Concordia Church Podcast: Recent Episodes
Melissa Salomon
My apologies for the audio quality. We are working to make sure that next week's doesn't have the same audio issues.
Pastor Richard dives into what Jesus means when he says I AM the vine, you are the branches.
Pastor dives in to Jesus' statement: I AM The Way, Truth, and Life. How Jesus gives us an anchor, a place in his father's house, and how the path to God is a person!
What does Jesus mean when he says that he is the GOOD Shepherd? Pastor Richard talks about the many meanings of Good, and why this statement is so important for us today.
When you see something that needs to be done, work together, and trust God to help you do what needs to be done.
When you see what needs to be done, don't wait for someone to do it, but don't go it alone. Talk to God in prayer.
Some people think that this life is all there is, so the end is the end. The Bible has a different perspective. The Bible's viewpoint is that heaven is real, and so, for those who believe in Jesus, the end is just the beginning.
Are there many paths to find God, or is there, as Jesus claims, just one way? And, if so, could it be that this seemingly exclusive belief system is actually more inclusive and freeing than any other?
Does tolerance mean accepting everything, no matter what? Or is there a better way? Is there a way to be both loving and challenging at the same time? Today we explore how Jesus dealt with that issue.
Why is God's grace a better way than "being good"? Listen to this week's podcast and find the secret to dealing with guilt, finding peace and discovering JOY!
If we are all good at heart, why is it taking so long for the world to evolve to a better place? The truth is the human heart is selfish, self-centered, and self-seeking. This was not God's original plan for us, but a result of Adam and Eve's trust in themselves rather than God and their temptation by Satan. If our hearts are truly focused only on ourselves, what hope do we have? Fortunately God had another plan. Through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit we are given a new heart. One which seeks to overcome the three "selfs" we are born with.
God's creation is awesome! Complex and simple. Powerful and gentile. Beautiful and fearful. Science has given us a peek into the workings of creation but only scratches the surface. Today's culture however would have us feel that believing beyond what we know from science, believing that God is author and creator of it all, is an irrational point of view. Science has indeed answered many questions, but the most important questions - why do we matter, why do we love, why would a Saviour die on a cross for us can only be answered from a Biblical perspective.
The way to learn how to lead responsibly is to follow. Elisha demonstrated this by faithfully following Elijah, eventually becoming Elijah's successor when Elijah was taken up to Heaven. We are to show that same faithfulness in following God, learning what He has to teach us and searching out His will. It is only from this foundation that we can become an effective leader for Him.
The Book of Genesis shows us that God made the world and everything in it, and He entrusted Adam, Eve, and their descendants to take care of it. He doesn't want it to take the place of Him, but that should never be our excuse in neglecting those things God made and called "good". Knowing this, we should respond with our ability to be the caretakers of His creation that He has called us to be.
If kind words are becoming a rarity in today's culture of individuality, and knowing our own sinfulness, how can we honor God by showing respect in our words? Like many Christian actions it requires a heart centered on God and practice. Practice in taming our mind, taming our tone, and training our tongue.
As Christians we are called to respect the governmental authorities established by God to keep order and carry out His will on earth. This can be especially challenging when we disagree with policies or when the authorities are self-serving, but we are still called to show respect. Turning our hearts to God through prayer can help us with this command. By praying for our officials, God's guidance in national affairs, and unity we not only prepare ourselves for that outward showing of respect, but honor God, the ultimate authority in all things, who has given us the command in the first place.
God's role as creator gives him authority over all creation and therefore He is due our respect. Rather than holding it over us and forcing the bending of our will to His however, God comes to us in love and forgiveness, wanting us to have a relationship with Him. How much greater then our desire to show Him respect in our actions, worship, and prayer!
As a reflection of God's great generosity towards us, we should be an outpouring of generosity towards those around us.
While it is God's mission to have each and every person take hold of the free gift of eternal life through the work done by Jesus on the cross, it is our mission as Christians to support His cause by spreading the good news that is Jesus. This can seem like a difficult task at times, but by first seeking our own relationship with Jesus and then simply describing that relationship to others, we begin to see why God gave us the honor of being a part of His saving work.
Jesus taught us the Lord's prayer, giving us a template we can use to honor God and ask for care, forgiveness and guidance in our own prayers. While we should certainly do this, it is also important to remember that prayer is a two-way conversation and we should leave some space in that conversation to listen for God and look for His response in our lives.
The Bible is God's Word to us and vital for our faith. Without it we become easy prey for Satan and the world. So it is important that we go to God's Word regularly.
Without the Holy Spirit our attempts at reflecting God's love is poor at best. The Spirit breaths life and the power of God into us, strengthening us, opening our minds to His word and our hearts to His will.
Christ's power helps us to let go of not only our sins but the sins done to us, helping us to heal and move on. During these times we need to pull close to God since we are not at all wired to follow the example of Christ's great example of forgiveness on the cross.
Our love always has a hint of being self-centered no matter how much we try. Jesus is the only example of true selfless love as He made is way to the cross to give us the gift of salvation. It is through His power that we are able to truly walk with outward love.
It is difficult to change on our own. It is in these times that we should look to Jesus who wants to renew us through His Spirit with a power so awesome that even someone as unchangeable as Saul could be transformed to become Paul.
The power to set our sins aside and get back on track is not our own. Christ comes to us in our toughest times, offering forgiveness and strength to heal and recover from the guilt we hold.
The power of Jesus, made known to us in his resurrection, is a gift that leads us to belief in Him.
Jesus not only can heal our bodies, but gives us what we need most, healing us internally through the forgiveness of sins.
Jesus not only exercises His authority over those who believe in Him, but is Lord and King over all - Christians, non-believers, angels, demons, and all creation.
Being intentional about our generosity to others by using God's generosity to us as an example.
One of the great truths of the church is that Christmas does not end on December 25. Pastor takes one more look at the Christmas story and what it means in the lives of Christians.
A brief reminder of why Jesus is not only "the reason for the season," but also the reason for our salvation.