Podcasts about Proclamation

Today... Montrose County commissioners recently heard strong support for improving West End healthcare access, but residents were divided over whether a proposed health service district and future critical access hospital are feasible. And later... Montrose City Council’s refusal to read a Pride Month proclamation drew a packed crowd last week.Support the show: https://www.montrosepress.com/site/forms/subscription_services/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weekly Rosary, recorded live, including your thoughts and intentions.Luminous Mysteries:1. Baptism of Christ in the Jordan (Mat 3:16-17)2. Wedding Feast at Cana (Jn 2:1-5)3. Jesus' Proclamation of the Coming of the Kingdom of God (Mar 1:15)4. Transfiguration (Mat 17:1-2)5. Institution of the Eucharist (Mat 26:26)https://www.RosaryGarden.net/episodes/307

The weekly podcast of Empowerment Ministries Christian Center, led by Dr. Gregg S. Magee, Sr

Dr Adam Koontz talks about Christian Nationalism and how the debates around it in the church relate to the proclamation of the gospel. Visit our website - A Brief History of Power Sign up for Memento, a Lutheran devotional for men. Dr Adam Koontz - Redeemer Lutheran Church Music thanks to Verny

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Matt Spiegel may be leaking confidences in his proclamation that the White Sox will go .500 without star slugger Munetaka Murakami across the next four to six weeks.

18 april 1906. En helt vanlig morgon i San Francisco förvandlas till en total katastrof. Marken slits upp och byggnader kollapsar. Sen blir det värre. En brand sprider sig genom stadens tätt packade trähus, och trasiga vattenledningar gör den snudd på omöjlig att kontrollera. Inte långt efter börjar plundringarna. Snart tvingas myndigheterna ta till extrema metoder för att få grepp om situationen. Detta är berättelsen om jordbävningen i San Francisco 1906 - katastrofen som ödelade en hel stad. Om när politiska beslut om mänsklig desperation förvandlade ett skalv till en nationell tragedi.Inläsare: Ellen NorbergResearch och manus: Emmeli NyblomFaktagranskning: Linn EkRedaktör: Alex HaegerKlippning och ljuddesign: Evelina FernerudProducent: Oliver BergmanExekutiv producent: Victoria RinkousKällor:Britannica Editors. (2026-04-11). San Francisco earthquake of 1906. Encyclopaedia Britannica.https://www.britannica.com/event/San-Francisco-earthquake-of-1906 [Hämtad: 2026-04-12]Garcia, M. (2024-04-18). A Look Back In History: The Great 1906 Earthquake and Fire. San Francisco Public Utilities Commission.https://www.sfpuc.gov/about-us/news/look-back-history-great-1906-earthquake-and-fire [Hämtad: 2026-04-13] Graham, L. (2023-10-25). The Earth Shook. American History Tellers [Podcast].https://open.spotify.com/episode/6IkyrHRqBKzaTvkf6CFuFK(Källa till uppgiften om att Schmitz somnar om efter jordbävningen - 23:30)Guardians of the City. (u.å.). 1906 Great Earthquake & Fire. San Francisco Fire Department Museum. https://www.guardiansofthecity.org/sffd/fires/great_fires/1906/april_18_1906.html[Hämtad: 2026-04-13]Museum of the City of San Francisco. (u.å.). 1906 Earthquake History and Statistics Subcommittee. Museum of the City of San Francisco. https://sfmuseum.org/1906/morse2.html [Hämtad: 2026-04-13]Library of Congress. (1906-04-18). Proclamation by the mayor.https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/rbc/rbpe/rbpe00/rbpe002/00202500/00202500.pdf [Hämtad: 2026-04-13]Museum of the City of San Francisco. (u.å.). Rebuilding San Francisco Following the 1906 Earthquake. Museum of the City of San Francisco.https://sfmuseum.org/1906/rebuild.html [Hämtad: 2026-04-13]Museum of the City of San Francisco. (u.å.). San Francisco Mayor Eugene E. Schmitz. Museum of the City of San Francisco.https://sfmuseum.org/hist1/schmitz.html [Hämtad: 2026-04-13]National Park Service. (u.å.). 1906 Earthquake: The U.S. Army's Role. U.S.Department of the Interior, Presidio of San Francisco, Golden Gate National Recreation Area.https://www.nps.gov/goga/planyourvisit/upload/sb-1906-earthquake.pdf [Hämtad:2026-04-13]

The Magic Button’s Fantasy Flight: A 250-Year Journey to Freedom by Swapna Gangopadhyay https://www.amazon.com/Magic-Buttons-Fantasy-Flight-250-Year/dp/B0H2LH242L/ Dreamywriter.com The Magic Button’s Fantasy Flight: A 250-Year Journey to American Freedom by Swapna Gangopadhyay is a heartwarming and imaginative historical adventure that brings the story of the American Revolution to life for young readers. When five curious children discover a mysterious glowing button hidden inside Grandpa’s attic, they are unexpectedly transported through time on an unforgettable journey across the most defining moments in American history. Guided by Barnaby, a wise and magical Library Owl, the children witness the struggles, sacrifices, and triumphs that shaped the birth of the United States. From the Proclamation of 1763 and the Boston Tea Party to Paul Revere’s midnight ride, the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and the victory at Yorktown, each chapter immerses readers in pivotal events of the American Revolution through exciting storytelling, vivid imagery, and child-friendly historical explanations. Along the way, the children also meet unsung heroes such as Sybil Ludington, James Armistead Lafayette, the Molly Pitchers, and the Marblehead Mariners – courageous individuals whose contributions helped shape America’s fight for freedom. Blending fantasy, humor, adventure, and educational value, this inspiring middle-grade novel encourages children to appreciate the meaning of freedom, unity, courage, and historical understanding. Through memorable characters and emotionally engaging scenes, the book transforms history into a living experience that sparks curiosity and encourages young readers to ask questions about the past and their role in shaping the future. Perfect for families, classrooms, homeschool programs, libraries, and young history enthusiasts, The Magic Button’s Fantasy Flight serves as both an entertaining adventure and an educational resource designed to make American history accessible, meaningful, and unforgettable for children ages 8-14.

The sermon centers on the church's sacred responsibility to faithfully proclaim the King's message—the gospel of the kingdom—without alteration or dilution, emphasizing that true evangelism involves both the proclamation of the gospel's essential elements and the faithful role of the church as heralds, not innovators, of divine truth. It critiques modern attempts to adapt the gospel to cultural relevance, citing four examples—He Gets Us, the United Methodist Church's 'Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors,' the Four Spiritual Laws, and Rob Bell's 'Love Wins'—as distortions that replace the gospel's call to repentance and transformation with comfort, inclusivity, or universalism. Drawing from 1 Corinthians 15, the sermon identifies the four non-negotiable components of the gospel: Christ's atoning death, burial, resurrection, and post-resurrection appearances, all grounded in Scripture and essential for salvation. It underscores the inseparable link between the gospel and the kingdom, showing through passages in Matthew, Acts, and Revelation that the message of salvation is inherently tied to the expanding reign of God, calling believers to proclaim both the cross and the kingdom with unwavering fidelity.

South Side Baptist ChurchAbbeville, South CarolinaPastor Joel BradberryMay 31, 2026Sunday AM Servicesouthsideabbeville.comSermon Notes:I. The Setting (17)II. Paralytic delivered (18-20)III. Pharisees and lawyers' reaction (21)IV. Misperceptions addressed (22-24)Son of ManDaniel 7:13-14V. Proclamation proven (25)VI. People's reaction (26)Who do we most relate to?Is my illness linked to my sin?

May 30 | Numbers 24:1-25; Luke 1:67-80; Psalm 59:14-17; Proverbs 16:10-11 //  Enjoying the Wisdom Word for the Week? Download your own copy of the Wisdom Word for the Week at newsongnashville.com/wwftwkids.   

The South African National Parks says the Kruger National Park remains one of the country's critical destinations. Spanning nearly two million hectares across Limpopo and Mpumalanga, with its eastern boundary running along the Lebombo Mountains bordering Mozambique, Kruger remains one of the world's largest protected areas. Today (30 May ) marks 100 years since the Park was proclaimed as the country's first national park. In 1926 the Kruger National Park was transformed from a game reserve to a tourist attraction that prioritises nature conservation. To date the Kruger attracts nearly two million visitors annually and has retained its standing as a top African safari destination. It has become a must visit destination for locals and visitors alike. Bongiwe Zwane caught up with Willie Aucamp, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment

Send us Fan MailMorning Prayer (Jesus Chief Cornerstone; How Firm A Foundation; Voice; Unborn; Bold Proclamation of Truth) #pray #prayer #morningprayer #Jesus #God #HolySpirit #cornerstone #foundation #howfirmafoundation Thank you for listening, our heart's prayer is for you and I to walk daily with Jesus, our joy and peaceaimingforjesus.comYouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@aimingforjesus5346Instagram https://www.instagram.com/aiming_for_jesus/Threads https://www.threads.com/@aiming_for_jesusX https://x.com/AimingForJesusTik Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@aiming.for.jesus

