Church of the Nazarene

https://www.bible.com/events/49365254 Church of the Nazarene East Rockingham Campus The Names of Jesus Part 4- East Rock Savior Today we continue our Advent teaching series "The Names of Jesus" Throughout this series we are looking at a few of the different names that the scriptures give to Jesus. Names In the bible often hold far more meaning and importance than what we are accustomed to in our time. Names often spoke of a persons character and even their destiny. The same is true for Jesus. We continue today with the name Savior As you enter the Christmas story, the theme of salvation or rescue is all over the place. Luke 1:30-31 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. The name Jesus literally translated means “The salvation of God” or “God saves” And so, from the very moment of his miraculous conception, the message of salvation is there. After Jesus is born in Bethlehem, when the angels appear to the shepherds out in the fields, their announcement is really all about salvation. Luke 2:10-11 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. A savior, a deliverer, has been born to you. A rescuer has arrived. And I love that in Matthew Chapter 1 Joseph gets perhaps the most clear explanation of them all. Matthew 1:20-21 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” This baby boy’s name would be his mission- The Lord saves. He was born to save his people from their sins. This idea of will save, is one word in the original language. It has the basic idea of rescuing someone from great peril. Additionally, it carries the idea of protection, to keep alive, to preserve life, to make someone whole. It’s the basic idea of rescue. The great rescue mission of Christmas is a little different because it’s not about rescue from a burning building, or from a hiking trip in the woods gone wrong. Jesus came to rescue his people from their SINS. The word for sins here means literally to miss the mark. Literally, it meant shooting at a target and missing. It was used of a traveler who lost their way, who couldn’t get to their destination. Sins also spoke of falling short of an intended purpose. Not fulfilling what you were made for. So as we consider the rescue mission of Jesus, it is not about rescuing us from torrent waters, or not fulfilling our career dreams. He came to bring us back into relationship with God. To re-align our lives to our created purpose, to bring us back on target. Jesus himself said "I have come to seek and save the lost." It’s all about rescue. I understand this news of needing rescue might be a little surprising to hear because typically, when you find yourself in the need of rescue, something happened, right? A car accident, you got lost on a hike, something catches fire, etc. So, you’re hearing all this talk about Christmas and rescue wondering “Why do I need rescue? I’m doing just fine?” But the bible tells us that something DID happen to put us all in need of rescue, even if everything seems fine now. To see what happened, we need to go back in the Christmas story, WAY back, to the beginning. The need for rescue begins all the way back in Genesis 3 of our bibles. In Genesis 1 and 2 we find the story of how God brought all of creation into being. It was his creative power speaking everything into existence, including Adam and Eve, the first human beings. As you read the creation account we see that Adam and Eve were created for relationship with the Lord. They knew him, they walked with him, and served as co-agents in tending creation. Think about it- they had deep meaningful Relationship, true sense of identity, and life-giving purpose. They had literally everything that we still long for today. They had it all, until genesis 3. God had given Adam and Eve virtually unlimited freedom, nothing was off limits except for the fruit of one tree. They were not to eat the fruit from this one special tree in the garden. That was God’s only stipulation to them, they had to choose relationship and obedience to him. At this point in the story, a strange new character comes in, evil in the form of a snake. This evil one convinces Eve that God is holding out on them, that they should take matters into their own hands. They shouldn’t be told they couldn’t eat from a tree. And so, they do. They disobey God. Genesis 3:6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took so

Intro Today as we continue in our Advent Teaching series, we are going to look at the name given to Jesus, the prince of Peace. The Prince of Peace. Turn with me to Isaiah Chapter 9, beginning at verse 6 Isaiah 9:6-7 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. These words from the book of Isaiah were written hundreds of years before Jesus was born in Bethlehem. In the days of Isaiah, the people of God were in a desperate and dark place, they didn’t have peace. They had turned away from serving the Lord, they weren’t really worshipping him like they were called to do. And they were living in the consequences of those decisions. God sent the prophet Isaiah to warn his people about the coming judgement, he warned them to change their ways, but they refused. Soon they would be overcome by the neighboring nation of Assyria, and taken captive to their land. In the midst of this dark and chaotic place, a word of hope breaks through. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given… Hope comes on the horizon in the form of a baby born to rule his people, to bring restoration and redemption to God’s people. He would be the wonderful counselor, Mighty God, everlasting father, and the prince of peace. The titles of this coming one reveal that he will be far more than a political leader, far more than a new president to run their nation. He would be a redeemer a restorer. He would not just rule the people, he would save them. He would bring them peace. I wonder what comes to your mind when you think of peace? Is it tie-dye, Volkswagen vans, and a peace symbol? Is peace those precious early morning, or late night hours, when everyone else is in bed, and finally, all is calm and quiet. Deep breath… Ahhh…. Peace. That’s one of the things I love about getting up early in the morning. Peace. Perhaps when you think of peace, you think of a specific place. Perhaps an hour or two at the local library or coffee shop. Maybe at the beach with a good book, or on a hike in nature. Time alone in the treestand, enjoying the stillness of the woods. For me peace can often look like this *PICTURE* this was early one morning on Switzer Lake. Nobody else around, quiet, beautiful. So, what about you? What do you think about when you think of peace? If you look up peace in the dictionary, you will find definitions like Freedom from disturbance. (Parents, that’s those golden hours when everyone in the house is asleep, right?) peace. Tranquility or quiet. And there’s a part of every one of us that longs for peace. It’s like a natural hunger, a need that we seek to fulfil. to be free from disturbance, from conflict and turmoil, to be free from the noise and hustle of life. To know that stillness not just in our circumstances, but to have peace on the inside. I don’t know about you, but I have visited plenty of peaceful places this year and yet somehow, even in those peaceful places, I haven’t really been at peace on the inside. Have you ever been there? Your surroundings can be completely at peace, but inside you are anything but at rest. your upset, anxious, racing thoughts about things outside of your control. The grief of illness, or the loss of a loved one seems like a constant current under the surface. Perhaps your worried about the future or haunted by the past. And peace seems impossible. Perhaps you feel that way right now. It’s Christmas time. It’s supposed to be a time of joy and celebration, a time marked by peace, but you just arent there. Friends, if you are like me and sometimes struggle to find peace in the midst of everyday life, the message of Christmas is good news. The message of Jesus, the prince of peace, coming into our world to give peace. You see, true peace is that it doesn’t come from just the right circumstances, we don’t find it on the perfect vacation, we wont find it in any gift wrapped up under the tree. True peace only comes through a person, and his name is Jesus, he is the prince of peace. Jesus said in John 14:27 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. The gift of peace has been given; will you receive it? Today we are continuing in part 3 of our teaching series The Names of Jesus. Throughout this series we are exploring some of the different names the bible gives to Jesus. Names In the bible often hold far more meaning and importance than what we are accustomed to in our time. It’s way more than a way to call someone out of a crowd. Throughout the bible names often spoke of the persons character and eve

https://www.bible.com/events/49361778 Church of the Nazarene East Rockingham Campus The Names of Jesus Part 3 East Rock The Prince of Peace Today we continue our Advent teaching series "The Names of Jesus" Throughout this series we are looking at a few of the different names that the scriptures give to Jesus. Names In the bible often hold far more meaning and importance than what we are accustomed to in our time. Names often spoke of a persons character and even their destiny. The same is true for Jesus. We continue today with a name for Jesus found in Isaiah 9, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. In the days of Isaiah when this was written, the people had turned away from serving the Lord, they weren’t really worshipping him like they were called to do. And they were living in the consequences of those decisions. God sent the prophet Isaiah to warn his people about the coming judgement, he warned them to change their ways, but they refused. Soon they would be overcome by the neighboring nation of Assyria, and taken captive to their land. It was anything but tidings of great joy, certainly nothing to sing carols about. But In the midst of this dark and chaotic place, this word of hope breaks through. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given… Hope comes on the horizon in the form of a baby born to rule his people, to bring restoration and redemption to God’s people. He would be the wonderful counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace. When the bible talks about peace, it’s looking beyond what we might typically think of with a quiet still morning, or just the absence of noise and conflict. The word for peace in the Old Testament, is the word shalom. Shalom carries the idea of completeness, or wholeness. It’s like a puzzle with all its pieces in place. It’s not just that the outside is peaceful, but internally we are complete and whole. It’s well being, restfulness, peace deep within. Peace that is not dependent on circumstances. That’s the peace this new king that Isaiah spoke about would bring. As we step into the story of Christmas in the New Testament, we are invited to see Jesus as the one who fulfills this hope-filled promise from Isaiah Luke 2:9-14 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” Generations had waited for this moment, for this hope to break out. And it’s here. The child has been given. The Wonderful Counselor, Almighty God, Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace was here. It’s interesting that the world seemingly had no more at peace after the arrival of the prince of Peace than ours does today. Rome was still in charge, Herod was still king, and He would still try to kill Jesus. It was anything but a tranquil setting that was free of conflict. But yet it’s right there in the midst of all the chaotic realities of life in this fallen world that we see the beautiful truth of Christmas- The Prince of Peace has come and he offers us peace in the midst of our chaotic world. And he offers wholeness and healing, to put the pieces together in the lives of those who look to him in faith. The gift of peace has been given. The gift of peace has been given, how then do we experience the peace of the prince of peace? That journey has to begin with the understanding that Jesus has come to offer us peace with God himself. If we don’t know peace in our lives with God, peace anywhere else in life will never be found. We must start by seeking peace with God. Colossians 1:19-20 "19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross." The Prince of Peace came to make peace through his death on the Cross. As we surrender our lives to him, peace begins to take root and grow in our hearts, and it will transcend into our daily lives. That’s true peace, from the Prince of Peace. Next, to experience the Peace of Jesus, we have to believe it’s possible. Not possible in a conceptual, made up way in our minds, but actually possible in the midst of the chaotic reality of our lives and our world. Jesus himself said in John 14:27 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. T

