Zootown Church

Scott wraps up this Advent season with one of the main messages and clearest messages that Jesus gave us: be a peacemaker. He never said to be a peacekeeper, because peacekeeping is just trying to make everybody happy. Peacemaking is something that takes an effort, something you engage in, and something that will cost you. Usually it costs you your own tribe because you can’t be a peacemaker unless you call your own side out too. But in the end, there are no sides because we’re all sinners and we’ve all been given peace from God.

In week three of Advent, we look at the shepherd's candle of joy, but Pastor Scott took a different route. Jesus gave us a clue to joy, but it’s not getting more stuff...it’s giving stuff up. It is not promoting ourselves, but denying ourselves. The kingdom of God is the opposite of the fleshly American way we’ve been taught, and the only way we find true joy is the Jesus way -- by picking up our cross daily.

Week Two of Advent is the Bethlehem candle of faith. What is faith? How does it work? What are we having faith in? Pastor Scott looked up every passage that talked about faith and almost every single one of them says that the only thing we are really having faith in, which will equal assurance, is our inheritance in the kingdom of God. We are to have faith that, no matter what, God will save us.

We kick off Week One of Advent with the candle of hope. It has been scientifically proven that hope is a survival mechanism that we have, and without it, we die. The Christian hope is more than just having a good life here, it’s showing that the greatest enemy - death - has already been defeated, and we will be resurrected in our Lord. We were told by both Paul and Peter that we are to comfort one another with these words.

Pastor Scott ended this important series with the most important topic: redemption. There are lots of topics in the Scriptures, many moral decrees, but no topic is more affirmed or more mentioned than redemption. But you can’t mention redemption without atonement, and with many atonement theories, which one is correct? Which one represents the father‘s heart the best? Listen and find out.

Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He is prefigured in the sacrifice provided for Abraham, the Passover Lamb of the Exodus, and the suffering servant of Isaiah. He fulfills these types as the one through whom God provides a New Exodus from death to life. Jesus is referred to as the Lamb in Revelation more than any other book. Revelation is an incredibly difficult book to interpret yet we can see through its “central and centering vision” in ch. 4-5 that the two images of Lion and Lamb are forged inseparably together to represent our one Lord Jesus Christ. As Lamb he lays down his life as a self-sacrifice on our behalf while as Lion he conquers, “trampling down death by his death.” The Lion-Lamb, who alone is worthy, Jesus Christ is the Conqueror! Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς Νίκα!

Jesus makes a profound statement that no other prophet or leader has ever made: He is the way. Buddha never claimed to be the way; he said we have the way in us and we have to find it ourselves. Mohammed never claimed to be the way, but that in a revelation from God he can show the way. Only Jesus claimed not just to show the way or have the way but to be the way. Then he lays out the way in Matthew 5, 6, and 7 -- the kingdom way, the only way.

As we continue in our series on the names of Jesus, we come to the name that we never think about with him: Friend. Some Christians have said that it’s rude, unholy, and disrespectful to call God your friend. But Jesus showed us that all great relationships start with friendship, and He even said "I don’t call you slaves, I call you friends." Just like any friendship, as it grows closer, it moves into a family relationship. Your best friend becomes your brother or your sister, and Jesus says He is our friend and our big brother.

There’s been a huge fight about the creation account ever since Darwin came along. The problem is we miss some of the main points regarding the reason we were created in the first place. Adam and Eve's marriage represented our marriage to Christ, and now we are his Bride. Listen to Pastor Scott’s message as he shares some profound connections to the creation account and as the Bride of Christ.

In the "My Name Is" series, Pastor Scott preached on Jesus being the High Priest -- the fulfillment of every high priest who’s ever lived. That message makes one wonder, "What does the high priest do?" This week we looked at Jesus being the judge; so not only is He a high priest mediating between us and God, but He is also in charge of the judgment. The fact is, in John 12, Jesus told us the cross was the judgment, sin and death are over, and now it’s what we do with the cross. This means that sin is off the table, but it doesn’t mean we won’t be judged by what we do with the grace of God.

Every religion around the world has a high priest of sorts. This didn’t start with the Jewish people, but after the fall when man felt God needed appeasement. Jesus enters that man-made system but as a different high priest. A spiritual priest.

This week in the "My Name Is" series, we look at a phrase that St. Paul used a few times. It’s a phrase filled with mystery, depth, and hope. Jesus was called the “Last Adam” and one particular verse opens up a world of discovery: “As in Adam all die, as in Christ all live.” Does all mean…all?

In Week 2, Pastor Scott tackles a very important subject: Did Jesus claim to be God? Some sects of Christianity say no, and the Jews for sure say He wasn’t. But the fact is, our English translations have added a single word that has screwed everything up: He. Jesus always referred to himself as the “I AM” which is the name of God, but our translations have added “I am he.” That’s a big no-no because that is completely different from Jesus claiming to be God in whom we give our worship. Do you believe?

Jesus is the Christ, not his last name is Christ. In our opening sermon in “My Name Is” series, we look at what the “Christ” actually means. The OT Kings were called “Christs” and it means “one anointed with oil to be separated for service to God.” There have been many “Little Christs” but only Jesus was the real deal.

Guest speaker James Waddell gives a great series about the lines that Jesus will cross to meet us.

Pastor Scott wraps up the Pharisee series by bringing it home with the love of Christ. Jesus waited the whole time while the man was interrogated and finally kicked out of the community. That’s when Jesus found him and us! He was kicked out of the temple, but the Lord of the temple went and found him! (NOTE: We had issues with the audio sync, so if that drives you crazy...just close your eyes ;).)

Pastor Scott continues our Little Game Hunter series with another great sermon!

Pastor Scott goes way deep in this week‘s episode of "Little Game Hunters". He tries to tackle the heart issue behind the Pharisee spirit, which always leads to shame, ridicule, and the final stage -- exclusion. A Pharisee spirit doesn’t care about unity, even amongst family members. It cares about control.

Week 2 of Little Game Hunters shows the unity of God's law and God's love. The law was given to curb the chaos of man, but it was never intended to change the heart. Pharisees nitpick little things of the law but leave out love. Jesus loves first knowing love is what leads people to following the law.

Pastor Scott starts this new series out with a setup sermon. We’re going to take these next few weeks to look at who the Pharisees were and how we all have that Pharisee “Spirit” in us.