Andy Talks

Today we continue with our look this week at Joshua 24: 1-3, 14-25.  Today we are going look at the concept of covenant, what does it mean to say that God made a covenant with the people? What is a covenant and what does this mean for us that God makes covenant with us, especially thought Jesus?  

In our morning reflection today, we are doing something a little different.  Our reflections this week are going to walk side by side with the Rooted Daily Bible reading at St. Matthew's UMC.  This week our text is Joshua 24: 1-3, 14-25, and today we are going to look at what happened up to this point with the conquest of the Promised Land. 

In our Tradition Sermon from Sunday, All Saints' Day, November 1, 2020, Andy shares with us from Revelation 7: 9-17.  We see here a beautiful picture of heaven, of worship and what is to come. We see our true home. And we reminded that we are just passing through.  

Today we look at what it means for us love our neighbor in a public means. These are at the works of justice.  In the Lord's Prayer, we see that we are supposed to, as a public body, the church, work to live out God's will here on earth, as it is in heaven. That means we are the church are supposed to work against hatred, evil, and sin, wherever it is found.  

Today we look at what it means for us love our neighbor in an individual means. These are at the works of compassion.  Matthew 25 shows us to for us to love our neighbor, it is not simply enough to "feel" compassion or love for our neighbor, but we are called follow through with these works of mercy with our individual compassion.  

Join us for our Wednesday Night Bible Study as we continue in our book The Eight Life Enriching Practices of United Methodists.  Today we are talking about Renewal and Healing and will be talking specifically about the church year.  

Today, we look look at both of the works of piety, the personal work - devotion and the public one - worship.  Our love for God is seen (and increased) through our personal devotional life and through our public worship life. This is what it means to "love God."  

This week as we talk about what it means to actually love our God and Neighbor, we see that God has given us gifts, certain "Means of Grace."  These means give us the grace that we need to b faithful with the works of piety and works of mercy that God has called us to.  

In our Traditional Message from October 25, Andy shares with us from Hebrews 12:14-17.  We are called to run the race. But what race is it exactly that we are called to run?

If you've known Andy for any length of time, you know that one of the things that he believes is most important to our Christian faith is that we love God and Love our Neighbor.  But what does that mean?  Love of God and Neighbor is short hand for a certain way of life and certain "works."  Join us this week as we unpack exactly that this means for us and our lives.  

Today we look at Jeremiah's word that he what like a lamb being led to the slaughter. But, we also know that this passage is a prophecy about what will happen to Jesus, He is the lamb that is led the slaughter. But, His suffering at the cross leads to our freedom and forgiveness.  Thanks be to God! 

Today we look Psalm 37.  In this passage we are told that God will grant us the desires of our heart. This passage is one that can be greatly misunderstood, yes, God will grant us the desires of our heart, but first God will change what our hearts desire.  Our hearts will, through His grace, desire Him, above all else! 

Tonight we look at "word and table," specifically what does worship look like and mean to us? 

Today we look at the parable of the Good Samaritan.  When we look deeper at this story, we see there is a lot there that we may not have seen.  This is a powerful story of God's grace and who we are called to love.  

Today we see the song of worship giving to the Lamb of God.  We see that the saints from all over the world, people of all ages, nations, and races make up this beautiful body of Christ.  Today our God is worthy of all our worship, and all of us have a place around the throne of God.  

In our Traditional Message from October 18, 2020, Andy shares with us from 1 Corinthians 12: 12-26.  In this we see that every part of the Body of Christ matters, everyone one of us matter. We need the body and the body needs us. 

Today in our morning reflections, we look at Luke 1: 1-4.  Today we reflect upon Luke.  God used this this Gentile doctor in amazing ways to spread the Good News all across the world, in the just the same way He desires to use each of us.  

In our Friday reflections we look the Transfiguration.  In this passage, we see Jesus in His full glory.  Peter, James, and John get a glimpse of Jesus fully power, they get an awesome experience. But, they couldn't stay on the mountain forever, they had to come down.  We are the same. We need to have powerful experiences with God. But we've got to come down from the mountain and share what we've seen and heard.  

Join us for Bible study as we talk about why and how we can read Scripture. Reading they bible can do more to grow our faith than nearly anything! 

In our passage today we see Jonah come to see that God is going to bring mercy, even to Nineveh, when they repent.  God is a God who abounds in steadfast mercy and grace.  God is a God who loves to forgive His people.  Today, may we show the world His grace.