Leadeuse Chrétienne est une plateforme dédiée aux femmes chrétiennes appelées à influencer, à impacter et à changer le cours de l'histoire, un pas à la fois, avec la puissance du Saint-Esprit. Ici, nous parlons à celles qui ont compris que leur appel est grand, qu'il exige un cœur consacré et qu'elles sont prêtes à investir tout ce qu'il faut pour rayonner dans leur destinée.Les pilliers de notre mission : Grandir, Nourrir et Bâtir.Grandir : Approfondir notre relation avec Dieu à travers sa Parole.Nourrir : Embrasser avec foi et courage la vision et l'influence qu'il a placées en nous, tout en explorant de nouvelles opportunités dans notre croissance spirituelle, personnelle et financière.Bâtir : Faire des choix stratégiques en investissant dans des contenus alignés à notre vocation et à la "montagne" que Dieu nous appelle à conquérir.Chaque mois, retrouvez :Le Podcast des Leadeuses, votre rendez-vous incontournable pour vous inspirer et vous équiper.La Méditation Immersive des Leadeuses, un temps unique dans la présence de Dieu.Leadeuse en Prière : ous les 2 vendredis, de 5h30 à 6h, nous nous rassemblons pour une session puissante de Parole, Prière et Proclamation (participation gratuite, engagement nécessaire).Pour soutenir le podcast : https://bit.ly/soutenirlepodcastPour consulter le blog : https://leadeusechretienne.fr/blog/Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

The National Constitution Center recently published The Promise of America: Reflections on Our Enduring Ideals (Simon & Schuster), a keepsake collection of essays bringing together leading thinkers from across perspectives to reflect on the ideals at the heart of the American experiment and what those principles have meant across generations of American life. In this episode, Professor David Armitage discusses his essay, “The Declaration's Influence Around the World,” which explores the document's international legacy as a powerful blueprint for collective rights and national self-determination, and its ever-evolving domestic legacy as a touchstone for individual rights and human equality. Julie Silverbrook, chief content and learning officer at the National Constitution Center, moderates.    Resources  David Armitage, “The Declaration's Influence Around the World”  National Constitution Center, The Declaration of Independence  Lemuel Haynes, “Liberty Further Extended” (1776)  Vermont Declaration of Independence (1777)  French Declaration of the Rights of Man (1789)  Haitian Declaration of Independence (1804)  Venezuelan Declaration of Independence (1811)  Greek Declaration of Independence (1822)  Belgian Declaration of Independence (1830)  New Zealand Declaration of Independence (1835)  Texas Declaration of Independence (1836)  Liberia Declaration of Independence (1847)  Declaration of Sentiments (1848)  Hungary Declaration of Independence (1849)  Proclamation of Independence of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (1945)  Israel Declaration of Independence (1948)  Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)  Unilateral Declaration of Independence of Southern Rhodesia (1965)  The Black Declaration of Independence (1970)  Kosovo Declaration of Independence (2008)  Stay Connected and Learn More Questions or comments about the show? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast@constitutioncenter.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Continue the conversation by following us on social media @ConstitutionCtr Explore the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠America at 250 Civic Toolkit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to receive Constitution Weekly, our email roundup of constitutional news and debate Subscribe, rate, and review wherever you listen Join us for an upcoming ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠live program⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or watch recordings on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Support our important work ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Donate

Peter's sermon reveals that the Holy Spirit is fully capable of drawing, convicting, awakening, and transforming people through the clear proclamation of Christ. Peter preached. The Spirit openly proclaimed. The Savior boldly confronted sin. Honest calls to souls were urgent. And the result was an awakening. The church was never called merely to entertain, mirror, or soften the truth to fit culture. Pentecost reminds us that God continues to transform people through the gospel of Jesus Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit. Our task is simply to proclaim Jesus in the power of the Spirit and to trust God to do what human methods cannot.

The Cortez City Council on Tuesday adopted a proclamation declaring June as LGBTQ+ Pride Month despite one council member's ten-minute-long speech against the measure. Also on Tuesday, Cortez city manager Drew Sanders told the council about an award the city recently received from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada.

The Word of Life for June reminds us that Jesus sends his disciples out as living signs of God's nearness, proclaiming not only with words but with their way of being that the kingdom of heaven is already at hand—a kingdom of peace, justice, mercy, and reconciliation that grows quietly like a mustard seed and draws close wherever love is present. This kingdom is pure gift, received not through merit but through God's generosity, and we are invited to welcome it with gratitude and then share it freely. As Chiara Lubich wrote, the kingdom is offered without cost, and in the same spirit we are called today to give without cost—announcing through our actions and relationships that God loves this uncertain world immeasurably and desires to bring light and hope to every person.

If you are saved, you are sent. For all who have trusted in Christ and surrendered their lives to following Him, then we are called to follow Him in bold proclamation as well, showing with our lives and telling with our words how the One More around us can have eternal and abundant life in Jesus. 

God has revealed Himself -- and our worship must burst into words! Rejoice, root, and rehearse what we believe with one another; let your worship overflow into song, prayer, reading, and telling others the good news you have in Jesus!

We mark the 250th anniversary by reading the parts of the Declaration nobody puts on the merch -- Jefferson's criminal charges against a king who blocked western settlement, strangled immigration, and held land promises over men who had bled for them. Then we turn to Cuba, where classified intel says the island has acquired 300+ military drones from Russia and Iran. We go back to the Bay of Pigs to establish the one rule that covers everything that comes next: half measures are always wrong. And we close with the hardest question in the room -- if the Castro regime falls, can the Cubans still on the island actually govern themselves, or does the best argument for a free Cuba walk around Miami? Plus the prediction market corruption story for what it actually is -- not a technology problem, but the oldest compensation trap in the republic.

On Pentecost, the promise Jesus made becomes reality as heaven crashes into earth with violent wind, tongues of fire, and a Word so powerful it overwhelms every other voice. In this episode we explore how the Holy Spirit doesn't arrive as a vague feeling or private experience, but as God's own speaking—creating faith by putting Christ's death and resurrection into human ears in every language. And in true Martin Luther fashion, the first Christian sermon isn't advice or law, but pure Gospel: you crucified Christ, God raised him from the dead, and forgiveness is now proclaimed for all people without distinction. GOSPEL Acts 2:1-21 1 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. 5 Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6 And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. 7 Amazed and astonished, they asked, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs -- in our own languages we hear them speaking about God's deeds of power." 12 All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" 13 But others sneered and said, "They are filled with new wine." 14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, "Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. 15 Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o'clock in the morning. 16 No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: 17  'In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. 18  Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. 19  And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. 20  The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord's great and glorious day. 21  Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.' CARE OF SOULS - ADDICTIONIn Care of Souls, a special mini-series podcast from Luther House of Study, Lutheran pastors and theologians come together to explore the deeply personal and pastoral task of preaching to and caring for those struggling with life's challenging situations: addiction, death, family disharmony, and more. Rooted in the theology of the cross and the Lutheran tradition of radical grace, this series offers both theological depth and practical guidance for pastors, church workers, and lay leaders. With conversations, real-life stories, and reflections from the front lines of ministry, Care of Souls equips listeners to enter the broken places of addiction not with easy answers, but with the crucified and risen Christ. Because in the end, it's not about fixing people—it's about preaching the Gospel. Listen to Care of Souls wherever you listen to podcasts or on the Luther House website: Care of Souls - Addiction Support the showInterested in sponsoring an episode of Scripture First?Email Sarah at sarah@lhos.org or visit our donation page: lutherhouseofstudy.org/donate

