Route 66: Hebrews, James, Philemon - Faith That Moves.

Faith doesn't just watch, faith moves. Many believe, but few act. Three epistles remind us that faith believes, acts, and restores.

1. Faith holds on to Jesus (Hebrews 10:23).

2. Faith shows up in works (James 2:17).

3. Faith repairs relationships (Philemon 17-19).

Real faith doesn't run from brokenness - it runs toward it. A faith that is real is a faith that is moving.

We live in a world where people carry around so much - stress, ambition, regret, the pursuit of success, even religion. It's like dragging an overloaded suitcase through life. But Jesus is life - everything else is just excess baggage.

1. Christ is our joy (Philippians 4:4).

2. Christ is our life (Colossians 3:4)

3. Christ is our message (Philippians 1:21; Colossians 1:28).

Paul could rejoice in prison because his joy wasn't chained to his circumstances. His joy and life were in Jesus. So don't drag through life with baggage that can't satisfy, Remember, Jesus is life, everything else is just excess baggage.

Route 66: Galatians & Ephesians - From Slavery to Family

Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation declared freedom to all slaves, even in Confederate States. That's what Galatians and Ephesians proclaims. Jesus declares freedom to all humanity, if it is accepted. 

1. From slaves to children (Galatians 4:4-7).

2. From strangers to family (Ephesians 2:19-20).

3. From weakness to strength (Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 6:10).

Will you keep living as a slave, or will you step ito your new identity as a child in God's family?

Route 66: 1 & 2 Corinthians - Strong When We're Weak

The church in Corinth was gifted, successful, and full of potential. But underneath the surface were serious cracks: division, pride, immorality, and confusion. These letters from Paul are God's reminder that strength and unity aren't found in us - they are found in Christ alone.

1. Unity over Division (1 Cor. 1:10; 3:11).

2. Holiness over Worldliness (1 Cor. 6:19-20).

3. Strength through Weakness (2 Cor. 12:9-10).

The cracks in our Christianity are where God's grace shines through.

The book of Romans gives us a road - a clear path that leads us from sin and death to salvation and life. Christians call it the Romans Road. Let's walk through it step by step.

1. Our problem: sin (3:23).

2. The penalty: death (6:23).

3. God's provision: Christ (5:8).

4. Our response: faith (10:9-10).

5. The promise: salvation (10:13).

Will you take the road? Will you call on the name of the Lord today?

The Gospel of Jesus is the greatest change agent the world has ever seen. It started from the beginning - the book of Acts. Ordinary men and women, filled with the Spirit of God, were used to "turn the world upside down" (Acts 17:6).

1. The power of the Spirit (Acts 1-7; 1:8).

2. The expansion of the Gospel (Acts 8-12; 8:4; 10:34-35).

3. The mission to the nations (Acts 13-28; 13:47; 28:30-31).

Will you turn the world upside down with the Gospel?

In the Christian life, sometimes we need to return to the basics - Who is Jesus? Why did He come? How do we respond? That's exactly what the Gospel of John does.

"These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." (John 20:31)

1. Jesus is the Son of God (1:1,14).

2. Jesus is the Savior of the World (3:16-17).

3. Jesus calls us to believe and follow (20:31; 21:19).

The Gospel of Mark invites us to see Jesus in motion - not just as a teacher, but as a Servant Savior, full of authority, compassion and power. The ultimate question is: What will you do with Jesus?

1. Jesus has authority like no one else (1:27).

2. Jesus shows compassion to the broken (1:41).

3. Jesus came to give His life for you (10:45).

Will you follow Him?

"Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me" (Mark 8:34)

Have you ever found yourself wondering, "Where do I really belong?" We all want to be part of something meaningful - something bigger than just work, routines, and responsibilities. The Gospel of Matthew reveals that Jesus isn't just a good teacher - He is the true King and invites us into His Kingdom. If you've wrestled with your place in this world - this message is for you. Jesus is calling you into His Kingdom.

1. The King has come (1:21).

2. The King teaches His Kingdom (5:3).

3. The King shows His power (8:27).

4. The King goes to the cross (27:37).

5. The King reigns forever (28).

A love letter reminds the recipient that even when time and distance separates, love is still active. That's God's heart in Zecharaiah and Malachi - despite His people's neglect, God keeps saying, "Return to me." Not in anger, but in love. These books are God's letters to His people - and to us.

