Podcasts about Pentecost

Salvation is not the finish line in the Christian life—it's just the starting point.In Episode 14 of "Born Again, What Now?", Duane Sheriff explores the doctrine of baptisms, one of the six foundational principles of the Doctrine of Christ found in Hebrews 6. While many believers understand salvation and water baptism, few realize that the New Testament reveals three distinct baptisms that are vital to spiritual growth and maturity.The Holy Spirit baptizes believers into the body of Christ at salvation, water baptism serves as a public declaration of faith and obedience, and Jesus baptizes believers with the Holy Spirit for power and effective witness. This third baptism was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost and remains available to believers today.The baptism of the Holy Spirit includes a supernatural prayer language that edifies, strengthens, and enables believers to pray mysteries directly to God. If you've ever wondered, "I'm born again—what now?" this episode reveals how to move beyond a defeated Christian life and walk in the fullness of God's provision and power.

**If you're struggling with OCD or unrelenting intrusive thoughts, NOCD can help.  Book a free 15 minute call to get started.** Wednesday Rosary - SPOKEN MALE VOICE with AMBIENT MUSIC by artist: Lakeside  - Song Title: Harbours & Oceans This week's collection of beautiful music welcomes you into a calm state of prayer as together, we offer up our intentions alongside this daily rosary. This rosary contains the glorious mysteries, recited on Wednesdays and Sundays.  These mysteries focus on the events following Christ's resurrection, including Pentecost and Mary's coronation, with fruits such as faith and hope. Be a part of the communion of saints in praying the rosary, as it connects you with the communal prayer of the universal Church and the saints throughout history, fostering a profound sense of spiritual solidarity.  The spoken portion of this rosary is 20 minutes, with extended music for additional meditation.  All music in this video is licensed thru Epidemic Sound Publishing. May this Rosary become a faithful companion to your prayer life. Additional prayer tools at www.rosarywristband.com 30 MINUTE TRADITIONAL ROSARY - GLORIOUS WEDNESDAY - SPOKEN ONLY https://youtu.be/r2tCG5QM1_o ROSARY - SPOKEN ONLY VERSION: Wednesday - SPOKEN ONLY https://youtu.be/KyCey-qH-lA MOST VIEWED WEDNESDAY ROSARY: Calm Music    https://youtu.be/1Fnoyv8EmO0 MOST VIEWED ONE HOUR ROSARY DEVOTION: Complete Rosary    https://youtu.be/rrNMRJ5oH-Q MOST VIEWED SLEEP ROSARY: 4 Hour Sleep Rosary    https://youtu.be/4a-uaEEJOF4 Consider a donation through PayPal to help us continue creating quality content:  https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?business=CHerrera720037%40gmail.com&cmd=_donations¤cy_code=USD&item_name=Donation+to+The+Communion+of+Saints&return=https%3A%2F%2Frosarywristband.com%2Fhome Blessings, Chris - The Communion of Saints Email: chris@rosarywristband.com Simply, easy and quick rosary prayers for everyday recitation and reflection.   This collection of Catholic rosary videos in english serve as a daily devotion and feature calm background music and nature soundscapes.   Choose from audio only or follow along video with all mysteries: Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious and Luminous.  Listen before sleep or any time for renewed focus and peace. "Together we pray" Visit rosarywristband.com for comfortable one decade rosaries. #Rosary #GloriousMysteries #CatholicMeditation #WednesdayRosary #todayrosary #todayrosaryinenglish

Officiant: Mtr. Lisa Meirow, Psalm(s): Psalm 45, Fr. Wiley Ammons, Old Testament: Joshua 8:1-22, Fidela Werner, First Canticle: 13, New Testament: Romans 14:1-12, Laura Di Panfilo, Second Canticle: 18, Gospel: Matthew 26:47-56, Mtr. Lisa Meirow. Logo image by Antonio Allegretti, used by permission.

Evening lessons: Psalms 55; Ezra 9; 2 Timothy 4.  Hear my prayer, O God, and hide not yourself from my petition.

Officiant: Mtr. Lisa Meirow, Psalm(s): Psalm 45, Fr. Wiley Ammons, Old Testament: Joshua 8:1-22, Fidela Werner, First Canticle: 13, Second Canticle: 18, Gospel: Matthew 26:47-56, Mtr. Lisa Meirow

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks!emersonk78@me.comExcel Still More Journal - AmazonNew GENESIS Daily Bible Devotional!Daily Bible Devotional Series - AmazonTitle Sponsor: Tyler Cain, Senior Loan Officer, Statewide MortgageWebsites: https://statewidemortgage.com/https://tylercain.floify.com/Phone: 813-380-8487On Pentecost, Peter presented four cases for Christ: Miracles, Prophecy, Resurrection, and the Events of Pentecost. This created a 4 Part Response by the hearer: Repentant Hearts, Separation from Sin, Devotion to Worship, and Sacrificial Service of one another! And so should Christ's victory today.We need one another, and we need to value our faithfulness in terms of how we fit together, work together, and love God's people. 2,4,6,8 Who Do We Appreciate - is not just a great softball chant, it lends to God's people cheering one another  in Acts 2:42-37; 4:23-37; 6:1-7; and 8:1-17!  What does that look like today?1) Pray Unceasingly for Christians2) Prioritize the Gathering of Saints3) Participate in Sacrificial Service4) Proclaim Christ and His ChurchYou can do it. We can do it, together!

Jacob and Aaron take a look at the readings for the Ninth Sunday after Pentecost, which are 1 Kings 3:5-12, Psalm 119:129-136, Romans 8:26-39, and Matthew 13:31-33,44-52.

Paul walks into Athens, a city stuffed with idols and clever talkers, and instead of being impressed he is grieved. Rather than condemn the crowd, he starts with an altar they had built to an unknown god and tells them he has come to make that god known, even quoting their own poets on the way to the resurrection. Together with the Bereans, who checked everything Paul said against Scripture, these scenes model how to speak the gospel into a skeptical culture without watering it down. This is a chapter for Christians who feel surrounded by unbelief and are unsure how to begin.  The Rev. Dr. Matthew Tassey, pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Shawnee, OK, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Acts 17:1-34.  To learn more about Redeemer Lutheran, visit redeemershawnee.org. The book of Acts picks up where the Gospels leave off. Jesus has risen. He has ascended. And now what? Acts answers that question. Luke tells the story of how the Holy Spirit built the Church from a handful of frightened disciples in Jerusalem into a movement that reached Rome itself. Along the way, you get Pentecost, the first sermons, the first martyrs, the conversion of Paul, the first church councils, shipwrecks, riots, and the persistent, stubborn work of God through Word and Sacrament even when His people didn't have a plan. If you've ever wondered how we got from Easter morning to the Church you sit in today, this is the book. Tune in for this new series on Thy Strong Word with Pastor Phil Booe and guest pastors as we open up the Book of Acts.  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. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

Officiant: Mtr. Lisa Meirow, Psalm(s): Psalm 41, 52, Fr. Wiley Ammons, Old Testament: Joshua 7:1-13, Fidela Werner, First Canticle: 9, New Testament: Romans 13:8-14, Laura Di Panfilo, Second Canticle: 19, Gospel: Matthew 26:36-46, Mtr. Lisa Meirow. Logo image by Antonio Allegretti, used by permission.

