Passages: Recent Episodes
Craig S. Brown
Passages explores upcoming Bible passages used in churches for preaching, reflection, and prayer. If you are a preacher or a person preparing to hear a preached sermon, Passages will shine a unique light on texts used in the lectionary in the coming weeks.
We struggle to live in the gray areas of life. Hard choices are hard for a reason. Sometimes a choice will present itself as a black-and-white decision. Other times, a choice has many options of good or bad. How do we hold our faith when we are faced with tough choices? Perhaps we might learn a lesson from a woman of courage from over 3,000 years ago.
Faith is far more than mere religious tradition; it is a deliberate choice to anchor ourselves in God, especially when we face life's greatest challenges. True faith often feels most critical in moments when it seems to make the least difference, requiring profound courage and inner strength to sustain. Join us as we explore the story of Moses’ birth and discover how we can cultivate this kind of courageous faith in our own lives.
We all know that people come and people go. As followers of Jesus, we are called to be stewards of God's gifts and to share them with people who are coming and going in our midst. It is especially true when we wonder about how we will pass on our faith to the next generation. This week we explore exactly how to do that.
We have all heard the empty platitudes about things being darkest before the dawn. When people are in a place of hopelessness, these platitudes offer little comfort and, worse yet, are just bad theology. Sometimes our faith is built upon how we lean into hopelessness. Like so many Psalms, we discover our faith in Christ when we admit how hopeless things really are.
Life is filled with one new season after another. How do we adapt when the ground beneath our feet begins to shift? What does faith in God look like when there is a new season right in front of us? This week's episode explores how Abram had faith in time like that.
What does it really mean to be a community? Relationships are key, but so are other things. Unity, vision, and grace are also part of what makes a community work. This week we explore how healthy, vital communities function best when they proclaim God's good news and make disciples.
When folks think of being a Christian, we are used to hearing terms like "believer" or “follower." Those titles are certainly true! One of the most essential titles for Christians is "children", namely children of God. This week explore the importance and the requirements of being a child of God. Promises will abound!
"Peace and Love" is a popular slogan as it has been since the 1960s. What began as a protest slogan has now become an aspiration for just about everyone. Who does not want peace and love? When we read some of Jesus' last words to his friends before his death and resurrection, we hear something just a little different. We learn from Jesus that true peace is impossible without love. This week we explore how love leading to peace is truly the way of Jesus.
"Peace and Love" is a popular slogan as it has been since the 1960s. What began as a protest slogan has now become an aspiration for just about everyone. Who does not want peace and love? When we read some of Jesus' last words to his friends before his death and resurrection, we hear something just a little different. We learn from Jesus that true peace is impossible without love. This week we explore how love leading to peace is truly the way of Jesus.
One of the great marks of the church of Jesus Christ is unity. Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane that "we might be one." Paul prays for the church in Corinth the very same things. What does it look like when a church has unity together? Does everyone think and act the same? This week explore how we can heed Jesus' exhortation to be ONE.
One of the great marks of the church of Jesus Christ is unity. Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane that "we might be one." Paul prays for the church in Corinth the very same things. What does it look like when a church has unity together? Does everyone think and act the same? This week explore how we can heed Jesus' exhortation to be ONE.
It is not easy being a Christian witness in the 21st century. When Christians hear how the Holy Spirit was poured out on the Day of Pentecost, there is joy mixed with a little trepidation. How can Christians live with a renewed sense of God's grace and power in our confusing world? This week, we explore how the disciples bore witness to the living Lord Jesus in a troubled and confusing time.
It is not easy being a Christian witness in the 21st century. When Christians hear how the Holy Spirit was poured out on the Day of Pentecost, there is joy mixed with a little trepidation. How can Christians live with a renewed sense of God's grace and power in our confusing world? This week, we explore how the disciples bore witness to the living Lord Jesus in a troubled and confusing time.
Many non-believers assume that all Christians think and live in a similar way. With national headlines captured by fundamentalist Christians who are convinced that the USA is God's divine agent in the world, the landscape becomes confusing to say the least. This week's episode highlights Jesus' encounter with the state. From Him, we might just learn how we are to witness a vital faith in a Kingdom not of this age.
Many non-believers assume that all Christians think and live in a similar way. With national headlines captured by fundamentalist Christians who are convinced that the USA is God's divine agent in the world, the landscape becomes confusing to say the least. This week's episode highlights Jesus' encounter with the state. From Him, we might just learn how we are to witness a vital faith in a Kingdom not of this age.
Anti-Semitism has plagued this world for centuries. At the heart of it is a twisted expression of Christianity which has largely forgotten the exhortation of the Apostle Paul. Judaism is the mother faith of Christianity. Not only is Paul Jewish, but so are all the disciples and Jesus himself. This week we explore our complicated relationship with our Jewish friends and how we might live with more and more mercy.
Anti-Semitism has plagued this world for centuries. At the heart of it is a twisted expression of Christianity which has largely forgotten the exhortation of the Apostle Paul. Judaism is the mother faith of Christianity. Not only is Paul Jewish, but so are all the disciples and Jesus himself. This week we explore our complicated relationship with our Jewish friends and how we might live with more and more mercy.
DEI, three letters which stand for diversity, equity, and inclusion, have become a hot-button issue in the US over the last ten years. While political tensions boil over on these issues, we might need to see where these values are in scripture. Once we do so, then our challenge is to find ways to live them out in a way which always gives witness to the reign and rule of God in Christ Jesus.
DEI, three letters which stand for diversity, equity, and inclusion, have become a hot-button issue in the US over the last ten years. While political tensions boil over on these issues, we might need to see where these values are in scripture. Once we do so, then our challenge is to find ways to live them out in a way which always gives witness to the reign and rule of God in Christ Jesus.
Most people, especially outside the church, believe that Christians struggle with women in leadership. This week's episode tackles one of the hardest texts in the Christian Scripture about women. Perhaps by looking at all of what the Apostle Paul said about women rather than just this one text, we might see a liberating view of women and their leadership.
Most people, especially outside the church, believe that Christians struggle with women in leadership. This week's episode tackles one of the hardest texts in the Christian Scripture about women. Perhaps by looking at all of what the Apostle Paul said about women rather than just this one text, we might see a liberating view of women and their leadership.
For centuries, Christians have had to face the prospect of war. Sometimes we have been the victims of war, the perpetrators of war, or just the bystanders to it. Regardless of the time and situation, war is a perplexing issue for Christians. This week, we explore a way Christians can think and pray about our relationship to war.
For centuries, Christians have had to face the prospect of war. Sometimes we have been the victims of war, the perpetrators of war, or just the bystanders to it. Regardless of the time and situation, war is a perplexing issue for Christians. This week, we explore a way Christians can think and pray about our relationship to war.
The ever-changing world around us is constantly trying to move us from one influence to another. Trying to hold on to anything or anyone can be a real challenge. "There is always something better!", or so we are told. This week explore how holding on to Jesus is our only real hope for love and life. How can we hold on to Him when everything around us tells us not to?
The ever-changing world around us is constantly trying to move us from one influence to another. Trying to hold on to anything or anyone can be a real challenge. "There is always something better!", or so we are told. This week explore how holding on to Jesus is our only real hope for love and life. How can we hold on to Him when everything around us tells us not to?
Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem and commences the final week of Jesus' life before his death and resurrection. So many different groups of people were present that day. Some of them were close to Jesus, and others were simply wondering what the commotion was all about. This week, we explore how to find Jesus in chaos and confusion.
Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem and commences the final week of Jesus' life before his death and resurrection. So many different groups of people were present that day. Some of them were close to Jesus, and others were simply wondering what the commotion was all about. This week, we explore how to find Jesus in chaos and confusion.
We all agree that integrity is an important virtue in life. Integrity matters most when it is pressured in difficult situations. When Jesus faces those who have come to arrest him, he has a moment when his integrity is tested. The choice he makes in that moment will make all the difference!