Introduction: How Should I Receive the Lord's Supper? 3 Things You'd Better Get Right: (1 Corinthians 11:17-34) PURPOSE. (1 Cor 11:23-26) What is the Purpose of the Lord's Supper? REMEMBRANCE. (1 Cor 11:24-25) PROCLAMATION. (1 Cor 11:26) ANTICIPATION. (1 Cor 11:26) Luke 22:15-16 - And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” POSTURE. (1 Cor 11:27) PREPARATION. (1 Cor 11:28-34) Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Questions and Answers: How Should I Receive the Lord's Supper? Jeff Miller Download Audio Transcript 00:36Open up your Bibles with me please to the book of 1 Corinthians. So 1 Corinthians chapter 11 and let's just bow our heads and I'm going to ask that you would please just take a moment to pray for me that I would be faithful to do nothing but clearly communicate the Word of God as presented. And I will pray for you to have your hearts open to receive what it is the Lord wants to teach us today in this passage. Let's pray.01:07Father in heaven, we are talking today about something that is very serious to you and therefore should be to us. So I pray we would all be dialed in. That we would, as Pastor Taylor prayed earlier, our hearts would be ready to receive what it is you want to tell us and that we would, respond accordingly.01:41Thank you, Father, for being a God of truth, being a God of grace, the love that you've shown us, Father.01:51We praise you in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.01:56All of God's people said, Amen.01:591 Corinthians 11.02:01Many, many, many years ago at a previous church, before our Wednesday night kids activities, one time a month, we would have a potluck. And somehow, this particular potluck Wednesday snuck up on us. And Erin was like, oh no, tonight's the church meal thing. And she was running around the house trying to find something.02:31to take over. And lo and behold, Mother Hubbard's cupboards were bare. And she goes, what are we going to... Well, she found in the cupboard that once upon a time, she bought a whole bunch of rice bowls from Big Lots. They were on clearance. She bought a whole bunch of these. They were like these individual serving thing, you know, you put water in it and throw it in the microwave and ta-da, cheap lunch.03:01So she bought a whole bunch of these on clearance. And she's like, this is all that I have to share at the meal. So she made a whole bunch of rice bowls. And by the way, they were all different flavors. She's like, I'll just make them all and just mix them together. Like I said, it came in several mouth-watering versions.03:33So we had jasmine and teriyaki and salmon and I don't know, chocolate caramel. And anyway, she took all of these rice bowls and put them like in a casserole dish. And she goes, all right, now here's what I need you to do. She says, I need you to get over there early and sneak this in so that nobody knows where it came from. And I'm telling you this because you need to know that I was an accessory to this crime.04:00So mission accomplished. I snuck the bowl in. I was poof gone like a ninja. Nobody knew where that dish came from. So we had our meal. We had our kids program. And at the end of the night, I went to sneak back to get our casserole dish. And inside the dish was a note. And the note said, whoever made this, please give me the recipe.04:35So today we're going to be talking about a good old-fashioned potluck because Corinth had a fellowship meal. Sort of like the one we had that one Wednesday night a month. And they would have this fellowship meal. They'd have their potluck and then afterwards they would take the Lord's Supper together and they made it a Real Seen.05:03Look at verse 17.05:06Paul says, But in the following instructions, I do not commend you.05:12Because when you come together, it is not for the better, but for the worse.05:20Paul's like, You guys, you're ruining worship.05:28You're ruining your worship time.05:30And that's a theme that goes through chapter 11, 12, 13, 14. Paul's like, you're ruining it. Look at verse 14. I'm sorry, verse 18, excuse me. He says, for in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and I believe it in part. Divisions. We spent a whole lot of time talking about that. There were cliques. Everybody had their favorite preacher, and there were divisions.05:59Literally, the word divisions means arguing over opinions. And there was a lot of that. Paul says, yeah, I certainly believe it. Verse 19, interesting side note, he says, for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. As I said, we spent a lot of time talking about the factions.06:29the cliques and the divisions in chapters 1-4.06:34But Paul points out here, you know, there is one good thing about factions.06:42He says all of the fighting has a way of showing you who is genuine.06:50Who's an authentic, mature believer and who's not.06:56But Paul says, you want to learn who's spiritual?06:59You want to learn who is unspiritual and probably unsaved? Paul says, just watch how people handle disputes. And that is 100% true. Watch how people handle disputes, and you'll see how spiritual they are. But he goes on. Verse 20, he says, when you come together, it is not the Lord's Supper that you eat, For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. You see what's going on here? Paul says you're making the Lord's Supper into something that is not the Lord's Supper. At their fellowship meal, first of all, we saw there's cliques. Everybody sit with their people.07:59Don't sit with anybody else. Make sure you sit with your people. And Paul pointed out some of them were, they were showing up early and just eating all the stuff that they brought to share. They're showing up with their casserole dish full of the hodgepodge rice bowls, and they're just sitting and eating it all themselves. They got their tuna noodle casserole or their beef stroganoff that they meant to share with everyone.08:29and they're just hogging it down themselves.08:35He says, you're not sharing.08:37And as a result, some of the poorer people were going hungry.08:44Oh, and if that's not enough, some of them were showing up early, not only eating too much, but they were drinking too much.08:52He says, some of you are drunk.08:53I mean, can you see this scene?08:56You're showing up for church for a fellowship meal before the Lord's Supper is even served. Some people were drunk. Paul was rightly outraged. Look at verse 22. He kind of lets them have it. He goes, what? Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate?09:26those who have nothing. What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not. Paul's like, what are you doing? Can't you be a hog at home? Like, what's going on here? Do you hate the church? Is that what's going on here? Do you get happy about being cruel to poor people? Paul's like, what do you want me to say? What do you want me to say?09:57I'm not going to say that.10:01It's a serious rebuke.10:04Because there's a serious problem.10:07They were making a mockery of something that should be absolutely sacred to the church.10:14And that's the Lord's Supper.10:19What is the Lord's Supper?10:23You read about the Lord's Supper in all the Gospels.10:26But it was Jesus' last meal with His disciples before He died on the cross. They were Jews celebrating the Passover meal. So what is the Passover meal? Well, that was a sacred observance that God gave the nation of Israel to remember that they were hopeless slaves in Egypt and God saved them. He sent someone to deliver them from bondage.10:56The Passover meal would have four different cups at different intervals in the meeting. You would eat bitter herbs together. There would be a retelling of the Exodus story. They would eat unleavened bread. They would sing some of the Psalms. That's what the Passover meal was. And in the Lord's Supper, when Jesus had it with His disciples, He made it new. You see, it went from, remember, the Exodus to remember that Jesus Christ came to save you from your sins. And you can trace this in your Bible. The early church did it on a regular basis, Acts 2.42. And at some point, the early church started doing it weekly, apparently, from Acts 20.7.11:52But in Corinth, the Lord's Supper was tacked onto a meal of gluttony and drunkenness and selfishness. So in the section we're looking at today, Paul says, you, Corinth, are greatly dishonoring the Lord with your conduct. And he says, if you're coming together to take the Lord's Supper as a church, you better get a clue as to what the Lord's Supper is about.12:26All right, so on your outline, how should I receive the Lord's Supper?12:31This is something that we do as a church.12:34We are going to do it in a few minutes.12:36So I think this is something that we should really tune into.12:43How should I receive the Lord's Supper?12:44Well, there's three things you better get right.12:48All right?12:50I alliterated them for you so that something not just for today, but every time we take the Lord's Supper together, these three things, you've got to get these right if you're going to do this. Number one is purpose. Purpose. What is the purpose of the Lord's Supper? Why do we do this? Well, Paul, That's where he starts. He goes, maybe you need reminded. Maybe you've been so off base you just need reminded of what this is about. Look at verse 23. He says, for I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you. That the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread. Stop there for a second. Most scholars believe that 1 Corinthians was actually written before the Gospels were completed. So this information that Paul is giving is directly from Jesus. So Paul says, let me remind you what the Lord's Supper is about, the purpose. On your outline, what is the purpose of the Lord's Supper? It's really about three things he's going to show us here. Letter A, why do we take the Lord's Supper? Letter A, R is for remembrance. Remembrance. Look at verse 24.14:20He says, when Jesus, the night He was betrayed, He took bread, verse 24, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, this is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me. The body, the bread represents the body.14:49The bread represents the body of Christ, the incarnation, the glorious mystery that God Almighty, the creator of heaven and earth, became a man. But notice in verse 24, Jesus said, this is my body which is, what are those last two words? I'll give you another run at that. This is my body which is for you.15:19You should have that underlined in your Bible for you. Do you realize everything that God did in the incarnation was for you? Why did God become a man?15:49It was for you. Why did he suffer the way that he suffered? For you. Why was he willing to lay down his life as a sacrifice? For you. And he says, do this. Do this. That's a Do this. Why do we receive the Lord's Supper? We're commanded to do that. Do it, church. Do it, small groups. Do it. This is something that we are commanded to do. Verse 25, he says, in the same way, also, he took the cup after supper, saying, this cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me.16:49It's a new covenant in the blood of Christ. What is a covenant? It's just a promise. It's an agreement. There was an old covenant where sins were atoned with the blood of animals. But this is the new covenant. This is a new promise where Jesus said, I will take away all of your sins forever with one sacrifice.17:19It's the covenant of blood. See, blood speaks to the violent death that Jesus endured. It made the new covenant possible. But notice both the body, the blood, the bread, the cup, and both do this in remembrance.17:49on this because we talked about this three weeks ago. But in the Jewish mindset, remembrance was more than just recalling something. You know, it's not like we come to church like, wait, who are we worshiping? Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, Jesus, that's right. Now I recall. Remembrance is so much more than that. We saw this back in chapter 10, verse 16, where Paul said, taking the Lord's Supper together as a church is participation.18:19That's what remembrance is about. It's embracing everything that the body and blood means.18:30See, the Lord's Supper isn't just about reminding ourselves of an event that happened so long ago. This is about our life right now. This is who God is. This is how He has revealed Himself. This is what He has done because of His love for me. He laid out his life for me.18:51He calls me to carry my cross and follow him daily.18:57The Lord's Supper brings us to that place where we're engulfed with all of that.19:05It's remembrance.19:10What's the purpose of the Lord's Supper letter B?19:11It's proclamation.19:13Look at verse 26.19:17He says, For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.19:29As often, He says that again in verse 25, there's no magic number.19:36As often, some churches do it weekly, some monthly.19:39As often as you do it, what are you doing?19:43He says you're proclaiming the Lord's death. You realize when you take the Lord's Supper, you're giving a sermon. It is a beautiful and profound thing that when we take the Lord's Supper together, church, it is as if we together are giving a sermon together. Every time you take it, you're preaching a sermon. You're like, well, what's the content of my sermon? When you take the Lord's Supper, you're saying, I believe that Jesus is the Messiah.20:15I believe He is the Son of God.20:18I believe that Jesus died for me.20:22I believe that my sins are forgiven, not by anything that I can do, but by everything that He did on my behalf.20:29I believe that.20:32You're preaching a sermon every time you do this.20:36You proclaim the Lord's death.20:40So the purpose of the Lord's Supper is remembrance, His proclamation, letter C.20:43It's anticipation.20:46You proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.20:49Do you see that? Until He comes.20:52We believe that Jesus is returning.20:57Do you believe that?20:58Do you believe Jesus is coming back?21:01Well, when you take the Lord's Supper, you're saying that you believe that.21:05Right?21:06That we are going to...21:08When we take the Lord's Supper now, We are communing with Jesus. We are participating in this together. But do you realize what we're saying? We're saying that we believe that someday we will commune with Him personally at the marriage supper of the Lamb. You know that's how the Bible describes heaven. That's how the Bible describes the return of Christ and the The Bible describes as the marriage supper of the Lamb. Have you ever been to a wedding? Have you ever been to a wedding reception? They are a real hoot. It's a big party and there's so much laughter and joy and celebration. And that's exactly how the Bible describes our ultimate reunion Jesus Christ when the church is brought into His presence and glory.22:17Jesus talked about this.22:18Luke 22 verses 15 and 16.22:22And He said to them, I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.22:29Look at this.22:30For I tell you, I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.22:37So we are communing with Christ spiritually.22:41now in the anticipation that today's going to come when we are communing with Christ in His actual presence. Can we grasp how sacred this is? Do you see why this is such an important remembrance that the Lord has given us?23:11One of them we celebrated last week in baptism. This is the other one. Do you see why this is so important? And that's where Paul starts. He's like, remember the purpose of the Lord's Supper. It's remembrance. It's proclamation. It's anticipation. So how should I receive the Lord's Supper? Well, three things you've got to get right. The first one is purpose. This is why we do it. Number two is posture.23:41Posture.23:47Talking about the posture of your heart.23:50What is your heart's attitude in going into the Lord's Supper?23:56Because it matters.23:57Look at verse 27.24:00Paul says, Whoever therefore eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Unworthy manner. Did you realize that you can take the Lord's Supper in an unworthy manner? Did you realize that? That's what the Bible says. Let's be clear. It doesn't mean sinless. The Bible is crystal clear on that. If you had to be sinless to receive the Lord's Supper, none of us.24:38would take it, right? We just leave the trays up here and look at them. None of us could do it. Well, so how can we take the Lord's Supper in an unworthy manner? Well, there's really two ways. One way you can take it in an unworthy manner is being unrepentant. First of all, the Lord's Supper is not for unbelievers.25:09And if you're here, and we are so glad that you are here, but if you're here and you're like, you know what, I have not personally received Jesus Christ. I think I'm seeking right now, and I'm trying to understand, and we're so glad that you're here. But if you are not a born-again believer in Christ, you absolutely should not take the Lord's Supper. This is for His people. Okay? But, If you are here, and you say that you are a born-again believer in Christ, but you have resolved yourself to some sin. Meaning this, look, we all sin, but we're talking about being committed to the sin. You know what I'm talking about. It's, I'm not committed to seeking repentance right now. There is a sin in my life right now that God has been speaking to me through his word his spirit has been bringing great conviction in me there's the sin in my life and i have just been telling god no i have been just flagrantly disobeying god and i know what he wants me to do and i've refused to do it if that describes you you should not take the lord's supper you should not take the lord's supper if you are in a state of being unrepentant flagrant Rebellious, Unrepentant Sin. The second way you can take the Lord's Supper in an unworthy manner is being not just unrepentant, but being irreverent. Meaning, you don't receive it in an attitude of worship. And church, I think we can be so prone to this, that it's time to take the Lord's Supper, we just mindlessly go through the motions. That we line up, we take the elements, we have our seat, we bread, cup, done, and we've given like no thought to it. We never really stop to think about what was happening. That's just what we do. We go through the motions. That's irreverent. And when you do that, notice he says, you're guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. When you do that, when you take the Lord's Supper, unrepentant or irreverent, you are dishonoring Jesus and all that He's done. Because you didn't receive the Lord's Supper in a posture of worship. You understand the gravity of that? Imagine I brought an American flag up here. And I just threw it on the ground and stomped all over it. I'm not going to. But I just threw it on the ground and stomped all over it and wiped my feet on it. Would you be outraged by that? You should be. And I said, well, what's the big deal? It's just a piece of cloth. You're like, the big deal is what that represents.28:37That's the big deal. And an even bigger deal is what stomping on that represents. You see, it's the same principle with the Lord's Supper. That's why we are guilty of the body and blood of the Lord when we do it irreverently. It's like stomping on the flag. It's stomping on Jesus. Because God takes this very seriously.29:07If you're in sin, that you haven't confessed to God, you haven't turned from, you sinned against a person, and you haven't made things right with them, you haven't sought horizontal forgiveness, you should not take the Lord's Supper. You should just quietly abstain. All right? And look, if your heart isn't in it, if you're like, you know what, if I go do this today, it's just going to be a mindless ritual. It's not going to be active worship.29:37for me, then you should not take the Lord's Supper. You should just quietly abstain. But we are in a room of peer pressure, right? Where you're like, but if everybody gets up to take the Lord's Supper and I don't, what are people going to think? Who cares? Who cares what people think?30:08By the way, no one's noticing. No one has a scorecard. Well, you didn't get up and take communion today, but I'll write that one down for the record. Nobody cares. All right? What matters isn't what people think. What matters is what does God think? Because if you take the Lord's Supper in an unworthy manner, you're guilty of the body and blood of the Lord, and you should be way more concerned with what God thinks.30:41You should receive this in a posture of worship.30:49So, number three, how should I take the Lord's Supper?30:52Well, we saw the purpose.30:53We saw the heart posture.30:58Three, P is for preparation.31:03Because of the seriousness of this, We should prepare ourselves. Look at verse 28. He says, let a person examine himself then. And so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. Examine yourself. You should do this before church every Sunday anyways. But especially before you take the Lord's Supper, you need to take time for personal inventory. You need to ask yourself right now in my life, am I personally, actively, seeking the Lord.31:42Have I prepared myself to commune with the Lord?31:48And if you refuse to examine yourself, look at verse 29.31:53He says, for anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself.32:06If you take this irreverently, you're bringing judgment on yourself. Now the word judgment is literally chastisement or discipline. Okay? And understand, he is talking to believers here. Like, well, what kind of judgment am I going to face if I irreverently take the Lord's Supper? Well, he tells us, verse 30, he says, that is why.32:36Many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. If you're a believer who takes the Lord's Supper in an irreverent way, God will discipline you physically. Do you see that? All levels. Some end up weak, just not feeling great.33:06Some are ill, like really not feeling great. And Paul says, and some have died. Like done feeling anything. Right? There are so many prayer requests that have to do with health things. Do you notice that? Anytime somebody says, hey, does anybody have any prayer requests. Very rarely do we hear the, hey, I have an unsaved neighbor, pray that the Lord opens the door to share the gospel, or pray that I can better disciple my kids. Those are more rare. It seems to me like 90-some percent of prayer requests, we just drag out all these health things. And there are so many people here dealing with health issues.34:05And I have to ask you, in light of this verse, could it be that your health issues have been brought on by God for taking the Lord's Supper in an unworthy manner?34:33You're like, does God do that? Yeah. Yeah, He does. Now, obviously, listen, listen close. Obviously, no one is saying that that is the cause of all sickness and death. Nobody's saying that. But if you call yourself a Jesus follower and you take the Lord's Supper in an unworthy manner, you are a candidate for God's discipline.35:02And for some of you, that might be exactly why you are sick. That might be exactly why you've had this physical thing going on that you just can't get over. For some of you, that's why. Look at verse 31 and 32. He says, but if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged.35:32But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world. Paul just basically here says judge yourself or God will. Either take an honest assessment of your heart and act accordingly or disregard the state of your heart. Take the Lord's Supper in an unworthy manner and God will act accordingly. You're like, whoa, whoa, whoa.36:01Are you saying I could lose my salvation? Oh, absolutely not. Absolutely not. In fact, he clarifies that in this verse. God will discipline you, even let you die. He says so that you won't be condemned with the world. But that's how serious this is to God. God will remove you from the earth before he allows you to discipline.36:31honor him in the way that you take the Lord's Supper. I'm going to last two verses. He says, so then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that when you come together, it will not be for judgment.37:01About the other things, I will give directions when I come. Okay, so easy application for the Corinthians, right? Paul's like, so here it is, Corinth. When you have your potluck, can you just wait for everybody to show up? Can you do that? Like, oh, Paul, that sounds so un-American. Wait to eat? We don't do that.37:35I just laugh sometimes I'll hear people say, you know, I got stuck at such and such place. I had to go six hours without eating. Like, wow, I can't believe you're alive to tell the tale. Look, you can wait. You can wait. Right? Paul says, he says, are you hungry? You can't wait.38:01Why don't you just eat at home instead of being drunken hoggers at church before the Lord's Supper? How about that? But you see, there's a principle for them and for us. The Lord's Supper should be worshipful. Prepare yourself for it. Poor worship team would make their way back up.38:33to apply this right now.38:36I'd like you to just bow your heads.38:39I'd like you to just bow your heads and close your eyes.38:41I just want you to focus on your own heart.38:47Because in just a few moments, if our communion servers also would come up, in just a few moments, we are going to take the Lord's Supper.38:57And I want you, first of all, to just, in light of this passage, is to remind us why we're doing this. This doesn't save you. This doesn't make you into a more spiritual person. Paul tells us exactly the purpose of this. We are remembering. We are proclaiming. We are anticipating. That's why we're doing this. Also, your posture. This is a sacred act of worship.39:30And I have to ask you, is that the posture of your heart right now? Are you here to worship? Or have you been checked out even before you walked in the door? How is the posture of your heart right now? In preparation, examine yourself. Is there unconfessed sin that you have committed yourself to?40:05Look, believer, you are forgiven in Christ. You need to live like it. Are you genuinely seeking the Lord right now? Father in heaven, we're about to come to your table. And I don't know of any other teachers in your word that's more serious about this event than this passage that we just looked at. Father, this is a very serious thing to you. So Father, I pray that none of us would take this in an unworthy manner, that we would have the faith to stay in our seats and pray rather than invite discipline on ourselves.41:02Father, we thank you for this meal and everything that it means.41:08That God, you so loved us.41:13And you so wanted our sin removed from us that you came and did the job yourself.41:24So Father, as a church, let us, in receiving this, proclaim the excellencies of your grace as we anticipate the day that we get to sit down with Jesus personally at the marriage supper of the Lamb. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Small Group DiscussionRead 1 Corinthians 11:17-11:34What was your big take-away from this passage / message?How would you explain the Lord's Supper to a brand new Christian, who is completely unfamiliar with the ordinance?Jesus said to take the Lord's Supper “in remembrance” of Him. What exactly does that mean? How does this relate to the concept of “participation” (1 Corinthians 10:16)?What are some ways a believer can take the Lord's Supper in an “unworthy manner” (1 Cor 11:27)? Does this mean you have to be sinless? Why or why not?1 Cor 11:28 says “examine yourself”. What exactly are you examining in yourself before you take the Lord's Supper?BreakoutPray for one another.

