In this episode, we kick off a new series, Candid Conversations. This series will be a companion series to New Life's Sermon Series (More) Conversations with Jesus. Enjoy these stand alone, long form, unedited conversations about the most pressing questions in the Christian life.
Pastor Ben continues our series with the question: why do good couples remain childless, when there are so many abusive or bad parents?
Text: John 10:1-10
“Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. 7 So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
We begin our new series, (More) Conversations with Jesus, with a sermon from one of our Global Ministry Partners: Matt Steidinger, Executive Director of Amazon Salt and Light.
Text: Matthew 28:16-20
16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Pastor Erik is joined by Pastor Jason Palmer and Pastor Ryan Massey as they discuss the Gospel. Thanks for listening to our "What is the Gospel?" series, we hope you were uplifted, challenged, and inspired!
Theme music for Season 2 is Rude Boy Rock by Dread Pirate Roberts. Used under creative common license here. Each episode in Season 2 uses Rude Boy Rock as an opening and closing theme.
Pastor Ben continues our series, Credo, with a sermon on unity and the worldwide Church.
Text: Ephesians 4:1-7
I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. 7 But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift.
Pastor Erik continues our series, Credo, with a sermon on the third article of the Apostle's Creed, "I believe in the Holy Spirit..."
Text: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11
Brothers and sisters, I don’t want you to be ignorant about spiritual gifts. 2 You know that when you were Gentiles you were often misled by false gods that can’t even speak. 3 So I want to make it clear to you that no one says, “Jesus is cursed!” when speaking by God’s Spirit, and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. 4 There are different spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; 5 and there are different ministries and the same Lord; 6 and there are different activities but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. 7 A demonstration of the Spirit is given to each person for the common good. 8 A word of wisdom is given by the Spirit to one person, a word of knowledge to another according to the same Spirit, 9 faith to still another by the same Spirit, gifts of healing to another in the one Spirit, 10 performance of miracles to another, prophecy to another, the ability to tell spirits apart to another, different kinds of tongues to another, and the interpretation of the tongues to another. 11 All these things are produced by the one and same Spirit who gives what he wants to each person.
Erik, Daniel, and Paul continue their conversation about the Gospel and what kind of God saves people in such a strange manner.
You can buy Simply Good News here
Theme music for Season 2 is Rude Boy Rock by Dread Pirate Roberts. Used under creative common license here. Each episode in Season 2 uses Rude Boy Rock as an opening and closing theme.
Pastor Ben continues our series, Credo, with a sermon on the second article of the Apostle's Creed, "I believe in Jesus Christ, the only Son of God..."
Text: Romans 5:6-11
6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. 8 But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. 9 Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. 11 But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Pastor Erik begins our teaching on the Apostle's Creed with a sermon on the first Article: "I Believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth."
Text: Psalm 139:1-16
O Lord, you have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away. You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, O Lord, you know it completely. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is so high that I cannot attain it. Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there. If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light around me become night," even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light to you. For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes beheld my unformed substance. In your book were written all the days that were formed for me, when none of them as yet existed.
Pastor Erik, Dan, and Paul discuss how our views of God are shaped by our understanding of the Gospel. Is God a man with a big white beard sitting on a cloud? Is he a judge who needs to punish? Is he a Father, who wants to love his children? How we understand the Gospel impacts what we believe about God.
You can buy Simply Good News here
Theme music for Season 2 is Rude Boy Rock by Dread Pirate Roberts. Used under creative common license here. Each episode in Season 2 uses Rude Boy Rock as an opening and closing theme.
The podcast of New Life Lutheran Church, where new life in Christ is celebrated, and we explore, together, how to live the Christian life with excellence.
