the cumberland podcast: Recent Episodes
Christopher FLeming
Becky hosts, Chris writes, Logan joins the discussion as we near the end of the Spring Quarter.
Becky Hosts, Logan, and Chris join the discussion.
We are on lesson 9 ACTS 15: DEALING WITH DIFFERENCES
- How does your church assimilate new people in the church?
- Church membership in the 21st century is different than years ago.
- The culture of the CP Church and sectarianism.
- Circumcision and Jewish Law in the new Church
- Inward focus of the Church
- Church governments--Presbyterian
- Accountability to one another--member to member, member to the church, church to the presbytery, presbytery to General Assembly.
- Jerusalem Council--people were committed to the authority of the Apostles.
- In "decent and in good order." A deliberative body discerning God's will.
- Change is hard. Differences are hard.
- The Church is supposed to be a joyful, beloved community.
Becky host, Chris writes, Logan Joins the discussion on Acts 8 and Phillips call to go see an Ethiopian Eunuch.
- Success in evangelism is up to God, the question is "are we practicing evangelism?"
- Difference between evangelism and witnessing. Think of the difference between Paul and the woman at the well.
- Luke's concern for the Gentile and those outside of the Jewish faith and ethnicity.
- Acts 1:8 serves as a thesis statement for the book of Acts
- The Eunuch serves as an illustration of the ultimate breaking down of barriers to fellowship between humans and a relationship to God.
- Persecution often leads to the spreading of God's message. It is the responsibility of Christians to uplift the places they find themselves.
- God orchestrates moments of opportunities of evangelism.
- God brings in those we think are beyond the reach of the gospel.
- Ministry success is not based on numbers, but on faithfulness.
- We (the Church) exist to create little Christ.
- The Gospel is a source of mercy to those who are suffering.
- God hidden in suffering is a motivation for evangelism.
Chris writes, Becky host, Logan joins the discussion over Luke 24. Jesus Reveals himself to two disciples on the walk to Emmaus.
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Luke presents Jesus as human and divine, the complete Messiah
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Jesus is Christ is more than a human moral teacher.
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Bad theology from the first century that continues today--Gnosticism and denying the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ
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Jesus is lifted up by the expositing of the scripture and the administration of the sacraments
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Apologetics
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Our teachings/evangelism/witnessing must be tied to the scriptures.
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Post resurrection stories are meant to prove the human/divine nature of Jesus Christ.
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Christ was a whole person, body and soul, in order to save body and soul and redeem the world. (material portions as well)
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The Messiah had to suffer and be lifted up. Jesus wasn't simply a person who tried to be nice to people and ended up getting killed. He was God's Messiah.
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Jesus redeems culture. Culture does not redeem Jesus
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Atonement theories
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What God intended, Christ accomplished.
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Because Christ accomplished God's purpose, we can preach the Gospel because it gives hope of transformation.
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Go and tell...witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ
Becky's last time writing for a little while and she ends with a bang! Chris and Logan join in discussing the Triumphal Entry.
- The Celebration of the Coming of the Son of David, The King, The Messiah. The world was "in turmoil"
- Palm Sunday is supposed to be a moment of great joy.
- Impressment. "The Lord has need of it. Jesus is the King.
- The swelling of the population, everything is crazy
5. Festivals and Ritual Gatherings have meaning. They are important to the community. - Passover Lamb is purposefully connected to Jesus and the Passover Feast--John the Baptist "Behold the Lamb of God."
- The King riding on a donkey, the cloaks and palm branches connect Christ to the Messiah.
- King with the Power of God does not need to ride in with an earthly Army
- Worshipping for an audience of one.
- Welcome Christ at every moment, in church, in your heart.
- Christ is both savior and Lord. Can not be seperated
- Uncomfortably of compassion
- Giving and service minister to both the giver and the receiver
- Ministry of presence
- Compassion in the name of Jesus
- The poor you will always have among you
- Do not send your charity--"the poor" become people with faces and names
- Creativity of ministry
- Open your heart toward others
- A picture of heaven and hell
- You must be born again
- The upside-down ethics of the Kingdom
- How's your heart?
