Hannah prayed, "The LORD humbles and lifts up." Eli's sons did evil but Samuel served the LORD. A prophet condemned the house of Eli.

The LORD called Samuel. Eli told Samuel to answer, "Speak, LORD." The LORD told Samuel that he was about to judge the house of Eli.

01_18_26_#29_Joshua 2:1-16_An Unlikely Helper_90 Days

{ILS} The NFL Draft {2 slides} {4}

• 200+ players, 32 teams, 7 rounds, 3 days

• The future of the organization & of the team staff on 7 picks

• Metrics humans use to judge the capabilities of others - {5} often wrong

• • On the screen is a banner when Tom Brady was drafted #199

  • No one knew what he was capable of, until he got an opportunity

{MPT} {10} Opportunity - one of the rarest things on this earth - humans beg

• Joshua taking leadership of an entire nation

• • Moses and the nation had severe ups and downs - but all we knew

• {11} Two spies sent across the river to be the eyes and ears of our operation

• • Previous scouts sent out by Moses said it was hopeless

• {12} Rahab in the land across the river

• • Sitting at the intersection of powerful enemies set to kill each other

{MPT} {16} Respect, Fear, and Terror - leaders always choose one

• Respect - to hold another in high regard - worth, feelings, boundaries

• Fear - responding to a known or perceived threat

• Terror is an extreme, overwhelming form of fear often paralyzing or shocking, stemming from an intense sense of dread or impending doom where the threat feels uncontrollable or incomprehensible

• This King, of Jericho, oldest on earth - accustomed to dealing out terror

{MPT} Belief - 3 days of hiding, wondering, questioning in a hostile land {19}

• Belief in God

• Belief in Yourself

• Belief in Others

• Do you think Rahab’s family thought she would be the reason they lived?

• • Far beyond that day, She is tied to the lineage of Jesus

Joshua sends spies

2 Joshua, Nun’s son, secretly sent two men as spies from Shittim. He said, “Go. Look over the land, especially Jericho.” They set out and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab. They bedded down there.

2 Someone told the king of Jericho, “Men from the Israelites have come here tonight to spy on the land.”

3 So the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab: “Send out the men who came to you, the ones who came to your house, because they have come to spy on the entire land.”

4 But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. Then she said, “Of course the men came to me. But I didn’t know where they were from. 5 The men left when it was time to close the gate at dark, but I don’t know where the men went. Hurry! Chase after them! You might catch up with them.” 6 But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the flax stalks that she had laid out on the roof. 7 The men from Jericho[a] chased after them in the direction of the Jordan up to the fords. As soon as those chasing them went out, the gate was shut behind them.

8 Before the spies bedded down, Rahab went up to them on the roof. 9 She said to the men, “I know that the Lord has given you the land. Terror over you has overwhelmed us. The entire population of the land has melted down in fear because of you. 10 We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Reed Sea[b] in front of you when you left Egypt. We have also heard what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites on the other side of the Jordan. You utterly wiped them out. 11 We heard this and our hearts turned to water. Because of you, people can no longer work up their courage. This is because the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on earth below. 12 Now, I have been loyal to you. So pledge to me by the Lord that you in turn will deal loyally with my family. Give me a sign of good faith. 13 Spare the lives of my father, mother, brothers, and sisters, along with everything they own. Rescue us from death.”

14 The men said to her, “We swear by our own lives to secure yours. If you don’t reveal our mission, we will deal loyally and faithfully with you when the Lord gives us the land.”

15 So she lowered the spies on a rope through the window. Her house was on the outer side of the city wall, and she lived inside the wall. 16 Then she said to them, “Go toward the highlands so that those chasing you don’t run into you. Hide there for three days until those chasing you return. Then you may go on your way.”

17 The men said to her, “We won’t be responsible for this pledge you made us swear 18 unless, when we come into the land, you tie this red woven cord in the window through which you lowered us. Gather your father, your mother, your brothers, and your whole family into the house with you. 19 Those who go outside the doors of your house into the street will have only themselves to blame for their own deaths. We won’t be responsible. If anyone lays a hand on those who are with you in the house, we will take the blame for their death. 20 But if you reveal our mission, we won’t be responsible for this pledge you made us swear.”

