charlie Kirk, but We Can Honor His Legacy: Five Ways to Amplify Truth, Freedom, and the American Way.” You can listen or read the article at ChristOverall.com.

(2) calling us to pray. Pray for Charlie’s widow, Erika and their two children. Pray for his murderer that he would come to a saving faith in Jesus. Pray that as the seeds of the Gospel which have been sown over the past couple of weeks, would lead to a harvest of people for Christ. Pray for opportunities for you to share the hope of the Gospel in these times.

• Of the clarity it offers in the fact that creeds are not merely statements of what Christians believe but in whom we believe in. This is why in the hymn, “My Faith Has Found a Resting Place” we rightly say “My faith as found a resting place not in device nor creed.” We trust not primarily in the affirmation of truth but in our Triune God – in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Creeds are avenues in which we proclaim these allegiances to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
• Of the distinction between the Creed of Nicaea and the Nicene Creed. At first glance, this seems to be just semantics. But history goes on to show that what was initially produced from the gathering of bishops in Nicaea in 325 (the Creed of Nicaea) and what we now know as the Nicene Creed are a little different. The Nicene Creed was the product of a second council that gathered about 60 years later in Constantinople. This Council, among other things, further elaborated on the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. This just proves that there is always a need for watchfulness and biblical thought and application. While we stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us, we should never let down our guard and stop the work. The generation and time we live in must continue to be faithful and not solely rest of the faithfulness of others who came before us.

In addition to the above mentioned article, you can find all sorts of interesting resources about the Nicene Creed at Christ Over All covering topics such as: Creeds and Quiet Time: How the Nicene Creed Helps Us Read the Bible, The 1925 Scopes Evolution Trial: Why it Matters 100 Years Later, and Nicaea & Nestorius: Why Old Creeds are Not Enough to Guard From New Challenges.

• “You Carry the Fate of Us All, Little One”: The Cosmic Significance of Israel’s Day of Atonement by Nicholas Piotrowski
• The Day of Atonement by Stephen Dempster
• You can hear both of these articles read here or listen to an interview with Nicholas Piotrowski here.
• Check out the picture below of the chiasm of chapter 16 (from Michael Morales’ book Who Shall Ascend the Mountain of the Lord? p 177)
• Just for fun, check out Rick the Screaming Scapegoat Geico Commercial

As we descend the mountain, we will come across some familiar terrain (personal laws, priestly laws, and ritual laws), but with a different emphasis: “communion with God.” The next two weeks we camp out in chapters 17-20. I would encourage you to:

1. Read the chapters before the sermon. If you are a parent of young children, be ready to engage your children on appropriate levels of God’s design for sexuality (see chapters 18 & 20).
2. Consider how chapters 17-20 fit into the covenant community God established with Israel. Also, consider, the theological rational for these demands God makes of Israel.
3. Read a helpful article entitled Finding Life in Leviticus 19: Ten Gospel Notes for Social Justice Warriors by David Schrock.

It is a privilege to be on this journey with you. May we grow in grace and dependence on Jesus together, Bethel. Grace and peace, Pastor Matt.

1. Gives us roots – something does not come from nothing. Where did the church come from? Whose shoulders do we stand on? History, thus, connects us with the forbearers of the Christian faith.
2. Encourages humility – we can learn from both the successes and the failures of the past. Every era has its own blind spots. A look at history can expose our own blind spots in order to guard our hearts from the sin of pride and past mistakes.
3. Displays God’s providence – behind the names, dates, and events of history is the God who is wisely and perfectly working all things for His glory. This can give us comfort and reassurance that He is still working in us and through us as we await Jesus’ return.

If this spurs you on to dig deeper into church history, I commend the book, Rediscovering the Church Fathers: who they were and how they shaped the church. Since early church history is probably the most foreign time period to us, it can be a little overwhelming to know where to begin. This book is a brief but helpful introduction to key figures in the church whom we are deeply indebted to. You are welcome to also read my review of the book here. Let us continue to grow in our trust and obedience to the God of all history. – Pastor Matt

• Discipleship – to partake of all of Scripture. To learn how the parts contribute to the whole and how the whole contributes to the parts. What is the role of the Law in Canon of Scripture and what function does it play now that Jesus has come.
• Apologetics – to give a reasonable defense for the claims of Christianity. Leviticus can be the brunt of wrongful accusations in the world or the source of curious questions.
• Exalt & Treasure Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ – imagine Leviticus as a shadow that you can trace and follow all the way to the substance – Jesus.

Here are a few suggestions for how you can participate in this series:

1. Read the sermon texts ahead of time. This series is really an overview and therefore we will be covering multiple chapters at a time. So, we will not read or cover everything in Leviticus. Reading ahead of time can prepare your heart as well as familiarize yourself with the portion of the book we will be in. See sermon schedule for texts which will be preached.
2. Use the sermon discussion questions. One of the best ways to solidify what you heard in the message is to consider its implications for your life, talk about it as a family or LIFE Group, and pray about it. These sermon discussion questions are designed for this very thing. You can find them on the back of the sermon notes or on the church website.