The Victims of the Eaton fire aren't buying what Gavin is Selling Plus Randy talks the dueling UBER Ballot Measures with Attorney Samer HabbasSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We felt “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” deserved its own minisode, so join us as we take a modern look at this document, nearly wrapping up our tour of American Zion by Benjamin Park.  Two more to go! Link to our Face in Hat discord server! https://discord.gg/MnSMvKHvwh YouTube channel!  Thanks Eric! https://www.youtube.com/@FaceinHat https://www.youtube.com/@FaceinHat/playlists Dialogue Podcast Network https://www.dialoguejournal.com/podcasts/ American Zion: A New History of Mormonism, by Benjamin E. Park https://www.amazon.com/American-Zion-New-History-Mormonism/dp/1631498657 The Family: A Proclamation to the World https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/the-family-a-proclamation-to-the-world/the-family-a-proclamation-to-the-world Raising Kids and Running a Household: How Working Parents Share the Load https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2015/11/04/raising-kids-and-running-a-household-how-working-parents-share-the-load/ Almost 1 in 5 stay-at-home parents in the U.S. are dads https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/08/03/almost-1-in-5-stay-at-home-parents-in-the-us-are-dads/ The Proclamation on Wiki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Family:_A_Proclamation_to_the_World More from Melissa Inouye https://substack.com/profile/180982606-melissa-inouye The Plan and the Proclamation, by Elder (now President) Dallin H. Oaks https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2017/10/the-plan-and-the-proclamation The Family-Centered Gospel of Jesus Christ, by President Dallin H. Oaks. This is a more recent talk that also mentions the proclamation. It also includes talk of President Oaks' own family, including his father. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2025/10/58oaks “There Is Always a Struggle”: An Interview with Chieko N. Okazaki, by Gregory A. Prince https://www.dialoguejournal.com/articles/there-is-always-a-struggle-an-interview-with-chieko-n-okazaki/ Source of Eric's quote about W. H. Pugmire https://lordbassingtonbassington.blogspot.com/2009/12/queen-of-eldritch-horror.html My AMV interview with the Queen of Eldritch Horror, by Eric Jepson https://thmazing.blogspot.com/2010/02/my-amv-interview-with-queen-of-eldritch.html New York Doll (2005) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0436629/

