God has the power to radically change us and the course of our lives.

How do you typically react to change? Do you thrive on change, or does it make you nervous? What does this say about your personality?

What is the biggest life change you’ve experienced recently? What do you remember most about that experience? How did you handle the change?

Change is inevitable. In our jobs, families, relationships, church, and country, change swirls all around us. For many people, change is far from welcome. The way that we respond to change shapes our lives going forward. Today we will see that Paul experienced dramatic life changes as his story went from being one of the most feared enemies of Christianity to one of its most prolific voices.

God calls us to maintain an eternal perspective on life so that we might boldly share our faith regardless of the consequences.

How are you different now than you were before coming to faith in Christ? Do other people view you differently now? How so?

Do you have difficulty being bold? Why? How do we balance boldness with humility?

Have any of your circumstances—job, family, friendships, etc.—changed recently? If so, what new opportunities might exist for you to spread the gospel?

The primary objective of Revelation is not to reveal the Antichrist, but Jesus Christ.

• What comes to mind when you think of the Book of Revelation?
• What was your initial internal response when you heard we were going to begin a study of Revelation?
• What is one thing you learned in Pastor Greg’s teaching on Revelation 1?

When we think of the Book of Revelation, many of us think of terrible prophecies to come. However, the center of Revelation is Jesus Christ (Rev. 19:10). In fact, there is no better book to help us understand these difficult days than the Book of Revelation. It brings sense to our suffering. But for that to happen, we must read it, hear it, and apply its truths to our lives. God wants us to learn about the future so that we’ll be motivated to live right in the present.

Message by Tony Clark

About Tony Clark
 
Tony Clark established Calvary Chapel Newport News in 1994, today, Calvary Chapel Newport News is a multi-cultural fellowship with members from over 30 countries represented. More than 2,000 people call Calvary Chapel Newport News home and are inspired by Tony’s simplistic, yet life-changing teaching style.
 
He has traveled throughout the United States and around the world to such places as Kenya, South Africa, Okinawa and Cuba to proclaim the goodness of God. His radio program, “The Word Made Plain,” is being heard by millions of people on the east and west coasts. Tony did not know it, but God’s hand was upon his life from the very beginning. For example, K-WAVE, the radio station that Tony listened to as a young marine during his drive to and from work, is now airing his messages.
 
The desire of Tony’s heart is to see the community of Newport News and the Hampton Roads area transformed by continuing to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ. Tony continues to heed the call by passionately studying God’s Word, prayerfully seeking the Lord’s direction for His church, and vigorously pouring love into the lives of the people God leads his way—persevering until He comes!
 

Many do not really understand what it means to be a follower of Jesus. When Jesus put His team together, they were quite ordinary, hopelessly human, and remarkably unremarkable. Simon and Andrew had been disciples of John the Baptist. James and John, the Sons of Thunder, were also called. Mark’s details indicate the testimony of an eyewitness, probably Peter. All of these men were doing something when Jesus called them. If you want to be used by God, get busy doing something for the Lord!

Moses was in the final stretch, but that didn’t slow him down one bit. From the moment he learned he wasn’t going into the Promised Land, Moses started praying for the next man up. He asked God for a man “who will guide them wherever they go and lead them into battle, so thecommunity of the Lord will not be like a sheep without a shepherd” (Numbers 27:17 NLT). That man was Joshua, and Moses worked to make the transition smooth. The last four chapters of Deuteronomy trace the activities that occupied Moses in the closing days of his life. He gathered Israel to say goodbye. He designated Joshua as God’s clear choice to be his successor. He established public reading of the Law. And he assembled the elders from every tribe to hold them accountable for leading faithfully. The book of Deuteronomy is a series of sermons Moses gave to prepare the people for life in the Promised Land. In this last session of our four-part series, Choose Life, we focus on faith, choices, and finishing well.

After forty years in the wilderness, Israel is ready to step into the good life. But Moses warns what will happen if they choose to take their wayward habits with them into the Promised Land. Sadly, he knew they would. “You have been rebellious against the Lord as long as I have known you,” he told them (Deuteronomy 9:24). We wonder, as they listened to all of the dire warnings in Deuteronomy 28, if the people thought Moses was exaggerating. But history reveals that Israel has suffered all of these calamities at one time or another. The book of Deuteronomy is a series of sermons Moses gave to prepare the people for life in the Promised Land. In this session of our four-part series, Choose Life, we focus on praying our prodigals home and the life-changing power of God’s Word.

