Andy Talks

We hear some famous words of Jesus today: When He is lifted up, He will draw all people to Himself. He is, of course, talking about the cross. When Jesus dies upon the cross, He is dying for all. But there is more to this as well. When we lift Him with our words, our actions, and who we are, when we lift up the name of Jesus, He will draw all people to Himself.  That’s our job, to lift up Jesus, to point to Jesus. When we do that, He will save. He will restore. He will give life. When we lift up Jesus, He draws all to Himself! Shameless plug: here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here - https://bible.oremus.org/?

We see John share a quote from Isaiah that is often mentioned in Jesus’ ministry. In Isaiah, we are told that God will keep people from hearing and seeing. Why? Why did He do this? As United Methodists and Wesleyans, we believe that God desires for everyone to be saved. What does this mean? What is happening here is this. God knows our choice, as the Bible says, those who we foreknew, He predestined (Romans 8:29-30). God knows our choices. Our choices show where we are in this. So our question today is this. Are you listening? Are you looking? Are you allowing the word of God to take root in your life? That’s what it is about. That’s why this is called rooted. May God’s word take root in our lives. Shameless plug: here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God

In our Traditional message from October 20, 2024, Andy preaches from 2 Kings 4: 1-7. We talk about God's abundance and how we have all that we need, here, right here, to be faithful to God's call.

We read some verses today that are well-known but difficult to understand to our modern eras. Jesus says that we are to “hate” our lives. What does that mean? We are taught not to hate. To say to hate your life just doesn’t sit right with us. What we need to understand is when Jesus talks of hate, He is not talking about the emotion we so often think of, but He is talking about our priorities. We are to prioritize following Him; we are to prioritize obedience to Him. This means we place Him first. When we do that, we find the life that we are seeking: life now and life eternal. Shameless plug: here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can re

We see Palm Sunday in John’s Gospel today. John usually does not quote a lot of the Old Testament; that is left to the other Gospels. It is significant to me that John does just that in our reading today. He pulls from the prophets to tell us that Jesus is the Messiah. He is fulfilling the role of Messiah as put forth there, but no one, disciples included, really understood what He was doing. He was showing us kingly humility. The greatest in His kingdom is the servant of all. To be great, one must serve. The first must be last. This is the way in Jesus’s kingdom. Shameless plug: here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s pas

We see Mary anointing Jesus and Judas, and Judas tells Jesus that it is a waste. The money that was spent could have been used in more practical ways to help the poor. Now, of course, we know that Judas was lying, so we should not pay too much attention to him. But, to younger Andy, he did have a point. Should we use resources in that way? Do we really need stained glass windows? Robes? Crosses? Is that a waste of money? I’ve come to understand more the value of these things because they point us to beauty. And that beauty points us to God. Our souls cry for transcendence. We need beauty, even if, at first, it doesn't seem practical.Shameless plug: here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflecti

We see that the religious leaders, to keep Rome out of their business, intend to kill Jesus. It’s better in their minds for Jesus, just one man, to die than for Rome to come and destroy everything. One man dies so that many can be saved. John tells us that the high priest did not know he was telling the truth. One man was going to die, and that death would save many just not in the way that he was thinking. God had other plans. What he intended for evil, God intended and did use for good. Shameless plug, here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here - https://bible.oremus.org/?ql=595946508You can watch this in video

We see one of the most powerful moments in all the Bible, at least to me, when Jesus wept. Here’s the thing that always gets me about this passage. Jesus was late on purpose. He showed up late to Lazarus’ grave, on purpose so that He could raise Lazarus from the dead. Lazarus would only be dead for a moment. But Jesus, even knowing all this, when confronted with the reality of death, wept. We do not serve a God foreign or distant to our pain, but a God who knows our pain, who feels our pain, who understands our pain. Jesus wept. He knows and honors our hurt. Never forget that. Shameless plug, here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can rea

In our October 6, 2024 sermon, Andy shared with us from John 10:10. As a church, we are on the verge of something supernatural—something huge. Our world needs what St. Matthew's offers. God has something big in store, and He will give us all that we need to accomplish that task. We are moving from scarcity to abundance. 