Leadeuse Chrétienne est une plateforme dédiée aux femmes chrétiennes appelées à influencer, à impacter et à changer le cours de l'histoire, un pas à la fois, avec la puissance du Saint-Esprit. Ici, nous parlons à celles qui ont compris que leur appel est grand, qu'il exige un cœur consacré et qu'elles sont prêtes à investir tout ce qu'il faut pour rayonner dans leur destinée.Les pilliers de notre mission : Grandir, Nourrir et Bâtir.Grandir : Approfondir notre relation avec Dieu à travers sa Parole.Nourrir : Embrasser avec foi et courage la vision et l'influence qu'il a placées en nous, tout en explorant de nouvelles opportunités dans notre croissance spirituelle, personnelle et financière.Bâtir : Faire des choix stratégiques en investissant dans des contenus alignés à notre vocation et à la "montagne" que Dieu nous appelle à conquérir.Chaque mois, retrouvez :Le Podcast des Leadeuses, votre rendez-vous incontournable pour vous inspirer et vous équiper.La Méditation Immersive des Leadeuses, un temps unique dans la présence de Dieu.Leadeuse en Prière : ous les 2 vendredis, de 5h30 à 6h, nous nous rassemblons pour une session puissante de Parole, Prière et Proclamation (participation gratuite, engagement nécessaire).Pour soutenir le podcast : https://bit.ly/soutenirlepodcastPour consulter le blog : https://leadeusechretienne.fr/blog/Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

She fled on horseback in the thick of war. Her six-year-old son rode with her. The white tailor at her side would pass, when anyone asked, as her husband. Her name was Sarah. She was one of tens of thousands of enslaved people who self-emancipated during the American Revolution, and one of the many women earlier histories barely noticed. In this Revisited episode, Karen Cook-Bell, author of Running from Bondage: Enslaved Women and the Remarkable Fight for Freedom in Revolutionary America, recovers their stories. We learn how Lord Dunmore's 1775 proclamation reshaped the landscape of resistance, why motherhood drove women to flee rather than keeping them in place, and what creative, subversive strategies they used to slip out of bondage and into freedom. This is the companion conversation to Ep. 440's exploration of Jefferson's cut grievance. If Brooke Newman gave us the view from the throne, Karen Cook-Bell gives us the view from the ground. And it changes what the proclamations look like. Karen's Website | Book |Show Notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/322RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODES

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look back at the weekend in sports, which was eventful to say the least. The Wolves earned a dramatic Game 4 win Sunday night with Anthony Edwards playing a starring role. The Wild will try to even their series with Colorado on Monday after a dominant win Saturday. Reusse thinks the Wild are better than the Avalanche. Plus two good Twins wins, an impressive Lynx debut even in a loss and a deciding game for the Frost.

Let's take a moment to reflect on the upcoming Ascension Day, May 18th and what it means. When Jesus resurrected, he set certain things in motion that would transform his creation forever, including:- Becoming an esteemed Master Son, reserved for those Sons who bestow themselves as creatures of the realm (7 times)- Sending the Spirit of Truth- Betrothal of the Daughter of the Infinite Spirit- The "Proclamation of Equality," a universal call-to-action from both the Master Son and The Divine Mother- Establishment of the Michael Memorial on Jerusem- Establishment of the Archangels' Circuit (and headquarters) on our world- A blanket and automatic approval of the Father's spirit in the minds of all mortals on Urantia- The creation of the Council of the Twenty-Four Elders on Jerusem- Christ earns title of the Planetary Prince of our world- The authorization of the roll-call of sleeping mortals in our dispensational resurrection- The establishment and completion of the 4th Epochal revelation of truth on Urantia- The embarkation of the next mortal epoch of the people of Urantia, the post-bestowal age- The establishment of the truths which precipitated the religion of Christianity on earth, the only world religion tied directly to the life and teachings of Jesus, the Son of Man and the Son of God.

Pastor Kurt takes a deep dive into 1 Timothy 2:1–7, where Paul calls the church to PRAY for all people—including rulers—so the church can live credibly and the gospel can advance. He then grounds that prayer in PROCLAMATION: salvation is for all people.

March 31st Governor Gordon issued an "Arab-American Heritage Month" proclamation.  Don't feel bad if you didn't know about it.  Nobody did.  The proclamation doesn't show up on his website and no announcement email was sent out.  At first, I thought the image I found on social media was a hoax.  After calling the Governor's Office, I confirmed that indeed he did sign it. I don't have a problem with any legal immigrant.  That's what this country was founded on.  I do, however, have an issue with artificially singling out individual groups based on race.  That's a big reason why we have such a problem in our country right now.  If the Gov wanted to make a splash, he should have proclaimed April "American Heritage Month" instead.

Revelation 14: 7-20 for Wednesday 4-29-26 (12-24-25) "The Proclamation of Three Angels."

 The Great Fenian EscapeFor as long as the English have occupied Ireland there have been political prisoners. As long as there have been political prisoners there have been daring and ingenious escapes. In the most recent period of conflict it is estimated that around 100 republicans participated in escapes, including the great escape from the H-Blocks in 1983. That was the biggest ever in British penal history. Others tunnelled their way out; clambered over walls; escaped in a helicopter; shot their way out; blew a hole in a wall; hid in a bin lorry or dressed as priests or in one case as a woman. I was a Samuel Beckett type of escapee. I failed. But I never gave up. I failed better. Moore Street Trust calls on State to buy Moore St. TerraceThis Friday, 24 April, is the date 110 years ago when the Irish Volunteers and the Irish Citizen Army launched the Easter Rising. They published the 1916 Proclamation and proclaimed a Republic. For six days a small band of Irish rebels took on the might of the British Empire.  Ard Fheis 2026 in BelfastThis weekend the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis will be held in the ICC Waterfront Hall in Belfast. Like hundreds more I will be there as the party debates policy, including how we can advance our core objective of Irish Unity. 