http://bible.com/events/49359165 Church of the Nazarene - Harrisonburg Campus The Names of Jesus Part 2 Wonderful Counselor Today we continue our Advent teaching series "The Names of Jesus" Throughout this series we are looking at a few of the different names that the scriptures give to Jesus. Names In the bible often hold far more meaning and importance than what we are accustomed to in our time. Names often spoke of a persons character and even their destiny. The same is true for Jesus. Counselor: a person trained to give guidance on personal, social, or psychological problems 3 Characteristics of Effective Counselor Personal Credibility Compassionate Listener Gives Godly/Biblical Advice Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 28:29 This also comes from the Lord of hosts; he is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom. DO YOU WANT TO FIX THIS? Jesus doesn’t just provide a prohibition, he always provides a path forward. Pastor Jon Tyson Any communication that comes to you from the enemy will have enough truth to be believable but enough deception to destroy you. Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? Bill Gaultiere Jesus understands the human soul, or psyche — first as our co-creator with God the Father, second as the incarnate Son of God who experienced being a man and living on this earth, third as the Redeemer who never sinned and conquered sin and death and Satan by rising from the dead, and fourth as the ever-living and present Spirit of Christ with us now. Hebrews 4:15-16 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. If you're not spiritually fed, you will be emotionally led. DO YOU TRUST HIM AS YOUR WONDERFUL COUNSELOR TODAY? EXTRA SCRIPTURES “I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you” (Psalm 32:8). The counsel of the LORD stands forever, The plans of His heart from generation to generation” (Psalm 33:11). Many plans are in a man’s heart, But the counsel of the LORD will stand” (Psalm 19:21). “I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me” (Psalm 16:7). Your testimonies also are my delight; they are my counselors” (Psalm 119:24). For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity” (Proverbs 2:6-7). Counsel is mine and sound wisdom; I am understanding, power is mine” (Proverbs 8:14). The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Proverbs 9:6). But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5).

We are on week two of our series on the Names of Jesus.  What’s in a name?  Names have meanings.  Take the name Sherry, it means “darling”, “beloved”, or “dearest”.  The name Richard means “brave ruler” or “strong king”.   The name Stephanie means “crown”, “wreath”, or “garland”.  The Bible is full of names, and those names are full of meaning.  In the Bible, a person’s name had great significance.  It reflected that person’s character.  Take the name Abraham, it means “father of a nation”.  Or the name Moses, which means “to draw out of water”.   The name Hannah means “favor” or “grace”.   Today we are going to dive into the name of Jesus, ‘Wonderful Counselor’.  This name refers to Him as a divine guide with extraordinary wisdom and insight.  Jesus, as our Wonderful Counselor, not only gives us wise counsel, He also has the power to resolve, and grace to help us.  As wonderful counselor, He does not just give counsel, He pours in the power for a successful resolution to your problems.  There are numerous stories throughout the Gospels that demonstrate Jesus’ ability to provide wise guidance and comfort to the people.  EVERY instance, ALWAYS showing Jesus offering counsel or teaching, as a reflection of the title:  Wonderful Counselor.   For example, in the story of the Samaritan woman at the well, John 4:7-30, Jesus, the Wonderful Counselor provides wise counsel and comfort to the ‘Woman at the Well’.  He helped her to face her past and trade her shame for salvation.  In this story, we see the protagonist going from ‘miserable’ to ‘missionary’ as she scurries from the well anxiously desiring to share her good news of Jesus with others.   By studying the names of Jesus, we get to know Him better.    Each name of Jesus recorded in the Bible is a way through which we see Him more clearly and know Him better.   And knowing Him better is essential so we can reflect His character to the world around us.  Please turn to Isaiah 9:6, and it will also be on the screen,   “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us.  And the government will rest on his shoulders.  These will be his royal titles:  Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”  Let us pray together:  “Dear God, may we hear from Your Word today.  Wonderful Counselor, Jesus, You are the answer.  You knew us while forming us in our mother’s womb.  You know every detail about us, our fears, our struggles, and our successes.  Lord, You know us and exactly where we are.  You love us without judging.  Father, please speak to us today.  Give us Your wise counsel.  Renew us, and give us hope, as there are folks in this room who are weary.  Lord, we extol You oh LORD!!! In Your Holy Name we pray, Amen.”  Short back ground of the book of Isaiah.  In Chapter 6, Isaiah answers the call and he is commissioned as a prophet.    God tells Isaiah to go and speak to Judah’s king Ahaz, who is terrified about an impending invasion from Syria and Israel. Isaiah promises this invasion will not happen. Instead, both nations will soon be destroyed.  In the midst of the darkness, Isaiah prophesized that God would send the ‘Wonderful Counselor’ to save His people.    The ‘Wonderful Counselor’ will come as a baby to a virgin.  Isaiah is proclaiming the message of HOPE through the name “Wonderful Counselor”. The birth of baby Jesus fulfilled God’s promise.  The word “Wonderful” in the English language means ‘exciting wonder’.    But do we really use the word to describe ‘exciting wonder’?  We often use wonderful like this:  It was a wonderful party. The meal was wonderful. You did a wonderful job. It appears that in many cases, perhaps the word ‘wonderful’ has lost its’ power of excitement.   Matthew Henry, best known for his six-volume biblical commentary ‘Exposition of the Old and New Testaments’, said when explaining the name of Jesus as Wonderful Counselor,   “Justly is He called wonderful, for He is both God and man.  His love is the wonder of angels and glorified saints; in His birth, death, resurrection, and ascension, He was wonderful.  A constant series of wonders attended Him and, without controversy, great was the mystery of godliness concerning Him.”  The awe of wonder and the word Wonderful.  The Hebrew word for ‘Wonderful’ is pele (peh’-leh) which expresses the “wonder”, the divine intervention or miraculous events that reveal God’s power and majesty:  “Who is like thee, O Lord, among the gods, little ‘g’ god?”  In ancient Israelite culture, wonders and miracles were seen as direct manifestations of God's presence and power.   The Israelites believed that God

