TheoTalk
TheoTalk: Theology Made Simple
Do you want to learn more about God, Jesus Christ, the Christian worldview, or the Christian life? TheoTalk is a series of talks by one of our elders and former pastor, John Mitchell. Pastor John breaks down important theology into small, well-explained, and chewable chunks. Alongside each video link, you’ll find a podcast, transcript, and resource page for further study and group discussion. There is also a hard copy workbook you can order on Amazon for each series.
You can listen through the podcast links to the right, or you can watch the video or read each lesson below.
Enjoy!
Talk #1
Who is Jesus?
God’s Messiah: the Promised Savior-King
Who is Jesus? Some think he was one of many moral teachers who have existed throughout history. Others see him as something of a deluded rabbi. Still others wonder if he was just a myth. So what are we to make of Jesus?
There is plenty of evidence Jesus lived in first century Palestine, claimed to be the Messiah, was executed by crucifixion, and three days later his tomb was found empty. There is also evidence many claimed to have seen Jesus alive from the dead and, therefore, left everything to follow him and proclaim his gospel.
Extra Resources
Talk #2
Who is Jesus?
A Genealogical Treasure Map To Jesus the Messiah
In this lesson, we’ll follow a treasure map found throughout the Old Testament. While this map won’t lead us to gold and silver. it leads us to something, really, *someone* infinitely more valuable — to the one whom God promised in Genesis 3:15; to his Messiah (Christ) who would lift us from our fall, restore to us a right relationship with him, and reestablish his righteous reign upon the earth. As we follow this map, we’ll find it points to none other than Jesus of Nazareth
Extra Resources
Talk #3
Who is Jesus?
Savior of His People
Why is it we’re so enamored with stories? Whether it’s a good book or classic movie, why are we attracted to stories? Especially stories of personal and/or communal redemption?
I think it’s because those stories reflect the story we find ourselves in. The story of the God who was there before there was anything else; who created us in his image to flourish in a right relationship with him — as Adam and Eve did in Eden, until they rebelled against God and plunged themselves and us, their descendants, under the curse of sin, so that neither we nor our world are what we were meant to be.
Extra Resources
Talk #4
Who is Jesus?
King Over God’s Restored Kingdom
What do we mean when we say Jesus is not only savior to a fallen world, but king over God’s kingdom he came to re-establish upon the earth?
Talk of kings and kingdoms is a bit foreign to Americans like me. But, it turns out, every earthly king who’s ever reigned over an earthly kingdom has done so under the shadow of the ultimate king, who created and therefore owns all things.
Extra Resources
Talk #5
Who is Jesus?
The God-Man: Fully God (According to the Old Testament)
It’s the story of the ages. The story we find ourselves in: of the God who was there before anything else; who created all things and us in his image to enjoy a soul-surrounding, self-defining relationship with him. But we rebelled against God. And though our rebellion made us worthy of his righteous wrath, God didn’t give us what we deserved. Instead, he promised to send a Messiah to lift us from our fall, restore to us a right relationship with him, and re-establish his righteous reign upon the earth.
Extra Resources
Talk #6
Who is Jesus?
The God-Man: Fully God (According to His Own Words)
What if it’s true?
What if the God who made us for himself and had every right to condemn us for our rebellion against him, chose instead to become one of us, in order to lift us from our fall, restore to us a right relationship with him, and re-establish his righteous reign upon the earth, at immense cost to himself? Not only would this guarantee the redemption he promises is sure, it would affirm his intentions toward us are infinitely good, so we can trust him with our lives.
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Talk #7
Who is Jesus?
The God-Man: Fully God (According to His Deeds)
People often associate Jesus with his miracles. And rightly so.
In Luke 4, Jesus affirmed he was God’s Messiah by quoting from and applying to himself a Messianic prophecy from Isaiah 61, which declared that when Messiah came, he would conquer the curse of sin and its effects. And so, through his restorative, renewing, healing miracles, Jesus demonstrated he was who he claimed to be: God’s Messiah; the King who had come to reestablish God’s righteous reign upon the Earth. But he also showed he was something more.
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Talk #8
Who is Jesus?
The God-Man: Fully God (According to the Apostles)
Though it’s impossible to fully grasp this beautiful mystery of the incarnation: God becoming one of us in order to make us his, the Old Testament, together with the words and deeds of Jesus affirm he was and is the one-and-only God-man: fully God and fully man; one person existing in two natures, without confusion or compromise of either nature.
And that ought to make our hearts sing, because it means the God who had every right to condemn us for our rebellion against him, chose instead to become one of us and suffer immensely in order to make us His.
Extra Resources
Talk #9
Who is Jesus?
The God-Man: Fully Human (Though Sinless)
We’ve been talking about the greatest mystery in history; as beautiful as it is profound; as shocking as it is wonderful, as the Creator became part of his creation. The infinite God wrapped himself in finite humanity. The one-and-only, eternal God became one of us to live the perfect human life we don’t live, die a sacrificial death to pay the penalty for our sins, and rise again to lift us from our fall, restore to us a right relationship with him, and reestablish his righteous reign upon the earth
Extra Resources
Talk #10
Who is Jesus?
The Risen Savior–King
It was the most earth-shaking event in history, and it’s still rocking our world today.
After Jesus voluntarily went to the cross to pay the death penalty for sin, his dead body was placed in a solid rock tomb, guarded by professional soldiers who had everything to lose if they lost track of that body. Even so, on the Sunday morning following his Friday execution, the tomb of Jesus was found empty, a fact neither the Jews nor the Romans disputed.