Podcast appearances and mentions of matt richard

The End of the Beginning (Genesis 50 Summary) Today, Ally brought our incredible journey through the book of Genesis to a close with a powerful sermon titled "The End of the Beginning." As we conclude this foundational book of the Bible, we see that even in endings, there are new beginnings and enduring truths that resonate with our lives today, even here on the estate. Ally began by expressing her privilege in studying and sharing God's Word, especially as we reached the final chapter of Genesis. Reflecting on the "beginning" that the book's name signifies, she highlighted three key beginnings we've encountered: The Beginning of Creation (Genesis 1:1): Ally reminded us of the profound truth that "in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." This foundational statement establishes God as the eternal Creator, a concept that can stretch our understanding. She shared a childhood wonder about who created God, acknowledging that some truths are simply beyond our full comprehension. God is, always has been, and always will be. This perfect creation was designed for humanity, made in God's image, to live in partnership with Him. The Beginning of Sin (Genesis 3:1): This perfect beginning was tragically marred by the introduction of sin. Ally recounted the familiar story of the serpent tempting Eve, but emphasized that the core issue wasn't just eating a forbidden fruit. It was an act of rebellion, of placing their own will above God's. Using the simple analogy of spelling "sin" with "I" in the middle, Ally explained that sin is fundamentally about putting ourselves in God's rightful place. The consequences of this act were devastating: a spoiled perfect world, the pain of hard work, banishment from the Garden, a shattered relationship with a holy God, and ultimately, death – a final separation from Him. Ally stressed the gravity of sin, explaining that it fundamentally breaks our relationship with God. The Beginning of the Covenant (Genesis 12): Despite the bleakness of sin's entry, Ally illuminated God's loving rescue plan, hinted at even in Genesis 3. This plan truly begins to unfold with God's covenant with Abraham. Defining a covenant as a formal, binding agreement, Ally read from Genesis 12:1-3, where God promises Abraham land, a great nation, and blessing, stating, "All peoples on earth will be blessed through you." She further referenced the symbolic covenant ceremony in Genesis 15 and the reiteration of these promises in Genesis 17:1-8, where God declares, "I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you, for the generations to come to be your God and the God of your descendants after you." This covenant with Abraham marks the beginning of God's plan to restore humanity and His creation. Following this reflection, Ally's son, Caleb, bravely read Genesis 50, our passage for today. This chapter details the end of Jacob's life and its aftermath, providing us with three significant "ends" to consider: The End of Jacob: Ally noted the extensive detail given to Jacob's death and burial (Genesis 50:1-14), far exceeding the accounts of other patriarchs like Abraham. Joseph's profound grief, the 40-day embalming process, and the 70 days of mourning by the Egyptians highlight the significance of Jacob's life. His burial in Canaan, fulfilling Joseph's oath, underscores his deep connection to the Promised Land and God's promises. Ally drew parallels to the New Testament description of Christians as "aliens" or "foreigners" in this world (1 Peter 2:11). Just as Jacob's true home was in the Promised Land, our ultimate citizenship is in God's kingdom (Philippians 3:20). She encouraged us to hold onto this identity, especially during the challenges of daily life, and emphasized the importance of gathering as a church to remind and encourage one another in this truth. Furthermore, Ally acknowledged Jacob's flaws, echoing Andy's previous sermon, yet highlighted that he "finished well" and was honored. This serves as an encouragement that God uses flawed individuals for His purposes, and He can restore us despite our shortcomings. Finally, Ally pointed out that Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel, is arguably the true father of the nation of Israel, as his twelve sons became the twelve tribes. His death, holding onto God's promises, and the mourning by the Egyptians, a foreign people, speaks volumes. The End of Hostility: Shifting the focus to Genesis 50:15-21, Ally addressed the end of hostility between Joseph and his brothers. Following Jacob's death, the brothers, burdened by their past mistreatment of Joseph, feared his retribution. They fabricated a message from Jacob asking for forgiveness. While Ally expressed skepticism about the truthfulness of this message, she acknowledged their likely genuine remorse. Joseph's emotional response and subsequent reassurance revealed that he had already forgiven them. His powerful statement, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives" (Genesis 50:20), illustrates God's ability to work through even the most evil intentions for a greater purpose. Ally drew a parallel to our relationship with God, highlighting the burden of unresolved sin and the power of God's unrestricted forgiveness, prepaid by Jesus' death on the cross. She encouraged listeners to "claim" this forgiveness through a simple ABC: Admit you're wrong, Believe in Jesus' death, and Commit to following Jesus as Lord. She urged anyone carrying the weight of sin to address it and encouraged those who have been wronged to consider Joseph's example of forgiving even before being asked. This counter-cultural act of forgiveness mirrors God's own initiative in sending His Son for us. The End of Joseph: In the final verses (Genesis 50:22-26), we see the end of Joseph's life. Unlike Jacob, his death is marked by less ceremony, and the blessing of the next generation had already occurred. However, Joseph's unwavering faith in God's covenant shines through. Even though the promises of a great nation in their own land seemed distant after over 250 years, Joseph declared to his brothers, "God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob" (Genesis 50:24). He even made the Israelites swear an oath to carry his bones back to Canaan when that time came, a testament to his enduring faith, which was fulfilled 400 years later. Ally emphasized the theme of patience in waiting for God's promises. Joseph's faith was rooted in his understanding that God was for him, working out His purposes even through difficult circumstances. His statement in Genesis 50:20 – "God intended it for good, to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives" – reveals his understanding that God's plans extend beyond his own personal well-being. Ally concluded by reminding us that God is for us, even when our circumstances are challenging or His timing differs from our own. Drawing on Romans 8:28, she affirmed that God works all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Jacob and Joseph died trusting in God's promises, and we are called to do the same. Ally concluded with a call to reflection, urging listeners to consider any unresolved sin, broken relationships, or struggles with feeling like a foreigner in this world or doubting God's care. The answer to all these challenges, she affirmed, is to come to the cross, to re-center on God's saving work, where His love and forgiveness are most powerfully displayed. Bible References Used: Genesis 1:1 Genesis 3:1 Genesis 12:1-3 Genesis 15 Genesis 17:1-8 Genesis 25 Genesis 37 Genesis 49 Genesis 50:1-14 Genesis 50:15-21 Genesis 50:20 Genesis 50:22-26 Genesis 50:24 1 Peter 2:11 Philippians 3:20 Romans 8:28 Thank you for joining us for this final reflection on Genesis. We pray that Ally's words have encouraged and challenged you. May we all live in the light of God's promises and the forgiveness found in Jesus Christ. Transcription Yes, so I'm Ali. I know some of you, not everyone. A bit about me, I'm Matt Richard, who unfortunately isn't here. He's gone out with the youth. And we have two boys, Jacob, who's also gone with youth, but Caleb, who has chosen to stay in and listen to mum. And he's going to have more later on. I think I was born just before Voyager 1 left, but there we go. Right now, I'm feeling extraordinarily privileged. Firstly, it's a privilege to study and delve into God's Word and help other people understand it. It's one of the favourite things that I like to do. And secondly, what a privilege to bring this