The Good News From The Gardens Podcast

God Moves...Through Mud | Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

Because Jesus is cozying up to tax collectors and sinners (aghast!), he is compelled to tell his longest parable, The Prodigal Son, to grumbling Pharisees and scribes. There are so many points in this parable for us to consider. Which character do you identify with, and why? The younger son? The older son? In this message we explore the character of a God that moves and works through the muddiness of life to provide us with joy. 
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God Moves…into the Desert | Luke 4:1-13

God Moves…into the Desert | Luke 4:1-13
Jesus is in the wilderness being tested, or is it tempted, by the devil. Both are used in translations. But tested and tempted are not as interchangeable as you would think. “Tested” identifies with an individual’s ability to contend with something pushed upon them, wherein “tempted” identifies with an individual being pulled away and towards something. Jesus was pushed and pulled in the desert. We too are pushed and pulled upon by the sinful forces of this world. Jesus was every bit human, as he was divine. But it’s while in the wilderness, that Jesus humanity is delivered through a time of being tested and tempted because of his divinity, because of his trust in God the Father. This Sunday at 9AM worship we’ll wander into our individual and collective wildernesses and be reminded of the benefit of relying on God.    
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Ash Wednesday Message

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
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Unlimited Love | Luke 6:27-38

Unlimited Love | Luke 6:27-38
In this second half of the sermon on the plain, aka “the level place”, Jesus provides real world examples of how His followers are to respond to the hurt and hate of the world that will be exacted upon them. In short, they are to always respond in kind, with forgiveness. Easier said than done, right?! In this message we ponder the life altering, and healing power of radical love, blessing, forgiveness, and generosity for ALL of God's people, made possible through YOU!
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Love Levels Life

Love Levels Life | Luke 6:17-26
Jesus has drawn a huge crowd to a large level place. They want to hear him, be healed by him, and ultimately, all want to touch him. They want what he possesses. They need what he possesses. In the midst of this scene Jesus looks up to his disciples and delivers hope-filled blessings alongside a few “woes”. The lesson: Followers of Jesus are not to be satisfied with the status quo of life. Their blessed assurance is not to be rested in, but is to be lived out.
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Catching Grace

Catching Grace | Luke 5:1-11
Jesus’ teaching of God’s word has begun to draw great crowds. For Simon, James, and John, Jesus’ teaching inspires hospitality, then obedience, and then risk. After Jesus’ creative power is revealed, fear and amazement leads these three fishermen to leave everything behind to become apostles. Listen to this message about God’s faith motivating grace through Jesus.
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02/02/25 | Being Bias: A Message on Seeking Partiality for Jesus

Being Bias: A Message on Seeking Partiality for Jesus
Luke 4:21-30
Last week’s text ended with Luke 4:21, “Then he began to say to them, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’” This week’s reading begins with it. The world of God is the beginning and the end of our readings, and the beginning and the professed beginning and end of a Christian’s life. The thing is, there are competing starting points, and biblical points of reference from which to start, and live. When it comes to the words of Jesus, what do you hear? What do you want to hear? What should we be hearing? Listen to this message as we unpack what it is to hear and fulfill scripture in a way that first and foremost glorifies God’s agenda, and not ours. 
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01/26/25 | What's In Me For This?

What’s In Me For This?
Luke 4:14-21
You have heard it said, “What’s in this for me?” Someone wants to know what their gain will be in giving of themselves to something. What if instead we said, “What’s In Me For This?” What if our first inclination was to prayerfully assess our ability to be an asset to the person, the cause, the issue? Instead of questioning what we might be losing, consider what the kingdom is gaining. In this Luke text Jesus makes a big first impression. He claims his Father-given authority to be the mission statement borrowed from the book of Isaiah. Jesus is God’s mission to the world, and the church exists because of that mission. What is in you for the mission of God’s church? Listen to this message to consider our individual and collective charge to be God’s mission statement to God’s world, in the name of Jesus Christ.
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01/19/25 | Unexpected and Urgent Grace

Unexpected and Urgent Grace
John 2:1-11
Jesus and his disciples show up to a wedding late. They wine has run out. The celebration is in jeopardy of ending early and possibly in shame. Jesus takes charge and turns water into wine. Not just average wine, but great wine! Shame is not just averted, but the caliber of wine has people wondering why it is so good, and so why now? What about your life is God looking to bestow abundant grace upon grace, or already has? Listen to this message to hear about the grace-centered character and power of God.  
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01/12/25 | Saved to Serve the Whole World

Saved to Serve the Whole World
Luke 3:15-17, 21-22
In this scripture and message we hear Luke’s account of John’s baptism of Jesus. Jesus' baptism was God’s affirmation/anointing/kick off of God’s mission to the world through Jesus. Jesus was baptized because the people were getting baptized. He may have been without sin, but he was not too good to enter the turbulent and muddy waters of human life. He came to serve, so that others may learn to serve. In this message we celebrate and correlate Jesus’ baptism to ours, and what that means to us and God's creation. 
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