First Love Church

What if the power of unity and the sacredness of community could alter the very lens through which we view our lives? This episode brings us together, across vast physical distances, yet intimately connected, as we explore our collective ability to transform the world through love. Our gathering is a testament to the power of connectivity, and we express heartfelt gratitude for each one of you who...

John 14:1-14 Do not let your hearts be troubled. Support the show This podcast is made possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors.  If you would like to support the ongoing work of First Love Church you can donate at https://www.firstlovechurch.org/giving In the service of LOVE, Pastors Dennis and Heather Drake

John 14:15-21 15 "If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. 17 This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you. 18 "I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. 19 In...

John 10:1-10 Jesus declares Himself to be the Good Shepherd.   What is this imagery meant to invoke? What lessons are being taught with this claim?   Jesus makes claims that contradict empire- His followers don't understand.  This is one of the I am statements regarding Jesus' own narrative of who He is.  Jesus again declares that He is the way to relationship with the Father.  Support t...

Luke 24:13-35 This scene is set on the same day as the women’s discovery of the empty tomb from last week. We learn that two disciples are walking, leaving Jerusalem to make the seven-mile jaunt to Emmaus. Why are they leaving Jerusalem? Do they fear for their lives now that Jesus has been executed? We don’t really know. All Luke tells us is that they are grieved about their recent experience. The...

The Easter Season provides opportunities for the church to reflect on the biblical witness concerning the rumors of the resurrection. It is still the first day of the week, according to the written record. So much happened from sunrise to evening on that day to turn the world over and over again, worshipers today can linger in the original testimony. For some, it is still news that the entire witn...

Matthew 5:13-20 Jesus calls us to be salt, to serve in the way we were designed to serve. But what if we do not? What if we lose our saltiness? What if we hide the light under a basket? The call of the Sermon of the Mount is high and costly and risky. The darkening of the light, the loss of the salt’s saltiness is not without consequence. Jesus makes clear that he is not overthrowing the law and t...

Jesus calls us to be Salt and Light a narrative and a command. Support the show This podcast is made possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors.  If you would like to support the ongoing work of First Love Church you can donate at https://www.firstlovechurch.org/giving In the service of LOVE, Pastors Dennis and Heather Drake

Our friend and guest minister Jonathan Martin. Support the show This podcast is made possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors.  If you would like to support the ongoing work of First Love Church you can donate at https://www.firstlovechurch.org/giving In the service of LOVE, Pastors Dennis and Heather Drake

Jonathan Martin is our guest minister  Support the show This podcast is made possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors.  If you would like to support the ongoing work of First Love Church you can donate at https://www.firstlovechurch.org/giving In the service of LOVE, Pastors Dennis and Heather Drake

Acts 10:9-38 There is power in this account of the Apostle Peters vision and subsequent obedience, power to challenge our ways of thinking. The gospel the good news is so much better than we dared imagine, and it's for everyone.   Support the show This podcast is made possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors.  If you would like to support the ongoing work of First Love Church you can...

Acts 10:9-38 This account challenges our thinking the same way today as it did when the church was young. Peter has a divine encounter and obeys what He acknowledges is God's direction. And subsequently Cornelius and the large congregation in his home hear the good news and are filled with the Holy Spirit. There is a challenge today that asks us to hear the message and open wide our gates.  T...

Romans 15:4-13 2nd Sunday of Advent From the beginning of the letter Paul has argues that the Gospel is for both Jews and Greeks (Romans 1:14-17). So we have here a climax both to Paul’s argument and to his way of arguing. Paul makes it clear in Romans 15:4 that the past (“whatever was written in former days”) was meant for this very present time (“written for our instruction”), in order to give h...

Creating your world through prayer.  Joseph uses 2 new testament stories to remind us about the power of prayer.   Support the show This podcast is made possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors.  If you would like to support the ongoing work of First Love Church you can donate at https://www.firstlovechurch.org/giving In the service of LOVE, Pastors Dennis and Heather Drake

Thomas Drake offers a sermon  Support the show This podcast is made possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors.  If you would like to support the ongoing work of First Love Church you can donate at https://www.firstlovechurch.org/giving In the service of LOVE, Pastors Dennis and Heather Drake

Luke 17:11-19 Jesus heals the ten lepers- one- the Samaritan- returns to give thanks.   When we recognize the work of God in our lives and in the world the response should be return and give thanks.  The practice of gratitude allows us to be mindful and to practice kingdom influence and rule in our lives. Support the show This podcast is made possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors.  If y...

Luke 16 In response to the scandal of His table practices and the anger of the religious establishment,  Jesus continues to offer alternate narratives on what God is like and what is blessed.   Lazarus lives everyday in poverty and need, the unnamed rich man lives in luxury.  Eventually both the rich man and Lazarus die, as all do, regardless of social position (Luke 16:22). Our social status and...

Luke 16 In response to the scandal of His table practices and the anger of the religious establishment,  Jesus continues to offer alternate narratives on what God is like and what is blessed.   Lazarus lives everyday in poverty and need, the unnamed rich man lives in luxury.  Eventually both the rich man and Lazarus die, as all do, regardless of social position (Luke 16:22). Our social status and...

1 Timothy 6:6-19          2 Corinthians 9:6-13 2 Corinthians 9:13 says this, “Through the testing of this ministry you glorify God by your obedience to the confession of the Gospel of Christ and by the generosity of your sharing.” The pairing of confession with generosity is the culmination of two chapters of reflection on generosity in giving and sharing. It is useful to quote from 2 Corinthians...

Luke 15:11-32 The table practices of Jesus were scandalous and getting Him into further trouble with the Pharisees.  This parable is part of the set of three, the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son, that offer a new perspective on the God that Jesus knows.  This portion of the parable tells the story of the prodigal son - but more importantly invites us to become like the Father in welcom...

Luke 15:11-32 The table practices of Jesus were scandalous and getting Him into further trouble with the Pharisees.  This parable is part of the set of three, the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son, that offer a new perspective on the God that Jesus knows.  This portion of the parable tells the story of the prodigal son - but more importantly invites us to become like the Father in welcom...

Luke 15:1-10 Jesus tell us what God is like.  God is like a Shepard, God is like a woman.  These parables tell us things about our Father that we had gotten wrong.  Sheep wander but we are reminded that coins do not lose themselves.  A Father who looks for us even when those who were supposed to care for us, value us and protect us failed.  In our places of brokenness, lostness, that we ourselves...

Luke 14:25-33 Follow Me- into a life where family means more than those who look just like you. Carrying the cross is a daily struggle and the commitment must be renewed every day when confronted with the temptation to lay it down (Luke 9:23-25). Perhaps what Jesus means by hating family is to refuse to live by narrow, exclusive ideas of family when it comes to meeting human needs and contributing...

Luke 14:1,7-14  The Seating Chart-  Give up your VIP tickets...... Jesus is invited to dinner at the Pharisees house..... At dinner the Pharisees closely watch Jesus; this was not first time (Luke 14:1; refer to 6:7 to see if Jesus would heal on the Sabbath). Likewise, Jesus is very observant of the behavior of the dinner guests (14:7). Their problematic snobby and exclusive behavior prompts Jesus...

Luke 14:1,1-14 Jesus is invited to dinner at a Pharisees house, there he sees trouble.  People clamoring for the good seats, seats of honor, and Jesus offers us another way. Luke’s Gospel begins with this theme of lifting up the marginalized and oppressed. When Elizabeth, a childless married woman, conceives, she declares that God took away her social shame and exalted her (Luke 1:24-25). Mary, a...