Cary Cox, from Mark 1:12-15. After Jesus is baptized and anointed for ministry, He is driven out to the wilderness to be tested and prepared. He enters into the great spiritual conflict! And he begins his ministry by preaching the gospel of the kingdom and calling people to repent and believe!

Cary Cox, from Mark 1:9-11. At the Baptism of Jesus, He is officially revealed to Israel as the Messiah! Mark continues to connect Jesus and the beginning of His ministry to the OT Scriptures. We see the Persons of the Trinity at Jesus’ baptism.

Cary Cox, from Mark 1:1-9a. Mark connects his gospel of Jesus with the prophecies of the Old Testament. They predicted a messenger who would prepare the way for God. John the Baptist came and prepared the way for Jesus! The passages of the OT about Yahweh God are consistently applied to Jesus by the NT writers. We must prepare through repentance and receive Jesus!

Cary Cox, from Mark 1:1. As we begin a verse by verse study of Mark’s Gospel, we first do an overview of the whole book. Who was John Mark? What is the message of his gospel? Mark is proclaiming to us that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God!

Cary Cox, from 2 Samuel 24. The book of 2 Samuel comes to an end with David’s sinful census and his sacrifice that satisfied the wrath of God and averted the plague from Israel. David anticipates and points ahead to King Jesus, who gives himself as the final sacrifice for God’s people, satisfying God’s wrath and taking away the plague of God’s judgment!

Cary Cox, from 2 Samuel 23:8-39. The list of David’s mighty men remembers David’s kingdom as one of might and power! God used these men to bring victory to his people and judgment on his enemies. But this passage also reminds us of David’s sin, pointing us away from him, to the Messiah to come! Jesus is the greater David, who won the greater victory for us!

Cary Cox, from 2 Samuel 23:1-7. David was used by God in a prophetic way – God spoke through him! And his prophetic ministry was centered on the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ. 2 Samuel is telling us that, at the heart of David’s life and kingdom and ministry, is his ministry of worship and word, all centered on the Messiah!

Cary Cox, from 2 Samuel 22. God’s word makes a point to highlight for us his aspect of David and his kingdom – he was a man of worship! David was the king who set the worship of God at the center of his life and of the nation. And his song in this chapter points us to Jesus the Messiah, the King we worship!

Cary Cox, from 2 Samuel 21. David is portrayed as the king God uses to bring justice – both making things right for those wronged, and punishing the enemies of God. This anticipates Christ, the perfect King of justice, who at his coming will both vindicate his people and crush all enemies!

Mickey McCall, from Luke 2:1-20. God works through the decree of the emperor to send his Son into the world! Christ’s birth is announced and celebrated, and he is worshiped and treasured. Christ the Savior has come!