The Road: Recent Episodes
All Saints Lutheran Church
A podcast of reflections on faith, life, and navigating the road ahead. Produced by All Saints Lutheran Church: allsaintsmtka.org
God's Spirit breaks through human divisions and patterns to share a message of truth and peace with all.
Christians can make an impact by developing clarity about our calling to share God's love and grace, and by being courageously present in our community and the world.
God's Spirit creates motion. As followers of Jesus, and in a time of many challenges, will we find resonance with the Spirit and be guided and blown in the direction we need to go?
Our life of faith is simple: love one another. How we act upon that can be challenging. But, together with God's help, we can see that love transform the world around us.
In the story of Tabitha, we see the power of community to support and seek help for someone in need. It's an encouragement for us to courageously seek assistance as we face our own personal challenges.
God calls us to live our faith boldly in our community and world, being a witness to the love and hope of Christ. As we do so, we trust that God is present with us, even if we should encounter adversity.
At the very heart of faith is a deep peace. We also call it grace. That peace is the basis for everything that follows. Have you experienced that peace?
Sometimes we see only the contour of hope and renewal at first. But, when we step out and step in to signs of new life and share in the generous and gracious good news of the gospel, hope and life arise.
Jesus shows us the value of service and a selfless form of love and care for one another that disrupts the usual arrangements of status.
Jesus entered Jerusalem as a different kind of king. Jesus was a servant. He showed us the path to a world shaped by compassion, and care for neighbors, foreigners and enemies. While vulnerable, it's a kingdom that is eternal.
Challenging times require resilience. If we rely on faith, build community and notice the gifts of abundance and beauty all around us, we can find a way in the wilderness.
Jesus told a story of two brothers who who cast themselves into their own forms of exile and isolation. Each has to follow their own path out of their wilderness to embrace life and discover the compassion of their father.
For those willing to listen and embrace the opportunity, God calls us to change our minds and put aside paths of judgement that would cause harm, turning instead to a life of grace and hope.
We all find ourselves in a wilderness at some point. In our time of distress and disorientation, Jesus offers a way of life defined by hope, peace and grace. It's a call to love every neighbor even in our uncertainty, in contrast to a life defined by fear and domination. We must choose the path we will follow, knowing that Jesus offers us his care and protection.
In the wilderness, Jesus is tempted to place his own needs and desires above his mission and the needs of the people he's called to serve. How we navigate our own wilderness experiences can impact whether we emerge from it strengthened in our identity and purpose, on the way to renewed life.
Ash Wednesday is about facing up to our restlessness with our limits and shortcomings. We discover that, while sobering, this gives us a more genuine grounding to experience new life.
For some, a celebrity, hero or powerful person can possess a mythic quality. Or they may look to false prophets or self-appointed spiritual figures who claim to speak spectacular visions from God. But instead, even in this amazing moment on the mountain, the voice from the cloud simply calls us to listen to Jesus.
The movement Jesus started is shaped by grace. It's the same grace that each of us has received and which we are called to share.
Jesus reverses age-old beliefs that those who live ideal lives must necessarily be blessed by God, and those who suffer must be cursed. Instead, Jesus speaks a word of both comfort and challenge that each of us must hear.
The word disciple in Greek means student. Learner. At its core, that's what it means to be a follower of Jesus: being a disciple leads us to learn and then serve and help others.
The movement Jesus started is shaped by grace, trust and generosity–of serving those beyond ourselves. It's the path of altruism. It's a path that some will scoff at. Each of us is prone to do the same. But, Jesus calls us to another way of being.
Jesus returns to his hometown to give his inaugural speech at the start of his ministry. In it he shares his mission focus of bringing good news for the poor and oppressed. How will the people of his time and our time receive it?
At the wedding in Cana, Jesus puts aside his divine ideals for using his miraculous powers to serve a couple in need. In doing so, he shows what being truly present and vulnerable as God incarnate looks like when seeking to truly love others.
In Jesus' baptism, we see something essential to his identity and character. He is a beloved Son of God. He doesn't claim that gift for himself alone, but shares it with us and calls us to share it with everyone. This love and grace is the origin of the Christian movement.
The visit of the magi honors the newborn king and invites us to see Jesus as a different model of a king, who uses his authority with humility, grace and love.
The story of Christmas is a transcendent moment of simple beauty and joy. In the birth of Jesus, the hopes and realities of the world are held together within the peace and redemptive love of God.
Mary's song sets the stage for Christmas and foreshadows the mission and heart of Jesus, extending hope to the lowly.