This is the Monday evening liturgy during the season of Pentecost for the Compline podcast from the Center for Worship and the Arts at Samford University. For more about the Center for Worship and the Arts, as well as the resources we provide, visit us at https://www.samford.edu/worship-arts/.CREDITS:© 2021 Center for Worship and the Arts, Samford University.Engineered and produced by Wen Reagan for the Center for Worship and the Arts at Samford University.SPOKEN WORD:Wen Reagan, Stacy Love, Tracy Hanrahan, Meagan Kennedy, Pierce Moffett, Eden Walker.MUSIC:“Compline #3” by Wen Reagan, © 2020 Sursum Corda Music.“Compline #4” by Wen Reagan, © 2020 Sursum Corda Music.“Come to Me” by Wendell Kimbrough, © 2017 Wendell Kimbrough, CCLI #7100076.TEXTS:The liturgical words for this podcast series include original phrasings, but were primarily curated and designed from several public domain sources, including “An Order for Compline” from the Anglican and Episcopal Book of Common Prayer and collects collected from Grace Cathedral.SOUNDS:The following sound effects were used in this podcast series and are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA."Door, Front, Opening, A.wav" by InspectorJ (www.jshaw.co.uk) of Freesound.org."Door, Front, Closing, A.wav" by InspectorJ (www.jshaw.co.uk) of Freesound.org.“06 – Crackling Candle.wav” by 14GPanskaLetko_Dominik of Freesound.org.“Lights a Candle Light with a Match” by straget of Freesound.org.The following sound effects were used in this podcast series and are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.“Soft Shoes Walking on a Dirt Road” by Nagwense of Freesound.org.“Match Being Lit.wav” by Jeanet_Henning of Freesound.org.“Candle Blow.wav” by Bee09 of Freesound.org.Mentioned in this episode:Discover Samford's Center for Worship and the Arts - the creator of the Compline episodes you know and love.Samford's Center for Worship and the Arts provides resources, connections, and intergenerational development opportunities to engage and explore topics related to worship, theology, and the arts. Our goal is to help churches design, test, and implement new models for nurturing the religious lives of teenagers to engage them more fully in their congregation…. helping them develop as lifelong followers of Jesus Christ. Discover our worship arts camp, Animate, Worship exchange events for ministry leaders, our Online certificates, and other resources by visiting samford.edu/go/cwaDiscover Samford's Center for Worship and the Arts - the creator of the Compline episodes you know and love!Samford's Center for Worship and the Arts provides resources, connections, and intergenerational development opportunities to engage and explore topics related to worship, theology, and the arts. Our goal is to help churches design, test, and implement new models for nurturing the religious lives of teenagers to engage them more fully in their congregation…. helping them develop as lifelong followers of Jesus Christ. Discover our worship arts camp, Animate, Worship exchange events for ministry leaders, our Online certificates, and other resources by visiting samford.edu/go/cwa

Officiant: Fr. Wiley Ammons, Psalm(s): Psalm 44, Laura Ammons, Old Testament: Joshua 7:1-13, Fidela Werner, First Canticle: 8, New Testament: Romans 13:8-14, Laura Di Panfilo, Second Canticle: 17, Gospel: Matthew 26:36-46, Mtr. Lisa Meirow. Logo image by Laura Ammons, used by permission.

Quizás hoy estás atravesando una temporada de prueba, de espera, de restauración o de consuelo. La buena noticia es que Dios sigue siendo el Señor de todos los vientos de nuestra vida. El Espíritu Santo usa cada temporada para formarnos, guiarnos y glorificar a Cristo. Nuestro llamado es rendirnos al Espíritu Santo.En este mensaje aprendimos que:✨ El viento representa la presencia de Dios.✨ Dios es el Señor de todos los vientos de nuestra vida.✨ Aun los vientos difíciles pueden traer provisión y transformación.✨ El Espíritu Santo sigue dando vida a lo que parecía seco y sin esperanza.✨ Debemos posicionarnos para recibir el mover del Espíritu Santo.✨ La presión puede producir el mayor mover de Dios en nuestra vida.✨ Dios sigue abriendo caminos donde parece imposible.✨ El viento de Pentecostés sigue soplando hoy.

How do we position ourselves to receive more of the Holy Spirit? In Part 3 of our More series, Pastor Brandon teaches from 1 Corinthians 12 and unpacks two key areas that often keep people from experiencing everything God has for them. From understanding biblical generosity to overcoming misconceptions about spiritual gifts, this message challenges us to pursue God above experiences and to discover the unique gifts He has placed within each of us for the good of the Church. No matter your background or previous experiences, God has more for you. Timestamps 0:00 Welcome 0:48 Welcome to Venture Church 1:28 Atlas Free Mount Baker Fundraiser 2:14 Introduction to the Holy Spirit Series 7:24 Preparing Your Heart to Receive More 8:54 First Key: Unlock Firstfruits 10:23 The Festival of Firstfruits and Pentecost 11:49 Why Generosity Matters 14:08 A Story About Learning to Tithe 18:31 Second Key: Don't Be Uninformed 20:36 Misunderstanding the Holy Spirit 22:14 Chasing God, Not Experiences 26:13 Common Hangups About Spiritual Gifts 27:10 The Nine Gifts of the Spirit 30:50 Pastor Brandon & Di's Story 36:23 Staying Open to More of God 37:40 Don't Let Abuse Keep You from Truth 39:58 Gift. God. Good. 41:24 Spiritual Gifts Are for the Church 42:39 Using Your Gifts for the Common Good 44:36 Let Go of Your Hangups 45:56 Closing Prayer If this message encouraged you, be sure to like, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs it. We'd love to have you join us in person at Venture Church as we continue our More series!