incredible series in Genesis to a close. And as I've been preparing this, the realisation that this really is the last chapter has weighed a little heavy. And the fact that this is the last of our one service Sundays just adds a little bit of extra pressure. Let's go. I've called the talk the end of the beginning. And we're going to get into the passage in a bit. Now, most of you won't have heard me preach before, but I'm one for going in and out of the text. So now is your chance to get your Bible or switch your phone on and find Genesis 50 because we're going to be needing it later, all right? But to start with, I wanted to reflect a bit on what's gone on before. So for those of you who haven't checked out the masterpiece in the entrance, well, you are missing out. It is an absolutely incredible collage of what we've been looking at over the last three months, and I highly recommend it. And I think it's just an absolutely fantastic job. So well done, Sheila, for that. Genesis means beginning, and there have been plenty of those over the past 49 chapters. And I'm just going to pick out three. Chapter 1, verse 1, in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, the beginning of everything. And it's hard to get your head round, isn't it? Once there was nothing, and then there was, well, everything. And those opening verses take us back to the very beginning of everything. They remind us that God is truly eternal. Now, I remember as a kid wanting to know who made God. And in fact, I'm not sure I've ever had a satisfactory answer to it. Some things are maybe just too big to understand. God just is. He always has been, and He always will be. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. God made a perfect world, and He put two human beings on it to enjoy and take care of it, to live in partnership with Him. We are the pinnacle of creation made in His image. But that didn't last. By chapter 3, the perfect world is spoiled forever. You see, we see the beginning of sin. Chapter 3, verse 1, now the snake was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, did God really say you must not eat from any tree in the garden? And we know the story, or at least we think we do, don't we? But what really went on that day in the Garden of Eden? Was it simply that Eve stole a forbidden fruit? Well, of course, that was the action, but it's what was behind it that's the issue, isn't it? You see, in disobeying God's command, Adam and Eve effectively rejected His rule. Now, as a kid, I was taught to remember sin by spelling it out, F-I-N, and seeing that I is in the middle. And that essentially is what sin is about. All sin is, is when we put ourselves, that I, in the place of God, when we reject that rightful rule that He should have over us. And that is what Adam and Eve did in that day in the garden, spurred on by the devil. And far more important are the consequences of this event. You see, that perfect world was spoiled. No longer would life be pain-free for men or women. Life would be hard work. Adam and Eve, and with them the whole human race, were banished from the Garden of Eden, never to return. And worse than that, their perfect relationship with God was spoiled, shattered, broken. That's what I'm trying to get at with that picture there. No longer could Adam and Eve walk side by side with Him. You see, God is so holy, we've just sung it, He's so holy, so absolutely perfect, that He cannot be in the presence of people that are not. And ultimately the consequence was of death, and with it that final separation from God. Now sin spoils, and I don't know how well you've grasped this, but it is really important, so I am going to go on about it just for a little bit longer. Maybe you're here just dipping your toe in things. Maybe you've heard this all before but never quite understood it. Or maybe you've been in church all your life and you think you already know this. Wherever you're at, grasp this, that sin spoils. It means that we cannot be in relationship with God. That is gone, that is smashed to smithereens. It means we die, and that is bad news, depressing news, maybe even shocking news. But it's not the only news, and you see God is not only a holy God, He's one of perfect love, and He had a plan to put things right. Now when I was doing Bible training, one of our lecturers said that you can divide the Bible into two halves. The first three chapters of Genesis is one half, and the rest is the other. And the second half is basically God's rescue plan. It's not a plan B brought into force when Adam and Eve screwed the first one up. No, the Bible is clear that this was always the plan, and there is a hint of it in chapter 3, but let's skip forward to our last beginning, the beginning of the covenant. Now Google AI tells me that a covenant is a formal binding agreement or promise between two or more parties. And in chapter 12, we see Abraham, later to become Abraham, encounter God. And God states His promise to him as a threefold promise that involves a land, a people, and great blessing. So I'm just going to read a little section from Genesis 12. The Lord said to Abraham, go from your country, your people, and your father's household, to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you. I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who curse you, and whoever, bless you, sorry, and whoever curses you, I will curse. And all peoples on earth will be blessed through you. And God repeats this twice more. Do you remember chapter 15, that weird ceremony with the blazing fire and the animals cut in half? I'll look it up later. And in it, Abraham looking at the stars in the sky, God using them as an illustration of His promise to make Him the father of a great nation. And God repeats these promises, makes it clear that it's Him that is doing it all. And finally, He repeats them a third time in Genesis 17. Abraham fell face down, and God said to him, as for me, this is my covenant with you. You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram. Your name will be Abraham. For I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful. I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you, for the generations to come to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and to your descendants after you. And I will be their God. So we've had three beginnings. We've had a perfect creation. We've had a spoiled creation. And we've got God's rescue plan, which starts with a covenant with one man. So can we just hold those beginnings in mind whilst you get a little break from me? And Caleb is going to read our passage for today, which is Genesis 50. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days. When the days of mourning had passed, Joseph said to Pharaoh's court, If I have found favour in your eyes, speak to Pharaoh for me. Tell him, My father made me swear on oath and said, I am about to die. Bury me in the tomb I dug for myself in the land of Canaan. Now let me go up and bury my father. Then I will return. Pharaoh said, Go up and bury your father as he made you swear to do. So Joseph went up to bury his father. All Pharaoh's officials accompanied him, the dignitaries of his court and all the dignitaries of Egypt. Besides all the members of Joseph's household and his brothers and those belonging to his father's household, only their children and flocks of hurt were less than gotten. Chariots and horsemen also went up with him. It was a very large company. When they reached the fresh floor of Etad near the Jordan, they lamented loudly and bitterly, where Joseph observed a seven-day period of mourning for his father. When the Canaanites who lived there saw the mourning at the fresh floor of Etad, they said, The Egyptians are holding a solemn ceremony of mourning. That is why the place near the Jordan is called Abel-Musraim. So Joseph's sons did as he commanded them. They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the field of Machpelah near Mamre, which Abraham had bought along with the field as a burial place from Ephraim the Hittite. After burying his father, Joseph returned to Egypt together with his brothers and all the others who had gone with him to bury his father. When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him? So they sent word to Joseph, saying, Your father left these instructions before he died. This is what you were to say to Joseph, I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly. Now please forgive the sins of the servants of God your father. When their message