Road Map
We have just completed our extended sermon series going through the letter of 1 Corinthians. In the last couple months, people have been asking about where we’re going next. I appreciate the inquiries and the eagerness to be looking forward to God’s Word. Let me lay out the course we’ve charted and a little bit on why we’re headed this direction.
First Stop: "Listen to the Prophet Speak"
Our first destination will be an initial stop on a “sporadic series.” We’re calling the series “Listen to the Prophet Speak.” This will be different from other series in a few ways. The first distinction being that it will predominantly be the reading of whole books of the Minor Prophets. Paul commends to Timothy the public reading of Scripture in 1 Timothy 4:13, a practice that resulted in weeping and rejoicing when Ezra read all the Book of the Law of Moses (Genesis - Deuteronomy; cf. Nehemiah 8:1-12). We’ve typically reserved more extended readings for special services like Christas Eve, Good Friday, or the recitations of 1 Corinthians. Though, if you recall back, some of the passages of Genesis were longer as well. So, being a relatively new thing for us, we’re going to start with a shorter book, Joel, this Sunday. The book, and the prophet’s foretelling of the gift of the Spirit in Joel 2, will also be top of mind then as the Easter season concludes the following week on Pentecost (June 8).
Another distinction is that this will be sporadic. We aren’t planning on going through all twelve prophets in twelve weeks. Instead, we will periodically come back to a new prophet to listen to what he spoke and captured in writing. A third distinction in this series is that the main substance will be the prophet’s words, not ours. We will have a shorter message that draws out a key verse or central theme in the book that we read that morning. Or to draw again from Nehemiah, we will “read from the book … and [give] the sense, so that the people [understand] the reading” (8:8).
Another distinction is that this will be sporadic. We aren’t planning on going through all twelve prophets in twelve weeks. Instead, we will periodically come back to a new prophet to listen to what he spoke and captured in writing. A third distinction in this series is that the main substance will be the prophet’s words, not ours. We will have a shorter message that draws out a key verse or central theme in the book that we read that morning. Or to draw again from Nehemiah, we will “read from the book … and [give] the sense, so that the people [understand] the reading” (8:8).
Second Stop: "The Pursuit of Happiness"
The next destination will be an eight week theological series we’re calling, “The Pursuit of Happiness.” In previous, theologically oriented series, we have drilled down on the doctrines of sin, image of God, atonement, the church, and union with Christ. We have not as of yet focused on God’s sovereignty, his purpose in creation, and how those things serve our everlasting joy. So, we’re going to camp out this summer on, like I mentioned Sunday, how “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.”
Specifically, we plan to address eight questions:
I’m looking forward to this series as the passages of Scripture we will be looking at and their implications for our lives in the truths they convey have been probably the most influential on my life as a Christian.
Specifically, we plan to address eight questions:
- What is God’s greatest purpose?
- Is God happy?
- Why does God seek our worship?
- Should we seek happiness?
- Does pursuing joy undermine love?
- How does the gospel bring us joy?
- What about self-denial?
- What about when I don’t desire God?
I’m looking forward to this series as the passages of Scripture we will be looking at and their implications for our lives in the truths they convey have been probably the most influential on my life as a Christian.
Third Stop: Psalms
The third destination will be a familiar one. Each summer since 2020, we have spent at least a handful of weeks together in the Psalms. It’s a good practice since the Psalms have played such a key role in the life of God’s people over the centuries. That’s what we will plan to do this August. Meditating further on psalms helps us grow in living in covenant with God’s King, responding faithfully to all of life’s joys and hardships.
Fourth Stop: Ecclesiastes
The last destination on where we’re going in the foreseeable future is to the book of Ecclesiastes. It’s a book that is challenging to understand. Is it communicating a nihilistic, “all is meaningless” view of life? Or is life under the sun perplexing but hopefully shaped by fearing God and keeping his commandments? Those aren’t rhetorical questions. That’s what I plan to be wrestling with over the summer in preparation for that series. You can pray for me to have fruitful preparation.
Actually, you can pray for this whole course through different parts of Scripture we will follow this summer. Pray that the reading and preaching of God’s Word would not return void but have its due effect (Isaiah 55:11). Pray that those preaching would, like Ezra, “set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach” it to the church (Ezra 7:10). Pray that God’s Spirit would use his Word and give us gracious gifts according to all that we need to be built up (1 Corinthians 12:7,11).
Actually, you can pray for this whole course through different parts of Scripture we will follow this summer. Pray that the reading and preaching of God’s Word would not return void but have its due effect (Isaiah 55:11). Pray that those preaching would, like Ezra, “set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach” it to the church (Ezra 7:10). Pray that God’s Spirit would use his Word and give us gracious gifts according to all that we need to be built up (1 Corinthians 12:7,11).