What legacy do you want to leave for your children? If you want it to be a rich one, start investing
in it today. That was the message Moses wanted to drill down into every family and every tribe of Israel. Israel’s tents spread far across Moab’s grassy plain, but Moses wasn’t looking at tents—he was looking to the future. The book of Deuteronomy is a series of sermons Moses gave to prepare the people for life in the promised land. In this session of our four-part series, Choose Life, we focus on building a legacy of faith for future generations.

Deuteronomy opens with Moses calling the people together on the plains of Moab near theJordan River. By our calendar, it is mid-January, just before the spring rains come to bathe the soil and swell the riverbanks of the Jordan. Moses and the multitude are in the last stages of their journey together. In a matter of weeks, Israel will cross the Jordan River in a miraculous way reminiscent of the Red Sea. But Moses will not be with them.We have traced Moses’ life through the pages of Exodus and Numbers; now we’re stepping into the final days of this faithful servant’s life. The book of Deuteronomy is a series of sermons Moses gave to prepare the people for life in the promised land. What would you say to loved ones if you knew you were saying goodbye? In this three-part series, Choose Life, we focus on God’s faithfulness and what is most important in life.

This chapter begins with endings. Miriam’s death punctuates the fact that forty years have passed and Israel’s wandering is over. But these are wilderness children, raised on tales and legends of Egypt and skilled in the same bellyaching habits as their parents. For them, Canaan has always been a vague destination; they are nomads, always moving, never arriving. In the spring of that fortieth year, Israel migrated back to Kadesh-Barnea. It was a regular stop during the wandering years since it had a reliable source of water. But this time they found it dry. History repeats itself and we wonder if they’ll ever learn. (Will we?) In this episode we see Moses’ greatest failure and deepest regret. Weep with him, but watch him rise and keep going, determined to finish well. The work isn’t done. It’s a new generation. And this chapter ends with beginnings.

The journey was almost over. After settling the multitude at Kadesh-Barnea, Moses sent twelve men into Canaan to scout the land and determine the best route of entry. The promised land was so close now, Moses could almost taste it. Bring back some of the fruit, he said. Forty days later, the spies returned with giant clusters of fruit on their shoulders and mutiny in their hearts. In many ways, Israel was its own worst enemy. Like crabs in a bucket, they kept pulling each other down. Fear. Rebellion. Anger. Regrets. This three-part series, The Crab Bucket List, confronts sins that trip us up and attitudes that get in our way.

Exodus ends with the glory of the Lord filling the newly completed tabernacle. The pillar of cloud and fire was a visible reminder that God was with them, day and night. When it hovered over the tabernacle, the Israelites knew to stay put. When it moved, they would break camp and set out. Sometimes the cloud lingered for many days, or it might only be one day. Day or night, whenever the cloud lifted, they knew it was time to move. In the book of Numbers, Moses and the Israelites leave Mt. Sinai and begin their journey to the land that God promised them—a trip that might have taken less than two weeks, had they been obedient. Their attitude through the wilderness would make all the difference. Centered, or self-centered? Despite all that God was doing, they grouse and complain. Like crabs in a bucket, they kept pulling each other down. Fear. Rebellion. Anger. Regrets. This three-part series, The Crab Bucket List, confronts sins that trip us up and attitudes that get in our way.

Moses stepped out of his tent into the cool morning air. Dawn was his favorite hour, easing gently into a new day while the camp still slept. He was bone-tired and weary. But the mountain, like a sleeping giant silhouetted against the desert sky, called to him. It would take several hours to reach the summit. At first, the path was smooth—then it crumbled and rose sharply, every step filling his sandals with an avalanche of shale. Slow and steady, clutching stone tablets in one arm, leaning hard on his staff to keep from slipping. By the time he reached the granite peak, white-hot sun was flooding the desert floor far below him. What compelled Moses, an 80-year-old man, to make this solitary climb? You know the story well, but read it again with fresh eyes to see God’s glory.

