MESSAGE DETAILS

In this sermon, Pastor Tim continues exploring the “hope of Israel,” the great biblical storyline made up of the many “puzzle pieces” God revealed throughout the Old Testament: the Messiah, the Spirit, the new covenant, resurrection, Israel’s restoration, judgment of the wicked, salvation for the righteous, and light to the nations. But in Jesus’ day, God’s people disagreed on how these pieces fit together, leading to confusion among groups like the Pharisees, Sadducees, Herodians, zealots, and even Jesus’ own disciples.

This message addresses why so many struggled to understand the timing of God’s plan, why John the Baptist wrestled with doubt, and why a crucified Messiah seemed impossible to the apostles. Pastor Tim also traces later misunderstandings of the gospel that arose throughout church history.

The sermon then shows how Jesus Himself brought clarity. On the road to Emmaus, He revealed that the Messiah had to suffer before entering glory and opened the Scriptures to show how His death, resurrection, and promised return bring the hope of Israel together. The gospel includes a necessary “gap of mercy” in which repentance and forgiveness of sins go out to all nations, because humanity’s deepest oppressor is not Rome or any external enemy, but sin itself.

Ultimately, Jesus reveals how every prophetic piece finds its place: the cross, the resurrection, the coming kingdom, and the restoration of all things.