came to him, Joseph wept. His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. We are your slaves, they said. But Joseph said to them, Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don't be afraid. I will provide for you and your children. And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them. Joseph stayed in Egypt along with all his father's family. He lived 110 years and saw the third generation of Ephraim's children. Also, the children of Micaiah, son of Manasseh, were placed at birth on Joseph's knees. Then Joseph said to his brothers, I am about to die, but God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised an oath to Abraham, Isaac and Joko. And Joseph made the Israelites wear an oath and said, God will surely come to your aid and then you must carry my bones up from this place. So Joseph died at the age of 110 and after they embalmed him, he was placed in a coffin in Egypt. Well done little man. He was a bit upset that he wasn't getting one of these roving mics, so I've told him he's got to wait a little bit for that. So to the end of the beginning, our final chapter, and in it we see three ends. Firstly, the end of Jacob. So Andy talked last week about Jacob's final words to his gathered sons and grandsons. So technically his end was in chapter 49 when he, what did you say Andy, hooked up his feet on the bed and went to his father's, something like that. But the first half of this chapter is devoted to his end. Now I don't know about you, but as I've studied it and as I've heard it read just now, my overriding thought was, wow, they made a massive deal out of that. And there is a lot of detail for us, far more than other significant deaths in Genesis. I look back, in Genesis 25, there's just four verses devoted to the end of Abraham and we have 14. And I wonder why. So let's look at them in a bit more detail. Verse 1, Jacob has just died and Joseph is physically distraught. He throws himself on his father's body. He weeps over him and kisses him. And then there's the first ritual. Jacob's body is embalmed. This takes 40 days. Verse 3, the Egyptians mourned him for 70 days. And see who's mourning there? The Egyptians. Not Joseph and his brothers, although clearly they will have been too, but the Egyptians. Jacob is a foreigner in their land and yet they mourned him for 70 days. Jacob's end was a big deal and not just for his family. And the story goes on and preparations are made for his burial, which happens not in Egypt but back in Canaan, fulfilling an oath that Joseph had sworn to his father. And Jacob is eventually buried back at the family burial cave with his grandparents, Abraham and Sarah and his father Isaac, but not without more pomp and ceremony. Verse 7 to 9, we see all of Egypt's dignitaries, well done Caleb, accompanying the family. It was a very large company, such a large company that the locals living there remark in verse 11, the Egyptians are holding a solemn ceremony of mourning. See it again? The Egyptians are holding a solemn ceremony of mourning. So what can we learn about all this fuss about the end of Jacob? Well, firstly, it seems like he's a foreigner in two places. You see, he dies in Egypt away from the Promised Land, yet when he's taken back to Canaan to be buried, he's a foreigner there too. And this should maybe resonate a little bit with us. You see, in several places in the New Testament, Christians are described as being aliens or foreigners in the world. But if it sometimes feels like you don't belong in this world anymore, well, that's true, we don't. We're citizens of a new kingdom. But for now, we still live in this one. And that can feel hard, especially on a Monday morning, can't it, when you're at work or college or you're with friends or family that don't know Jesus. Jacob knew his identity. He'd encountered God in a very personal way, illustrated in that picture there. And he trusted in his promises, the very same ones that were given back to Abraham. So for him, his choice of burial site back in the Promised Land, well, that was a given. And for us, well, we need to hold on to that identity. We are children of God and citizens of heaven, and that is why showing up here on a Sunday is so important, because we can remind and spur each other on when we go back into that week when we're having to live as aliens in another country. As well as being encouraged by Jacob as a foreigner, we can also take heart that he was in many ways a flawed man. And Andy covered this last week when he reminded us of Jacob's many failures along the way. So when we announced the birth of our son Jacob to our families, my dad commented on the name. His words were, well, you could have gone for a better character. Possibly a bit harsh for his first grandson. When Caleb arrived, I made a point of asking if that was a better choice. Make your mind up. Dad was right on one hand, but Jacob the Bible did make a lot of mistakes. But looking at the way his end is outlined for us, we see he finished well, and he was esteemed and honored by many. And I'd echo what Andy said last week, that this encourages me. See, throughout Genesis, throughout the whole Bible, God uses flawed individuals to work his purposes out. And so he can and does use us too. With all our flaws, all our disappointments, we let him down, and he gently restores us. And finally, the end of Jacob signals the real star of the nation of Israel. You see, indeed, his name was even changed to Israel. It's easy when there's an Israel on the map to forget that the first Israel was a person. And whilst Abraham is always referred to as the father of the nation, in many ways, I'd suggest that title really belongs to Jacob. You see, from his 12 sons came the 12 tribes, which grew into the great people. As Jacob blessed his sons individually before he died, I think he'd have reflected on that promise of becoming a people and seen a glimpse of what was to come. The end of Jacob, a man who died holding onto the promises of God, who finished well and who was mourned by a people from a foreign land. Let's move on. In the next verses, we see another very different end. We see the end of hostility. Check out verse 15, and you see an obvious change in the narrative. Jacob has died, and Joseph's brothers start to panic. When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, what if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him? You see, the brothers foresee a problem. Many years before, they had treated Joseph abysmally, and they know it. They might try to claim mitigating circumstances. After all, Joseph was, by all accounts, a pretty jumped up obnoxious teenager, but what they did was pretty unforgivable. You can read it in Genesis 37. They plotted to kill him. Reuben the Elbdis steps in and suggests throwing him an assistant instead. He plans to go back and rescue him, but the others then sell him on into slavery, and they take his bloodied robe, that technicolor dream coat, back to Jacob and make it look like Joseph was dead. And then they carry on with life, unaware of what happened to their father, living a lie at home with their father grieving his blooded son. But now they have a problem. Jacob is gone, and what's going to happen to them? Without the protection of their father, just how is Joseph going to react? So they preempt it. They get in first. See verse 16, so they sent word to Joseph saying, your father left these instructions before he died. This is what you are to say to Joseph. I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly. Now please forgive the sins of your servant, the God of your father. Now we have no way or not of knowing what the brothers are saying here is true. The Bible does not document this conversation between Jacob and his sons. And as a mother of children who can be pretty convincing in their stories to explain away misdemeanors, sorry to call you out Caleb, but you know what is true? I have to say, personally, I don't believe them. But neither do I blame them. You see, in all honesty, I'd have probably tried something similar. You see, our sinful nature, that eye in the middle, it's always going to try and protect me, isn't it? And Joseph is moved to tears. And then the brothers come together in person. And whilst I'm skeptical about their story, I do believe they're sorry. Their repentance is genuine. They will have carried that guilt for years. And they literally throw themselves at their brother's mercy, aware that he has every right to punish them. And yet Joseph does respond with