Hope Wisco Podcast

Seven centuries before the cross, Isaiah foresaw the scars. He foresaw a servant who would bear our grief, carry our sorrows, and be pierced for our transgressions. The cross wasn’t a surprise detour. It was the destination, the culmination of centuries of prophecy and promise. The God who created us became the servant who saved us.

Redemption isn’t a transaction as much as it’s a love story. Ruth’s story began with loss and ended in love. In Boaz, the “kinsman redeemer,” we see a glimpse of Jesus: one who was able, willing, and worthy to redeem. Ruth’s story reminds us that redemption is not just about rescue. It’s about restoration, belonging, and love.

On the night of the first Passover, death visited every home unless it was protected by the blood of a lamb. When the Israelites marked their doors with the blood of the Passover lamb, they were redeemed from death. Every detail of that night was a shadow of the greater Exodus Jesus would lead, freeing us not from Pharaoh, but from sin and death.

On the Day of Atonement, two goats carried Israel’s sin: one was sacrificed, the other was sent away. It was an annual reminder that sin must be atoned for. But it was also a vivid picture of how God removes guilt and shame from His people. But those sacrifices had to be repeated every year, because they pointed forward to the day when one perfect sacrifice would be enough to carry sin away forever.

Long before the cross, God was already writing the story of redemption. Through people, promises, and patterns, he revealed the heart of his plan of redemption that would culminate in the cross of Christ. This series traces the road to the gospel from the Old Testament. This Lent, we’ll journey through the Old Testament to see how God was revealing his plan of redemption all along.

Every relationship can eventually become a tug-of-war between two wills. Who will go first? Who will give more? Who will serve more? But Paul reversed the tug of war: “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Love isn’t about control; it’s about competition, a submission competition in which each person tries to out-serve the other. When both partners mirror the self-giving love of Jesus, love thrives.

Relationships often sound like contracts. “I will if you will.” But the heart of marriage is covenantal. “I will.” Marriage is the one human relationship that is to reflect God’s own faithfulness. The difference between a contract and a covenant is the difference between using someone and loving someone. A contract is built on mutual benefit. A covenant is built on mutual sacrifice. A covenant sustains the emotion of love, not the other way around.

Most people want to have a deep and abiding love; the kind that endures through change and time (we’re looking at you, The Notebook). But few of us have ever been shown how to build it. So we chase chemistry, compatibility, and feelings (we’re still looking at you, The Notebook), only to discover that none of them can carry the weight of real life. This series looks at what real love actually is; how it grows, what sustains it, and why it’s worth fighting for. Our culture says love is about finding the right person. You know, someone who completes you (we’re looking at you, Jerry Maguire). But the Bible tells a different love story. Love is not about fulfillment. It’s about formation. It’s not about chemistry. It’s about covenant. In this series, we’ll rediscover what love really means and how God’s vision for relationships leads to something deeper, stronger, and far more beautiful than anything the movies can promise.

Believe it or not, God wants you to enjoy money. That’s one of the reasons why he gives it to you. In the final week of Uncommon Cents, we’ll talk about how to find joy and balance in your finances using a simple 10/10/80 rhythm: give first, save second, and live freely on the rest.

Everyone loves the idea of generosity; until it costs something. But Jesus said it’s more blessed to give than to receive, and science keeps proving Him right. This week, we’ll explore how giving doesn’t just change lives. It changes you.