Midtown Church Podcast

The story of Jesus, living, dying, and rising from death gets a lot of well-deserved attention; but sometimes we overlook another crucial mysterious scene in the narrative which is where we find ourselves today- “He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the father.” In the event known as Ascension, we discover that God is really here, that he has always been here, and that he dwe...

A natural disaster strikes, there is a random act of violence, and a loved one dies; with each headline, with each death– we are reminded of the fragility of life, of our own mortality, and that life takes place in a dangerous world. A world that is often more like a warzone than a garden. Death is all around us, but Jesus’ conquering of death is an invitation to a new way of life. Summary of the...

Suffering always seems to be looming under the surface of life. In these moments where we struggle, we reach out to God more frequently and fiercely than ever before. Just as we have learned to walk with Jesus on the mountaintops of life, we must learn to walk with him through the valley of suffering Summary of the Apostles’ Creed. The Apostle’s Creed is a summary of the Christian faith that depic...

Jesus is God in the flesh, a doctrine known as the incarnation. As the Apostle John points out the Creator joins His creation and demonstrates what it means to be human. Jesus teaches us how to delight in the goodness of the creation he calls good. Summary of the Apostles’ Creed. The Apostle’s Creed is a summary of the Christian faith that depicts the full story of scripture. The Apostle’s Creed c...

The Apostle’s Creed confesses that Jesus is God. Yet in His divinity, Jesus becomes human and stoops to serve. This is to say, the very essence or form of our Lord Jesus is both God and Servant. Summary of the Apostles’ Creed. The Apostle’s Creed is a summary of the Christian faith that depicts the full story of scripture. The Apostle’s Creed contains one of the most concise summaries of the Chris...

Summary of the Apostles’ Creed. The Apostle’s Creed is a summary of the Christian faith that depicts the full story of scripture. The Apostle’s Creed contains one of the most concise summaries of the Christian faith in straightforward scriptural language. It follows the narrative arch of scripture from creation to incarnation, crucifixion to resurrection, and Pentecost to life everlasting. The Apo...

For many, the description of God as the “Father Almighty” feels problematic. Paternal wounds color our emotions and create a conflict in us towards the God called “Father”. But Jesus invites us to know the God who exercises his power in self-giving love. Summary of the Apostles’ Creed The Apostle’s Creed is a summary of the Christian faith that depicts the full story of scripture. The Apostle’s Cr...

We have all come to realize that what we believe cannot be taken as the default of society anymore. We feel tugged, pulled, and pressured by alternative, rival stories about who we are and what we're here for. And in the face of those options and that pressure, we are plagued by doubt. Apostles’ Creed begins with the confession, “I believe in God”. This statement is not made without doubt; it is t...

The God spoken of in Psalm 99 is the God of all; ruling over the universe, might in all His ways, and fiercely just. The God revealed to the Hebrew prophets and in the life of Jesus cares immensely for how those created in his image are treated. THE POSITION OF GOD IN OUR CULTURE Position 01: God’s Reign “The Lord reigns, let the people tremble! He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth q...

The significance of Psalm 8 is that it is an invitation to look at creation and stand in awe of its Creator; the Creator of Heaven and Earth that is worthy of all praise! 3 things to keep in mind about the Book of Psalms: Composed of 150 Hebrew poems. 73 of them were written by David. Scholars say the Psalms are broken in 5 sections with an introduction and an ending. The ending is 5 chapters of p...

At one point or another, we’ve all felt forsaken– the experience of loneliness, isolation, and distance from God. In Psalm 22, that forsaken feeling becomes a question and prayer, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” The First Forsaken King “According to The Doe of the Dawn, A Psalm of David” Psalms by David normally have two headers: Of David, a Psalm A Psalm of David Psalms that start wit...

The story of David isn't one that celebrates only mountain tops; it's one that shows the struggles of life and God's faithfulness in the midst. Psalm 142, articulates these ups and downs and ultimately what it looks like to worship God through it all. Summary of Psalms Composed of 150 Hebrew poems. 73 of them were written by David. Scholars say the Psalms are broken into 5 sections with an introdu...