Moses could not imagine going forward without the Lord’s presence. How could he lead the people if God Himself wasn’t there to show him the way? How could they be known as God’s people if the Lord wasn’t present among them? Please Lord, go with us. With is a little word that makes a big difference. This session in our four-part series, His Presence, explores lessons in the power of prayer, second chances, and God’s merciful desire to continue with His people.

Broken. God’s commandments. Israel’s promise. Moses’ heart. It happened right after the covenant was signed and sealed. It happened while the glory of the Lord, visible from the camp below, set the mountaintop ablaze. To her shame, Israel became a harlot on her honeymoon. Forty days, and still no Moses. In his absence, they weren’t feeling God’s presence. It was only a matter of time before forgetfulness set in. They exchanged the glory of God for the image of a calf. “How could they?” we ask. It seems like a random choice to us, but they were falling back on what was familiar. Aren’t we capable of this too? In times of uncertainty, old habits and patterns of thinking feel safe.

In this last session of our three-part series, Indispensable Truth, we continue to explore why God’s
law is still our moral compass. Everything about the law points us forward to Jesus who would come and live a sinless life in full obedience to the law. The law—as far as the individual is concerned—was never meant to make one righteous. It was given to show us that we could never be righteous in our own ability or works. The law shuts our mouth but opens our eyes.

In this last session of our three-part series, Indispensable Truth, we continue to explore why God’s
law is still our moral compass. Everything about the law points us forward to Jesus who would come and live a sinless life in full obedience to the law. The law—as far as the individual is concerned—was never meant to make one righteous. It was given to show us that we could never be righteous in our own ability or works. The law shuts our mouth but opens our eyes.

Guardrails and Rumble Strips | How do you view the Ten Commandments? Some people see a rigid set of stone cold rules and regula@ons you have to keep if you want God to love and approve of you. But Jesus already accomplished that for us.

Three months after leaving Egypt, Moses brought the multitude to the mountain. The people may have expected to camp a few days before resuming their journey, but Moses knew this was more than a stopover. To be in this place, with millions of Israelites safely in tow, was a personal milestone for Moses. It was familiar ground, made holy by a burning bush encounter. Did he trace his steps back to that memorable spot?

Study Groups

WATER, FIRE, STONE
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF MOSES

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR GROUPS 1/8/20

You’re thirsty. So dry, you can barely swallow. Your head throbs. Your heart is thumping too fast, too shallow to catch your breath without slowing your pace. You want to sit down in the shade and rest but that’s not an option. There is no shade—and a multitude of cranky, exhausted people are expecting you to find water. After all, you’re the wilderness expert. Forty years, you should know this desert like the back of your hand! Do something!

Sunrise on the Red Sea. Moses climbed the nearest ridge for a wide-angle vision just to take it all in. With the sun warm on his back, he studied the sea for traces of the miracle they walked through. Gentle waves crested and broke in undulating rhythm as usual. Broken chariot wheels and lifeless Egyptians littered the shore. The tide was commencing to wash away millions of sandy footprints, evidence that God’s people had indeed walked through the sea. Daybreak and dry ground. Moses saw it with his eyes but he felt it with his soul.

The moon was still making its way across the night sky when Moses came back with the news. At last, it was time to go. We don’t know how long it took for the word to reach every hut and hovel, but the people were ready and wasted no time. Families lined up by tribe, and tribes fell into step behind their leaders. Can you picture it? Hebrew migrants pouring out of Goshen in the middle of the night, leaving a ghost town where they had lived, labored and died as slaves for centuries. But now God’s people were leaving the land of their affliction behind.

On day four, the light emerges but not in Pharaoh’s heart. He summons Moses to announce that he has decided to grant their request. In a grand gesture he adds that even your children can go. But Moses refuses to negotiate God’s terms. After months of devastation and suffering that brings Egypt to the brink of collapse, Pharaoh squanders it all—and for what? Before the night is over he will lose his own son.

1 And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.” 2 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, 3 and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them. 4 And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. 5 And Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 6 For he did not know what to say, for they were terrified. 7 And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.”

Egypt experienced one calamity after another. The people, the land, even the animals suffered because of Pharaoh. Every time he refused to let God’s people go, Pharaoh invited disaster on his own people.

The plagues were more than a random series of catastrophes to force Pharaoh to release the Hebrew slaves. With these judgments, God demonstrates His power over creation and exposes Egypt’s powerless gods. The plagues occurred over a period of about nine months.

