NCF Sunday Worship Livestream - July 27, 2025

Sermon Text: Joshua 20:1 – 21:45

Sermon Title: “The Cities of Refuge”  (Pastor Bob) 

Summary:

Most people think the city they were born in was and is special. If this were not true, why do most people cheer for their hometown professional sport teams? There were special cities in Israel. They were called cities of refuge. The tribe of Levi did not receive did not receive a share of the land of Canaan. They belong to the Lord. They were, however, given 48 cities of which 6 were set apart as cities of refuge. If someone killed someone else accidently and were being pursued by someone seeking to avenge their death, they could escape to a city of refuge and be protected so long as the priest of the city was still alive. We have a great High Priest we run to who is our refuge and strength. His name is Jesus. The person escaping to a city of refuge in the OT was innocent of the sin of murder. We, however, are not innocent of sin and yet Jesus took our punishment so we through Him could find a refuge from punishment.

Meditation: Joel 3:16 

“The LORD roars from Zion, and utters his voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth quake. But the LORD is a refuge to his people, a stronghold to the people of Israel.”

Call to Worship: Psalm 46

N.T. Reading: Hebrews 4:8-16