Episodes
Friday Apr 26, 2019
S6E60: Believing (With All Your Heart pt. 8)
Friday Apr 26, 2019
Friday Apr 26, 2019
Easter is a day when we celebrate the fact that Christ rose from the dead three days after being crucified for our sins. While we often focus on the promise of the empty tomb, some only observe the resurrection of our Lord without considering the reality of the cross. In today's message, we will see why, using the Old Testament model of atonement, both the cross and the empty tomb are required for the the complete deliverance of the sinner from his or her sin.
Luke 24:1-12
Recorded at Ebenezer UMC on April 21, 2019
S.D.G.
Wednesday Apr 24, 2019
S6E59: Have You Seen the Lord? (Easter Sunrise)
Wednesday Apr 24, 2019
Wednesday Apr 24, 2019
The Easter Sunrise service is a tradition that dates back to the 18th century Moravian church in America. The idea of going to a church service "on the first day of the week, while it is still dark," helps us as modern-day disciples to identify with the disciples on that first Easter Sunday when they witnessed the risen Christ and the empty tomb. When the women (and especially Mary Magdalene) saw the Lord, they ran back to tell the others "I have seen the Lord!" The question for us today is, have YOU seen the Lord? And if so, have you told anyone?
John 20:1-18
Recorded at Hudson UMC Cemetery on April 21, 2019
S.D.G.
Saturday Apr 20, 2019
S6E58: It Is Finished
Saturday Apr 20, 2019
Saturday Apr 20, 2019
S6E58: It Is Finished
Each year the Ministerium of Penns Grove, Carneys Point, and Pedricktown hold a community service for Good Friday at New Hope UMC in Penns Grove. This service, which runs from Noon until 3 PM (to commemorate the hours of darkness when Jesus hung on the cross), recalls the seven last words of Christ on the cross. This year (2019) it was my pleasure to expound on the sixth word - "It is finished." This word holds incredible promise and hope for those of us who have embraced Christ by faith for our forgiveness. The debt has been paid in full. As part of this service I also performed Phil Wickham's song "Because of Your Love" and this performance is included at the end of the podcast.
John 19:30
Recorded at New Hope UMC on April 19, 2019
S.D.G.
Wednesday Apr 17, 2019
S6E56: Preparing (With All Your Heart pt. 7)
Wednesday Apr 17, 2019
Wednesday Apr 17, 2019
S6E56: Preparing (With All Your Heart pt. 7)
Palm Sunday holds a certain tension for those of us who know the full story. On the one hand, we come celebrating Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem. On the other, we know deep down that the same voices crying "Hosanna!" on Sunday will be crying "Crucify him!" come Friday. We can be like that, too. We can come praising God on Sunday and the next day (or even that afternoon) go back to living the way of the world. This Palm Sunday, we find ourselves preparing our hearts and minds for Holy Week - for the Passion, the Cross... and ultimately, the empty tomb.
Luke 19:28-40
Recorded at Hudson UMC on April 14, 2019
S.D.G.
Tuesday Apr 09, 2019
S6E55: Making a New Thing (With All Your Heart pt. 6)
Tuesday Apr 09, 2019
Tuesday Apr 09, 2019
Many times throughout recorded history, God has intervened in the lives of people to do something new, different, and unexpected. Consider manna, the bread that God provided for the nation of Israel as they wandered forty years in the wilderness. The people had never seen anything like it. In fact, the Hebrew word means "What is it?" In the same way, Good continues to do the unexpected, making something new for his faithful people. Today as we look at the words of Isaiah, we consider what new thing God is doing in our midst, and in today's busy and distracted society, will will we even notice?
Isaiah 43:16-21
Recorded at Ebenezer UMC on April 7, 2019
S.D.G.
Wednesday Apr 03, 2019
S6E54: Coming Together (With All Your Heart pt. 5)
Wednesday Apr 03, 2019
Wednesday Apr 03, 2019
This Lenten season our focus has been on returning to God with all our heart. In today's reading from Joshua, we see how the people of Israel came together to remember how God had delivered them from their slavery in Egypt. We also see how God's provision in the wilderness is ended so that the people would begin to enjoy the produce of the land that God was giving to them. When God does a new thing, He sometimes needs to end the old so that we do not return to it out of comfort and familiarity.
Joshua 5:9-12; 2 Corinthians 5:16-21
Recorded at Hudson UMC on March 31, 2019
S.D.G.