IEC Finland: Recent Episodes
IEC Finland
15 March 2020 In Luke 13:1-9 we see Jesus confronted with the question of human suffering. Why are tragedies happening? Why do people suffer? While Jesus is not interested in philosophical questions, he points out that there is no automatic link between tragedies and sin. However, Jesus declares there is a much more important question to ask: the God-question. What is your relationship with God looking like?
8 Mar 2020 How to follow Jesus when we are at our lowest is what we learn in Mark 9:14-29. We should not be surprised to enter valleys. While debates are never the answer, bringing our pain to Jesus and coming with the faith we have (not the faith we don't have) is the way to go. Jesus highlights the crucial importance of prayer over any other strategy to cope with challenging circumstances.
23 Feb 2020 The transfiguration of Jesus (Matthew 17:1-9) is an utterly unique event which takes place at a pivotal moment of Jesus' ministry. Oftentimes mountaintop experiences turn out to be crucial preparations for the valleys that follow. Jesus is always the key. His glory dwells wherever he is present, whether on the mountaintop or in the valley.
9 Feb 2020 In Matthew 19:27-30 Peter asks a brutally honest question, to which Jesus gives a encouraging answer. Paul helps us understand what it could mean to receive "a hundred times over" in Philippians 3:7-14. How do we respond to that?
19 Jan 2020 Panu Pitkänen speaks on Jesus' encounter with the woman at the well, and what we can learn about how Jesus ministers to us and to every person.
5 Jan 2020 Starting with God's Vision, embracing God's Ways and staying in synch with God's Will.
Remind yourself of God's promises, Remain faithful in the Face of Opposition, Trust that God hears you.
28 Oct 2018 Neh 8:1-6, 13-18 and the context provided by chapters 10 and 12 introduce three more marks of spiritual renewal: a new heart for worship (including corporate worship), new obedience and an attitude of intentional gratitude.
21 Oct 2018 In Neh 8:1-12 gives us a picture of what spiritual renewal looks like. Prayer, a new hunger for God's word, genuine repentance and real joy are signs of God's Spirit doing something new.
7 Oct 2018 Throughout the process of rebuilding the wall (and even thereafter) Nehemiah and the people of God face opposition in many ways. We learn about the many-faceted tactics of the enemy, but even more so how to overcome opposition and apply a victorious mindset.
30 Sep 2018 Nehemiah 3:1-32. How can we rebuild ruins, be it in our communities, our churches, or our society? Start with worship and don't do it alone. Bring yourself, do what you can and then keep going!
23 Sep 2018 As a leader, Nehemiah gives us plenty of good strategies to imitate (2:11-20): rest before you restart, investigate before you initiate, unite behind a shared vision, and acknowledge God from start to finish.
16 Sep 2018 Neh 1:11-2:10 teaches us to use prayer as preparation for action, to use our circumstances and every opportunity, and to use delay as an opportunity to plan.
9 Sep 2018 The background to the book of Nehemiah is one of the low points in the history of God's people: the exile. In the middle of difficult circumstances, a deep concern leads to a question that marks the turning point.
7 Jan 2018 Looking at the passage (Isaiah 61) Jesus read in the synagogue of Nazareth at the beginning of his public ministry, we are challenged to embrace the promises made for our lives and the statements concering our callings.
31 Dec 2017 At the end of the old and the beginning a new year, Ex 13:17-22 reminds us that while our plans and our lives might not always unfold the way we expect, God not only knows what is good for us; he is himself for our good. Therefore he wants us to trust him with our lives.
25 Dec 2017 Timo Keskitalo speaks about the meaning of Christmas in light of the prophecy concerning Bethlehem from Micah 5:2-5.
24 Dec 2017 Looking at Christmas through the lenses of Matthew 1:18-25 we see that this message that we celebrate every year has from the beginning been a very public one, deeply prophetic, about a unique person, addressing a redeemed people, and every one of us personally.
3 Dec 2017 Waiting is part of life, even an element of faith. Yet, we are not to be passive as we wait. Looking at this reality through the eyes of Luke 19:28-40 we learn that there is always a next task or encounter to engage with. Likewise situations, gifts or visions need to be "untied", released or surrendered. And all the while we are to praise and worship God.
Luke 19:28-40 (S)
From the gospel of Mark we see a extra-ordinary story of the commitment of friends, the mystery of God and the unconditional compassionate and miraculous healing of Jesus.
19 Nov 2017 Why do we sin? And what do we do when we sin? Paul explains that we are free from the demands of the law, free from having to fight a losing battle and free to live in Christ. The key is to look at him, away from us and our weakness.
12 Nov 2017 Paul explains why we are indeed dead to sin, but alive in Christ. When we understand this, we realize we are free to serve God.
5 Nov 2017 Paul compares grace and sin, death as a result of Adam's trespass with life as a result of Jesus' victory on the cross. This informs how Christ followers are to encounter evil and death in the world we're living in.
29 Oct 2017 Paul is convinced that the story written over our lives is a story of hope. This enables us to have a radically new perspective even on our sufferings and trials. Eventually, it is a story rooted in and defined by God's love which he revealed for all time on the cross.
1 Oct 2017 In Romans 3:21-26 Paul explains how God's righteousness was revealed in the Gospel. In only a few sentences Paul summarizes what actually happened on the cross: "God was in in Christ reconciling the world to himself."