mercy. He has no intention of punishing them. You see, it becomes clear that he's forgiven them long ago. There is no hostility on his side. He has seen the bigger picture. You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good. And this section of the story illustrates a couple of things, and I think in many ways mirrors our relationship with God. Firstly, it illustrates the power of unresolved sin. Joseph's brothers know they have done wrong, and they've lived for years in the knowledge that they sold him as a slave and lied to their father. Secondly, we see the power of unrestricted forgiveness. Joseph's response is gentle and loving. Twice, he says, don't be afraid. He promises to take care of his brothers and their households. And this is the same as us with God. Are you sitting here feeling the weight of unresolved sin? Is this something you've never dealt with, never taken that step of acknowledging to yourself that you've been living your life with I in charge and that that needs to change? Or maybe you're already a Christian, but there's something specific that you're struggling with, a habit you know you need to break, a recurrent thought or behavior that you can't seem to stop. Can I encourage you to come to God who is waiting there with unrestricted forgiveness? Our loving God who longs to say don't be afraid, I forgive you. And we don't earn that forgiveness. It's prepaid. When Jesus died on that cross 2,000 years ago, he was paying the price for every one of my sins and yours. Humanity's rebellion paid for by one perfect sinless man. So we don't earn it, but we do have to claim it. Last weekend was my birthday, and I got a message on my Costa app to say that I would receive a free birthday treat within the next seven days. So when I looked at it, there it was for me on the app. But I had to claim it. I had to click on it and show it to the nice lady in Costa, which I did on Friday, and I got a nice piece of free tip. God's forgiveness is kind of the same. It's there. It's prepaid. And unlike my treat, there is no time limit. All we need to do is claim it. And how do we do this? Well, can I suggest a simple ABC? A, admit I'm wrong. B, believe in Jesus' death that has taken the punishment I deserve. C, commit to following Jesus as Lord with him in charge instead of me. And whether you need to do that today for the first time or the thousandth time, I encourage people to do it. There will be space later to reflect. Use it. Think through the ABC. Grab someone to pray with afterwards. Don't leave this morning unresolved. Before we move to our final end, just a word about the power of unrestricted forgiveness. You see, maybe you're sitting here and you've been wronged by someone, whether deliberately or not. And that is hard to take. But we know in our hearts, don't we, that holding on to bitterness doesn't do us any good? Now, look at Joseph's reaction in the passage and in the earlier ones when his brothers first arrived in Egypt and were oblivious to his identity. He's forgiven them somewhere along the line. And crucially, before they have come and said sorry to him, he has forgiven them. And we can learn a lot from this, can't we? It's very countercultural. We live in a world where it's considered weak to make that first move, to forgive without being asked to, to not make people pay for what they deserve. But we have a countercultural God who did make that first move, who sent his own son to take the punishment we deserve. So maybe we should rethink. And maybe there are relationships that need fixing. Can we be a people who aren't afraid to make that move, either to apologize for where we know we're wrong or to forgive when we've been Time for our final end, the end of Joseph. And there is a lot less fuss and ceremony than the end of Jacob. And unlike the other patriarchs, we don't see a formal blessing of the next generation. That seems to have been covered by Jacob. But what we do see is Joseph's unwavering faith in God's covenant. Verse 24, then Joseph said to his brothers, I'm about to die, but God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And Joseph made the Israelites swear an oath and said, God will surely come to your aid and then you must carry my bones up into this place. There have been many repeated themes in Genesis, but the one that's really lodged with me is the need for patience when it comes to God's promises. And Joseph has got it, hasn't he? He knows the covenant promises given to his ancestors. Remember that they would be a great people in their own land and greatly blessed. But as Genesis closes, we see that more than 250 years on, there isn't much sign of any of this. The family is pretty small and they aren't even in the promised land. And Joseph has seen some blessing in his time in Egypt, but we know that by the time the next book Exodus starts, they're going to be enslaved in terrible condition. Not many people, no land, limited blessing. Yet Joseph's faith doesn't wobble. Twice he says, God will surely come to your aid. Joseph is convinced that this will work out, just as God has said. He's just not going to see it. And so his faith is demonstrated in his instructions for his body to be buried back in Canaan, something that isn't actually fulfilled for another 400 years. And how does Joseph have such great faith? Well, I think the answer comes for us a little earlier in our chapter in the section on the end of hostility. Remember Joseph's reply to his brothers in verse 20. You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good, to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. You see, somewhere along the line, Joseph has grasped the great truth that God is for him, despite circumstances and events along the way. Throughout the ups and many downs of Joseph's life, God was right there. Move the slide, Michelle, thank you. Joseph has got this. God was right there with him, working out his purposes. Joseph has got this, and this fuels his faith. And he's also got that it's about God and not about Joseph. God intended it for good, to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. He doesn't say, God intended it for good, so everything would work out fine for me. Look, in the end, I got myself a family, decent job, some land for us to settle in. No, God intended it for good, to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So as I finish, hear this, God is for you. I don't know how life is for you right now. Maybe things are going well. Maybe you feel at rock bottom, God is for you. But also hear this, God is for you in the context of his plans and his purposes. And they're not always the same as we maybe think they should be. And God's time scale may be very different to how we think it ought to be. And that means we may not see answers to situations. Things may not work out how we expect. It may feel that God isn't for us. But learn from the story of Genesis, he is. We have a God who is faithful to his promises, who remains in charge, however things might look or feel. As Paul famously wrote in Romans 8 verse 28, and we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. And Jacob and Joseph knew this, and they died trusting in their God's promises. So as we finish today, there is plenty to reflect on. Is there unresolved sin that needs dealing with? Maybe you've never acknowledged that till now, and do you need to claim that forgiveness? Maybe for the first time, maybe for the thousands. Is there a relationship that needs fixing? Do you need to make the first move? Be that one to say sorry or to forgive. Are you struggling with being a foreigner in this world? Are you a different person on a Sunday to how you are the rest of the week? Or are you finding it difficult to believe that God is really for you, especially with things how they are now? The answer to all of these is the same as ever. Come to the cross. Re-center on God at saving work for you. He is for you. He is for us. Nowhere do we see this more powerfully than at the cross. Shall we pray? Heavenly Father, I thank you for your word. I thank you for the book of Genesis. I thank you for all that we have learnt and can take away from it and keep learning and keep taking away. And Lord God, for wherever we're at this time, thank you for the cross. Thank you that in there we receive your unrestricted forgiveness. Lord, we know we have done wrong. We know we have messed up. We know we have spoiled things. But Lord, we come to you in repentance and in faith that your work on the cross is enough. Amen.

