The Orchard Church Podcast

After weeks of laying groundwork, we finally start looking in to Mark 13, where Jesus responds to the disciples' lump-in-the-throat question,, "When will these things happen and what are the signs?" This is a very important overview of Jesus' teaching on the End Times.

If we're going to talk about End Times, We've GOT to talk about Heaven... That's where we will all end up, right? BUT, I think there are a lot of misconceptions about Heaven among sincere, Bible-believing, Jesus-loving Christians. So, let's clear some of those up, and let's explore our eternal home!

What are the Biblical events of the End Times? What is the sequence of the end of time? Depending on your perspective, the answer may be more complex than you think. In this very graph-based message, I break down several of the perspectives on the End Times, and try to explain the main elements so you can understand and know what to expect.

It sure would be easy if we could just turn to the chapter of the Bible that has all the End Times prophecy in it.. Unfortunately for us, that prophecy is sprinkled all throughout the Scripture. In this message, Steven Mansell explains the unique role of Biblical prophecy and how it works out in our lives.

It is hard to understand "the end" without understanding God's big plan as a whole. Why did God create the universe and put me in it in the first place, and what is He out to accomplish here? 

In this new series, we're going to be working through Mark 13, where Jesus unpacks the "signs of the times" for his disciples.  When we think of the end times, we tend to focus on the elements that Jesus describes... The Beast, the apostasy, the Abomination of Desolation, etc... But by far, the most important thing about it is the WHO... Who is this really all about? 

At the Temple, Jesus contrasts a significant lack of integrity against a personal example of true integrity. Why is this important to Jesus, and should it be important to us?

This is awkward. Gospel writer Mark wants you to really grasp this one idea about Jesus.. This one non-negotiable theology that Christians all support. However, it turns out not everyone does! Yep, I had some people get upset with me and leave our church when I preached on it. What is this critical theology, and why does Mark want us to understand it?

Jesus answers the critical question: "What is the greatest command?" He answers in a way we are all familiar, but he contextualizes it in a way you may not be familiar with. 

Jesus answers a question from the liberal theologians, and his answer may rattle us a little bit. Am I willing to trust Jesus with what I believe about my own, personal life?

Something weird happened. Suddenly in Jerusalem, the Pharisees approach Jesus with an entirely different attitude! What happened? Why the sudden change, and how should their approach change MY attitude?

Jesus' asserts his authority with the Pharisees in the Temple in such a stunning way that they become furious, and start thinking of how they will kill him.  How do you and I respond when Jesus asserts his authority in our lives? 

After a long break, we are BACK in our ongoing study of Mark's Gospel.  After re-syncing everyone with the story to date, Pastor Steve shows how simply confessing that Jesus is your savior may not be enough. What more is needed, and how does it work in my life?

We are SCALING UP in 2025. Today Ken Cann shows us how to scale up in building the Kingdom!

We are SCALING UP in 2025, and today Steven Mansell shows us how to scale up in making disciples!

What does it really mean to "love God?" When I ask that question, I get a TON of different answers. Let's unpack what it means to fulfill the Greatest Commandment together.

We've been given everything to accomplish something. What is the purpose God has created you for? Do you know it?

Has Mark 11:26 been removed from the Bible? It is in the King James Version, but not in subsequent ones. What is going on, and how can I know I can trust the Word of God as I have it today?

Last week we found out what makes Jesus angry enough to curse something. This week, we explore the answer to the disciples' un-asked question, what does Jesus bless? How can we go from cursing to blessing?

Is it possible that what we do together on Sunday mornings really just makes Jesus angry? Wouldn't you want to know? In the passage we'll examine today, Jesus gets really angry with people who are just trying to worship God. Let's look at this story, and let's see if there are parallels between what they are doing, and what we are doing.

Ken Cann has been promising a message on "church etiquette." I know I know. That really sounds irrelevant to my life. BUT think about it.. How we conduct ourselves when we are together reveals something about our heart. What is that, and what am I displaying when I worship with the Body of Christ?

All through Mark's gospel, Jesus is keeping his true identity quiet. Every time someone identifies him for who he really is, Jesus shuts it down. Let's keep it quiet! Until Jerusalem. Until Passover week. Suddenly, he is at the center of a parade where people are praising God for the arrival of the messiah! What changed? Why now? And, what does it say to you and me?

It seems everyone around Jesus is searching for significance. The Rich Young Ruler missed it. The disciples missed it. But Blind Bartimaeus could see what it seems nobody else really could.

How does this keep happening? EVERY time Jesus talks about his upcoming humiliation and death, the disciples start talking about being great among themselves. Jesus points one direction, and the disciples always pull in the opposite. Are we like that today?

Steven Mansell challenges us to live a life of worship in spirit and in truth

Special guest speaker Roger Glidewell has a great testimony of how the Holy Spirit speaks and works in life.

