Salem Magley Church Podcast

Every good story has a moment when everything shifts—when unanswered questions start to come into focus and the direction of the story changes. Epiphany marks one of those moments in the story of Jesus. In this episode, we explore the visit of the magi and why their arrival matters far more than a familiar Christmas detail. These outsiders see what insiders miss: the true King has been born. Their...

Christmas often moves too fast. Decorations come down, attention shifts, and before we know it, the season is behind us. But what if Christmas is asking something more of us? In this message, we slow down to explore what Jesus actually came to do. Drawing from Isaiah, the opening of John’s Gospel, and Paul’s words in Galatians, we reflect on how Jesus comes as light in the darkness—not only to exp...

Why does Christmas matter—and will life actually get better? In this Christmas Eve message, we step back and ask the deeper question behind the season. If God created the world with order, purpose, and harmony, why does life so often feel broken? Why do fear, division, grief, and weariness seem so normal? Tracing the story from Genesis to the manger, this sermon explores how human self-rule shatte...

This sermon explores why the virgin birth is not an optional detail, but the foundation of the Christmas story—because it tells us salvation begins with God, not us. As we wait during Advent, we are invited to remain faithful, trusting the whole story the church has confessed from the beginning. Emmanuel. God with us.

Our world feels increasingly divided—socially, politically, and culturally. We sort ourselves into communities that look, think, and live like us. But Advent reminds us that Jesus comes to bring a different kind of sorting altogether. In this sermon for the Third Sunday of Advent, we explore how Scripture presents the mission of the Messiah as a great reversal. Through Isaiah’s vision of a road th...

Advent invites us into a season of watching, waiting, and hoping for the day Jesus returns and makes the world whole. In this sermon for the Second Sunday of Advent, Pastor Chris explores what Scripture teaches about Jesus’ return and how followers of Jesus are called to live in the until his return. Isaiah points to the coming kingdom where God brings peace, Matthew reminds us that no one knows t...

On Christ the King Sunday, we explore one of the most surprising claims at the heart of the Christian story: that Jesus is our crucified king. Drawing from Jeremiah 23, Colossians 1, and Luke 23, Pastor Chris walks through God’s long-promised plan to restore the world—not through political power or military strength, but through a king who takes his throne through the cross. We’ll unpack why God p...

Prayer can feel complicated—like something we should understand but don’t. But when Jesus teaches his disciples to pray in Luke 11, he doesn’t begin with a technique or a formula. He begins with a vision of who God really is. In this message, Pastor Chris explores the Lord’s Prayer as a pattern that reveals the heart of God: a good, loving, generous, faithful Father who wants us to come to him. We...

In this message from Luke 18, Pastor Chris Hirschy reflects on the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster and what it reveals about the power of small, simple things. Prayer, Jesus teaches, is one of those things — simple enough for anyone to do, yet powerful enough to move heaven. In the parable of the persistent widow and the unjust judge, Jesus calls His followers to keep asking, keep showing up, an...

For as long as humans have existed, we’ve tried to climb our way up to God—building towers to the heavens, creating rituals to get His attention, and searching for ways to reach the divine. But the story of the Bible tells something completely different: God’s desire has always been to come down and live with us. In this final message from Exodus, Pastor Chris explores how the Tabernacle foreshado...

Have you ever made a mistake so big you thought it was the end? Israel did when they built the golden calf. In that moment, they broke the covenant with God, and justice was required. But instead of abandoning his people, God showed mercy through a mediator. In this message from Exodus 32–34, Pastor Chris explores what happens when we fail, why forgiveness isn’t free, and how Jesus is the greater...

Home is where you belong — but have you ever thought about whether God needs a home? In Exodus, God filled the tabernacle so he could live right in the middle of his people. In John 1, we see that promise fulfilled: Jesus “tabernacled” among us. This message explores God’s deepest desire to live with his people and shows how Jesus became one of us so God could live with us.

We all try to make life work—but too often, it feels like using the wrong tool for the wrong job. God gave the Ten Commandments not just as a set of rules, but as a vision for what life is meant to be: harmony with Him and harmony with our neighbor. In this sermon from Exodus 20:1–17, Pastor Chris Hirschy explores how the Ten Commandments reveal God’s design for life, why harmony is at the center...