NAMES OF JESUS · LAST FEW WEEKS-ThanksGIVING · TWO UPDATES: A. WE ARE A PROCESSING CENTER-DID 8,552 BOXES B. TOTAL INCLUDING COUNTIES FROM BEFORE 25,346 C. INCREASE OF OVER 3000 SHOEBOXES D. LAST WEEK RHONDA PAULSON ISAIAH 117 HOUSE E. SO FAR 2 DAYS WE HAD GIVEN OVER 17K DIRECTLY TO HER OR THROUGH CHURCH- NO ONLINE GIVING. WHATS IN A NAME · HELLO MY NAME IS? · LAST TIME YOU WORE NAME TAG/ · WHY DO WE WEAR ONE? · MEET SOMEONE A SECOND TIME AND YOU CAN’T REMEMBER THEIR NAME? · OR YOU GO TO INTRODUCE THEM TO SOMEONE AND YOU JUST BLANK? · TODAY WE START – IMPORTANCE OF A NAME DEFINITION OF WORD NAME: WORD OR SET OF WORDS BY WHICH A PERSON, ANIMAL PLACE OR THING IS KNOWN. ANGELA/ AMANDA/CHRIS NAMES MEAN SOMETHING- SOME SAY THEY PROPHETIC · ANGELA: (IN CHARGE OF EVERYONE)-MESSENGER OF GOD · AMANDA: WORTHY OF LOVE · CHRIS: BEARER OF CHRIST DARYL/JANETTE/JOE · DARYL: BELOVED/OAK TREE · JANETTE: GOD IS GRACIOUS/ GRACED BY YAHWEH · JOE: MAY JEHOVAH GIVE INCREASE BILLY/SAM · BILLY: RESOLUTE PROTECTOR · SAM: GOD HEARS SLIDE 6: JASMINE/JEREMIAH/RUTH/KEVIN · JASMINE: FRAGRANT FLOWER/GIFT FROM GOD. · JEREMIAH: GOD WILL UPLIFT/APPOINTED BY GOD · RUTH: COMPASSIONATE FRIEND · KEVIN: HANDSOME NAMES WERE GIVEN IN THE BIBLE AT THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE TIME IN AN EFFORT TO DEFINE THE HOPES AND DREAMS OF THEIR CHILD. HEBREW NAMES: · A KEYSTONE FOR IDENTITY FOR THEM · THE NAME THEY CHOSE IS BELIEVED TO IMPACT WHAT THAT CHILD WILL BECOME SCRIPTURE GENESIS 2:19 Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. (ADAM DOESN’T HAVE A NAME YET) SCRIPTURE GENESIS 2:20 20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. But for Adam no suitable helper was found. SLIDE 9: SCRIPTURE GENESUS 2:21 21 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. · EVE IS NOT NAMED UNTIL AFTER THE FALL. · EVE “NAME MEANS GIVER OF LIFE” · HER WAS SIGNIFIGANT BC CHRIST WOULD COME SLIDE 10: SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 1:22 22. ALL THIS TOOK PLACE TO FULFILL WHAT THE LORD HAD SAID THROUGH THE PROPHET: “THE VIRGIN WILL CONCEIVE AND GIVE BIRTH TO A SON, AND THEY WILL CALL HIM IMMANUEL” (WHICH MEANS “GOD IS WITH US”) SLIDE 11: CATHY- CATHE-KATHY-KATHI 10. AGAIN THE LORD SPOKE TO AHAZ, 11.ASK THE LORD YOUR GOD FOR A SIGN, WETHER IN THE DEEPEST DEPTHS OR IN THE HIGHEST HEIGHTS.” 12. BUT AHAZ SAID, “I WILL NOT ASK, I WILL NOT PUT THE LORD TO THE TEST.” SCRIPTURE ISAIAH 7:13-14 13. THEN ISAIAH SAID, “HEAR NOW, YOU HOUSE OF DAVID! IS IT NOT ENOUGH TO TRY THE PATIENCE OF HUMANS? WILL YOU TRY THE PATIENCE OF MY GOD ALSO? 14. THEREFORE THE LORD HIMSELF WILL GIVE YOU A SIGN: THE VIRGIN WILL CONCEIVE AND GIVE BIRTH TO A SON, AND WILL CALL HIM IMMANUEL. · PEOPLE WERE BEING ATTACKED/OPPRESSED · KING AHAZ WAS FEARFUL/ANXIETY AND DREAD · GOD SHOWS UP AND SAYS” I WILL GIVE A SIGN” JESUS 50% HUMAN/ 50% 50%GOD · JESUS WASN’T 50 % HUMAN, 50 % GOD · MARY A HUMAN GAVE BIRTH TO A GOD MAN · JESUS WAS 100% HUMAN AND 100 % GOD · GOD WITH US, IMMANUEL THINK ABOUT HOW LONG PEOPLE HAVE WAITED DIDN’T FULLY KNOW WHAT THEY WERE WAITING FOR · LAST THING YOU WAITED A LONG TIME FOR? · WAITING GOES BACK TO THE GARDEN TREE · 4000 YEARS · 60 PROPECHIES GIVEN · A DARK- VERY DARK TIME IN HISTORY · ROMAN OPPRESSION VIDEO THE CHOSEN · THE PEOPLE HE ANNOUNCES HIS ARRIVAL TO · SHEPHERDS · THE AWE- THE EXCITEMENT · THE HOPE THAT HAS NOW ARRIVED SCRIPTURE PHILIPPIANS 2:9 9. THEREFORE GOD EXALTED HIM TO THE HIGHEST PLACE AND GAVE HIM THE NAME THAT IS ABOVE EVERY NAME. 10. THAT AT THE NAME OF JESUS EVERY NAME OF KNEE SHOULD BOW, IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH AND UNDER THE EARTH. (THINK ABOUT PLACES WHO WILL BOW LISTED HERE) NAMES UNDER JESUS THE TOP 10 NAMES ALL TIME IN HISTORY 1. MOTHER THERESA 2. GEORGE WASHINGTON 3. ALEXANDER THE GREAT 4. NAPOLEAN 5. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE 6. ABE LINCOLN 7. ARISTOTLE 8. HITLER 9. MUHAMMAD THEY ARE ALL UNDER THE NAME ALL TIME OF JESUS · A MAN WHO TRAVELED VERY LITTLE – HIS NAME IS THE MOST FAMOUS NAME OF ALL TIME WORLD WIDE- · THIS NAME HIS NAME STATES A PURPOSE- WHY HE CAME HIS NAME IS POWER SCRIPTURE LUKE 10:17 17: THE SEVENTY-TWO RETURNED WITH JOY AND SAID “LORD, EVEN THE DEMONS SUBMIT TO US IN YOUR NAME” · HIS NAME IS PERSONAL HES THE BRIGHT AND MORNING STAR HES COUNSELOR/MIGHTY GOD EVERLASTING FATHER HAD NO MEDICAL DEGREE BUT CALLED HIM HEALER HE HAD NO SERVANTS AND THEY CALLED HIM MASTER HAD NO DEGREE BUT THEY CALED HIM RABBI/TEACHER HE HAD NO MILITARY TRAINING YET HE CONQUERED THE WORLD WHERE’S WALDO PICTURE · BOOK THAT CAME OUT YEARS AGO · THE IDEA IS THERES A CHARACTER BLENDED IN WALDO ACTION PICTURE · EACH PAGE GETS HARDER TO FIND HIM · EACH PAGE THEY TRY AND LOOK MORE LIKE HIM · I CHECKED THIS WEEK-HES ON EVERY PAGE · IN MY LIFE-SOME DAYS HARDER TO SEE HIM · HE’S BEEN

https://www.bible.com/events/49354939 Church of the Nazarene East Rockingham Campus The Names of Jesus Part 1 East Rock Emmanuel, God with us. Today we begin our Advent teaching series "The Names of Jesus" Throughout this series we are looking at a few of the different names that the scriptures give to Jesus. Names In the bible often hold far more meaning and importance than what we are accustomed to in our time. Names often spoke of a persons character and even their destiny. The same is true for Jesus. We begin our series today with a name for Jesus found at the very heart of the Christmas story. Emmanuel. Matthew 1:18-19 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. Mary and Joseph are pledged or betrothed. Betrothal was similar to our idea of engagement, except it was legally binding. During this betrothal Mary has been found to be pregnant. Here we need to slow down and walk with the characters in the story. Mary was likely a teenager, pledged to be married. The gospel of Luke records that she was visited by an angle to tell her that she would bear a son. She knows the stigma that will bring. The potential punishment of stoning by the law. But, she says yes. Jospeh. He’s been working hard to prepare his home. He loves Mary, they have hopes and dreams together. And now this. This is the scene, this is the confusion, the tension, the hurt, the frustration and fear. Joseph ponders his options. This is the story of God coming to be with us. Matthew 1:20-21 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” One night in the midst of this turmoil an angel of the Lord comes to him in a dream. The angels message confirms Mary’s story that it was a work of the Lord in her life. She was telling the truth. Joseph needed to go ahead and taker her as his wife. He had a part to play in what God was doing too Matthew 1:22-23 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). As Matthew is recalling the story of Jesus’ birth, he pauses to help is readers make a connection. Quoting from the Prophet Isaiah hundreds of years before Jesus was born, Matthew recalls the time when another child was born as a sign of God’s presence with his people and his faithfulness to them. In the birth of Jesus, Matthew sees the prophet Isiah’s words fulfilled in a much more meaningful and powerful way. What was true hundreds of years before in the nation of Judah, is now fulfilled completely in the coming of Jesus. Jesus is not just another sign- he is literally God with us, stepping into our messy and complicated story for our salvation. Emanuel is God with us. Over the next few weeks as we journey towards Christmas, we will look at a few of the other names given to Jesus in the scriptures. We will see Jesus as a wonderful counsellor, the prince of peace. He is Savior, sent to save his people from their sins. Then finally on Christmas Eve, we will see Jesus as the light of the world, dispelling darkness and brining hope Each of these titles is revealing of the very nature and character of Jesus and they invite us to know him more. That’s certainly true of Emmanuel The name Emmanuel invites us to recognize that God is with us. To believe that He is not aloof, unaware of the messiness and challenges of our daily lives. But he is with us, regardless of how we feel. He is Emmanuel, God with us.

Ronda Paulson is the Founder and Executive Director of Isaiah 117 House. Isaiah 117 House is a nonprofit which provides transitional support for children in foster care and for those who come around those who come around those kids during that time. The Isaiah 117 House was founded on the scripture passage Isaiah 1:17 “Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows.” Isaiah 117 House Rockingham website link https://linktr.ee/isaiah117houserockinghamcova

https://www.bible.com/events/49351445 Church of the Nazarene East Rockingham Campus ThanksGIVING Part 2 East Rock "Generosity flows from a heart of compassion." Today we are concluding our 2-part teaching series on ThanksGIVING. This series is not about a percentage to give, or a guilt trip into doing something. This is about coming to see God’s compassionate heart lived out through our generous actions in the world. Today we are going to look at a story in the bible of people giving beyond their means. Before we can dive into unpacking the teaching text of 2 Corinthians 8, we need to get a running start at what’s happening. During this time the believers in Jerusalem were really struggling. Scholars aren’t sure what exactly was happening in Jerusalem that led to such dire circumstances. Whatever the reason, the bible tells us people in Jerusalem were in need. While all this is going on in Jerusalem, the Apostle Paul was traveling around the Roman empire preaching and teaching the gospel and he wanted to help. As he was going to different cities to preach, he was collecting money to give to the church in Jerusalem to relieve their suffering. As we come to our teaching text in 2 Corinthians 8, Paul is highlighting the generosity of one specific group of believers from the region of Macedonia. 2 Corinthians 8:1-2 And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. As the Christians in Jerusalem were struggling, the Christians in Macedonia were having a hard time as well. Here again, we aren’t exactly sure what was to blame for their plight. It’s believed that persecution of Christians was severe in this region effecting their ability to provide for basic needs. Whatever the cause was, the language Paul uses to describe their condition is stark. He said they were under a “severe trial”. And it was so severe was the situation left them in extreme poverty. The word here literally translated means “down to the depths poverty” or we might say- they were at rock bottom or dirt poor. For all that their circumstances had taken from them, it did not take their joy. It didn’t stop them from taking action to love others. But notice that as Paul holds up the example of the Macedonians, he says “Let me tell you about the grace God has given them” This whole conversation about generosity is because the grace of God. It was his divine enablement, his favor at work in their lives. 2 Corinthians 5:3-4 because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. We don’t know how much they gave because Paul never tells us. And that’s probably because the amount doesn’t matter at all. Generosity is not about an amount. Paul says they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond. I think what he is trying to say here is that they gave more than what was comfortable. It was sacrificial giving, it stretched them, and they wanted to do it. 2 Corinthians 8:5 And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. For the Christians of Macedonia, their generosity was an outflow of their relationship to the Lord. They saw their generosity as and expression of love and devotion to the Lord. They realized it was part of their service to him as their Lord and savior. Even in the midst of their own extreme trial and poverty, giving wasn’t an optional part of their lives. It was a priority. That’s the Macedonian generosity. For the remainder of Chapter 8 and all of Chapter 9 Paul talks and teaches about generosity following the Macedonian example. I want to share some things that really stood out to me about the Macedonians story. Here’s the question I have been asking: How do I take a step of faith in that direction? The answer would be different for each of us, of course, but a few things have really stood out to me in this story. They gave themselves to the Lord, they received his grace. The kind of generosity the bible calls for, the kind that the Macedonians show us- It won’t happen on our own. If we are going to experience the kind of generosity we read about here- we have to start by giving ourselves to the Lord. We have to give our lives to him. We need to be experiencing new life in Christ, his transforming grace at work in our lives. The Macedonians joyfully refused to miss out on what God was doing in their world. They caught the passion and the vision of how God was moving to meet the tangible needs of people around them, and they weren’t going to miss it for anything. They believed in the mission of the church and they were willing to leverage their lives to see the mission happen. And friend

