Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | The most defining moments in Jacob's life happen in his two  transition: from Canaan to Haran; and again, from Haran to Canaan. Both journeys are riddled by tumult and trial, but also tenacity: namely, his tenacity for what he wants for himself, but also God's tenacity for what He wants for Jacob. Again, on the road of transition, Jacob wrestles with God, and God wrestles with Jacob - leaving him never again the same. So, how do we wrestle with God? How...

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | Jacob nears the end of his agreement with Laban, and he's anxiously awaiting a transition into a new chapter of life. As he begins the transition from Haran and back to Canaan, we see alot of messiness and manipulation, but also God's sovereignty, and principles that we can apply to our own life as we make transitions as well. 

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | Genesis 24 marks a significant transition - the end of Abraham's life and legacy and his 'passing of the torch' to his only son, Isaac. But before he passes, he sets out to find a wife for his son. Here in this chapter, we can find 25 principles that can be applied to searching for a spouse today. 

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | The life of Abraham can be seen as a series of tests of faith, which each one getting more and more severe. In faith, he left his homeland; in faith, he left his family; in faith, he left Lot; in faith, he trusted God with Ishmael; and now, in faith, he trusts God by offering up Isaac - the climactic moment of his life and legacy.

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | Genesis 14 establishes the 'tithe' between God and God's people, a primary way we respond God, trust Him, and also receive His honor and blessing.

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | Genesis 1-11 spans nearly 2000 years of human history, and the world keeps rebelling against God's will and ways. What's the hope? The offspring who's come to save and reverse the curse. Genesis 11 ends with what looks like little hope: the line of Shem has become pagan, and is now barren. Where will the promise come? Genesis 12 starts with the only hope: God speaks. 

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | Genesis 7-8 recount Noah's ~370 day ride through the greatest storm in human history. And the promises, principles, and practices God shows Noah, are just as relevant for us today for the storms we will go into - and through. 

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | Genesis 4 features the story of Cain and Abel, the first children and siblings in human history. Their story is one of tragedy and grace, pointing forward to the truer and better older brother we all need.

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | Genesis 2 expands on and elaborates upon God's pinnacle creation, humankind. In it, we can see humanity's place in the world, their purpose, uniqueness, and capacity.

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | Genesis 1 gives us the reality behind the creation, the creation itself, and our place in it. It introduces the story of God, the story of the world, and our story in it, too. 

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | Chapter 15 records the 'pinnacle moment' of the Mark's main theme, which has been building like a crescendo over the past 14 chapters: Jesus is God's Suffering Servant and Man's Redeemer. Chapter 15 shows us why Jesus, and only Jesus, is the only One who can save.

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | In Mark 13, Jesus provides 7 signs of what happens at the end of the world, and even more importantly, how we can live in light of the end in our day-to-day lives. 

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | Throughout his gospel, Mark increasingly builds the crescendo of what Jesus' life and ministry as God's suffering servant. But in chapter 10, the climactic moment of this developing theme happens: the clearest picture of his glory, reign, and rule. "The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (10:45). 

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | All through his gospel, Mark uses paradigms that non-Jews would be familiar with as a way of showing who Jesus is: i.e, King-and-kingdom, sight-and-blindness, natural-and-supernatural, reaping-and-sowing. In chapter 9, he uses another paradigm to show who Jesus - the mountaintop, the valley, and the middle. In doing so, we see who Jesus is to us in all of our highs and lows of life.

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | In chapter 8, Mark draws a connection between increasing clarity of physical sight with increasing clarity of spiritual sight, i.e., seeing Jesus for who He really is. Mark 8 shows us that we all bring presuppositions, biases, expectations, brokenness, pride and sin into our seeing of Jesus - and how Jesus challenges them so that we may see Him for who He is, and live.

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | In chapter 3, Mark convincingly shows the extent and expansiveness of Jesus' authority: on the earth, over the earth, and in heaven: specifically, over the Sabbath, Synagogue, & Sanhedrin; over the Spirits and Satan; and over Sin and Salvation. 

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | In the first 15 verses, Mark writes about how Jesus will bring the Kingdom of God into the earth; but starting in verse 16 and onward, Mark shows Jesus bringing that Kingdom of God to earth. In essence, the second half of Mark 1 serves as a microcosm of how Jesus overall brings the Kingdom of God to earth, and what He will continue to do throughout the entire gospel: namely, through reaching, teaching, healing, and restoring.

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | Mark opens his gospel in a dramatic fashion, introducing the hero we've all wanted. However, Mark explains that God sends us a hero who doesn't arrive or arise to power through the systems of the world; instead, He would do so in a counter-cultural way, challenging and convicting our concept of a king and a kingdom, and bringing His own through repentance and belief - reigning in the hearts of men.

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | The book of Jeremiah closes, not-officially, with the book of Lamentations - Jeremiah's 'epilogue' of sorts, his closing thoughts and feelings about everything he's experienced as a prophet and what he's had to endure. Chapter 3 spotlights the 'hinge' of his entire lament, i.e., what his hopes and his heart hangs on to in the midst of unyielding pain and disappointment.

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | After decades of rejecting Jeremiah's words, the people finally come to Jeremiah asking his advice and guidance. They're in pain and have no plan. Jeremiah gives them 2 options, except tragically, they choose what makes sense to them instead of following God's clear decrees.

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | Jeremiah 36 features arguably one of the most-epic-least-known books in the entire Bible; where God reproduces and replicates His Word in a hostile culture that wants to destroy it. He does the same today as well.

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | Jeremiah 35 features a unique story where God brings the Rechabites (a quasi-Amish subculture) into the Temple, for the purpose of making a point to the larger Israelite population. Chapter 35 shows us legalism, immorality, and the path to discernment.

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | In Jeremiah 23, God calls out the many faux leaders and false prophets in Israel, specifically listing 5 main, signs of these types of leaders - signs that are just as relevant for us today.

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | In Jeremiah 12, God gives the prophet Jeremiah a sobering indictment - to have faith in His plan, even when it doesn't feel fair, just, or right. The solution to this discouragement is greater faith in the righteousness, love, and compassion of God. 

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | Jeremiah puts the people of God on notice, right as they are walking into the Temple for a worship service. According to God's Word through Jeremiah, worship has more to do with our heart posture towards and our relationship with Him and less about the building we walk into or the rituals that we keep on a certain day of the week.