Looking Deeper: Recent Episodes
Berean Baptist Church
A podcast for the preaching ministry of Berean Baptist Church in Grand Rapids. To receive content as soon as it drops, please subscribe. Follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/bereangr or visit our website www.bereangr.org
Some reflections from Romans 8 related to Jesus' "hour of prayer" in the garden.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
In a striking contrast to the woman from last week who couldn't be kept away from Jesus in his "hour", his three closest friends fail to stay with him for even one hour. We are invited to consider whether we are staying with Jesus in our own "hours".
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
I unpack what lies behind Jesus' statement in Mark 14:7 and how our imaginations might need to be challenged by it, rather than lulled into apathy towards those experiencing poverty.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
We begin our journey with Jesus towards the cross with the woman who insisted on being his companion by anointing him for burial in advance. It is a beautiful picture of how we are invited to respond to Jesus pouring himself out for us by pouring ourselves out for him and for one another.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
We come to the end of our time with Jeremiah and revisit some of the things his life and words have taught us, and especially how the way his story "ends" is so consistent with other biblical characters and our own stories.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
When the future is bleak, faithfulness can seem impossible, but it is more important than ever.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
Jeremiah is asked to express audacious hope in the face of looming calamity, and so are we.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
Our apologies for the delay in posting this sermon and the next.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
In this passage from Jeremiah, we consider how we can carry on when it seems like we are insignificant and unseen.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
Our formal launch into Jeremiah's book takes us to the years 609 and 605 BC at a pivotal moment in Israel's history and gives us a view to God's posture towards the causes of our tears and pain and invites us to respond in faith and hope.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
I give a brief glimpse of the book we are about to begin spending time with in earnest, the book of Jeremiah, describing its "patchwork quilt" qualities and how it might speak to us in our moment.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
The book of Jeremiah opens with the story of this prophet's call. The elements that are presented are a fitting preview to the life and ministry of this unique servant of Yahweh and say something to us about the way God is at work in and through us as well.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
As begin to transition from our Advent series into a series in Jeremiah, we consider the prophet's most significant word concerning the new covenant that God makes with humanity. From a prophet whose words were often full of darkness and despair, this passage is a piercing ray of hope.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
We finish our survey of Jesus' experience with the wilderness with the account of his preaching and calling of disciples and consider how it applies to us.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
In this episode I revisit the well-known (or is it?) nativity story from Luke 2:1-7.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
Thousands of years before the birth of Jesus another miraculous birth was foretold and received with...laughter. This week I invited us to consider Sarah's story and how we too can, and should, laugh because of God's powerful promises.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
We consider how Jesus as the "pioneer of our faith" (Heb. 12:1) can serve as a guide for us based on his testing in the wilderness.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
We enter the wilderness with Jesus as he goes out to be baptized by John.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
Our apologies for the delay in getting the last two sermons posted. This is the message from December 5 when Tim Gombis spoke on the parable of the sower, the seeds and the soils.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
We take a dive into the parable of Lost Son in Luke 15 to see how Jesus restores relationships by his coming.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
I explore how Jesus' coming brings abundant, eternal life with some reflections from John's Gospel and Psalm 23.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
Our reflection for the first week of Advent explores the certainty and assurance that Jesus, the Light of the World, offers in the darkness of our lives.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
We head into the wilderness with Mark where the way is being prepared for Jesus to declare that he is the good news.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
I take a bit of a deep dive into the origins of this holiday, both of the observance of it and the "first" thanksgiving, trying to peel away legend and tradition to look at it from a couple of different angles. Happy Turkey Day!
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
Apologies that this is a day late. David gives Solomon and the people the final charge to be about the work of rest as they commit themselves to building the temple of Yahweh in 1 Chronicles 28-29.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
I explore the role of Satan in David's story from 1 Chronicles 21 and elsewhere in Scripture.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
In the wake of a plague brought on by David's grasping for power and wealth through a census, he and the people of Israel experience God's lavish mercy and love and it changes the course of not only David's monarchy but of the people's life as they turn to building a house for Yahweh as a place of blessing.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
I consider the ways David is absent from the accounts of his wars in 1 Chronicles 18-20 and the implications for us.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
David and his servants fought wars to achieve peace for Israel in a way that foreshadowed Jesus' war to achieve peace for humanity.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
I delve into two difficult discrepancies of 1 Chronicles 20.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
I reflect on the relationship between the "Lord's Prayer" in Matthew 6 and Nathan's prophecy to David in 1 Chronicles 17.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
David learns just how generous God is when he offers to build a temple to house the ark that he brought back to Jerusalem. The very good news is that through David's heir, Jesus, God is even better to us.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
I take a few minuted to unpack the character of Michal, who is only given one verse (15:29) in the story of David bringing the ark to Jerusalem.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
This message explores the theme of joy through the lens of David's plan to bring the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
I'm a couple of weeks late posting this message from October 10 due to a wonderful vacation I left for the next day. I'll be back to the podcast routine with bonus episodes this week.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
We were blessed to have Pastor Marcus's Father with us to share about the way God is working in the Middle East
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
A "double episode" looking back at last Sunday's message and why the Chronicler is telling their story and then a journey through the "Songs of Ascent" (Psalms 120-134) which also originate in the time of the Chronicler, in anticipation of looking at David's "ascent" to Jerusalem and the throne in 1 Chronicles 11-12 this coming Sunday.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
We dive into the first narrative in the book after all those genealogies and find that the Chronicler starts their story, paradoxically, at the end of Saul's story.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
A phrase from 1 Chronicles 10:14 has been giving me fits in my sermon prep this week and I share it with you.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
I share some feedback from listeners as well as some odds and ends that didn't make it into the message on Sunday.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
This week's message explores Israel's "family history" and invites us to consider our own and what story God might be telling through them.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
I preview why we are devoting an entire message to the LONG genealogies that open the book of 1 Chronicles this Sunday.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
I take same time to expand on the implications of how Chronicles re-tells stories from other parts of Scripture and how that should impact how we interact with our Bibles.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
1 & 2 Chronicles are unusual books of Scripture that pose some challenges to us as readers. In this message, we ask four questions about the books as a whole to set us up for hearing from them through the rest of the series.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message
We're looking forward to starting this new series in 1 Chronicles this Sunday!
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marcus-little9/message