Biblically Based, Christ Centered, Caring Community in Annapolis, MD
Mark’s cryptic, unusual ending to his Gospel is a call for us to overcome fear and to share the Good news of the resurrection and the message of grace and restoration, knowing that God will accomplish His work despite our wavering faithfulness.
Text: Mark 16:1-8
Easter celebrates the Great Reversal, when God overruled the wicked decision of humanity to reject and crucify Jesus, raising Him from the dead so that life has swallowed up death for all who trust in Him.
Acts 2:22-24
Ezekiel was a priest who spoke God’s Word to God’s people who were exiles in Babylon, and he told of the Messiah as an eternal Lord Who will rule His people, bless His people and dwell with His people forever.
Ezekiel 37:24-28 (ESV)
The book of Daniel gives stories of faithful believers standing strong in trying times of exile and visions of the ultimate victory of God’s Kingdom over the kingdoms of this world.
There is an invisible war between God’s angelic forces and the forces of Satan which is related to and affects the visible rise and fall of human kingdoms and the plight of God’s people, but God’s Sovereign Plan will be accomplished in the end!
Daniel 10-11 (Daniel 10:1-11:4)
Daniel was given a vision of two future kingdoms and an evil ruler who will desecrate God’s Temple and persecute God’s people, but he saw God intervene to destroy the persecutor and deliver His people, for the Sovereign God rules over the kingdoms of mankind.
Daniel 8:1-27
Daniel still faced persecution under the new kingdom, reminding us that God’s people must always live by trust in God rather than man in the land of our exile.
Daniel 6
God brought mighty Babylon and her arrogant king to a swift end as He had promised, and this is a warning to all who arrogantly trust in themselves rather than Christ.
Daniel 5
God is Sovereign over the world, both nations and individuals, and is able to humble the proud and exalt the humble.
Daniel 4 (Daniel 4:1-3, 34-37)
To stand strong in the fiery trials of exile, God’s people must walk by faith – displaying humble confidence in God, trusting in His Sovereign Power, and obeying God and His Word regardless of the consequences.
Daniel 3 (Daniel 3:16-18)
God is the source of wisdom and power, His kingdom is everlasting, and He will give wisdom and power to His exile people as they walk with Him.
Daniel 2
To stand strong in our land of exile we must remember our true identity as God’s people, trust in His Sovereignty, and walk with wisdom and humility as we are in the world but not of it.
Daniel 1
To stand strong in trying times, we must know that God is Sovereign and faithful, even in the land of our exile.
Daniel 1:1-2
To walk in God’s Way while surrounded by those who reject it, God’s people must learn to trust in His Sovereignty, knowing He rules all things and will fulfill His Word.
Psalm 1 – 2
The key to human freedom is recognizing and embracing our inherent nature as we were created by God, including both the God-given dignity and limits of that nature.
Genesis 1:26-31
Question 98: Knowing all of these things, what is your only comfort in life and death?
Knowing all of these things, what is your only comfort in life and death? That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Savior Jesus Christ; who, with his precious blood, has fully satisfied for all my sins, and delivered me from all the power of the devil; and so preserves me that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, that all things must work together for my salvation, and therefore, by his Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life, and makes me sincerely willing and ready, from this day forth, to live unto him.
Matthew 10:28–31; Romans 8:28–30
We should respond to times of sickness and suffering with faith in God rather than fear, and act with love for our fellow humans, looking for how God is working to draw people to Himself.
Psalm 46
Jesus is the Sovereign Lord over all Who calls us to embrace Him in humble faith for Who He is, not for what we want Him to do for us.
John 4:43-54
The church must be faithful, even when persecuted and killed, knowing that God is Sovereign and eternal life awaits His people.
Revelation 2:8-11
The church must test all teaching and reject false teachers, but it must also remain fervent in love for God and people.
Revelation 2:1-7
Despite David’s sin and unfaithfulness, God was faithful to save David and fulfill His covenant promises.
1 Samuel 28:1-2; 29:1-30:8 (30:1-8)
When David does not seek God and trust in His Word but instead acts based on his internal fears, he wanders into a period of exile and sin.
1 Samuel 26-28:2 (1 Samuel 27:1)
In the incident with Nabal and Abigail, David acts foolishly, but God rescues Him through the wise and godly actions of Abigail.
1 Samuel 25 (1 Samuel 25:32-35)
When persecuted David displayed an obedient faith that feared and sought God, was sensitive to his own sin, and looked to God for deliverance.
1 Samuel 23-24 (1 Samuel 24:11-15)
David’s time as a fugitive fleeing the madness and wrath of Saul shows that real security is found in God, not our outer circumstances.
1 Samuel 21-22 (22:1-5)