8th Sunday after Pentecost; Sermon based on Mark 6:1-13. Preached at The First Presbyterian Church of Brooklyn (https://linktr.ee/firstchurchbrooklyn). Podcast subscription is available at https://cutt.ly/fpcb-sermons or Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/4ccZPt6), Spotify, Amazon, Audible, Podcast In....This item belongs to: audio/first-church-brooklyn-sermons.This item has files of the following types: Archive BitTorrent, Columbia Peaks, Item Tile, Metadata, PNG, Spectrogram, VBR MP3

Morning lessons: Psalms 52, 53, 54; 1 Samuel 12; 2 Corinthians 4.  Why do you boast, you tyrant, that you can do evil?

Evening lessons: Psalms 51; Ezra 8; 2 Timothy 3.  Have mercy upon me, O God, in your great goodness; according to the multitude of your mercies wipe away my sins.

Is "Cultural Christianity" a bridge to the gospel — or a counterfeit that replaces it? In this episode, Dr. James Spencer (PhD, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) and Dr. Ashish Varma respond to James Wood's widely-discussed First Things article, In Defense of Cultural Christianity. Together they unpack why calling a civilisation "Christian" when Christ is not its governing authority is not just imprecise — it's theologically catastrophic. From the Christendom narrative and American civil religion to the habituation of virtue, abortion statistics, and a profound meditation on Pentecost in Acts 2, this episode models what serious Christian thinking looks like when it refuses to foreclose on the full authority of Jesus Christ too soon. If you've wrestled with Christian nationalism, the "good, true, and beautiful" in culture, or what it means to vote as a follower of Jesus, this conversation is essential listening. Key Takeaways: Why "a culture influenced by Christianity" is an insufficient — and potentially dangerous — definition of "Christian culture" The concept of "inappropriate foreclosure": closing off our understanding of the good too soon and using that partial view as if it were complete How Robert Bellah's concept of American civil religion explains why Christian language gets co-opted by government without actually conforming people to Christ Why the Book of Acts — specifically Pentecost and the Gentile inclusion — fundamentally disrupts any vision of Christianity as a singular cultural program The Light Bright metaphor: God is the light source; culture is the peg pattern. Christians must point people behind the pegs to the light itself Why policy-driven virtue formation (habituation) has measurable real-world limits — and what the abortion statistics during different administrations actually reveal How Dr. Varma's personal experiences — from campus life on 9/11 to being randomly selected in airports — illustrate why Wood's "civilisational benefit" narrative forecloses on the experiences of many believers Get early access and a bonus with a Patreon membership. Subscribe to our YouTube channel To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com.

Officiant: Mtr. Lisa Meirow, Psalm(s): Psalm 41, 52, Fr. Wiley Ammons, Old Testament: Joshua 7:1-13, Fidela Werner, First Canticle: 9, Second Canticle: 19, Gospel: Matthew 26:36-46, Mtr. Lisa Meirow

Lead Pastor Rev. Ashley Mathews preaches from the Gospel of Matthew on the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost.

Pentecost 8 Propers

Sunday, July 19, 2026 ~ Sermon by Pastor Brett JenkinsGeneral podcast introduction using "Be Thou My Vision." General podcast outro using "Be Thou My Vision."

Preacher: The Rev. Jonathon Jensen. Isaiah 44:6-8, Psalm 86:11-17, Romans 8:12-25, Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43.

Preacher: The Rev. Geoffrey Royce. Isaiah 55:10-13, Psalm 65:9-14. Romans 8:1-11, Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23.

1 CORINTHIANS  Correction With Confidence Because of The Faithfulness Of God Toward  His Saints!1 Corinthians 16:5–12 (ESV) I will visit you after passing through Macedonia, for I intend to pass through Macedonia, 6 and perhaps I will stay with you or even spend the winter, so that you may help me on my journey, wherever I go. 7 For I do not want to see you now just in passing. I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. 8 But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, 9 for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.  10 When Timothy comes, see that you put him at ease among you, for he is doing the work of the Lord, as I am. 11 So let no one despise him. Help him on his way in peace, that he may return to me, for I am expecting him with the brothers. 12 Now concerning our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to visit you with the other brothers, but it was not at all his will to come now. He will come when he has opportunity.MAKE PLANS FOR THE WORK OF THE LORD, TRUSTING THE PROVIDENCE OF GODPLAN INTENTIONALITY FOR THE WORK OF THE LORD (V5-9) PURPOSE YOUR LIFE AROUND THE WORK OF THE LORD (V5-12) PERCEIVE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOUR PLANS AND GOD'S PLAN (V12)

A sermon for Pentecost 8 (July 19, 2026) Matthew 13:24-30,36-43 Jesus put before the crowd another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?' He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.' The slaves said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?' But he replied, ‘No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'” Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!”

