GCI Equipper

Your Friendly Neighbour In Christ

Your Friendly Neighbour, in Christ | July 2025

In this series, we delve into our 2025 theme, Kingdom Culture, with GCI Superintendents from around the globe. Each message will explore how the kingdom transforms our lives as disciples.

Listen in as Gavin Henderson, GCI Superintendent for Europe, shares how we are called to be present, caring, and Christ-centered in our neighbourhoods.

Program Transcript


Your Friendly Neighbour, in Christ

If you grew up reading comic books you will be familiar with the phrase: “Your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man.”

This is the slogan Spider-Man would leave around New York City whenever he left the bad guys for the police to pick up. It was his way of letting the people of his city know that he was their superhero and that what he was doing was for them.

In GCI, we want our congregations to be seen in a similar way. Not as superheroes, of course, but as essential parts of our local neighbourhoods — places where our neighbours know who we are, and that we are for them, and that they are welcome and included in our worship gatherings and events.

This raises a couple of questions. Who are our neighbours? And what do we mean by neighbourhood? For Spider-Man, it was the borough of Queens in New York City. While many superheroes would fight to save the world, Spider-Man knew his limitations, and his aim was to protect and serve his local neighbourhood. This is not to say that he never teamed up with other superheroes elsewhere, but he knew the importance of not abandoning his home turf.

In Luke 10:29, we read that Jesus was asked by an expert in Jewish law the question, “Who is my neighbour?”.

What is Jesus’ response? He told one of his most famous parables — the parable of the Good Samaritan. The story ends with a revolutionary realization that being a neighbour is not about class, race, or profession but about helping people around us who need help, even if they are our enemies!

This isn’t just a personal calling — it’s a congregational one. As congregations, our neighbours are those around us who need help, support, and encouragement. It is not defined by income, census data, or demographics — it is defined by Christ. As part of the body of Christ, we are called to serve and give our life for others.

Now, we may not be able to shoot webs, sense danger, or have superstrength like Spider-Man, but as Christians, we do have superpowers with which to help serve and protect our neighbourhoods: Faith, Hope, and Love.

All around the world, communities have been negatively affected by broken promises and betrayal by those closest to them. Divorces, disillusionment with our governments, and being taken advantage of by employers have shattered so many people’s lives. Into this mess, the Church is able to proclaim the faithfulness of God.

With climate change, genetic modifications, and the rise of artificial intelligence, what kind of future will our children inherit? Is the world becoming more authoritarian, and the risk of another world war increasing? Into this chaos, the Church is called to proclaim the hope that we have in Christ — hope for peace, for restoration, for justice, for life.

And the greatest superpower we have is love. Churches are not called just to serve communities, but rather to create community. Community is a byproduct of love — love for God and love for our neighbours. So many people around us do not really understand what love is, and how else are they supposed to learn if we do not show them? If we do not demonstrate God’s love to them by helping and supporting those who are different to us, who can’t return our kindness, and who can’t help themselves?

This year’s theme is Kingdom Culture and our call to be “friendly neighbourhood churches” is part of the way that we live out that culture on a congregational level.

As we reflect on what it means to be a neighbour in Christ, let us consider these questions:

  1. Are we truly present in our neighborhoods?
    • Do people know that our church is here for them?
    • What practical steps can we take to engage with our local community?
  2. How can we embody faith, hope, and love in our daily lives?
    • Are we showing faithfulness in our relationships and commitments?
    • Are we offering hope to those struggling with fear and uncertainty?
    • Are we demonstrating love in how we serve, welcome, and embrace others?
  3. Are we willing to love sacrificially?
    • The Good Samaritan didn’t just acknowledge the wounded man — he acted.
    • What are we willing to give — our time, our resources, our comfort — to reflect the love of Christ to our neighbors?

One of my favourite Spider-Man quotes is: “You have the costume; you have the power. You’re Spider-Man. Act like it.”

We have faith, we have hope, and we have love. We are the Church. Let’s act like it.

Equipped for Missional Engagement

By Cara Garrity, Development Coordinator
Lynn, Massachusetts, U.S.

Missional engagement is intentional involvement with our neighbors so we can announce and demonstrate God’s kingdom. How can we equip our Love Avenue teams for missional engagement?

The ministry of the Love Avenue is more than hosting activities and events in the neighborhood. It is about being discipled to live lives sent to witness to Jesus and his kingdom. It involves developing a missional posture — the approach and attitude that Jesus has sent us to participate in his mission to the world in our neighborhood. It involves developing missional rhythms — ongoing, reoccurring habits and activities in neighborhood spaces to facilitate relationship-building.

It is being transformed and compelled by the love of Jesus for our neighbors. Missional engagement involves the participation of our being as well as our doing. We must receive the transforming love of Jesus into our personal lives so that we have Christlike love to share with others. It is about receiving and sharing.