Today's sermonette based on Luke 5:1-16 is given by Rev. Dr. Matt Richard. This is a rebroadcast from April 26, 2017. Hear a guest pastor give a short sermonette based on the day's Daily Lectionary New Testament text during Morning and Evening Prayer. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

Today's sermonette based on Mark 7:1-23 is given by Rev. Dr. Matt Richard. This is a rebroadcast from March 15, 2017. Hear a guest pastor give a short sermonette based on the day's Daily Lectionary New Testament text during Morning and Evening Prayer. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

Today's sermonette based on Mark 7:1-23 is given by Rev. Dr. Matt Richard. This is a rebroadcast from March 15, 2017. Hear a guest pastor give a short sermonette based on the day's Daily Lectionary New Testament text during Morning and Evening Prayer. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

Today's sermonette based on John 6:60-71 is given by Rev. Dr. Matt Richard. This is a rebroadcast from February 20, 2017. Hear a guest pastor give a short sermonette based on the day's Daily Lectionary New Testament text during Morning and Evening Prayer. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

Original Air Date: January 15th of 2025 Dr. Matt Richard, author “Will the Real Church Please Stand Up?” speaks on his most recent article in the Lutheran Witness.  

Dr. Matt Richard, author “Will the Real Church Please Stand Up?” Will the Church Please Stand Up? The post What Makes a Church? – Dr. Matt Richard, 1/15/25 (0152) first appeared on Issues, Etc..

Starting new business in Harrisburg, SD Precision Welding and Fabrication.

Purchase Rev. Dr. Matthew Richard's Book HERE: https://amzn.to/3U0C3uu Support Fighting for the Faith Join Our Crew: http://www.piratechristian.com/join-o... Patreon:   / piratechristian   Merchandise: https://www.moteefe.com/store/pirate-... Fighting for the Faith Radio Program: http://fightingforthefaith.com Social Media Facebook:   / piratechristian   Twitter:   / piratechristian   Instagram:   / piratechristian   Video Sermons    / @kongsvingerlutheran670   Sermons http://www.kongsvingerchurch.org/sermons Sunday Schools http://www.kongsvingerchurch.org/bibl... Bible Software Used in this Video: https://www.accordancebible.com Video Editing Software: https://adobe.ly/2W9lyNa Video Recording Software: https://www.ecamm.com Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com http://netbible.com/ All rights reserved.

Dr. Matt Richard, author “Will the Real Church Please Stand Up?” Will the Church Please Stand Up? The post 2743. False Churches, Part 8 – Dr. Matt Richard, 9/30/24 first appeared on Issues, Etc..

Dr. Matt Richard, author “Will the Real Church Please Stand Up?” Will the Church Please Stand Up? The post 2681. False Churches, Part 7 – Dr. Matt Richard, 9/24/24 first appeared on Issues, Etc..

Dr. Matt Richard, author “Will the Real Church Please Stand Up?” Will the Church Please Stand Up? The post 2633. False Churches, Part 6 – Dr. Matt Richard, 9/19/24 first appeared on Issues, Etc..

Dr. Matt Richard, author “Will the Real Church Please Stand Up?” Will the Church Please Stand Up? The post 2572. False Churches, Part 5 – Dr. Matt Richard, 9/13/24 first appeared on Issues, Etc..

Dr. Matt Richard, author “Will the Real Church Please Stand Up?” Will the Church Please Stand Up? The post 2561. False Churches, Part 4 – Dr. Matt Richard, 9/12/24 first appeared on Issues, Etc..

Dr. Matt Richard, author “Will the Real Church Please Stand Up?” Will the Church Please Stand Up? The post 2532. False Churches, Part 3 – Dr. Matt Richard, 9/9/24 first appeared on Issues, Etc..

Dr. Matt Richard, author “Will the Real Church Please Stand Up?” Will the Church Please Stand Up? The post 2502. False Churches, Part 2 – Dr. Matt Richard, 9/6/24 first appeared on Issues, Etc..

Dr. Matt Richard, author “Will the Real Church Please Stand Up?” Will the Church Please Stand Up? The post 2493. False Churches, Part 1 – Dr. Matt Richard, 9/5/24 first appeared on Issues, Etc..

Today's sermonette based on John 14:1-17 is given by Rev. Dr. Matt Richard. This is a rebroadcast from June 12, 2017.

Today's sermonette based on Luke 5:1-16 is given by Rev. Dr. Matt Richard. This is a rebroadcast from April 26, 2017.

Audio from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlxaAINKmdw  Show Notes Contact the Podcast: RWJPodcast@gmail.com or www.raisedwithjesus.com/podcast  Click here to find a nearby congregation or church home.   yearbook.wels.net All rights reserved. Content used at this podcast comes from a variety of locations & sources.     Ask the Pastor requests: https://forms.gle/qqXHSwcerd5aPRUZ6    Resisting the Dragon's Beast notes:  Pastor Zarling's Book, Resisting the Dragon's Beast: https://a.co/d/33vpeyf  Fan Mail, questions, and comments: resistingthedragonsbeast@gmail.com   For more about the concept of “democide” – https://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/20TH.HTM   Tulsa Race Massacre – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulsa_race_massacre     Gene Strusz's books: Morning Prayers for a Christian School: https://a.co/d/ajUEV8A  Essays on Coaching Christian Athletes: https://a.co/d/7HfQ5tk    Dr. John Brug's Lulu Store: https://www.lulu.com/search?contributor=John+Brug    Grace Abounds Reading Guides:  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/19Tw74cyqt4ZNRcGpwjJ6l1XsT0ldhyxj    CW21 Daily Lectionary:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PN_RWjgV4wnvFALd8f4Hu3MvWAo8Jgh-/view?usp=sharing    Casting Nets Podcast: https://castingnetspod.podbean.com/ Apple   Spotify Contact Casting Nets: castingnetspod@gmail.com    Bethlehem Lutheran Church - Carmel, IN https://www.youtube.com/@bethlehemindiana    St. Stephen Lutheran Church - Adrian, MI https://www.youtube.com/@st.stephenevangelicalluthe7852    Impact Podcast - St. Andrew, Middleton WI https://st-andrew-online.org/impact/  RSS Link: https://feeds.libsyn.com/314675/rss    Prince of Peace - Thousand Oaks, CA https://www.princeofpeaceto.com  https://www.youtube.com/c/PrinceofPeaceTO/featured    Upside-Down Savior (Pastor Nate Nass) https://www.youtube.com/@upside-downsavior-pastorna1482    Water of Life Lutheran Church - Caledonia & Racine, WI https://www.wateroflifelutheran.com  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcICs1dldnmZ-rcBqs4QtVQ    Life Challenges Podcast https://christianliferesources.com/life-challenges-podcast/    Dust and Breath Podcast https://dustandbreathpod.buzzsprout.com/1071946  Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dust-and-breath/id1504141389?uo=4  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Luw8MfSUa2bcA8ljaomu5  Google Play: https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8xMDcxOTQ2LnJzcw==    St. Paul Lutheran Church - Ottawa, ON, Canada https://www.stpaulottawa.org/  https://www.youtube.com/c/StPaulOttawa    Worship at the Anvil Podcast Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/worship-at-the-anvil/id1601290288  https://anchor.fm/s/6f8bf9b0/podcast/rss  Also on Spotify.   Martin Luther College - New Ulm, MN https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG3EyO6dSM4-5Ujr2HM9ExA    His Word 360 (WLS Prof. Rev. Stephen Geiger) https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd542RpYW_KSrkEBUSNw-Lg    WELS Streams: https://www.youtube.com/c/welsstreams    WELS Congregational Services: https://vimeo.com/welscongserve  https://vimeo.com/wels    Point of Grace Campus Ministry https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsI7Z5KbPwLdHeIVj_l1z_A    Pilgrim Lutheran Church - Menomonee Falls WI https://www.youtube.com/user/pilgrimlutheran  Through My Bible readings by Rev. Martin Spriggs.  Audio accessed at https://wels.net/serving-you/bible/through-my-bible-archive/  Produced 2023 by Pastor Hagen: pastorhagen@icloud.com or (419) 262-8280  Music from Joseph McDade: https://josephmcdade.com #raisedwithjesus #lutheran #sanctification #toledome #toledo #welstoledo #jesus #bible #podcast #dailyjesus #jesusdaily #jesusfortoledo #rwjdaily #rwjpodcast #toledochurch #nwohio #nwohiochurch #thisistoledo  Resurrection - Maumee: Family Bible Hour at 10:15 AM, Worship on Sundays at 9 AM & 11:15 AM 2250 S. Holland Sylvania Rd - Maumee, OH Contact RWJ: RWJPodcast@gmail.com (419) 262-8280 CCLI Copyright License 11582729 and Streaming License 20003552 