We all agree that integrity is an important virtue in life. Integrity matters most when it is pressured in difficult situations. When Jesus faces those who have come to arrest him, he has a moment when his integrity is tested. The choice he makes in that moment will make all the difference!
Our relationships with others can be challenged by resentment, leading to bitterness. Sometimes others disappoint us. Other times, we wonder why our friends are not stepping up to help. These frustrations can spill over into unwanted resentment, eventual cynicism, and judgement. How can we find a new way to hold our inner conflicts with others with grace? This week, explore how to care for others when we feel let down by them.
Our relationships with others can be challenged by resentment, leading to bitterness. Sometimes others disappoint us. Other times, we wonder why our friends are not stepping up to help. These frustrations can spill over into unwanted resentment, eventual cynicism, and judgement. How can we find a new way to hold our inner conflicts with others with grace? This week, explore how to care for others when we feel let down by them.
We have all had those moments when our good intentions in a situation or relationship ended up with a bad result. Often that result includes conflict or misunderstanding. This week's episode explores how we can learn to translate our good intentions into constructive and good outcomes. Peter, the disciple, and Jesus will be our guides!
We have all had those moments when our good intentions in a situation or relationship ended up with a bad result. Often that result includes conflict or misunderstanding. This week's episode explores how we can learn to translate our good intentions into constructive and good outcomes. Peter, the disciple, and Jesus will be our guides!
We often hear about how close relationships are so important. Truth. What happens when relationships are too close? How can we set good boundaries for all the ways we relate to other people? This week we explore how to be close with others without getting too close.
We often hear about how close relationships are so important. Truth. What happens when relationships are too close? How can we set good boundaries for all the ways we relate to other people? This week we explore how to be close with others without getting too close.
The next generation is depending on us. So is God! Time and again in the Bible, we read of how parents are called to pass on their faith to the next generation. This week's passage takes a closer look at what the essentials are and how we should live them out so that future generations can look back in thanksgiving.
The next generation is depending on us. So is God! Time and again in the Bible, we read of how parents are called to pass on their faith to the next generation. This week's passage takes a closer look at what the essentials are and how we should live them out so that future generations can look back in thanksgiving.
Fewer and fewer people in the United States are sharing in marriage. Marriages are important to nurture and support as they become more and more scarce. Relationships, including marriage, are diverse and important. What does God teach us about marriage in the Bible, and how does marriage provide a witness of God's love? This week's episode explores how it happens and will debunk some religious baggage along the way.
Fewer and fewer people in the United States are sharing in marriage. Marriages are important to nurture and support as they become more and more scarce. Relationships, including marriage, are diverse and important. What does God teach us about marriage in the Bible, and how does marriage provide a witness of God's love? This week's episode explores how it happens and will debunk some religious baggage along the way.
Friends are such a key part of our life. Friends often span time longer than any other relationship we might have. What happens when we invest in our friends in a deeper way? This week we will take a close look at how Paul invests in his friend Timothy and discover the joy of holding our friends close.
Friends are such a key part of our life. Friends often span time longer than any other relationship we might have. What happens when we invest in our friends in a deeper way? This week we will take a close look at how Paul invests in his friend Timothy and discover the joy of holding our friends close.
Jesus is many things to many people. At the heart of Jesus is love. That love is experienced in God's saving grace in Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Savior of all. This week we explore how Jesus does that cosmic and important work where we receive forgiveness and grace.
Praying for our own needs feels awkward. Isn't prayer about praying for others and their needs? Jesus tells us to pray for our "daily bread." What does that mean? Can we find a new way to pray for others and for ourselves? Jesus believes we can and that we must.
We might complain from time to time that God does not seem to be doing much. It does depend on where you are looking and what you might be expecting. God is always moving and working, but does so, most of the time, in human beings. This week, we take a closer look at Moses' way of living, "Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."
"Our Father, who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name."
Here is a prayer we often pray without always realizing what we are asking for or who we are praying to. Our God is one of relationships, like a family. Our prayer, like that of Moses, is for God to walk with us and be our guide.
"Our Father, who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name."
Here is a prayer we often pray without always realizing what we are asking for or who we are praying to. Our God is one of relationships, like a family. Our prayer, like that of Moses, is for God to walk with us and be our guide.
Sometimes the words "just" and "fair" do not go together. In Jesus' parable about a vineyard owner, this display of justice is by no means fair, but it does draw our focus toward a compassionate God. This God is always looking for new ways to give, share, and bless.
Sometimes the words "just" and "fair" do not go together. In Jesus' parable about a vineyard owner, this display of justice is by no means fair, but it does draw our focus toward a compassionate God. This God is always looking for new ways to give, share, and bless.
We have a great deal of talking these days. Podcasts like this one number in the millions. We like to talk. Conversations can be so very important, but when they lack any kind of action, they feel a bit empty. This week's episode explores how we can take thought and word and place them into action for the benefit of those around us.
We have a great deal of talking these days. Podcasts like this one number in the millions. We like to talk. Conversations can be so very important, but when they lack any kind of action, they feel a bit empty. This week's episode explores how we can take thought and word and place them into action for the benefit of those around us.
The most important work we often do is the work closest to us. How are we caring for those nearest to us? The news of the day will practically force us to work on the things we cannot possibly change alone. The issues are too big. Jesus invites his followers to small relationships which can make a big difference. We are called to give and receive peace everywhere we go, especially when it is close to home.
The most important work we often do is the work closest to us. How are we caring for those nearest to us? The news of the day will practically force us to work on the things we cannot possibly change alone. The issues are too big. Jesus invites his followers to small relationships which can make a big difference. We are called to give and receive peace everywhere we go, especially when it is close to home.
No matter where we have been, what we have done, or where we are now, Jesus is always there ready to share his love with us. He meets us right where we are. This week's episode explores how a desperate and lonely woman discovers Jesus right in her own world.
Episode One
Join FFMC Lead Pastor, Rev. Dr. Craig S. Brown, and FFMC Family Ministry Director, Hannah Huskey for this inaugural episode as they discuss life, philosophy, family ministry at FFMC, and Hannah's cats.
No matter where we have been, what we have done, or where we are now, Jesus is always there ready to share his love with us. He meets us right where we are. This week's episode explores how a desperate and lonely woman discovers Jesus right in her own world.
When we think of a storm at sea in the Bible, we might think of Jonah or even Noah. Toward the end of the Book of Acts, we read a story of a storm and even a shipwreck that almost ended Paul's life on his way to Rome. This week's episode focuses on how God's salvation can sometimes show up later than we like and harder than we think it needs to be.
When we think of a storm at sea in the Bible, we might think of Jonah or even Noah. Toward the end of the Book of Acts, we read a story of a storm and even a shipwreck that almost ended Paul's life on his way to Rome. This week's episode focuses on how God's salvation can sometimes show up later than we like and harder than we think it needs to be.
The promise of healing often feels overblown. We have seen too many people prayed for and not recover. Struggle and pain win the day too often. Believing in God's healing is harder than it seems. This week's episode explores how God's healing works in the vision of Ezekiel.
The promise of healing often feels overblown. We have seen too many people prayed for and not recover. Struggle and pain win the day too often. Believing in God's healing is harder than it seems. This week's episode explores how God's healing works in the vision of Ezekiel.
Sometimes we like to have it both ways. Making a clear choice often means that we may lose something we don't want to lose. There may be times when having it both ways works but not often with our relationship with God. This week's episode explores a unique contest where people have to make a life-altering choice.
Sometimes we like to have it both ways. Making a clear choice often means that we may lose something we don't want to lose. There may be times when having it both ways works but not often with our relationship with God. This week's episode explores a unique contest where people have to make a life-altering choice.
The church is a barrier-breaking organization. At least, that is the purpose we hear in the Book of Acts. Rules are broken. Traditions are violated. All of this happens for the sake of the gospel of Jesus. This week's passage breaks barriers of race and culture as an unexpected man becomes a follower of Jesus.
