The Book of the Twelve

Introduction to the Minor Prophets

The minor prophets are distinguished from the major prophets primarily by size—many are short and easy to read in one sitting. And the minor prophets are, frankly, among the most neglected parts of the Bible.

In some Jewish literature, the minor prophets are considered one book, sometimes called the Book of the Twelve. This may be the case when Stephen quotes from what he calls “the book of the prophets” (Acts 7:42), then uses a quotation from Amos. The minor prophets are thought of as a unit, each prophet functioning as a “chapter” in this book—each with different historical circumstances, emphases, and contributions, though all characterized by the same general themes.

Themes

• The Day of the Lord — The Day of the Lord looms large over the prophets. It is a day in which God’s justice on evil and His blessing presence on the faithful are made known. There are both days (little-d) and The Day (big-D). There are little-d “days” of the Lord—divine judgment and blessing in unique historical moments—that anticipate the fuller Day to come: the final, end-times Day of the Lord.

• Exile — The threat and/or reality of exile hangs over each of the prophets. God's judgment falls on Israel in the form of violent dislocation from the land He's given them. Some prophets (Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi) deal with return from exile and the meaning of God's promises once they've returned. The empires of Assyria, Babylon, Ninevah, Edom, and Persia all make an appearance.

• Repentance — The prophets are like prosecuting attorneys, calling attention to the sin, rebellion, and failure of the people. The call is to repent of their sin, idolatry, injustice, and trust in military might, and to return to the Lord who is eager to receive them.

• Restoration — The prophets look back on the failure of God’s people but also look forward to the fulfillment of God’s promises. The fulfillment of these promises operates on multiple horizons, meaning some are fulfilled in the time of the prophets, some in Christ, and some still await completion today. This is not dusty old history, but a word about our future as well.

• Jesus — The prophets announce the coming of a Davidic Shepherd-King who would lead God’s people back into faithfulness and secure His global kingdom forever. Jesus tells us that the whole of the Law and the Prophets is about Him (Matt. 5:17; Luke 24:27). You don’t have to read far to see His figure beginning to emerge.

Join us this summer as we see the severe mercy, surprising grace, and sure hope of the minor prophets.

Summer Preaching Calendar

Below is our schedule. Read along and read ahead!

• April 12 - Hosea (ch. 1-3)

• April 19 - Hosea (ch. 4-14)

• April 26 - Amos (ch. 1-6)

• May 3 - Amos (ch. 7-9)

• May 10 - Joel

• May 17 - Obadiah

• May 24 - Jonah (ch.1-2)

• May 31 - Jonah (ch.3-4)

• June 7 - Micah

• June 14 - Nahum

• June 21 - Habakkuk

• June 28 - Zephaniah

• July 5 - Haggai

• July 12 - Zechariah (ch. 1-8)

• July 19 - Zechariah (ch. 9-14)

• July 26 - Malachi

Jars of Clay: 2 Corinthians

What's 2 Corinthians about?

First Corinthians is largely Paul’s call to the Corinthians to shore themselves up doctrinally and ethically. In 2 Corinthians, Paul defends his apostolicity against “superapostles” who claim that his apparent weakness and lack of fruit are signs of illegitimacy. The “superapostles” (as Paul mockingly calls them in 2 Cor. 11:5) argue that he cannot be a legitimate apostle of Jesus—he’s not smart enough, rhetorically effective enough, or impressive enough to be the real thing. He suffers too much and lacks the flash and bang of other, more noteworthy apostles.

Paul argues that this is exactly the point: God makes His strength known through weakness. The “treasure” (the glories and hope of salvation) is housed in these “jars of clay” (weak, mortal bodies).

What sets 2 Corinthians apart?

Dane Ortlund argues the central thread running throughout the book is this:

“In the new realm that was inaugurated when Jesus ascended and the Spirit descended, life and ministry are flipped upside down such that God’s strength interlocks not with human strength and sufficiency but with human weakness and pain.” (8)

The End is both already and not yet. As such, ministry in our day and age is likewise already/not yet: we already have access to tremendous blessings in Christ, though they remain veiled and not yet fully realized, as they will be when Christ returns. Appearances, therefore, can be deceiving—what may look like weakness, suffering, or evil will one day be revealed as strength, glory, and good.

