Pastor Mike Sullivan shares "Broken, Bold, and in the Battle for Life" with Genesis Community Church in their Greatest Stories Ever Told Series
It was a joy and honor to spend this past Sunday with Genesis Community Church again in Woburn, MA. If you'd like to listen to the message, "Broken, Bold, and in the Battle for Life," I had the privilege of sharing, you can click on the link or the image above. Also included in this post are the songs from the service of worship | mass that complemented the message.
Greatest Stories Ever Told: Naomi & Ruth | Exodus 34:5-10; Ruth 1:1-6, 16-17; 2:2-4, 14; 4:13-15 | Broken, Bold, and in the Battle for Life
Blog Post Featuring Main Themes: What Makes a Wonder Woman?: Broken, Bold, and in the Battle for Life
Key Quotes:
The great names and stories of the Bible can be intimidating. We may begin to think “Surely there is no way that I can have any significant part on such a stage.” But the story of the widowed, impoverished, alien Ruth is proof to the contrary. She is the inconsequential outsider whose life turns out to be essential for telling the complete story of God’s ways among us. The outsider Ruth was not born into the faith and felt no natural part of it – like many of us. But she came to find herself gathered into the story and given a quiet and obscure part that proved critical to the way everything turned out. + Eugene Peterson, The Message Study Bible
As an ethnic minority widow, Ruth is choosing to be sexually vulnerable and unfulfilled; without money she is financially destitute; without a friend, she is lonely; without her country, she is open to prejudice. She has no protector, husband, tribe, family, or food. And she is shouldering the responsibilities of Naomi. Ruth is one gutsy lady. Love carries risk. + Paul E. Miller, A Loving Life
Ruth was doing God’s work – perspiration, dirty and broken fingernails, rough surroundings, and all – and she did it with all her might, her resources, and her wit. Ultimately, her bold initiatives bless God’s people, challenging them to contemplate what it means to live as Yahweh’s people, and Ruth herself becomes a powerful catalyst for change. God gave us Naomi and Ruth to remind us that courage, boldness, and godly leadership are important feminine attributes when it comes to living for God. When we swim upstream against the culture; use our voices to speak the truth; advocate stubbornly for others; and sweat, toil, and strategize to advance God’s Kingdom on earth, we are doing woman’s work. + Carolyn Custis James, The Gospel of Ruth
Recommended Books:
+ The Gospel of Ruth: Loving God Enough to Break the Rules by Carolyn Custis James
+ A Loving Life in a World of Broken Relationships by Paul E. Miller
+ Is the Bible Good for Women? Seeking Clarity and Confidence Through a Jesus-Centered Understanding of Scripture by Wendy Alsup
+ Seven Women and the Secret of Their Greatness by Eric Mataxas
By Vertical Church Worship
2013 A.D.
When the ground beneath my feet gives way,
And I hear the sound of crashing waves,
All my world is washing out to sea.
I'm hidden safe in the God who never moves,
Holding fast to the promise of the truth
That You are holding tighter still to me.
The Rock won't move and His word is strong,
The Rock won't move and His love can't be undone!
The Rock won't move and His word is strong,
The Rock won't move and His love can't be undone,
The Rock of our Salvation!
My hope is in the promise of Your blood,
My support within the raging flood,
Even in the tempest, I can sing!
I'm hidden safe in the God who never moves,
Holding fast to the promise of Your truth
That You are holding tighter still to me!
(Chorus)
Woah, Woah, Woah, the Rock of our salvation!
On Christ the Solid Rock we stand,
All other ground is sinking sand,
The Rock won't move, the Rock
When darkness seems to hide His face,
We rest on His unchanging grace,
The Rock won't move, the Rock
(Chorus)
And I hear the sound of crashing waves,
All my world is washing out to sea.
I'm hidden safe in the God who never moves,
Holding fast to the promise of the truth
That You are holding tighter still to me.
The Rock won't move and His word is strong,
The Rock won't move and His love can't be undone!
The Rock won't move and His word is strong,
The Rock won't move and His love can't be undone,
The Rock of our Salvation!
My hope is in the promise of Your blood,
My support within the raging flood,
Even in the tempest, I can sing!
I'm hidden safe in the God who never moves,
Holding fast to the promise of Your truth
That You are holding tighter still to me!
(Chorus)
Woah, Woah, Woah, the Rock of our salvation!
On Christ the Solid Rock we stand,
All other ground is sinking sand,
The Rock won't move, the Rock
When darkness seems to hide His face,
We rest on His unchanging grace,
The Rock won't move, the Rock
(Chorus)
St. Dallán Forgaill
6th Century
Be Thou my Vision,O Lord of my heart.
Naught be all else to me,
Save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought,
By day or by night
Waking or sleeping,
Thy presence my light.
