Saint Paul’s Pod

Matthew’s story of John the Baptist reminds us of his remarkable life in the wilderness, uncompromising calls for repentance, direct confrontation with corruption and championing for justice at all costs. He lived by anything but the cultural norms. John’s vision of redemption meant complete destruction of the world. But Jesus comes along to show us that God’s love can transform. The world is preg...

The first week of advent, we look in two directions. We are preparing for Christmas, a time to remember and celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus. But we also look forward to the second coming of Christ. In opposition with the feverish consumerism and mandatory jolliness of the season, advent calls us to sit, wait and watch. We balance between expectation and memory. How do we prepare for the seco...

On Christ the King Sunday we celebrate Jesus, the king of the universe and our hearts. Luke’s story of the crucifixion reminds us of the truth in a confusing time during the rise of Christian nationalism. Let us not shrink Jesus down. Christian nationalism assumes God endorses has a national identity where God works for the world. God is bigger. We serve a God of all people, working for all people...

When there are times of persecution, where do you turn? Allow the holy scripture to feed your peace. Allow it to sturdy your foundation and plant your feet. Your belief in the truth of God’s word lets you know you’re never alone. God is in relentless pursuit of his creation, you. Scripture outlines a roadmap to navigate a holy life, a good, healthy and prosperous life but also how to navigate hard...

Throughout Saint Paul’s 275-year history, we have been a place of refuge for those seeking faith and the love of God. It is remarkable as we have loved our neighbors in one place for such a long time. For generations, Christians have gathered here; in peace and turmoil, in confidence and confusion. We don’t always live up to the calling, but we always point to the living God. We acknowledge our st...

We are on the cutting edge of a long line of faithful people. We are not the first generation to do this. We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses who have faced the trials of the world by loving God. The Gospel of Luke says that blessed are those who are poor, hungry and weep on this earth. God help us to love our enemies and bless those who curse us; to turn the other cheek. We’re on the...

Oh God, you have bound us together in a common light. Help us amid our struggles for justice and truth to confront one another without hatred and with respect. Amen Our lives together mean we struggle together. We are asking God to help us not become the injustice we confront. God doesn’t give up on any of us.

We aren’t perfect, but Jesus is. Jesus asks, when the son of man comes, will he find faith on earth? Yes, He will. Persistent prayer and unwavering faith will help us see clearly the difference between what is true and what is false. Jesus helps us stay focused on God’s grace. In this world there are threats, insecurities and fears. There are times when evil presents itself as truth. When the nois...

Consider God’s people in exile. The worst had happened as Jeremiah had warned. The people are shunned and the temple in ruins. They can only hope for a reversal, an escape hatch. But God through Jeremiah tells His people to build houses, plant gardens and grow families. To continue to live faithful lives. When our world feels helpless, we cannot pause and wait for deliverance. We still have work t...

The parable of the mustard seed illustrates the power of faith. Jesus taught that having faith "as a grain of mustard seed" is enough to accomplish the impossible. To strengthen our relationship with God we must have faith, steadfastness, courage and obedience. We must not be clouded by our worldly surroundings and allow faith to activate our life of service. Serving others furthers the kingdom of...

There is no barrier that can prevent us from experiencing God's love; however, it is essential that our hearts remain open. How we utilize our time, talents, and resources reflects the true state of our hearts. God is endlessly patient with humanity; yet, it is important to understand that patience does not equate to tolerance. The message of God's word is a profound love story — He is actively pu...

In the Old Testament, Jeramiah tells of a society in crisis; a world full of violence and filled with greed. Jesus comes 600 years later, and the world remains in a state of crisis filled with murder, oppression, neglect, lies, brokenness and wickedness. Where do we as Christians look when our world is fractured? We look to God. God is relying on hope and perseverance to bring all people into the...

What if poverty and wealth were honest with each other? Could they find riches in one another? Poverty has bounty in community while wealth has bounty in gifts and talents. Jesus lacked nothing in life, but he did not possess worldly wealth. In honesty with one another, we find a space of transformation. The space in between is a place where we grow. We must allow our Lord to navigate us to a tran...

False evidence appearing real…FEAR. The world bombards us constantly with negativity. We are challenged by fear morally, ethically and spiritually. Fear will attempt to control our thoughts, words and emotions. Proverbs tells us not to lean on our own understanding. But to trust in the Lord. In all our ways, acknowledge him. The word of the Lord must stay in our mind and serve as a compass to guid...

Before he dies, Jesus asks for unity among all people. This is usually how we see Him in hymns and stories—a peacemaker, gentle, meek and mild. While his heart remains pure, we see a different side of Jesus in Luke’s Gospel. Here Jesus yearns for fire on earth and embraces division among people. While we aren’t called to set fires of destruction or glorify division between neighbors, we are called...

In the Bible, many followers are acknowledged for their faithfulness and suffering, even unto death, for their beliefs. Today, we may not be called to death, but we can still make our lives a witness to the gospel. We can give our lives away to others. By giving to others, we can live more deeply and fully than before; mysteriously renewed in joy. It is God’s pleasure to give us the kingdom. Jesus...

The Parable of the Rich Fool, tells the story of a wealthy landowner whose crops were so abundant that he lacked storage space. He decides to tear down his existing barns and build larger ones to hoard his wealth for his own comfort and enjoyment. However, God calls him a fool. God has created us in community to care for and lean on one another. When we are more interested in our possessions than...

This week we hear about what it means to be "in" Christ. As humans we desire to belong. Paul tells the Galatians that as converts, they have been transformed "in" Christ with blessings of peace, protection, provision and providence.    This transformation also brings us together and allows an intimacy with the holy trinity. As we pray together each week, we can reshape our faith together, praying...

This week we look at the book of Luke and the story of Jesus visiting Martha and her sister Mary. Martha is busy with hosting responsibilities while Mary sits with Jesus. Jesus acknowledges this and encourages Martha to focus on her spirit rather than the worldly tasks that consume her.  It is easy to compare the sisters and say one is right, and one is wrong. It is easy to say those who are activ...

God has given us compassion. He has also given us empathy. The gospel of the Good Samaritan teaches us to love all, regardless of their background or social standing. May we walk in God's love and see all as our neighbor. There is no qualification to receive God's love. We are made in the image of God; therefore we should share His love openly.

Having loyalty to God and our loyalty to the nation are not identical. How do we navigate this? How do we see God’s perfection as inspiration? We follow Him by loving our neighbor. God cares how we live together and care for one another, but from what we can tell, God’s love for us is equally fierce no matter our nationality. Our primary citizenship is the Kingdom of God. PLUS NEW BONUS CONTENT A...

For freedom, Christ has set us free. The way to maintain our liberated lives is to be guided by the Holy Spirit. Our hearts crave God’s message: the way of redemption and freedom can only be found in Christ.

The first followers of Jesus received His gift of the Holy Spirit on the first Pentecost. How do we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit today? You may feel an urge to stay restful in safety inside the church. But the Holy Spirit drives us out into the world. The messy, needy world. As the body of Christ, we must burst out into the streets to bring the good news to those in need. The good news that...

Throughout the Bible we ready stories of God’s unmatched love and power. No struggle, sin or hurt is a match for God. What challenge are you facing today? It is no match for the Matchless King.

Late in the Easter season, we look forward to the coming of the Holy Spirit. Our mission in the new age when Jesus is not physically here, we/the church becomes the hands and feet of Jesus. Jesus told his disciples, “Peace I leave with you. My own peace I give to you...” What does it mean to have and share the peace of Jesus? It is not calm or indifferent peace. It is peace that sustains us in the...