The church is a barrier-breaking organization. At least, that is the purpose we hear in the Book of Acts. Rules are broken. Traditions are violated. All of this happens for the sake of the gospel of Jesus. This week's passage breaks barriers of race and culture as an unexpected man becomes a follower of Jesus.
Most of us have known the story of Noah and the ark since we were children. Like most Bible stories we learn as children, there are important themes for adults too. This week we explore how to take the step of faith when God opens a new way for us. God and Noah will be our guide!
Most of us have known the story of Noah and the ark since we were children. Like most Bible stories we learn as children, there are important themes for adults too. This week we explore how to take the step of faith when God opens a new way for us. God and Noah will be our guide!
We have all been there. What is it like to be backed up against a problem where we do not feel there is a way out? We often look for a rescue! What God offers Moses and the children of Israel is not a way out but a way through. This week's episode explores how God makes a way when it seems impossible.
We have all been there. What is it like to be backed up against a problem where we do not feel there is a way out? We often look for a rescue! What God offers Moses and the children of Israel is not a way out but a way through. This week's episode explores how God makes a way when it seems impossible.
Many Christians know the story of how Saul, a persecutor of the church, became one of its most important champions. The person we overlook too quickly is Ananias, the person who came to Saul to bring him healing and baptism. This week's episode will help us remember that everyone received the gift of faith from someone else.
Many Christians know the story of how Saul, a persecutor of the church, became one of its most important champions. The person we overlook too quickly is Ananias, the person who came to Saul to bring him healing and baptism. This week's episode will help us remember that everyone received the gift of faith from someone else.
The story about Jesus meeting a non-Jewish woman is a fascinating story of love, grace, and wholeness. Does Jesus expect to meet this woman? Does he especially expect to find such a deep faith in him? When he does, all sorts of blessings begin to happen!
The story about Jesus meeting a non-Jewish woman is a fascinating story of love, grace, and wholeness. Does Jesus expect to meet this woman? Does he especially expect to find such a deep faith in him? When he does, all sorts of blessings begin to happen!
Life is filled with some important moments. We often try to capture them in pictures or even a scrapbook. How do we remember the great moments of God's love in our lives? How can we remember? Today's episode explores how we can honor and glorify God each day and in the great days of our life.
Life is filled with some important moments. We often try to capture them in pictures or even a scrapbook. How do we remember the great moments of God's love in our lives? How can we remember? Today's episode explores how we can honor and glorify God each day and in the great days of our life.
The day of Pentecost is a day of "power to the people." Before the coming of the Holy Spirit on the church, the followers of Jesus were waiting and hiding in the city. As Jesus promised, the Spirit would come and give them the power to be His witnesses. That same power and purpose are ours today.
The day of Pentecost is a day of "power to the people." Before the coming of the Holy Spirit on the church, the followers of Jesus were waiting and hiding in the city. As Jesus promised, the Spirit would come and give them the power to be His witnesses. That same power and purpose are ours today.
Caring for creation requires us to see the world and God's vision for it with clarity. A future is coming that is free of death and evil. If this vision captivates us enough, we will live lives that faithful point to it.
Caring for creation requires us to see the world and God's vision for it with clarity. A future is coming that is free of death and evil. If this vision captivates us enough, we will live lives that faithful point to it.
The story of Adam and Even falls into tragedy when they take matters into their own hands. What started as a paradise in the Garden, has become a nightmare of blame, anger, and fear. How can we find our way when we face the same situations? More importantly, how does Jesus give us new hope in the midst of being human?
Which takes more work: caring or being careless? God's creation is entrusted to our care. The same care God has is the same care we must offer. Creation care means loving others and everything which has been created. If this is true, then the work of care will always take more time and energy. It is exactly how God cares for us.
Which takes more work: caring or being careless? God's creation is entrusted to our care. The same care God has is the same care we must offer. Creation care means loving others and everything which has been created. If this is true, then the work of care will always take more time and energy. It is exactly how God cares for us.
The creation story in the Bible is filled with so much wonder and blessing. Too often, we read right past it to get to the story of the fall of Adam and Eve. Perhaps we should pause a bit longer over God's creative work and find that all we have ever needed is in Him.
The creation story in the Bible is filled with so much wonder and blessing. Too often, we read right past it to get to the story of the fall of Adam and Eve. Perhaps we should pause a bit longer over God's creative work and find that all we have ever needed is in Him.
The story of Jesus' resurrection is deeply moving. Jesus goes from seemingly being lost but, instead, is found victorious. Our belief in this Jesus is ever-growing as it was for those first witnesses of the resurrection. Even in our doubts, Jesus invites us to new life.
The story of Jesus' resurrection is deeply moving. Jesus goes from seemingly being lost but, instead, is found victorious. Our belief in this Jesus is ever-growing as it was for those first witnesses of the resurrection. Even in our doubts, Jesus invites us to new life.
Jesus' entrance into the city of Jerusalem is cause for celebration by his followers. It is an entrance of peace which hails the soon and coming King, Jesus. Not all people welcome his arrival. The week which follows will be an unfolding of Jesus' destiny. A destiny which will set the world free from sin and evil.
Jesus' entrance into the city of Jerusalem is cause for celebration by his followers. It is an entrance of peace which hails the soon and coming King, Jesus. Not all people welcome his arrival. The week which follows will be an unfolding of Jesus' destiny. A destiny which will set the world free from sin and evil.
We all know what commitments or duties we have. What about our devotion? More than commitment or duty, devotion invites us into something deeper. In devotion we are changed by gratitude and generosity working in the grace of God. This week we discover the power of devotion.
We all know what commitments or duties we have. What about our devotion? More than commitment or duty, devotion invites us into something deeper. In devotion we are changed by gratitude and generosity working in the grace of God. This week we discover the power of devotion.
The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Lost Son) is one of the most well-known stories Jesus told. We should wonder why we are fixated on the "lost" son more than the forgiving father as portrayed in this story. It is a powerful story of forgiveness and grace offered to those who welcome it and even resist it.
All of us wonder why things happen the way they do. Sometimes it is about something that creates joy and wonder while, at other moments, it is pain or grief. Trying to know "why" is hard work. Perhaps there is a different way to live where God's Spirit provides all we need.
We live in one of the most polarizing times in recent memory. We argue about politics, religion, relationships, and so much more. What matters most in these times when we are pushed and pulled by so many? This week's episode opens us up to a new way of being followers of Jesus in a polarized age.
We all face temptation. Sometimes it is on a small scale, and other times it can destroy lives and relationships. The greatest temptation of all is to believe that one has no temptations. This week, we dive into how temptation comes to us and what to do about it.
We all face temptation. Sometimes it is on a small scale, and other times it can destroy lives and relationships. The greatest temptation of all is to believe that one has no temptations. This week, we dive into how temptation comes to us and what to do about it.
When is Jesus at His best? The passage of scripture for today's episode might lead us to believe that it is when Jesus is glorified in power and appears with Moses and Elijah on a mountain. Could the lesson of this story be about the moment when people were "amazed" at Him? If it is, then Jesus is at his greatest down in the valley with all of us.
Legalism is always a danger in any religion. Christians are not called to follow a law but a Savior, Jesus. Knowing the difference between following a law versus following a person can make all the difference. When we follow Jesus, we can let go of rule-keeping and rest in a life of grace led by Jesus.
Jesus' parting words to His followers are to go and make disciples. What is a disciple, and how does one go about making one? This week's episode explores how being a follower of Jesus makes us uniquely able to do what Jesus asks of us.
Generosity is a key practice to living as a follower of Jesus. Giving can open doors of thanksgiving and even more giving if we will just trust God's promise to guide us. This week's episode explores how the practice of giving can change our lives in so many ways.
We all face the reality of growing. Sometimes growing older demands much of our attention, especially early in our life and late in our life. What about growing other parts of our lives? This week's episode puts the attention on our spiritual growth and why it matters.