How do sinners dwell with a holy God? The 5 books written by Moses resound with this question. Right at the center, Leviticus, proclaims the answer. All of the Law shows us our need of salvation, displays the Savior, and shows us how to walk with Him.

Finally, if you are looking for a helpful crash course on the book, I would commend the Bible Projects video on Leviticus.

• There are 4 Accounts but 1 Gospel – Often times we say there are 4 Gospels when referring to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. What we really mean when we say this is that there are 4 recorded perspectives of the life, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. These perspectives are “according to” the biblical author’s name. Where the accounts differ, more than likely, reveals the writer’s emphasis. While it can be interesting (and in some cases helpful) to harmonize the 4 accounts, we would do well to primarily stick with each gospel writer’s emphasis. In so doing, we avoid “flattening” the text as well as pick up the author’s reason for writing what he does.
• There are 4 Accounts for a Divine Reason – What the Old Testament was anticipating, we have in “4D” to remember, reflect, give thanks for, live in light of, and proclaim with great confidence.
• There are 4 Accounts with Unique Audiences – For example: Matthew writes primarily to a Jewish audience proving that Jesus is the Messiah from the Old Testament Scriptures. On the other hand, John writes primarily to a Gentile audience. We see this in his sensitivity in explaining Jewish customs that would have been foreign to non-Jewish readers.
• There are 4 Accounts with a Unique Structure and Emphasis – For example: John structures his account around 7 signs Jesus does and 7 “I Am” statements He says. Therefore, John is structured more by theme. Compare this to Mark, who seems to organize his account chronologically.

If this topic interests you, I would commend to you an episode from one of my favorite podcasts, Preachers Talk, entitled On Preaching Gospels/Acts. It is geared toward “preachers” but there is something edifying for everyone who listens to it.

Pastor Tom’s message from Psalm 121 was a call to lift-up our eyes to God – where our help comes from. This was an admonishment to keep eternity in perspective. Jesus is coming again and will make all things new. Christians will live with him for all eternity. This glorious hope should inform how we engage in this world.

Pastor Don’s message from Psalm 46 gives us a “song” to sing and truths to tell – “The LORD of hosts is with us the God of Jacob is our fortress” (vv 7, 11). This anthem declares who God is – and this is exactly what we need to be putting our hope in.

Questions for consideration:

1. What is it that "shakes you up" today?
2. What is your go-to truth to build up your confidence in God (think of a specific Bible text)?
3. How can we as a church help one another build our confidence in God in the midst of a shaking world?

Let’s keep lifting our eyes and hoping in God together Bethel. – Pastor Matt

• Go to bed at a reasonable time on Saturday night.
• Read and pray through Sunday’s sermon text (1 John 3:19-24).
• Bring your Bible and notebook. Take notes and follow along in your copy of God’s Word.
• Purpose to greet someone you do not regularly cross paths with on a typical Sunday.
• Plan to encourage a specific person in our church family.

May God be glorified, and may we be edified as we gather to worship our great God.

Pastor Matt

I commend to you a couple of resources to stir you up to love and good works as we seek to be citizens of heaven first and citizens of our country second.

• Make Civics Great Again: A Pastoral Guide to Casting Ballots Wisely by Trent Hunter. You can read or listen (38:18 min) to this article – I especially appreciate the explanation of our country being a constitutional federal republic.
• Politics, Conscience, and the Church: The Why, What, and How of Political Disagreement by Andy Naselli. You can read or listen (52:04 min) to this article – Naselli’s categories of “straight-line” and “jagged-line” are helpful when navigating political decisions and discussions.

Keep looking to Jesus Bethel church family,

Pastor Matt

1. Remember, family and church are both appointed by God and have their unique roles in God’s redemptive plan. At the same time, remember family and church work together to bring glory to God in making disciples of Jesus Christ. This Sunday, we will have a family dedication service when we restate and renew our commitment as families and as a church to train future generations to hope in God (see Psalm 78:1-7). This is commonly called a baby dedication. It is good and right to recognize children are a gift from God and dedicate them to God. However, calling it a family dedication reinforces the way families and a church does this – by committing before the Lord and to one another to fulfill our God-given roles in these specific children’s lives. So, please come prepared for a special time of prayer and commitment this Sunday.
2. Remember that we live in a world of sorrow and pain as we wait for Jesus’ return. Romans 8:19 says, “creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.” Twenty-three years ago today, our nation was rocked by a terrorist attack that shook us to the core. Thousands of people died. Fear, uncertainty, and grief were common to everyone in that day and the days that followed. So, on this day remember, the sacrifice of those who bravely laid their lives down to rescue and protect. Remember the fragility and brevity of our lives. But also remember, how God worked in so many people’s lives as churches were filled with people to pray and hear from His Word after such a heart-breaking tragedy. Remember, God is even over the worst calamities in this world. Remember His plans are wise, good, and unchangeable. So, as you remember on this September 11^th, remember to put your hope in God and in God alone.