CTR Podcast: Recent Episodes
Christ the Redeemer
From sermons to lessons, listen as Father Chris Culpepper, Rector of Christ the Redeemer in Fort Worth, TX, Father Charles Humphery, and guests, teaches us the ways of the Lord.
Isn’t Christianity just a bunch of rules? Aren’t Christians just a bunch of hypocrites? Listen in as Fr. Chris dispels some of the common misperceptions about God and Christianity and opens us up to the truth and depth of his love.
In John chapter 13, Jesus issued a new commandment to his disciples; to love one another just as he has loved them. But how could these flawed disciples, love the same way God does? The answer is simple; God would place His love in the hearts of the disciples and in doing so, make them capable of loving others, just as God does.
Fr. Chris' sermon is based on our Gospel reading, John 10:22-30. In this passage, Jesus is walking in the temple and is stopped by the Jews and asked, "If you are the Christ, tell us plainly?" Listen to Fr. Chris as he delves deeper into the meaning of this question and a second question arises from verse 27, How can I know God and be known by Him.? After all, we all want His assurance.
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The traumas of our past can be painful. So painful in fact that we may find ourselves crying out to God for relief. But the relief God wants to give us comes in the form of treating our problems, not just numbing the pain they cause.
The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most important day in human history. It changes minds, changes hearts, and changes the world. Even so, the question is this: Has the Resurrection of Jesus Christ changed your world? Listen in as Fr. Chris talks about how the Resurrection of Jesus can change your world.
On Palm Sunday, we hail Christ as King, then see him killed on a cross, just one week later. How did this happen? How did the same people who acclaimed him as king then call for his crucifixion? And, what is the message to us today? Listen in as Fr. Chris explores both the gruesomeness and glory of the Cross.
In Luke 20, Jesus knows that his crucifixion is merely days away and that there is an active plot against him. He knows the Pharisees seek to kill him in an attempt to secure their positions of power. But Jesus warns them in the "parable of the evil tenants" killing him will do nothing to secure their power. Rather, killing him will be the final indictment on their guilt. So, what are we to do? Listen to Fr. Charles, as he explains Jesus’ warning to us all and the steps we can take to heed his warning.
In the parable of the Prodigal Son the younger brother is sensual and worldly and the older is self-centered and calloused. The sins they manifest are different but neither has the heart of their Father.
Based on our Gospel reading from Luke 13: 1-17, Fr. Charles puts the Parable of the Fig Tree in historical and applicable context. How is an unfruitful fig tree relevant to Israel and to us? Listen to Fr. Charles as explains.
A man approaches Jesus and says, "Lord, will the saved be few?" In light of this, Fr. Chris takes up three issues: what salvation is not; what salvation is, and how we can know if we are among the saved.
Dead people are talking to Jesus? Jesus’ own face is transfigured - what does that even mean? And, on this particular Sunday at CTR, some children got baptized. What do we make of all this? How to we put it together? Listen in as Fr. Chris talks about how we go from death to life.
Forgiveness and freedom are at the very heart of the Gospel. How can we experience this in our lives? Listen in as Fr. Chris talks about what it means to experience the forgiveness of God in Christ Jesus and live that out in our lives.
“There is lots of good news! God’s Kingdom is on the move.” Fr. Kramer, from Love for the Least, is one of our mission partners. He joined us this Sunday to celebrate the Eucharist with us and preach the Gospel. His message is based on our Sunday readings and his mission work. Listen to Fr. Kramer’s powerful message, as he tells us what impact His Kingdom has upon us.
In this week’s sermon, Fr. Gresser begins with a story from February 3, 1943. How does this story almost 80 years ago and the story from our Old Testament reading, Jeremiah 1:4-10, have to do with us today? Listen to Fr. Gresser as he uses these stories to illustrate that we all have been given a mission. What do you think God is calling you to do?
What is 'freedom' exactly? We know that it is something people have desperately wanted from the very beginning. Listen to Fr. Chris as he explains what freedom is, and that there is only one path to find it.
What are those moments in your life that cause you leap for joy, to shout, and to break out in song? Could one of those moments be celebrating that Jesus Christ has once come into the world and will come again? Listen in as Fr. Chris explores the source of our joy and the mission of the Church.
Just as John called Israel to repentance, Christ still calls His church to do the same. Christians should be the first people willing to repent from their own sins.
The message of John the Baptist is prepare yourselves for the coming of the Lord. Repent and be baptized. As we wait on the same Lord's second coming, The message of the church today is no different. Repent and be baptized.
Fr. Chris’ sermon is based on our Gospel reading, Luke 21:25-33. As Fr. Chris points out, Jesus’ words can be difficult to hear for those who don’t believe but can be of great encouragement to those who do. Advent is about preparing for His Coming, and as Fr. Chris explains, using his own experience in planting Christ the Redeemer, sometimes life can be difficult but with faith, we can have courage. Will you be ready to meet him when He Comes?
It is always a pleasure to welcome Bishop Reed to Christ the Redeemer. Listen as he gives a powerful message on the importance of Christ the King Sunday – in our church calendar, as well as, in our lives.
Listen to Fr. Charles as he explains, first to our children and then to us, that the Beatitudes are a summons to live in this present world with a quality that makes sense in God's promised future.
