Desiring to be like the other nations, Israel rejected God as their king and asked for a human king instead. Under the Saul, the kingship began as a disaster. But then God raised up David, a king after His own heart and a preview of the far greater King who will one day sit on David's throne. Scripture passages cited in this message include 1 Samuel 8:5-7; 15:10-21; and 2 Samuel 7:8-16.

This message was given by Evan Carter, Next Steps Intern at Chapel Hill Church.

Not long after making it into the promised land, Israel goes astray again... and again… and again. Yet throughout the book of Judges, God responds to Israel’s lapses into idolatry not only with discipline but with astonishingly unmerited grace.

This message was given by John Lewis, founder and president of Kingdom Story.

After several centuries of homelessness, God fulfills His promise and brings Israel into the Promised Land. At their head is Joshua, Moses' successor, Israel's leader—and a foreshadowing of Jesus, through whom we have an even greater inheritance.

Yet again the Israelites abandon trust in God, stranding them in a desert for the rest of their lives. The exception is two Israelites named Joshua and Caleb, who because of their faith are the only members of their generation to enter the Promised Land.

Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Exodus 32; 33:1-2; Numbers 13:31-33; 14:1-4, 30; and John 16:33.

Scarcely after promising to keep God's law, Israel breaks it, creating a relational chasm between the sinful nation and her holy God. How can the chasm be breached? According to the book of Leviticus, only through a sacrifice can God and humanity be reconciled.

This message was given by Dustin Polley, director of Thrive Kitsap, our sister ministry.

Note: Due to a technical issue, the recording starts in the middle of the message.

God saved Israel from Egypt—but what did He save them for? According to Exodus 19, the answer is: relationship with Him. At Mount Sinai, God gave Israel the Law to reveal His character, and also the character of the human heart: our bent toward sin, our inability to obey, and our deep, deep need of a Savior.

Scripture passages cited in this message include excerpts from Exodus 19-20; Matthew 6:21; and Romans 6:1.

After Abraham passed off the scene, his descendants, by this time a nation called Israel, fell into the clutches of slavery. But through a man named Moses, God delivers the Israelites from their Egyptian captors, guiding them on a miraculous escape route through the Red Sea.

This message was given by Kurt Mach, pastor of Peninsula Christian Fellowship. Scripture passages cited in this message include excerpts from Exodus 12-14.

Some 2,000 years after Eden, God begins a new chapter in His rescue plan to save the world through calling a man named Abram. His call marks the beginning of one specially chosen ethnic family, in whom all the nations of the earth will be blessed. 

Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Genesis 3:15; 4:25; 5:29; 6:9; 7:1; 9:21-22; 11:4; 11:27-12:9; and 1 Timothy 1:4.

Why is the world broken? The Bible's account of the fall of humanity shows that the reason is far more complex than just simple rule-breaking. At the root of all our broken relationships—with others, the world, and ourselves—is the collapse of right relationship with God.

Scripture passages cited in this message include Genesis 2:16-17.

Most stories begin by introducing the plot and chief characters—and the Bible is no exception! Scripture begins by revealing God as the main character, who creates a world of goodness, beauty, and relationship. In giving us a glimpse of life before the Fall, the opening act of the Bible offers a tantalizing picture of God’s original design for humanity and for the world, untouched by the ravages of sin.