Eastbrook Church

Habakkuk’s prophecy is framed as a series of dialogues between the prophet and God about the justice of God and the suffering to come. The final chapter is a beautiful psalm of trust to God in the midst of the ruins of a collapsing culture.

Nahum’s prophecy comes against Nineveh, shortly before it gives way to the rising empire of Babylon This prophetic book speaks of another nation, but is likely intended as encouragement for a people subjected to oppression and suffering. Nahum reminds his hearers that God holds human history.

The final two chapters of Micah are bleak and challenging, as God directly addresses the failures of the northern kingdom of Israel shortly before their collapse before the Assyrians. In the midst of the misery, Micah calls the people to wait on God and watch for His deliverance.

Prophesying at the same time as the prophet Isaiah, Micah addresses the coming destruction of the northern kingdom of Israel by the Assyrians, while also giving a challenge to the southern kingdom. In the midst of his rebuke against the rulers, Micah speaks of God teaching His people and a promised ruler arising from Bethlehem.

Jonah is unique among the minor prophets in that the entire book is an account of a resistant prophet sent to the capital city of the Assyrian kingdom, Nineveh, to proclaim God’s judgment. When the Ninevites respond with repentance and God gives them a second chance, the distance between Jonah’s heart and God’s heart is revealed in a way that implicates all of us.

Obadiah announces judgment on Edom, one of Israel’s neighbors (and relatives), for helping Babylon conquer Judah. Through Obadiah, God promises that judgment will come on all the nations, but that He will eventually establish His divine kingdom on earth.

After searing prophecies against the surrounding nations, Amos turns his attention to God’s judgment on His own people in the northern kingdom of Israel. Of specific concern for God is a call to true justice within the public square as a reflection of His own justice in the covenant. Though judgment will come, God promises a remnant will be restored.

The prophet Joel is concerned with the coming of the day of the Lord, which is pictured like a plague of locusts descending upon the land. In the midst of this call to repentance, Joel simultaneously points to the outpouring of God’s Spirit upon His people.

After the story of Hosea’s wife, the remaining portion of Hosea’s prophecy is an extended charge against Israel for failing the covenant, God’s just judgment against them, and God’s promise of restoration through His faithful love.

God commanded Hosea to marry a prostitute named Gomer. Their three children and the resulting family difficulties become an enacted parable of God’s relationship with his straying people, specifically the northern kingdom of Israel. In the midst of this we see a picture of God’s unchanging love for His people.

This message will be an introduction to the Minor Prophets, including chronological and geographical background, overview of the message, and how they fit into our faith as Christians today.

A sermon for the end of the year, rooted in spiritual practices we find in the Psalms. 3 Practices for Looking Back: Psalm 136 - Giving Thanks to God Psalm 13 - Lament Psalm 51 - Repentance (Confession & Turning Away) 3 Practices for Looking Ahead: Psalm 63 - Focus on God Psalm 86 - An Undivided Heart Psalm 150 - Praise

A Christmas Eve message on the Hope that Jesus' incarnation and birth brings to all of us who live in the world today.

Psalm 72 brings us into direct address of God on behalf of the king, who is described both as powerful to rule the nations and to bring justice and mercy. The king is blessed in order to be a blessing to the nations and ultimately to bless God through his reign.

Psalm 110 offers one of the most unique descriptions of the Messiah who would come as both king and priest. Referencing the story of Abraham’s encounter with Melchizedek, ruler of Salem (Gen 14:18–20), this psalm tells us that the Messiah will be an eternal priestly king like this mysterious figure.

Psalm 22 is one of the most powerful descriptions of suffering in the entire psalter. It is often connected with Christ’s suffering upon the Cross. Taken on its own terms, this psalm speaks of praise to God amidst suffering. Within the context of Jesus’ life and crucifixion, the depth of this psalm only increases.

Psalm 2 brings us into the conflict between raging nations and God and His people. The Messiah – literally, ‘the anointed one’ – is named as God’s own son and chosen king upon earth. This is a call to God’s people to serve him and the nations to revere him. The New Testament writers connect this psalm directly with Christ the king.

This message explores the fourth and final chapter of this series with restoration in Jesus Christ. Jesus the Messiah has brought redemption to us through His death, and now His resurrected body is ushering in a new "Now But Not-Yet" kingdom. Pastor Matt discusses how Christ's resurrection has raised us with new resurrection bodies. In these bodies, we will see the ultimate restoration of all thin...

This message explores the third chapter with redemption in Jesus Christ. Jesus the eternal Son enters into the fallen cosmos in a real body as Messiah to redeem us, including our love, sexuality, and bodies. Encountering true love of God through Christ helps us find God’s presence, provision, truth, grace, acceptance, and freedom. When we see Jesus’ encounter with people throughout His ministry we...

This message explores the ways in which all of creation has been impacted by the Fall into sin, including our bodies, love the chance for a more-thoughtful engagement with the questions of singleness and what it means to live for God’s glory in the body as a single Christian. This message will address topics such as: do you need to be married to be fulfilled or ‘complete’?, how do you deal with si...

The series continues by looking at the first chapter: Creation. We are made in the image of God. Our bodies are part of our resemblance of God and they are good. Our sexuality reflects God in nature and is intended for God’s glory being seen upon earth, both in our being made for ‘the other’ (relational) and relating to others (intimacy). This leads us into an engagement with the very nature of Go...

This message will introduce the entire series, engaging with cultural discussion, questions within the church, and the need for an overarching (not simplistic) biblical framework for love, sexuality, and the body. The starting point will be God’s Triune identity and the starting point of God’s definition of love, sexuality, and the body. The roadmap for the series will be shared, providing some in...

This past weekend at Eastbrook Church, we concluded our annual MissionsFest. As we celebrate God’s faithfulness to us as a church for forty years, we heard from two of our long-term, international ministry partners on the theme of “Hard Places.” This second weekend, Rev. Canon Francis Omondi from Kenya spoke to us about the nature of life in the kingdom, beginning from the Sinai Covenant and the E...

This past weekend at Eastbrook Church, we began our annual MissionsFest. As we celebrate God's faithfulness to us as a church for forty years, we are hearing from two of our long-term, international ministry partners on the theme of "Hard Places." This first weekend, Rev. Yousef Hashweh spoke to us from the life of Jesus and the story of Joseph about seeking after others in a message entitled "See...

The church exists to worship God “in the beauty of holiness” (Psalm 96:9). The early church of Jerusalem gathered daily in the Temple courts for worship and prayer. They took it for granted that the church lives to bring praise to the Living God. The end of all human history reveals heavenly scenes of worship toward which we are moving. The church on earth lives to God’s glory and gathers as a com...