Episodes
Monday Oct 11, 2021
S9E09: God at the Center (Prophets & Kings pt. 6)
Monday Oct 11, 2021
Monday Oct 11, 2021
Sermon #453
What should worship look like? Nowadays Christians are divided in their desire to worship the Lord in certain ways. Some prefer high church; some prefer a less rigid but still traditional service with a choir and pipe organ. Some prefer gospel music; some prefer contemporary christian music. Some prefer no music at all. When it comes down to it, worship does not need to be a certain format in order to glorify God; all that is required is that God is at the center of our worship. If our worship doesn't glorify God and point our hearts to Him, then it is worship that is more about us and our desires than about God and his glory.
2 Samuel 6:1-19
Recorded at Hudson UMC on July 11, 2021
Sunday Oct 10, 2021
Lectionary Readings for Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 23), Year B
Sunday Oct 10, 2021
Sunday Oct 10, 2021
October 10, 2021
Old Testament: Job 23:1-9,16-17
Psalter: Psalm 22:1-15
Epistle Lesson: Hebrews 4:12-16
Gospel Lesson: Mark 10:17-31
Scripture quotations from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
S.D.G.
Friday Oct 08, 2021
S3E16: Divorce and Reconciliation (2015)
Friday Oct 08, 2021
Friday Oct 08, 2021
Sermon #134
There are some topics which are difficult to discuss in the church today. One of the hardest topics to discuss is that of divorce. The church and many in it seem to hold fast to the idea of traditional marriage, yet few wish to talk about the fact that Jesus himself decried the practice of divorce. If this is the case, then why is divorce so prevalent, even among Christians? But more importantly, what does God's word say about grace, even in the midst of brokenness and disolution? We find out today, from the teachings of Christ on what it means to enter the Kingdom of God as little children. So grab your Bible, turn it to Mark chapter 10, and prepare your heart and mind as we take a hard look at divorce and reconciliation.
Mark 10:2-16
Recorded at Hudson UMC on October 4, 2015 (Originally published Nivember 10, 2015)
S.D.G.
Thursday Oct 07, 2021
S3E15: Building the Bible (Deep Questions pt. 13)
Thursday Oct 07, 2021
Thursday Oct 07, 2021
Sermon #133
As we bring our Deep Questions sermon series to a close, it occurs to me that perhaps this question, which was answered last, should have been answered first. After all, it addresses the question of the validity of the Bible - our holy scriptures which we hold fast to as the very inspired word of God. Now, for the past 150 years or so, the validity and veracity of the Bible has been under attack. Most recently, Dan Brown's book "The DaVinci Code" puts forth the notion that the Bible was actually assembled by the pagan emperor Constantine. But as we will see in today's lesson, God's word is secure and reliable, because we know where it came from and who wrote it, and why. So grab your Bible, turn it to the second letter to Timothy, and prepare your heart and mind as we take a look at what went into building the Bible.
2 Timothy 3:10-17
Recorded at Ebenezer UMC on September 27, 2015 (Originally published November 7, 2015)
S.D.G.
Tuesday Oct 05, 2021
S6E23: Crowned with Glory (World Communion Sunday 2018)
Tuesday Oct 05, 2021
Tuesday Oct 05, 2021
Sermon #303
On this World Communion Sunday, we come together in unity with Christians all around the world to recognize the one thing that draws us all together and separates us from all other world religions. That one thing is faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation. That Jesus Christ is the Son of God is a statement that only those who have faith in Christ can proclaim. There may be many denominations, separations between the orthodox and liberal factions, the Catholic church and protestantism, and the many shades of protestantism such as Baptist, Lutheran, Pentecostal, Presbyterian and, yes, Methodist. And yet the one thing that defines us as Christian and truly makes us one church universal is faith in Jesus Christ, who is crowned with glory and seated at the right hand of God the Father. Ours is the only faith that affirms belief in Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and on World Communion Sunday we set aside our differences to embrace our oneness in Christ alone.
Text: Hebrews 1:1-4,2:5-12
Recorded at Hudson UMC on October 7, 2018 (Originally published November 20, 2018)
S.D.G.
Sunday Oct 03, 2021
Sunday Oct 03, 2021
October 3, 2021
Old Testament: Job 1:1; 2:1-10
Psalter: Psalm 26
Epistle Lesson: Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12
Gospel Lesson: Mark 10:2-16
Scripture quotations from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
S.D.G.
Friday Oct 01, 2021
S9E08: Gen Z Conservative Apologist Steven Stowell (GC Talk)
Friday Oct 01, 2021
Friday Oct 01, 2021
Steven Stowell is a young man I met through TikTok and I have to tell you, I am extremely encouraged by him. I hear people in the church lamenting all the time that the members of Generation Z, those born after 2000, have no interest in religion or the truth-claims of the Bible, and yet here is a very intelligent, very articulate young man in his early twenties who has studied the ancient languages in order to know the Bible more clearly and to understand God better. His weekly podcast, "Most Excellent Theophilus," has become a staple in my regular podcast rotation, and I encourage you as well, if you desire truth about what scripture says or doesn't say about God and Christ, to subscribe to his podcast and his TikTok channel. This conversation, from September 12, was as stimulating as it was educational.
Recorded September 12, 2021 via Zoom Meetings
Social Media: @steventhestowell
Podcast: Most Excellent Theophilus
Watch this interview on YouTube
S.D.G.