Local Church St. Pete Podcast

Eagerly waiting for something they knew was going to happen. That’s where we find Jesus’ First Followers. But what were they waiting for? What did Jesus promise? Where did Jesus go? And what does it mean for our lives here and now?    

No more pain. No more tears. No more death. What’s been broken will be repaired, what’s been wrong will be made right. One day everything will be restored. Until then we wait. Like waiting for a loved one to come out of surgery or like a child waits on Christmas Eve. But what does waiting involve? How does the end of the story impact the way we live today ? 

God created, and it was good. Humanity rebelled, bringing sin and chaos. What will happen? Will things ever get better? Will people ever change? Will evil ever end? So, we enter into the main plot line of the Bible’s Story: Rescue . God has done in Jesus what we could never do for ourselves! Be warned, truly trusting in Christ to rescue you will change who you are and what you do

Every person who ever lived has felt and continues to feel the effects of The Rebellion found in Genesis 3. A lot of questions might fill your mind when you read the story: Where did the serpent come from? How did the serpent turn evil? Where did evil come from? Why is the serpent talking? Did Adam and Eve have a belly button? These are real questions the story doesn’t set out to answer. But what...

We’re going back to the start, to the place of “beginnings.” That’s a very helpful thing to do when you’re trying to understand something. There we find a true story told artistically. Genesis celebrates the fact that God made the world, but it doesn’t feel the need to explain all the details or answer all our questions. What it does say about God and man has been foundational to the Christian fai...

Ever think to yourself, “Their life always seems so much better than mine. If only I had _________ THEN I would be happy! A better job, a child, a younger wife, more money, a smaller nose, a newer car - THEN I would be happy!” We see a picture, remember a conversation, take a slice of someone else’s life and compare it with ours and we conclude, “They have it SO much better!” What does the Bible s...

Since the Thessalonians had a faith that made some noise, it makes sense for Paul to describe the kind of lifestyle that would produce a louder faith still. The letter of 1 Thessalonians ends with easy-to-remember instructions for the Thessalonians to immerse themselves into the counter-cultural ways of Jesus. What did that counter-cultural life involve? What did it ask of them? What does it ask o...

Christians believe Jesus is returning. Does the thought of Jesus’ return fill you with fear and anxiety or joy and encouragement? The Thessalonians had a mixture of both. They were stressed over what Jesus’ return meant for those who had already died. And they began to wonder about their participation in Jesus’ return. How confident could they be that they will be ready? What does it look like to...

Ever wonder, “Does it really matter if Jesus rose from the dead?” The resurrection is a big deal. Without it, Christianity has no salvation, no acceptance, no deliverance. Without the resurrection, Jesus becomes a liar, a fake and even worse than that, a delusional man. If Jesus has been raised then that changes EVERYTHING. We’ll talk about how the resurrection of Jesus changes everything and what...

Can you remember a time you were away from family or friends while they were facing a severe trial? Being away from those you love when you know they’re facing a trial is what Paul was experiencing. His longings and concerns are felt at every turn – a real overflow of emotion. What do Paul’s emotions for the Thessalonian church have to do with us? And how is it a pattern for us to follow? We’ll di...

We’ve all been hurt by someone with selfish motives. Because of that, there’s a lot of cynicism and skepticism towards people in general and leaders in particular. What were Paul’s motives for sharing the truth of Jesus with the Thessalonians? How did he behave when he was with them? We’ll look at motives and behavior reshaped by the gospel of Jesus.

It’s as if the Thessalonians' lives had been plugged into an amplifier and turned up as loud as it could go. Suffering and persecution had only highlighted their faith in Jesus. This brand-new church had a faith that was making some noise . What did their faith look like and more importantly what was the driving force behind it? 

Surprise Conclusions (Mark 15:42-16:8) Some of the best books or movies are the ones you think will end a certain way, but something happens,  leaving everyone surprised. While you’re still in shock and awe, the credits start to roll, or the book comes to an abrupt end. There are a few surprise conclusions in the book of Mark that lead us to the most abrupt and shocking end you can imagine. We’re...

We’ve come to the part of Mark that, for some, is familiar territory. In many ways that’s good, BUT we run the risk of assuming we know exactly what we’re looking at - the familiar turning into the mundane and losing its edge. We run the risk of reading it and quickly moving on. What’s happening on the pages of Scripture before us is a masterpiece like no other. This passage is the centerpiece of...

What happens when Jesus, the one who claims all authority to rule and judge, stands trial before the religious and political authorities of his day? What happens when Peter, the courageous follower of Jesus, faces another kind of trial before a servant girl? Marked by false-testimony, hidden agendas, self-preservation, and fear, these trials bring us into a trial of own. 

Jonah doesn’t at all want to do what God calls him to do. And what’s messing with him the most is what he knows about God. Ever felt like running? Ever question God? Ever get angry with God? Discover God’s response to an angry and resentful prophet and what all of it means for you.