Scripture Talk by Grace Church

For hundreds of years, God spoke through scripture and prophets telling the people that God's promise rested with a king from the House of David. Yet, for hundreds of years, there was no king from that house, and Jesus didn't have a biological earthly father. To keep that promise, God called a man who was good at keeping his promises - Joseph. He became Jesus earthly father, and just as importantly, welcomed him into the line of David. Pastor Trey, Pastor Scott, and Brandy talk through how we can learn from this wonderful man.

If this were a stage play, the lights on the stage would dim. A spotlight would pick up the brave young woman standing at the center. She would pause for just a beat - her eyes turning to the sky. Then, with a surprisingly powerful voice, she would begin to sing. That's the Magnificat, or Song of Mary. A very young woman, surprised to be pregnant with God's child, belts out one for the ages about the promise of this child and God's justice. Pastor Trey, Pastor Scott, and Brandy talk through their admiration for Mary and how we can share in her hope.

Jesus is coming! Great, you say. That’s what Christmas is all about you say. Get ready for Jesus! Absolutely, you say. I’ve got my tree up, baked a thousand cookies, and wrapped all the presents. No, John the Baptist says. Prepare your hearts for a savior. You’re going to need to look at the hard stuff - the messy stuff in your life. But, good news! This coming savior means that it can be redeemed. Pastor Trey, Pastor Scott, and Brandy talk about how we can get actually ready for Christmas.

Fun fact, the world will end! On a level, this is good news. Christ will set all the wrongs right. And yet, it’s all a little scary at the same time. Also, fun fact, we don’t know when the end will come. It could be two seconds, two minutes, two hours, or two thousand more years. Jesus in Matthew makes clear that we literally can’t know. Pastor Trey, Pastor Scott, and Brandy talk about living without fear of an end but an urgency to live as God would have us do.

Jesus saves! Jesus saves us all! No matter what we've done, Jesus saves! The thief on the cross got an early preview of this side of Christ, and we can too. Yes, he came to Christ at literally the last second, but it shows the extent to which Christ will go for each of us. Each breath would have pained them both, but still, Christ summoned the strength to welcome that broken man into the Kingdom. Pastor Trey, Pastor Scott, and Brandy talk about how the same is there for all of us.

Exile doesn’t last forever. On the other side lies the beautiful valley of God’s gracious love. At the end of the book, Isaiah is getting the exiled community excited about this exact prospect - return, joy, peace. We get the same, when spiritually we return to God. Pastor Trey, Pastor Scott, and Brandy present how Isaiah 65 came to be and what this grace means for us as modern Christians.

People get mad at God. People in the Bible get mad at God. People in the Bible get mad at God and don’t get struck down by God. Why then do we not take our true feelings to God? Good question! Habakkuk calls God out because the prophet can’t figure out what God is doing. God responds that the answer is coming in good time - but without delay. Many can identify with struggling with God’s timing. Pastor Trey, Pastor Scott, and Brandy recommend maybe talking to God about that - for real.

A short man climbed a tree, encountered Jesus, and his life changed in so many ways. Some small people watched this happened, encountered the same Jesus, and objected that Jesus hangs out with the wrong sort of people. The story of Zacchaeus draws out both of these threads - life transformation and judgmental people. Christ can transform our lives. Pastor Trey, Pastor Scott, and Brandy talk about that and how we should be happy for others' transformation as well.

Real life is hard. It has its ups and its downs. Certainly, Paul knew both the heights and the depths, and he came out seeing how God had protected him and carried him through. In some parting words to his dear friend and student Timothy, Paul even encourages the younger man to follow in his footsteps - not because it is easy but because God will be there along the way. Pastor Trey, Pastor Scott, and Brandy talk about God’s presence through all the curves in the path.

In the left corner, standing 5’10’’, 180lbs, Jacob, the father of the 12 tribes of Israel. In the right corner, standing the size of the entire universe, weighting literally all the mass that there is, God the literal maker of all things. Who win this epic wrestling match for the ages? Jacob? What? Is the fix in? Yes, of course, God could have won the match without breaking a sweat, but the point wasn’t a victory for the almighty. It was to teach Jacob that the walk of faith involves staying in the struggle. Pastor Trey, Pastor Scott, and Brandy talk through the importance of the journey of faith - with its ups and downs.