Podcasts about advent god

ADVENT WEEK FOUR: LOVEDecember 25 Rev. Allie Utley, PhDPonderingLuke 2:(1-7), 8-20So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the child lying inthe manger. Luke 2:16Can you imagine giving birth in an outdoor stall? And then, as you begin to re-cover, a group of shepherds show up and tell you that an angel told them thatyour baby is the Son of God and Messiah?You aren't surprised by the announcement. The angel has come to you aswell. But every time someone says it out loud—you are the mother of the HolyOne—it feels shocking and overwhelming.Can you imagine mothering this child? An all-powerful, all-knowing deity, nowfully dependent on you for shelter, nourishment, care?This is the mystery of Advent: God comes as a vulnerable baby. The Son ofGod is also the son of Mary. Then and now, God entrusts the work of love tohuman hands. God needs us—our arms to cradle, our voices to sing, our livesto bring grace and mercy to a weary world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Fourth Sunday of Advent - God Is Love - Adam Kohlstrom by CSBC

Advent week 4 John 1:14 “The purpose of our journey is not so much to dwell in ‘the place from which Christmas came,' but to allow that place to dwell in us, to return to our own country with christened eyes, to look upon our everyday surroundings with a baptized imagination.” These words of G.K. … Continue reading "(December 21, 2025) “Advent: God Came Near”"

Preached by Lead Pastor, Rev. Aubrey Spears, on December 21, 2025.

Preached by Lead Pastor, Rev. Aubrey Spears, on December 21, 2025.

Homily for 4th Sunday of Advent Yr A

This past week, the mess and brokenness of our world became painfully real for many with the tragic shooting at Bondi Beach. Yet, even among the death, grief, tears, and anger, we see signs that God is present—revealing His love and grace through the actions of many who protect, console, and care for others.Advent is a season of waiting and watching for Jesus in the midst of our broken world. Many of the Advent readings acknowledge the darkness around us, yet they point beyond it to the light and hope God brings through Jesus—and therefore brings the real reason for Christmas. This is the message we hear in our Gospel reading from Matthew this Sunday, when an angel says to Joseph: “Mary will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”Christmas reminds us that God enters our world not to lecture or dominate, but to deal with our sin in a gracious and compassionate way.As we live in this reality, I pray that we focus on the love, grace, and hope Christ brings to us—and through us, to many others.  Bishop Richard SchwedesSupport the show

The Sign Humanity Could Not Ask For Today's Homily unpacks the Gospel's declaration . . . . . . that Christ's birth fulfills ancient prophecy, urging believers to move beyond a narrow, sentimental view of the Nativity into its vast theological depth. Isaiah's prophecy to King Ahaz reveals humanity's reluctance to hope when confronted with God's generosity: though invited to ask for a sign, the faithless king refuses. God responds by giving the sign anyway . . . one beyond human imagination . . . the Virgin conceiving Emmanuel, “God with us.” This Promise Fulfilled St. Matthew presents this promise fulfilled not in royal splendor, but in the humble home of Joseph, a carpenter of David's line. Faced with shattered expectations and personal disappointment, Joseph chooses mercy over judgment, becoming a living sign of God's way. By welcoming Mary and the child, Joseph receives the divine sign that kings once rejected and becomes the first guardian of salvation's mystery. The meditation concludes by placing us within the drama of Advent: God still asks the same question . . . What do you hope for? The challenge is not merely to believe, but to hope boldly, trusting that God is present and invites us to ask for great things. What does that really mean and what is God really asking? What do you hope for? Listen more to The Sign Humanity Could Not Ask For ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Art Work The Holy Family: Spanish Painter: Bartolomé Esteban Murillo: 1661 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gospel Reading: Matthew 1: 18-25 First Reading: Jeremiah 23: 5-8 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Why was this image selected: Murillo's intimate depiction of the Holy Family emphasizes domestic humility rather than grandeur. It visually reflects the Homily's insight that the throne of David has become a carpenter's house . . . and that this humble dwelling is where God chooses to be “with us.”

1 John 4:9-11

Preached by Lead Pastor, Rev. Aubrey Spears, on December 07, 2025.

Preached by Lead Pastor, Rev. Aubrey Spears, on December 07, 2025.

In this message, we explore the breathtaking truth at the center of Christmas: God became human and dwelt among us. Walking through John 1:1–18, we linger on the mystery of the incarnation and what it means that Jesus fully entered the human experience—our weakness, suffering, sorrow, and joy. Far from being distant or unrelatable, Jesus is the God who understands, sympathizes, and draws near in our pain. Because God is with us, we are invited to approach him with confidence, honesty, and hope.