1. God's call to return is always a call to hope (Zech. 1:3).

2. God's refining fire is for our good (Mal. 3:2-3).

3. God's heart desires wholehearted worship and generous obedience (Zech. 7:5-6; Malachi 1:6-14; 3:8-10).

When Christians ignore God's call to move forward, we get spiritually frozen. We become stuck in our comfort, distracted by life, or too tired to rebuild what's broken. God sent two prophets, Zephaniah (before the Fall of Jerusalem) and Haggai (after the return to Jerusalem), to wake up His people. Their message is still for us today if we find ourselves.

1. Zephaniah: Wake up from complacency (1:12).

2. Haggai: Rebuild what really matters (1:4)

3. God's presence and promise are with us (Zeph. 3:17; Hag. 2:4-5)

"There is no pit so deep that God's love is not deeper still" - Corrie ten Boom (Nazi concentration camp survivor). There are moments when we need to trust in a silent God. Nahum reveals God's certain judgment. Habakkuk wrestles while waiting for it. Together, they show trust in God during dark days.

1. Nahum: God will not let evil win (1:2-3. 7-8).

2. Habakkuk: When justice feels delayed (1:2-4; 2:1,,4; 3:17-19)

3. Nahum and Habakkuk meet at the cross: God judged sin and offered mercy.

Mercy always stuns the world - especially when it's undeserved. Jonah couldn't stand it. Micah called us to it. Today, we're going to see what God's mercy and mission look like - and what He really requires of us. 

1. God's mercy is greater than our comfort (Jonah 4:1-2)

2. God's justice is not just punishment (Micah 6:6-7)

3. What God requires: Justice, Mercy, and Humility (Micah 6:8)

The prophecy of Amos begins with a warning: "The Lord roars from Zion!" God wasn't whispering. He was roaring. Amos, a shepherd and fig farmer, became God's unexpected messenger to shake His people awake. 

1. God's judgment is real (2:6-7)

2. Ritual without righteousness is rejected (5:21-24)

3. God's plumb line: Are we upright? (7:7-8)

4. Hope is not lost (9:11-15)

God was roaring, not to scare His people away, but to call them back to Himself. God is still speaking today. Will you ignore the warning - or make the change?

Have you ever found something valuable that you had lost? Hosea and Joel are like that. God's people had gone far from God, but He still wanted them back. These prophets reminded them to return to the Lord.

1. God's love is relentless (Hosea 3:1)

2. Sin has consequences, but God calls us back (Joel 2:13)

3. God promises restoration and renewal (Joel 2:25)

God's love (Hosea) and God's mercy (Joel) come together in Jesus. Even after rebellion, tragedy, and time, God still will restore. The invitation is simple: Return to the Lord... for He is gracious and merciful (Joel 2:13).

Godly courage refuses to bow, bend or break. Four men in Babylon had it against a king. Daniel and his three friends are a story of unshakable faith in a shifting world. They stood firm because God stood with them.

1. Conviction over compromise (1:8, 17, 20)

2. Courage in the fire (3:16-18, 25)

3. Prayer that prevails (6:10, 22)

The book of Daniel is not just about surviving in Babylon - it's about thriving in faith. Like Daniel and his friends we are called to stand firm.

Some people need a wake-up call! Ezekiel was living in exile - disoriented, discouraged, and far from home. But God woke him up with a vision and a mission: speak truth to a spiritually broken people. His response changed others.

1. God calls you where you are (2:1-5).

2. God's message is often hard - but always needed (2:6-7)

3. God can bring life where there's death (37:1-14)

What will you do with God's call?

We've all had moments where life hasn't gone according to plan. Jeremiah witnessed the fall of Jeruksalem, saw the people exiled, and cried out to God with questions, doubts, and heartbreak. In the middle of the pain, God sends a word of hope. God wants us to know we have hope too.

1. God sees the bigger picture (29:10).

2. God's plans are good - even in hard places (29:11).

3. God responds to a seeking heart (29:12-13).

4. God restores what is broken (29:14).

No season is wasted with God. He knows the plans. He holds the future. And hope is always part of the story.

The book of Isaiah is one of the most powerful prophetic books in the Bible, filled with messages of judgment, hope and redemption. Isaiah lived during a time of moral and spiritual decline, yet he boldly proclaimed God's truth.

1. The call to repentance - a nation gone astray (1:18).

2. The vision of God's holiness - Isaiah's calling (6:3).

3. The promise of the Messiah - the hope of redemption (9:6).

4. The suffering servant - Jesus' sacrifice foretold (53:5).

We live in a world where love is often defined by emotion, passion, or attraction. But God's Word gives us a deeper, richer, more beautiful vision - especially in the Song of Solomon. It's not just about desire - it's about devotion. Not just about feelings - but about faithfulness.

1. Love pursues with delight (1:2)

2. Love commits with faithfulness (2:16; 8:7)

3. Love reflects Christ's heart (8:6)