This Sunday and next Sunday we will be speaking on the topic of Thanks Giving. Today we are going to talk about compassion as an expression of giving thanks. As you know, the bible calls and teaches us to give generously of our time, talents, and resource to the people around us. And at times, to people we will never know and never see. Jesus helps us to live a generous life when we look at people through His eyes. At the center of the heart of God we find a spirit of extravagant generosity. This is a characteristic that God desires for each of His children to have. In one of the parables Jesus taught, He talks about eyes that looked at the same thing but see things differently. In it, Jesus gives us a powerful lesson on the significance of loving our neighbor. Transition I want to begin by asking you what these three words have in common? Deoxyribonucleic Acid, Ethos, and Identity. • Deoxyribonucleic Acid – also known as DNA is the molecule that constitutes the essence of who we are. • Ethos – is a characteristic spirit of a culture, era, community, or an organization as manifested in its beliefs and aspirations. • Identity – the fact of being who or what a person is. What these words have in common is that they all point to the essence and characteristics of what a person or an organization is and is known for. Hope Distributed From its beginning, the DNA, the Ethos, and the Identity of the Church of the Nazarene has been centered on expressing the generous and extravagant love of God to others in tangible ways. Since its beginning, our church has focused its mission evangelism, education, and compassionate ministry. Today we celebrate, with Hope Distributed, 20 years of compassionate ministry to our community. Hope Distributed was founded in October of 2004. The very first day we served 12 people, right here, from this kitchen that is to your right. The first year we served a total of 1,667 individuals and distributed 16,993 pounds of food. In the last 20 years Hope Distributed has served 412,638 individuals and distributed more than ten million pounds (10,272,718) of food. Video – play video HD 2024 If you have served and volunteer at Hope Distributed giving your time, talent and resources please stand up. On behalf of Jeff Wilhelm, Ellen Braun, and our board of directors I want to thank you for making a difference in our community. 2 Throughout the years many people have had a part in making this happen. Members of the Joy Group were instrumental in our success. Special thanks to Chuck Oster, Earl Clark, Dick Shoemaker, Ron Garber, and Marvin Varner. We have enjoyed a great partnership with the Blueridge Area Food Bank, food partners like Walmart, Food Lion, Target, and Martins. We have been blessed with great leadership from Vickie Waldrop, Jenny Meadows. We have been led well through the pandemic and into new growth with the leadership of Jeff Wilhelm and Ellen Braun. Countless lives have been impacted with the grace and love of God through Hope Distributed. Illustration To illustrate the impact that Hope Distributed has on a weekly basis you were given a 3x5 index card. It is possible that you may have lost it or misplaced it. That’s ok. If you have a card, and you remember receiving a card, please stand up. We distributed 400 cards. This number represents only half of the people that are fed through Hope Distributed every week. A total of 825 individuals receive food from Hope Distributed each week, every week of the year. Give Us Eyes to See Why do we do this? Because it is at the center of the heart of God. As a body of believers, it is our DNA, our Ethos, it is part of our identity. Jesus said: • Love your neighbor (Leviticus 19:18, Matthew 22:34-39). • For as much as you have done to one of the least of these you have done unto me (Matthew 25:40). Serving the needs of the poor and marginalized is equivalent to serving him directly. • I have come to serve not to be served (Matthew 20:28). • I have come to proclaim good news, freedom to the captives, heal the blind, and set the oppressed free (Luke 4:18-19) Parable of the Good Samaritan In Luke 10:25-37 we find what has become known as the parable of the Good Samaritan. The bible tells us that on one occasion an expert of the law stood up to test Jesus. He asked Jesus, “What must I do to inherit eternal life.” Jesus replied by asking him what was written in the law. The man responded saying “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus said to him, “Do this and you will live!” The man wanting to justify himself asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus, if I am going to do this, who qualifies as my neighbor. Jesus replied by telling the man a parable. He said, a man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and left him half dead. A priest happened to be going

  JOSHUA 24:1 1. “Then Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at Shechem. He summoned the elders, leaders, judges and officials of Israel, and they presented themselves before God. JOSHUA 24:2 1. Joshua said to all the people, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Long ago your ancestors, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates River and worshiped other gods. JOSHUA 24:3 3 But I took your father Abraham from the land beyond the Euphrates and led him throughout Canaan and gave him many descendants. I gave him Isaac,4 and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. I assigned the hill country of Seir to Esau, but Jacob and his family went down to Egypt.  JOSHUA 24: 5-6 5 “Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I afflicted the Egyptians by what I did there, and I brought you out. 6 When I brought your people out of Egypt, you came to the sea, and the Egyptians pursued them with chariots and horsemen as far as the Red Sea.  JOSHUA 24:7 7 But they cried to the Lord for help, and he put darkness between you and the Egyptians; he brought the sea over them and covered them. You saw with your own eyes what I did to the Egyptians. Then you lived in the wilderness for a long time. JOSHUA 24:8 8 “‘I brought you to the land of the Amorites who lived east of the Jordan. They fought against you, but I gave them into your hands. I destroyed them from before you, and you took possession of their land. · THERE ARE 13 I’S IN THE FIRST 8 VERSES. · GOD SPEAKS AND REMINDS THEM- I DID THIS SLIDE 11: JOSHUA WARNINGS · WARNINGS/ADISEMENTS STRAIGHT OUT OF V’S 14-15. WHAT DOES HE STATE THEY SHOULD DO?  JOSHUA 24:14 14. “NOW FEAR THE LORD AND SERVE HIM WITH ALL FAITHFULNESS. THROW AWAY THE gODS YOUR ANCESTORS WORSHIPPED BEYOND THE EUPHRATES RIVER AND IN EGYPT AND SERVE THE LORD.  JOSHUA 24:13 13. BUT IF SERVING THE LORD SEEMS UNDESIRABLE TO YOU, THEN CHOOSE FOR YOURSELVES THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE, WHETHER THE gODS YOUR ANCESTORS SERVED BEYOND THE EUPHRATES, OR THE gODS OF THE AMORITES, IN WHO LAND YOU ARE LIVING. BUT AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD.” PROMISE KEEPER · 1997- LIVING IN PENNSYLVANIA · ATTENDING A CHURCH · GROUP OF MEN GOING TO DC TOGETHER · WEEKEND SERIES OF MEETINGS/CHURCH SERVICES · RFK STADIUM IN WASHINGTON DC (COMMANDERS) · PASTOR JAMES RYLE (SMALL NOTEBOOK) · 2ND LEVEL – CENTERFIELD · I WAS DATING – LIVING AS A MISERABLE CHRISTIAN · HAVING MOMENTARY FUN (SIN IS FUN) · PASTOR RYLE SAID- YOU NEED TO END GAME TONIGHT JOSHUA 24: 23 23. “NOW THEN,” SAID JOSHUA, “THROW AWAY THE FOREIGN GODS THAT ARE AMONG YOU AND YIELD YOUR HEARTS TO THE LORD, THE GOD OF ISRAEL.”  JOSHUA 24:24 24. AND PEOPLE SAID TO JOSHUA, “WE WILL SERVE THE LORD OUR GOD AND OBEY HIM.” JOSHUA 24:25 25. ON THAT DAY, JOSHUA MADE A COVENANT FOR THE PEOPLE, AND THERE AT SHECHEM HE REAFFIRNED FOR THEM DECREES AND LAWS.”  JOSHUA 24:26 26. “AND JOSHUA RECORDED THESE THINGS IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW OF GOD. THEN HE TOOK A LARGE STONE AND SET IT UP THERE UNDER THE OAK NEAR THE HOLY PLACE OF THE LORD.” · WORD FOR STONE HERE IS E’BEN · SAME WORD USED FOR STONE IN GENESIS 28 · JACOB HAS AN ENCOUNTER WITH GOD · WITNESS “YOU HAVE SEEN YOU’VE BEEN WITNESS TO GODS FAITHFULNESS” NOW WILL YOU BE? _________________________________________________________ · LIFE GROUP CURRICULUM · DR. BRIAN CHARETTE AUTHOR · TITLE OF THIS LAST LESSON IS ‘ALL IN” · WHERE DOES THIS PHRASE COME FROM? · VIDEO “ALL IN” · STAKES RAISED · MUCH ON THE LINE · JOSHUA IS CLOSE TO THE END  PRIDE SIN SLIDE 22: DIE WHO WILL YOU SERVE ? THE ISRAELITES SERVED MANY GODS GOD OF FERTILITY GOD OF CROPS GOD OF RAIN WE DON’T HAVE THAT AS MUCH NOW AS I DECIDE NOW WHICH GOD I WILL SERVE OR WHO WILL I SERVE- FOR MOST OF MY LIFE I HAVE SERVED ------- ME THIS CHAPTER SAYS “I” (GOD SPEAKING 18 TIMES?) I THEN HAVE TO WRESTLE WITH THE OTHER I- ME · LISTEN TO HOW HE ANTICIPATES · SAYS ALL THIS AS IF THEY ARE NOT GONNA DO IT

