Obedience

Scripture References Acts 27 2 Corinthians 11 Acts 21 Acts 23 John 19 Introduction Guest speaker Jonathan “JP” Pokluda continues Lake Pointe’s Acts series, “There Is More: Endgame,” walking through Paul’s harrowing voyage in Acts 27. From a prisoner’s chains, Paul steadies 276 frightened people, proving that God – not weather, not authorities – holds the outcome. The chapter carries three big lessons: stay calm by remembering who is in charge, realize storms reveal real faith, and do your part while trusting God for everything else. Key Points / Exposition 1. Stay Calm by Remembering Who Controls the Outcome Paul, though in chains, warns the sailors that sailing after the Day of Atonement is disastrous; they ignore him. His peace rests in God’s sovereignty: Paul cannot command weather or captains, but he can command his own obedience, speech, and attitude. Obedience is never measured by immediate results; it is measured by faithfulness to God’s leading. Illustration: an eighth-grade flight that hit severe turbulence – a Bible bouncing off the ceiling – exposed a deeper fear: being out of control. Story: a bar confrontation where the aggressor calmly phoned two massive friends; his calm came from confidence in who backed him. Believers stay calm when they know who backs them. 2. The Storm Is Where Our Faith Is Seen Hurricane-force winds batter the ship for 14 days; cargo and tackle are thrown overboard, hope is lost. An angel assures Paul that he must stand before Caesar and all aboard will survive. Paul relays the message: “Keep up your courage…for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.” Storms give Christians their greatest platform; without trouble, faith remains theoretical. Historical note: John Wesley realized he was not truly saved after watching calm Moravian missionaries sing during a life-threatening storm. 3. Do Your Part and Trust God for the Rest Sailors try to abandon ship; Paul insists, “Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved.” Soldiers cut the lifeboat away. For two weeks no one has eaten; Paul breaks bread, thanks God publicly, and everyone eats – basic self-care restored. Practical takeaway: keep doing the basics (rest, Scripture, prayer, community) even when life feels chaotic. Illustration: a daughter “driving” the grocery-cart car – Dad lets her turn the wheel but still directs the cart toward his unseen grocery list. Sometimes God lets us feel in control; other times He steers another way for a larger purpose. Major Lessons & Revelations God owns the outcome; our role is simple obedience. Storms do not create faith; they reveal the faith already present. Public courage in crisis can lead others to salvation and safety. Neglecting spiritual and physical basics during trials compounds the danger. God may calm the storm, or He may calm His child within the storm – either way, He is faithful. Practical Application Surrender your need to manage every variable; practice immediate obedience in the small things. Speak up with reasoned, Spirit-led courage even if people ignore you. Maintain basic rhythms of Scripture, prayer, community, rest, and healthy habits when life gets turbulent. View current hardship as a platform to display authentic faith to onlookers. Rehearse God’s past faithfulness to strengthen present trust. Conclusion & Call to Response The message closed with a sweeping reminder of God’s proven experience – parting seas, shutting lions’ mouths, raising Jesus from the dead. If He has conquered death, He can certainly handle our storms. “If God is for you, who can be against you?” Whether He stills the wind or steadies your heart, He has you securely in His hands. Look at the birds, look at the flowers – your Father cares far more for you. Prayer Father, calm Your people in their storms and thank You for Jesus’ death and resurrection. Give us fresh vision of eternity so present problems shrink in comparison. Bless the church and its influence, and commit every listener to Your care in Jesus’ name. References & Resources Lake Pointe sermon series: “There Is More: Endgame” Guest speaker: Jonathan “JP” Pokluda (Harris Creek Baptist Church) Insights When life shakes like turbulence, remember the cockpit is occupied; God still holds the yoke. Outcomes don’t prove obedience; your courage to speak up does, so trust beyond the results. Storms strip priorities fast, revealing what you worship; choose to anchor in eternal truth. Faith isn’t avoiding rough air; it’s opening Scripture mid-drop and finding steady ground inside. Your peace can pilot others; someone’s survival may hinge on your choice to lead while chained. If God can outrun death, He can outlast this downpour – so stop fearing the forecast.

