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Don’t Leave Sad
October 24, 2024
At the end of the 10th chapter of Mark’s Gospel Jesus is approached by a rich man who feels lost. We wants to know how to discover a life worth...
Get Salty
October 04, 2024
At the end of the 9th chapter of Mark’s Gospel Jesus answers one of the disciples questions concerning the casting out of evil. Apparently, they were uncomfortable with someone exerting...
Even the Dogs
September 12, 2024
In today’s story from Mark 7 we consider an encounter between Jesus and a foreign woman asking for help. At first, in a very un-Jesus-like manner, he treats her very...
We’re About to Find Out
August 15, 2024
Today’s message reflects on a story we’ve been discussing for the past two weeks, the story of Jesus’ feeding of the 5000. This time, we’ll consider the story from the...
Seeing People
July 26, 2024
Today’s message is really part two of a talk I gave a week prior at my church. However, this week’s works as a standalone as well. It considers two passages...
All Covered in Dust
July 12, 2024
Today’s Bible passage for consideration has two quite memorable lines, those being: 1.) “A prophet is without honor in their hometown” (Mark 6:4), and 2.) “If any place will not...
Two Daughters
July 09, 2024
There are two miracle stories of Jesus that are presented to us in an interlocking fashion. These stories are found in Mark 5 and are about the restoration of two...
Mustard Beats Oak
June 22, 2024
Jesus told many parables to help his disciples better understand God and God’s values. Today’s is no exception. In it, Jesus calls our attention to a mustard bush to make...
House(s) Divided
June 13, 2024
Abraham Lincoln once delivered a speech at the 1858 Republican National Convention now called ‘A House Divided.’ What you may not know is that this title comes from a much...
The Patterns Repeat
June 06, 2024
Today, we’ll be considering two passages from the Bible, found in 1 Samuel 2 and Luke 1, respectively. In those passages are contained the stories of two women (three, really)...
In the Name(s)
May 31, 2024
This episode was recorded on the Eve of Trinity Sunday. The Doctrine of the Trinity, you may already know, is a tough nut to crack. Which is why I’d rather...
Where is the Heat?
May 28, 2024
This episode corresponds with Pentecost Sunday; the day Christians celebrate the empowering of the Church by way of God’s Holy Spirit. While the fire burned bright on Pentecost, Christians have...
After Jesus Left
May 17, 2024
This week’s episode is a recording of a message Heath gave live on Ascension Sunday. In that story Jesus left his disciples, but they were not left without something to...
No Fear in Love
May 15, 2024
In this message we’ll cover an iconic passage from the Letter called 1st John. In the 5th chapter we read about how ‘God is love.’ And, that there is no...
Hearing the Voice
April 25, 2024
This Sunday we’ll be considering a passage about a shepherd and their sheep found in John 10:1-10. This shepherd can call the sheep to what they need to live well...
What can broiled fish mean
April 19, 2024
In Luke 24 Jesus appears to his disciples in a series of encounters, each revealing something profound about the risen Christ. Today we consider a story in which Jesus requests...
If We Could Believe
April 12, 2024
The after Easter slump is upon us. While it is customary for us to turn to the Doubting Thomas story on the week after Easter (John 20:19-31), this year we’ll...
Remembering Eclipses
April 04, 2024
Two events have dominated our horizon of late: Easter and the pending solar eclipse. There was a time when eclipses were little understood and seemed as unpredictable and miraculous as...
Join the Parade
April 02, 2024
Today, we’ll consider a story that tells of Jesus’ “triumphal” entry into Jerusalem on the week of his death. His parade stood as a stark contrast to the other parades...
Do Seeds Die?
March 21, 2024
In today’s passage from the Bible, we encounter a short metaphor/parable meant to help us think through what we must let go of in life so that new life may...
Born From Above
March 14, 2024
John 3:16 may well be the most popular, oft-quoted verses in the Bible. These words are loved for their wide, expansive, and loving scope. However, these words are bracketed by...
Let’s Build a Building
March 07, 2024
New temples (holy spaces) arise wherever the church gathers in the name of love for God and one another. As old temples fall, what new temples will spring up by...
Into the Wilderness
February 22, 2024
Today, we’ll consider a story that should be familiar by now. It’s found in the 1st chapter of the Gospel of Mark and tells of Jesus’ temptations in the wilderness....
Pulling Back the Veil
February 15, 2024
Today, we are considering a story from the Bible about an event Christians call ‘The Transfiguration.’ We’ll be considering the version found in Mark 9. There it is recorded that...
What is Saved?
February 08, 2024
What does it mean to be “saved”? What does it mean for Jesus to save someone? Many today believe that to be saved means to have their soul saved for...