Wednesday's EM Morning Brief for April 22, 2026 leads with the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands' Super Typhoon Sinlaku major disaster declaration package now with the President; today's opening of a FEMA Disaster Assistance Center in Whatcom County, Washington; and Federal Register publication of Presidential Public Assistance declarations for Idaho, Montana, and Oregon. The brief also covers CISA's eight new Known Exploited Vulnerability entries and ten fresh ICS advisories, Kīlauea's escalation to WATCH/ORANGE ahead of lava fountaining episode 45, the East Side Fire south of Red Lodge, Arizona's Shaw Fire, Michigan's U.P. flooding emergency, Iowa's five-county disaster proclamation, USDA drought designations across North Carolina and Tennessee, and Florida's Red Flag fire weather. EM Morning Brief is your concise daily update on national and state-by-state emergency management news. Produced by Sitch Radio, an EOC Voices podcast.Key Takeaways• CNMI Sinlaku declaration: Governor Apatang's major disaster request, with DHS sign-off, is with the President; response expected within 24 hours and includes 100 percent federal cost share for debris and protective measures.• Whatcom County DAC opens today: FEMA Disaster Assistance Center opens at Sumas Advent Christian Church for December storm and flooding survivors; application deadline is June 10.• Federal Register: Idaho, Montana, Oregon: Presidential Public Assistance declarations for December 2025 windstorm and storm/flooding events are formally published today, opening applicant intake windows.• CISA KEV and ICS advisories: Eight exploited CVEs added to KEV — including three Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager flaws — with April and May federal remediation deadlines; ten new ICS advisories including critical Siemens and Silex items.• Kīlauea WATCH/ORANGE: HVO raised alert level to WATCH/ORANGE on April 20 evening; lava fountaining episode 45 likely to begin April 22 or 23.• Montana East Side Fire: 1,500 to 1,600 acres south of Red Lodge with 185 homes evacuated; forecast 40 to 50 mph gusts may challenge containment today.• Arizona Shaw Fire: Forward progress stopped near Cochise Stronghold at roughly 20 acres with two structures lost; crews working toward containment.• Michigan U.P. flooding: State of emergency extended to Iron and Marquette counties on April 20; snowmelt and rain continue to drive river-level concerns.• Iowa disaster proclamation: Five counties designated under Governor Reynolds' April 20 proclamation; Individual Assistance Grant Program and Disaster Case Advocacy Program activated through May 20.• USDA drought designations: 40 NC counties and 22 TN counties (plus seven contiguous TN counties) designated; emergency loans available through December 10.• Florida fire weather: Red Flag Warning across NE and Central Florida through 8 p.m. EDT Tuesday; 99 percent of Florida in drought with rapid-spread risk.• Severe weather outlook: SPC Day 2 Slight risk Thursday from northern Oklahoma into southern Minnesota for very large hail, damaging winds, and a few tornadoes.SponsorsThe NIMS Store - https://thenimsstore.com/SourcesFEMA• Disaster Assistance Center Will Open in Whatcom County — FEMA press release announcing the April 22 DAC opening at Sumas Advent Christian Church.• Apply Separately for State, Federal Assistance for December Storms in Washington — April 21 FEMA notice outlining dual application tracks for Washington.• Presidential Declaration of a Major Disaster for Public Assistance Only for the State of Montana (FR) — Federal Register publication of FEMA-4901-DR.• Presidential Declaration of a Major Disaster for Public Assistance Only for the State of Idaho (FR) — Federal Register publication of FEMA-4905-DR.• Presidential Declaration of a Major Disaster for Public Assistance Only for the State of Oregon (FR) — Federal Register publication of Oregon Public Assistance declaration.DHS / NTAS• National Terrorism Advisory System — DHS NTAS page — no active advisories.• Recovery Rundown — CNMI Sinlaku (April 21) — Status of CNMI declaration request on the President's desk (DHS Secretary sign-off).CISA• CISA Adds Eight Known Exploited Vulnerabilities to Catalog — Official CISA alert adding eight exploited CVEs (Official update ~36 hours ago).• ICS Advisories (CISA) — Hub page for April 21 ICS advisories (ICSA-26-111-03 through -12).• CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog — Authoritative KEV catalog with federal due dates.State Department• Travel Advisories (Travel.State.Gov) — Authoritative current advisory list and Level indicators.USGS / Volcano & Seismic• Kīlauea Volcano Update — HVO updates on episode 45 precursory activity.• HVO Notice — April 21, 2026 (18:14 UTC) — Formal HANS notice reflecting Kīlauea WATCH/ORANGE escalation.• Mount Spurr (AVO) — Alaska Volcano Observatory status for Mount Spurr.NIFC / Wildfire• Incident Management Situation Report (IMSR) — National wildland fire situation reporting hub.• NIFC Monthly Outlook (April 1, 2026) — Predictive Services monthly seasonal outlook covering April.• InciWeb — Authoritative incident information system (Shaw Fire, East Side Fire).NWS / SPC• SPC Day 1 Convective Outlook (April 21, 2000 UTC) — SPC Day 1 hazard outlook.• SPC Day 2 Convective Outlook — SPC Day 2 hazard outlook (Thursday enhanced risk setup).FAA / Transportation• FAA National Airspace System Status — NAS status and active airport events (SFO).Arizona• Shaw Fire — forward progress stopped — Arizona's Family update on Shaw Fire status and structures destroyed.• Shaw Fire 70% contained (April 22) — Next-morning containment update.Florida• Red Flag Warning (News4JAX) — NE Florida / SE Georgia Red Flag Warning context and drought status.Hawaii• Kīlauea Alert Level Raised to Watch — Local confirmation of escalation to WATCH/ORANGE.Idaho• President Trump Approves Disaster Declaration for Idaho (IOEM) — Idaho Office of Emergency Management announcement.• FEMA to allow access to disaster relief support (Bonner County Daily Bee, April 21) — Local coverage of the FEMA aid process for the windstorm.• Minidoka Memorial Hospital updates Easter morning cyberattack — DataBreaches.Net update on Minidoka Memorial incident and Blackwater claim.Iowa• Gov. Reynolds Issues Disaster Proclamation for Five Counties (April 20) — Official press release naming the five counties and programs activated.• Proclamation of Disaster Emergency (April 20, 2026) — Text of the Governor's proclamation.Michigan• Gov. Whitmer declares state of emergency for Marquette, Iron Counties — Local coverage of U.P. emergency extension.• Flooding emergencies declared for two more Michigan counties — Detroit News report on April 20 executive action.• 2026 Statewide Flooding (Michigan State Police) — Michigan State Police EMHSD statewide flooding operations page.Montana• East Side Fire burns 1,600 acres, 185 evacuated (Daily Montanan) — Reporting on fire size, evacuations, and resources.• UPDATE: Crews beat back Red Lodge fire to 1,500 acres — Billings Gazette status update.North Carolina• USDA Designates 40 North Carolina Counties as Natural Disaster Areas — Official USDA FSA designation and emergency loan details.Oregon• FEMA approves disaster aid for Oregon after December 2025 storms — Local coverage of Oregon disaster approval context.Tennessee• USDA Designates 22 Tennessee Counties as Natural Disaster Areas — Official USDA FSA designation for Tennessee.Washington• Applications open for $2.5M in Washington state disaster assistance — Governor Ferguson press release on state-level parallel assistance.• FEMA disaster assistance center to open Wednesday in Sumas — Local coverage of the DAC opening.Territories (CNMI)• The Recovery Rundown: CNMI Sinlaku (April 21, 2026) — Territorial readout on the presidential declaration package.• FEMA assesses damage after Super Typhoon Sinlaku made landfall in CNMI — Context on damage-assessment operations. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit emnetwork.substack.com/subscribe

This episode reviews the key definitions for pharmaceutical articles, patented pharmaceuticals, generic pharmaceuticals, and orphan drugs as provided in Annex I to the proclamation. Importers should begin to review their imports according to the tariff code listing and definitions in Annex I.  

Prayer Moment 3 of 4 in AprilPrayer for Proclamation1. Boldness: Pray that believers will proclaim the Good News of Jesus with boldness from the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8).2. Empowerment: Pray for anointing to preach and perform miracles would be on believers (Luke 4:18-19).3. Truth: Pray that spiritual truths are taught in words not from human wisdom, but by the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:13).