In the Gospel story of Blind Bartimaeus, Jesus performs a miracle. He gives Bartimaeus back his sight. However, that's not the only healing Jesus performs. Listen in to hear about the healing Jesus makes available to all of us.
Remember that time that you were embarrassed, mocked, ridiculed, shamed? How did it make you feel? What did you want to do about it? In a world that lusts for vengeance and revenge, Jesus offers another way. His way. The way of the Cross, which seems foolish to the world, but for those who are being saved, it is the power of God.
Often, we struggle with things God might be asking us to give up, but have we considered what we might gain? Listen in as Fr. Chris talks about the rich, young ruler in Scripture - and a very powerful real-life example - of how the gain is infinitely more rewarding than the give.
Today we continue our Sunday School teachings of the last book in the Bible... Revelations. We talk about chapters 8 and 9.
Today we continue our Sunday School teachings of the last book in the Bible... Revelations.
Today we continue our Sunday School teachings of the last book in the Bible... Revelations.
Listen to Fr. Charles as he answers two fundamental questions on stewardship. The first, in his children’s message, “What does it mean to be a steward?” and then the second, in his message to the congregation, “What is the critical truth about stewardship?”
Because the idea of Hell is such a difficult topic, many either refuse to acknowledge it or dismiss the idea of it altogether. Yet, it is a true doctrine of Christianity, as taught by Jesus Christ. Listen in this week as Fr. Chris talks both about the reality of evil and Hell and the Good News of Jesus Christ that opens the doors of Heaven.
Today we begin our Sunday School teachings of the last book in the Bible... Revelations. Watch live on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ctrfw/
Christ has promised us that He and His kingdom will prevail over this world of sin and darkness. But he has no made promise that we will be safe, only that he will be with us, even unto our death.
Did you know that when we sign up to be Christians, we sign up to be soldiers? That means, in part, that we must know who our enemy is, and who our enemy is not! Listen in as Fr. Chris talks about the spiritual armor God gives us to fight the good fight and lays out the landscape for the battle.
Our world is at war, but it's not just a physical war. Underneath it all is a spiritual warfare. Satan is trying to destroy us. Jesus is offering to save us. Have you made your decision? Listen in as Fr. Chris speaks about this most important decision we will make in our lives.
Our Gospel reading this Sunday is from John 6:53-59. It has some of the most difficult verses to understand - in Jesus' time and ours. Listen to Fr. Charles has he explains our Gospel reading in terms of our physical and spiritual worlds; and in terms of God's promises kept and promises not yet fulfilled.
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In today's message, Fr. Chris talks about how Jesus' words are not only divine revelation and information, but also call us to transformation and conversion.
As is our custom for the first Sunday of the month, we begin with a message to the children. This month: We Learn the Small Things First
Fr. Charles’ sermon, to the church, is based on Mark’s Gospel, chapter 9. Beginning at verse 42, Jesus realizes that his disciples are having a difficult time listening to what he is telling them. Listen to Fr. Charles as he explains the importance of these words as they relate to the Church and our lives.
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Father Humphery sermon is based on Matthew’s Gospel, chapter 13:18-30, with the parables of the Sower and the Weeds. As he points out in his sermon, we have a lot more in common with the Israelites, who heard these parables spoken by Jesus over 2,000 years ago. Listen to Fr. Charles as he dives deeper into these parables and reassures us that Jesus knows the concerns of his people.
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Father Humphery uses Luke 16 as the basis for his sermon this week. Listen to his message, as he gives a historical perspective on Jesus’ parables, and reminds us of some important lessons from those parables.
Our Gospel this Sunday begins with the people of Nazareth rejecting Jesus. Why would they reject Jesus? Fr. Charles could have preached on that alone, but there was another story that he kept thinking about from Luke’s Gospel. Listen to Fr. Charles as he takes us ‘off road’ a bit to illustrate that sometimes if we look only at the surface of what is familiar, we may miss God’s message
Father Humphery uses the entire chapter 5 of Mark to illustrate that sometimes, as hard as we try, we can’t do this on our own. In Mark’s Gospel, chapter 5, there are three people with three different problems. And as hard as they try, they can’t solve them. Listen to Fr. Charles as he explains why we can’t do this on our own but there is someone who can.
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Fr. Charles' sermon is based on our Gospel reading, Mark 4: 35 - 41. Most of us are familiar with this passage. A great windstorm comes up, and the disciples are naturally terrified. The waves are crashing against the boat, water is pouring in and the disciples think there is a good possibility they will all perish. What was the disciples' response to this great windstorm? What was Jesus' response? Listen to Fr. Charles as he gives a fresh perspective to this passage and helps us to better understand what our responses should be and Fr. Charles also reminds us, that like it was for the disciples, God is never far from us in our own life's storms.
First Sunday of the month means its Youth Sunday. Father Charles gives a sermon for the youth, plus its the second Sunday after Pentecost.
Newly appointed Deacon Carl Harkins of Christ the Redeemer, shares his thanks and his first sermon as deacon.
Father Culpepper discusses whats going on in the current world, and the commission of discipleship.
Father Chris Culpepper gives the Children's Message to our youth. Then we begin our four part sermon series! Our website: www.ctrfw.org