Andy Talks

When I read today’s passage, it first made me scratch my head and think, “huh.”  I didn’t really understand exactly what it was saying at first, but after using a tool I really like for Biblical interpretation (the NET Bible), it made a lot more sense. In this passage, this vision points to peace. In time, peace came as Persia defeated Babylon. But, also, in the Lord’s time, peace will come when t...

Today’s vision is from Zechariah 5, which took me a minute to read through and think through. I read several commentaries, and there was one that I really liked. I thought it helped make more sense. In this passage, we see the deeper truth of previous visions.  In previous visions, we see the consequences of sinful action.  But in today’s vision, we see that the deeper issue is not the actions tha...

In our Traditional sermon from June 16, 2024, Andy shares from Revelation 5:9-10 and Matthew 28:19-20.  We continue our series "The Marks of the Church."  We look at at what it means to say that the church is catholic.  When we make Jesus the center of life together, we find that our differences are beautiful.   

We see a vision of judgment today. Those who steal and those who lie are removed from the community. That’s a harsh judgment to be removed from the community.  But that is what sin does. The ultimate purpose of our faith is to love God and love our neighbor. Sin destroys that; it destroys our walk with God and with each other.  This is why these sins have one being cut off from the community. That...

Today, we see one of the most well-known verses in this book of the Bible.  When faced with the task of rebuilding everything, the Lord shows this lampstand that will never run out of oil, for the Lord will provide. We are told that the victory is won not by might nor power but by the Spirit of the Lord; that is how the battle is won.  One of the greatest blessings we can ever have is a challenge...

Today’s reading is full of some good stuff. Some really good stuff. First, we take a little journey down Methodist history and unpack the famous Wesleyan story of John being a “brand plucked from the burning.”  Then, we see a powerful image of the high priest Joshua wearing filthy clothes. This English translation doesn’t fully capture what the Hebrew is saying. These are vile, disgusting, human e...

We see a word for the people of God today. They are told that the Lord will rebuild and restore Judah.  He will restore what the enemies have taken because His people are the open of His eye. But then we are told who His people are, all who call on upon His name. All the nations will turn to Him, and He will dwell in their midst.  This, to me, turns my mind to Revelation and to where I will be pre...

Today, we look at Zechariah 2, but when I read it, I was drawn to Revelation 21. Both passages show a vision of this “new” Jerusalem. Many things are said about it, but the primary thing is this. God is in the midst of it. God is there. God dwells there. He is the glory within. This future hope, it is a now, but not yet thing. It is now because now, you, me, and all of us who are Christians have t...

In our INTERSECTION service from June 9, Andy shares with us from Ephesians 5:25-27 and Revelation 19:7-8.  As we continue our series "The Marks of the Church," what does it mean to say that the church is Holy?

Today, we see Zechariah’s second vision. It’s a unique vision, as most visions are.  In this, we see four horns representing the ones who have scattered the people. But we also see four blacksmiths who have come to terrify those horns. What in the world?  What does this all mean?  We talk about this vision today, and we learn this.  Our job is not to fix everything.  Our job is to be faithful.  Jo...

He is jealous of me; His love’s like a hurricane; I am a tree.  Those are famous words from a well-known praise song, “He Love Us.”  Today’s passage talks about how God is jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion. We talk today about what that meant biblically in that time, but we also move it forward to this day to think about what it means to say that He is jealous for us. What does it mean to say tha...

Our life, our schedule, and everything else are dictated by the immediate. By the urgent. That’s what we worry about. That’s what we focus on. On the immediate and on the thing that is happening right now, at this instant. Today, we see the prophet Zechariah remind us of God’s call in the past to return to Him, and this reminder is that His word is constant and true. His word is eternal.  We shoul...

We see God’s word through Haggai about what He is going to do for the people. There are so many wonderful glimpses today that point us to Jesus. We see the people told they will be blessed, since they have dedicated the Temple. This reminds us of Jesus; when we seek first God’s kingdom, these things will be added to us. Likewise, we are told that at this moment, the clean cannot make the unclean r...

Verse 9 today is at the heart of this prophecy. Haggai tells us that the temple that is to be built will be even greater than the first temple that was built. That’s hard for the people to understand because Solmon’s temple was so great. But it is right; the temple that was built was even great. And we know, of course, that the greatest temple of all is the glorious Body of Christ.  As Christians,...

In our Summer series "Marks of the Church," Andy preaches about the mark of being "One."  We have one Lord, one Faith, one baptism. But what does it mean when the Nicene Creed says that the Church is One?

So often, it’s easy to give God what is left of our time, not the best of our time; it’s easy to give God what is left of our resources, not what is best of our resources. Haggi tells the people today that after the Exile, they are comfortable; they have much, but they have neglected the house of the Lord. The time has come to rebuild. That is the same for us.  It is easy for us to be comfortable...

Today, we see what we always see in the prophets and in all the Bible. We see grace. We see that God intends to save His people, to give them life and goodness.  God’s way is good, y’all. God is good. He will renew us with His life. He will rejoice over us.  He delights in us. But the path of life that God offers is a path of humility. Life is not found in power or in greatness. Life is found in h...

Being corrected is one of the hardest and most important things in life. The Lord tells Jerusalem that He has tried, repeatedly, to correct them. To call them back from sin.  But, each time He calls, they refuse to listen. The more He calls, it seems, the less faithful they are. Correction is a painful, hard thing. I know I’ve never enjoyed it in my life. But it is essential. We cannot grow, and w...

Today, in Zephaniah, we see the word that there will always be a remnant. God will bring judgment against those who stand against Him. He will always, always have His remnant.  It’s tempting for us to think it’s just us. We are Elijah; we are all that God has left. But remember the Lord told Elijah that He had thousands reserved for Himself.  God always has something up His sleeve. As one of my pr...

We often misunderstand what idolatry was in the Old Testament. Today, we see what it actually was in Zephaniah. The people never stopped worshiping the Lord.  They continued worshiping God. But, they did not fully trust in God. They doubted, they feared. So, they would worship this idol, too, just to be safe. Our idol is not some wooden statue on top of our mantle. Our idol is the thing that we ar...

In our combined worship service on May 26, 2024, Andy shares with us from Romans 5: 1-5. We talk today about the Trinity.  While there is much we do not understand, over very salvation is a Trinitarian act.  We are made right with the Father, through the Son, by the Spirit.

There is a difference between worship and thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is when we name or thank God for what He has done and the things in our lives that God has given us.  It’s when we name our blessings. This is a good thing for us to do. But that is not what worship is.  Worship is when we name who God is and praise Him for who He is. Thanksgiving is about what God has done; worship is about who...

In chapter three, we see what prayer does. In chapter one, Habakkuk was complaining to God about everything, about evil, all that was happening, and was questioning God. God, why haven’t you fixed it?  God, why isn’t it better? God, why are you making me see all of this?  In chapter two, he prays, and while his circumstances haven’t changed, his heart and his outlook have. God has given him a deep...

Habbakuk 2:20 is one of my favorite passages in all the bible. The Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth keep silent before Him.  We bring our many concerns, our many worries, our many fears, all these things to God. God, as a loving Father, longs to hear our worries in the same way we, as parents, hear the worries of our children. But our Lord also reminds us of this. He is in His Holy Te...

Habakkuk does something that is hard but necessary. He wrestles with God. He asks the hard questions.  He wrestles with God. What is he to do with the evil in the world?  How does God look by when so much evil is happening?  Why does God allow it to happen?  How can this be?  Does this sound like a familiar line of questions to you?  Are these these questions that we struggle with?  In the book, w...