August 15, 2025 – The Name Above Every Name Philippians 2:9-11 – Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Scripture Reading – Psalm 83 The writer of Psalm 83 is crying out to God about the many enemies that are against Israel. But he makes an interesting plea at the end. He asks that the enemies be put to shame, however, he doesn’t just ask that they be destroyed. He asks that they may seek the name of the LORD, to know that he alone is the Most High over all the earth (vv. 16-18). How is this perspective even possible in the midst of great suffering, particularly suffering caused by others? Because Jesus gave us the ultimate example of sacrificial humility, to put the eternal w...
Our Shepherd and Defender 1 Peter 2:24–25 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. Scripture Reading – Psalm 82 Psalm 82 confronts injustice and reminds us that God defends the weak, with a plea, “Arise, O God, judge the earth; for you shall inherit all the nations (Ps 82:8)! 1 Peter 2:24–25 proclaims how God accomplished this prayer: Jesus bore our sins in His body on the cross. He took the judgment we deserved so that we could live in righteousness, healed by His wounds. Like sheep, we had gone astray, but Jesus—our Shepherd—brought us home. Christ’s sacrifice doesn’t just heal our souls; it also compels us to pursue justice, mercy, and righteousness in a broken world (Micah 6:8). The songs we will sing together this Sunday remind us of God’s great love for us!...