In this random list of names, more important than any individual name on the list, we catch a glimpse of the good life.  Paul concludes his letter to the Colossian people by recounting the work and ways in which God has worked with him and his closest companions. This simple list of names reveals that we are called to be a collaborative community; collaborating with God and one another. SUMMA...

Paul believed that prayer was central to living our new kingdom lives in the world; as citizens of this new Kingdom, it is essential that we understand what prayer is, why we pray, and how we pray. SUMMARY OF COLOSSIANS This letter is written to a young church: The Apostle Paul writes this letter from prison to a young church in the city of Colossae that they may grow in “maturity to Christ” (1:28...

Passages like Colossians 3:18-4:1 are known as “household codes” they provide instructions to Christian people on domestic matters. They define what a home life should look like, but many of these instructions seem outdated. At best these instructions seem antiquated; at worst outright misogynistic, domineering, and biased toward the wealthy. However, placed within Paul’s context these instru...

Everyone regardless of age, stage, ethnicity, culture, socioeconomic background, etc. has experienced some sort of disappointment, disillusionment, or hurt from people in the church. In order to be the community Paul imagines, the Church of Christ, we must practice forgiveness. Summary of Colossians This letter is written to a young church: The Apostle Paul writes this letter from prison to a youn...

Summary of Colossians This letter is written to a young church: The Apostle Paul writes this letter from prison to a young church in the city of Colossae that they may grow in “maturity to Christ” (1:28), despite the cultural pressures that they were experiencing. Christ began a new Kingdom: The foundation for resisting cultural pressure is recognizing we have been saved from ourselves and are now...

We regularly experience moments in our lives where our expectations for our own maturity and growth do not match reality. In Colossians 3:5-10, Paul challenges our disappointment with a vision for growth that is about learning to grow into the clothes we’ve already been given. “My life is not where I thought it would be.” Our expectations do not always line up with reality. Why haven’t I experienc...

3 Point Summary of Colossians 1. This letter is written to a young church: The Apostle Paul writes this letter from prison to a young church in the city of Colossae that they may grow in “maturity to Christ” (1:28), despite the cultural pressures that they were experiencing. 2. Christ began a new Kingdom: The foundation for resisting cultural pressure is recognizing we have been saved from ourselv...

3 Point Summary of Colossians This letter is written to a young church: The Apostle Paul writes this letter from prison to a young church in the city of Colossae that they may grow in “maturity to Christ” (1:28), despite the cultural pressures that they were experiencing. Christ began a new Kingdom: The foundation for resisting cultural pressure is recognizing we have been saved from ourselves and...

Many of us experience a soul-level weariness that feels like war, and the voice we choose to believe will either lead us into captivity or into victory.  3 Point Summary of Colossians This letter is written to a young church: The Apostle Paul writes this letter from prison to a young church in the city of Colossae that they may grow in “maturity to Christ” (1:28), despite the cultural pressur...

After building this foundation of who Christ is and reminding the Colasse church yet again that Jesus is the Messiah or the true savior, he gets to the purpose of his whole letter: spiritual maturity.  FAILURE TO LAUNCH You have heard it said:  “Kids these days don’t have the same work ethic as we did.” “Youth are lazy and self-indulgent. They only want to work in jobs that are prestigio...

The story of Redemption is written across human history and culminates in the resurrection of Jesus that first Easter; this is the story Paul tells in a short piece of poetry written to the Colossian church. WE’VE LOST A SENSE OF SHARED STORIES. “We are no longer in the era of broadcast, we are in the era of narrowcast, where different genres are made for different people. Nothing caters to everyo...

Throughout the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus consistently challenges the status quo, inviting His apprentices to live out his Kingdom. The final section of Jesus’ sermon offers three warnings that iterate a similar idea– put Jesus’ teachings into practice. “When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriv...

In Matthew 7:7-12, Jesus invites his apprentices to ask anything of God. Christ’s disciples can foster a life of prayer that goes to God with everything and then extends that goodness to all through the golden rule. The Sermon on the Mount The Sermon on the Mount is not an isolated speech. The whole sermon is Christ describing what life in the kingdom and allegiance to him looks like. Obedience to...