Today's sermonette based on John 6:60-71 is given by Rev. Dr. Matt Richard. This is a rebroadcast from February 20, 2017.

Today's sermonette based on 1 John 1:1-2:14 is given by Rev. Dr. Matt Richard. This is a rebroadcast from December 7, 2017.

Today's sermonette based on 1 John 1:1-2:14 is given by Rev. Dr. Matt Richard. This is a rebroadcast from December 7, 2017.

What an awesome podcast tonight. These are just so awesome.

Pastor Goodman and Matt Richard talk about the tension between life on earth and the promise of heaven and eternal life.

The Rev. Dr. Matt Richard, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Minot, SD, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe for Free Text Friday. In the paradise of Eden, Adam and Eve enjoyed an idyllic existence, at peace with God, nature, themselves, and each another. But this blissful harmony was shattered by their sin and rebellion which led to death, giving rise to guilt and fear that have enslaved mankind ever since. How does Christ's redemption liberate us from this bondage, transforming us from slaves of fear into God's own children? This episode compares and contrasts the life of spiritual slavery with the joyful freedom experienced as a baptized child of God. Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations.

The Rev. Dr. Matt Richard, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Minot, SD, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe for Free Text Friday. In the paradise of Eden, Adam and Eve enjoyed an idyllic existence, at peace with God, nature, themselves, and each another. But this blissful harmony was shattered by their sin and rebellion which led to death, giving rise to guilt and fear that have enslaved mankind ever since. How does Christ's redemption liberate us from this bondage, transforming us from slaves of fear into God's own children? This episode compares and contrasts the life of spiritual slavery with the joyful freedom experienced as a baptized child of God.

Today's sermonette based on John 14:1-17 is given by Rev. Dr. Matt Richard. This is a rebroadcast from June 12, 2017.

Matt Richard is back to discuss anger. 

Today's sermonette based on Luke 5:1-16 is given by Rev. Dr. Matt Richard. This is a rebroadcast from April 26, 2017.

Today's sermonette based on Mark 7:1-23 is given by Rev. Dr. Matt Richard. This is a rebroadcast from March 15, 2017.

Today's sermonette based on John 6:60-71 is given by Rev. Dr. Matt Richard. This is a rebroadcast from February 20, 2017.

Today's sermonette based on 1 John 1:1-2:14 is given by Rev. Dr. Matt Richard. This is a rebroadcast from December 7, 2017.

Today's sermonette based on 1 John 1:1-2:14 is given by Rev. Dr. Matt Richard. This is a rebroadcast from December 7, 2017.

With Reformation Day approaching Pastor Goodman discusses with Matt Richard what Jesus' thoughts would be about it.

Matt & Richard talk about their latest documentary episode on Schizophrenia and pull out some highlights. For more on the documentary series go to https://www.thescienceofpsychotherapy.net/collections/doco Thanks for listening! Support us by becoming a subscriber to The Science of Psychotherapy Academy! Or you can simply buy us a cup of coffee! Please leave a review! (Reviews are fabulously important to us! On your podcast player you should find an option to review at the bottom of the main page for the podcast - after the list of available episodes) - Here's a link for iTunes. And please subscribe to our show!  You can also find our podcast at: The Science of Psychotherapy Podcast Homepage If you want more great science of Psychotherapy please visit our website thescienceofpsychotherapy.com Grab a copy of our latest book! The Practitioner's Guide to the Science of Psychotherapy

Today's sermonette based on Luke 5:1-16 is given by Rev. Dr. Matt Richard. This is a rebroadcast from April 26, 2017.

Rev. Dr. Matt Richard joins us to see what Jesus says about fear.

Today's sermonette based on Mark 7:1-23 is given by Rev. Dr. Matt Richard. This is a rebroadcast from March 15, 2017.

Today's sermonette based on 1 John 1:1-2:14 is given by Rev. Dr. Matt Richard. This is a rebroadcast from December 7, 2017.

Today's sermonette based on 1 John 1:1-2:14 is given by Rev. Dr. Matt Richard. This is a rebroadcast from December 7, 2017.

Dee Ann Turner understands the importance of stewarding talent.  A 33-year veteran of Chick-fil-A, Inc, she was selected as the company's first female officer in 2001 and served as the Vice President, Talent and Vice President, Sustainability. During her long career, she worked closely with Chick-fil-A's founder, S. Truett Cathy, and other key leaders as an architect of their organizational culture. Additionally, she led Staff Learning and Development, Diversity and Inclusion, and Culture and Engagement, and Talent Management.  More recently, Dee Ann launched and led Chick-fil-A's sustainability function focusing on a strategy to implement sustainable practices at the then $10.5 billion company. Episode Summary: A listen in truth episode where Matt & Richard explore with Dee Ann the power of listening and finding your purpose. Dee Ann asks herself four questions in knowing if she is in alignment with what the universe wants her to pursue. They also explore how to receive and improve on negative feedback - the listener will find Dee Ann's advice refreshingly contrarian in nature.

Matt & Richard look at the basics of the Fuel system on the 737, answer a listener's question plus give a scenario (which includes a tech question) for you to think about.

Sermon Audio from August 22, 2021 (Pentecost 13 - Proper 16) on Mark 7:1-13 (Sermon gratefully inspired by Rev. Matt Richard, “Because We've Always Done It That Way!” August 23, 2015, www.pastormattrichard.com.)