With Authority
February 01, 2024
Stories about evil spirits strain our credulity or give many of us the creeps. It is hard for modern readers to tap into the wisdom of bible passages that talk...
We Leave Some Things Behind
January 25, 2024
In this episode we consider a passage from Mark 1:14-20 where Jesus calls us to leave what is familiar, and sometimes comfortable, for a future that is unknown. Although the...
Come and See
January 15, 2024
In this episode, we’ll be considering a story from the Gospel of John where we read of the first disciples inviting one another to “come and see” who they had...
Barren
December 29, 2023
This week, we’ll be going over a passage from the Bible that contains the stories of two pregnant women. Each of these women come from different life circumstances, so the...
Christmas is Our Help
December 28, 2023
In the last episode we read about John the Baptist and how he loudly proclaimed, to anyone who would listen, that their help was on the way. This week we’ll...
Help is on the Way
December 19, 2023
This week we’ll consider a section from the very first chapter of Mark’s gospel. I’m referring here to the part where John the Baptist is introduced as the harbinger of...
Apocalypse Now!
December 12, 2023
This week we’ll consider a section of one of Jesus’ sermons that is apocalyptic in nature. That is, by his words he wants to reveal something true about God’s desires,...
Suffer the Children…
November 30, 2023
This week we’ve a fairly well-known bible passage. It’s the one where Jesus is being bombarded by mothers bringing their infant children to him, probably to receive a blessing. (Luke...
Our Talents
November 21, 2023
Today, we’re going to be going over another one of Jesus’ parables found in Matthew 25:14-30. It’s the one from which we get the word ‘talent.’ As in, you are...
Burning the Midnight Oil
November 17, 2023
Today we’ll consider a parable Jesus told as recorded in the 25th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. In verses 1-13 is told a story of 10 bridesmaids who were...
About Tomorrow
November 10, 2023
Today’s message marks the 4th in a series in which Northwood will consider some of Jesus’ teachings about money and possessions. Today, we’ll be learning from some of the teachings...
What Catches the Eye
November 09, 2023
Today’s episode marks the 3rd in a series in which Northwood will consider some of Jesus’ teachings about money and possessions. Today, we’ll be learning from some of the teachings of Jesus...
Where Your Heart Is
November 01, 2023
Today’s episode marks the 2nd in a series in which Northwood will consider some of Jesus’ teachings about money and possessions. Today, we’ll be learning from some of the teachings...
Its Own Reward
October 19, 2023
Today’s episode marks the beginning of Northwood’s Stewardship Season, a time when we discuss money, our possessions, and what to do with them. Today’s episode sets the stage for this...
It’s Not What You Know…
October 11, 2023
Today’s episode considers another parable Jesus told that, as was the case last week, is also set in a vineyard. This own is found in the Gospel of Matthew 21:28-32....
It’s Not What You Do…
September 28, 2023
Today’s episode considers a parable Jesus told in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 20. There, he tells a parable about workers in a vineyard who, at the end of the...
Try and Forgive
September 21, 2023
This week’s episode attempts to tackle a very large and challenging topic. It’s all about forgiveness. We’ll approach the topic by way of a passage from the Bible found in...
Tearing Up the Walls
September 14, 2023
This week’s episode reflects on some teachings of Jesus found in Matthew 18:15-20. This passage is about how to deal with conflict in a community. Jesus’ step-by-step instructions provide a...
Stumbling Blocks
September 07, 2023
Last week we considered Peter’s confession of faith as recorded in Matthew 16. We discussed the time and place where he made that confession and how his words were very...
Who Do You Say?
August 30, 2023
Moving right through the Gospel of Matthew, today we read about an interaction between Jesus and his disciples; one that called them to consider where true power lies. It’s found...
Even the Dogs
August 23, 2023
Today, we’ll consider a story from the Gospel of Matthew that is quite disturbing on it’s face. It’s found in the 15th chapter. It tells of a woman who approaches...
Treading Water
August 16, 2023
Today, we’ll consider a story from the Gospel of Matthew chapter 14. It’s a fairly well-known story about Jesus walking on tumultuous waters. The waters carried symbolic significance in Jesus’...
Bring What You Have
August 07, 2023
Today, we’ll consider the only Miracle Story about Jesus that is recorded in all four of the gospels. The version we’ll be going over is found in Matthew 14:13-21. Here...
Pulling Weeds
July 24, 2023
Today we’ll consider a parable of Jesus recorded in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 13. It is about weeds and wheat growing together in a field and what to do...
It’s in the Soil
July 11, 2023
In this episode we consider one of Jesus’ most well-known parables: the Parable of the Sower. This parable calls us to a greater love, to endure through hardships, and to...
