Before James tells us to tame the tongue or endure trials, he tells us who he is. Not “brother of Jesus.” Not “bishop of Jerusalem.” Just one word: δοῦλος—slave. In this episode, we go line by line through James 1:1 and uncover the theological bombshell hidden in plain sight. What is the significance of Jacob? Why does he address the “twelve tribes in the Dispersion”? And why does his first word mean rejoice in the middle of exile?

This week at Valley, guest speaker Micheal Davis walks us through the final chapters of Hebrews, opening with the iconic "Hall of Faith" in chapter 11 and pressing through the weighty exhortations in chapters 12 and 13. What does it mean to live by faith—not as wishful thinking, but as proof of unseen, eternal realities? From Abel to Abraham to you, faith is the tether between this fleeting world and the unshakable kingdom we’ve inherited in Christ. Join us as we wrestle with the glory of discipline, the weight of obedience, and the legacy of those who refused to trade their birthright for a bowl of soup.

The Priest has sat down—but that doesn’t mean the battle is over. In this exposition of Hebrews 10, we dismantle the shadows of dead religion and call a covenant people to rise under a seated King. Christ's finished work of atonement is not the end of the story; it’s the beginning of global dominion. This message is a war cry against apostasy, passivity, and pietism. Draw near. Hold fast. Stir up. Advance. The King is seated. The kingdom is moving. Time to act like it.

Hebrews 9 walks us through the architecture of the tabernacle—and then tears the veil in two. In this episode, we explore the difference between ritual purity and actual atonement. The high priest entered the holy place once a year, but Jesus entered the true holy place once for all. The copy is obsolete. The blood is real. And the covenant cannot fail.

Jesus is not just a better priest—He is a different kind of priest. In this lesson, we trace the Melchizedek pattern from Genesis and Psalm 110 into the throne room of heaven. We see how the Levitical system was subordinate from the beginning, and how Christ now mediates a new and better covenant built not on law but on resurrection. The old age is over. The new age has begun.

Join us on our 1-year beach anniversary for a short history of Valley and our mission

This lesson dives headfirst into one of the most sobering passages in the New Testament—Hebrews 6—and Valley doesn’t soften the blow. With both conviction and clarity, we expose the terrifying reality of apostasy: the covenantal treason of those who taste the goodness of Christ but never swallow. Hebrews 6 warns us that surface-level faith is not only dangerous—it’s damning. But it also unveils something glorious: the indestructible anchor of our hope. For those truly in Christ, salvation is not held by emotional highs or our own resolve but by the immovable grip of our High Priest behind the veil. The covenant is serious, but so is the assurance it offers. This lesson calls the spiritually lazy to grow up, the wavering to press on, and the faithful to rest in Christ’s unbreakable promise. Surface faith is suicide. Covenant perseverance is life. And Christ holds the rope.

On Easter weekend, Micheal Davis walked us through the passion and resurrection of Jesus Christ by reading and reflecting on John 19 and 20, with supporting prophecy from Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22. With a humble and careful spirit, he reminded us that the cross is not just a symbol of love or sacrifice, but a declaration of finality: "It is finished."

We saw the crimson thread tying together Genesis, Exodus, Isaiah, and the Gospels—that our sin demanded death, and God provided a Lamb. The cross was not a tragedy. It was victory. Christ was crushed by the will of the Father, not because the Father delights in pain, but because He delights in redemption. We see the weight of sin, the wrath of God, and the power of grace converge in one moment.

Then, the tomb was empty. The resurrection vindicated Jesus as God, conquered death, and secured our hope. This was not magic or myth, but public, historic, testified reality. Because Christ rose, those who are in Him will also rise.

Micheal walked us through the logic of the resurrection, the fulfillment of prophecy, and the comfort of Christ’s words: "Peace be with you." For those who are in Christ, death no longer reigns. Jesus does.

"You are not clinging to a wish. You are held by a Risen King."