https://www.bible.com/events/49345129 Church of the Nazarene East Rockingham Campus Joshua: Part 8 East Rock All-in We conclude with Part 8 of our teaching series through the book of Joshua. Within the story of Joshua we read of the people of God encountering real obstacles to living out their faith in the Lord. Flooded rivers, fortified cities, and giant armies. real things that would cause any normal person to fear. But what we see is that in the face of these challenges, is the power of God’s presence and his continued faithfulness to his people. That’s the story of Joshua, and that’s our story today. Real challenges met with the real and true faithfulness of God. Today we are in Joshua chapter 24 to hear his final call "Choose this day who you will serve" Joshua 24:14-15 “Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” With everyone leaning in and listening, Joshua gives the people a clear-cut invitation to choose who they will serve. No coercion, no threats, no manipulation, just a plain and simple choice. Choose to go and worship other gods, things from the past, or the ways of the world you’re living in now- OR- Go ALL-IN serving the Lord your God. Today as we conclude our teaching series on the book of Joshua, we will see Joshua’s final act as the leader of Israel is to invite them to be ALL IN in their relationship with the Lord. Fully committed, totally invested, nothing held back. All in. The message of Joshua rings loud and clear down through the centuries to us today. We have a choice Go all in, or don’t go at all. Are you all in? Joshua 24:1-2 Then Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at Shechem. He summoned the elders, leaders, judges and officials of Israel, and they presented themselves before God. Joshua said to all the people, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Long ago your ancestors, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates River and worshiped other gods. Joshua begins his farewell address speaking on behalf of the Lord. Before any specific challenge would come, God wanted to remind his people of all he had done for them in leading them to this point. ii.He begins all the way back with the story of calling Abraham to follow him, and traces it up to their time in Egypt. Joshua 24:5-10 “ ‘Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I afflicted the Egyptians by what I did there, and I brought you out. When I brought your people out of Egypt, you came to the sea, and the Egyptians pursued them with chariots and horsemen as far as the Red Sea. But they cried to the Lord for help, and he put darkness between you and the Egyptians; he brought the sea over them and covered them. You saw with your own eyes what I did to the Egyptians. Then you lived in the wilderness for a long time. “ ‘I brought you to the land of the Amorites who lived east of the Jordan. They fought against you, but I gave them into your hands. I destroyed them from before you, and you took possession of their land. When Balak son of Zippor, the king of Moab, prepared to fight against Israel, he sent for Balaam son of Beor to put a curse on you. But I would not listen to Balaam, so he blessed you again and again, and I delivered you out of his hand. Verses 5-7 recount the stories of Moses and Aaron and how God brought the people out of Egypt. Verses 8-12 bring the story up to their present day. How the Lord fought for the children of Israel in the promised land. Joshua 24:13 So I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities you did not build; and you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant.’ From the distant past, to their present day, God was at the very center of the story. He was the one who made this life possible in the promised land. It wasn’t their efforts, it wasn’t because they deserved it. It was because he gave it to them. It was by God’s grace, motivate by his love for his people. One way to put it would be that God had gone “all-in” for his people. Joshua 24:14 “Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. In full view of all that God had done for his people, Joshua calls them to respond. In rapid fire succession, Joshua calls for 4 things from his people in light of all that God has done for them. Fear the Lord Serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away their gods. Serve the Lord This is ALL IN for the Lord. Joshua 24:15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will se

Church of the Nazarene Harrisonburg Gethsemane Gathering "Stay awake with me and pray" Today we are going to have what we call a Gethsemane Gathering. You may recognize the name Gethsemane from the gospels as it is the name of the garden where Jesus went to pray. Let’s dive into the story in Matthew 26 Matthew 26:36-41 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Jesus takes Peter, James, and John to pray with him. Hours before his crucifixion, Jesus is pouring his heart out to the father, and he doesn’t want to do it alone. He wanted his closest friends to pray with him, to keep watch. Jesus is pouring his heart out in prayer and he returns to find his 3 closest friends are taking a nap. Arguably when he needed them the most, they missed the opportunity. Jesus goes away a second time, wrestling, pouring his heart out in prayer. As he finishes praying he comes back a second time to check on his friends, and they are fast asleep. again. This time, he doesn’t even wake them up. Jesus just goes back to pray on his own. A foreshadowing of what was in the hours ahead. That’s the story of the Garden. Today our goal is to symbolically give back that one hour that the disciples missed that night in prayer. We are going to spend our time together today in prayer and worship. We will focus on 7 different areas in prayer while the band leads us in worship throughout the service. Our first area of focus is Souls Father, For the one, for the many, I pray. None are lost to You, for You know just where each soul You created has wandered. Let me be to those who don't know You a voice of hope, a peace-filled presence, and an example of the transformation You can make in a surrendered life. So that they each and all might come to know You. Amen. Opportunities Father, Open my eyes that I may see the opportunities You place in front of me. Let no conversation, no interaction, no path crossed be wasted. I give You each coincidence and happenstance and invite You to give meaning to each moment of my life, so that I may be a part of Your movement all around me. Amen. Petitions Father, I don't know how to ask it. I don't know what to say. Tam without words. But You know. You know my heart, my mind and my needs better than I know myself. So I trust You and give myself over to Your way. Amen. Relationships Father, Where they are wrong, give me the grace and humility to forgive. Where I am wrong, give me the grace and humility to apologize. Where others are at odds, help me broker peace. Where I am at odds, help me accept counsel. Father, forgive us, for we know not what we do. Amen Adoration You are more than all I could ever hope for. You are perfect and holy, above all others. You give such good gifts and yet without a single gift given, I am richly blessed with You alone. When I was all that is undeserving, You gave everything I could never deserve. Father. Abba. Lord. Yes/Yield Father, You have my yes. Yes to whatever, to wherever, to whenever, to however. Yes, to all of You. Amen.

https://www.bible.com/events/49341785 Church of the Nazarene East Rockingham Campus Gethsemane Gathering "Stay awake with me and pray" Today we are going to have what we call a Gethsemane Gathering. You may recognize the name Gethsemane from the gospels as it is the name of the garden where Jesus went to pray. Let’s dive into the story in Matthew 26 Matthew 26:36-41 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Jesus takes Peter, James, and John to pray with him. Hours before his crucifixion, Jesus is pouring his heart out to the father, and he doesn’t want to do it alone. He wanted his closest friends to pray with him, to keep watch. Jesus is pouring his heart out in prayer and he returns to find his 3 closest friends are taking a nap. Arguably when he needed them the most, they missed the opportunity. Jesus goes away a second time, wrestling, pouring his heart out in prayer. As he finishes praying he comes back a second time to check on his friends, and they are fast asleep. again. This time, he doesn’t even wake them up. Jesus just goes back to pray on his own. A foreshadowing of what was in the hours ahead. That’s the story of the Garden. Today our goal is to symbolically give back that one hour that the disciples missed that night in prayer. We are going to spend our time together today in prayer and worship. We will focus on 7 different areas in prayer while the band leads us in worship throughout the service. Our first area of focus is Souls Father, For the one, for the many, I pray. None are lost to You, for You know just where each soul You created has wandered. Let me be to those who don't know You a voice of hope, a peace-filled presence, and an example of the transformation You can make in a surrendered life. So that they each and all might come to know You. Amen. Opportunities Father, Open my eyes that I may see the opportunities You place in front of me. Let no conversation, no interaction, no path crossed be wasted. I give You each coincidence and happenstance and invite You to give meaning to each moment of my life, so that I may be a part of Your movement all around me. Amen. Petitions Father, I don't know how to ask it. I don't know what to say. Tam without words. But You know. You know my heart, my mind and my needs better than I know myself. So I trust You and give myself over to Your way. Amen. Relationships Father, Where they are wrong, give me the grace and humility to forgive. Where I am wrong, give me the grace and humility to apologize. Where others are at odds, help me broker peace. Where I am at odds, help me accept counsel. Father, forgive us, for we know not what we do. Amen Adoration You are more than all I could ever hope for. You are perfect and holy, above all others. You give such good gifts and yet without a single gift given, I am richly blessed with You alone. When I was all that is undeserving, You gave everything I could never deserve. Father. Abba. Lord. Yes/Yield Father, You have my yes. Yes to whatever, to wherever, to whenever, to however. Yes to all of You. Amen.