In this study we will take a look at the women within the Bible. We will look at each one of them and see how their story influences our lives today.As we continue our study in this fantastic insight of the Women of the Bible, this morning we shall finish up with Zipporah and then take a look at Miriam the sister of Moses.Miriam (rebellion) – Moses Sister – A ProphetessMiriam was the older sister of Moses, and it was she who watched over him when he was placed in a basket on the River Nile. She went on to become a leader of the Hebrews when they escaped from Egypt and went in search of the Promised Land.Miriam is best known for helping to deliver Moses at the Nile River and leading the Hebrew women in singing, dancing, and playing drums after crossing the Red Sea. Later, she and her brother Aaron challenge the actions and authority of Moses. She understands leadership to embrace diverse voices, female and male. But the price of speaking out is severe; Yahweh punishes her, after which she never speaks, nor is she spoken to. Centuries later, prophecy remembers her as the equal of Moses and Aaron in representing Yahweh before the people, and as the inaugurator of a performance and composition tradition of song, drums, and dances in Israel."I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy."—Joel 2:28.         Miriam, the prophetess, the sister of Aaron (Exod. 15:20.), is the first of her order mentioned in the Word of Yahweh. While Yahweh never ordained a woman to be priest, nor do we read of women as bishops or pastors in the New Testament, the vocation of "prophetess" is common to both dispensations. Hannah (1Sam. 1:2) was practically a prophetess, and so was Huldah, to whom King Josiah went in his time of perplexity. Deborah (Judges 4:5) was a prophetess (2Kings 22:14), and there were also false prophetesses, such as Noadiah (Neh. 6:14), as well as false prophets.         In the New Testament, Peter expressly declares that the pouring out of the Spirit of Yahweh upon all flesh should be upon sons and daughters, servants, and handmaids, "and they shall prophesy," quoting from the Old Testament. (Joel 2:28-32); compare (Acts 2:17-18.)  A number of those who "spake" "AS THE SPIRIT GAVE THEM UTTERANCE," (Acts. 2:4.) of the wonderful works of Yahweh on the Day of Pentecost, were women speaking in the spirit of prophecy. Philip, the deacon, we read, had four daughters "which did prophesy" (Acts 21:9); the Apostle Paul speaks of those women who labored with him in the Gospel. (Phl. 4:3.) It is he who especially recommends that, when women pray and prophesy, their heads should be covered; and explains what is this office of prophesying in the words: "He that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort." (1Chorin. 11:5; 14:3.) And while Paul commands that women should not speak in church, he ordains that all, i.e., both men and women, may prophesy, one by one, that all may learn, and may be comforted. (1Corin. 14:31-34.)          Yahweh's order in the family is not according to earthly birthright. Speaking of the leaders of His people Israel, He says: "I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam." (Micah 6:4.) All these children of Amram were of the prophet order. Miriam was the eldest, Moses the youngest; yet Moses is first mentioned, because he knew his Yahweh more fully than either his brother or his sister. Aaron, his elder brother, ranks next, and Miriam, the eldest of the three, ranks last.Miriam was a leader of the Hebrew people during the Exodus, the great founding event of Judaism. The episodes we have about her are disjointed and probably only represent a fraction of the stories originally told in the oral tradition of the Hebrew people.  The story of Miriam contains four different episodes:   1 Miriam saved her brother Moses, Exodus 2:1-10. This well-known story shows that the survival of the leader of the Exodus, Moses, depended on the courage and ingenuity of one young woman, his sister Miriam.   2 The song of Miriam, Exodus 15:20-21. This fragment of the Song of Miriam is one of the oldest poetic couplets in the Old Testament. It is an example of a literary genre devoted to celebrating military victories with triumphal poems.  3 Miriam's ordeal, Numbers 12. This story is about the authority of established law. Moses was the great lawgiver of the Hebrew people Moses' legislation formed the basis of Hebrew life. The story acknowledged that Miriam and Aaron were both popular leaders, but the Law, represented by Moses, bound them.  4 Miriam's death, Numbers 20:1-2. Miriam died in a waterless place in the wilderness, but Yahweh subsequently caused water to appear there.  In this study we take a look #2 The Song of Miriam and #3 Miriam's ordealExodus 15:20-2120.          Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron = This is the first mention of Miriam by name, and she is described as the sister of Aaron, so she is therefore also the sister of Moses (Exodus 4:14).We also see that Miriam had some kind of prophetic gift. Later she used her leadership position in an unwise and ungodly way – to challenge the authority of Moses (Numbers 12).Miriam was with Moses throughout the nine plagues. She came out of Egypt with Moses. Miriam was a woman of Yahweh. She was indeed a prophet herself (Exodus 15:20). The fact that Miriam was a prophet is a little known fact because everyone concentrates on Moses. Miriam was called to play a less prominent role than Moses but nevertheless a vital one. Miriam's role as a leader of the Hebrew women was obviously more extensive than is shown in the biblical text. Despite her personal charisma and power, her story has to a large extent been subsumed into the story of her brother Moses. Rulers in the ancient world led through force of arms and military might. Miriam and Moses proposed a different model of leadership. They led by example served their people rather than ruled them did what they believed Yahweh wanted rather than serving their own ends.      When the Hebrew's were escaping from Egypt, they crossed what was probably a large papyrus marsh, called the Red Sea in the biblical text. Moses, Miriam, and her second brother Aaron led them. Numbers 12This part of Miriam's story described an incident at Hazeroth (villages), as the Hebrew people wandered in search of their promised land.Going to Moses, Miriam and Aaron raised two points that were troubling them: 1.      They questioned his marriage to the Cushite (Ethiopian or Midianite) woman, not because of any personal rivalry, but because Hebrews condemned marriage with a foreigner. Some Bible translations call the woman a Cushite, others Ethiopian and some even say Sudanese. What is clear is that the woman was a foreigner. Bible scholars are divided over whether she was of African decent, as names and geography have changed in meaning over the centuries. In the ancient world the whole of the southern world from Africa to India was denoted by the word Ethiopia (English travelers as late as the 17th Century still used the name in that sense). All this leaves the possibility but not confirmation that Moses wife could have been of African decent. 2.      They questioned Moses' authority over them, since Moses was the youngest of the three siblings. Yahweh had communicated with all three of them. Why then should Moses dominate the other two?  Join me as we go Chapter by Chapter, Verse by Verse, Unraveling the Words of Yahweh!Have any questions? Feel free to email me; keitner2024@outlook.com

The Book of ActsAdult Bible StudyThe PentecostAl BrookeWestside Chapel | July 19, 2026

Eighth Sunday after Pentecost, recorded Sun., July 19, 2026. Based on Isaiah 44:6-11. Pastor Johnold Strey. Website: crownoflifehubertus.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/crownoflifehubertus/ Written transcriptions: https://johnoldstrey.wordpress.com/

Sunday Rosary - SPOKEN MALE VOICE with AMBIENT MUSIC by artist: Lakeside  - Song Title: Harbours & Oceans This week's collection of beautiful music welcomes you into a calm state of prayer as together, we offer up our intentions alongside this daily rosary. This rosary contains the glorious mysteries, recited on Wednesdays and Sundays.  These mysteries focus on the events following Christ's resurrection, including Pentecost and Mary's coronation, with fruits such as faith and hope. Be a part of the communion of saints in praying the rosary, as it connects you with the communal prayer of the universal Church and the saints throughout history, fostering a profound sense of spiritual solidarity.  The spoken portion of this rosary is 20 minutes, with extended music for additional meditation.  All music in this video is licensed thru Epidemic Sound Publishing. May this Rosary become a faithful companion to your prayer life. Additional prayer tools at www.rosarywristband.com 30 MINUTE TRADITIONAL ROSARY - GLORIOUS SUNDAY - SPOKEN ONLY https://youtu.be/v-gX7p-QznQ ROSARY - SPOKEN ONLY VERSION: Sunday - SPOKEN ONLY https://youtu.be/LFcRgq2cQRA MOST VIEWED SUNDAY ROSARY: Calm Music    https://youtu.be/1Fnoyv8EmO0 MOST VIEWED ONE HOUR ROSARY DEVOTION: Complete Rosary    https://youtu.be/rrNMRJ5oH-Q MOST VIEWED SLEEP ROSARY: 4 Hour Sleep Rosary    https://youtu.be/4a-uaEEJOF4 Consider a donation through PayPal to help us continue creating quality content:  https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?business=CHerrera720037%40gmail.com&cmd=_donations¤cy_code=USD&item_name=Donation+to+The+Communion+of+Saints&return=https%3A%2F%2Frosarywristband.com%2Fhome Blessings, Chris - The Communion of Saints Email: chris@rosarywristband.com Simply, easy and quick rosary prayers for everyday recitation and reflection.   This collection of Catholic rosary videos in english serve as a daily devotion and feature calm background music and nature soundscapes.   Choose from audio only or follow along video with all mysteries: Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious and Luminous.  Listen before sleep or any time for renewed focus and peace. "Together we pray" Visit rosarywristband.com for comfortable one decade rosaries. #Catholic #Rosary #Prayer #Sunday #GloriousMysteries  #CatholicMorningPrayerMarch #RosaryEnglish #RosaryToday  #CatholicMeditation #SundayRosary #todayrosary #todayrosaryinenglish #RosaryMaleVoice