Exodus began with a pharaoh who feared a growing Hebrew population, so he decreed death for all baby boys. But times have changed. The pharaoh that Moses is dealing with isn’t about to let go of his Hebrew slaves. Who does Moses think he is, coming to Pharaoh with such a demand?

Moses cupped a hand over his eyes and squinted toward the mountain. From a distance at dawn, it looked like a camel’s hump jutting up from the desert floor, but now the sun was playing tricks with shadows. Shielding his eyes, Moses stared up into the craggy face of Mt. Horeb staring back down on him. He loved the solitude of this place. Mountains don’t care about time. Minutes and days and decades mean nothing to them. Mountains teach you to forget. And Moses had learned that lesson well.

Moses: Lawgiver . . . Lawbreaker . . . Liberator.
God called and Moses said, “Here I am.” Then he heard the plan and said, “Send someone else.” That’s not the kind of response we expect from an epic leader like Moses, but have we ever used a similar excuse? I can’t. I’m not qualified. It’s too soon . . . it’s too late.

We know Moses, the great hero of history, but who was the man behind the legend? He was born in poverty, raised in a palace, but the wilderness became his home. He was an outlaw, a loner, and a Lawgiver. Reluctant to lead but determined to follow God. At times he could be impulsive, impatient, explosive. He was idolized and criticized yet remained humble and forgiving. How did this man with so many complexities become a world-changer? Is the secret to his friendship with God something we can tap into? With Moses’ life and times as our script, we will explore why God chooses unlikely heroes—flaws, failures, and all—to accomplish His perfect plan.

Congratulations! Upon completion of this last session through Paul’s letter to the Romans, you will receive your GOSPEL HANDS AND FEET CERTIFICATE authorizing you to go into all your world and preach the Good News to everyone. Actually, the Lord has already commissioned every believer to do that in Mark 16:15 (see fine print provisions in Acts 1:8, John 17:17–18, Matthew 5:16)

In a way, this chapter is what Paul has been leading up to since his opening comments in chapter 1. Remember what Paul told them? Your faith is being talked about all over the world. Can that be said of us? With all that Paul has written, we know they faced challenges, needed instruction, and still had some growing to do. Can that be said of us? But their obedience to God was well known (Romans 16:19). Can that be said of us?

Few Bible commands are more difficult or more essential to follow through on than Christ’s command to love one another. It’s not always easy, is it? Sometimes arguing feels so much more satisfying. In this chapter, Paul talks about Christians living in unity without demanding uniformity. When it comes to matters of opinion that the Bible is silent on, we are given the freedom to choose—but not without considering others or compromising our Christian witness.

Nothing proves our Christian witness like the wear and tear of daily life. In chapter 12, Paul taught how we should treat one another in light of God’s mercy to us. Love is the motive, and the specific instructions Paul gives encourage us to examine how we come across as individuals. Do we respond in ways that reveal the transforming power of God’s love in our life?

Chapter 12 is a turning point in this letter—and Paul clearly wanted it to be a turning point in the life of every believer who reads it. Every topic he has touched on in Romans brings us to this place. It is safe to say that Paul was passionate about two things: Preaching the gospel to those who are lost; and teaching believers to live out the gospel in everyday life.

If you’ve seen Fiddler on the Roof, you remember Tevye saying to God, “I know we’re the chosen people—but once in a while can’t You choose someone else?” Some people do think that God rejected the Jews, took back all of the promises He made, and gave them to the church instead. But Paul (who never saw Fiddler on the Roof) takes care of that question in this chapter.

Can you remember when those simple words first penetrated your heart? It probably wasn’t the first time you heard them. Children are taught to recite this verse. If you’re older than fifty, you’ve probably seen the words plastered on a roadside sign left to fade in the sun. John 3:16 is a favorite verse—but what do people actually hear? Skeptics hear a slogan. Disinterested masses hear a one-size-fits-all phrase. Pretenders hear the words they intend to fall back on someday. What do you hear?

Chapter 8 finished on such a high note. If God is for us, who can be against us? What can separate us from the love of God? Every obstacle Paul could imagine—and he had experienced them all— evaporated in the light of God’s unwavering love. He will never let go of you!