Time is one of the few things in life we cannot find more of. When faced with making time for what is important, it is easy to let urgent things get in the way of the most important things. The worship of God can be easily crowded out in our daily lives. This week's episode explores why the worship of God just might matter the most.
How do the followers of Jesus live during a time of "anything goes”? It may seem like a question for today, but it was also the same question Christians struggled with 2,000 years ago. This week's podcast episode explores the seldom-read book of Jude with its surprising truth for us and the age in which we live.
The story of the Magi visiting the young Jesus is a rich story which often gets lost in the Christmas celebration. The Magi represent a deep expression of love and worship as they bring their three gifts to the Christ child. This week's episode explores how those gifts offer us an example of how we should give our own gifts to Jesus today.
From "God bless you!" to " Count your blessings", the word "blessing" has come to mean many things. Most everyone would like a blessing to be sure! What is a blessing and how does it come to us? Is it just another word for luck or enjoying God's special favor? This week's episode explores what it means to be blessed and how we see blessings in a new light.
Repentance can make us stop in our tracks. We then have to wonder about where to go from there. John the Baptist tells his own listeners to focus on generosity as a response to repentance. He says that these acts of gratitude are "worthy" fruits of repentance.
We are usually more in touch with feelings of remorse and regret than we are with repentance. The first two words focus on emotions of guilt and shame while repentance places the focus squarely on changing our behaviors and practice. Remorse and regret may lead us to repentance but, they are not the same. This week's episode explores the hope which can be found in repentance.
As 21st century American Christians, it is hard to relate to being a persecuted Christian. Jesus tells us that we are being sent out like, "lambs in the midst of wolves." What chance do Christians have in a hostile world? This week's episode explores the teaching Jesus gave his followers for just such a time.
The people of God have always been on the move. Since the days of Abram, God invites people to look outward rather than just inward. All of this is still a choice. Like Abram had to decide to "go", so do we.
Program Note: Passages will be taking a break and will return on Tuesday, October 1, 2024.
What matters in life? In many ways, the book of Ecclesiastes exists to tell us what DOES NOT matter in life. The closing chapter of Ecclesiastes invites us to wonder about the right kind of question we need to ask about life.
You have likely heard someone say, "We are waiting until just the right time." You may have also heard someone say, "Here today and gone tomorrow." Opportunity seems to strike at a time when we are not always ready for it. Do we wait or go? This week's episode explores the importance of trust in God as we decide if to wait or go.
Enjoying life can be difficult for some. There are many who hold a sense of guilt, obligation, or some other duty which keeps them from experiencing the enjoyment of life today. Being too goal-driven can lead us far away from enjoyment with our nose to the grindstone. This week's episode explores how God calls us to enjoy life while always being aware of what really matters most.
Talking about death is hard. Most of us steer clear of the topic and only touch upon it when required. Is there wisdom for us to gain in a conversation about dying? Is there a good death? What lessons can we take from others to deepen our life of faith? This week's episode explores the tough topic of death and dying. The good news is that there is a hope for wisdom and life through death.
Joy is less of an emotion and more of a choice. When we choose to live our life only for ourselves and those who benefit us, we find ourselves in an endless cycle of greed. It is a joyless way of life. When we make the choice for joy we can find a way toward true enJOYment and gratitude.
The choice to be together or "go it alone" is one we face now more than ever. The isolation of pandemic may have led us to believe that isolation is better for us. God's wisdom is filled with encouragement to find joy in shared work, support, and protection. This week's episode explores how a "cord of three strands is not easily broken."
We have all had the "time of our life" or "killing time." Knowing that there are times and seasons in our lives should not surprise us. It is part of being human. How will we hold the time we are in? What will we do...or not do...in this season of life? This week's episode explores how can hold time better.
The Book of Ecclesiastes is not a book we read too often. Its darker and more cynical wisdom sounds just a little too dreary. What this book offers us is a realistic view of the world we live in whether we chose to admit it or not. If this is true, what can we learn here? This rich book is about how we hold our work, play, love, and most of all, joy.
Jesus' ministry of healing is not just limited to what people may ask of Him. Jesus brings a healing beyond everyone's expectations. The whole person matters to Jesus. It may cause us to wonder about how we pray for healing. Are we praying for what we seek or are we praying for what Jesus seeks? Is our faith directed at what we want or is it directed at Jesus?
Jesus' teaching on money is hard for the 21st century Christian to hear. Much of our culture is focused on getting and having enough. Worry about financial security continues to confront families in poverty and in wealth. In this sense, worry happens regardless of how much we have. Jesus offers us a way to be set free through generosity. If we can embrace generosity, it will have lasting effects on our lives.
Greed continues to plague the human condition. For thousands of years human beings have often been gripped by their fear of loss and security. This fear gives rise to the practice of greed which sees the "self" as the center. In this week's episode, Jesus begins to open us up to the power of greed in our lives and how we might be set free.
The Gospels record a significant amount of Jesus' teaching on money. Over all of these centuries, very little has changed in our relationship with wealth. This week's episode explores how money can become a great resource when it serves us as we serve the God who gives all things.
Passing on a legacy is complicated. For parents, it often means sharing the learnings from one's successes and failures. When King David draws close to his own death, he pauses to share some important words with his son Solomon. Like any parent, David wants his son to learn from his father, for good or ill.
Being a child or being a parent is filled with joy and challenges. We have all experienced moments when we wished things between our parents or children were different. What is it like to have a perfect parent? This week's episode explores what it means for us to have joy and freedom as children of God.
The coming of the Holy Spirit marks an unprecedented change in how God is at work in the world. Rather than speaking through a single prophet or even through Jesus, God now comes in the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is "distributed" to the followers of Jesus so that many might embody the word and works of Jesus. The Spirit is what makes the church truly alive.
Jesus offers his followers some important parting words before his ascension. Not only does he tell them that everything they have seen and heard has been according to the scriptures but, he also makes them witnesses to proclaim the message. By listening to Jesus words in this text we better understand our work to worship, wait, and witness.
The story of Esther is a gripping tale of conspiracy, intrigue, and integrity. Here we find a great hero in Esther, who defies all constraints placed upon her. She is the agent of God's justice where evil is exposed. She saves herself and her people by being true to who she is.
When we don't know where we are going in life or are simply confused, we often think it is easier to retreat inward. Our response of fear in these situations will bring isolation rather than openness. The followers of Jesus are called to live lives of "salt and light" which means that we must be open to sharing ourselves with the world.
Being thankful and expressing gratitude do not come easy for all of us. They are both expressions of deeper commitments we have each made. Thanksgiving and gratitude exist because of our commitments to compassion, grace, humility, and most of all, love. This week's episode explores how Christians are called to gather together in community to worship the God who is the most generous of all.
Businesses large and small take time to look at their income and expense statements. Were there losses? Where did we gain? When do we take such a survey of our own life in light of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus? This week, the Apostle Paul guides us through his way of counting the costs of being a follower of Jesus. Perhaps we, too, can learn how to make Jesus the all-consuming center of our lives.
The story of Jesus' resurrection is filled with many different emotions. There is joy, wonder, confusion, and even fear present in this story. What emerges by the end of this text is a beautiful sense of hope which emerges in the presence of the risen Jesus. That same hope can be ours today!
Jesus' entrance into the city of Jerusalem shortly before his death and resurrection is a moment of celebration. In Mark's version of this story, we see no large crowds, a Jesus who says nothing, and all of it happening on a donkey. Humility is center stage as Jesus is welcomed as the Messiah. How can humility and power go together? This week's episode explores how it can happen.
Being a community, or even a family, can be hard at times. Everyone has opinions and, most of the time, we are not always willing to change our mind or even listen carefully to others. There is a special way Christians live in community where tough decisions are generous and grace-filled. This week's episode explores how that can happen.
The discipline of fasting is enjoying a revival. Many people practice intermittent fasting or abstain from certain foods during the year. (I'm looking at you Dry January!) Fasting has always been woven deep into the Bible even including Jesus himself. In this only text where Jesus teaches on fasting, we find important lessons on how fasting can shape the heart and soul.