Fourth Sunday of Easter • April 26, 2026 • Year AIntroductionWe begin with the four Revised Common Lectionary readings for the Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year A (April 26, 2026). This Sunday is sometimes called Good Shepherd Sunday because of the Gospel reading from John 10, and the theme of shepherding runs through all four texts in different ways — care, guidance, the cost of protecting others, and what it looks like to belong to someone who truly looks after you.Photo credit Good Shepherd Catholic ParishThe ReadingsActs 2:42–47The First Lesson — Life in the Early ChurchSUMMARYThis short passage describes what the church looked like in the days right after Pentecost. The new community devoted itself to four things: learning from the apostles, sharing meals and life together, breaking bread, and praying. A sense of awe settled over everyone, and the apostles were doing remarkable things among the people. Those who believed held everything in common — selling what they owned to make sure no one went without. They met daily, ate together with joy, praised God, and were well regarded by their neighbors. Each day, more people joined them.KEY IDEAS FOR PREACHING* This passage is often read as a picture of what the church is supposed to look like. That can be inspiring, but it can also be crushing if a congregation feels they fall short. A better approach might be to ask: which of these four practices is most alive in our community right now, and which one needs the most attention?* The sharing of possessions is described matter-of-factly, not as a heroic sacrifice. It simply made sense to them given what they had experienced. Preachers can explore what that kind of practical generosity looks like when it comes from genuine gratitude rather than obligation.* The word ‘devoted' appears at the start and shapes everything that follows. These people were not dabbling. What does it mean to be devoted — not just interested — in the life of faith? That question is worth opening up for a congregation.* Glad and generous hearts are named as the interior quality beneath all the external practices. The community was not running programs — they were living out of a particular emotional and spiritual posture. What produces that posture, and how does a congregation cultivate it?SIGNIFICANT CAUTIONS* Be careful about holding up this passage as ‘the early church was perfect.' Acts itself shows conflict, deception, and failure arriving very quickly after this moment (see chapter 5). This is a picture of a community at its best, not a permanent state they maintained.* The communal sharing of property has sometimes been read as a biblical case for a particular economic or political system. The text is not making a policy argument. It is describing what love looked like in a specific community at a specific moment. Preachers should resist turning it into a platform for contemporary political positions from either direction.* The rapid daily growth can make congregations who are not growing feel like failures. Be thoughtful about how you use the phrase ‘the Lord added to their number.' The text is descriptive, not prescriptive — it tells what happened, not what must happen in every time and place.Psalm 23The Psalm — The Lord Is My ShepherdSUMMARYOne of the most familiar passages in all of Scripture, Psalm 23 moves through a series of images describing God's care. The Lord as shepherd provides rest, leads to water, and restores the soul. Even in the darkest places, the presence of God brings comfort. The image then shifts: God becomes a host who sets a table, anoints with oil, and fills the cup. The psalm ends with confidence — goodness and mercy will follow all the days of life, and the speaker will dwell in God's house forever.KEY IDEAS FOR PREACHING* Because this psalm is so familiar, many people hear it without actually listening. One of the most useful things a preacher can do with Psalm 23 is slow it down and let people encounter it as if for the first time. What does it feel like to have someone else take responsibility for your wellbeing? That is the posture the psalm invites.* The dark valley in verse 4 is easy to rush past on the way to the green pastures. But the psalm does not skip it — it walks straight through it. Preachers can offer this as honest pastoral care: the life of faith does not avoid hard places; it travels through them with company.* The shift from shepherd to host midway through the psalm is striking. God is not only the one who guides from ahead but the one who welcomes and feeds. Both images together give a fuller picture of what divine care looks like.In the Easter season, this psalm takes on additional resonance. The table spread in the presence of enemies, the overflowing cup — these images land differently after the resurrection. The congregation is living the reality the psalm describes: walking through a world where death is present but defeated, sitting at a table prepared by the risen Christ, drinking from a cup that overflows with resurrection life. We can draw that connection without forcing it.SIGNIFICANT CAUTIONS* The familiarity of this psalm cuts both ways. It is beloved precisely because it has been a comfort in grief and crisis for countless people. Do not treat it as too simple or obvious — for many in the congregation, these words have carried them through the hardest moments of their lives.* Avoid using this psalm to suggest that faith means nothing bad will happen. The dark valley is in the psalm, not as something to be explained away, but as something to be walked through. The comfort is in the presence, not the absence of difficulty.* The phrase ‘green pastures' and ‘still waters' can sound like a promise of ease and prosperity. That reading flattens the psalm. The rest and restoration described here come after real depletion — this is a psalm for tired people, not comfortable ones.1 Peter 2:19–25The Epistle — Suffering UnjustlySUMMARYThis passage addresses people who are suffering — specifically, those who are doing right and being mistreated for it. The letter does not pretend this is easy or that it makes sense from a human point of view. Instead, it points to Christ as the one who walked this road before them. He did not sin, did not threaten or retaliate when he was abused, but entrusted himself to the God who judges justly. He bore what he bore in his body so that those who were lost might find their way back. The image at the end is of sheep who had wandered returning to the shepherd who watches over them.KEY IDEAS FOR PREACHING* This is a hard text to preach because it can sound like an endorsement of passivity in the face of injustice. But the key phrase is ‘endure when you do right and suffer for it.' This is not about accepting all suffering quietly — it is about the specific situation of doing good and still being mistreated. Naming that distinction carefully matters.* Christ is held up not as a distant ideal but as someone who actually went through this. The passage is saying: you are not the first, and the one who went before you knows what it costs. That is genuine solidarity, and it can be a rich vein to mine for people in real pain.* The image of wandering sheep returning to a shepherd at the end of the passage is worth dwelling on. It is gentle and without accusation. The return is not a march of shame — it is a homecoming. This can speak to people who feel they have drifted and wonder if there is a way back.* The phrase ‘entrusted himself to the one who judges justly' is quietly powerful. When there is no human court that will hear your case, the text says there is still a court that matters. This can be a word of real hope for people who have experienced injustice with no recourse.SIGNIFICANT CAUTIONS* This passage has been used harmfully to tell people — especially women, enslaved people, or those in abusive situations — that they must endure mistreatment without resistance. That is a serious misreading. The text is not a command for victims to remain in danger. Preach it with this history in mind and be explicit that it does not apply that way.* The call to follow Christ's example in suffering can romanticize pain if not handled carefully. Suffering is not good in itself. The text is not saying that being mistreated makes you holy — it is saying that when you cannot avoid it, you are not alone in it.* The phrase ‘leaving you an example' should not be used to pressure people into silence about legitimate grievances. An example is something to learn from, not a rule that overrides common sense, safety, or the pursuit of justice.John 10:1–10The Gospel — The Gate and the ShepherdSUMMARYJesus uses a picture from everyday life — a sheep pen, a shepherd, and a gatekeeper — to describe his relationship with his followers. The one who enters through the gate is the true shepherd; those who try to climb in another way are up to no good. The sheep know the shepherd's voice and follow him because they trust it; they run from strangers because that voice is unfamiliar. The religious leaders who are listening do not understand what Jesus is saying, so he makes it plainer: he is the gate. Anyone who comes through him will be safe, free to come and go, and well-fed. Thieves come to take; he came so that people might have life — life that is full and overflowing.KEY IDEAS FOR PREACHING* The detail that the sheep know the voice of the shepherd is one of the most relatable images in the Gospel of John. Most people have some experience of recognizing a voice they trust — a parent, a friend, someone who has looked out for them. Preachers can use that instinct to open up what it means to learn to recognize God's voice.* Jesus describes himself as the gate, not just a gate. This is a strong claim, but it is worth noticing what he says those who enter through the gate find: safety, freedom to move in and out, and pasture. The emphasis is on abundance and access, not restriction.* The thief comes to steal and destroy; Jesus came so that people might have life and have it fully. That contrast is one of the clearest statements in the Gospels about what Jesus understands his own purpose to be. A sermon could spend significant time on what ‘life in its fullness' actually looks and feels like in practice.* The phrase ‘the sheep hear his voice' assumes a relationship that has developed over time. Recognizing a voice is not automatic — it comes from familiarity. This is an opportunity to reflect on what it looks like to spend enough time in prayer, Scripture, and community that God's voice becomes recognizable.SIGNIFICANT CAUTIONS* The line ‘all who came before me are thieves and bandits' is jarring and should not be used to dismiss the whole of the Hebrew prophetic tradition or Jewish leadership in general. Read in context, Jesus is contrasting himself with those who exploit the flock, not with all prior religious figures or Judaism as a whole.* The gate image has sometimes been used to draw sharp lines about who is ‘in' and who is ‘out' of salvation. The text's own emphasis falls on what the sheep find once they enter — safety, nourishment, freedom — not on who gets excluded. Let the text lead with welcome rather than boundary.* The image of sheep following a voice can be used to encourage uncritical obedience to religious authorities. The passage itself guards against this by emphasizing that the sheep run from voices they do not recognize. Discernment, not blind following, is the point.Thematic ConnectionsAll four readings this week describe what it looks like to be genuinely cared for — and what it costs the one doing the caring. Acts shows a community that took care of each other with glad hearts. Psalm 23 pictures God as the one who leads, feeds, and stays close through the darkest stretches. First Peter points to Christ absorbing the cost of others' wandering so they could find their way home. And John 10 names Jesus as the gate through which people find safety, freedom, and full life.A preacher could anchor the week anywhere in these texts. John 10 is the natural center given the day's traditional focus on the Good Shepherd. But Acts 2 offers a concrete, practical angle — what does shepherd-like care look like when an entire community practices it together? And First Peter raises the hardest question of all: what do you do when doing right still leads to suffering? These texts can hold that tension without resolving it cheaply.Narrative LectionaryThe primary text is from Acts 16, where Paul and Silas end up in prison in Philippi — not because they did anything wrong, but because setting a slave girl free cost her owners money. The supplemental verses from Luke 6 set the stage: Jesus came to heal and free, and the people who followed him knew what it was to be pushed to the margins. Together these texts ask a pointed question: when following Jesus disrupts the status quo, what happens next?The ReadingActs 16:16–34The Primary Text — Paul and Silas in Prison at PhilippiSUMMARYPaul and Silas are in Philippi, a Roman colony and a city where status and economic power matter a great deal. They keep running into a slave girl who has a spirit that allows her to predict the future — something her owners have been making money from. She follows Paul around for days, shouting that these men are servants of the Most High God who are proclaiming a way of salvation. Paul, eventually exasperated, turns and commands the spirit to leave her. It does. Her owners, furious that their source of income has disappeared, drag Paul and Silas before the city magistrates, accusing them of causing trouble and promoting foreign customs.The crowd joins in the attack. Paul and Silas are stripped, beaten with rods, and thrown into the inner cell of the prison, with their feet locked in stocks. Around midnight they are praying and singing hymns, and the other prisoners are listening. Then a violent earthquake shakes the foundations, every door flies open, and every chain falls loose. The jailer wakes up, sees the open doors, and draws his sword to kill himself — assuming the prisoners have escaped and knowing what fate awaits him. Paul calls out to stop him: everyone is still there. The jailer falls before Paul and Silas and asks the question that echoes through the whole passage: ‘What must I do to be saved?' They tell him to trust in the Lord Jesus, and he and his whole household will be saved. He takes them home, cleans their wounds, and is baptized with his family that same night. He brings them a meal and celebrates with his whole household, now that he has come to believe in God.Image courtesy UnsplashKEY IDEAS FOR PREACHING* The slave girl is the most overlooked person in this story, and she deserves more attention than she usually gets. She was being exploited for profit, day after day. When Paul frees her, he disrupts an economic arrangement — and he pays for it. The text does not follow up on what happens to her after the spirit leaves. Preachers can acknowledge that gap honestly and invite the congregation to sit with the fact that doing good for someone vulnerable can set off serious consequences.* Paul and Silas are singing at midnight in a jail cell, bleeding from a beating they did not deserve. Whatever that is, it is not forced positivity or denial. It is something that runs deeper than their circumstances. Proclamation can open up the question of what produces that kind of resilience — not as a formula to copy, but as a reality worth wondering about.* The earthquake opens every door and loosens every chain — but no one runs. That is an extraordinary detail. The prisoners stay. Paul calls out to the jailer before the man can hurt himself. This is a moment of genuine human care in an unexpected place, and it is what opens the door to the jailer's question. Preachers can draw a direct line: sometimes witness is not a prepared speech but a decision not to take the exit when it opens.* The jailer's question — ‘What must I do to be saved?' — comes out of genuine crisis. He is a man at the end of his rope, not someone sitting in a pew considering his options. The answer Paul gives is simple: trust in the Lord Jesus. What follows is immediate and whole-household — washing wounds, being baptized, eating together, rejoicing. Salvation in this passage is not a private transaction; it reshapes a family and produces a meal.* This story takes place in a Roman colony where power and status are everything. Paul and Silas are stripped of all social standing, beaten publicly, and imprisoned. Yet by morning the jailer is washing their wounds and feeding them breakfast. The power dynamics have completely reversed, and it happened through an earthquake and a decision to stay. We can ask what it means that the Gospel keeps showing up in these kinds of inversions.SIGNIFICANT CAUTIONS* The slave girl's liberation is real, but she disappears from the narrative. The text does not tie things up neatly for her. Preachers who skip past her too quickly risk reinforcing the pattern of treating vulnerable people as props in someone else's story.* The midnight worship in prison is powerful, but preachers should not use it to suggest that the right response to suffering or injustice is always to sing and wait. Paul and Silas did not engineer the earthquake; they did not escape when they could have. This is a specific story, not a universal template for how Christians should respond to being mistreated.* The ‘whole household' baptism raises real questions about consent — were children and servants included without much say? The text does not address this, and we preachers do not need to resolve it from the pulpit. But it is worth being aware of, especially in congregations that practice only adult or believer's baptism, where someone may push back.* The jailer's story is moving, but do not let it overshadow the injustice that put Paul and Silas there in the first place. The authorities who beat them without a trial are not held to account in this passage. The text is not saying the system was fine — it is showing what happened inside it.Luke 6:18–19, 22–23The Supplemental Text — Healing and Blessing the ExcludedSUMMARYThese verses come from the opening of Luke's version of the Sermon on the Plain/Mount. A crowd has gathered from all over — some sick, some tormented — and Jesus heals them. Power is going out from him and everyone is trying to touch him. Then come the beatitudes: blessed are you who are poor, hungry, weeping, and hated. When people exclude you and mock you because of the Son of Man, leap for joy — your reward in heaven is great, and the prophets who came before you were treated the same way.KEY IDEAS FOR PREACHING* Paired with Acts 16, these verses establish that the pattern goes all the way back to Jesus. He drew in the sick, the outcast, and the struggling — and so did Paul and Silas. The supplemental reading gives the Acts story a longer arc: this is what the ministry of Jesus looked like, and the early church was continuing it.* The beatitudes in Luke are addressed directly in the second person: ‘Blessed are you.' This is not a general principle — it is a word spoken to specific people in the crowd. Preachers can use this to help congregations hear it personally, especially those who feel excluded, overlooked, or pushed to the edge. It is the equivalent of the Southern saying, “All y'all are in on this… in a good way.”SIGNIFICANT CAUTIONS* The promise that those who are excluded should ‘leap for joy' needs to be handled with care. It is not telling people their pain does not matter or that they should pretend to be happy. It is pointing toward a bigger picture — one that most people in genuine suffering cannot see on their own. Preach it with gentleness, not as a demand.* The comparison to the prophets who were mistreated can make suffering sound heroic or inevitable. Not all suffering is meaningful, and not all exclusion is persecution. Preachers should be specific about what kind of exclusion Jesus is naming here — exclusion for following him — rather than letting the verse be applied loosely to any difficult experience.Thematic ConnectionsBoth texts this week show what happens when the work of God runs into opposition from people who benefit from things staying the way they are. Jesus heals and blesses the excluded; a slave girl is freed; Paul and Silas are thrown in prison for it. The people who get hurt in both texts are the ones doing good. The supplemental verses from Luke say that this is not a surprise — it follows a pattern that goes back to the prophets. And the Acts story shows that even inside that opposition, something keeps breaking through: a midnight song, an open door, a jailer asking the right question.TIf you want a single focus, you would do well to stay with the jail scene and the question ‘What must I do to be saved?' — exploring what prompted it, what the answer meant, and what happened next. But the slave girl at the beginning is an equally powerful, and less-traveled, starting point. A sermon that begins with her and follows her thread through the whole story could be especially fresh. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lectionarypro.substack.com/subscribe

