Eternal Church Podcast

Ohana is the Hawaiian phrase for our word for “family,” but our English equivalent doesn’t do it justice. While it includes those within the immediate nuclear family, it goes way beyond the traditional sense of family in our Western culture. Beyond blood or genetics, this kind of family includes friends, neighbors, even those who just share a common passion or core values. In Luke 8:19-21, Jesus r...

Imagine with me… You are told in a vision from God to examine the life of X (a person or a family or a church like Eternal), and to report back to him. Most of us would tremble. A few, I’m afraid, might be too eager What to look for? Behaviors? How we speak to one another? Prayer life (or its absence)? Sunday we enter the world of the OT prophets. Jesus was steeped in their parables: they always t...

A Pharisee, a prostitute and a parable walk into a sermon… This isn’t a joke. And you don’t have to wait for a punchline. Read Luke 7:36-50 and we’ll figure out how it all ties together this Sunday!

As a kid, I liked a TV show called The Twilight Zone. It imagined vivid scenarios that blew my mind, so vivid that I still remember some today. Even Sci-Fi creatures are shaped by our real world. The beings we “imagine” from “outer space” may be green or purple, but still they have arms and legs that resemble ours, most have eyes and ears, they talk and move about physically. They’re all humanoid....

This Sunday, we meet Jesus at a crossroads, literally. One crowd is following Him, full of hope and anticipation. The other is leaving a town called Nain, broken by grief and carrying a coffin. When these two processions collide at the city gate, something unforgettable happens. And it's not just a miracle, it’s a message. The Kingdom is breaking in and the world will never be the same. 

In Hebrews 11, the so-called "faith hall of fame" includes heroic figures like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, the judges, the prophets and the people of God. These people were exemplary in their dependence upon Yahweh. And yet, Jesus claims in Luke 7:1-10 that there's another person whose faith might be greater than them all. And of all people, it's a Roman centurian. Wait...what? "I tell yo...

“Build your house on a solid foundation.” I’ve seen the text used as marketing content for homebuilders, financial advisors, career coaches, and even by D.C. budget committees. But almost never in a reference to Jesus and the kingdom that he has dawned.  But that’s how Jesus uses it. He adds two short but punchy words to the radical kingdom strategy he has laid out. After teaching us that his king...

Last Sunday, we began looking at Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain. It continues what many call His Nazareth Manifesto (Luke 4) - the King’s announcement of what His Kingdom is like and how it will break into this world. But let’s be honest: this Kingdom is strange. It’s upside-down. It's Unnatural. So how will this Kingdom come? John Lennon said, “All you need is love.” Could that really be enough? This...

This Sunday was an unplugged worship service due to a systemic power outage. We have recovered the audio recording of the sermon. The audio is poor in some spots but overall, we have been able to provide this repaired audio version of a meaningful sermon.

This week we conclude our April focus of “Walking in the Way of Jesus”, having observed closely the love, compassion, surrender, sacrifice, and power through His resurrection.  We come to where Jesus ascends to heaven and discover His love continues as He Still Walks With Us.  But Why?  How?  And for what purpose?  Join us this Sunday for a pastoral conversation about the love of God and how He ha...

This Easter Sunday, we will gather to celebrate the Risen King. We’ll open to Luke’s Gospel and see how Jesus chose to spend the very first Easter. His decision might surprise you—He didn’t go to the temple or the palace. He met two discouraged disciples on the road, walking away in disappointment. Come and see what happens when the Risen Jesus walks with the doubting, the wandering, and the weary...

This Sunday we’ll continue our four-week Easter series, "Walking in the Way." Jesus has just raised a four-day-dead Lazarus from the tomb and is now back on the road to Jerusalem with his disciples and followers. As you read the biblical narrative, you can feel the shift. It's officially on. It's actually happening. There's no turning back—and no stopping it now. As Jesus rides into Jerusalem, he’...

