Passages Podcast
Weekly podcast to prepare for worship.
Preparing for "To Tell the Truth" | Sermon for April 28, 2024
April 28, 2024 • Rev. Dr. Craig S. Brown • Esther 7
The story of Esther is a gripping tale of conspiracy, intrigue, and integrity. Here we find a great hero in Esther, who defies all constraints placed upon her. She is the agent of God's justice where evil is exposed. She saves herself and her people by being true to who she is.
Preparing for "Make Room for Amazing" | Sermon for April 21, 2024
April 21, 2024 • Rev. Dr. Craig S. Brown • Hebrews 5:11–14
When we don't know where we are going in life or are simply confused, we often think it is easier to retreat inward. Our response of fear in these situations will bring isolation rather than openness. The followers of Jesus are called to live lives of "salt and light" which means that we must be open to sharing ourselves with the world.
Preparing for "Make Your Everything for God" | Sermon on April 14, 2024
April 14, 2024 • Rev. Dr. Craig S. Brown • Colossians 3:12–17
Being thankful and expressing gratitude do not come easy for all of us. They are both expressions of deeper commitments we have each made. Thanksgiving and gratitude exist because of our commitments to compassion, grace, humility, and most of all, love. This week's episode explores how Christians are called to gather together in community to worship the God who is the most generous of all.
Preparing for "Paint a One-Handed Life" | Sermon for April 7, 2024
April 7, 2024 • Rev. Dr. Craig S. Brown • Philippians 3:7–11
Businesses large and small take time to look at their income and expense statements. Were there losses? Where did we gain? When do we take such a survey of our own life in light of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus? This week, the Apostle Paul guides us through his way of counting the costs of being a follower of Jesus. Perhaps we, too, can learn how to make Jesus the all-consuming center of our lives.
Preparing for "Finding Hope in Every Moment" | Sermon for March 31, 2024
March 31, 2024 • Rev. Dr. Craig S. Brown • John 20:1–18
The story of Jesus' resurrection is filled with many different emotions. There is joy, wonder, confusion, and even fear present in this story. What emerges by the end of this text is a beautiful sense of hope which emerges in the presence of the risen Jesus. That same hope can be ours today!
Preparing for "The Humble Way" | Sermon for Sunday, March 24, 2024 (Palm Sunday)
March 24, 2024 • Rev. Dr. Craig S. Brown • Mark 11:1–11
Jesus' entrance into the city of Jerusalem shortly before his death and resurrection is a moment of celebration. In Mark's version of this story, we see no large crowds, a Jesus who says nothing, and all of it happening on a donkey. Humility is center stage as Jesus is welcomed as the Messiah. How can humility and power go together? This week's episode explores how it can happen.
Prepare for "How Christians Get Together" | Sermon for March 17, 2024
March 17, 2024 • Rev. Dr. Craig S. Brown • Acts 6:1–6
Being a community, or even a family, can be hard at times. Everyone has opinions and, most of the time, we are not always willing to change our mind or even listen carefully to others. There is a special way Christians live in community where tough decisions are generous and grace-filled. This week's episode explores how that can happen.
Preparing for "Body Training with God" | Sermon for March 10, 2024
March 10, 2024 • Rev. Dr. Craig S. Brown • Matthew 6:16–18
The discipline of fasting is enjoying a revival. Many people practice intermittent fasting or abstain from certain foods during the year. (I'm looking at you Dry January!) Fasting has always been woven deep into the Bible even including Jesus himself. In this only text where Jesus teaches on fasting, we find important lessons on how fasting can shape the heart and soul.
Preparing for "The Grace of Holy Communion" - Sermon for March 3, 2024
March 3, 2024 • Rev. Dr. Craig S. Brown • 1 Corinthians 11:23–34
Holy Communion is a special time in the life of any church's worship and in the lives of people. We are drawn close to God's infinite love and grace when we share around the Lord's Table. It is a table that should make us one. In our world filled with divisions and arguments, Holy Communion, with the power of the Lord Jesus there, just might make a difference!
Preparing for "Using the Bible Well" - Sermon for February 25, 2024
February 25, 2024 • Rev. Dr. Craig S. Brown • 2 Timothy 3:10–17
The Bible continues to be the all-time best selling book. It was written over a period of 600 years covering over 2000 years of history. It is 66 different books which convey a unified message of God's grace. How are we supposed to read the Bible, much the less, use it well? The Bible helps to answer that question about itself. When it does its best work, it points to the God whose story it tells.
Preparing for "What Are You Praying For?" - Sermon for February 18, 2024
February 18, 2024 • Rev. Dr. Craig S. Brown • John 17:13–26
Many Christians feel that being Christian is a matter of agreement with certain truths or practices. Jesus calls his followers to something a bit different. Finding deep relationships with Jesus and others might be the key to experiencing the love of God in a more profound way. If this is true, our prayers might sound less like a request list and more like a longing to experience Jesus.
Preparing for "The Last Step Is the First One" - Sermon for December 31, 2023
December 31, 2023 • Rev. Dr. Craig S. Brown • Matthew 2:13–18
Jesus as a refugee! Not too long after the birth of Jesus the forces of evil, power, and corruption are already trying to end his young life. With all of the power of empire set against Him, God finds a way for Jesus to live so that one day he will defeat the greatest enemy of all; sin leading to death. This is story about the extraordinary act of Joseph to save "The Child" so that He might save us all.
Preparing for "Extra-Ordinary Life" - Sermon for December 24, 2023
December 24, 2023 • Rev. Dr. Craig S. Brown • Luke 2:8–20
The Christmas story is perhaps the best known story in all of the Bible. It has been re-enacted time and again by adults and children alike. We warm to the images of Jesus birth and the wonder of that first Christmas. If we take a closer look, we might find that the story has more wonder than we ever realized. It is a story filled with ordinary people finding themselves in God's great plan of salvation. Maybe that makes it easier to find ourselves in this story.
Preparing for "Joy in the Unexpected" - Sermon for December 17, 2023
December 17, 2023 • Rev. Dr. Craig S. Brown • Luke 1:39–56
it is hard to imagine that the cosmos hangs in the balance with two Jewish women in the first century. Elizabeth and Mary have an important moment together when their unborn children meet for the first time. These two women find themselves in a moment when God will use each of them for extraordinary things, one of which, will be savior of the world.
Preparing for "The Choices We Make" - Sermon for December 10, 2023
December 10, 2023 • Rev. Dr. Craig S. Brown • Matthew 1:18–25
Have you ever been caught between a rock and a hard place? The Bible is filled with stories of people who found themselves in exactly the same place. The story of Joseph, in Matthew's gospel, is a good example. He is faced with a daunting choice about his future. In the midst of that situation, an angel appears and offers him a new and glorious solution which had never crossed his mind.