Pastor Jon is the serving chairman of the ELCE and presents Lutheran Radio UK's weekly devotion. Inspiring messages that draw the listener close to the cross of Jesus where God comes to meet his people and to lead them in the way of truth.
Christmas, The Epiphany, Easter, anything about Jesus can seem to be about him with Jesus himself 'far away' and in one sense irrelevant but the power of words and the work of the Holy Spirit mean that people are still meeting Jesus through...
The message of the Incarnation isn't about making Jesus like us but reminds us that God wants to us to be like him.
Why Christmas is celebrated is important to know because, at its heart, it is a celebration of God being with us today.
People build their religions from all sorts of sources. How different is it for people when God reveals himself in Jesus Christ!
When people read the book of Revelation they are looking for comfort and hope – and in Jesus you can always find it for he is with his people always!
What is happening to us is always important to us - and we never face it alone with Jesus.
Truth is important to us. The best truth is Jesus Christ.
Getting the forecasts right are very helpful for so much of living from the weather to the economy and more. How much more important is the right forecast that comes with living with Jesus Christ! Now that's life in all its fulness!
Whether we hear them as they are spoken or read them from centuries past, words open the world and others to us – and that is no more so than with the Word of God.
When imagining heaven and arrivals there, let's be firmly grounded in God's Word – and there isn't much detail, but it is enough!
Whichever way it is, hopefully we make the best decision we can each time. Knowing that Jesus is with us is good and supportive, but he is not the puppet master, or a heavenly sat-nav. Rather Jesus guides us through his Word. Which way we turn is up to...
We all tell them and they shape our life but they do not necessarily define reality. For the Christian, defining reality and truth comes from God's Word which impacts the stories we tell ourselves.
Whether it is the right place at the right time or the wrong place at the wrong time, we live in specific places all the time – and Jesus is with his people wherever they are because he is united with them in Baptism – and so wherever we are, we are...
Will I test the new fuses in the house? If I remember and follow the electrician's instructions. Will I live as a person who is saved? That will depend upon whose words take hold of me even when my following them is all over the place.
Learning the full story is important. When it comes to salvation, then the full story must include Jesus and his cross and empty tomb.
Cross Encounters - #376
We live with the expected and the unexpected and Jesus helps us with both.
We listen to so much! And those voices - in the room, online, live or recorded - shape us. Making sure we hear theological truth for our context is important in forming us - growing us - in Christ. What a blessing it is to have Lutheran Radio UK.
The opening ceremony of the 2022 Commonwealth Games can remind us that the past is always a mixture of 'good' and 'bad'. Whether personally or socially, only Jesus is best placed to help us with our history and our tomorrows.
With age comes perspective – especially in the Faith.
Following Jesus in this world means knowing truth and seeking to serve everyone – friends and enemies, supporters and opponents – and society benefits.
Identity is big at the moment but who determines it?
We wear our clothes for all sorts of reasons – functional and festive, to be seen by others and just for being at home – and they say something about us. Through Baptism people 'put on Christ'. Returning to our Baptism each day is like...
I once heard the statement "there is no bad weather, only poor clothing" which, whatever we think of its veracity, reminds us that what we bring to situations – particularly our attitudes and insights as guided by God's Word – affects...
The Triune God is a mystery to us but that doesn't make God unknowable.
The question to ask when we are reading that Bible is not whether it is God's Word – it is – and that answer is definitive, static. The question to ask when reading the Bible is 'How is what I am reading God's Word for me?'. That...
We want people to be technically competent and good at what they do but also their character is not unimportant. We are returning to this truth in today's world more and more.
We are either growing or declining; getting healthy or unwell, living is about movement. Since faith is living, we can always do things to help or hinder it. It is important to remember that God is faithful and Jesus doesn't change.
No matter how much people insist that God doesn't exist, it doesn't make him go away! That is true as a thought exercise and in reality. The resurrection of Jesus was unexpected and whether it is good news or bad news really does depend when...
How do people relate to God? Often people think about spiritual relationships in terms of monarch and subject or all-powerful and not-powerful or master and servant or owner and pet or mystery and student but to think in terms of friends needs more...
How we live is very much shaped by what we think dying and death are all about. No wonder then that what Jesus has done changes everything!
The right rant at the right time to the right people just may get heard. Christ is risen! Our deaf world needs to hear this!
'Long grief' is being discussed because of the COVID-19 context. All who grieve are in pain – and yes, it is long-term. Even longer, though, is the comfort and hope that Jesus brings since he is with people for the 'long haul' –...
Perspective isn't everything but it is very import, especially when it includes Jesus' resurrection.
Hugs are special – to receive and to share – and the empty tomb of Jesus is God reaching out to hug all people.
Such confession is one of the most important ingredients in all growing relationships.
No matter the relentless pressure of life or the 'hard knocks' that come, Christians can be resilient not because God waves a magic wand but because God broke the 'quick fix stick' into a cross.
Jesus calls us to him in the Divine Service and then sends us into the world to serve. We often go out together but should we?
Listening to a psychology podcast became a springboard for appreciating God's Word, meditation, prayer, Christian consolation, and the perspective they bring.
Especially when the world becomes fearful, we wonder what to do. How we should behave, however, is a daily question that shouldn't be ignored. Christians should definitely know their answer.
Reflections on facing tough situations and yes Jesus is still with us in all circumstances.
HO'OPONOPONO?? Yes, I thought so too! Yet it's amazing how learning a word can take us on a journey. That's even more so with the Word made flesh!
The Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II commences on 6th February and offers us a milestone to reflect on authority. What should we do with power and authority?
There is always movement in living – and in this world – growing or declining. The Triune God is always coming towards us. How people move in response – towards or away – is very much about what they know of this Triune God.
How do we know anything? Through experience, research, and trust. And that's also true about Jesus. He is not the fabrication often claimed but a living and personal truth to be encountered.
The question of the possibility of life outside our planet is a journey in our increasing knowledge while the message of a cross and empty tomb offers new life and a journey that lasts for ever. Both journeys are exciting!
How long is a long time? The answers vary. How wonderful to hear that God loves us all the time!
© 2020-2025 Ivy Podcast Discovery LLC