In this final part of their 3 -part series on the air system, Matt & Richard look at the basics of the pressurisation system. They also have a listener's question and a scenario to think about. www.737podcast.com www.737lounge.com  

This is a special bonus episode of the podcast.  Episode 20 falls on the 2 year anniversary of the death of my grandfather John Sullivan.  I thought what better way to honor him than by sharing who he was, what he did, and why he was the person I try to be in my own life.We start with an overview of his life.  From his childhood in Fitchburg, adulthood in Brockton, and later years on Cape Cod 'Sully' was a larger than life personality with an unstoppable work ethic and dedication to my grandmother Rosemarie to whom he was married for 73 years.  Whether hanging out with Rocky Marciano or teaching Cesar Romero to swim Sully was a popular figure wherever he went.His biggest connection to Cape Cod was Sullivan's Donut Shop in Hyannis.  Opened in 1975 it was a mix of two of Sully's passions, donuts and jazz music.  It became a popular local hangout for anyone and everyone, so much so that the police joked that they could stakeout the establishment and whomever they were looking for would end up there eventually.We take a Road Trip to Sully's hometown of Fitchburg, Massachusetts nestled just west of the Worcester hills.  It is a city that has maintained much of the authenticity it has when growing in the late 19th century.Finally I share exactly what it was that made my Grampa my hero and the person I try to model my life after.  He was too big to fit into a traditional podcast segment so I created a smaller extra episode to make sure his importance and his story got the full treatment it deserves.We finish off with my Grampa in his element.  He sings a few bars of I Thought About You by Billie Holiday to fade us out.  This was from an album he recorded in 2006 with pianist Matt Richard.Be sure to check out my livestreams called Without A Map Friday's at 8pm on Instagram which serve as a sort of postgame show for the podcast. Find them on IGTV and YouTube after they've finished.Helpful Links from this EpisodeWear Your WishDJ Williams MusicFitchburg, MassachusettsChristopher Setterlund's YouTube ChannelIn My Footsteps BlogChristopher Setterlund.comListen to Episode 19 here.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/InMyFootste)

Matt & Richard continue looking at the Electrical system on the 737.  In this episode; Topic - They look at the DC system and the standby system. Ask Richard - A listener asks an excellent question about the electrical system Matt & Richard's Scenario - This week's scenario is also electrics based and asks you to think about which checklists you'd use and in which order. www.737podcast.com www.737lounge.com 

Today’s sermonette based on Luke 5:1-16 is given by Rev. Dr. Matt Richard. This is a rebroadcast from April 26, 2017.

In this episode Matt & Richard look at the QRH, answer a listener's questions and set a scenario for you to ponder. Following on from episode 1 where we discussed the FCOM, we now look at the QRH, how it's laid out and how it's used. Might sound like a simple topic but this base knowledge, like episode 001, provides the foundations for everything else.

In this episode, Matt & Richard discuss the basics of the 737 hydraulics system.

Today’s sermonette based on Mark 7:1-23 is given by Rev. Dr. Matt Richard. This is a rebroadcast from March 15, 2017.

Today’s sermonette based on Romans 14:1-23 is given by Rev. Dr. Matt Richard. This is a rebroadcast from January 25, 2017.

Today’s sermonette based on 1 John 1:1-2:14 is given by Rev. Dr. Matt Richard. This is a rebroadcast from December 7, 2017.

What are the three estates that Christians are a part of? How are government, church, and family different vocational spheres, and how do our beliefs about these estates shape our daily lives as Christians? How do we partake in each of these estates as faithful Christians? Rev. Matt Richard, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Minot, North Dakota, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss The Epitome of the Formula of Concord, Article XII: Other Factions ‹Heresies› and Sects that Never Embrace the Augsburg Confession (Articles that cannot be tolerated in the Government & Domestic Life - Paragraphs 12-19).

Original Air Date:  July 28th of 2020 Why is it important to also confess what we reject? What are the teachings that we do reject? How are these teachings connected to ancient heresies, and how does our Lutheran doctrine teach against these things? Rev. Matt Richard, pastor of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Minot, North Dakota, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss The Epitome of the Formula of Concord, Article XII: Other Factions ‹Heresies› and Sects that Never Embrace the Augsburg Confession (Erroneous Articles of the Anabaptists – Paragraph 2-11). To listen to more shows on Concord Matters: https://www.kfuo.org/2020/07/28/concord-matters

Original Air Date:  July 28th of 2020   Social Justice…we’ve been hearing that term on the news and on social media with increasing frequency. But what is it? How can we recognize it? And most importantly, how can we avoid turning it into a false Christ? That’s our topic for today’s episode. I’m glad to welcome the Rev. Dr. Matt Richard back to the show to tackle this topic.

Why is it important to also confess what we reject? What are the teachings that we do reject? How are these teachings connected to ancient heresies, and how does our Lutheran doctrine teach against these things? Rev. Matt Richard, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Minot, North Dakota, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss The Epitome of the Formula of Concord, Article XII: Other Factions ‹Heresies› and Sects that Never Embrace the Augsburg Confession (Erroneous Articles of the Anabaptists - Paragraph 2-11).

Social Justice…we've been hearing that term on the news and on social media with increasing frequency. But what is it? How can we recognize it? And most importantly, how can we avoid turning it into a false Christ? That's our topic for today's episode. I'm glad to welcome the Rev. Dr. Matt Richard back to the show to tackle this topic.

It can be easy to fashion a version of Jesus to fit our political views, to blur the lines between the hope promised in a political campaign with the hope we cling to in Christ. Believe it or not, Jesus is not a democrat or republican. Or an independent.  How can we avoid politicizing Jesus? That's what we're going to talk about today with our guest, Rev. Dr. Matthew Richard. Pastor Richard is the pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Minot, ND. He is also the author of Will the Real Jesus Please Stand Up?

Today’s sermonette based on John 14:1-17 is given by Rev. Dr. Matt Richard from St. Pauls Lutheran Church in Minot, North Dakota. This is a rebroadcast from June 12, 2017.

Today’s sermonette based on Luke 5:1-16 is given by Rev. Dr. Matt Richard from Zion Lutheran Church in St Paul’s Lutheran Church in Minot, North Dakota. This is a rebroadcast from April 26, 2017.

Today’s sermonette based on Mark 7:1-23 is given by Rev. Dr. Matt Richard from St. Pauls Lutheran Church in Minot, North Dakota. This is a rebroadcast from March 15, 2017.

Today’s sermonette based on John 6:60-71 is given by Rev. Dr. Matt Richard from St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Minot, North Dakota. This is a rebroadcast from February 20, 2017.

Original Air Date: December 4th of 2019 In this Gottescast, The Gottesdienst Crowd chats about the phenomenon of the Lutheran downgrade. What happens when the sacraments are subtly thought of as an add on and not the central means gospel delivery? That's the Lutheran downgrade. Sean Daenzer (pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Great Bend, ND, and Peace Lutheran Church, Barney, ND) and Matt Richard (pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Minot, ND) join us for the discussion.