When Israel stood at Mount Sinai, God invited them into his presence. But instead of stepping forward, the people pulled back and asked for a middle man. Moses filled that role for a time, but only Jesus would ultimately bridge the gap forever. In this sermon, Pastor Chris explores Exodus 19–20 and Deuteronomy 18 to show how Jesus is the true mediator—the one who stands between us and God so that...

Have you ever received an invitation that could change your life? In Exodus 19, God extends an invitation to Israel at Mount Sinai: to become his treasured possession, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. That same calling extends to us today through Jesus. In this sermon, Pastor Chris unpacks what it means to be chosen by God, how the church continues Israel’s mission, and why we are called t...

We spend so much of life preparing for the future — saving, planning, and storing up — but what happens when our plans can’t meet today’s needs? In this message from Exodus 15–17, we follow the Israelites through three wilderness tests: bitter water at Marah, manna and quail in the desert, and water from the rock at Horeb. In each case, God shows his heart for his people by providing exactly what...

Does following God mean life gets easier? In this week’s message from Exodus 12–14, we follow Israel’s dramatic escape from Egypt—and see that their freedom comes with new challenges. But even in the wilderness, God is with them. And through each trial, their faith is tested and strengthened. This sermon invites us to rethink how we view hardship, asking: are the struggles we face simply obstacles...

In this sermon, we explore how God used the Passover meal to save Israel—and how that same story finds its fulfillment in Jesus. The blood of the lamb spared Israel’s firstborn. The blood of Jesus saves the world. Like the Israelites, we remember by reliving the story. Communion isn’t just a ritual—it’s the meal that defines who we are.

We like to think we’re in control—of our time, our choices, even our future. But what if that sense of control is just an illusion? In this episode, we explore Exodus 6:28–10:28, where Pharaoh, the most powerful man in the ancient world, goes head-to-head with God—and loses. Again and again, Pharaoh refuses to surrender. He negotiates, resists, and hardens his heart. But nothing he does can stop w...

When life gets worse instead of better, it’s easy to question whether God is really in control. In this week’s message from Exodus 4–6, we watch as Moses obeys God, only to see everything fall apart—Pharaoh pushes back harder, the Israelites suffer more, and even Moses begins to doubt. But through it all, God is working. His power is not missing; it’s building. Join us as we explore how God’s migh...

Have you ever felt like you’re not good enough for God to use? Like your past mistakes, lack of ability, or inner doubts disqualify you from doing anything meaningful in his name? In this sermon from Exodus 2–4, we look at the calling of Moses—a man with a complicated past and a lot of self-doubt. And yet, God chooses him to lead Israel out of Egypt. Why? Because God doesn’t need perfect people—he...

Pharaoh had power, armies, and control over an entire nation—but even he couldn’t stop God’s plan. In this opening message from our summer series in Exodus, we see how God’s promise to bless the world through his people moves forward, even in the face of oppression and violence. Through unlikely people and unexpected reversals, God begins a rescue story that still gives us hope today. Because noth...

What kind of God do Christians worship? On Trinity Sunday, we explore one of the most central—and most misunderstood—doctrines of the Christian faith: the Trinity. Why do we say God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? Is that even biblical? And why does it matter? In this sermon, Pastor Chris walks through both Old and New Testament passages that reveal the complex nature of God, from the Angel of th...

We’re more connected than ever. Within seconds, we can message someone across the world or book a flight across the ocean. But despite all that, people are lonelier and more divided than ever before. Why is the world so divided—and can anything actually bring us back together? In this Pentecost sermon, Pastor Chris Hirschy revisits the story of Babel and the coming of the Holy Spirit to show how G...

Are you ready—not just for life’s surprises, but for the return of Jesus? In this episode, Pastor Chris draws on his experience coaching youth baseball to explore what it really means to be prepared. From standing your ground in T-ball to making strategic plays in Minor League, the lesson is the same: readiness matters. But spiritual readiness isn’t just about you. Revelation, John, and Acts come...