Church of the Nazarene East Rockingham Campus Joshua: Part 7 East Rock "Hold fast to the Lord" We are continuing in Part 7 of our teaching series through the book of Joshua. Within the story of Joshua we read of the people of God encountering real obstacles to living out their faith in the Lord. Flooded rivers, fortified cities, and giant armies. real things that would cause any normal person to fear. But what we see is that in the face of these challenges, is the power of God’s presence and his continued faithfulness to his people. That’s the story of Joshua, and that’s our story today. Real challenges met with the real and true faithfulness of God. Today we are in Joshua chapter 23 looking at the farewell address of a very old Joshua. Joshua 23:1-2 After a long time had passed and the Lord had given Israel rest from all their enemies around them, Joshua, by then a very old man, summoned all Israel—their elders, leaders, judges and officials—and said to them: “I am very old. The battles are done for now and the people of God have rest. After 20-25 years they are finally getting to peacefully enjoy God’s gift to them of the promised land. Joshua appears here as a very old man, gathering the leaders of Israel together to share his heart with them. These parting instructions are critical for future success of the people of God. Joshua 23:3-5 You yourselves have seen everything the Lord your God has done to all these nations for your sake; it was the Lord your God who fought for you. Remember how I have allotted as an inheritance for your tribes all the land of the nations that remain—the nations I conquered—between the Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea in the west. The Lord your God himself will push them out for your sake. He will drive them out before you, and you will take possession of their land, as the Lord your God promised you. Joshua begins by remembering and reflecting on all that God had done for the Israelites in fulfilling his promise to his people. While they did have rest in the land at this time, but there was still more territory for them to take possession of. Canaanites, the enemy nations, were still living in some farther regions of the promised land. But they were not to worry- God would fight for them, just like he had before. God was faithful then, he’s faithful now, he will be faithful in the future. All the people needed to do was remain faithful to Him- That’s what Joshua says next Joshua 23:6-11 “Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, without turning aside to the right or to the left. Do not associate with these nations that remain among you; do not invoke the names of their gods or swear by them. You must not serve them or bow down to them. But you are to hold fast to the Lord your God, as you have until now. “The Lord has driven out before you great and powerful nations; to this day no one has been able to withstand you. One of you routs a thousand, because the Lord your God fights for you, just as he promised. So be very careful to love the Lord your God. Rather than associating with the other nations, the people of God are to hold fast to the Lord. To hold fast to the Lord can carry the idea of two objects being glued or welded together. Relationally It speaks of loyalty and fidelity. It means to stay close, embrace, to hold on. That’s the way Joshua is encouraging his people to be with their heavenly father. The people of God had seen the blessing of embracing the Lord. He gave them life and identity as his children. He brought them into this land over incredible odds, and even their own mistakes. God had fought for them, he had driven out powerful armies from their path. He gave them power to do impossible things. One person routing a thousand. This is the picture of life holding onto God. When you are superglued to the Lord, there is no enemy that can stand. Joshua 23:12-13 “But if you turn away and ally yourselves with the survivors of these nations that remain among you and if you intermarry with them and associate with them, then you may be sure that the Lord your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become snares and traps for you, whips on your backs and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land, which the Lord your God has given you. This is quite the contrast from life in relationship to the Lord. Rather than the promise of God’s presence, his power, his plan for their lives, if his people turned away from him, they could be sure that it would not go well. Listen to what Joshua says. If you turn away from the Lord, if you don’t cling to him and you go and embrace the ways of the foreign nations, the ways of the world. They will become a snare for you. This carries the idea of being entangled, confined, controlled, held captive by circumstances. Deceived. It will be a trap- Literally you will take the bait and be trapped. Stuck. Caught in their grasp. They will be a whip

https://www.bible.com/events/49338349 Church of the Nazarene East Rockingham Campus Joshua: Part 7 East Rock "Hold fast to the Lord" We are continuing in Part 7 of our teaching series through the book of Joshua. Within the story of Joshua we read of the people of God encountering real obstacles to living out their faith in the Lord. Flooded rivers, fortified cities, and giant armies. real things that would cause any normal person to fear. But what we see is that in the face of these challenges, is the power of God’s presence and his continued faithfulness to his people. That’s the story of Joshua, and that’s our story today. Real challenges met with the real and true faithfulness of God. Today we are in Joshua chapter 23 looking at the farewell address of a very old Joshua. Joshua 23:1-2 After a long time had passed and the Lord had given Israel rest from all their enemies around them, Joshua, by then a very old man, summoned all Israel—their elders, leaders, judges and officials—and said to them: “I am very old. The battles are done for now and the people of God have rest. After 20-25 years they are finally getting to peacefully enjoy God’s gift to them of the promised land. Joshua appears here as a very old man, gathering the leaders of Israel together to share his heart with them. These parting instructions are critical for future success of the people of God. Joshua 23:3-5 You yourselves have seen everything the Lord your God has done to all these nations for your sake; it was the Lord your God who fought for you. Remember how I have allotted as an inheritance for your tribes all the land of the nations that remain—the nations I conquered—between the Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea in the west. The Lord your God himself will push them out for your sake. He will drive them out before you, and you will take possession of their land, as the Lord your God promised you. Joshua begins by remembering and reflecting on all that God had done for the Israelites in fulfilling his promise to his people. While they did have rest in the land at this time, but there was still more territory for them to take possession of. Canaanites, the enemy nations, were still living in some farther regions of the promised land. But they were not to worry- God would fight for them, just like he had before. God was faithful then, he’s faithful now, he will be faithful in the future. All the people needed to do was remain faithful to Him- That’s what Joshua says next Joshua 23:6-11 “Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, without turning aside to the right or to the left. Do not associate with these nations that remain among you; do not invoke the names of their gods or swear by them. You must not serve them or bow down to them. But you are to hold fast to the Lord your God, as you have until now. “The Lord has driven out before you great and powerful nations; to this day no one has been able to withstand you. One of you routs a thousand, because the Lord your God fights for you, just as he promised. So be very careful to love the Lord your God. Rather than associating with the other nations, the people of God are to hold fast to the Lord. To hold fast to the Lord can carry the idea of two objects being glued or welded together. Relationally It speaks of loyalty and fidelity. It means to stay close, embrace, to hold on. That’s the way Joshua is encouraging his people to be with their heavenly father. The people of God had seen the blessing of embracing the Lord. He gave them life and identity as his children. He brought them into this land over incredible odds, and even their own mistakes. God had fought for them, he had driven out powerful armies from their path. He gave them power to do impossible things. One person routing a thousand. This is the picture of life holding onto God. When you are superglued to the Lord, there is no enemy that can stand. Joshua 23:12-13 “But if you turn away and ally yourselves with the survivors of these nations that remain among you and if you intermarry with them and associate with them, then you may be sure that the Lord your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become snares and traps for you, whips on your backs and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land, which the Lord your God has given you. This is quite the contrast from life in relationship to the Lord. Rather than the promise of God’s presence, his power, his plan for their lives, if his people turned away from him, they could be sure that it would not go well. Listen to what Joshua says. If you turn away from the Lord, if you don’t cling to him and you go and embrace the ways of the foreign nations, the ways of the world. They will become a snare for you. This carries the idea of being entangled, confined, controlled, held captive by circumstances. Deceived. It will be a trap- Literally you will take the bait and be trapped. Stuck. Caug

http://bible.com/events/49335430 Church of the Nazarene Joshua Part 6- COTN Harrisonburg Campus Joshua Part 6 Joshua 9:3-8 However, when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, they resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. They put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy. Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the Israelites, “We have come from a distant country; make a treaty with us.” The Israelites said to the Hivites, “But perhaps you live near us, so how can we make a treaty with you?” “We are your servants,” they said to Joshua. But Joshua asked, “Who are you and where do you come from?” Joshua 9:14 The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord. "DISCERNMENT ISN’T KNOWING THE DIFERENCE BETWEEN RIGHT AND WRONG, ITS KNOWING THE DIFFERECE BETWEEN RIGHT AND ALMOST RIGHT." - Charles Spurgeon Joshua 10:1-5 Now Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had taken Ai and totally destroyed it, doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and that the people of Gibeon had made a treaty of peace with Israel and had become their allies. He and his people were very much alarmed at this, because Gibeon was an important city, like one of the royal cities; it was larger than Ai, and all its men were good fighters. So Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem appealed to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish and Debir king of Eglon. “Come up and help me attack Gibeon,” he said, “because it has made peace with Joshua and the Israelites.” Then the five kings of the Amorites—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon—joined forces. They moved up with all their troops and took up positions against Gibeon and attacked it. Joshua 10:5-13 Then the five kings of the Amorites—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon—joined forces. They moved up with all their troops and took up positions against Gibeon and attacked it. The Gibeonites then sent word to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal: “Do not abandon your servants. Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us, because all the Amorite kings from the hill country have joined forces against us.” So Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his entire army, including all the best fighting men. The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you.” After an all-night march from Gilgal, Joshua took them by surprise. The Lord threw them into confusion before Israel, so Joshua and the Israelites defeated them completely at Gibeon. Israel pursued them along the road going up to Beth Horon and cut them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah. As they fled before Israel on the road down from Beth Horon to Azekah, the Lord hurled large hailstones down on them, and more of them died from the hail than were killed by the swords of the Israelites. On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel: “Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.” So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies, as it is written in the Book of Jashar. The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. Joshua 10:14 There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the Lord listened to a human being. Surely the Lord was fighting for Israel! Joshua 8:20 The men of Ai looked back and saw the smoke of the city rising up into the sky, but they had no chance to escape in any direction; the Israelites who had been fleeing toward the wilderness had turned back against their pursuers. Hebrews 13:10 We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat.