In this Gottescast, The Gottesdienst Crowd chats about the phenomenon of the Lutheran downgrade. What happens when the sacraments are subtly thought of as an add on and not the central means gospel delivery? That's the Lutheran downgrade. Sean Daenzer (pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Great Bend, ND, and Peace Lutheran Church, Barney, ND) and Matt Richard (pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Minot, ND) join us for the discussion. Here are the blog posts mentioned in the episode:  Pastor Matt Richard's post: http://www.pastormattrichard.com/2019/10/the-lutheran-downgrade.html Pastor Sean Daenzer's post: https://www.gottesdienst.org/gottesblog/2019/11/3/three-six-nine Become a Patron! You can subscribe to the Journal here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/subscribe/ You can read the Gottesblog here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/gottesblog/ You can support Gottesdienst here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/make-a-donation/ As always, we, at The Gottesdienst Crowd, would be honored if you would Subscribe, Rate, and Review. Thanks for listening and thanks for your support. 

Rev. Dr. Matt Richard, now pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Minot, North Dakota, joins Sarah and guest host Peter Slayton, Social Media Manager for the LCMS, to talk about how Lutherans can talk about the church, faith, and what we believe to those who have come to Lutheranism from American Evangelicalism. This is a rebroadcast from March 13, 2018.

Rev. Dr. Matt Richard, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Minot, North Dakota, joins Andy and Sarah to talk through a Christian response to violent events like the recent mass shootings, including real issue at the root of violence, the solutions we try to bring to the table, and how we cope with moving forward. Read his blog post at pastormattrichard.com/2019/08/the-root-problem-of-mass-shootings.html.

Original Air Date: March 13, 2018 Posted at: CLICK HERE Rev. Dr. Matt Richard, pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Gwinner, North Dakota, joins Sarah and guest host Peter Slayton, Social Media Manager for the LCMS, to talk about how Lutherans can talk about the church, faith, and what we believe to those who have come to Lutheranism from American Evangelicalism.

Original Air Date:  May 29th of 2017 On this episode, Steven Kozar interviews Pr. Matt Richard about his new book.  Listen to the interview on "Fightning for the Faith" by CLICK HERE To listen to Part 1: CLICK HERE The book is available from CPH at: www.cph.org/RealJesus 

Interview with Matt Richard 2

Original Air Date:  May 26th of 2017 On this episode, Steven Kozar interviews Pr. Matt Richard about his new book, "Will the Real Jesus Please Stand Up? 12 False Christs."  The book is available from CPH at:  www.cph.org/RealJesus 

For the inaugural episode of the Working a Refugee Crisis: Jordan we have a great conversation with Matt Richard from UNHCR (the United Nations' Refugee Agency). He is an Information Managment Officer for Syria Cross-Border. We discuss Matt's day to day work of coordinating different types of aid going to internally displaced people in Syria from Jordan. Plus, we talk about his previous work in Palestine, discovering a development career in England, and living life and raising a baby as an ex-pat in Jordan. Matt's interview represents his personal story and views and not the official views of the UN or his agency. Please visit https://workingacrisis.podbean.com and email us at WorkingACrisis@gmail.com with questions, topic suggestions, or if you have friends you think we should interview in Jordan.

Original Air Date:  August 22, 2016 With guest Rev. Matt Richard of Zion Lutheran Church in Gwinner, ND. Today’s topic is Christ Alone “Period” vs. Christ Alone “Comma.” Too often we think we need to add on to “Christ Alone.” Rev. Richard talks about how we like to add things before or after Jesus and why that is not good.

Original Air Date:  May 20, 2016 On today's episode on the Gospel Asylum, we talk to Dr. Matt Richard about...*gasp*...sanctification! Join us as we learn how a Christian is conformed to the image of Christ; in addition, we talk about the two extremes of moralism/legalism and antinomianism. For more episode of the Gospel Asylum: http://thegospelasylum.libsyn.com/ 

Pastor Richard was recently interviewed by Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller of Table Talk Radio.  This is a new segment called, "Called by the Gospel."  In this segment, Pastor Richard's story is shared and Pastor Wolfmueller, along with Pastor Goeglein talk about his faith journey.  

Trying a new podcast concept "Called by the Gospel" features the stories of those who have struggled under the law to finding live in the sweetness of the Gospel.

Original Air Date: February 22, 2016 Today on 'Cross Defense' we talk to our guest, Rev. Dr. Matt Richard of Zion Lutheran Church in Gwinner, ND. This is part 2 of the 'Apologetic of Christ Alone for the 21st Century,' where we talk about the attempts of many to eliminate Christ. The five attempts discussed in this program are: the new Moses, the Patriot, the Rabbi, the Psychotherapist and the Precious Moments Edition Jesus.

Original Air Date:  January 23, 2016Join us as we talk to Dr. Matt Richard about Solus Christus (Christ alone), what it is, why it's important, and how we can rightly confess it today.To listen to more episodes from The Gospel Asylum: http://thegospelasylum.libsyn.com

Pr. Matt Richard joins us to discuss his article, “Your Greatest Need Isn’t Money, Sex, or Power, But…”. How do we try to tell the story of our lives and justify ourselves by means of money, sex, and power? Is there a better way? What is our greatest need? Listen for our true and genuine … Continue reading Your Greatest Need →

Pr. Matt Richard joins us to discuss his article, “Your Greatest Need Isn’t Money, Sex, or Power, But…”.  How do we try to tell the story of our lives and justify ourselves by means of money, sex, and power? Is there a better way? What is our greatest need? Listen for our true and genuine source of justification and what it means for everyday life.

Pr. Matt Richard continues discussing his paper, “Why the Doctrine of Predestination Matters.” What happens when we try to reconcile the seemingly contradictory doctrines of 1) original sin with 2) God’s justification of the sinner and 3) God’s eternal election? Why should we keep these doctrines “in tension” according to God’s Word? Is the teaching … Continue reading Predestination, part 2 →

Pr. Matt Richard enters the “Throwdown” ring to discuss his paper, “Why the Doctrine of Predestination Matters.” Is the doctrine of predestination simply some useless wrangling among theologians, or does it really mean something for every Christian? What happened during the 19th century when various Lutheran church bodies debated this doctrine? How can you best … Continue reading Predestination, part 1 →

• Patricia King on Spiritual Gates • Gungor Okay if Jesus Lied About Adam & Noah • Paula White's False Vision Teaching • Two Good Sermons by the Rev. Dr. Matt Richard of Zion Lutheran Church of Gwinner, ND

No Science Fiction, Only Music © 2008 by Spider Robinson Spider has so much good music backed up inside him, he's about to explode. Here are performances by Jeff Healey, Moe Scarlett, Jordin Kare, Seth Augustus, Chirgilchin, Dorrie Leger, Matt Richard, Les Finnigan, and David Qualey.