Journey RVA Podcast

Everything in Jesus' ministry led up to a singular crisis climax: his death and resurrection. Even though Jesus told his disciples that his death was coming, they couldn't wrap their minds around it: the Messiah wasn't supposed to die prematurely. Upon the first reports of his resurrection, it seemed to his closest followers as an unrealistic fantasy. Yet this dramatic event was the centerpiece of God's plan and became the foundation of his plan to restore a broken and fallen world.

Though few people could put their finger on exactly who Jesus was, everyone had an opinion about the things he did. He came as a powerful teacher who gradually revealed his true identity and demonstrated the kingdom of God though his character, attitudes, words, and deeds.

It had been about four centuries since any prophet had spoken for God and any Scripture was written. The Jews had been scattered around the world while bing subject to various empires and only experienced occasional periods of freedom and independence. In the eyes of many, God seemed to have abandoned his people and his plan. During God's "silence," he was making preparations for the arrival of the Promised One, the Messiah. Messiah's birth was a miracle foretold and announced by angels. As an infant, enemies sought to destroy him and foreign sages traveled for months to worship him. From the time of his birth to the beginning of his public ministry, God was faithfully preparing Jesus to fulfill his divine plan of redemption.

This message contains both a special video and an interview with two of our volunteers.

For centuries, God sent his prophets to warn his people that unless they repented and walked in obedience to him that he would judge them. Though they had seasons of revival, the southern Kingdom of Judah would continue to rebel against God. Therefore, God used pagan nations to deliver judgment against his people. They were conquered, Jerusalem leveled, and the majority of people exiled in a foreign land, many as slaves. Ahead of time, God sent prophets to say that their exile would be limited and they would ultimately return. These same prophets would also foretell of a coming Messiah and of a kingdom that would never end, where righteousness would dwell.

For a brief moment in time, the nation of Israel had shown signs of their potential glory. But like Adam and Eve in the garden, they fell. And fell again. And again and again. Like the rest of us, they sought sustenance, significance, and meaning in life. But also like many of us, they sought it in the wrong places, straying from God until he gets our attention.

The nation of Israel has inherited the land and territory that God had promised to Abraham. They are coming out of a dark period of time in their history where there was no king and where everyone was doing what was right in their own eyes. Into this environment the nation comes together to receive their first earthly king. While it was a time of great accomplishment, it was also a challenging time for the leaders and the people. We can learn from their struggles and not have to experience their regrets.

Moses has brought the Israelites to the edge of the land of promise and passes the baton of leadership to Joshua. They set out to inherit what God had promised to Abraham, but it would require them to obey God and trust in his protection and power. After they defeated the enemies of God, they settled into the land. At the end of his life Joshua challenged the people to continue to follow God and walk in his ways. After Joshua and the elders who served with him died, the nation was thrown into a 350 year period where they would stray from God and experience God's judgment on them to bring them to repentance.

After more than four hundred years of the Israelites being enslaved in Egypt, God heard their cries for help. In Exodus we see him delivering his people from slavery and rescuing them from their enemies. In Leviticus we see God giving explicit instructions on how to live and how to relate to him. In Numbers we witness God guiding, providing for, and disciplining his wayward people. In Deuteronomy we hear him patiently reminding the next generation of Israelites of how to live lives that honor him, bless the world, and bring personal fulfillment.

We tend to view the Bible as a bunch of fragmented bits of history, poetry, and moral tales, but in reality, the Bible tells a story. And it's a true story. Ultimately, it's a story about God and our part in the story he is writing. It's a story that gives meaning to our existence, our daily lives, and to every other story on earth. As you read through the Bible, resist the tendency to get bogged down in the details and make sure you never loose sight of the magnificent story that is unfolding.