The Day of Atonement centers on lasting peace with God and with one another, achieved through fasting, rest, repentance, and the forgiveness that flows from Christ’s atoning work. God commands His people to afflict their souls and cease from work, warning that those who refuse will be cut off. The day also looks forward to the binding of Satan, when true peace will finally cover the earth. Believers are to resist the devil, draw near to God, extend forgiveness, and pursue the unity for which Christ prayed.

The Feast of Trumpets, observed on the first day of the seventh month as a memorial of blowing of trumpets, recalls the many uses of trumpets in Scripture—gathering the people, sounding alarm in war, and announcing God’s presence and majesty. From Sinai to Jericho to the prophecies of the Day of the Lord, the trumpet proclaims God’s sovereignty and His desire to lead His people. The day points forward to the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of His Kingdom. Believers are reminded that God still desires to lead them today; the choice remains theirs to listen and follow.

Although most people assume they are fine simply because they fit in with the crowd, mankind is in desperate need of salvation from the penalty of sin and from Satan’s corrupted world. Salvation is the process by which God, through Christ’s sinless life, death, and resurrection, saves people and ultimately grants them eternal life in His Kingdom. In this age God calls only a few; those who respond in faithful obedience and endure to the end will rise and reign with Christ. Believers are called to recognize their need, remove every weight and sin, and remain faithful.

Although mankind shares physical mortality with the animals, God created human beings in His own image and placed within them the spirit of man, giving them understanding, self-consciousness, and the capacity for relationship with Him. This spirit, combined with the human brain, forms the mind and records character, yet at death it returns to God while the person sleeps without awareness. The purpose of this unique creation is that men and women might ultimately enter God’s family as His children. Understanding the true nature of man motivates believers to develop holy character now, knowing God is able to resurrect both body and spirit.

The Bible is the inspired, God-breathed Word of truth—the greatest book ever written—profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped. Written by holy men moved by the Holy Spirit over many centuries, it forms a consistent whole that must be understood line upon line and precept upon precept. Believers are urged to leave spiritual milk behind, study diligently with maturity and discernment, and allow every pure word of God to serve as their anchor and guide for life.

Viewed through the eyes of a Roman soldier in Jerusalem in A.D. 31, the darkness, earthquake, empty tomb, and outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost take on vivid historical weight. These events, recorded in Luke’s account, demonstrated that the religion of Jesus was the fulfillment of ancient promises rather than a novelty. Believers are invited to recognize Pentecost as the day God began pouring out His Spirit so that all who call on His name may be saved and empowered to proclaim His wonderful works.

Scripture reveals God as the eternal, all-powerful Creator and Sustainer of the universe—a family of two spiritual Beings, Father and Son, perfectly united as one God—whose character consists of love, knowledge, wisdom, justice, and mercy. These foundational truths form the starting point of any genuine search for truth. God desires to reproduce His very nature in men and women so they may share life and work with Him in His Kingdom, calling believers to know Him intimately and allow His character to shape their own.

In the account of Israel’s entry into Canaan under Joshua, God demonstrated that He blesses those who obey His commandments as the people crossed the Jordan at flood stage, circumcised the wilderness generation, and kept the Passover before confronting Jericho. These acts of faith, performed in enemy territory at personal risk, prepared the nation for victory and reminded them of the Abrahamic covenant. Believers today are likewise called to obey God even when circumstances appear unfavorable, trusting that He remains faithful to provide and open the way for those who keep His commandments.

Just as a traveler needs a map, a compass, and knowledge of his present location, believers need the Bible, the example of Jesus Christ, and honest self-examination. This pre-Passover message reminds us that the Passover commemorates both Israel’s deliverance from Egypt and the sacrifice of Jesus, our true Passover Lamb. Today’s sermon calls us to examine ourselves carefully so we may approach the Passover fully aware of where we stand with God.