Main Idea: God Will Tenderly Bring the Weak to VictoryText: Matthew 12:17-21Outline:A. A Broken WorldB. The Chosen ServantC. A Secure Hope

This reflection on Advent invites us into the tension between promise and fulfillment, between waiting and receiving. Drawing from Isaiah 35, we encounter a breathtaking vision of transformation: deserts bursting into bloom, the lame leaping like deer, the mute shouting for joy, and streams appearing in parched wastelands. These aren't mere poetic flourishesthey're declarations of what God does when He enters our brokenness. The message acknowledges the real pain many of us feel during this season, when 'the most wonderful time of the year' can feel like the loneliest or most difficult. Like driving through a blinding snowstorm where we can barely see the road ahead, our suffering can obscure God's presence and promises. Yet the core proclamation remains unwavering: Your God will come. He has come in Jesus, and He will come again. This isn't about our ability to reach God or fix ourselvesit's about God reaching us in the midst of our deserts. When John the Baptist, that great prophet, found himself imprisoned and doubting, Jesus pointed him back to Isaiah's promises being fulfilled: the blind see, the lame walk, the dead are raised. No life is too far gone, no desert too parched, no person beyond God's transforming reach. We're invited simply to receive this good news, to let it wash over us without feeling we must immediately do something with it. The promise is that joy will overtake usnot manufactured happiness, but genuine joy that surprises us in unexpected moments, like tears at SeaWorld watching killer whales swim peacefully with humans, glimpsing the peaceable kingdom. Sorrow and sighing will flee away. This is our hope in Advent: God doesn't abandon us in our rebellion or pain, but comes to us, transforms us, and leads us home. Isaiah describes God transforming deserts into blooming gardens and bringing healing to the broken. What 'desert places' in your own life or community are you longing to see God transform? John the Baptist, despite being called the greatest born of women, still had doubts while in prison. How does knowing that even great people of faith experience doubt affect your own spiritual journey? The sermon emphasizes that 'your God will come' rather than us having to reach God. How does this shift from self-effort to divine initiative change the way you approach your relationship with God? When we're in painful circumstances, we can be 'blinded' like driving in a snowstorm, unable to see the road ahead. How do you hold onto hope when you cannot see God's path clearly? Isaiah promises that 'gladness and joy will overtake them'joy as something that happens to us rather than something we manufacture. When have you experienced this kind of unexpected, overwhelming joy? The passage states there is 'no life too far gone' for God to reach. Who in your life seems beyond hope, and how might this message challenge your perspective about them? Advent is described as a season of longing and expectation, acknowledging the world isn't yet made right. How can embracing this 'in-between time' be spiritually valuable rather than simply waiting for resolution? Jesus pointed to the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecies as evidence of his identity as Messiah. What present-day evidence of God's work helps strengthen your faith when doubts arise? The sermon concludes by saying this message requires no action steps, just hearing good news. Why is it sometimes difficult to simply receive grace without feeling we must do something in response? Isaiah promises that 'sorrow and sighing will flee away' when God comes. How does this future hope affect the way you navigate present suffering and grief?

Ben looks at how Jesus is Emmanuel 'God with us'. In Jesus, God has made himself vulnerably close. He draws near to us in a the midst of our chaos and mess.

A message during this Advent season on the source of our Joy, which is Christ Jesus. Scripture: Luke 2:10-11 Application Questions: 1.) As a follower of Jesus, would others around you consider you as someone that expresses joy? 2.) What or who are you relying on to keep you joyful apart from God? 3.) Are you a person that recognizes God's joy is with you but you don't often find yourself expressing it? 4.) What is holding you back? (Etiquette, social codes, vulnerability as weakness, lies of judgment, expressions as a child were squashed, standard in our culture to always complain, always tired, always busy, etc.)

It is Advent, when we celebrate the arrival of Jesus. John sees about him that "the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us." Today we explore how the tabernacle and the Temple were the place where heaven and earth met, how this is true of Jesus, and (spoiler alert) that it is true of each of us!If you'd like to support the work of Church Without Walls with a year-end donation, please go to www.church-withoutwalls.org and click on the donate link. All donations are tax-deductible and must be processed by December 30 to count toward the 2025 tax year. Thank you for your partnership!

Preached by Lead Pastor, Rev. Aubrey Spears, on December 07, 2025.

Preached by Lead Pastor, Rev. Aubrey Spears, on December 07, 2025.