21 She said, “These things will happen just like you said.” She sent them away and they went off. Then she tied the red cord in the window.

{ILS} Redemption of important characters

• Sometimes the character in our movie fails - they choose themselves

• • Han Solo pictured here in star wars rescued princess lea for a reward

  • Risked his life, life that at risk bc of money he owed, now has money

  • Luke says we must destroy the death star - Han “nah, i have the $”

• At last second, when luke has no other options and might die - han returns

• • Failure - Separation - Return - Redemption

{MPT} God redeems the leaders - This was our opening image in November

• The image you see depicts the golden calf - where Aaron failed mightily

• • He defied his leader Moses and his God, by giving in to the crowd

  • But today Aaron and his sons are being blessed for leadership

  • • Blessed today and for generations to come

  • Redemption is possible for all of us

{MPT} Redemption can’t happen without the list

• Bull represents the sacrifice necessary to be restored - it’s not free

• Unleavened bread represents God’s path out

• Olive oil represents being blessed for service

• Priestly garment represents - the bridge & all 12 tribes - Levites set apart

• • Military separates units with different tasks - Levites lead worship

{MPT} Can The People Be Awestruck By A Tent?

• Bull and the bread and the olive oil and the tunics - Aaron and this sons

• • But we are in a….tent….in the wilderness

  • What is this? Who are we? Where are we going?

  • One reason they will build a temple and the reason Christians build beautiful structures is to place the individual human in awe of the space - to remind them

  • But the people in our story today learn a valuable lesson that would suit us as well.

• Remember what God has done and hope in what God will do - BINDS

• • Right now, SUMC sits between our memory and our hope

  • • We are in good company in the entirety of scripture

    • Our willingness can be bolstered by what we read today

{MPT} A Voluntary Sacrifice of a Perfect Being

• In the old testament we read “a lamb without defect” - Jesus in Gethsemane

• • Bless what I hear, Bless what I touch, Bless where I walk

  • B/C you God have the power to redeem me and make any tent holy

We are reading the Bible in 90 days and choosing foundational texts along the way. Moses wanted the people to be set apart from all other nations through their devotion, their ritual, and their sacrifice.

While our offerings are different in 2026, the core principles are the same, and you will hear that in the recording today.

Find Simpsonville United Methodist on Facebook to see the readings for each day.

a1_01_04_26_#27_Genesis 4:1-16_Cain and Abel_90 Days

{ILS} Park Bench in Good Will Hunting

• The scene was the therapist Sean correcting the patient Will

• Will had disrespected Sean deeply, insulting his life and late wife

• Sean told Will - “I slept on it last night…you’re smart but you don’t know everything, because you haven't seen it”

• Beautiful spot along the Charles River in Boston - Quiet Reflection

{SCR} Genesis 4:1 {THREE} The man Adam knew his wife Eve. She became pregnant and gave birth to Cain, and said, “I have given life to a man with the Lord’s help.” 2 She gave birth a second time to Cain’s brother Abel. Abel cared for the flocks, and Cain farmed the fertile land. 3 Some time later, Cain presented an offering to the Lord from the land’s crops 4 while Abel presented his flock’s oldest offspring with their fat. The Lord looked favorably on Abel and his sacrifice 5 but didn’t look favorably on Cain and his sacrifice. Cain became very angry and looked resentful. 6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why do you look so resentful? 7 If you do the right thing, won’t you be accepted? But if you don’t do the right thing, sin will be waiting at the door ready to strike! It will entice you, but you must rule over it.”

{MPT} Cain couldn’t possibly know what what was required

• Years of preparing the land

• Years of gathering and herding animals

• 18 months of child bearing

• Decades of child care & it all of it was with the Lord’s Help

{MPT} A limited perspective caused Cain to choose anger

• Cain’s dream was that the work he did would be celebrated

• • The “sin that is waiting” is the desire to be praised above all others

  • The expectation leads to deep anger and resentment

  • The pain for the creator is the human knows nothing of what has already been done before they took action

{SCR} Genesis 4:8 {TWO} Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” When they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. 9 The Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” Cain said, “I don’t know. Am I my brother’s guardian?” 10 The Lord said, “What did you do? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground. 11 You are now cursed from the ground that opened its mouth to take your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you farm the fertile land, it will no longer grow anything for you, and you will become a roving nomad on the earth.”

