Burden & Blessing

In our Bible Study on this Good Friday, Pastors Nathanael Mayhew and Rob Sauers take us through a study of a passage we often read this time of year – Isaiah 52:13 – Isaiah 53:12. This section of Scripture describes, in amazing detail 700 years before the events occurred, just what our Savior’s suffering would be like. As we work through this passage, we’re going to ask and answer a number of questions: Who is this talking about? What is being described? Why did these events have to happen? How does it all come together, and how does this all apply to us? We pray that our study will aid you as you meditate upon what our Savior suffered for us so many years ago on that first Good Friday and that you will be ever more assured that what He did on this day, He did for you to pay for every single one of your sins!

As we prepare our hearts for Holy Week, Pastors Rob Sauers and Nathanael Mayhew takes us through a study of the Lenten hymn “Stricken, Smitten, and Afflicted.” This hymn takes us to the cross and urges us to see what our Savior Jesus does there for us. The hymn is based primarily on Isaiah 53:3-6, though it is full of other Scriptural references and allusions. In the first two stanzas we are confronted with the physical suffering Jesus endured on the cross, but also the more agonizing spiritual suffering as He is forsaken by all, even God the Father so that God’s justice can be satisfied. In the final two stanzas, we consider the seriousness of our sin that caused Jesus’ suffering and death, but also the glorious Gospel message that because of what Jesus did, we have a firm foundation on which to base our faith and a hope that can never be taken away. We pray that this study will help you in your preparations for Holy Week.

Pastor Sam Rodebaugh defines the word “Hades” in our Word of the Week today. The word Hades can have different meanings depending on its context. It can refer to death or the grave or the place of eternal punishment for sin. In this episode Pastor Rodebaugh shows that Jesus has come to deliver us from Hades. Through His death on the cross, Jesus suffered death and endured the punishment of hell for our sins, and has now set us free from the curse which Hades held over us. Thanks be to Jesus for delivering us from death!

In today’s Bible Study episode, Pastors Rob Sauers and Nathanael Mayhew take us through a study of the book of Hebrews. Hebrews is one of the more unique letters of the New Testament in that we do not know specifically who the author was, nor do we know the original audience. What we do know about the original audience is that they were Jewish Christians who were facing persecution and were wondering whether or not it was worth it to be a Christian. Again and again, the letter to the Hebrews emphasizes that it is, in fact, worth it to be a Christian. The letter does this by looking back, more than any other New Testament book, to the Old Testament and showing again and again how Christ is the fulfillment of all that was promised in the past. In our study of this letter, we will look at how the Old Testament ceremonial law points to and finds its fulfillment in Christ. We will look at some of the examples the letter gives us of the people through whom God brought about His plan of salvation. As we look at this, we will be encouraged by the fact that when God makes a promise, He fulfills His promise. We see this most clearly in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. We pray that as you listen to this study and read through the book on your own that you will be encouraged by the fact that Jesus is the perfect Savior from sin and the complete answer for our every need.

In this week’s CPR episode, Pastors Mark Tiefel and Neal Radichel discuss a topic that has been on the hearts and minds of many in our nation – the topic of school shootings and violence. With yet another school shooting recently, this has become a hot topic in the political sphere with comments mostly focusing on the issue of gun rights and whether or not there should be stricter gun control. Sadly, what is almost completely overlooked in this discussion are the spiritual issues that are at the heart of this topic. Our discussion will focus on how the spiritual decline of our nation is really at the center of the violence we see. We also will discuss how we, as Christians, can respond to these issues with the Word of God. We pray that our discussion will be beneficial as we wrestle with this important issue.

In our Word of the Week, Pastor Rob Sauers takes us through a study of Jesus’ Humiliation and Exaltation. These two words really encompass the life of Jesus from His conception through His resurrection and ascension, and they look forward to that day when Jesus will come again. Philippians 2:5-11 gives a really nice summary of what Jesus’ humiliation and exaltation are all about: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” In our study, we will consider other Scripture passages that describe what Jesus’ humiliation and exaltation are all about, and we will talk about the comfort we find in all that Jesus has done for us. May the Lord bless our study!