Redeemer Church, Mason Ohio Pastor Marc Champagne

This week in our series from the book of Daniel, we are shifting focus (briefly!) from Daniel to his three friends, who have also learned to trust the grace of Israel’s God. When Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to bow to the king’s golden image, they were thrown into a death furnace. The example of Daniel’s three amigos shows us that God wants us to acknowledge that his provision is sufficient, loving and good - even if it does not line up with our own immediate desires. Tragedy does not mean that God has vanished. Faith is often refined in the furnaces of life, making God’s presence and grace all the more powerful and precious.

King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 2 proves problematic to his spiritual advisors as he threatens to execute them if they cannot interpret its meaning. They can’t. But there is one who can (the God who gave him the dream!), and Daniel’s willingness to seek God’s wisdom in prayer quite literally rescues the day. More than that, the content of the dream itself anticipates Christ: the rock cut out of a mountain not built by human hands which brings “A Kingdom That Will Never Be Destroyed” (v. 44). That inspiring picture gives hope to the exiles back in the day, and hope to all believers who follow.

This Sunday, we began a new series on the book of Daniel, “Living in Exile.” Our first stop is Chapter 1 which sets the context for what is to come: the challenge of living faithfully when the cultural backdrop is literally designed to redefine the central tenets of one’s core commitments. But in Daniel, we see a theology of faithfulness that models “Staying True When It’s Hard.” Behind the fidelity of God’s servants, though, is God himself, who not only superintends history and individual lives, but ultimately stays true in the hardest of times.

We welcome Alex Wright to Redeemer this Sunday! Alex, his wife Keren, and their two boys moved to Cincinnati last Fall to explore planting a church in his childhood neighborhood of Price Hill. Currently, Alex is serving as an intern in the Chaplaincy program at Children’s Hospital. His text will be Mark 10:32-35, “Jesus’ Step to Greatness.” Alex writes: What does it mean to be ‘great,’ according to Jesus? It's very different than the way our culture thinks about greatness. This text reminds us that first and foremost, if we want to 'achieve' in God's Kingdom, we must first 'receive.'"

This Easter Sunday, our text is Acts 2:21-42, "What Do We Do with Jesus?" On the heels of the Holy Spirit being poured out on Pentecost, it's an excerpt from Peter's powerful and sweeping examination of Jesus' life, death, resurrection and exaltation. That message, and the clarion call to a response, resounds across centuries and continents and comes to us at Redeemer on March 31st, 2024. Pray along with me for renewed conviction and hope!

We come to our final text in 2 Corinthians (chapter 13) this Sunday, and the conclusion of our series covering both letters we find in the Scriptures to the young church in Corinth. Paul’s parting words encourage his brothers and sisters in faith to continue “Moving on to Maturity.” As usual, he is quite straightforward!