Ortlund offers four distinct features that distinguish 2 Cor. from Paul’s other letters:

1. It’s Autobiographical – It contains a good bit of personal information about Paul found nowhere else in the New Testament. Pay attention to how much he shares about his calling and life as an apostle of the Lord Jesus.

2. It’s Raw – It’s very human, including Paul expressing a full range of emotions. Pay attention to Paul’s emotional life throughout the book; his joys, frustrations at the “superapostles,” and his earnest desire to see the Corinthians remain faithful to Jesus.

3. It’s Interpersonal – It contains numerous references to his colleagues and relational network. Take note of how connected Paul is with so many different people and how much Paul loves the Corinthians –and how his love for them translate into urgency in calling them to repent and live in obedience.

4. It’s Defensive – Paul recognizes the gospel is at stake if his legitimacy is eroded by these “superapostles,” thus he vigorously defends himself. This is not petty defensiveness; this is about ensuring the Corinthians are not being misled by servants of Satan (2 Cor. 11:15).

Spring Preaching Calendar

• Jan. 11 – 2 Cor. 8:1-7

• Jan. 18 – 2 Cor. 8:8-15

• Jan. 25 – 2 Cor. 8:16-9:5

• Feb. 1 – 2 Cor. 9:6-15

• Feb. 8 – 2 Cor. 10:1-6

• Feb. 15 – 2 Cor. 10:7-18

• Feb. 22 – 2 Cor. 11:1-15

• Mar. 1 – 2 Cor. 11:16-33

• Mar. 8 – 2 Cor. 12:1-10

• Mar. 15 – 2 Cor. 12:11-21

• Mar. 22 – 2 Cor. 13:1-10

• Mar. 29 – 2 Cor. 13:11-14

The Weight of Glory

For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison…

2 Corinthians 4:17

What is “the weight of glory”so potent it totally outweighs our suffering? What is it that Christians are ultimately hoping for in eternity? What makes heaven heaven?

Join us this Advent and Christmas!

• Dec. 7 - The Happy God

• Dec. 14 - We Shall Be Like Him

• Dec. 21 - A Glass Dimly

• Dec. 28 - Further Up & Further In

Core Values

Why does Ridgewood exist? What are the things that make us uniquely us? Join us for four weeks as we work through our vision and values.

• August 3 - Vision: To Make Jesus Known

• August 10 - Value #1: Simple

• August 17 - Value #2: Rooted

• August 24 - Value #3: Personal

Songs for the Saints

“Let me remember my song in the night;

let me meditate in my heart.”

Psalm 77:6

Beginning Sunday, May 25 we'll be teaching through select Psalms, singing the Songs for the Saints. We'll cover Psalms on hope, grief, suffering, joy, wisdom, and faith. Join us!

• May 25 - Psalm 1

• June 1 - Psalm 3

• June 8 - Psalm 13

• June 15 - Psalm 27

• June 22 - Psalm 30

• June 29 - Psalm 61

• July 6 - Psalm 77

• July 13 - Psalm 107

• July 20 - Psalm 113

• July 27 - Psalm 117

Exodus: Part 2

“The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

Exodus 34:6–7

Beginning Sunday, January 19 we'll be teaching the second part of Exodus.

Why teach Exodus? It's a riveting, cinematic story. There's a reason it’s been adapted into so many movies. It's the epic of the Old Testament!

Dramatic though it is, these events aren't what make it so good. It's not the burning bush. It's not the plagues. It's not the passover, nor the parting and passing through the Red Sea. It’s not the giving of the Law, nor the golden calf, nor the miracles in the wilderness, nor the the tabernacle.

What makes Exodus so riveting ? Its God.

That's why we want to devote ourselves to this book; its God is just so big.