In the season of Advent, Jesus teaches us to hold reality and hope together, even when our present reality makes the future seem uncertain.
Jesus used his voice and position as Son of God and king to serve, especially those overlooked and excluded. We are called to be God's heart, hands and voice and to share the truth of his love and grace today with our neighbors.
In Christian community we have the gift of centering ourselves in the truth and love of Jesus. From God's timeless wisdom, we are called to extend our hands to neighbor and stranger to foster justice.
As people of faith, we are God's presence in our relationships and the world. We are invited to be God's heart, hands and voice.
At the heart of the Reformation was a delightful discovery—that while we are broken individuals, we are loved by God completely. That truth brought freedom—freedom not simply from responsibilities and obligations but freedom for serving the neighbor. Jesus still welcomes us into his love and freedom and invites us to share that with every neighbor.
The life of faith is about serving. And when we have the responsibility and position of authority, we use it to serve with humility rather than revel in greatness.
Following Jesus isn't just a nice, interesting idea. It's a call to life transformation. It's a call to participate in the redemption of the world–restoring the life of our real neighbors. Jesus invites you to follow.
Jesus ultimately cares for all those in a relationship, but especially those who are vulnerable and hurt. He seeks to lift up the importance and value of love and trust in a committed relationship like marriage.
Jesus challenges our complacency in the face of destructive powers and evils, and invites us to look inside ourselves and remain true to the peace given by Jesus.
Jesus set a different standard for what it would take to be a follower of his and to be great. And it's the same standard he applied to himself—to be a servant of all.
It's critical that people who claim Jesus understand the kind of messiah Jesus was and the kind of followers he calls for--centered not in a desire for power, but in love and service of neighbor.
As we embrace the real, complicated humanity of Jesus we find hope for ourselves and our world, discovering our purpose to bring healing and peace.
God's wisdom and grace enable us to examine ourselves honestly and find healing and hope with our hearts.
Faith offers a strategy for combatting adversaries that holds onto the peace, love and hope shared with us in Christ
As we remain in community we can find our voice, rediscover joy and peace, and identify a purpose that is worthy of our lives and true to God's hope for us.
When we live out our faith and our calling in a gracious Spirit, it becomes a purpose that is worthy of us and worthy of our life together.
The language of faith calls us to be rooted and grounded in love. God's love and compassion is offered for you, your neighbor, and even the stranger.
We have an opportunity to shape our communities and our church in a way that brings people together and allows the life that Jesus intended to flourish, not just for ourselves but for all of our neighbors.
As followers of Jesus, we must be part of reclaiming the hope and joy of faith which have the power to change our own world, and even the world around us.
By opening our hearts and minds to listen to the gospel and other voices we may be quick to dismiss, we can receive the wisdom and healing Jesus offers us.
Jesus cared about the physical wellbeing of those he met, and we are called to contribute to the healing of others and the world.
God's will is that we be reconciled into a loving relationship with our creator and all of our neighbors.
Jesus established a movement to reclaim the spirit of sacred teaching and wisdom. We are made for life, and the purpose of sabbath is to help us restore life.
To learn and grow in faith, we need to immerse ourselves in Christian community and be fully present in the Church and the world as people of faith.
Faith isn't about clinging to unchanging practices, but being moved and led by the Spirit to embrace a life-long mission and adventure.
Christians have a calling to share the sense of belonging and purpose found in the grace and love of God.
Jesus invites us into a relationship defined by friendship and to extend that same friendship and love to our neighbors. That love needs to be extended beyond the barriers we and the world so often construct to include all of our neighbors.
As Christ's followers we are witnesses to his teachings and the nature of his life, death and resurrection. We are called to reflect the spirit of who he was in our words and actions.
Early Christians centered themselves in the peace that Jesus shared with them in the days after Easter, living together with a spirit of generosity. These key elements remain important for our life together today.
On Easter, the resurrection of Jesus gave us a new story. What seemed to be the darkest of days became reason for hope, gratitude, and joy.
Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, a symbol of humility and peace. Christians are invited to follow in his path to share grace and love with all.
Jesus shares paradoxical wisdom that when we relinquish our hold on life for ourselves, but seek to serve, we keep it eternally.
God loves the whole world. But, more specifically, God loves you. Trusting in God's love leads us into God's light and peace.
Jesus opens space where each of us can encounter the living God who comes to us in grace and love and invites us into a life of meaning.
Jesus invites us to humbly serve others, at times denying our own interests. This is the way of the cross which can seem unwise and weak to some, but represents a new path forward that challenges the broken ways of the world.