Scripture References Luke 9:51 Isaiah 50:6-7 Matthew 21:1-11 Mark 11:1-11 Luke 19:28-44 John 12:12-19, 16 Zechariah 9:9 Psalm 118:25-26 Deuteronomy 8:3 Deuteronomy 6:13 Psalm 91 Proverbs 29:25 John 12:42-43 Introduction The preacher invites the church to journey with Jesus along His final, “dark and scary road” toward Easter. Luke 9:51 marks the hinge of the gospel narrative: Jesus “set His face” toward Jerusalem–language of iron-willed resolve and fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy. Historical backdrop: Passover week swells Jerusalem to ~2 million pilgrims; Rome dispatches extra troops; political tension is electric. Two contrasting parades will converge: Pilate from the west with war-horses; Jesus from the east on a donkey portraying humility and true power. Key Points / Exposition 1. The Road from Jericho 19-mile desert road known for robbers (Good Samaritan setting). Jesus travels it at the start of Passover week, fulfilling prophetic timing for the Lamb of God. 2. Prophecy in Motion–The Donkey Jesus instructs two disciples to secure a donkey and her colt; owners release them at “The Lord needs it.” Fulfills Zechariah 9:9: Messiah enters “righteous, victorious, yet humble, riding on a donkey.” Kings rode horses for war, donkeys for peace–Jesus signals a Kingdom of peace, not revolt. 3. The Triumphal Entry & Misunderstood Hosannas Crowds carpet the road with garments and palm branches–a nationalistic symbol stamped on Jewish coins. “Hosanna” originally means “Save us, we pray,” now chanted as political slogan. They expect economic/political deliverance, not a cross-shaped salvation. Messianic prophecies (>300) statistically verified in Christ–illustrated with odds comparisons. 4. Tears Amid Applause Luke records Jesus weeping as He beholds Jerusalem–foreseeing AD 70 destruction and the crowd’s coming rejection. Same voices will shout “Crucify!” when He fails to meet their nationalistic agenda. 5. The Wilderness Temptations Revisited Preacher parallels Palm Sunday acclaim with Satan’s three temptations (Deut 8:3; Deut 6:13; Ps 91): Bread–economic savior. Kingdoms–shortcut to power. Temple-dive–spectacular celebrity. Jesus refused each shortcut then, and refuses crowd manipulation now; He lives for the Father’s approval alone. 6. The Trap of Human Applause Proverbs 29:25: fear of human opinion disables. Illustrations: Speaker’s limousine ego-check ending in a flaming tire and hitch-hike. Daughter Jody’s testimony–deliverance from crowd-pleasing, expressed in her spoken-word piece “I Have Wanted to Be In.” Warning: chasing likes, retweets, popularity derails discipleship and identity. Major Lessons & Revelations Jesus’ Kingdom contrasts worldly power: humility over intimidation, sacrifice over force, eternal authority over temporary control. Prophecy validates Christ’s identity; our faith rests on historical reliability, not wishful thinking. God-pleasing resolve (“face set like flint”) overcomes both temptation and public pressure. Human praise is fleeting; living for the Father’s “Well done” secures identity and freedom. Practical Application Examine motives: Am I seeking God’s approval or the crowd’s? Set spiritual “guardrails” (Scripture memorization, fasting, solitude) that anchor identity when applause or criticism comes. During Easter season, invite friends to experience the true King–not a political mascot but the Savior of sin and death. Practice humble service–choose the donkey over the war-horse in daily interactions (peace-making, generosity, listening). Parents & mentors: pray persistently for children caught in crowd-pressure; model audience-of-One living. Conclusion & Call to Response The King who could have seized a throne chose a cross. He saw our faces, wept for our lostness, and kept riding. Today He invites each heart to cry the truest Hosanna: “Save me.” Accept His forgiveness, relinquish the need for human approval, and follow the King whose Kingdom will never fall. ...

