Oakhaven Church Podcast

As the first Christians celebrated the first "communions" together, their time at the table was characterized with overflowing Joy ( Acts 2:41-47 ). Communion is a party, not a funeral. It is something Jesus has given us to remind us of His triumphant resurrection, to be associated with the Freedom of Passover and His victory over death. He deliberately set the pattern of breaking bread...

As we look further at the table and all its resonance, we survey several of Luke's 10 accounts of Jesus at table during His ministry. In these instance of God being at table with His people, it is not only the topic of conversation that points to His kingdom breaking in, but those who are gathered round it. Tax collectors - seen as God's people's enemies ( Luke 5:27-31 ) - and a &qu...

We review three primary strands that come together at the table of Jesus with His disciples in Luke 22:7-23 . Across the year, Yahweh instituted various festivals for His people to celebrate as reminders of His faithfulness in specific moments in their life together. Spring brings Passover and Pentecost, other seasons bring Tabernacles, First Fruits, Trumpets, Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), Hannuk...

There's a lot going on during worship whether we're aware of it or not. This is especially true during communion, where literally millennia of resonance surround those moments. We begin a journey of seeing parallels in Israel's sacrificial system with the covenant meal of Exodus 24 . Sacrifices galore pave the way for 70 elders - by momentarily forgiving their sins - and they SIT AT...

We continue to explore the layers of background behind the table found in the fellowship meals after certain sacrifices in the Mosaic sacrificial system. Specifically, those sacrifices that celebrated relational peace (with God or fellow humans), those offered in thanksgiving, or those that sealed a vow were shared by the ones sacrificing along with the God. Often there was a GREAT DEAL OF BEEF -...

Our series on worship includes swaths of the book of Hebrews, particularly chapters 9 and 10 as they outline the extreme effectiveness of Jesus' sacrifice. In contrast to the old system of repeated sacrifices that never fully atoned for sin, Jesus' death on the cross is a one time only, once and for all deal. We are not able to lift a finger to accomplish our own salvation: Jesus has don...

While the story of Jesus and Peter walking on water in Matthew 14 doesn't directly discuss worship, the truths imparted by the powerful story show us the way forward in all our life, including in worship. Jesus' power over all things is a given, and He imparts some of that power to Peter when the apostle is focused on Jesus. The storm is still raging around the fisherman. Jesus hasn&apos...

This is the second sermon in a series on "Going to Church," as in, why bother? Last time we looked at the example Jesus set in His own life of worship. If ever there was someone qualified to stay out of church because He didn't need to be there, it was Jesus. Instead, He embraced a vibrant worship life that kept the cadence of the year in celebrating God's story with His people...

The simplest answer to "Why go to church?" is another question. Are you following (or trying to follow) Jesus? If so, then go to church because He sure did. He was part of worship and singing the Psalms, sat at the table to eat fellowship sacrifices, and celebrated festivals throughout the year to retell the story of God's faithfulness. Whether or not you go to church isn't all...

The Holy Spirit is given to Christ followers in order to enable and empower them to bear witness to the Great News of Jesus Christ. In Luke 12:11-12, the Spirit is promised to "teach you at that very hour what you ought to say." In addition to words, the Spirit bears fruit in our lives of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control (the very...

Lament is found throughout scripture. On this gathering date, 130,000 Americans had died from the corona virus and COVID-19. We spend time in lament for the great loss of life, hearing the story of four individuals to represent the vast number of others.  We then look at the story in Mark 4:35-41, where Jesus calls the fierce storm around the boat He and His disciples are in, and look at the paral...

We return to our series on the Holy Spirit and explore the role He plays in establishing and confirming our identities and sons and daughters of The King. The seal placed upon us claims us as belonging to and under the protection of Jesus Christ. Created in God's Image, the Spirit empowers us to bear that image well in both a life of ongoing sanctification (repenting of our sins and walking m...