This is Wade's sermon at Resurrection Lutheran Church in Milwaukee, WI for Pentecost 9. We'd love to have you join us at Resurrection for a Sunday Divine Service sometime at 9am. As always, if you are enjoying the show, please subscribe, rate, and review us on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Spotify, or TuneIn Radio. You can also like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.  And, of course, share us with a friend or two! If you'd like to contact us we can be reached at podcast@LetTheBirdFly.com, or visit our website at www.LetTheBirdFly.com.

Officiant: Mtr. Lisa Meirow, Psalm(s): Psalm 63, 98, Fr. Wiley Ammons, Old Testament: Joshua 6:15-27, Fidela Werner, First Canticle: 16, New Testament: Acts 22:30-23:11, Andrew Armond, Second Canticle: 21, Gospel: Mark 2:1-12, Mtr. Lisa Meirow. Logo image by Antonio Allegretti, used by permission.

This is the Sunday evening liturgy during the season of Pentecost for the Compline podcast from the Center for Worship and the Arts at Samford University. For more about the Center for Worship and the Arts, as well as the resources we provide, visit us at https://www.samford.edu/worship-arts/.CREDITS:© 2021 Center for Worship and the Arts, Samford University.Engineered and produced by Wen Reagan for the Center for Worship and the Arts at Samford University.SPOKEN WORD:Wen Reagan, Stacy Love, Tracy Hanrahan, Meagan Kennedy, Pierce Moffett, Eden Walker.MUSIC:“Compline #3” by Wen Reagan, © 2020 Sursum Corda Music.“Compline #4” by Wen Reagan, © 2020 Sursum Corda Music.“Come to Me” by Wendell Kimbrough, © 2017 Wendell Kimbrough, CCLI #7100076.TEXTS:The liturgical words for this podcast series include original phrasings, but were primarily curated and designed from several public domain sources, including “An Order for Compline” from the Anglican and Episcopal Book of Common Prayer and collects collected from Grace Cathedral.SOUNDS:The following sound effects were used in this podcast series and are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA."Door, Front, Opening, A.wav" by InspectorJ (www.jshaw.co.uk) of Freesound.org."Door, Front, Closing, A.wav" by InspectorJ (www.jshaw.co.uk) of Freesound.org.“06 – Crackling Candle.wav” by 14GPanskaLetko_Dominik of Freesound.org.“Lights a Candle Light with a Match” by straget of Freesound.org.The following sound effects were used in this podcast series and are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.“Soft Shoes Walking on a Dirt Road” by Nagwense of Freesound.org.“Match Being Lit.wav” by Jeanet_Henning of Freesound.org.“Candle Blow.wav” by Bee09 of Freesound.org.

Officiant: Fr. Wiley Ammons, Psalm(s): Psalm 103, Laura Ammons, Old Testament: Joshua 6:15-27, Fidela Werner, First Canticle: 15, New Testament: Acts 22:30-23:11, Andrew Armond, Second Canticle: 17, Gospel: Mark 2:1-12, Mtr. Lisa Meirow. Logo image by Laura Ammons, used by permission.

Given on the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost, 2026.

*Due to a technical issue, the beginning of this message was cut off. We apologize for the inconvenience.*We've all seen the extreme swings when it comes to talks about the Holy Spirit. On one side, it's treated like a supernatural magic trick where you have to see a wild reaction for it to be real. On the other side, it's completely ignored as if it's too awkward or complicated to bring up. In part 3 of our "Submerged" series, we're cutting through the religious baggage to look at what the baptism of the Holy Spirit actually means for your everyday life. We break down the real context behind Pentecost and the controversy of speaking in tongues, why character matters infinitely more than chasing a supernatural high, and why following God means being willing to take steps that don't make sense to your logic. If you've ever felt discouraged, confused, or burned by rigid teachings on faith, this conversation is for you. —To connect, learn more or donate, visit gravetopchurch.com  Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok by searching @gravetopchurch

God is a specialist in second chances—not just for Jonah, but for everyone. In this message, we see how God uses even the most reluctant and flawed people to carry His message of hope. Despite Jonah's past mistakes, God recommissions him to reach a city that seemed beyond saving. We'll discover that God's mercy doesn't have borders; it reaches into the most unlikely places. It's a powerful reminder that when God speaks, His words have the power to change everything, proving that no one is ever truly too far gone to be reached.Support the show~ Changing lives with Jesus! Facebook | YouTubeInstagram @dscsienna

Evening lessons: Psalms 49; Ezra 7; 2 Timothy 2.  Hear this, all you peoples; ponder it with your ears, all who dwell in the world.

Morning lessons: Psalms 50; 1 Samuel 11; 2 Corinthians 2:12:3:18.  The Lord, even the most mighty God, has spoken and called the world, from the rising of the sun to the going down thereof.

Who or what? Was the Spirit born on Pentecost or ...? And what is the whole thing with the Trinity?

By Paul Zahl

By Adam Young

Officiant: Mtr. Lisa Meirow, Psalm(s): Psalm 63, 98, Fr. Wiley Ammons, Old Testament: Joshua 6:15-27, Fidela Werner, First Canticle: 16, Second Canticle: 21, Gospel: Mark 2:1-12, Mtr. Lisa Meirow

1 Corinthians 16:5-95 After I go through Macedonia, I will come to you—for I will be going through Macedonia.6 Perhaps I will stay with you for a while, or even spend the winter, so that you can help me on my journey, wherever I go.7 For I do not want to see you now and make only a passing visit; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits.8 But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost,9 because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.

