Experience the Land and the Book
6 Sermons from Israel
Saul: A Study in Tragedy
Pastor Chuck Swindoll
There is a special grief over a life not well lived. We love to celebrate the stories of those who have finished well, but when we encounter those whose lives bear the consequences of poor decisions and slow erosion, we sigh and wonder what could have been. And then, in quiet, private moments, we wonder how our lives will end. Will we finish well? Are we on a good track? Discover from the life of one of the Bible's greatest examples of failed potential just what it means to take God seriously. And then choose to finish well.
The Beatitudes: Lessons by a Lake
Pastor Chuck Swindoll • Matthew 5:1–11
Jesus could not have picked a better place to sow seeds of faith than on the hill now called the Mount of Beatitudes. On a carpet of wildflowers and scrub, the people sat, captivated and amazed by this Teacher. While rabbis of the day taught the finer points of Mosaic Law, Jesus' message touched the heart. The rabbis' endless, dusty rhetoric said little; Jesus' few words altered the way the people understood life. Even to this day, His words, ignited by the Spirit of God, cut through the stuff of life and call us to live the way God intends for us.
Releasing Our Burdens Beneath the Waves
Pastor Chuck Swindoll • Mark 6:40–52
Great things happen on water . . . treacherous things too. Both occurred the night that followed Jesus' miraculous feeding of more than 5,000 men. Jesus' disciples shook with terror in a storm-tossed boat on an inky-black sea. Why were they afraid? Weren't they eyewitnesses to His miracles? Mark 6:52 records a heartbreaking moment in Scripture: “[The disciples] had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their heart was hardened.” It took a storm to help the disciples learn a valuable lesson. What will it take for you to surrender to Jesus in faith?
When Jesus Stopped to Pray
Pastor Chuck Swindoll • John 17
The hardest work we can do is “knee” work. We'll find anything else easier to do than pray. Yet Jesus not only told us that we “ought to pray and not to lose heart” (Luke 18:1), He showed us by praying Himself. After the last meal Jesus shared with His disciples but before the soldiers came for Him in Gethsemane, Jesus let us eavesdrop on His talk with the Father. Often called the High Priestly Prayer, John 17 is one of the most remarkable and longest intercessions in all of God's Word. From it, we can learn how to pray and get a glimpse into Jesus' great love for us.
A Place for Pondering and Praise
Pastor Chuck Swindoll
Even without that spring weekend two thousand years ago, Jerusalem would be an incredible place. The central narrative of Scripture, both completed and yet to come, revolves around this land and this city. Yet only on one event does history swing on its hinge: the weekend when Jesus Christ suffered, died, and rose again, according to Scripture. And it happened in Jerusalem. It was in Jerusalem that the life of everyone who has turned to God was set apart. It's at the cross of Jesus Christ that life begins. And when we talk about His resurrection, we move from today into eternity. The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ make up the most critical event in history—one worthy of our pause, our pondering, and our praise.
A Captive's Call to Freedom
Pastor Chuck Swindoll • Acts 24—26
Along the beautiful Mediterranean lies the coastal city of Caesarea. Caesarea was the official seat of government, a busy port, and a naval base for the powerful Romans in the province of Israel. On the grounds of the seaside palace called Herod's Praetorium, the apostle Paul was unjustly imprisoned AD 58-60. Through a curious chain of events, Jerusalem's authorities brought Paul here to appear before the Roman magistrate on three trumped-up charges. Paul modeled for us how a thinking, believing follower of Christ can defend himself or herself against criticism.