Scripture References Exodus 20:8-11 Genesis 2:1-3 Exodus 16:21-30 Luke 6:1-5 Mark 2:27-28 Romans 14:5 Hebrews 11:6 Introduction Pastor opens with lighthearted “hurry-sickness” quiz to show how frantic modern life has become. Confesses the sermon first confronted him personally: “Physician, heal thyself.” Sets context: part of the “Investigating Jesus” series, examining what put Jesus at odds with religious leaders. Announces the focus–God’s gift of Sabbath rest–and promises rapid-fire Bible exposition. Key Points / Exposition 1. The Sabbath Is a Command Fourth of the Ten Commandments (Ex 20). Word “holy” (Hebrew kavod) means “cut apart/separate”; Sabbath should be distinct from the other six days. Carries equal weight with prohibitions against murder, adultery, stealing, etc. Christians rarely justify breaking other commandments, yet casually violate this one. Illustration: people feel awkward asking a pastor to commit adultery but think nothing of asking him to break his Sabbath. 2. The Sabbath Is a Law of Creation Instituted before Sinai: God Himself rested (Gen 2:1-3). If the Creator pauses, creatures must as well. Attempts to override the seven-day rhythm (e.g., French Revolution’s ten-day week) produced economic collapse and mental-health crises. Modern studies: productivity plunges after 50-hour weeks; six-days-on/one-day-off maximizes output. Seventh-day Adventist longevity study: approx. 5-6 extra years correspond to the cumulative Sabbaths they actually keep. Calculator demonstration shows God “gives the days back.” 3. The Sabbath Teaches Us (and Our Children) to Walk by Faith First biblical mention tied to manna (Ex 16): gather double on day six, trust God on day seven. Refusal to rest = disbelief that God will provide. Principle: “If you work on the Sabbath, God stops helping; if you rest, God works for you.” Chick-fil-A case study: closed Sundays yet second-largest, most profitable U.S. chain–proof that six days with God beat seven without Him. Memorable maxim: “A Sabbath is to your schedule what a tithe is to your budget.” 4. The Sabbath Is a Blessing, Not a Burden Jesus corrects legalists (Luke 6; Mark 2): “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” Pharisees multiplied 1 rule to 39 micro-rules to 615 sub-rules (Mishnah), turning gift into slavery (e.g., Shabbat elevators, bottles of water under car seats). Jesus, “Lord of the Sabbath,” restores it as delight. Major Lessons & Revelations God embeds rest into creation for human flourishing. True Sabbath combines ceasing from labor and enjoying God’s presence; it is worship, not mere leisure. Obedience releases tangible blessings–health, creativity, provision, witness to unbelievers. Trust, not toil, is the foundation of productivity and spiritual vitality. Practical Application Choose a day (needn’t be Sunday, cf. Rom 14:5) and protect it. Prepare in advance–hard, focused work during the other six days enables real rest. “No work” rule: anything that feels like vocation or burdensome obligation pauses. Power down digital distractions; devices often kill both work and rest. Sabbath dinner tradition: gather fun Christian friends/families, share testimonies of what God is doing, let children witness adults praising Jesus. Engage in life-giving, refreshing activities (example: “boats, fishing, naps–imitate Jesus”). Worship–scripture reading, gathered church, prayer. A day off without God is a “bastard Sabbath” (Eugene Peterson). Conclusion & Call to Response The Father offers His children a weekly gift; refusing it slowly kills body and soul. Challenge: take your first genuine Sabbath this week–trust God for ONE day. Expect renewal, deeper faith, and a testimony of God’s provision. Prayer “Father, bend our wills to Yours. Teach us to trust You for a day, to cease striving, and to welcome Your presence. May the blessing of Sabbath transform our families, our work, and our witness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.” ...