• January 19 - Exodus 19

• January 26 - Exodus 20

• February 2 - Exodus 21 & 22

• February 9 - Exodus 23:10-19

• February 16 - Exodus 23:20-33

• February 23 - Exodus 24

• March 2 - Exodus 25

• March 9 - Exodus 26

• March 16 - Exodus 27

• March 23 - Exodus 28

• March 30 - Exodus 29

• April 6 - Exodus 30

• April 13 - Exodus 31

• April 20 - EASTER SUNDAY

• April 27 - Exodus 32

• May 4 - Exodus 33

• May 11 - Exodus 34

• May 18 - Exodus 35-40

Advent 2024: Christmas Songs

• Dec. 1 - Mary’s Song

• Dec. 8 - Zechariah’s Song

• Dec. 15 - Angel’s Song

• Dec. 22 - Simeon’s Song

• Dec. 29 - Heaven’s Song

The Good Life: Psalm 16

What is a good life? That's a tough question.

For some things, knowing what’s good is easy: a good hammer drives nails, good eyes see words on the page and fall colors. But a good life? How do we even begin to answer that?

Starting on October 6, we'll spend seven Sundays exploring Psalm 16. Here, King David paints a picture of a life fully devoted to God and thus a life well-lived.

• Oct. 6 - Psalm 16:1-2 - No Good Apart from You

• Oct. 13 - Psalm 16:3 - The Ones In Whom I Delight

• Oct. 20 - Psalm 16:4 - Multiplying Sorrows

• Oct. 27 - Psalm 16:5-6 - A Beautiful Inheritance

• Nov. 3 - Psalm 16:7-8 - I Will Not Be Shaken

• Nov. 10 - Psalm 16:9-10 - My Flesh Dwells Secure

• Nov. 17 - Psalm 16:11 - Pleasures Evermore

Exodus: Part 1

“The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

Exodus 34:6–7

Beginning Sunday, May 5 we'll be teaching the first part of Exodus.

Why teach Exodus? It's a riveting, cinematic story. There's a reason it’s been adapted into so many movies. It's the epic of the Old Testament!

Dramatic though it is, these events aren't what make it so good. It's not the burning bush. It's not the plagues. It's not the passover, nor the parting and passing through the Red Sea. It’s not the giving of the Law, nor the golden calf, nor the miracles in the wilderness, nor the the tabernacle.

What makes Exodus so riveting ? It's God.

That's why we want to devote ourselves to this book; it's God is just so big.

• May 5 - Exodus 1

• May 12 - Exodus 2

• May 19 - Exodus 3

• May 26 - Exodus 4

• June 2 - Exodus 5

• June 9 - Exodus 6

• June 16 - Exodus 7

• June 23 - Exodus 8

• June 30- Family Worship (NCC Catechism Question #7)

• July 7 - Exodus 9

• July14 - Exodus 10

• July 21 - Exodus 11

• July 28 - Exodus 12:1-28

• August 4 - Exodus 12:29-51

• August 11 - Exodus 13

• August 18 - Exodus 14

• August 25 - Exodus 15:1-21

• September 1 - Exodus 15:22-27

• September 8 - Exodus 16

• September 15 - Exodus 17

• September 22 - Exodus 18

Letter to Exiles

Letter to Exiles: A Study of 1 Peter begins Sunday, January 14, 2024

Do you feel more acutely aware of your homelessness in the world today? The letter of 1 Peter is a timely word to the God's people — “sojourners and exiles” — as they make their way through a world that's opposed to them.

Over the course of 15 weeks we'll devote ourselves to hearing from Peter on Christian faithfulness as strangers in a strange land.

Standalone

The following are individual sermons that aren’t part of a larger series. The sermons are is listed in order of most recent.

Family Worship Catechism Sermons

We are committed to introducing our kids to the beauty and necessity of life together as a church. We do not want the rhythms of corporate worship to be foreign to them until they are an adult. So each fifth Sunday, we incorporate all our kids into a family worship gathering.

The topic of each of the sermons on Family Worship Sundays is a question from the New City Catechism. Sermons are in listed in order of most recent.

