26-0315p - Detailed Summary

Scott mentions that he uses Grok as an AI and treats it as a super concordance, finding it amazing and extremely useful.

Scott explains that Grok is particularly helpful when he wants to understand the ideas of religious neighbors, such as what Protestants think about various topics. It is aware of the Restoration Movement (central to Churches of Christ) and can provide Church of Christ perspectives.

Scott notes that Grok knows about Apologetics Press and can search their indexes, making it a really useful tool. He was having a discussion with it about an idea he had, which led to the current sermon topic.

Scott describes his longstanding thought that Scripture identifies Jesus as the Angel of the Lord in the Old Testament—the person of the Godhead who led Israel out of Egypt.

Scott connects this to John identifying Jesus as the Word and to Hebrews, where God the Father created everything through His Son. Jesus is the one who actually did the creating, so when Genesis 1 says “God said” and it happened, that is Jesus speaking as the Word.

Scott references Isaiah 7, where the Messiah is prophesied to eat curds and honey and, when he knows enough to refuse the evil and choose the good, will do right. This indicates Jesus underwent a genuine learning process as a human being and did not retain all the knowledge He had in heaven when He took on flesh.

Scott explores the idea that since everything is by, through, and for Jesus, and since He went through a learning process as a human, perhaps He wrote (or shaped) the Old Testament Scriptures so that His human self could learn what kind of Messiah He was to be. He posed this question to Grok, leading to a big discussion that influenced tonight’s sermon.

Scott notes that while the U.S. is approaching its 250th anniversary since 1776, an even more interesting milestone is nearing: possibly next year marks the 2,000th anniversary of Jesus beginning His ministry. Many scholars place this around AD 27–29, with consensus around AD 28–29.

Scott invites the audience to imagine walking the dusty limestone streets of Jerusalem around AD 27 (citing a 2019 SciTech Daily article on a Pontius Pilate-era street from the Pool of Siloam to the Temple Mount, confirmed by coins dated AD 17–31). He describes the sensory experience: scents of olive groves, fresh bread, temple smoke; sounds of Roman armor and Latin; the feeling of living under Rome’s heavy taxation and harsh rule.

Scott details the oppression under Pontius Pilate (prefect from ~AD 26), societal divisions (Sadducees collaborating, Pharisees focused on purity, Essenes withdrawing, Zealots plotting revolt), and yet the flickering hope during Passover pilgrimages and whispered expectations that the time was near—fueled by Daniel’s prophecy.

Scott reads and explains Daniel 2:36–40, where Daniel interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s dream: head of gold (Babylon), chest and arms of silver (Medo-Persia), belly and thighs of bronze (Greece under Alexander), legs of iron (Rome, crushing and shattering all previous kingdoms). By AD 27, the first three had risen and fallen, and Rome had conquered Judea in 63 BC.

Scott highlights Daniel 2:44: in the days of those kings (the iron kingdom of Rome), the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, will not be left to another people, will break in pieces and consume all others, and will stand forever.

Scott references Daniel 9’s 70 weeks (490 years) prophecy, which gave precise timing for the Messiah’s arrival after 69 weeks (483 years) from a decree to rebuild Jerusalem. Different scholarly calculations (e.g., Artaxerxes’ 457 BC decree on solar years → ~AD 27; or 445 BC on lunar years → ~AD 32) placed the Messiah’s coming in the very era of AD 27–29.

Scott describes the urgent atmosphere in synagogues, debates about the Messiah’s nature, false messiahs, John the Baptist’s ministry, and then Jesus stepping forward after His baptism—proclaiming, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15).

Jesus taught with authority, healed, cast out demons, fulfilled Isaiah 61, yet presented a kingdom of forgiveness, justice, love for enemies—not military conquest. The Jews expected a conqueror but received the suffering servant; Old Testament prophecies contained two Messianic pictures, leading some to anticipate two different figures.

Scott draws parallels between ancient Roman oppression and modern struggles (economic pressures, division, fear, injustice, wars). The same promise applies: amid iron kingdoms, God sets up His eternal kingdom. Jesus came then as the stone cut without hands; He will return to fully fulfill it. The kingdom is already here—we are in it and are it.

Scott extends the invitation to anyone in need of response and calls for the congregation to stand and sing.