You've said it yourself... "It's just a season." We all go through them. But what is the secret to getting PAST that season? Guest Speaker Brian Moon breaks it down for us.

The 2024 Presidential Election is upon us. I believe there are four key Biblical principles at stake. These principles should determine how we American Christians should vote this fall.

We love to talk about how Jesus will leave the 99 to chase down the one lost sheep... Yet Mark tells us a story about a man who walks away from Jesus... And Jesus just lets him go! When is Jesus okay with someone walking away?

Some parents bring their children to Jesus for a blessing, and this causes kind of a ruckus between Jesus and the disciples. Why is Jesus so intent on those children, and what does he know about them that we as parents need to know?

My good friend Ken Cann leads us to recognize and worship The Everlasting God.

Jesus answers a question about divorce, and it feels a little unsettling. It is really impossible to understand how God feels about divorce until you first understand how He feels about marriage.

At this point in Jesus' ministry, the disciples have been all about who gets to be the 'boss...' who gets to be the big man on campus next to Jesus himself. But, as always, Jesus turns their idea completely upside down. Does my heart need to turn upside down on this?

In this very short passage, Jesus is interrupted... Rudely! By one of his own! Once again, where the disciples find conflict, Jesus creates unity.

It is the same argument that we have all the time, and it should be an embarrassment to us. It sure was to the disciples. Everything had changed on them, and now they were arguing. Again.  Jesus won't have it, so he sets their record straight.  What is this argument that we keep getting into? And, what does Jesus say about it?

The opposite of belief is doubt, right? Many of us have been taught to believe and not doubt... In fact, I've heard that if you doubt at all, you must not really believe. Is that true? What happens when someone doubts right in front of Jesus? How does he respond? And, what does that mean for me and you?

If we're being honest, trusting Jesus can be hard. Especially when he says to "turn the other cheek," or to "give yourself away." So, what is the secret to trusting in Jesus, and experiencing the abundant life that he wants you to have?

You know, I have rebuked people before. As a dad, I've rebuked my children. I've rebuked others as well. But what happens when you actually rebuke Jesus? Simon Peter finally "saw it," then, before you know it he actually REBUKES JESUS! What happens next?

For all Christians, our entire faith rests on this: the cross and the resurrection. That's it.  BUT, Gospel writer Mark builds his whole work around one KEY IDEA, without which the cross and the resurrection make no sense at all. He wants you to SEE IT, and not miss it. So, do you get it? Do you understand Mark's key idea? 

We don't like to talk about this story much... Jesus gets angry! What causes his response, and what does it mean for us today?

We talk about the Father and the Son a lot... But it seems that the Holy Spirit is sort of a "tack-on..." a small edition that we really don't talk about too much. But, He is an essential part of your salvation, and of your life experience. In fact, He is more critical for you now than ever. 

When you're out of sync with Jesus, it may be because there is "bad leaven" in your life. That's the way Jesus describes false teaching. A little leaven causes the entire batch of dough to rise.  But there IS "good leaven," also! Jesus says that the Kingdom of Heaven is like good leaven! So, which leaven is in your life? Bad, or good? How do you know?

I know people who have been desperately praying for God to work in their lives for years. They are dealing with significant pain, yet it seems God doesn't answer. What do you do when it seems God doesn't answer your prayers?

You're probably dealing with "thorns" in your life. You know.. Those things that cause you pain, and make you suffer. We deal with them in a hundred ways. We hope them away, wish them away, even pray them away. But today, Steven Mansell has a pretty radical idea on how we should deal with those thorns. 

We're joining many churches around the world in standing and praying for Israel. But why do we believers stand with Israel?

Gospel writer Mark is showing, rather than telling. He wants you to see something clearly about Jesus BEFORE he tells you about the crucifixion and resurrection. Have you seen it? Do you understand?

If there's one thing we've learned in this Mark study, it's that Jesus does weird things.  The disciples had a crisis on their hands, and they couldn't even imagine what Jesus was about to do next. Sometimes it is good for us to not just ask "what" does Jesus do, but "why" does he do the weird thing?

Sometimes Jesus does weird things. Sometimes it seems Jesus does nothing! We may have something we need him to do, yet he seems to just... Wait. Why does he do that? And does that mean he doesn't love us?

In showing us Jesus, Mark hides a very important clue about his identity right in plain sight... It is a word that not everyone will understand. What is that unique word, and what does it reveal about the identity of Jesus?

Jesus has shown us who he is against... He was definitely against the prideful, legalistic pharisees. But who is Jesus for? Who does Jesus accept? In this really uncharacteristic encounter, we'll discover who Jesus really accepts.

After playing it cool for a long time, Jesus GOES OFF... And Mark says he even uses words he's never used before. What triggers Jesus, and how much is he talking to us?