This Sunday we’re pausing our Luke series and pivoting to a four-week focus on Easter and Jesus’ resurrection. It’s common practice to do this during Advent to prepare for Christmas, but as a church we haven’t allocated equal space and time to sit and soak in the defining feature of our faith.  We’re calling this series “Walking in the Way.” Walking was the default activity for a disciple of Jesus...

I was introduced to "sabbath" when I first watched the movie/musical “Fiddler on the Roof” as a child. But it held little significance for me until 2007 when I was afforded the opportunity to visit Israel on a Holy Land trip. Our itinerary included visiting with a Messianic-Jewish family (folks raised in Judaism who have come to follow the way of Jesus) on Friday evening to witness and participate...

Do you remember the pressure of the lunchroom at school? Who you sat with often defined so much of your identity! By the way, not much has changed in schools today... Last Sunday, we met the Pharisees—a group who often challenge Jesus with questions. This week, they ask: “Why do you eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Their question is meant as a challenge, but Jesus uses this moment to reveal s...

Jesus possesses the authority to heal both physically and spiritually. Recognizing His holiness inspires us to fully accept and pursue the transformative work He desires to accomplish in us and through us.

Have you or someone you love ever been in isolation in the hospital? It may be medically necessary, even life-saving, but can feel worse than the disease. Have you ever been ostracized, picked on or mocked because of your appearance, race, culture, language, or because you are neurodiverse and learn differently?  Have you ever been isolated because of your sin, because you broke relationships thro...

What comes to mind when you hear the word holy? It’s a word often tied to faith, yet rarely used in daily life. And yet, something stirs within us when we think of holiness. As we begin a new chapter in Luke’s Gospel, we’ll witness five powerful encounters between the holiness of Jesus and the brokenness of the world. How did people respond to the Holy One in their midst? How will we respond today...

I like a good Western Movie from time to time.  Reflecting on Luke 4 as a whole, it reminds me of a good ole western standoff.  There’s a new sheriff in town (King Jesus has come) and he’s going to change things (The Kingdom of God is at work).  We have dug into so much already with this important chapter of Luke’s Gospel. Thank you Pastors Jacob and Josh!   Our text this week is 3 short verses (L...

“They say Aslan is on the move—perhaps has already landed... At the name of Aslan, each one of the children felt something jump inside.” - C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe C.S. Lewis’ masterpiece introduces us to a world where “it’s always winter but never Christmas.” But as the story unfolds, the ice begins to melt—spring is coming. After so many years of weariness, what has chan...

This week in Luke we get to see Jesus give his first public teaching. He’s visiting his old stomping grounds in Nazareth, so his first audience is friendly. And yet, it doesn’t stay that way for long. By the time our passage is over, his own hometown will want him dead. Homecoming...over.   What did Jesus say that caused those who knew him to go from friends and acquaintances to attempted murders?...

After the mountain-top moment of His baptism, Jesus is led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where He will face "every temptation." How will this new Adam remain faithful where all others have failed? And why does it matter? Because our redemption is on the line. As you prepare for Sunday, take some time to read through Luke 3:23-38 and Luke 4:1-13. Why does Luke go to such great lengths to trace...

This week in Luke 3 we're going to be all about baptism. We get to see John the Baptist get his start dunking people in the Jordan  in the name of "a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins." We'll see Jesus show up and submit to John's baptism of repentance (which raises a few questions). And then we'll get to see some of our own congregation profess faith in Jesus and we'll have baptis...

As Luke continues to add brushstrokes to the canvas of his gospel, he introduces us to a 12 year old boy who finds himself completely captivated by the teachers of the temple in Jerusalem. What parent wouldn't be delighted to find their child sitting in church attentively? Perhaps the one who had traveled many miles away assuming their child was with them!  In the events of Luke 2, we are given a...

I love paintings of mountains, forests, and other outdoor scenery. I'm not an artist. It’s hard for me to imagine such incredible pieces of art beginning with an empty canvas and with one stroke of a brush. But every painting, like every story, must begin somewhere. This Sunday we will see the first brushstrokes of the picture of Jesus that Luke is painting in his gospel.