11 Sep 2017 In Rom 1:1-17 Paul introduces himself as set apart for the gospel. As he continues, we learn about the content, the impact and the power of the gospel.
28 May 2017 Jesus ascending into heaven and being seated at the right hand of the Father means that already now he is ruling and reigning as King over all. This is the one thing Jesus wanted his disciples do grasp while instructing them in the days between his resurrection and ascension.
16 Apr 2017 The resurrection on the first day of the week ushers in God's new creation. (John 20:1-18)The encounter of Mary Magdalene with the risen Lord Jesus Christ reminds us that God takes our pain and grief seriously. He knows us by name and wants us to know him personally. And the moment Mary meets the risen Jesus, he commissions her and sends her to spread the news.
9 Apr 2017 With the help of 14:1-9 we learn about the setting of Jesus' passion (the Jewish passover) and also see some of the fruit of it. At the same time we witness what it means to have a heart filled with passion for Jesus and the value of such "passion".
2 Apr 2017 Our guest, Dr. Isaiah Majok Day, Bishop of the Pentecostal Churches in South Sudan, speaks about what it means to be committed to the work of God.
26 Mar 2017 In John 6:24-35 Jesus challenges us to assess our hunger, encourages us to seek him as the source, and invites to eat our fill of the bread of life.
12 Feb 2017 As Jesus tells his disciples the parable about the labourers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16), he highlights that being a disciple means being sent into the harvest. This will at times entail labour: ministry in the kingdom of God can be hard work! Nonetheless, as disciples we are promised to receive: blessings in this life, and eternal life in the world to come.
5 Feb 2017 In Colossians 1:24-2:7 Paul unpacks what the life of a disciple looks like. Having received Jesus, it is now all about continuing to follow him, "walking" with him. Furthermore, a disciple continues to grow in Christ in every way, including growth in (spiritual) knowledge and (practical) wisdom. Eventually it is about counting to overflow with gratitude, probably the most decisive way a disciple of Jesus learns from his master and seeks to apply Christ's example to their life.
29 Jan 2017 How does a person become a disciple? It all starts with Jesus calling a person to follow him, in this case Simon and his co-workers (Luke 5:1-11). The next thing to happen is a change, a conversion of our heart. Strikingly, as soon as a person becomes a disciple, Jesus commissions them to go themselves and make disciples for him.
15 Jan 2017 The encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman in John 4 illustrates what it means to "know the gift of God": He comes to us. He gives living water. We live!
27 Nov 2016 On the 1st of Advent we remember Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, one of the central events of his ministry. Looking at Mark's account (11:1-11), we find four answers to the question who Jesus is: he is good, he is King, he is coming, and (in the meantime) he is building his house.
20 Nov 2016 Receiving blessings is not the reason why we give - we give because Christ gave himself -, but "it is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). So what are some of the blessings related to giving?
13 Nov 2016 Giving belongs to the very centre of our faith. In this first part of a two-week-series on generosity we look into the reasons for giving.
6 Nov 2016 Timo Keskitalo looks at the two accounts on the healing of a woman and Jairus's daughter in Matthew 9:18-26 and Mark 5:21-43.
30 Oct 2016 In this last section of Philippians (4:10-23) Paul points out that generous giving serves the advance of the gospel, grows the giver, and brings joy to God.
23 Oct 2016 In Phil 4:1-9 Paul gets very concrete as to what kind of people Christians should be: people who build good and healthy relationships with others, invest into their relationship with God, watch their thought life and imitate the good, Christ-like features they see in others.
16 Oct 2016 Paul suggests we live with ambition (Philippians 3:12-21), pressing on towards God's promised future. As citizens of heaven we have the responsibility to see kingdom values and principles take shape in the world around us. Longing for God's kingdom to fully arrive means to wait for the Saviour of the world to come.
9 Oct 2016 In Philippians 3:1-11 we are called to put our confidence in Christ alone. To build and grow our confidence in him, we are to (continuously) receive his grace into our lives and (regularly) seek his face.
2 Oct 2016 In this passage (Philippians 2:19-30) we learn about two of Paul's closest friends and coworkers: Timothy and Epaphroditus. Both of them display genuine interest in others, share a common focus with Paul, labour and battle together.
25 Sep 2016 In Philippians 2:12-18 Paul reminds us of three responsibilities: for the transformation of our own life, for the transformation of society, and for finding our place or role in the church. The key is to understand these responsibilities as opportunities and remember that all the way along it is God's "energy" that makes us shine His light into the world.
18 Sep 2016 Paul encourages the Christians in Philippi to pursue unity by adapting a mindset that "counts others more significant than ourselves". After all, this is the only possible attitude of people belonging to and being united with Christ. (Philippians 2:1-11)
11 Sep 2016 Despite being in very difficult circumstances, Paul sees and seizes opportunities that help the good news of Jesus advance. (Philippians 1:12-30) Having made the gospel priority and purpose of his life, he is able to respond to challenging situations in remarkable ways.
4 Sep 2016 Studying Philippians 1:1-11, we discover that Paul's heart is filled with confidence in the power of God, with compassion for his fellow believers in Philippi, and a deep desire to see them grow in faith and maturity.
28 Aug 2016 Looking at Romans 12:1-8 we want to explore purpose and principles of using our gifts as we serve.
The New Community: Resolving Disputes With Dignity | 1 Corinthians part 1 by IEC Finland
The New Community: Resolving Disputes With Dignity | 1 Corinthians part 1 by IEC Finland