Sept. 13, 2015
As we've seen the past few weeks in our Deuteronomy sermon series, battle is a constant reality for God's people. Through this land and these people will come Jesus, the Savior of the world, and God is giving his people instructions in Deuteronomy 20:1-9 about whom he wants fighting in the battle. The fainthearted are given an exception to fighting, told to go home with no judgment or court martial. Not only would these fearful freed-slaves-turned-soldiers be a detriment to themselves and useless to others around them, but God also knows that fear spreads. God didn't want fearful fighters anywhere near the battlefield. As our senior pastor shared this past Sunday, September 13, the kingdom of God can only advance through faith not fear. He challenged and warned us with several faith-versus-fear questions: What can fear and faithlessness do in our lives to hinder the advancement of the Gospel? What might Jesus not do among us because we're more full of fear than faith? (Mark 6:1-6) In which way will we amaze Jesus--with our faith or lack of faith? (Matthew 8:5-13)