This passage instructs our praying as the word of the Lord is preached. When the gospel is proclaimed, some hear and believe while others are blind to its grace and power. Only the Lord can overcome darkness with light and blindness with sight. So we pray as we proclaim for his Spirit to produce the response of faith in the hearts of people. Grace Community Church exists to build spiritually healthy people for ministry in the world. One of the ways that we pursue this mission is by gathering each Sunday for corporate worship, prayer, and biblical teaching. The corporate nature of this gathering is both edifying to the believer and a witness of God's grace to the world. Sermon speaker is Scott Patty unless otherwise noted.

In this episode, we dive into the topic of our very popular webinar on “reading the Gospels with your imagination” What is it, what do we teach, and we answer some of the big questions and concerns people have been asking. Whether you're wondering how reading the Gospels with your imagination works, concerned about staying grounded in Scripture, or curious about how this practice can be a powerful prayer practice, this is the episode for you! Links: Books referenced in this episode: How to Read the Bible Like a Human Being by Tony Stoltzfus https://amzn.to/4szumKX Theology Is for Proclamation by Gerhard Forde https://amzn.to/3No2ES7 The Holy Spirit and Christian Experience by Simeon Zahl https://amzn.to/4bKoh7b Connect with us: Email us at podcast@signpostinn.org Facebook www.facebook.com/SignpostInn Instagram www.instagram.com/signpostinn Check out our website www.signpostinn.org for more resources! Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com

Here are the points from the message. Mark borrowed the first three from Alistair Begg's helpful sermon here. Peace (v 36) Panic (v 37-38) Proof (v 39-43) Prophets (v 44-46) Proclamation (v 47) You can watch this message here.

Aneirin Glyn - The word reaches Thessalonica, and makes a dramatic impact. There are young believers, in the midst of fierce opposition. These verses set our expectations for what happens when the truth is declared that Jesus is the Christ.

Notes John 20:19-31 Acts 2:14A, 22-32 Summary Exploring the profound themes of Easter and Pentecost in John 20 and Acts 2, this episode delves into the significance of belief, forgiveness, and the transformative power of resurrection. Join us as we unpack these scriptures and their relevance for faith communities today. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Context of the Episode 04:52 Exploring the Story of Doubting Thomas 10:02 The Significance of Belief and Forgiveness 15:02 The Role of the Holy Spirit and Community 19:59 The Challenge of Forgiveness in Today's Context 23:44 The Weight of Forgiveness 24:51 Peace and Reconciliation in the Resurrection 27:05 The Nature of Jesus' Peace 29:02 Belief Beyond Sight 31:12 Transformative Love and Community 32:53 The Challenge of Change 34:27 Peter's Proclamation at Pentecost 36:16 Understanding Resurrection Through Scripture 39:00 The Role of David in the Resurrection 42:01 The Significance of Jesus' Resurrection 46:04 Grounding Faith in Historical Context  

Mark shows us “the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ” (v. 1). After introducing John the Baptist, he includes three (really four) foundational scenes that mark the beginning movement of the gospel—from the lips of Jesus to those who followed Him and then took it around the world.I. Identification (v. 9)II. Confirmation (vv. 10-11)III. Confrontation (vv. 12-13)IV. Proclamation (vv. 14-15)Learn Your Bible: What does this passage teach you about how God works before great things begin?Love Your Neighbor: Share the gospel with a friend or family member this week—or simply invite them to our Good Friday and Easter services.Live in Freedom: What step of obedience is God calling you to take so you can walk in freedom and purpose as you follow Jesus?Talk with kids: Why do we have to turn from our sin to trust Jesus as Savior?