- Seek first the Kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you.
- Hell is when you have become a person that doesn't see needs.
- We all can relate to losing something important. Is it a rite of passage for parents to lose a child for a brief moment?
- Historical context of the lost and found parables.
- Jesus and hanging out with the "sinners." Jesus loved people because they were people, not because people achieved things, but because they were people.
- Jesus came to save, not simply to encourage.
- Part of holiness and perfection is to be forgiving and loving.
- The beautiful, amazing, wasteful grace. God is amazing
- People are more important than material
- Practicing scripts--Love interrupts
- Being a Christian is difficult, not being one is much worse.
- The service to God is the reward in itself. "You have always had me."
- Hard heartedness in churches--Being the older brother
- Perceptions of Jesus
- Our faith is a faith in the context of the believing community.
- Definite preconceptions do not work well when it comes to our relationship with Jesus
- Like Jesus, people are multifaceted.
- There are many distractions to repentance; politics, theology, religion, other people...
- Bad things happen to "good" and "bad" people, but whatever happens to others--We must repent of ourselves.
- Tall Poppy Syndrome
- We like for people to "get what they deserve."
- like the fig tree, you must bear fruit.
- We do not know how long we have on this earth. Bear fruit.
- No one beyond the grace of God.
- What does it matter to us if someone "unworthy" is saved by Jesus Christ? Does it devalue your salvation?
- Lent reminds us that we came from dust and to dust we will return...repent
- Human nature loves to see judgment...for others
- Sanctification: Our work? God's work? Both of us working?
Chris hosts, Becky writes, and Logan joins us in discussion over Luke 10 when someone ask Jesus, "Who is my neighbor?" This is what Chris was trying to say at the end: Do you know GOD or Just know ABOUT GOD? 1. Yappapp--CPCLENT 2. Hospitality to our neighbors 3. Fear of strangers and fear of unfamiliar places and situations 4. Samaritans and Jews, stereotypes and prejudices 5. Condition of the heart in giving and serving 6. Struggle to stay comfortable while serving our neighbor 7. Our culture creates and honors a Martha mentality (Protestant work ethic) 8. Inherent and unconscious prejudices 9. Following the Christian Faith is a radical act 10. Valuing Martha or Mary 11. Martha Mentality keeps us from introspection
Chris hosts today, Becky writes, and Logan joins in on the discussion for this lesson of the Encounter. Luke 9: The Transfiguration.
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Denominational Day of Prayer, Ash Wednesday, February 17th, and the YappApp. eVotions
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The unusual and miraculous in Scripture. Does it still happen?
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Science can give us a "how" things happen, but not a "why."
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The Mountains of Scripture. Nature as God's revelation.
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Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets
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Divine providence in natural occurrences
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God still speaks, and God still heals
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The most audacious miracle is that God can transform our hearts
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Go and work in the power of the Holy Spirit! God will do the miraculous when we serve God in obedience.
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Wesley's 22 Questions and the Prayer of Examine
- Experience compassion through God's people.
- The righteous gentiles (God-Fearers) were compassionate to the Jewish people. Compassion creates community.
- Compassion overcomes personal caution.
- God uses healings to show compassion, Scripture often highlights miraculous acts of compassion toward gentiles to show that God cares for the gentiles.
- Jesus as the Prophet, Priest, and King--He is the Messiah
- Types and Foreshadowing of Jesus in the Old Testament
- Coming to Christ can be instant, others take time. Allow people a journey
- Imagining the in-between moments that aren't recorded in the Scripture. This is where discipleship happens
- Great faith of the Gentiles is that they know they don't deserve the blessings of God, but seek mercy from God anyway.
- Our job is to show the compassion of Christ. When we show the compassion of Christ we are changed, and others are changed as well.