https://www.bible.com/events/49334932 Church of the Nazarene East Rockingham Campus Joshua: Part 6 East Rock Joshua: Part 6 "Scammed" We are continuing in Part 6 of our teaching series through the book of Joshua. Within the story of Joshua we read of the people of God encountering real obstacles to living out their faith in the Lord. Flooded rivers, fortified cities, and giant armies. real things that would cause any normal person to fear. But what we see is that in the face of these challenges, is the power of God’s presence and his continued faithfulness to his people. That’s the story of Joshua, and that’s our story today. Real challenges met with the real and true faithfulness of God. Today we are in Joshua chapter 9 looking at the story of the Gibeonite deception. Joshua 9:3-6 However, when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, they resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. They put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy. Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the Israelites, “We have come from a distant country; make a treaty with us.” On the heels of the massive destruction of the city of AI, the news about of the Israelites is making its way around to the other cities. They hear of the power and might of the army and how God is fighting for them and they are terrified. Unsure how defend themselves, several neighboring cities decide to join forces and fight Israel together. But the Gibeonites different approach, they are going to try to trick the Israelites into allowing them to live. They gather up old worn-out clothing and sandals, old worn-out wine containers, and moldy bread and they take off pretending to be from a distant land. Joshua 9:7-8 The Israelites said to the Hivites, “But perhaps you live near us, so how can we make a treaty with you?” “We are your servants,” they said to Joshua. But Joshua asked, “Who are you and where do you come from?” Something must have seemed fishy about this whole thing or they are remembering that God has specifically told them NOT to enter into treaties with other nations. Either way, Israel questions the supposed weary travelers. Joshua 9:9-13 They answered: “Your servants have come from a very distant country because of the fame of the Lord your God. For we have heard reports of him: all that he did in Egypt, and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan—Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth. And our elders and all those living in our country said to us, ‘Take provisions for your journey; go and meet them and say to them, “We are your servants; make a treaty with us.” ’ This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But now see how dry and moldy it is. And these wineskins that we filled were new, but see how cracked they are. And our clothes and sandals are worn out by the very long journey.” At Joshua’s questioning the Gibeonites recite their story and they are careful to highlight all the things that should indicate they were from a distant place. They also say that they have come because they heard about all the Lord had done for his people delivering them from Egypt and giving them victory over the kings in the wilderness. If you remember back to the story of Rahab and Jericho- she sited very similar reasons for her actions. This whole story has been building up to this moment. The cards are on the table, the trap is set. Joshua 9:14-15 The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord. Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath. They looked over the evidence that was before them. They saw the molded bread, the looked at the old wineskins. They could see their clothes were worn out. The did the best they could do, it seemed good enough, so they did it. They trusted their own ability, they trusted their own discernment, and in their own strength, they were deceived into breaking the command of God. They did not seek the Lord. The truth of the matter comes out a few days later. They learn that these ambassadors who were supposed to be from a far country are really from a town about 25 miles away. Joshua 9:22-25 Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said, “Why did you deceive us by saying, ‘We live a long way from you,’ while actually you live near us? You are now under a curse: You will never be released from service as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.” They answered Joshua, “Your servants were clearly told how the Lord your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you the whole land and to wipe out all its inhabitants from before you. So we feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we did this. We are now in

http://bible.com/events/49331073 Church of the Nazarene, Harrisonburg Campus Joshua Part 5 - Harrisonburg Campus After Jericho... Review of the series: WEEK 1: Be Strong & Courageous WEEK 2: Rahab Hides the Men of Israel WEEK 3: The 12 Stones - Remembering God's Faithfulness WEEK 4: God's Victory at Jericho TODAY: Consequences of Sin Breakdown of the Book of Joshua CHAPTERS 1-6: Entering the Promised Land CHAPTERS 7-12: Conquering the Promised Land CHAPTERS 13-22: Settling the Promised Land Consider: What was the next thing that happened after the tremendous victory at Jericho? [Image] https://imageproxy.youversionapi.com/640x640/https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/mushroom-event-images-prod/97377202-1728656548011.jpg Joshua 6:16-19 The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city! The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid the spies we sent. But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury.” Joshua 7:1-5 But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things; Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So the Lord’s anger burned against Israel. Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth Aven to the east of Bethel, and told them, “Go up and spy out the region.” So the men went up and spied out Ai. When they returned to Joshua, they said, “Not all the army will have to go up against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary the whole army, for only a few people live there.” So about three thousand went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai, who killed about thirty-six of them. They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes. At this the hearts of the people melted in fear and became like water. Joshua 7:15 Whoever is caught with the devoted things shall be destroyed by fire, along with all that belongs to him. He has violated the covenant of the Lord and has done an outrageous thing in Israel!’ ” Two "Why" Questions: 1) Why did the Israelites crush Jericho but lose to a lesser opponent in Ai? After all, they had just celebrated a dramatic victory over mighty Jericho. Ai was the underdog. Yet they scattered God's people. Joshua 7:10-12 The Lord said to Joshua, “Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction. Joshua 7:20-23 Achan replied, “It is true! I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what I have done: When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia, two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.” So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent, and there it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver underneath. They took the things from the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites and spread them out before the Lord. Second "Why" Question: 2) Why was the response to Achan's sin so extreme? The death penalty for theft? That doesn't seem "fair." Without understanding God's Holy Justice, we can never truly grasp, appreciate or enter into His Grace. Today, we get to hear about Israel's loss and Achan's death from the shadow of the cross, where the Holy and terrible Justice of God was fulfilled on your behalf. In fact, it is a great gift to be shown the deadly underside of disobedience while there is still time. To get a clear picture of the darkness of sin is something to be grateful for. To get a clear picture of Holy God and an opportunity for repentance in His mercy, in the Name and for the cause of Christ. Joshua 8:1-2 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai. For I have delivered into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city and his land. You shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, except that you may carry off their plunder and livestock for yourselves. Set an ambush behind the city.”

Joshua 7: The Enemy Within - Psalm 139:23-24 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.- Joshua is found in the OT of God’s Word • Being “old” does not mean it is not relevant, on the contrary this book is alive and well exhorting us in all things pertaining to life and godliness.- Joshua 6:17-19 17 The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid the spies we sent. 18 But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. 19 All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury.”- Donald Campbell God’s people are never more vulnerable, never in greater danger, than right after they have won a great victory. Joshua 7 But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things[a]; Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So the Lord’s anger burned against Israel.- One commentator wrote in regards to the reciting of his lineage A warning is hereby administered to parents, to give the most diligent heed in training their offspring in the fear of God, lest they be a reproach to their memories when they themselves are no more. 2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth Aven to the east of Bethel, and told them, “Go up and spy out the region.” So the men went up and spied out Ai. 1 East Rock 10/13/24 3 When they returned to Joshua, they said, “Not all the army will have to go up against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary the whole army, for only a few people live there.” 4 So about three thousand went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai, 5 who killed about thirty-six of them. They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes. At this the hearts of the people melted in fear and became like water. 6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown to the ground before the ark of the Lord, remaining there till evening. The elders of Israel did the same, and sprinkled dust on their heads. 7 And Joshua said, “Alas, Sovereign Lord, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan! 8 Pardon your servant, Lord. What can I say, now that Israel has been routed by its enemies? 9 The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this and they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. What then will you do for your own great name?” 10 The Lord said to Joshua, “Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? 11 Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. 12 That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.- Warren Wiersbe “If God says something is wrong, then it’s wrong; and that’s the end of the debate.” 13 “Go, consecrate the people. Tell them, ‘Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow; for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There are devoted things among you, Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove them. 14 “‘In the morning, present yourselves tribe by tribe. The tribe the Lord chooses shall come forward clan by clan; the clan the Lord chooses shall come forward family by family; and the family the Lord chooses shall come forward man by man. 15 Whoever is caught with the devoted things shall be destroyed by fire, along with all that belongs 2 East Rock 10/13/24 to him. He has violated the covenant of the Lord and has done an outrageous thing in Israel!’”- Numbers 32:23 23 “But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the Lord; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out… (ministers in spotlight) 16 Early the next morning Joshua had Israel come forward by tribes, and Judah was chosen. 17 The clans of Judah came forward, and the Zerahites were chosen. He had the clan of the Zerahites come forward by families, and Zimri was chosen. 18 Joshua had his family come forward man by man, and Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was chosen. 19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, and honor him. Tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me.” 20 Achan replied, “It is true! I have sinned aga

https://www.bible.com/events/49327728 Church of the Nazarene- East Rock Campus Joshua- Part 4 East Rock Joshua Part 4 - "Walls and Worship" Joshua: Part 4 "Walls and Worship" Joshua 5:13-15 Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?” The commander of the Lord’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so. Joshua 6:1-27 Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in. Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.” So Joshua son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant of the Lord and have seven priests carry trumpets in front of it.” And he ordered the army, “Advance! March around the city, with an armed guard going ahead of the ark of the Lord.” When Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets before the Lord went forward, blowing their trumpets, and the ark of the Lord’s covenant followed them. The armed guard marched ahead of the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard followed the ark. All this time the trumpets were sounding. But Joshua had commanded the army, “Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!” So he had the ark of the Lord carried around the city, circling it once. Then the army returned to camp and spent the night there. Joshua got up early the next morning and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. The seven priests carrying the seven trumpets went forward, marching before the ark of the Lord and blowing the trumpets. The armed men went ahead of them and the rear guard followed the ark of the Lord, while the trumpets kept sounding. So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days. On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city! The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid the spies we sent. But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury.” When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city. They devoted the city to the Lord and destroyed with the sword every living thing in it—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys. Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the prostitute’s house and bring her out and all who belong to her, in accordance with your oath to her.” So the young men who had done the spying went in and brought out Rahab, her father and mother, her brothers and sisters and all who belonged to her. They brought out her entire family and put them in a place outside the camp of Israel. Then they burned the whole city and everything in it, but they put the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron into the treasury of the Lord’s house. But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho—and she lives among the Israelites to this day. At that time Joshua pronounced this solemn oath: “Cursed before the Lord is the one who undertakes to rebuild this city, Jericho: “At the cost of his firstborn son he will lay its foundations; at the cost of his youngest he will set up its gates.” So the Lord was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout the land. Obedience is the way to our Promised Land. Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your hea

