Ecclesia: Church at the Chip Podcast (New)

When Jesus saw a poor widow put two coins into the offering box, he praised her sacrificial gift. Likewise, when the apostle Paul learned of the sacrificial giving of the Macedonian church, he said, “their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity.” What is it that motivates such selfless behavior? In a word, “Grace.”

In a chapter filled with confrontational questions by the religious elite, Jesus asked a final question of his own. This, along with a scathing observation, demonstrated both the scriptural ignorance and the spiritual hypocrisy of his opponents. What does this have to do with us? Let’s find out....

What will life be like when Jesus returns and we receive our resurrection bodies? In one sense, it is clearly beyond imagination. But Jesus offers some tantalizing clues when he responds to the last question he faced from his religious opponents.

Following Jesus’ unseemly ride into Jerusalem and his outrageous disruption of temple worship, the religious leaders seek to silence him as soon as possible. They failed to trap Jesus with a question about religious authority, so they sent spies with an incendiary question about Caesar and God.

Today’s text opens up a series of debates between Jesus and the religious leaders. Each is designed to discredit Jesus’ authority or defuse his popularity. It starts with a question about Jesus’ authority, and is followed by a story about wicked tenants. What has this to do with us? Let’s find out....

As Jesus approaches his destiny in Jerusalem, he tells a parable about a king who returns to claim his kingdom. The king says, “Well done, good servant!” to some, while to others he says, “You wicked servant!” How do we make sure we are in the first group and not the second? Let’s find out….

Today it is our privilege to commission Kent and Suzanne Sisco for the work God has called them to do in Japan. As we do, we are following the biblical precedent set by the Antioch church who sent Barnabas and Saul as the church’s first missionaries. As we send them off with God's blessing, let’s explore this text together.

When Jesus invited himself to Zacchaeus’ home, everyone was shocked. They shouldn’t have been, for Jesus was always doing unexpected things. But why did he reach out to this man? He told us himself: “The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.

On Sunday, Jesus will enter Jerusalem on the back of a donkey and, for the first time, gladly receive the coronation cries of the crowd. He knows his crown will not be one of gold, but rather, one of thorns. He tries once more to warn his disciples, but they can’t see it. As if to illustrate the point that believing is seeing, Jesus performs his last miracle: He gives sight to a blind man in respo...

Thus far in Luke 18, Jesus has affirmed the value of oppressed widows, sinful tax collectors, and little children -- all of which are very surprising to his disciples. Today, they are utterly astounded by his unexpected response to a wealthy man’s question. What are we to make of this? Let’s find out...

Happy Birthday to US! We are incredibly proud and thankful to be citizens of this great country. But as we have learned from our study of Luke, we are also citizens of the kingdom of heaven. How do these two relate to one another? Let’s find out....

In recent weeks we’ve heard Jesus tell stories affirming the value of oppressed widows and sinful tax collectors. Today we encounter the third in this series of events, where Jesus affirms the importance of children in the kingdom of God. What does this teach us about kids and the kingdom? Let’s find out....

In this section of Luke, we encounter four surprising stories which demonstrate the upside-down nature of Jesus’ kingdom. We looked at the first last week: A persistent widow and an unjust judge. Today we consider the second of these stories: a parable about Pharisees, publicans, prayer and pride.

Having just taught his disciples about the present and future coming of the kingdom of God, Jesus tells them a rather strange parable to encourage them to “pray and not lose heart.” What is the meaning of this parable, why did Jesus tell it at that time, and what does it mean for us today? Let’s find out....

“When will the kingdom of God come?” asked the Pharisees. It’s a question people still ask today. Let’s take a look at what Jesus had to say to the Pharisees, and to his disciples, and how this might apply to our own questions about Jesus’ kingdom.

As Jesus enters a village, ten lepers cry out, “Master, have mercy on us!” Jesus sends them to the priest, and as they went they were cleansed. All ten were cleansed, but only one returned to thank Jesus -- “and he was a Samaritan.” What is the point of this story, and how does it apply to us? Let’s find out....

It was the Jewish holiday of Pentecost (Shavu’ot), when Jesus poured out his Spirit upon his followers. On that day, the worldwide ministry of Jesus through his church (ecclesia) began. Why was the church born on Pentecost, and what significance does this have for us today? Let’s find out…..

Can you imagine winter without Christmas, or spring without Easter? Of course not. And yet many churches and Christians slide right into summer without observing the final phase of Jesus’ ministry: his Ascension to the right hand of the Father. What is the Ascension all about, and why should we care about it today? We’ll talk about that this morning.

As we continue our trek through Luke on this Mother’s Day, we encounter a text which speaks both to the nuclear family and the wider family of faith. What does Jesus teach us about how families (both personal and corporate) should relate to one another? Let’s find out….

Jesus loves us deeply. It breaks his heart when we live in ways which dehumanize ourselves or others. That is why he is willing to tell us the truth about such things as money and marriage, faithfulness and eternity. Yes, the truth sometimes hurts; but it also heals.

When a warden awoke to the crack of an earthquake, he discovered the prison doors were broken. He naturally assumed his prisoners had escaped. When he found they had not, he was overcome and asked the poignant question, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” The answer changed his life; it can change our lives, too.

As we resume our trek through Luke’s gospel, we encounter a rather confusing parable. Let’s study it together and discover what Jesus wants to teach us regarding how to use “worldly wealth for heavenly good."

God has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart.  The Big Idea: God has given us an inner sense that life doesn’t end at the grave. But what will Heaven be like?

Do you remember the birth of your children? Of course you do. When our babies left the womb on their birthday, it wasn’t just their world that changed -- it was ours, too. In the same way, when Jesus left the tomb on Easter Day, it wasn’t just his world that changed -- it was ours, too. How so? Let’s find out together....

Thank you for joining us for our beautiful “sins on the cross” service, including songs and scripture. It will be a meaningful and poignant way to remember Jesus’ death on our behalf. Your Easter celebration will be enhanced by our Good Friday moments of worship.