A message during this Advent season on the source of our Hope, which is Christ Jesus. Scripture: Isaiah 9:1-7 Truths about God's Hope: 1.) Hope is available even in times of darkness 2.) Hope has a name 3.) Hope is anchored in God's character and faithfulness to His promises 4.) Hope has perfect timing

On this episode of Walk Humbly, hear Bishop Burbidge share his thoughts on Pope Leo XIV's remarks to the youth of America attending the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) and to the people of Turkey and Lebanon on his first apostolic visit as Holy Father. In case you missed it: watch youth from our own diocese share their experience with ETWN.    How has the nation and our Church grown in awareness and support for persons with disabilities? Bishop weighs in. Be sure to check out the recent release of Indispensable: A Catholic Guide to Welcoming Persons with Intellectual and Development Disabilities, written by Mark Bradford with a foreword by Bishop Burbidge.    Watch the Virginia Trappist Monks (celebrating 75 years!) in action.    View the media gallery of the recent Prayer Service for Unity and Healing in the United States.    Become a member of the new Assembly of Catholic Professionals.     What's upcoming:   Novena for Couples Struggling with Infertility, Miscarriage & Infant Death begins December 4; Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Monday, December 8 (a holy day of obligation)    Finally, Bishop Burbidge answers the listener question: "Every Advent I tell myself that I will be more peaceful and more prayerful, but before I know it I am feeling anxiety and uncertainty about all things Christmas, what gifts to buy, the concerns and logistics of family at Christmas itself, the dinner, you name it. Can you please offer some practical advice on how I can just have a calm day and be at peace…"    Walk Humbly welcomes listener questions for Bishop Burbidge. Call or text (703) 778-9100 anytime with your question. Connect with Walk Humbly and Bishop Burbidge by texting WALKHUMBLY to 84576 for occasional alerts and updates. 

In this Advent kickoff episode, Anna and Matt take us back to the very beginning of the Bible to remember why we needed a Savior and why Christmas is such good news. As they retell the story of Adam and Eve, kids learn how sin first entered the world — and how God made a big promise to send a Rescuer. Advent means “coming,” and this season helps us remember that God kept His promise by sending Jesus… and we get to celebrate that together! What You'll Learn

https://newsongpeople.com/messages/gods-peaceWhat if the peace God offers is far stronger, deeper, and more whole than anything you've ever imagined? What if biblical peace isn't the absence of conflict, but the presence of Someone? In this message, Pastor Tonderai Bassoppo-Moyo explores the difference between the world's fragile peace and the unshakeable peace God gives—peace that brings wholeness, mends what's broken, steadies us in trouble, and reconciles us to God, to ourselves, and to others. If true peace feels distant, fragile, or inconsistent in your life, what would it look like to discover the kind of peace Jesus promised? Listen in as we explore the peace announced at His birth and offered to us today.#GodsPeace #Shalom #NewSongChurch #PastorTonderai #PeaceWithGod #PeaceWithSelf #PeaceWithOthers #JesusOurPeace #BibleTeaching #SermonRecap #ChristianTeaching #OklahomaCityChurch

As the Advent season begins Chris looks at Immanuel ‘God with us'.

Ben Langford preaches a sermon on Luke 1:46b-55 in a series entitled "Advent: God's Promised Future."

Brett Vanderzee preaches a sermon on Zephaniah 3:14-20 in a series entitled "Advent: God's Promised Future."

Brett Vanderzee preaches a sermon on Luke 1:68-79 in a series entitled "Advent: God's Promised Future."

Ben Langford preaches a sermon on Jeremiah 33:14-16 in a series entitled "Advent: God's Promised Future."

Brett Vanderzee preaches a sermon on Luke 1:68-79 in a series entitled "Advent: God's Promised Future."

Brett Vanderzee preaches a sermon on Zephaniah 3:14-20 in a series entitled "Advent: God's Promised Future."

Ben Langford preaches a sermon on Luke 1:46b-55 in a series entitled "Advent: God's Promised Future."

Ben Langford preaches a sermon on Jeremiah 33:14-16 in a series entitled "Advent: God's Promised Future."

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." -John 3:16   Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you as you care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.   This episode is the 4th and final episode in our annual Advent Series. Each week host Sandra Flach will share a Scripture, a short message, a Holiday Parenting Survival Strategy, and a breath prayer for you to practice through the week.   Listen in as Sandra shares a message about God's greatest gift of love.   Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media. Links mentioned in this episode: justicefororphansny.org justicefororphansny.org/hope-community     Email:  sandraflach@justicefororphansny.org sandraflach.com Orphans No More—A Journey Back to the Father on Amazon.com

John the Baptist proclaims a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah to prepare the way of the Lord. (Lectionary #6) December 8, 2024 - Cathedral Rectory - Superior, WI Fr. Andrew Ricci - www.studyprayserve.com