Dear friends in Christ, welcome to this podcast from All Saints Episcopal Church in Portland. All Saints is a loving, welcoming parish serving Southeast Portland for over a century. Our purpose is to celebrate God's love, seek and serve Christ in all persons, and go forth into the world rejoicing in the power of the Spirit!Today, we invite you to join the Rev. Deborah Hughes-Habel as she preaches the gospel, and explores the mysteries of God in our modern world.

Telling the Story: Part 2 Acts 7:1-16 by William Klock When I was an American school kid in the 70s and 80s I learned that the defining events in the history of the United States were was the founding of Jamestown in 1607; the landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth in 1620; and, of course, the Revolutionary War that began in 1775 and the signing of the Declaration of Independence—well—almost exactly 250 years ago.  There were plenty of other events that shaped the story, but those were the events that set the United States on its trajectory: a heritage from Britain with a good dose of religious freedom and Protestant work ethic coming together in a grand expression of the rights of man shaped by the Enlightenment.  Were there flaws?  Yep.  Slavery was a big one.  But the way I learned the story, the British mainland colonies of North America were on the fringe of the slave trade.  We received a tiny fraction of it.  The real slavery problem was in the Caribbean and Latin America.  Plus, we dealt with it.  The whole Civil War thing—a tragedy.  But it was a story to be proud of. But in 2019, the New York Times began a new publishing project.  They called it The 1619 Project.  It was subtitled, “A New Origin Story”.  Why 1619?  That was the year the first African slaves were brought to Virginia.  Before the Pilgrims.  Before the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.  It was a deliberate attempt to reframe the story of the United States.  Instead of a story rooted in a proud English heritage and religious liberty and Enlightenment ideals of freedom and liberty, the 1619 Project told the story of the United States as one rooted in racism and slavery and oppression.  Instead of a story that makes you stand proud, it's a story meant to instil shame and guilt. The 1619 Project didn't come out of nowhere.  It made public a story that many people had already been telling, especially to younger generations. And, as you would expect, this resulted in a great cultural clash.  Both sides shouting at the other, basically saying, “How dare you tell our story wrong!”  It wasn't so much a matter of the events themselves.  Both versions of the story involved the same events, the same people, and all of that.  But it highlights how much how you frame a story, how much you stress certain events and people and ideas over others, that you can end up with stories that are essentially the same, while dramatically different.  One instils national pride; the other instils national shame.  That doesn't mean there's no right or wrong.  Framing the American story as if slavery and racism are its fundamental core is dishonest.  But at the same time, telling a story that glosses over those evils for the sake of instilling pride, well, that's a problem too. And as much as this Postmodern metanarrative dilemma was nowhere on the radar of First Century Jews, I think it's a good way to understand what was going with Jews in those days and it's a good illustration of what Stephen is doing in his speech before the Sanhedrin in Ats 7.  [It's page 1087 in the Pew Bibles.]  There were different “parties” competing for influence and control in First Century Judaea and as much as they all told the same story of Israel, reaching back to Abraham and Moses and David, to the law and the Prophets, all rooted in the same exodus and exile and the same promises, how they told the story produced very different results, different feelings about Israel's present situation, different ideas about the future and how to get there—just as how I learned American history makes you smile when you see the Stars and Stripes, but others, having learned The 1619 Project story, feel shame. For Pharisees, unfaithfulness to the law resulted in exile—one that was still effectively ongoing—and only national faithfulness to the law would get them out of it.  For the Sadducees, that was all in the past.  God had restored them from their exile, and the temple and its priests were the proof.  All was well.  For the Zealots, the story said that armed revolution was the only way out of their oppression.  For the Essenes, the group responsible for the Dead Sea Scrolls, the story said that the everyone and everything had been defiled by unfaithfulness, even the temple itself.  God would wage holy war on the unfaithful, so they—the only truly righteous ones—retreated to the desert to wait and to keep pure.  And there was the historian Josephus.  A generation later, he told the story—after the disaster had happened—to say that the Jewish revolutionaries had brought God's wrath on themselves and that God had raised up the Romans to act as his instrument of judgement.  Same story, but the different ways they told it, the different parts they emphasised, the way they interpreted certain events like the Babylonian Exile, landed them in very different places.  Like I said last week, the story got them to the airport, but they were all waiting at different gates—and none of them the right gate for the God's real homecoming.  That said, all of them held the same markers of Jewish identity dear: the torah, the temple, the promised land, their circumcision.  They disagreed on a lot, but attack any of those things and they'd all join in stoning you after charging you with blasphemy. So what Stephen is doing before the Sanhedrin, backing up all the way to Abraham and telling the story yet again, was in good keeping with what was going on in First Century Judaea.  So—in case you missed last week or have forgotten—in the first sixteen verses, Stephen began telling the story of Jesus and the Spirit by going back to Abraham.  This was the moment when the God of glory—Stephen wants to stress that he's here to glorify the God of Israel, not blaspheme him or his holy things—Abraham was the moment when God stepped into the darkness and misery of his broken, fallen, corrupted creation and called to Abraham.  In Abraham, God was launching his project to restore rebellious humanity to himself and to set to rights the creation that we broke.  Now, there was more to it than this—it's online if you missed or forgot it—but Stephen's main point is that the gospel is not a departure from the story of Israel.  It's not something new that has no roots in what happened before.  He's saying to the Jewish elders: When the God of glory, the God of Israel called Abraham out of Ur and settled him in the promised land and established his covenant with him to make him a nation, that was the beginning of the story that brings us to Jesus, to the cross and the empty tomb, to the ascension and to Pentecost.  The story of Abraham is the story of the gospel and vice versa. Remember, they accused him of blaspheming torah and temple and Stephen's saying, “No way!  Torah and temple are good.  They're glorious.  They're how God prepared us and brought us to Jesus.”  Like I said last week, when you leave your car and board the ferry, you are in no way saying your car was bad.  It got you to the ferry.  But you can't drive on water.  Now it's time do something new—to do the very thing your car brought you to do. And then from Abraham to Joseph.  Stephen tells Isreal's story in such a way to highlight that when the God of Israel acts to bless and to save his people, it's often in unexpected ways.  Abraham was promised the land of Canaan, but never had any more of it than a little burial plot.  And Jacob and his sons were forced to flee the land of Canaan in order to survive a famine.  And Jacob's sons were wicked men who sold their brother, Joseph into slavery after nearly choosing to murder him.  And Joseph went from slavery to prison.  How was God going to work anything good from any of that?  But he did.  The sovereign God was at work all along.  Slavery and prison led Joseph to the premiership of Egypt just in time deliver his family when they arrived.  None of them had ever expected any of that.  But God delivered them.  And Stephen's telling of the Joseph story also highlights that gracious forgiveness has always been at the heart of the story of God and his people.  There was Joseph, hated, abused, sold into slavery by his brothers, but instead of taking revenge, he welcomes them and throw a party. This is what Jesus had been doing as the lost sheep of Israel, the tax collectors and sinners, came to him in repentance and faith. And this is the sort of rejoicing that would take place in heaven were the Sanhedrin to see how the story leads to Jesus and repent.  God was waiting for them with open arms and a promise of blessing, and they should know that, because that's how God's great story has always worked.  It's the key in which this great symphony is written. So now, Moses.  As important as Abraham and Joseph were, Moses stands like a colossus over the story of Israel.  Moses was the deliverer who led Israel out of Egypt and parted the sea.  It was Moses who went up Mt. Sinai and saw God for himself.  It was Moses who came down and delivered the torah to Israel.  It was under Moses that God made a nation out of Abraham's family.  And this is where they've accused Stephen of blasphemy.  They've accused him of speaking against the torah and temple and Moses.  So look at Acts 7, beginning at verse 17.  Stephen highlights three things about Moses.  The first thing he stresses is how Moses was raised up by God to be the right man at the right place at the right time—even though no one would have guessed at the beginning that Moses was God's man for the hour. Stephen says: “God had sworn an oath to Abraham.  [Remember the promise to make him a great nation and to give his descendants the land of Canaan?] When the time drew near for this promise to be fulfilled, the people had increased and multiplied in Egypt, until another king arose over Egypt, one who had not known Joseph.  He got the better of our people, and ill-treated our fathers, forcing them to abandon their newborn children so that they would die.  It was at that time that Moses was born, and he was pleasing to God. He was nursed for three months in his father's house.  But, when they abandoned him, Pharaoh's daughter claimed him and brought him up as her own son.  So Moses was educated in the full teaching of Egyptian wisdom, and he was powerful in what he said and did.” Already, in the life of Joseph, Stephen has stressed that God works human evil for good.  Nothing escapes his sovereign hand.  And just so with Moses.  First, this new Pharoah decides to make slaves of the Hebrews.  Not good.  And then, when their numbers increase so prolifically that Pharaoh fears being able to control them, he hatches a plan to murder all the baby boys.  