The True Story of the Whole World

We are storied beings. We all have some kind of overarching narrative, some “big story,” about the how and why of human history. We’re all wrestling with the questions: What’s the meaning of our lives? What’s the goal of history? Why am I here? Where am I going? What am I supposed to do with my life? What do I live for day to day?

The way the modern world has typically answered this is tell us to “write our own story…” We’re suspicious of “big stories,” we’re cynical about the potential of actually saying anything so comprehensive and nervous about the certainty such a “big story“ requires. But writing our own story is simply too big a burden for us to bear.

So our goal for the next 12 Sundays is to give ourselves to the Christian story. To wrestle with the claim the bible makes; to be telling 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙏𝙧𝙪𝙚 𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙒𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙚 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙. We're going to see how it all fits together and discover our place within it.

Join us beginning Sunday, October 1!

• October 1 - Chapter 1: Garden

• October 8 - Chapter 2: Fall

• October 15 - Chapter 3: Promise

• October 22 - Chapter 4: Exodus

• October 29 - Chapter 5: Law

• November 5 - Chapter 6: Kings

• November 12 - Family Worship Catechism Question

• November 19 - Chapter 7: Temple

• November 26- Chapter 8: Exile

• December 3- Chapter 9: Messiah

• December 10- Chapter 10: Spirit

• December 17- Chapter 11: Church

• December 24 - Chapter 12: Renewal

Acts: Part 4

"In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen..." (Acts 1:1-2)

An ascended Messiah, bewildered apostles, repenting masses, angels, the Spirit descending like a dove, tongues of fire, Jews & Gentiles, shipwrecks, snake bites, dramatic conversions, scales from eyes, death from life, earthquakes, magicians, fire & brimstone, grace, kings, governors, prison breaks, miracles, healings, and pork.

Join us on August 6 as we begin our series on part 4 of the Acts of the Apostles!

Acts: Part 3

"In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen..." (Acts 1:1-2)

An ascended Messiah, bewildered apostles, repenting masses, angels, the Spirit descending like a dove, tongues of fire, Jews & Gentiles, shipwrecks, snake bites, dramatic conversions, scales from eyes, death from life, earthquakes, magicians, fire & brimstone, grace, kings, governors, prison breaks, miracles, healings, and pork.

Join us on March 12 as we begin our series on part 3 of the Acts of the Apostles!

Easter Sermons

The following are individual Easter sermons. The sermons are is listed in order of most recent.

Acts: Part 2

"In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen..." (Acts 1:1-2)

An ascended Messiah, bewildered apostles, repenting masses, angels, the Spirit descending like a dove, tongues of fire, Jews & Gentiles, shipwrecks, snake bites, dramatic conversions, scales from eyes, death from life, earthquakes, magicians, fire & brimstone, grace, kings, governors, prison breaks, miracles, healings, and pork.

Join us on August 14 as we begin our series on part 2 of the Acts of the Apostles!

Praying with Paul | Part 2

How do Paul’s prayers teach us both how and what to pray? How can we align our hearts with God by praying with what the Spirit led Paul to pray? What do Paul’s prayers teach us about God’s desires for His people? We’ll kick off 2023 considering a few of Paul’s prayers for the purpose of increasing and enriching our prayer!

God of Light & Love

What words and images come to mind when you think of Advent and Christmas? Light, love, peace, and joy? This Sunday begins our advent study through 1 John where John describes God as a 𝙂𝙤𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚; whose light and love is made evident and concrete through Jesus. And this God of light and love also creates a 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚. Join us beginning in November 27 as we study John’s little letter!

• Nov. 27 - 1 John 1:1-2:6

• Dec. 4 - 1 John 2:7-27

• Dec. 11 - 1 John 2:28-3:24

• Dec. 18 - 1 John 4

• Dec. 25 - 1 John 5:1-12

• Jan. 1 - 1 John 5:13-21

Sing!

What does scripture command most often? Would it surprise you that the Bible commands us to SING almost more than anything else?

We'll spend two Sundays in November considering some of what the scripture has to say about singing… and, of course, SINGING!

• Nov. 13 - Sing with Thanksgiving! (Col. 3:12-17)

• Nov. 20 - Sing Together! (Rom. 15:1-7)