Generations Community Church

At Christmas, we retell the story. Caesar & Herod, Zechariah & Elizabeth, Mary & Joseph, the angels, the shepherds, the innkeeper, and the wise men. And in these narratives about the birth of Jesus, the Gospel writers are wanting us to know that Jesus is a king. All the kings in the Old Testament point to Jesus.

And sometimes, it's okay to admit that you don't know what to do. It's okay to say to God, "I don’t know how you’re going to fix this, solve this, deliver us, provide for us. I just don’t know. But I’m going to pause (right now) and focus on Jesus – I’m going to look to you. YOU alone are my deliverer. YOU alone are my savior." This Christmas, look to Jesus.

Jesus is a prophet, someone who speaks for God. But Jesus is more than just a prophet. He is God. So when Jesus speaks, God is speaking. And all throughout his public ministry, Jesus shows us God’s heart, one that hurts and is MOVED by those who are oppressed, used, taken advantage of, and who have no one to help them. Chances are, you have a lot of voices in your life these days. Jesus is the voice we must listen to. When Jesus speaks, God is speaking to us. Will we hear it?

Jesus is a prophet, someone who speaks for God. But Jesus is more than just a prophet. He is God. So when Jesus speaks, God is speaking. And all throughout his public ministry, Jesus shows us God’s heart, one that hurts and is MOVED by those who are oppressed, used, taken advantage of, and who have no one to help them. Chances are, you have a lot of voices in your life these days. Jesus is the voice we must listen to. When Jesus speaks, God is speaking to us. Will we hear it?

We have this tendency, precisely because we’re Americans, to cast ourselves in the role of the hero. When we read the story of David and Goliath, we naturally insert ourselves in David's place. WE face a lot of giants, and with God's help, WE can slay them, just like David did. Only that's a lot of pressure. Not to mention the fact that, when it comes to THE story (history), we're NOT the hero. God is. What if David actually points to Jesus? What if Jesus is a better David? A better king? A better shepherd? A better deliverer? What if that's truly good news?

We have this tendency, precisely because we’re Americans, to cast ourselves in the role of the hero. When we read the story of David and Goliath, we naturally insert ourselves in David's place. WE face a lot of giants, and with God's help, WE can slay them, just like David did. Only that's a lot of pressure. Not to mention the fact that, when it comes to THE story (history), we're NOT the hero. God is. What if David actually points to Jesus? What if Jesus is a better David? A better king? A better shepherd? A better deliverer? What if that's truly good news?

In the Bible, we encounter God's prophets - people who told the truth and who spoke for God by warning and accusing and by testifying to God's goodness. Two different prophets, Isaiah and Micah, spend their ministries warning God's people that destruction is coming (because God's people were rebellious, idolatrous, and acting injustly). But they also spoke of a coming king - one who would bring justice and peace to the nations. And that king is Jesus!

In the Bible, we encounter God's prophets - people who told the truth and who spoke for God by warning and accusing and by testifying to God's goodness. Two different prophets, Isaiah and Micah, spend their ministries warning God's people that destruction is coming (because God's people were rebellious, idolatrous, and acting injustly). But they also spoke of a coming king - one who would bring justice and peace to the nations. And that king is Jesus!

We often forget that Jesus was born in a particular time and place. That's why Luke reminds us of some of those particulars. Things like Caesar Augustus. Rome had a particular way of bringing "peace" to the ancient world - through power and control. Interestingly so some 2,000 years later, many of us try to experience peace using the tools of Rome - power and control. But real peace won't come that way. In this message, Brian Hull unpacks the cultural context of Luke 2 and why the peace that Jesus offers is so radically different - and better.

We often forget that Jesus was born in a particular time and place. That's why Luke reminds us of some of those particulars. Things like Caesar Augustus. Rome had a particular way of bringing "peace" to the ancient world - through power and control. Interestingly so some 2,000 years later, many of us try to experience peace using the tools of Rome - power and control. But real peace won't come that way. In this message, Brian Hull unpacks the cultural context of Luke 2 and why the peace that Jesus offers is so radically different - and better.

Most American Christians don’t appreciate how big, how important, how all-encompassing Jesus is through Scripture. They camp out in the "red letters" and some of Paul's letters, but ignore everything else. It ALL points to Jesus. In this message, Max Vanderpool, makes a case for why Jesus is the true and better human. The only way to recover your full humanity is through Jesus. You won’t get there through self-help. You won’t get there by trying harder. You won’t get there by trying to obey all the stuff in the Bible. Jesus is the true and better human.