Paul wrote this letter to hundreds of Roman Christians he didn’t know. In his mind’s eye, he wrote to his old friends Aquila and Priscilla and a roomful of faces he’d never met, in a house he’d never been to, in a city he’d never visited. But he loved them like family—pouring himself, body and soul, into the pages for their spiritual wellbeing. How could he know that countless multitudes, centuries later would still be poring over this letter, gleaning truth, puzzling and praying their way through his tightly reasoned rhetoric?

“Whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” The word abide means to stay, continue, dwell, remain, or be present. It is like living in a house. What types of things entice us to leave the house of God’s love?

We are halfway through our study! This week we step into a favorite chapter, not only in Romans but in the Bible. For some of us, it will be a first-time read and more familiar for others. Either way, get ready for what’s new. Not in the sacred page, but how it will speak to you amidst all the stuff and substance of your life and whatever is trending in your heart.

How do we wrap our minds around grace? If facts were enough, Romans 6 and 7 would only need to be two short sentences: Sin can’t control you. The Law won’t save you. But Paul isn’t dispensing facts—he is relating to real life. And living by grace is more caught than taught.

Complete freedom to act as one wishes or thinks best; writing one’s own terms for an agreement. Synonyms: free rein; a free hand; a blank check

To hear some people tell it, this is the definition of grace. Since God’s grace is inexhaustible, why worry about living a holy life? Paul knew that some would misinterpret his statement that, “Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more” (Romans 5:20 ESV).

Verse 2 says that faith in Christ grants us access into “this grace in which we stand.” Grace is “favor or kindness shown without regard to the worth or merit of the one who receives it and in spite of what that person deserves.

Verse 2 says that faith in Christ grants us access into “this grace in which we stand.” Grace is “favor or kindness shown without regard to the worth or merit of the one who receives it and in spite of what that person deserves.

The major point of the last few chapters has been that we have been imputed with righteousness, and therefore have been justified in the sight of God, through faith in Jesus Christ. What is a natural result of our justification?

Paul wrote this letter to hundreds of Roman Christians he didn’t know. In his mind’s eye, he wrote to his old friends Aquila and Priscilla and a roomful of faces he’d never met, in a house he’d never been to, in a city he’d never visited. But he loved them like family—pouring himself, body and soul, into the pages for their spiritual wellbeing. How could he know that countless multitudes, centuries later would still be poring over this letter, gleaning truth, puzzling and praying their way through his tightly reasoned rhetoric?

Sometimes the truth is hiding in plain sight. We miss it because we think it has to be more complicated. Sometimes the truth gets buried in tradition; opinions passed down for so long they’re accepted without question and defended to death. No one knew this better than Paul, a former Pharisee.

Paul had always been one to speak his mind. He was trained to think a matter through and explain it decisively. His brilliance as a teacher/lawyer (that’s what a rabbi was) set him apart as a young man. Paul arrogantly pursued all the ceremony and demands of the Law, fully convinced that he was earning God’s approval. Then one day, on the Damascus Road, God knocked him down and turned his whole life right side up. The zeal remained, but the rage was gone.

If we could go back in time and visit the church in Rome, who would we be sitting with? There would be families and young adults, widows, and aging parents. Some worked a trade (Aquila and Priscilla were tentmakers) or in the marketplace but most would have been house slaves and manual laborers. Many were devout Jews and probably more were converted Gentiles.

Our first session finished on a high note, with Paul saying that the gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. The good news is that anyone can be saved by putting their faith in Jesus. It really is amazing when you consider that God has given us this life-changing, eternity-altering relationship with Him when, in fact, the only thing we deserve is punishment for our sin. But to fully appreciate and share the good news, we need to acknowledge the bad news.

Romans may be the most important letter you will ever read. In it you will discover who you are and where you stand with God. There will be consistent opportunities to consider what God has done for you and what God expects from you. Paul takes time to explain the basis of the Christian faith without avoiding tough issues or soft-selling the gospel. Instead, Paul skillfully navigates the deep waters of doctrine so that his readers will be anchored in faith.

Paul’s letter to the church in Rome is such a thorough explanation of the gospel that it has been called a “Bible within the Bible.” Who needs the gospel? Why is the gospel powerful? What does the gospel look like in the everyday life of a believer? With passion and precision, Paul walks us through the essentials of the gospel and how it changes everything.