{MPT} Cain’s fatal flaw became fatal for his brother

• Rather than consider the reason Cain feels anger…

• • Cain chooses to target and eliminate his perceived cause of the anger

  • • Was it about work ethic? No. Both brothers worked

    • Was it about willingness? No. Both brothers offered

    • Cain’s anger must find a local, tangible recipient

• Cain reduces Abel to one characteristic

• • would rather kill his brother than work to understand him

{SCR} Genesis 4:13 {TWO} Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is more than I can bear. 14 Now that you’ve driven me away from the fertile land and I am hidden from your presence, I’m about to become a roving nomad on the earth, and anyone who finds me will kill me.” 15 The Lord said to him, “It won’t happen; anyone who kills Cain will be paid back seven times.” The Lord put a sign on Cain so that no one who found him would assault him. 16 Cain left the Lord’s presence, and he settled down in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

{MPT} The punishment is more than he can bear

• Fascinating - those people that tease, push, bully - never can take it

• • Cain will now get an education in the work that preceded him

  • • What an incredible thing it was that plants grew underground

  • In this cycle, the perpetrator screams they are the victim

  • • Worst fear, someone like them

• Rachel Stevens - the Tragic plot embryo

We read, compare, and contrast the stories of Jesus' family in the days leading up to his birth. Matthew's version and Luke's version focus on very different themes and we take time to identify and discuss them.

12_7_25_#23_Isaiah 9:1-7_The Wonderful Counselor

{ILS} The Wizard

• 1939 & 2024 - Both equally driven by

• • Self Interest

  • Deception

  • Manipulation

• Takes the vulnerabilities you shared and flip them to their benefit

• • We unfortunately have experienced this pain in all phases of life

  • • That is why Isaiah’s description of a leader is so promising

  • The context of both Wizard of Oz and Isaiah - - - the present is troubled but there is a leader that is capable

{SCR} Isaiah 9:1 Nonetheless, those who were in distress won’t be exhausted. At an earlier time, God humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but later he honored the way of the sea, the far side of the Jordan, and the Galilee of the nations. 2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light. On those living in a pitch-dark land, light has dawned. 3 You have made the nation great; you have increased its joy.

They rejoiced before you as with joy at the harvest, as those who divide plunder rejoice. 4 As on the day of Midian, you’ve shattered the yoke that burdened them, the staff on their shoulders, and the rod of their oppressor.

{MPT} Humbling and Honoring

• Note in this image, the interest to be etched in stone as a victor

• • Sometimes we get humbled like Zebulun and Naphtali

  • Sometimes we get elevated like Gideon vs the Midiantes

  • War requires that one be humbled and one be elevated

  • • Inevitable like a see-saw

  • When we get humbled or elevated…

…What would the wonderful counselor say?

• He does not want war

{MPT} Darkness and Light

• Note in this image, the darkness is complete, envelops the room

• • Sometimes we bring the darkness on ourselves

  • Other times the darkness is heaped on us

  • In the midst of it, we imagine the darkness may never end

• Wonderful Counselor knows

• • the slightest light in pitch black changes everything

{SCR} Isaiah 9:5 Because every boot of the thundering warriors, and every garment rolled in blood will be burned, fuel for the fire.

{MPT} Fuel and Fire

• this image of a bonfire is dramatically different than the tiny candle

• • Fire this size has the power for destruction

  • • When i smell a large fire, reminds me of my childhood church

    • It reminds me of letting the dog out one night - Table Rock

• But in this case, the thing being destroyed is clothing for war

• • The fire here is calling each person to peace, to a new purpose

{SCR} Isaiah 9:6 A child is born to us, a son is given to us, and authority will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.7 There will be vast authority and endless peace for David’s throne and for his kingdom, establishing and sustaining it with justice and righteousness now and forever. The zeal of the Lord of heavenly forces will do this.

{MPT} Wonderful Counselor

• Self Interest - Sacrifice

• Deception - Truth

• Manipulation - Empowerment

The fire in this photo is calling each person to peace, to a new purpose

• To face the world with the following