The path Jesus invites us to take is not easy. But if we begin with the assurance that God accompanies us, following that path can be a defining moment that brings us closer to finding meaning and purpose in our own wilderness.
May the assurance of God's love give you the courage to be truthful with yourself, so that you may emerge more hopeful and convinced of God's calling for you.
When our hopes elude us, we may not see the path ahead, but we know who supports and guides us along the way.
The power of the gospel unleashes hope and makes all things new so that we can bring healing to a world in need.
Jesus used his authority to grant freedom to those suffering and, in the freedom he grants us, we have the power to serve our neighbors with a spirit of compassion and love.
Jesus invites us to follow and learn his ways, in order that we may creatively express his love to bring new life to us and others.
When we rethink approaches and patterns that don't benefit ourselves or others, we allow for new paths that renew hope for us and the world.
Christmas holds an experience and a message that we can carry with us throughout the year, filled with love, grace and peace. We can dwell in the joy of Christmas and share it every day.
Advent is a time of waiting and watching for the coming of God – for the light to come into the world. We are called to let our lights shine and to be ambassadors of the Prince of Peace in our world.
When we finally come into God's presence in heaven, it will become apparent that Jesus was all around us during our lives. How will this change the way that we live today?
When we realize how fortunate we are to be living in this moment, all we need to do is return for a moment to give God thanks.
When we come together, we help bring the shalom that Jeremiah talked about to our neighbors, our community and beyond.
The pronouncement of Jesus that each one of us is loved, and that he extends a special blessing to those who are poor in spirit and struggling in other ways, is the basis for our life together.
By acknowledging where our possession ultimately come from, we ground ourselves in a more fundamental and existential view of life. It's a spiritual view of life. Giving to God means supporting the gospel that ensures, and our neighbors in need.
We will always face difficulties in life, but God's loving presence has the power to transform us, our relationships, our community and the world.
We can embrace common cause by making the mindset shift that Jesus did throughout his ministry: from religious and ideological purity and judgement to grace and compassionate relationship.
It's in the spirit of selflessness that Jesus changed history and created a new community, rooted in love and grace for each one of us.
We are to bring about Jubilee in the world around us because together we are the body of Christ, the kingdom of heaven, the children of God, and we are enough.
If we first see one another as God sees us, with grace and goodwill, then we can seek the wellbeing of every neighbor, even those we do not yet understand.
Above all, we're called to shape community by loving one another, which is an expression of our passionate care and concern for everyone, even outside of our faith community. Everyone is a child of God, deserving of love and grace. And all of that begins and is made possible by one fundamental reality—that God loves you too.
Jesus was willing to be God's revolutionary messiah, knowing the violence that could be done to his body as a consequence of pursuing justice, love, and peace instead of the privileges of empire.
Answering the question about who Jesus is changes us and brings us to a place where we can receive the freedom and love that Jesus offers.
What is the one thing you're most committed to? How can you maintain a singular focus, while remaining open to other needs and perspectives?
God meets us in the peaceful mountaintop moments and calls us into the chaos of life's seas.
Are you facing an inflection point or period of change? Seek to be shaped by God's blessing and open up new creative opportunity.
Jesus teaches us to acknowledge wrongs and evils while using restraint, humility and trust.
Our lives can become overgrown, filled with activities and pursuits that don't ultimately contribute to our overall wellbeing or sense of purpose. What can we do in the coming week to prioritize a fuller spiritual life?
In a world where people feel isolated, divided and face adversity every day of their lives, hospitality is a way to extend connections and refuge to others. We can become a part of the solution of offering hospitality wherever we find ourselves.
Jesus lived and died courageously and was raised to new life so that we can live in God's grace and love, and be generous and gracious towards others.
Jesus brought healing to people and the community, making the kingdom of God real in the world.
Deacon Lydia talks about how we are the body of Christ in the world, standing united in our differences.
We are called to love others as we are loved, for that is how we know that we are not alone.
Where do you go to feel at peace? There is a place for us in Jesus' love, grace, and mercy.
We are released from our regrets, worries, or uncertainty about our future, because God's peace is with us.
God gives us the gift of renewal in faith so that as we go and see with the women to the tomb, new life meets us along the way.
Pastor Jon talks about how loving or simply engaging in a relationship with people without asking them to do anything for it has the potential to stir up a new Spirit in us and others. This was the final commandment of Jesus – to fully love one another.
Pastor Jon talks about how on Palm Sunday, we welcome the true king as messiah and savior – the one who comes in peace to usher in a new future that begins in our hearts, minds and souls.