And so Moses ends up in a basket in the river, where Pharaoh's daughter finds him and decides to raise him as her own.  God turns Pharaoh's hate, prejudice, and injustice against him, sovereignly placing one of those Hebrew boys right in Pharaoh's own home, raised at Pharaoh's expense, and tutored by Pharaoh's own tutors in the famed wisdom of the Egyptians.  God ensure the story is full of irony.  Pharaoh unwittingly nurtures and educates the very man who will be his downfall.  And Moses, himself, receives the training needed one day to oversee, to govern the people of Israel.  Again, at the time, none of this made any sense.  No one could see any significance to the story as it was unfolding.  But God has a plan and one of the things the Jewish people learned from Moses' story—and so many others—is to trust God.  In the famous words of William Cowper, God moves in a mysterious way.  It's another motif in the divine symphony—one that comes back over and over and that God's people out to recognise when they hear the music. Second, Stephen stresses the rejection of Moses by his own people.  Look at verse 23: “When he had grown to forty years old, it came into his heart to see how his brothers, the sons of Israel, were doing.  He saw someone being wronged, and came to the man's defence; he took revenge on behalf of the man who was being oppressed, by striking down the Egyptian.  He thought his kinsfolk would grasp the fact that God was sending him to their rescue, but they didn't. “The next day he showed up as two Hebrews were fighting, and he tried to bring them back together again. ‘Now then, you two,' he said, ‘you are brothers! Why are you wronging each other?'  But the man who was wronging the other wasn't having it.  ‘Who made you a ruler or judge over us?' he retorted, pushing him away.  ‘Do you want to kill me in the same way you killed the Egyptian yesterday?'  At that word, Moses ran away, and lived as a guest in the land of Midian, where he had two sons.” Yet another motif in the symphony, another recurring theme in the story.  Jesus wasn't the first of God's deliverers to be rejected by his own people.  The story highlights that this is sometimes how God works.  Now, there's no one-to-one equivalence between Moses and Jesus.  Moses was rejected because he wasn't ready yet.  He had a desire to see his people freed, but he hadn't yet been called by God to that mission, nor had he received instruction on how to do it God's way.  This way of telling the story, this way of looking back to the Old Testament is something we see all through the New Testament.  I think of the way Matthew regularly explains how something in the Jesus story “fulfils” this or that thing from the Old Testament.  And often we're left wondering how the connection works.  Thanks largely to the Church Fathers, we've been taught to see these connections as literal prophecies or as “types”, as spiritual shadows that prefigure Jesus and various events in his life.  That's kind of close, but it's not quite what Stephen (or Matthew) do.  When Matthew, for example says that in the birth of Jesus Isaiah's words about the virgin conceiving and bearing a child are fulfilled, we wonder how that works.  Isaiah was talking about a young woman in his own day bearing a child…and she wasn't a virgin.  What Matthew was doing was pointing back to an event in Israel's past, in Israel's story, where the birth of a child to a young woman—maybe a princess, maybe the Prophet's wife…it's not clear—but where the birth of this child signalled that God was about to act to deliver his people.  Matthew latched onto that.  This is how God works, but this time—in the birth of Jesus—it's not just a young woman, it's an actual virgin, and this time God's not just delivering his people from a foreign king; this time it's deliverance from sin and death.  Matthew recognised the motif in the music.  It was there in Isaiah's day, a lone violin telling a story that most people missed, but in the birth of Jesus that motif returned, and this time the whole symphony was playing it. Stephen's drawing on the story of Moses the same way.  Moses was rejected by his own people.  A repeating theme in the story that the Sanhedrin—people who know this story, know this symphony so well already—a theme they ought now to see plain as day in what happened to Jesus.  It should be obvious.  They were the ones playing the instruments this time, after all. And then, third, Stephen stresses how through Moses, the God of glory, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God Israel had known for two thousand years, had revealed himself in a new way that no one had expected.  Look at verse 30: “After another forty years, an angel appeared to him in the desert at Mount Sinai, in the flame of a burning bush.  When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the vision.  But, as he came closer to see, there came the voice of the Lord: ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob.'  Moses was very frightened, and didn't dare to look.  But the Lord said to him, ‘Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.  I have looked long and hard at the trouble my people are having in Egypt. I have heard their groaning, and I have come down to rescue them.  So, come on now: I'm going to send you to Egypt.'” Stephen wants to be clear—and we see this all through early Christian preaching—the God revealed in Jesus the Messiah is not new.  He is the same God who has been directing this story, this symphony from the beginning.  This is the God of their fathers, the God who has been rescuing his people according to his promises for two thousand years.  The God they know.  The God whose character and ways they ought to have recognised in Jesus. Yes, Stephen's saying, Jesus was not what we expected.  In Jesus—and now in the Spirit—God is doing something amazing, something astounding, something new.  And that's why you rejected him.  But knowing the story, knowing the music, we should have expected God would do precisely this: something new, something wild, something we didn't expect.  Because the story is already full of episodes where God does just that.  No one, least of all Moses, exiled to the wilderness, tending his father-in-law's sheep—expected the burning bush.  And yet in that moment, heaven and earth came back together, God spoke, a man was called, and the world was never the same again. And Stephen's point is this: You can't predict the unexpected thing that God will do; but you can be sure—because the story is full of such moments—that God does act unexpectedly to do the things he's promised and that we expect, the very things in which we hope. Holy ground, for example, was something Stephen and his fellow Jews understood.  The temple was holy ground.  It was where heaven and earth met.  But it wasn't the end-all-be-all of holy grounds.  It began at Mt. Sinai—not in Isreal, but in the wilderness—where God met Moses in the burning bush, where the plan to rescue Isreal from her bondage began.  When the Israelites built the tabernacle and the cloud of God's glory descended to fill it, God upstaged what he'd done at the burning bush.  And then again, with the temple.  As if it were the strings playing the motif at the burning bush, and in Exodus 40 as God's glory fills the holy of holies, the woodwinds join them.  And the music was good and it was beautiful, but the Sanhedrin should now be hearing that same motif as, in Jesus and the Spirit the whole symphony comes together to play.  Stephen isn't disparaging Moses.  He's not blaspheming the law or the temple.  He's saying, “Can't you hear it?  Their beautiful theme is now being woven into something far grander and played by the whole symphony.  The motifs have been there all along, the story has always been told this way.  Don't plug your ears to this new thing.  Listen.  And hear how it's taken up all the old themes into something that is nothing short of glorifying to the conductor, to the God of glory. That's as far as we have time to go this morning.  Like I said, Acts 7 is long and there's a lot to unpack.  But I think the great take-away for us from this part—in addition to learning to hear the great story of God and his people—I think the most important thing here is to know that God really does do new and unexpected things.  As we get to know the story, we ought to expect for God to do the unexpected, for God to do new things that upstage what he's done in the past.  And yet, the story also emphatically tells us that as much as God does new things and upstages the things he's done before, those new things are always in keeping with what he's done before.  The past always points to the future and the future never undermines the past.  As the writer of Hebrews tells us, “God is the same, yesterday, today, and forever.”  We live in an age where too many people are ready to do something new themselves—something that breaks from what or how God has already revealed himself, something that breaks from or that disparages or that blasphemes God's past actions or his past instructions—they take this new human thing and declared that God is doing a new thing.  Andy Stanley saying we need to unhitch from the Old Testament so that God can do something new.  No!  Churches embracing sexual immorality and post-modern notions of identity and sexuality and family and marriage and then saying, “See, God is doing a new thing!”  A thousand times, no!  Brothers and Sisters, the theme of the story, the key of the symphony doesn't change.  God does new things, but those new things follow from what God's already done.  On the other hand—and I think it's mostly in response to all the proclamation of “new things” that aren't godly at all—on the other hand, we can become too fearful, too conservative and we can end up where the Pharisees and Sadducees and the Essenes were: locked down, afraid of the new, and turning away from burning bushes, and unwilling to go where God is actually leading. This why we need to steep ourselves in the story.  This why we need to immerse ourselves in the great symphony and to let the music wash over and through us.  Brothers and Sisters, we need to know the themes and the motifs, to learn the key in which God is playing, to be intimately familiar with how they interact, weaving around and through each other, so that as the story continues to unfold, as the symphony bursts into new movements, we can hear God bringing those old familiar themes to new heights, while also being able to recognise when a different story is being told, or a different symphony is being played.  I've said over and over, Brothers and Sisters: God's word is life.  Know, meditate on it, let it mould you, and then let it pour forth from you to give life to others. Let's pray: Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things:  Graft in our hearts the love of your Name; increase in us true religion; nourish us with all goodness; and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