Holy Communion is a special time in the life of any church's worship and in the lives of people. We are drawn close to God's infinite love and grace when we share around the Lord's Table. It is a table that should make us one. In our world filled with divisions and arguments, Holy Communion, with the power of the Lord Jesus there, just might make a difference!
The Bible continues to be the all-time best selling book. It was written over a period of 600 years covering over 2000 years of history. It is 66 different books which convey a unified message of God's grace. How are we supposed to read the Bible, much the less, use it well? The Bible helps to answer that question about itself. When it does its best work, it points to the God whose story it tells.
Many Christians feel that being Christian is a matter of agreement with certain truths or practices. Jesus calls his followers to something a bit different. Finding deep relationships with Jesus and others might be the key to experiencing the love of God in a more profound way. If this is true, our prayers might sound less like a request list and more like a longing to experience Jesus.
Jesus as refugee! Not too long after the birth of Jesus the forces of evil, power, and corruption are already trying to end his young life. With all of the power of empire set against Him, God finds a way for Jesus to live so that one day he will defeat the greatest enemy of all; sin leading to death. This is story about the extraordinary act of Joseph to save "The Child" so that He might save us all.
The Christmas story is perhaps the best known story in all of the Bible. It has been re-enacted time and again by adults and children alike. We warm to the images of Jesus birth and the wonder of that first Christmas. If we take a closer look, we might find that the story has more wonder than we ever realized. It is a story filled with ordinary people finding themselves in God's great plan of salvation. Maybe that makes it easier to find ourselves in this story.
it is hard to imagine that the cosmos hangs in the balance with two Jewish women in the first century. Elizabeth and Mary have an important moment together when their unborn children meet for the first time. These two women find themselves in a moment when God will use each of them for extraordinary things, one of which, will be savior of the world.
Have you ever been caught between a rock and a hard place? The Bible is filled with stories of people who found themselves in exactly the same place. The story of Joseph, in Matthew's gospel, is a good example. He is faced with a daunting choice about his future. In the midst of that situation, an angel appears and offers him a new and glorious solution which had never crossed his mind.
Judging and being judgmental are two different things. One requires prudence and wisdom. The latter requires ingratitude and fear. Jesus offers us a new and wonderful way to balance these these in the Sermon on the Mount. how can we convey the sacrificial love of God while not losing ourselves in the process.
Words are important. Our promises are important. This week's episode explores how we can use our words, both written and verbal, to express our heart more clearly. When we do so, clarity and authenticity can happen in surprising ways!
Gratitude is usually a response to something done to or for us. We say, "Thank you!" when something happens which brings joy, satisfaction, or even wholeness. Sometimes we feel the sense to do more than just say, "Thank you." This week's episode explores some of the different forms thanksgiving can take.
"In everything, give thanks.", the Apostle Paul tells us. How hard this is to do. The daily pressures of life and constant distractions easily lead us away from thanksgiving. Re-centering our lives in gratitude each day can change the way we live and see the world.
Christians can give thanks to God for many reasons! Foundational to all of them is God's saving grace in Jesus Christ. That grace is a gift to us. Not only does it offer us salvation, it also offers to us a way of being made stronger even in the most challenging times.
We are taught from an early age to dream big and think big. Our culture continually reinforces that message to us. Bigger is better. Jesus helps us see the world and ourselves in a different way. When it comes to feeding 5,000 people, all Jesus needs is one boy who brings forth only what he has for food. Jesus does the rest.
God's vision of the future is a bright one filled with hope. Even in the darkest of times, we can trust in God's power and grace to be at work in our lives and in the world. For followers of Jesus, we hold on to the hope that this new age of the Kingdom can only come about through the victory of Jesus.
The prophet Daniel is most known for surviving the lion's den and speaking truth to power. He was a devoted man of prayer. These essential elements of Daniel's character all have a beginning in a diet of vegetables. This week's episode focuses on how we are called to serve God even with our bodies and our diet!
When is it hardest to deliver a message of hope? That is the question Zechariah the prophet must hold as he proclaims God's message of hope to a people who feel lost. In the end, hope is found in a deep and abiding relationship with God. This week's episode helps us to find clues about a rich life with God.
Most people don't spend much time with the prophet Haggai. Perhaps it does not get as much attention as it should. Haggai raises questions about devotion, wealth, and how we can best manage our priorities in life. This week's episode explores how Haggai's message is one for today.
This week's episode feature Rev. Dr. Craig Brown and Rev. Camille Pook reflect on Camille's recent mission trip to Columbia. With Luke 10 guiding their conversation Pastor Camille shares powerful examples and stories that reflect Jesus' teaching.
Many of us have heard of Philadelphia, the "City of Brotherly Love." What if "Philadelphia" were a command given to all followers of Jesus? This week we a take a close look at how the Christian community is called to love like no other. Radical. Conspicuous. Open.
Going from being a simple follower to one "who is sent" is a BIG transition. On the very first Easter Sunday, Jesus tells his disciples that each of them will now become a person who has been sent by him to spread the gospel in the world. How does this happen? Where does the ability to do this come from? Jesus offers to his new "sent ones" more than they could every imagine!
Jesus' final words to his followers before his ascension are important to hear today. Jesus is seeking to enlarge their vision. Their perspective is to keep things conventional and simple. Jesus invites them to see that the mission they are called to be in is one that happens here, there, and everywhere.
God is always at work building bridges and helping reconciliation to happen. This work of God can be disturbing to us at times! It is through these new relationships that God helps everyone breakthrough to a new perspective. God's best work happens in the moments when we trust the outcome to Him.
If God is at the center of all things, how we find a way to live like that is true? Making space to respond to God is often driven by our deep needs which at times can be broken and in need of healing. God is at the center of all things. This week we explore how to set our lives in a manner that truly makes God the center and star.
Power and authority are sought after today as much as it has even been. Two thousand years ago, Roman Emperors demanded that they be address as, "the Lord God, the Almighty," John's vision of the heavenly world in Revelation 4 makes it clear that there is only one who has true power and authority. This truth is proclaimed again and again throughout Revelation. All other power is simply an imposter.
Worship is one of the most important acts any Christian can do. In worship, we offer thanks to God for everything in life. Worship is also a place where God speaks to us and gathers us in. The Apocalypse of John (Revelation) is filled with vivid pictures of worship and praise. This week's episode explores how that vision of worship begins; with the presence of Jesus in the church.
When we do what God asks of us, it can be filled with a sense of fear and doubt. When Abraham was asked to sacrifice his son, his response filled with faith. In one of the most shocking and brutal stories in the Bible we find a God who is tester and provider. The question remains...who is actually be tested?
Being a dynamic follower of Jesus is not about doing great things or being perceived as spiritual. God is the one who does all of the heavy lifting. What we must do is cooperate with what God's Spirit is doing in our lives. This week we explore how Moses and the people of Israel leaned this truth at Mount Sinai.
Religious people, Christians included, spend quite a bit of time and resources deciding who is "in" and who is "out." In these three stories from Matthew 9, we find a Jesus who welcomes and engages with some of the least likely people. it earns him scorn and ridicule. In the end, it is the power of God that triumphs over all.
The earliest days of the Christian movement were ones filled with awe and wonder. Churches have been trying to return to this "feel" for centuries. Sometimes we get it dialed in and other times we are just a little lost. Sometimes the difference comes down to allowing God to do the work of awe and wonder more than us.
The beginnings of the church are not something clouded in secrecy and closed doors. The movement of God is public and open. God is openly at work in the lives of human beings. As a mission movement, Christians would do well to heed the lessons from this pivotal moment in the church's story. Faith is not a private matter.
We all obey others for a variety of reasons. Seldom do those reasons have to do with love. We are too often governed by power, guilt, shame, and control. Jesus offers a new way of being faithful which is by love leading to obedience. To do this remarkable thing, we need the gift of the Spirit to guide the way.
