Adventure in the Ascent

SALVATION- From Lost to the Fullness of Salvation

Sermon Notes & Application Guide [https://canva.link/x9jdaddeki57aze] Comment here [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2153683/fan_mail/new]

SALVATION- From Lostness & Wrath to Joy! (Luke 15 & 19)

Sermon Notes & Applications Guide [https://canva.link/ap235mik2o8nskx] Comment here [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2153683/fan_mail/new]

SALVATION- Rejoicing in the God of My Salvation (Habakkuk 3)

Sermon Notes & Application Guide [https://canva.link/navcttl8eyouy8e] Comment here [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2153683/fan_mail/new]

SALVATION- The God Who Saves (Luke 19:10, Exodus 14)

Sermon Notes & Application Guide  [https://canva.link/qq3t9hystv426dj] Scripture References * Primary Passages: * Luke 19:10: “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” * Exodus 14:13: “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today.” * Supporting Passages: * Psalm 3:8: “Salvation belongs to the LORD.” * Isaiah 12:2: “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid.” * Exodus 6:7: “I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God.” * Isaiah 53:5: “He was wounded for our transgressions… crushed for our iniquities.” * Ezekiel 36:26-27: Promise of a new heart and God’s Spirit within us. * Jeremiah 31:31-34: The New Covenant: forgiveness of sin and a new relationship with God. * Malachi 4:2: “The sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings.” * Matthew 1:21: “You shall call his name Jesus (Yeshua), for he will save his people from their sins.” * Man’s Greatest Need * Our deepest need is not money, health, or freedom — it is to be rescued from sin and fully reconciled to God. * The Old Testament repeatedly shows us this truth: no matter how many times God delivered Israel from external enemies, the root problem of sin always remained. * Why Jesus Came Jesus came * “to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). * His primary mission was a rescue mission for sinners. * Biblical Definition of Salvation * Salvation means deliverance from danger, peril, or suffering — rescue into safety, victory, freedom, and life. It includes both temporal and eternal deliverance, with the ultimate focus on spiritual salvation from sin. * Salvation Is God’s Work Alone * Salvation belongs to the Lord (Psalm 3:8). We cannot earn it. * Like Israel at the Red Sea, our role is to “stand still” in faith and trust God to save us (Exodus 14:13). * Old Testament Picture of Salvation * The Old Testament shows God repeatedly rescuing His people from physical danger (especially in the Exodus). * These stories serve as powerful types and shadows pointing to our greater spiritual deliverance from sin. * The Hebrew Connection – Yeshua * The Hebrew word for salvation is yeshuah (from the root yasha = “to save/deliver”). * Jesus’ Hebrew name Yeshua means “Yahweh saves.” He is literally “Salvation” in human form (Matthew 1:21). * Old Testament Hope Through the Prophets * Judges and kings could only give temporary rescue because sin remained. * The prophets pointed forward to ultimate salvation: a Suffering Servant (Isaiah 53), a new heart and God’s Spirit (Ezekiel 36), and a New Covenant with full forgiveness (Jeremiah 31). * Fulfillment in Christ * Old Testament salvation was like the sunrise — real but partial. * In Jesus, the full sun has risen. He is the “Sun of Righteousness” with healing in His wings (Malachi 4:2). * The long-awaited Yeshuah has come! Comment here [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2153683/fan_mail/new]

LENT- From Barrenness to Belonging (2 Samuel 9)

Scripture References * Primary Passages: * 2 Samuel 9 (entire chapter: David's kindness to Mephibosheth) * Supporting Passages: * 2 Samuel 4:4: Mephibosheth becomes lame while fleeing in fear * 2 Timothy 1:7: "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind" * Matthew 6: Warning against anxious worry * Matthew 14: Peter begins to sink when fear takes his eyes off Jesus * 1 Samuel 15: Saul's fear of the people leads to disobedience * Matthew 26 (Gethsemane): Jesus faces real fear but submits to the Father's will * Romans 5:8, 10: God shows love while we were still sinners and enemies * Ephesians 2: Kindness and grace for Jesus' sake (salvation not by works) Key Points of the Sermon * Fear's Destructive Power * Mephibosheth became lame in both feet because his nanny fled with him out of fear when Saul and Jonathan died (2 Samuel 4:4). * Operating from fear (instead of faith) leads to hurt, sin, paralysis, missed blessings, and can cripple future generations. Examples include Saul (1 Samuel 15), Peter sinking (Matthew 14), and anxious worry (Matthew 6). God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7). * Lo-debar– The Spiritual Wilderness * Mephibosheth hid in Lo-debar ("no pasture" / barren place of no provision, abundance, or word). This represents our fallen state: spiritual barrenness, isolation, shame, silence from God due to sin, and hiding. * Lent is our intentional 40-day spiritual wilderness—mirroring Jesus' desert time—to confront these "dry places" through prayer, fasting, repentance, and self-examination. * God's Unmerited Grace & Initiative * David actively sought Mephibosheth (not the other way around), restored his land, and seated him permanently at the king's table "for Jonathan's sake." * This foreshadows the Gospel: God seeks us while we are still sinners and enemies (Romans 5:8, 10), showing kindness for Jesus' sake (Ephesians 2). We don't earn a place at God's table—we receive it through Christ's covenant faithfulness. * Shame Swept Away & Transformation * Mephibosheth's name means "dispeller of shame" or "shame is swept away." Lent calls us to confront shame, guilt, and unworthiness. * Jesus bore our shame on the cross. God carries us from Lo-debar (desolation) to the palace (restoration and belonging), inviting us to feast as adopted sons and daughters. * At the King's Table * Even though Mephibosheth remained lame, when seated at the table, his feet (weakness/defect) were hidden. His focus shifted to the King. During Lent, we die to fear-driven living so we can rise with Christ in Easter joy. Fix your eyes on Jesus (the One who went to the cross for you), not your issues. * Call to Action * Come out of fear and the desert. Repent, confess, fast, and refocus on Christ. If still in the "lameness of sin" and far from God, come to the King today. You have a permanent place at the table of the King! Come to salvation! Comment here [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2153683/fan_mail/new]