Ambassador
July 05, 2023
In this episode we consider some statements made by Jesus in Matthew 10:40-42. In this passage Jesus tells his disciples of the reward that is received by those who treat...
Through the Tension
June 26, 2023
In this episode we consider some statements made by Jesus in Matthew 10:24-39. Some of these are are hard words to for us to hear, for they warn us of...
Not Enough Help
June 20, 2023
In this episode we consider some statements made by Jesus in Matthew 9. Upon looking at the mass of people in need of help, he remarks how “…the harvest is...
New/Old Wineskins
June 12, 2023
Today we consider two parables told by Jesus about our need to be flexible and adaptable to life-giving changes in our community. It is human nature to be resistant to...
In Three Persons
June 05, 2023
This week’s episode corresponds with Trinity Sunday, a minor Christian Holiday in its own right. It is what it sounds like: a day on which we celebrate the Christian doctrine...
The Spirit is for Us All
May 29, 2023
In today’s episode we’ll go over a story about Moses and his many travails with the people he was called to lead. He was frustrated, felt isolated, and alone in...
When the Savior Leaves
May 22, 2023
Jesus spends a fair amount of time in the Gospel of John preparing his disciples for his departure from them. They react to news that he will be leaving them...
About Idols
May 15, 2023
We religious folk have sometimes made it a point to highlight and amplify the differences between human communities, customs, and cultures. In today’s story, found in Acts 17:22-31, we read...
In God’s House
May 08, 2023
Jesus once described what it is like in God’s house. Using imagery and metaphors we can relate to, Jesus described God’s dwelling as a place where one can find love,...
Devoted to One Another
May 01, 2023
The Book of Acts writes of the early Church. What we find there is a community that is devoted to many things but is especially devoted to one another. Our...
Communion
April 24, 2023
The claims of Christianity can be hard to believe, and it is understandable why many struggle to believe in this unbelievable hope. Just what does it take to convince someone...
Room to Doubt
April 17, 2023
Today, we consider a well-worn story about someone and their doubts. The story of Doubting Thomas can be found in the Gospel of John chapter 20, and has long served...
Hope for Us All
April 11, 2023
The Northwood Podcast is back, after a long hiatus. This week we celebrate Easter. This is the day we remember Jesus’ death and resurrection. This story calls us to hope...
Catching a Glimpse
February 08, 2023
This week we’ll be considering a story found in Luke 2. It’s about when Jesus was presented as an infant to the Temple, as was customary. There, he was met...
Upside Down World
February 02, 2023
This week we’ll be considering some of Jesus’ most famous teachings, The Beatitudes. You can read them in Matthew 5:1-12. It is important to remember that Jesus is here describing the...
Not Alone
January 24, 2023
This week we’ll be considering a passage from the Gospel of Matthew 4:12-23. Here we read of Jesus’ calling of his first disciples. They were called away from what was...
Come and See… What Exactly?
January 19, 2023
This week we’ll be considering a passage from the 1st chapter of the Gospel of John. In that chapter is described the beginnings of Jesus’ movement and the process by...
Troubled Waters
January 09, 2023
This week we’ll be considering Matthew’s account of Jesus’ baptism. (Matthew 3:13-17) One of the things that catches John the Baptist off guard in this story is the very request...
God is Still With Us
January 03, 2023
Christmas has come and gone. Life is returning to normal, which may not be a good thing. Themes of Hope, Peace,, Joy, and Love overcame the anxieties of the time,...
God is With Us
December 20, 2022
We are told in the Bible that “God is with us,” but there are seasons in life when it feels as though God has abandoned us. Lately, the human race...
Waiting is Not Easy
December 14, 2022
Waiting is not easy. This is no revelation; that we all find ourselves waiting for things to change for the better. This message considers some wisdom found in the Epistle...
Don’t Forget About the Roots
December 09, 2022
In today’s story we read a selection from the Prophet Isaiah. In Isaiah 11:1-10, the prophet paints a picture for his people’s future that is grand, expansive, and nearly too...
Wake Up! You’re Missing It
December 07, 2022
Today’s message marks the kickoff of Advent. And, per usual, we’ll be considering some of the apocalyptic sayings of Jesus; things he said concerning the coming breaking in of God’s...
Pause, and Say ‘Thanks’
December 06, 2022
In today’s story we read about a man who, upon being restored to health, returned to Jesus (the source of his healing) to express his joy and gratitude. His example...
When Temples Fall (Have Fallen)
November 15, 2022
Much of what has been familiar and dependable has changed or is gone. This reality has likely been true for most generations. The question becomes: How is one to live...
How to Live
November 08, 2022
The prophet Habakkuk wrote during a time of great duress, yet he was not willing to give up on his people’s future. He did not believe God would abandon the...