Pastor Jon talks with Alison Young, an award-winning professional musician, host of a nationally syndicated radio program at American Public Media and long-distance backpacker and thru-hiker.
More information about Alison Young can be found on her website: www.blissfulhiker.com/
Gustav Mahler, Song of a Wayfarer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=73XO_s4g3NY
Symphony No. 1: www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkBYavTGMJU
The story of Lazarus being raised makes real Jesus' promise that he is the resurrection and the life.
What filters do we use that might impact how we see others? Jesus wants us to see and share the love and grace he offers to us.
Pastor Jon talks about how Jesus taught not stagnant rules and laws, but introduced us all to the living Spirit and an inspired truth.
It's in God's profound love and grace that we gather in inspired community and find the spiritual experience we seek.
We all face temptation, but we trust in God, for despite our failings, God's love and care is unconditional.
Are there fundamentals in life that we forget sometimes? Pastor Jon talks about how both love and instruction work as opposing forces that guide us on how to live.
Pastor Jon talks about allowing God's light to shine so that we may experience the same joy as the wise men.
We need to leave space for God to come in to our midst, which might be in ways that surprise us.
Jesus lived with generosity and humility, and now we are called to carry that mission forward in our own lives.
We receive and share God's abundance so that all may live well and have wholeness and peace.
In all of our lives, whether in joy or hardship, God has blessed us. Now we are invited to share that blessing.
Pastor Jon talks about God loves you, really. We can be free and live with a new heart.
All Saints Lutheran Church, Minnetonka, MN. https://AllSaintsMtka.org
Pastor Jon talks about being humble and vulnerable in your relationship with God, for God is not seeking perfection.
Pastor Jon talks about being persistent in prayer and approaching relationships with heart.
Brenda Blackhawk joins Pastor Jon for a dialogue sermon, interview-style, on the occasion of Indigenous People's Day.
God has given us the faith we need to bring hope, to love others, and to face whatever challenges are before us with grace. Listen to Pastor Jon's podcast, "Possibility."
God delights in clever wisdom, for when grace allows harmony amongst those who have previously opposed each other, life can take root again.
In our new series, Picture Grace, we're looking the picture of grace God has for us. To begin, Pastor Jon talks about how our wellbeing and the wellbeing of our community begins with valuing the one.
Pastor Jon talks about how the way of the cross is to embrace Jesus and love our neighbors.
Who are the guests you invite into your life? How do you act when you are the guest? Pastor Jon talks about how to find true honor in our lives, whether we are currently host or guest.
Pastor Jon talks about how Jesus brings a graceful interpretation of the law that frees us to live as God intends.
Pastor Jon talks about how even the faithful face hardships, but God goes with us through it all.
Pastor Jon talks about how in faith we can find a home anywhere, but most importantly in relationship with God.
Maintain your awareness of the world around you by investing time for reflection and intentionality. Listen to Pastor Jon’s podcast from this week to hear about making your “Investment.”
All of us can find ourselves driving on autopilot through stretches that require more awareness. At times we find we have to slow down, turn around, or simply recommit to where we're going. Find a way forward as you listen to Pastor Jon's podcast, "Hope."
What are your priorities? Recommit to what you're doing in life as you listen to Pastor Jon's podcast, "Priorities," and explore how to proceed with care and intentionality.
Pastor Jon's podcast, "Neighbors," helps us think through maintaining a sense of care for the world and one another by being intentional and reflective.
Know that your belonging is through your identity in Christ. Hear how your new creation in Christ is everything by listening to Pastor Jon's podcast "Our Foundation."
Listen to Pastor Jon’s podcast to find how your freedom and identity in Christ can be found.
In Pastor Jon’s podcast this week, he speaks about how we all belong in God’s family with “No Distinctions.”
Pastor Jon talks about how to look Above and Beyond to find inspiration and purpose for our daily lives.
True faith helps us move in new, positive directions. Listen to Pastor Jon's podcast to gain an understanding of how to go Beyond Divisions in your life.
Shift your current mindset and go “Beyond Imagination” as you listen to Pastor Jon’s podcast this week.
Walk boldly in this world and go beyond your limitations to make a difference. Listen to Pastor Jon’s podcast for inspiration this week.
Step out beyond what has been, in order to receive the peace God offers, and become part of what God is still creating. Learn more as you listen to Pastor Jon’s podcast, “Beyond the Past.”
