God Said It, That Settles It

In one paragraph

Pastor Mark opened in the book of Obadiah, the shortest book in the Hebrew Bible, before circling back to connect it with last week's message from Philemon and a preview of Colossians. The sermon sat with the weight of God's judgment on Edom before pointing toward the grace that the New Testament reveals. It was a deliberately uncomfortable morning, and he was honest about that. Obadiah arrives...

Read together

1. Obadiah 1 primary text of the sermon, read and expounded at length
2. Romans 3-5 cited to show that no one is righteous and all start as enemies of God
3. Romans 1 referenced regarding God turning people over to a reprobate mind
4. Philemon 1-25 reviewed from the previous week's sermon, full book covered
5. Philemon 3 grace to you and peace, noted as the opening greeting
6. Philemon 25 the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, noted as the closing
7. Colossians 4 compared alongside Philemon as a companion letter sent at the same time to Colossae
8. Colossians 4:7-9 Tychicus and Onesimus sent together to Colossae
9. Colossians 4:18 Paul's closing greeting written in his own hand, grace be with you
10. Isaiah 34 listed among prophecies concerning Edom cited from Easton's Bible Dictionary
11. Jeremiah 49 listed among prophecies concerning Edom cited from Easton's Bible Dictionary
12. Ezekiel 25 listed among prophecies concerning Edom cited from Easton's Bible Dictionary
13. Ezekiel 35 listed among prophecies concerning Edom cited from Easton's Bible Dictionary
14. Joel 3 listed among prophecies concerning Edom cited from Easton's Bible Dictionary
15. Amos 1 listed among prophecies concerning Edom cited from Easton's Bible Dictionary
16. Malachi 1 listed among prophecies concerning Edom cited from Easton's Bible Dictionary
17. Colossians 3:16-17 quoted as the benediction closing the service

Talk about it

1. Pastor James described Edom as a people who felt secure and untouchable because of their geography and military strength, and he connected that to the arrogance we see celebrated in politics and entertainment today. Where do you see that same kind of 'who is going to bring me down' thinking show up in your own life?
2. The sermon pointed out that when Jerusalem was attacked, Edom stood aloof and watched rather than helping their brother Jacob. Can you think of a time when you stood back and watched someone struggle when you had the means to help, and what kept you from stepping in?
3. Pastor James mentioned that when a pastor or minister falls publicly, some people say 'I love it when that happens' and use it to dismiss all Christians. Why do you think we are so drawn to gloating over other people's failures, and what does Obadiah say God thinks about that?
4. He described Charles Finney preaching 28 straight sermons on the judgment of God before ever offering the gospel, and admitted he himself could not do that. How much do you think people today need to understand God's judgment before the message of grace makes sense to them?
5. The sermon drew a parallel between what Paul did for Onesimus with Philemon and what Christ did for us with God the Father, standing in the gap and saying 'put that on my account.' How has understanding that picture changed or deepened the way you think about what Jesus did on the cross?