6th Century
Be Thou my Vision,O Lord of my heart.
Naught be all else to me,
Save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought,
By day or by night
Waking or sleeping,
Thy presence my light.
Be Thou my Wisdom,
And Thou my true Word
I ever with Thee and
Thou with me, Lord.
Thou my great Father,
I Thy true son,
Thou in me dwelling,
And I with Thee one.
And Thou my true Word
I ever with Thee and
Thou with me, Lord.
Thou my great Father,
I Thy true son,
Thou in me dwelling,
And I with Thee one.
Riches I heed not,
Nor man’s empty praise.
Thou mine inheritance,
Now and always!
Thou and Thou only,
First in my heart,
High King of Heaven,
My Treasure Thou art!
Nor man’s empty praise.
Thou mine inheritance,
Now and always!
Thou and Thou only,
First in my heart,
High King of Heaven,
My Treasure Thou art!
High King of Heaven,
My victory won!
May I reach Heaven’s joys,
O bright Heav’n’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart,
Whate’er befall,
Still be my Vision,
O Ruler of all!
My victory won!
May I reach Heaven’s joys,
O bright Heav’n’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart,
Whate’er befall,
Still be my Vision,
O Ruler of all!
By Hillsong Worship
2016 A.D.
You were the Word at the beginning,
One With God the LORD Most High.
Your hidden glory in creation
Now revealed in You our Christ.
Your hidden glory in creation
Now revealed in You our Christ.
What a beautiful Name it is,
What a beautiful Name it is,
The Name of Jesus Christ my King!
What a beautiful Name it is,
Nothing compares to this,
What a beautiful Name it is,
The Name of Jesus.
What a beautiful Name it is,
The Name of Jesus Christ my King!
What a beautiful Name it is,
Nothing compares to this,
What a beautiful Name it is,
The Name of Jesus.
You didn't want heaven without us,
So Jesus, You brought heaven down.
My sin was great, Your love was greater,
What could separate us now?
(Chorus)
So Jesus, You brought heaven down.
My sin was great, Your love was greater,
What could separate us now?
(Chorus)
Death could not hold You, the veil tore before You,
You silenced the boast of sin and grave!
The heavens are roaring the praise of Your glory
For You are raised to life again!
You silenced the boast of sin and grave!
The heavens are roaring the praise of Your glory
For You are raised to life again!
By Vertical Church Band
2013 A.D.
No pen or quill, no scribe in perfect skill
With flawless words could capture all You are.
No lofty thought, no scholar of this world
Could grasp an inch of such infinity.
Though we cannot comprehend such a mystery,
Just a glimpse of You revealed is compelling us to sing:
Holy, holy is the Lord God almighty!
Worthy, worthy is Your Name!
All of Heaven joins the universe ever crying
"Worthy, worthy is Your name!"
With hearts amazed and songs that never frame
The fullness of your worth and majesty,
We come again and fall on bended knee
And here adore the God that we don't see.
Though we cannot comprehend such a mystery,
Just a glimpse of You revealed is compelling us to sing:
(Chorus)
When You return, we'll hear the trumpet sound.
You'll lead us home riding on the clouds.
Where we will stand and sing forevermore
The honor and the praise, the glory is the Lord's!
When You return, we'll hear the trumpet sound.
You'll lead us home riding on the clouds.
Where we will stand and sing forevermore
The honor and the praise, the glory is the Lord's!
(Chorus)
By Passion Worship
2017 A.D.I was buried beneath my shame.
Who could carry that kind of weight?
It was my tomb 'til I met You!
I was breathing, but not alive.
All my failures I tried to hide.
It was my tomb 'til I met You!
You called my name
And I ran out of that grave,
Out of the darkness
Into Your glorious day!
(Repeat)
And I ran out of that grave,
Out of the darkness
Into Your glorious day!
(Repeat)
Now Your mercy has saved my soul.
Now Your freedom is all I know.
The old made new, Jesus, when I met You.
(Chorus 2x)
Now Your freedom is all I know.
The old made new, Jesus, when I met You.
(Chorus 2x)
I needed rescue, my sin was heavy,
But chains break at the weight of Your glory!
I needed shelter, I was an orphan,
Now You call me a citizen of heaven!
When I was broken, You were my healing!
Now Your love is the air that I'm breathing!
I have a future, my eyes are open
Because when You called my name,
I ran out of that grave!
+ Sully
Email Pastor Mike | Website | Facebook | Visit Us | Join Us
But chains break at the weight of Your glory!
I needed shelter, I was an orphan,
Now You call me a citizen of heaven!
When I was broken, You were my healing!
Now Your love is the air that I'm breathing!
I have a future, my eyes are open
Because when You called my name,
I ran out of that grave!
+ Sully
Email Pastor Mike | Website | Facebook | Visit Us | Join Us
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