Are there aspects of your life, or the world today, that seem unsettling or incomplete? Go “Beyond Fear” as you listen to Pastor Jon’s podcast for this week.
This Easter, listen to Pastor Jon's podcast, "Signs of Life," and find the life that God promises for you.
Listen to Pastor Jon's Podcast, "True Devotion," where he talks about how the gifts of God manifest in fragrances that, in turn, inspire us to true devotion.
Continue your Lenten reflections this week by listening to Pastor Jon’s podcast. As the Prodigal Son was welcomed, so God welcomes each of us and bids us to embrace a new life of forgiveness and love.
As we journey through Lent, now is the time to decide how we are going to extend our grace to others in our lives and our world.
Listen to Pastor Jon's podcast as we start the season of Lent and take time to reflect on our lives alongside words of faith, recalling God’s love and faithfulness toward us when we are tempted.
At the culmination of a journey, we often reach a transformative mountaintop experience. In this week's podcast, "The Mountaintop Experience," Pastor Jon talks about how not to dwell on the experience ending, but instead take what we've learned back into our everyday life.
Loving your enemies takes patience, heart and love. Hear about how Jesus supports us in this endeavor as you listen to Pastor Jon's podcast, "The Life Lesson."
Jesus spoke to his followers about social justice issues, practicing compassion and supporting others. Learn more about Jesus' words as you listen to Pastor Jon's podcast, "The Talk."
On your journey throughout life, it's important to retain your integrity. Jesus faced opposition when he spoke to the crowds but remained true to his mission. Hear more in Pastor Jon's podcast, "The Big Snag."
How will you find your purpose on the journey with God? Listen to Pastor Jon's podcast, "The Purpose."
Hear about how together we can inspire hope as you listen to Pastor Jon's podcast, "Voice of Hope."
Find hope that acknowledges the realities around you. Reflect on this comfort as you listen to Pastor Jon's podcast, "Grounded Hope."
Make a commitment to engage in thankfulness. Learn more as you listen to Pastor Jon's podcast, "Joyful Gratitude."
By sharing, we participate in the joy of building something together. Listen to Pastor Jon's podcast to hear about "Generous Sharing.”
Bold faith guides our generosity. Discover how your beliefs can help you build a fuller life by sharing your gifts.
Serving others helps us elevate our own potential and status in life. Find out more by listening to Pastor Jon’s podcast this week: “The Road: Status.”
Your life’s meaningful investments are guided by your heart and your values. Find out more by listening to Pastor Jon’s podcast this week: “The Road: Resources.”
In the first week of our series "Together," Pastor Jon talks about finding God in our unique family experiences.
We create a Christian community when we encourage, pray for and support one another. Find out more by listening to Pastor Jon’s podcast this week.
Get beyond stereotypes and assumptions and embrace the real Jesus. Listen to Pastor Jon’s podcast, “Jesus,” and contemplate the real meaning of Jesus in your life.
Understanding God’s wisdom guides us along our journey. Listen to Pastor Jon’s podcast, “Counsel,” to hear how God speaks to us.
Find the strength and care you need with God’s loving guidance. Hear more in Pastor Jon’s podcast “Support.”
We all have times when we need even greater support from God's guidance in our lives. Hear how God is there with us in Pastor Jon's podcast, "Encouragement."
Understand your destination and the point of your busyness and activity. Listen to Pastor Jon's podcast "Know Where You're Going."
Pastor Jon's podcast, "Look for Opportunities," tells us how life presents us with gifts and blessings if our eyes are open. Take a few moments for yourself to listen today.
We are stepping into a new phase of life together. Listen to Pastor Jon's podcast, "Pace Yourself," and take time to care for yourself while anticipating all of the needs and excitement ahead.
Pastor Jon tells us how simplicity can spark creativity and the renewal of our purpose.
Share God's bounty and blessings with your community. Listen to Pastor Jon's message, "A Vision for Generosity and Equality" to find ways to practice giving.
You don't have to navigate the road ahead alone. Embrace "The Resilience of Life." Listen to Pastor Jon's podcast for encouragement and support of your journey.
All Saints member Marge Schaffer recently published Journey Through the Mental Illness Maze: How Families Find Hope and Acceptance, now available on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578866668/).
Listen to Pastor Jon's podcast, "The Abundance of Life," and hear how the Parable of the Mustard Seed teaches us to sow and grow.
Urban Ventures serves children, youth and families in South Minneapolis and is active in supporting area residents with food, household supplies and educational resources. They have been a vital support system for the neighborhood during the pandemic and the turmoil after the death of George Floyd.