For too many of us, our past trauma, pain, and shame keep us from the freedom God seeks for our lives. In this week's episode, Jesus meets seven of friends and provides for them in ways they could never expect. One of them even experiences the redemption of his deepest shame.
Hardship and suffering are to be avoided! The human survival instinct is a hard one to transform. Peter tells us how Jesus was able to face suffering in a transformational way. This way of suffering is a long game in which we realize that pointing our life toward God in the good AND the bad will make all the difference.
On the very first Easter Sunday Jesus made many appearances. Two followers of Jesus were returning home after the stunning events surrounding Jesus' death. As they make their way, Jesus appears and opens their hearts and minds to a new way of experiencing him. it is not just an experience of the head; it is one of the heart, too.
Is being called a "Doubting Thomas" really fair? When Jesus first appears to the disciples, Thomas is not there. All he asks is to be included the same way his friends had been included. Doubt is an important and healthy posture for us. Doubt gives faith a chance to do its best work!
Belief and faith are mysterious things. They grow and evolve in each of us as human beings. We can often mistake a "breakthrough" as a conclusion. The opposite is quite true. Breakthroughs of faith will lead us into new seasons of growth. Those who were witnesses to Jesus' resurrection clearly share this dynamic growth on that first Easter morning.
It is not always easy to be yourself when it seems that everyone is watching you! Jesus' entrance in Jerusalem is a powerful moment of authenticity. Everyone had great expectations of what he would do and be. He remains faithful to who he is and God's purpose for his life. This week's episode explores how he maintains a sense of authenticity when the stakes are high.
The notion of a final judgment often brings a sense of fear causing us to wonder what side of that judgement we may find ourselves. Jesus tells a story about judgement where all people are separated into two groups. Those that served him and those that did not. This week's episode explores a tough passage of scripture by looking at two different ways to interpret it.
We often wish for a big impact. The assumption often made is that a big impact comes from an equally big action. For the followers of Jesus, big impact usually begins with small actions done quietly. The true power of God is not revealed in grand movements alone but, in the small actions that we may think make no difference at all. This week's episode explores how those small actions have a huge impact.
Many in American culture are education to solve problems. Our impulse is to fix, repair, and create efficiency. It is hard to leave things alone. In this week's episode, we explore how evil works in the world and what we are to do about it. It is a story about judgement and how damaging it can be.
The parables of Jesus have ignited interest and debate for years. Jesus' teaching often require a sense of effort on our part to hear them and keep hearing them. The Parable of the Seeds is not different. In this week's episode, we explore how there is a great promise for us all even when we feel a bit lost.
So often our expectations about Jesus (and God for that matter) are born from our own broken lives. We certainly want the Jesus to come to us in the way we want. This story from Matthew's gospel opens us to the wonder of who Jesus is. This Jesus far exceeds our wants of him.
Some people just get under our skin. No matter how hard we try at times, being patient and loving just seem out of reach. God beckons us to feel something different about the people around us. There is a way to have compassion for others that drives us to merciful action. The story of the prophet Jonah opens up a pathway for this kind of compassion. Far from a children's story, the story of Jonah deals in some very adult topics like prejudice, anger, and even rage.
We all face moments in our lives where we feel a sense of self-doubt. The lack of confidence can keep us from becoming the very person God wants us to be in the fullness of his love. Moses carries with him this same lack of confidence. This week's episode focuses on how God's grace is especially at work when we have our doubts.
Waiting is no easy task. This is especially true when we are rushing and moving through life. Waiting is a hopeful response. Difficult times require us to focus clearly on God's hope for our life and the lives of those around us. Rather than lurching forward and taking matters into our own hands, we chose to hope...which often means waiting.
Learning mercy is a challenge for many people. Our age seems to be driven toward division, sides, and conflict. It becomes far too easy to make judgements about others. This week's episode explores a familiar text about justice but also about mercy and love. In this short passage we can find new hope for the work of mercy today.
Justice has become a very important word in the 21st century. We are confronting white supremacy and the legacy of European imperialism. The cries for justice reach out to every human being. How are we to envision justice? Can we fully implement, or even grasp, God's justice at all? This week's episode invites us to consider what justice is and how we are called to share it.
Life is a precious gift. That truth can change everything for us. When we see the world, creation, and the human beings around us as a precious gift, our regard for it all changes. We see life as sacred. Our harsh words and attitudes are blunted. This week's episode opens us up to the beautiful ways God opens us up to value all of life.
A popular idiom is, "God works in mysterious ways." While there may be a mystery to God's purposes and will, sometimes God works in overt and public ways. In the case of Joseph, the soon-to-be-husband of Mary, we find a man invited into a a very public way of believing and supporting Mary as the mother of Jesus. In this story we find courage and faith to believe what God is doing.
The meeting between Mary and Elizabeth is a beautiful and powerful moments. These two women will give birth to children that will topple empires and redeem the world from sin. Most parents know nothing of what their children will do in their lives. These two parents are keenly aware of what God is doing in themselves and in each other. We can find lessons of hope and blessing from their example of faithful courage!
Mary is the first Christian. before miracles, teachings, crucifixion, and resurrection she believes in the gospel of Jesus. How? When she first hears the message of Jesus, as incredible as it is, she simply states, "May it be with me according to your word." Her response is a great relief for those who feel that God needs them to do something. God is already doing. We simply need to cooperate.
We read stories in the Bible of those who prayed and fasted and then God appeared to them. We read other stories of lament and despair when hopes go unrealized and dreams are unfulfilled. The story of Zechariah is a refreshing moment of hope for a man in the closing season of his life. Every now and then, God appears in a sudden surprise.
The grizzly story of Jesus' death speaks volumes about the the mindset of those that were there as it happened. Jesus' final act of his life was giving life in "paradise" to a criminal next to him on a cross. There is no fairness in this story. There is great love, grace, and vision.
Gratitude and generosity work in a cycle. More gratitude brings more generosity. More generosity brings more gratitude. This life-giving cycle is at the very heart of God who offers Jesus as an act of generosity. God is the supreme giver. We are called to live in the same way. We are never more like God than when we give.
So often we think of prayer as fixing things or even fixing people. This episode helps us uncover the reality of prayer as a way of having union with God and others. This "union" of sorts is prompted in many ways by gratitude and generosity. Sometimes our acts of generosity create a sense of gratitude to God for those good gifts.
It seems that the divide between the rich and poor is ever-widening. While there are many public remedies to this problem, ultimately the problem is one of the heart. We prefer the addiction of acquisition. This week's episode outlines a different quest. This new quest is built on finding contentment in joy. Perhaps we have been seeking the wrong thing all along.
Much of the life in American culture is build around transactions. This for that. This way of thinking becomes a problem when we bring it our relationship with God. When talking about money the topic of "transaction" becomes even more difficult. This week's episode explores how transactional thinking can be transformed. There is grace for us all.
Sometimes God moves and work in the unexpected. We become so sued to common sense as our guide, we often forget that God's work is off the map. Is it any wonder that we find ourselves looking for God from time to time. This week's episode focuses us on God's capacity to make use of us...no matter who we are.
Social media lures us into thinking that posting a picture on Instagram or posting a statement to Twitter are DOING something. While social media has many benefits, this false notion of acting without actually acting is dangerous. The faith of Christians everywhere is one that must take shape in real actions and make a read difference in lives around us. This week's episode explores how faith and works go together in a beautiful harmony of love.
The work of discipleship is central to the work of the church and every person that is part of it. We often question how it gets done and where the authority to do discipleship comes from. God's promise is to be with us always in Jesus. That is the only thing that matters!
For the Christian, life is about healthy and powerful balance between loving God, self, and neighbor. It is hard to separate these three "loves" into separate things since they are all entwined. This week's episode explores how each part of this triad works together for good.