https://www.bible.com/events/49323506 Church of the Nazarene: Harrisonburg Campus Joshua Part 3 Joshua 3 & 4 Joshua 3:1-3 Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. After three days the officers went throughout the camp, giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. [Image] OCTOBER 16, 1995 & OCTOBER 4, 1997 STAND IN THE GAP PROB ONLY A 1/3 OF THE NUMBER CROSSING https://imageproxy.youversionapi.com/640x640/https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/mushroom-event-images-prod/97377202-1727297362806.jpg Joshua 3:3-4 giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between you and the ark; do not go near it.” [Image] Tent Containing the Ark of the Covenant https://imageproxy.youversionapi.com/640x640/https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/mushroom-event-images-prod/97377202-1727297940319.jpg [Image] Ark of the Covenant https://imageproxy.youversionapi.com/640x640/https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/mushroom-event-images-prod/97377202-1727297396868.jpg Joshua 3:5-7 Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.” Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.” So they took it up and went ahead of them. And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. Joshua 3:13 And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.” Joshua 3:15 Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, Joshua 3:16 the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. Crossing the Jordan Geography The Geography Behind Joshua Crossing the Jordan River Joshua 4:1-3 When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.” Joshua 4:4-5 So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, and said to them, “Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, Joshua 4:6-7 to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.” [Image] FAMOUS MONUMENTS LEFT BEHIND- Eiffel Tower https://imageproxy.youversionapi.com/640x640/https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/mushroom-event-images-prod/97377202-1727297631749.jpg [Image] Statue of Liberty https://imageproxy.youversionapi.com/640x640/https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/mushroom-event-images-prod/97377202-1727297644001.jpg [Image] Rocky Statue: MAKE STATUES AN IMAGES OUT OF FAKE THINGS. HOW ABOUT SOMETHING REAL? https://imageproxy.youversionapi.com/640x640/https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/mushroom-event-images-prod/97377202-1727297650645.jpg [Image] Which chair are you sitting on? https://imageproxy.youversionapi.com/640x640/https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/mushroom-event-images-prod/97377202-1727298062072.jpg Chair #1-YOU DON’T BELIEVE ANY OF IT Chair #2- YOU BELIEVE IT- YOU SUPPORT- YOU SHOW UP Chair #3- YOU ARE SOLD OUT- THIS IS YOUR ENTIRE LIFE

https://www.bible.com/events/49324828 Church of the Nazarene East Rockingham Campus Joshua: Part 3 East Rock Joshua: Part 3 "The Crossing" Today we are continuing our teaching series in the book of Joshua. Our goal in this series is not just to brush up on ancient history, but to join the generations of God’s people who have looked back to see the faithfulness of God. Our teaching text today explores the story of the children of Israel entering the promised land, crossing the Jordan River on dry ground. Joshua 3:1 Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. Last week we studied the account of Rahab and the two Israelite spies. The spies returned with the report that indeed God was moving ahead of them. Joshua doesn’t waste any time. They break camp and move to the banks of the Jordan River, just opposite of the city of Jericho. As we go through this story, remember, many scholars estimate this could be as many as two million people. Joshua 3:2-5 After three days the officers went throughout the camp, giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between you and the ark; do not go near it.” Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.” The officers tell the people that they need to follow the Ark of the Covenant. The ark came into the story back in exodus, when God gave Moses instructions on how to build it. It was a physical representation of God’s presence. That’s significant because what the people are told is that they are to keep their eyes on the Lord, they don’t know the way ahead.They will know which way to go by looking to the Lord. Even though they were to watch it, they were to keep their distance of about 1000 yards. This speaks of the holiness of God and the honor they were to show him, as well as logistically, for that many people to see, they would have to keep their distance. Joshua tells them- Consecrate yourselves, for the Lord will do amazing things- God didn’t need the people to do anything for the miracle, but he did require their obedience. Consecrate yourselves carries the idea of setting yourself apart from distractions. Be dressed, clean, and ready to go. Get rid of anything that would distract you from seeing what God is about to do. We begin to see that God is not as concerned with the logistics or the miracle as he is the spiritual significance for the people. Joshua 3:6-17 Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.” So they took it up and went ahead of them. And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river.’ ” Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God. This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you. Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.” So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground. Following the Lord’s instructions, the priests take up the ark of the covenant, representing God’s presence, and they take off towards the water. The priests continue on out to the middle of the riverbed. It’s backed up some 20 miles now. God moved mightily on behalf of his people to fulfill his promise to them. A promise hundreds of years in the making, came true in this moment because of the power and grace of God going

Joshua 2 : Faith’s Conduct - Hebrews 10:36-39 36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37 For, “In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.” 38 And, “But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.” 39 But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved. • I ask you to do 2 things today:- Recognize - Respond MESSAGE Joshua 2 (entire chapter) Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. “Go, look over the land,” he said, “especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there.- Why did they go to a prostitutes house?- Rahab: brief bio • Immoral Canaanite woman • Lives in a pagan culture that is fanatically devoted to everything God hates—it is absolutely wicked. • She has profited from the evil that permeated her society- Rahab is the first person scripture introduces to us, and by name, in the Promised Land…remarkable isn’t it =) 2 The king of Jericho was told, “Look, some of the Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land.” 3 So the king of Jericho sent this message to Rahab: “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they have come to spy out the whole land.” 1 4 But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from. 5 At dusk, when it was time to close the city gate, they left. I don’t know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You may catch up with them.” 6 (But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax she had laid out on the roof.) True biblical faith can’t be hidden, it but be concerned with action 7 So the men set out in pursuit of the spies on the road that leads to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as the pursuers had gone out, the gate was shut. 8 Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof 9 and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. 10 We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. 11 When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.- (SLIDE) Thomas Carlyle “Conviction, were it never so excellent, is worthless until it converts itself into conduct.” 12 “Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that you will show kindness (hesed) to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign 13 that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them—and that you will save us from death.” 14 “Our lives for your lives!” the men assured her. “If you don’t tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly and faithfully when the Lord gives us the land.” 15 So she let them down by a rope through the window, for the house she lived in was part of the city wall. 16 She said to them, “Go to the hills so the pursuers will not find you. Hide yourselves there three days until they return, and then go on your way.” 17 Now the men had said to her, “This oath you made us swear will not be binding on us 18 unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you have brought your father and mother, your brothers and all your family into your house. 19 If any of them go outside 2 your house into the street, their blood will be on their own heads; we will not be responsible. As for those who are in the house with you, their blood will be on our head if a hand is laid on them. 20 But if you tell what we are doing, we will be released from the oath you made us swear.” 21 “Agreed,” she replied. “Let it be as you say.” So she sent them away, and they departed. And she tied the scarlet cord in the window. • REAL BIBLICAL FAITH WILL ALWAYS DO SOMETHING- Putting herself at risk, Rahab rejected her past identity as a Canaanite and wanted to be identified with the people of God, with Israel. 22 When they left, they went into the hills and stayed there three days, until the pursuers had searched all along the road and returned without finding them. 23 Then the two men started back. They went down out of the hills, forded the river and came to Joshua son of Nun and told him everything that had happened to them. 24 They said to Joshua, “The Lord has surely given the whole land into our hands; all the people are melting in fear because of us.”- Faith’s Conduct Recognizes Responds - RECOGNIZE WE ALL WERE RAHAB Rahab’s Faith God’s Faithfulness - Spoken Gospel “If a pros

https://www.bible.com/events/49321674 Church of the Nazarene East Rockingham Campus Joshua: Part 2 East Rock Joshua: Part 2 Rahab "God is Faithful" Today we are continuing our teaching series in the book of Joshua. Our goal in this series is not just to brush up on ancient history, but to join the generations of God’s people who have looked back to see the faithfulness of God. Our teaching text today is about an unlikely hero, with an even more unlikely faith. Joshua 2:1-3 Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. “Go, look over the land,” he said, “especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there. The king of Jericho was told, “Look, some of the Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land.” So the king of Jericho sent this message to Rahab: “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they have come to spy out the whole land.” Following God’s command to Joshua and the people of Israel to be strong and courageous, these verses record some of the first actions steps. Stepping out in faith still required a plan, so Joshua sends out two spies to have a look at Jericho, a heavily fortified city across the Jordan River, about 15 miles away. A bit of irony appears in that these spies failed miserably in staying hidden. Immediately the news makes it to the King who dispatches men to capture these Israelite spies. It would seem like this first step into the promised land was as step on the wrong foot for the Israelites. Joshua 2:4-7 But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from. At dusk, when it was time to close the city gate, they left. I don’t know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You may catch up with them.” (But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax she had laid out on the roof.) So the men set out in pursuit of the spies on the road that leads to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as the pursuers had gone out, the gate was shut. As the King’s posse arrives to detain the 2 spies, Rahab steps in. She’s quick on her feet, she knows how to deal with men at her door. The unlikely hero re-directs the Kings men to pursue them out of the city gate. With her quick thinking and convincing words, the kings men don’t even bother searching her house. They take off for the city gate, thinking they are in hot pursuit of the jewish spies. The original audience reading this account would have been in stitches laughing at the comedy of errors and irony portrayed in this story on the part of the Canaanites. But for all of the irony, the danger for Rahab cannot be missed. Lying to the kings officers could have gotten her killed without question. She took literally took her life into her own hands. But why? Why would a Canaanite prostitute risk her lives for two Israelite men who showed up on her doorstep? Joshua 2:8-11 Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below. With the city gate closed, Rahab has the upper hand over the Israelite spies, they are literally at her mercy. But what comes next is not a bargain for profit or some other benefit- it’s a profession of faith in the first degree. Rahab not only believed these truths about God, she took action, risking her very life. She wasn’t just trying to save herself or her family from the impending invasion. No, she was responding to what she believed about the God of Israel. Her faith leaped into action in these moments. In the book of James, Rahab’s faith is celebrated right beside the faith of Abraham. James 2:25 says 25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? This unlikely hero, had a heroic and historic faith. Joshua 2:12-14 “Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them—and that you will save us from death.” “Our lives for your lives!” the men assured her. “If you don’t tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly and faithfully when the Lord gives us the land.” The Hebrew word that Rahab uses for kindness here is hesed. And it’s way more than ju