After leaving Judea, Jesus decided to return after His friend Lazarus died. We will talk more about what happens next in the coming days, but this passage today shows us that Jesus is late on purpose. As they get ready to leave, the disciples are worried about what may happen. That is when Thomas says they should go with Jesus and die with Him. Thomas shows bravery and courage. So why do we remember him not as Brave Thomas but as Doubting Thomas? Let's be careful never to define ourselves or others by our worst mistakes. Shameless plug, here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here - https://bible.oremus.org/?q

Jesus continues His back and forth with the religious leaders. Today, He tells them that if they will not believe His words, they should look at His works. Friends, that is exactly where we are today at this moment. The world does not believe our words. They simply do not. We have to be able to point to our works. They do not believe us when we talk about Jesus. We have to love like Jesus, serve like Jesus, and use our works to point to Jesus. It is imperative that our walk matches our talk Shameless plug, here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here - https://bible.oremus.org/?ql=594891601You can watch this in vid

We see Jesus share with us today two things that made me ponder. First, He has sheep in other flocks. What did this mean to the people who heard Him? What does this mean to us today? And we also see this beautiful reminder.  No one took His life; He laid it down willingly. Why? Because He loves His sheep. He loves us. Life comes from laying down your life as a Christian, as a spouse, as a parent, as a child, and as a friend. When we lay our lives down, we find life. Shameless plug, here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here - https://bible.oremus.org/?ql=594794308You can watch this in video form here - https://re

Today’s reading includes one of my favorite passages, John 10:10, which tells us that we have abundant life in Jesus. I’ll actually be preaching on this passage this coming Sunday at St. Matthew’s. But I wanted to take a little time and talk about the sheep. They learn the voice of the shepherd, and they follow. Not only do they follow the voice of the shepherd, they learn to run from any voice that is not the shepherd. Today, we must learn to hear the voice of our good shepherd. We must learn to follow Him wherever it is that He calls us. Listen for His voice today and follow wherever he calls. Shameless plug, here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to s

The man born blind really catches it today. He is questioned twice by the religious leaders about how it is that he can see. His parents are questioned. Everyone is out to get him, it seems. He stands by what he knows to be true. He once was blind, but now he can see. Jesus healed him. After he is driven from the synagogue, Jesus finds him. Jesus loves this man. He cares for him. Jesus sees him, and Jesus loves him. Jesus sees us today for who we are, all our inadequacies and weaknesses, and Jesus still loves us. Jesus sees you today. And He loves you. Shameless plug, here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here -

In our INTERSECTION message from September 29, Andy shares with us from Amos 5: 21-24. There are some things that only the church can do. We are called, as the church, to live our God's love.

We see a man born blind who is healed by Jesus. The disciples ask Jesus an interesting question. Who sinned to cause that man to be born blind? Was it him, or was it his parents? Jesus answers their question this way - neither. Neither sinned, but his blindness will show the greatness of God. God was not out to get this man; God loved him. The same is true today for us. God is not out to get you today. He’s not mad at you. He loves you. He is for you. He wants you to repent and turn, yes. But God loves you. He’s on your side. He’s not mad at you. Shameless plug, here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here - https:

There are so many interesting things in our text today, from the insults that the religious leader hurls at Jesus to maybe the most Messianic thing Jesus ever said. But as I was reading, I was taken aback by the truth that Jesus shares with us. The devil is a liar. Every word from his mouth is a lie. That means this great truth - temptation is a lie. Always, always, always. When we understand what temptation is (a lie), we are better and more able to stand against it. Temptation promises us life, but it results in death. Temptation is a lie. Shameless plug, here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here - https://bib

Jesus tells the ones following Him that if He sets them free, then they are no longer slaves to sin, but they are free. They push back, saying that they are the children of Abraham and have never been slaves (ironically missing part of Jewish history). Jesus tells us that we will all be slaves to something, to sin or to righteousness. When He has set us free, we give over our control, and in that giving away of control, we are truly set free! If the Son has set us free, we are free indeed! Shameless plug, here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here - https://bible.oremus.org/?ql=594215097You can watch this in vide

Another day, more conflict with the religious leaders.  Today, they get exasperated with Jesus because they are not approaching Him with faith. They ask him, “Who are you?” Jesus tells them that when they lift Him up, they will know who he is. This is talking about the cross, yes, but it’s more than that. When we lift up Jesus through testimony and point out what Jesus is doing, people are drawn to Him. Today, do we lift Him up? Do we point others to Him? Do we lift up or tear down?  Let us lift up Jesus! Shameless plug, here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here - https://bible.oremus.org/?ql=594114046You can wa

We see Jesus continuing to have conflict with the religious leaders. They just could not hear what Jesus was saying. Everything He said seemed to just bounce off of them. They didn’t get it. The reason is because they just did not have faith. As smart as they were, they did not believe. It is the belief that makes it all possible. It is that faith that only comes when we surrender to God; that is where it all starts. Today, no matter where you are, may you and I surrender. When we surrender to God, even when it is hard, that is where life truly begins. Shameless plug, here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here -