Love is often described only in terms of a feeling or a virtue. For the followers of Jesus, love is an essential truth of God's character and a mandatory call. Love is from God, embodied in Jesus, and expressed through us. That love requires more than just a "feeling." It invites action on our part. It is an action of sacrificial affection and joy for the sake of others, just as God's love was expressed to us.
Too many religious people have their eyes set on heaven. Doing so keeps us from the work of compassion and justice that is needed in the world. When Jesus ascended, he promised that he would come again. Between these comings, there is work to do. God has asked us to turn our gaze downward to the world in which we live. That world, lost and needy, is ready to hear the good news of the gospel.
There are moments in our lives when we are seeking direction. We pray and ask God to show the way. What we often mean is, "God, show me everything and the result, then I will decide." Being a follower of Jesus calls us to take one step at a time with him. Sometimes that one step of faith leads to another and then another. Where we find ourselves will surprise us!
The religious rules we create often appear helpful to us at a moment in time. Even scriptures in the Bible are helpful in a particular moment when they are written. Over time customs change and cultures shift. How do adapt to new seasons and new moments even when it seems the change the "rules?" This week's episode explore what it means to follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit even when it means reexamining the rules.
When we hear a story about someone other than Jesus, our jaw may drop. In the Bible there are a total of four stories that describe someone being raised from the dead (besides Jesus.) Each one is unique, but each one also bears similarities. This week we find a powerful story of a woman being raised from the dead by Peter. This woman had devoted herself to serving those living on the margins of the ancient world. Her healing is more than just a resurrection. it is a respiration of community and life.
As humans, we love to plot and plan. Very few of his live every day of our lives without some kind of intent, purpose, or agenda. How does God move and work in our midst when we are planned out? The story of the conversion of Saul is a story about how God moves and works when we going about our plans. God's interruption is graceful yet powerful. This week's episode explores how life can change in an instant.
The stories in the Book of Acts point us toward a deeper understanding of power and grace through the work of the Holy Spirit. In this week's episode we explore power through the appearance of Peter and John before the Jewish ruling council of the day. Peter embodies grace, reconciliation, and hope even before those who would accuse him. Perhaps here we learn that the work of Christians is not to seize power in any form but, instead, to point to the only true source of power...the Holy Spirit.
Most days we avoid asking questions that might lead us into confusion or wonder. We often stay in spaces that sure and certain. What we find in the resurrection story of Jesus is a God who is at work in confusion and wonder. here we find a God who beckons us to remember who Jesus is, who we are, and what all things must become. These are confusing questions for many of us but God invites us into that confusion to find hope.
The world of the 21st century is filled with empire, power, and politics. This world is not too unlike the world of Jesus so long ago. Jesus' entrance into the great city of Jerusalem is an entrance of a the gospel of peace and grace. Jesus openly and publicly contrasts his reign of peace with the Roman notion of power and empire. Perhaps here we can learn the important lessons of being Christ's people of peace in a world filled with empire and power.
Today's episode highlights the beautiful cycle of gratitude and generosity. In this short story from John's gospel we find Mary with a heart filled with gratitude for what Jesus has done and what he is yet to do. She offers a costly gift to Jesus. It is generosity born out of immense gratitude. Mary's example teaches us the centrality of our love relationship with Jesus and how that love can form a generosity beyond limits in us for others.
This week's episode explores a familiar story of Jesus about a generous father with two very different sons. The "Parable of the Prodigal Son" is one of three stories of Jesus that are grouped together for the sake of illustrating God's care for the margins and those who live there. Here we find a God who spares nothing to find everything that is lost.
We live in a 24/7 news cycle were people are reacting and engaging with the events of day like never before. Often, we try to find hidden meaning or motives in the news we watch. We do the same in our own lives. Was there meaning in finding a good parking spot? Was there meaning in being healed of cancer while the patient next to you died? Jesus challenges all of these primitive and childish assumptions in a new way. Perhaps we must pay more attention to the opportunity to change our ways and live a live filled with grace...and less time paying attention to luck.
We all respond to life's obstacles in different ways. Sometimes we press forward with stubbornness and other times we bend just a little to get along with everyone. Jesus offers us a different path. Here we find a Jesus intent on offering love to all. When that love and grace are spurned, we find a Jesus filled with lament. How the world would be different if we made space to lament!
Our lives are filled with temptations each day. Almost all of these temptations are ones that attempt to our ourselves at the center. How do we combat the messages of our culture that always seem to make us the most important person. Jesus offers a pathway of liberation and freedom as he faced his own temptations. That pathway is one born of love.
All of us have been trained from an early age to solve problems and create solutions. Often that leads us to bad outcomes born out of good intentions. In Luke's story of Jesus' transfiguration we see a wondrous image filled with meaning. We are invited to "listen" to Jesus' way of grace and love that will lead him to a cross. This is not a moment to rush a solution. It is a moment of wonder and reflection.
The Golden Rule of Jesus is, "treat people the same way you want people to treat you." Too may times we live our lives each day as if they are some kind of transaction with other people. We judge and size up others all the time. Jesus invites us into a deeper way of sharing our lives with others. This new way of living is born out mercy, grace, and love. It is a hard way, but it is the only life-giving way.
We each bring our longings and hopes in life. In Luke's version of the Sermon on The Mount (Plain), we Jesus bring new hope and life to all those that long for a new day.
Jesus' invitation to his first followers was one built on a transformative experience of Jesus. Jesus does not invite ideologues to be his disciples. Jesus seeks those who who devoutly follow him even when everything does not make sense the way we might like. This week's episode explores what it means to respond to Jesus' call with action.
Sometimes our own exceptions of what we want from others and even from God can keep us stuck. This is true for Jesus' visit to his hometown of Nazareth. When confronted with their privilege and expectations, the Nazarene's have tables turned on them by a truth-seeking Jesus. This week's episode explores the danger of letting our own expectations when they get in the way of God's perfect love.
We often use words to convey ideas, persuade others, or influence situations. Too may times our words focus on what we might wish or want to be true. Jesus offers something quite different as he begins his ministry. He makes proclamations about what he has already done. His words are descriptive. Words point to his actions. From that foundation Jesus can then make clear where his ministry will go. We may need to learn some of these lessons on integrity from Jesus. He points the way toward harmony between our words and deeds.
Relationships are at the very heart of our being with God and one another. This reality is on full display in the baptism of Jesus. What we so often seek from God is a "role"...healer, warrior, etc. But Jesus reveals to us the most valuable relationship we can have. it is a role of being a child of God. This week's episode explores Jesus' baptism from the perceptive of union and the power of "being with."
In the days of pandemic and polarity there seems to be so little wonder for us to hold. This story following Jesus' birth is filled with obedience, witness, and wonder. So often, we try and solve and resolve wonder. At the heart of Christian spirituality is to simply hold wonder like Mary did when she, "treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart." This week's episode explores how might learn to hold a wonder for God's grace and love.
The birth of Jesus is a collision between the powerful and powerless. Like so many other occasions, the grace of God is revealed at the margins or the edges. Jesus' with happens in a small town, in a single family home, with animals, and with shepherds attending. It is a humble scene for the cosmic event that will change everything. For us today, our work is about allowing this humble grace to enter our lives when we chose to allow it.
We all have a story. That story is part of God's story which intersects the stories of others. Mary, the mother of Jesus, comes to share her story with Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist. When their stories intersect we see the deep blessing of shared lives and mutual grace. When we follow the leadership of these two mighty women we find the courage face every obstacle in our path. This week's episode explores how Mary and Elizabeth point the way toward a rich experience of the Holy.
The age of social media often invites us to make statements about politics, injustice, etc. Often we feel that the opinion we have on something equates with fruitful action about it. John the Baptist makes it clear in his witness that we are all called to bear "fruit consistent with repentance." This week's episode explores how we are to embrace God's judgement as a way of bearing fruit while also rooting out our own hypocrisy and brokenness.
Religious people are often guilty of using religious jargon. Words that lack explanation or context. This week's episode explores four simply words that introduce the work of John the Baptist. Baptism. Repentance. Forgiveness. Sin. Each of these words are powerful markers for us today as we prepare for the mysterious and powerful coming of Christ.