Logan hosts today's discussion from Luke 6 and we are talking about the Sabbath. Chris is the writer and Becky helps us to get things right.
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The Sabbath (even all the Law) was meant for healing and restoration. The Law was twisted and became a burden.
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Regulative vs Normative principle of worship.
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Distinctiveness of Judaism and the revolutionary idea of time.
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Sabbath as rest now and promise of rest in the future.
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An intentional rest for the whole of creation. Fellowship with God and one another.
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Jesus Christ and grace are Christian distinctives.
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The institution of the Sabbath is blessed. By participating in Sabbath the practitioner is blessed. It is a universal institution.
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Changing times and changing ways of observing the Sabbath.
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Sabbath is the ultimate symbol of the rest we have in Christ.
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Be nice at lunch after church
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PRACTICE SABBATH
Logan host the podcast today as we talk about the need for discipleship in the church. We focus heavily on the discussion questions and think about the role of discipleship in our lives.
Rev Becky hosts today as we discuss Jesus' first sermon in the Book of Luke.
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Rule of Life/Mission Statement/The Ministry of Jesus
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Jesus has come to transform our hearts for the transformation of the world. (All people, All groups, All nations)
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The Truth sometimes hurts, both receiving and proclaiming it.
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The fool despises correction, The wise person receives discipline
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Jesus challenges our narratives and assumptions about God.
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The Church continues the teachings and work of Christ in the world.
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The work we do must be centered in Christ, about Christ, and to Christ. We can not allow for distractions.
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Keeping yourself spiritually on track through a personal spiritual mission statement or rule of life
Logan does the hosting duties this morning as we discuss the January 10, 2021, Encounter Lesson over Luke 3:1-18. Repentance.
- Alfred Nobel--Examine your life in light of your obituary
- John the Baptist--prepares the way for the real Messiah
- Promise through Judaism--promise is to "All" people, all nations
- Brood of Vipers--all have fallen short of the Glory of God
- Jesus is King. Full Stop
- Repentance means to turn away from evil and turning to righteousness
7. John the Baptist as a model for individuals and churches for witnessing to the world. - Witness to the truth, and bear fruit!
You can find more resources at encounterhelps – Ministry Council of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church (cpcmc.org)
Rev. Becky host today
- Wisdom from above different from "worldly wisdom."
- Wisdom and the Law. Submitting to God.
- Jesus is the Divine Son of God. God is Jesus's father.
- Three fold use of the Law (Third use)
- Wisdom=application of knowledge
- Family Unit as the transmission of wisdom
- The Congregation helps with the transmission of wisdom
- The Family is the unit whereby we are trained in grace, love, and wisdom.
The December 27 lesson of the Encounter is Luke 2:21-38. This is Jesus being circumcised and being presented at the Temple.
- Wrestling with God--Trusting God
- Rituals form and shape us.
- Obedience to God
- Simeon's Song
5. Baptism and Circumcision - Application--Wrestling, waiting, worshipping
Pastor Logan Dixon and Rev. Becky Zahrte join today for the December 20, 2021, Encounter Lesson.
- Trusting God
- Pondering/Treasuring
- The "400 Years of Silence"
- Barrenness
- What About Mary?
Key points of the Show
- Restoration of Israel--shame is turned to glory.
- This newfound glory is for all people, not only for ourselves
- The model for Christian fellowship and life is the Jubillee Year
- We invite, or rather, our lives invite all people to join in fellowship with God and the Church
Be sure to sign up for our weekly email filled with resources for teachers and students of The Encounter. You can sign up and purchase your digital copy of The Encounter at www.cpcmc.org/encounter
March 8, 2020 2nd Sunday of Lent A Genesis 12:1-4a Romans 4:1-5, 13-17 John 3:1-17 Psalm 121
Lectionary starter for February 2, 2020 4th Sunday after Epiphany Year A
Micah 6:1-8 Psalm 15 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 Matthew 5:1-15
Humility and wisdom