On Earth as it is in Heaven pt. 4 – Delivered
November 03, 2022
This message marks the fourth in a series on the Lord’s Prayer. This series corresponds with Northwood’s yearly stewardship campaign; a time when we look hopefully into the next year...
On Earth as it is in Heaven pt. 3 – Keeping All the Tickets
October 26, 2022
This message marks the third in a series on the Lord’s Prayer. This series corresponds with Northwood’s yearly stewardship campaign; a time when we look hopefully into the next year...
On Earth as it is in Heaven pt. 2 – Debt and Daily Bread
October 17, 2022
This message marks the second in a series on the Lord’s Prayer. This series corresponds with Northwood’s yearly stewardship campaign; a time when we look hopefully into the next year...
On Earth as it is in Heaven pt. 1 – The Realm Comes
October 10, 2022
This message marks the first in a series on the Lord’s Prayer. This series corresponds with Northwood’s yearly stewardship campaign; a time when we look hopefully into the next year...
Insulated Life
October 05, 2022
Today, we’ll be going over a Bible passage found in Luke 16:19-31. In this passage Jesus tells a parable about a rich man who could not see his poor neighbor...
Playing the Game
September 29, 2022
Today, we’ll be going over a Bible passage found in Luke 16:1-15. In this passage Jesus tells a parable about a manager who gamed the system to his advantage. Jesus...
Lost Saints
September 13, 2022
Today, we’ll be going over a Bible passage found in Luke 15:1-7. In this passage, Jesus tells us a parable meant to help open us understand the depths of God’s...
Worth Every Penny
September 06, 2022
Today, we’ll be going over a Bible passage found in Luke 14:25-33. In this passage, Jesus warns his disciples upfront about the cost of being his disciple. His warnings are...
More of the Same
August 29, 2022
Today, we’ll be going over a Bible passage found in Luke 20:27-40. In this story, Jesus is confronted by a religious leader with a question about marriage. But at root...
Can’t Stand Straight
August 22, 2022
Today, we’ll be going over a Bible passage found in Luke 13:10-17. In this story, Jesus is approached by a woman with a bent back, who has been unable to...
Surprise!!!
August 08, 2022
We’re back from a long hiatus to go over a Bible passage found in Luke 12:32-40. Here, Jesus tells two parables meant to prepare the people for something amazing; some...
Where the Spirit of the Lord Is… (Luke 4:21-30)
February 16, 2022
In today’s story Jesus reads from the prophet Isaiah. In the passage he reads the prophet casts a vision for the people that is beyond what they dared to hope...
Awkward at the Table
October 07, 2021
Today, we’re going to be going over a story from the Bible found in the Gospel of Mark 2:13-17. In the story we discover that Jesus was not adverse to...
Words of death, words of life
September 16, 2021
Today, we’re going to be going over a passage in the Bible found in the Epistle of James 3:1-12. We won’t read it in total for the sake of time,...
Investments
August 13, 2021
Today, we are going to continue to talk about the topic of last week which was hope. We’ll approach the topic by way of the prophet Jeremiah who was challenged...
Hope and Future Figs
August 05, 2021
Today’s topic for conversation is hope; hope for our future, especially in the face of uncertainty and calamity. It may seem that there are few reasons to hope in the...
Enough to Go Around
July 21, 2021
One day, thousands of years ago, twelve persons were tasked with feeding thousands of people. Jesus turned the twelve and said, “You feed them.” The disciples pushed back, and gist...
Prophets in Our Midst
July 08, 2021
Jesus once famously said, “Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown” (Mark 6:4). In other words, the prophets we are most apt to miss are the ones most...
Healer pt. 2 – Two Daughters
July 01, 2021
If you listened to last week’s message you’ll know that we began a two part series meant to prompt the question: In what ways might we bring healing and wholeness...
Healer pt. 1 – You’ll Never Know…
June 24, 2021
We will never be fully aware of the ways our lives impact those around us. We are, each and every day, influencing the lives of others for good or for...
In the Storm
June 16, 2021
The storms of life are bound to find us, and they can leave us feeling disoriented, afraid, or hopeless. Jesus once found himself asleep in a boat during a violent...
She’ll Find You
May 05, 2021
Mother’s Day Special: The Bible includes multiple instances where God’s ways and nature are described using feminine language and metaphor. When we do not see God reflected in our mothers,...
God on Paper
April 22, 2021
God constantly strives to reconcile humanity in spite of all our divisions. The spirit of God is on the move calling all peoples across traditions together. We must try and...
Between Fear and Awe
April 04, 2021
Mark’s telling of the Easter story concludes with more questions than answers. It calls us to live in the tension between hope and fear. Much of life is lived in...