Often the stories of Jesus' second coming frighten us. We read of signs in the stars and chaos on the earth. Jesus's explanation of the coming reign and rule of God are not intended to offer us more anxiety and fear. They are shared with us to better understand our focus and work in this challenging time. This week's episode explores how Jesus' explanation of his coming "again" is about summoning clarity, diligence, and grace for today.
During these days of pandemic and polarity, many people have taken "hope" into their own hands. This week's episode opens up the Book of Revelation and points to the true hope we can all have. God is moving and at work today and in the future to bring about a new creation. On All Saints Sunday we can hear again the message that God is redeeming all things.
Naming the most important truth of faith is hard to do. Jesus' words in Mark 12 make clear what that truth must be for Christians. Our most important truth is love. Beyond being in love, Jesus calls us to embody the very love we believe. When our heart and our actions find alignment through love, we have made the beginning of journey that will lead us toward God in every way. This week's episode explores how that love can be made real in our lives.
It is one thing to get answer you may not want. It is another to learn that you have been asking the wrong question. Our obsession with explaining why one person is "blessed" and another is not, reveals our own broken way of thinking about God's grace in our life. This final episode on the Book o Job uncovers the danger of our wrong questions and helps us explore something more valuable...how shall we then live?
Our longing for justice from God can be wrongly motivated. We want justice for others but sometimes. not ourselves. In this week's episode, we come face to face with the God of justice. Instead of wielding the gavel, this God invites us to ask if we really know what we are asking for in justice. God's power at work can make our requests for fairness seem petty. This all the more true when we discover that God's infinite power is offered completely in love.
We have a heightened sense of justice these days. Knowing what is fair and not fair are closely held virtues for every human being. Often our sense of justice is uninformed and lacks nuance. We are eager to see black and white with very little grey. In this week's episode we explore how the quest for justice with God and even with others can leave us empty. Perhaps asking "why" blinds us to other questions worth asking.
Learning to ask the right questions is one of the hardest skills we have to learn as people. There are times when our grief, pain, and suffering overtake us and we ask, "Why me?" The Book of Job may not do the best job answering that question but it may help us learn how to ask an even better question. That is, "How shall I live in the midst of suffering?" This week's episode introduces the ancient story of Job and some of hard truths about asking the right questions.
This episode explores the marks of a what it means for Christians to live in a faithful and mystical community of prayer. Prayer, at its core, is about being in communion with God and with one another. The closing verses of the Book of James explores how we are called to share in a community of grace and love as we pray for another regardless of circumstance or situation.
"What are the sources of the quarrels among you?" This is not only a question asked today. it was one asked by the writer of James at the opening of James chapter 4. The Christian community then, as it is now, was deeply divided. James points us to a wisdom that comes from God alone as our only hope. That hope can only be accessed through humility before God and others. Listen to this week's episode for ancient wisdom that may help us today.
Words have power. During these days of pandemic, political challenges, and social media words have power in new ways. The capacity to bring life and to deal death with what we say is unrivaled. This week's episode explores how God's wisdom can guide us to make life-giving moments with our words. The Letter of James brings a fresh wisdom for leaders, teachers, and everyone who uses words to communicate.
Have we made too much room in our world for judgement? This episode from James helps us understand the dangers of judgment in the form personal favoritism. Christian community has an antidote for this world of judgment. The antidote to judgement is mercy which is borne out of loving our neighbor as ourselves. Listen in to this week's episode to discover the power of equity and mercy!
The Book of James opens a new way of thinking for people in the midst of suffering, hardship, and even persecution. This week's episode explores some of these deep themes of listening and humility. For James, wisdom is the foundation of our response to difficult situations rather than anger and bitterness. Words matter and so does doing right by God and others. Here is space for a reconsideration of our hurtful and death-dealing words.
A house does not make a home. As King David settles into his own palace in Jerusalem, he begins to wonder about building a suitable house, a temple, for God's ark. God's response to David's generous gift is curiosity. "When did I ever ask for house?", responds God. In this week's episode, we discover what God may really want from David and from us today. We might be surprised to learn that God may not need a house as much as God desires to dwell in us and among us. We might be the house God has always wanted.
Most people know about the Ark of Covenant through popular movies like "Raiders of the Lost Ark." This text from 2 Samuel 6 contains a rich story about the ark and how King David moved the ark into Jerusalem for the first time. In this text we learn about worship, our posture in worship, and how we can be the best leaders. The key is being a leader that KNOWS who the real leader actually is. Are we imposters or imitators of God?
How does your story define your own life, values, or leadership? This episode takes a look at what Dr. Walter Fluker calls "Ethical Leadership." It is about how leadership is grounded in one's own story. In this week's reading, we find King David consolidating his leadership over all 12 tribes of Israel. How will he keep his own ethics as a leader? The person of David and the place of Jerusalem take center stage as the newly minted King begins his reign.
Our world affords us little time to lament and grieve our losses. This week's episode explores the lament of David over King Saul and David's beloved friend Jonathan. In this lovely long of lament, David explores love, anger, faith, and grief. There are lessons to be learned from David's deep sense of authenticity.
The story of David and Goliath is one of the most renowned children's stories in the Bible. When these rich stories are read only with a child's perspective some of the deeper meanings about power, faith, and stewardship are lost. This week's episode explores some of these rich themes in this classic passage of scripture. The God of David is living, mighty, and ready to use all that we have for great things...if we could only learn to leave something great for God to do!
This episode focuses on the pivotal moment when David was selected to be the new King of Israel following the reign of Saul. While David may appear to be the center of this story, it is actually God's vision, power, and even empathy that stand out. This lectionary text is a rich passage that uncovers the deep love and vision that God has for us all.
This week's episode kicks off a seven week series on the leadership of Samuel, Saul and David from the books of 1 and 2 Samuel. The elders of Israel come to Samuel, the last judge, imploring him to anoint a king over the nation rather than continues with God's leadership through a judge. Witness how this request, with due warning, leads to a season of politics and intrigue. Here we find a warning to every would-be leader: chose to either be an imitator of God or an imposter.
The news and social media are filled with opinions, ideologies, and entrenched views. It is hard to not see the Christian community with the same lens. This episode explores how the Apostle Paul helps a deeply divided community in Rome change the way they see one another. The choice we make is either to judge others according to the "flesh" or step into a new future that makes us one family together in Christ.
This episode focuses on proclamation of the gospel on the very first Pentecost. The Holy Spirit is always at work in the one who proclaims and in those hearing the proclamation. For this reason the work of the Christian community is fueled by the Holy one. Apart from this, the gospel is a hollow message. With it, the gospel message becomes powerful beyond our imaginations.
This episode explores the beginnings of the acts of the "Spirit." Jesus left his followers with work to do. This work will bridge what he started and what God will one day bring to fulfillment. By the power of the Holy Spirit we are made witnesses between beginnings and endings. This work is beyond politics and earthly powers. Ours is the work pointing the way toward God's new future.
This episode explores how God is enlarging the table for all to be present. A breakthrough happens when the visions and dreams of Peter and Cornelius give rise to the gospel being preached among the gentiles for the first time. Witness how barriers and exclusions come tumbling down as the universal gospel becomes universal in application.
This episode explores how "the universal gospel becomes universal in application." The rich story of Philip and the Ethiopian reveals how God is breaking open a new reality of grace and love. Can the love of God reach to the ends of the earth? Listen in to this week's episode to discover how it can!
This episode explores what it means to be a witness for Jesus Christ in the world. Both our words and our actions express an abiding faith in Jesus with a deep sense of integrity. If we are to represent Christ in the world, it must happen with real-life witnesses of God's goodness.
This episode explores the reading for Sunday, April 4 Easter Sunday. John 20:1-18 offers a glimpse into the transition we all have to make from death to life. Do we want to live in the Garden of Eden or the Garden of Resurrection?