Science Ridge Mennonite Church

The promised Messiah has come! But who is this child? Today we look at Luke 2:11. The angels can't contain their excitement and they rush to find someone to tell about this wonderful thing that has happened.
Jesus is Savior, Messiah, and Lord, According to the angels. 

The Bible is missing 400 years! There is a large gap between the Old Testament and the New Testament. How did the Romans get there? What impact did Alexander the Great have? Today we explore what is happening to the people of Israel between the return from Exile and the birth of Jesus. 

The people of Israel have gone into Exile. They experienced the consequences of being the "People of God" who were not actually representing God to the world. Now they have been in Exile for 70 years. How has this experienced changed them? How can God transform our experiences of being lost and cut off from what we are familiar with? Tune in to find out!

How were the people of Israel conquered? Why did God allow it to happen? And could the same thing be repeated in our time? Today we have a bit of a history lesson. We'll look at some of the events leading to the downfall of both the Northern and Southern Kingdom and see what warnings and promises God gives the people. 

How long did the plagues in Egypt last? 
How many people knew about John the Baptist?
What if the whole US was pacifist and we were invaded?
Is there predestination?
 
These questions and more for our "Ask the Pastor" Sunday!

Today we talk about an event in Israel that had a major impact that we rarely talk about. 
1 Kings 12 tells the story of how the nation of Israel becomes split into 2 Kingdoms, Judah (sometimes called the southern Kingdom) and Israel (also called Samaria or the Northern Kingdom).
And it all has to do with a King who decided to take the advice that made him feel good, rather than advice that would heal past wounds...
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As kings become a part of Israel's history there arises the role of "prophet." Their role is to help keep the king accountable to God and call for repentance and and turning back to God when necessary. Today we attempt to summarize (at least in part) the primary message of the prophets by looking at Micah 6:6-8. 

How long have you kept a promise? Today we learn a bit about King David and a promise that God made to David that was finally fulfilled 1000 years later. 
 

As humans, we want a leader. We want someone to turn to when trouble is brewing. The people of God were originally called to live with God as their king, and God would call up people to lead when needed. But between corrupt human leaders and the uncertainties that come with not having a central leader the people began to demand a king "like the other nations."
 
Our ability to trust God sometimes isn't much different..

Why did God lead the people of Israel to "the promised land?" What's so special about this place? And what do we do with some of the stories of God seeming to authorize violence on the people that were already living there? Today we'll explore those questions.