In Acts 1:8, Jesus indicates that the primary purpose of Holy Spirit in our lives is to empower our bearing witness to Jesus. Everything the Spirit does is part of this: gifts He gives, fruits He bears, the sanctification He fosters, the words He gives us, the precious identity He confirms in us, the nudges, the shoves….  All given to us so that WE CAN BE VESSELS OF THE GREAT NEWS OF Jesus Christ....

The primary purpose of the Spirit in our lives is to empower and enable us to bear witness to Jesus Christ. As part of this process, the Spirit fosters the bearing of certain fruits in our lives and personalties: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. Paul lists these in Galatians 5 in contrast to the inclinations of the flesh, which is in confl...

The coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost has instituted the reversal of three curses or consequences from sin in Genesis. Humans are exiled from God's presence in Genesis; the presence of God With Us - Emmanuel at the front edge of Luke's Gospel - is spread across humanity with the Spirit's outpouring on Pentecost. The curse of Eve as she is put under the rule of Adam, encoded in...

Key elements of God's covenant with Abraham fall into place fulfilled in dramatic fashion on the Feast of Pentecost. 15 nations hear the good news in their own languages proclaimed by 120 disciples fulfilling Joel 2 prophecies at the same time. The exclusivity of the past is gone with the coming of the Spirit: neither age nor gender nor station bar believers from exercising their gifts in pro...

After resurrection, Jesus remains on earth for a symbolic 40 days. 40 has powerful symbolism in scripture, beginning with the story of Noah and the 40 days and nights of rain that cleanses of the past and prepares for the future. When Moses leaves Egypt he spends 40 years in Midian becoming a shepherd. Jesus begins his ministry with 40 days and nights in the wilderness in a time of cleansing and p...

Faulty expectations always lead to disappointment. Jesus' disciples expect a very different sort of Messiah from what they got. He was by and large far quieter, gentler, and more under the radar than they ever thought He'd be. We may expect Him to provide us with prosperity and ease - the health and wealth several popular teachers espouse.  The evening of His resurrection, Jesus comes up...

Jesus' resurrection begins New Creation, the penultimate phase of God's plan. He is the firstfruits, the prototype of what/who we will be when the new heaven AND NEW EARTH are here (2 Peter 3:13).  Timing is important: Jesus went first. Our day will come WHEN HE DOES. The goal is that God may be all in all. The greatest outcome and destiny and purpose of God Himself and of all humanity w...

The Gospel of Matthew begins with the birth of Immanuel - God With Us. It ends with Jesus promising that "I Am with you always, even to the end of the age." As Risen Lord, Jesus is the King of the Universe and commissions us to spread the news of His victory and love to all around us. We speak, walk, and teach in His authority, NOT OUR OWN. He is with us "all the days," until H...

Mary Magdalene seems to be deliberately chosen instead of the disciples' "pillars," Peter and John, to be the sole witness to Jesus' resurrection on Easter morning. She is commissioned to share the first Gospel message to all others.  The plan begun with Abraham has reached its primary goal in the resurrection of the Messiah. The time is fulfilled as the journey begun in the ga...

God promises in Leviticus 26:11 that "I will put my dwelling place among you... I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people."  God makes His dwelling among us in Christ Jesus (John 1:14). God's people's identity is derived from His faithfulness and from their special relationship with Him.  He brings peace that lasts forever. Ezekiel 37:23-26. God will clea...

Jesus' resurrection vindicates everything He's ever said as true (Mark 8). It proves His deity (Romans 1). It releases us from bondage (Romans 4:23-25). It entitles Him to and places Him in a position of greatest glory.  Thomas is the peak of the Gospel of John when he exclaims, "My Lord and My God!" John's masterpiece has 7 I Am statements, 7 signs, underscored with his p...

Worshipping God is more than singing a few songs at him once a week. Or at least it should be! To investigate this most important of stories further, go here . 

As the pandemic shifts our relationships and creates a new normal, we can still BE Jesus to those around us. In fact, we are CALLED to do so, and do so with imagination and joy as His vessels of care in the face of uncertainty.  To investigate this most important of stories further, go here .