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Four Imperfect Power Couples (2025), Week 2, Abraham & Sarah, Genesis 18...

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When a council of religious leaders asked Judas to betray his Teacher, he asked them a question. He wanted to know what he would get in exchange for his service.  He had no way of understanding, however, how weighty this cost would be.  His actions challenge all of us to ask what we are trading in exchange for our fellowship with Jesus.

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As Jesus makes his way to Jerusalem, a woman anoints Him with expensive perfume.  Some accuse her of wasting a precious commodity. However, Jesus blesses her for her sacrifice.  Maybe she saw something in Him that all of us should see.

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Moving in new directions teaches us new truths.  The old truths are still important.  They establish foundations.  However, we must build beyond the foundation, and this requires a new revelation from God.

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When the new directions seem impossible to follow, and the new destination seems too far away, someone or something must remind us of what is possible.  God works through this early church mission to prove that He can and will accomplish impossible things through their efforts.

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When obstacles force us in new directions, sometimes new destinations come into view.  When the church is scattered from its homeland, God’s people discover new reason to live.

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Sometimes God reveals His glory in clear images.  When a human king asserts his glory, God reminds his persecuted people who truly is their King.  In the light of this new King’s glory, they will help to build His new kingdom.

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Obstacles have a way of clarifying our intentions.  Where are we trying to go, and why are we trying to get there?  These hard questions can expose fundamental disagreements.  How we handle those disagreements will test the integrity of our faith.

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Trouble at home forces the church into new territory, where a whole new people will be exposed to God’s message.  Obstacles have a way of pushing us into new communities where God desires to be known.

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The odds often seem stacked against us.  Goodness and truth have no chance against the vast power of misguided and broken leaders.  Sometimes, however, God intervenes to remind us who ultimately decides who wins and who loses. 

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Stories of the rich robbing the poor pervade all cultures.  In this story, God intervenes to show who really owns all things and who will ultimately have them.

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Fears are real when dangers are real.  When these dangers overwhelm us, God reminds us that He is also real.  His presence has the power to quiet our fears.

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God has been speaking for generations through His prophets, but too often His people hear only words.  Sometimes, however, God intervenes to show that His Word determines outcomes.

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Wealth and possessions are often sources of pride.  God breaks that connection sometimes to remind us that we are all ultimately dependent upon His provisions.

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This promised child will bring the peace that the world lost long ago.  When He has finished His work, nature itself will bear witness to His power.  On that day, God’s people will again dwell in the garden that He has always intended for them.

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This promised child will restore an ancient family line, but in a powerfully new way.  God’s promised Spirit will breathe through this child and to who all follow after Him.

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This promised child brings a new revelation of God’s plan to restore His creation.  Under His leadership, God’s people will realize the future He always wanted for them and for us.