This message will briefly discuss social anxiety using the framework of today's popular psychological theories, then explore the same themes through the light of scripture. Get a FREE copy of our eBook "What Really Happens After Death?" Full details are at this link: http://eepurl.com/ddB0yb

Officiant: Mtr. Lisa Meirow, Psalm(s): Psalm 30, 32, Fr. Wiley Ammons, Old Testament: Joshua 6:1-14, Fidela Werner, First Canticle: 12, New Testament: Romans 13:1-7, Laura Di Panfilo, Second Canticle: 19, Gospel: Matthew 26:26-35, Mtr. Lisa Meirow. Logo image by Antonio Allegretti, used by permission.

Officiant: Fr. Wiley Ammons, Psalm(s): Psalm 42, 43, Laura Ammons, Old Testament: Joshua 6:1-14, Fidela Werner, First Canticle: 9, New Testament: Romans 13:1-7, Laura Di Panfilo, Second Canticle: 15, Gospel: Matthew 26:26-35, Mtr. Lisa Meirow. Logo image by Laura Ammons, used by permission.

When Jesus says, “I came to bring fire to the earth,” He is speaking of something far more personal than we might expect. This is the fire that purifies, challenges, and renews — the fire that burns away what is false and ignites what is true.In this message, Rev. Shawn Garan explores Luke 12:49–56 alongside the burning bush, the fiery furnace, and the tongues of flame at Pentecost. Discover why stepping into God's fire is never for our destruction, but always for our transformation.Reflect Before You Watch: • Where have you felt the “heat” lately — a challenge, change, or call you cannot ignore? • Could this be the Spirit inviting you to step forward in faith?