Isaiah 52-53 paints a picture of a coming time when God will pour out the punishment for our sin on one individual--one who has been rejected by the world and through whom people have been healed. Centuries later, Jesus would fulfill each piece of that prophecy. Join Pastor Greg as he shares some of the reasons why we should be thankful to God for Jesus.

The Israelites have been years in Babylonian captivity wondering if they are still God's chosen and if they will ever return to their homeland. As a nation they have wondered aloud, "The Lord has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me." (Isaiah 49.14). God responds with some images that affirm his love for his people and his commitment to their welfare. Join Pastor Greg as he shares how Jesus displayed a similar image to his disciples that also declared God's love and care for all people and how we can respond to that love.

The Israelite people find themselves in the middle of a 70-year Babylonian captivity. Settling into their new surroundings they have begun to incorporate the local idols into their life and worship them. In chapter 44, Isaiah points out the ridiculousness of this endeavor. Join Pastor Greg as he shares from scripture how we can avoid being snared by modern-day idols.

The Israelite people find themselves in the middle of a 70-year Babylonian captivity. Even though God has allowed his people to be taken away from their homeland, he promises to be with them during this difficult time. Moreover, God promises to do a new thing among his people. Some modern Christian thinkers suggest that western Christianity and its minority status is similar to the Israelites during the Babylonian exile. Join Pastor Greg as he share how we might get a "clue" to the new thing that God is doing among us today.

The second part of Isaiah (chs 40-66) deals with the Israelites during the Babylonian captivity. In chapter 40, Isaiah writes to a people whose whole world has been shattered, and they have numerous questions regarding their relationship with God. Isaiah seeks to comfort the people and give them hope by reminding them of the foundational truths of God. (we apologize but the last few minutes of the service were not captured because of a computer crash).