Josh McGuire - "Prophets Do Hard Things" | Austin CFC | 2024-03-24
Summary
The speaker argues that Christians should look to the Old Testament not for rules, but as a book of discovery to understand the heart of God found in Christ. He illustrates this by examining prophets like Elijah, Elisha, and Ezekiel, noting that they were often asked to perform difficult or seemingly impossible tasks. These examples challenge modern assumptions about what spiritual gifts or obedience should feel like.
Outline
The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.
Opening Prayer and a Shift in How We Read ScriptureThe speaker opens in prayer and explains that rather than looking to the Old Testament merely for rules and laws, he now reads it as a book of discovery to see the unchanging heart of God.
Prophets Are Asked to Do Difficult ThingsExamining Old Testament prophets reveals that God frequently called them to carry out hard assignments, prompting us to wrestle with why He asked those things of them.
Elijah, Elisha, and the Hard Request for the SpiritWhen Elisha asks Elijah for a double portion of his spirit, Elijah calls it a hard thing, reminding us that pursuing more of God's Spirit is not always an easy path.
Ezekiel's Unclean Assignment and GethsemaneGod asks Ezekiel to cook food over human waste, and later commands him to lie on his sides for over a year to bear Israel's iniquity; this cost points forward to Jesus bearing our filth on the cross.
Hosea and Gomer as a Picture of God's Faithful LoveGod asks the prophet Hosea to marry a prostitute, portraying a profound and difficult love story that mirrors God's faithful pursuit of unfaithful people.
Connecting Old Testament Prophets to New Covenant ProphecyMoving into the New Testament, Paul instructs believers to pursue love and earnestly desire spiritual gifts, especially prophecy, in light of what it means to be a prophet.
The Flow of 1 Corinthians 11 through 14Paul methodically moves from the Lord's table in chapter 11 to spiritual gifts in chapter 12, grounds everything in the supreme definition of love in chapter 13, and arrives at desiring prophecy in chapter 14.
Without Love, Our Works Are NothingThe famous chapter on love begins with sobering principles showing that even great speaking, knowledge, faith, or sacrifice profits nothing if done without love.
Desiring Spiritual Gifts as If Your Life Depended on ItRecognizing our own selfishness and lack of love drives us to desperately need God's gifting and power to genuinely help and bless others.
Seeking the Gift of Prophecy at Any CostOf all the spiritual gifts, prophecy is the one to seek most earnestly, and like the Old Testament prophets, we must be willing to pay whatever cost God determines.
Brothers Share Testimonies on Love and ProphecyVarious brothers share how the message challenged them to avoid spiritual arrogance, bring their dry bones to God, and earnestly seek the gift of prophecy to edify and comfort the body.
Closing PrayerThe meeting closes with a prayer thanking God for His word and asking the Holy Spirit to fill believers with love and the gift of prophecy to build up one another.