Equipping Love Avenue teams for missional engagement can transform Love Avenue ministry. It can both support and challenge us to think beyond isolated activities to missional rhythms. To live sent in all matters of life is about connecting relationally and pointing to Jesus, and this must be the heart of the Church in its gatherings and activities.

GCI has many resources to support you as you equip Love Avenue team members. Below are some resources to get you started.

Reflection Questions:

    1. What would it look like for the Love Avenue team to be equipped for missional engagement? What is one thing the team can commit to this year?
    2. What would it look like for the Love Avenue team to be equipped to disciple others in missional living?

The Parable of the Weeds

In June, we introduce a new series on Jesus’ parables. Jesus often described his kingdom using parables. For each of the next seven issues, we will discuss a different parable. We’ll explore questions like: What does this parable reveal about the kingdom? What does it tell us about the role of the Church in the kingdom?

Read the parable of the sower article here.


By Al Kurzawa, Pastor
Morwell and Seaford, Victoria, Australia

Did God leave us anything to do?

Have you ever volunteered and shown up to the job ready with gloves and tools in hand, only to find out that the work was already completed? You’ve set aside time to help only to be told to relax because everything is already done. The parable of the weeds (Matthew 13:24–30) and Jesus’ explanation of the parable (verses 36–43) can leave us feeling this way after our first read through. A quick recap shows who does all the action in this parable and it’s not us. We find Jesus has already sown the good seeds, the enemy has sown the weeds, the servants ask a couple of questions, and in the end the harvesters (the angels) collect the weeds at harvest and burn them. If we assume we are the good seeds, the people of the kingdom, we are left with only two passive things to do: shine like the sun and whoever has ears, let them hear. I guess we all got dressed up in our overalls for nothing!

In most of Jesus’ parables, there is an “aha!” moment after we have spent some time wrestling with it. Following some rough and tumble grappling we find in this parable both the good news of the kingdom and a formidable and challenging opportunity for us as citizens of that kingdom. The good news is that the Son of Man has sown the good seed, and he has sown that good seed throughout the entire world.

Between the parable of the weeds and its explanation are the parables of the mustard seed and yeast which clue us in that the kingdom can seem small and hidden, but it is always growing and permeating the entire world. This is a good reminder that it is not for us to judge or decide who is or is not a citizen of the kingdom. The wheat and weeds are so similar and intertwined that we can do much damage if we try to make those judgements when God has told us he is the one that will take care of the sifting. We are to serve all our neighbors, all those we encounter, as good seed that has been sown by God. All humans are made in the image of God.

Even though most of the action seems to have been performed by others in this parable, the Son of Man does give us something to do. And this action is a lot tougher than it first appears. The man tells his servants, “Let both grow together until the harvest.” Let’s geek out on the Greek for a minute. The word “let” in this passage in the Greek can mean permit, suffer, let, or forgive.[i] Let them grow together or possibly suffer together. How does it challenge us when we think of it as “suffer together?” Is this the call to action in this parable for us as citizens? If we love our neighbor as our self, if we love one another as Jesus loved us, if we pray for our enemies, if we live as the beloved children of God, then at times we will experience suffering in this lifetime.

We may be experiencing suffering right now. When we open ourselves up to serving others, caring for others’ needs, loving others, then we also allow ourselves to be vulnerable and open to suffering. Here we were thinking all the hard work was done with the seeds already being planted and the angels taking care of the harvest! But we find in this simple term, “let, permit, suffer together,” our calling and challenge as citizens of the kingdom as we participate in Jesus’ mission to the world by serving those around us.

We are comforted knowing the kingdom will reach its fullness and the harvest will come. Jesus assures us that through our suffering and our participation in his plan of “let them grow together,” God is at work in mysterious ways that only He can accomplish. Our acts of service and our shared suffering for the kingdom will be transformed into moments of glory that will shine like the sun in the fullness of the kingdom. He who has ears, let him hear.

[i] William D. Mounce, Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary of the New Testament. Accordance electronic edition, version 4.6. Altamonte Springs: OakTree Software, 2011.  See also Robert Farrar Capon, Parables of Kingdom, Grace, and Judgement. (Grand Rapids, MI:  William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company), 90ff.

Church Hack—Love Avenue Job Descriptions

A thriving Love Avenue requires clear roles and responsibilities for neighborhood engagement. This Church Hack helps churches structure their teams for meaningful impact.

Download the Hack now and build your team.

Awkward is OK

By Maarten De Moei, Assistant Pastor
Tiel, Gelderland, Netherlands

What should be our focus when we consider children, teenagers, and young adults in our congregations and society?

Our own past

When I look back at my past in my congregation and how I grew up, I remember all the times that adults (or even those slightly older than me) spent time with me and tried to get to know me. I remember the times that I was the only child or only teenager present during the service, and still someone ensured that there was something I could partake in or do.

Sometimes I read from a children’s Bible at the beginning of service. Other times, I was the one who would walk around with the collection bag. During prayer time, I almost always wanted to pray for something and was encouraged to do so and received positive responses. For me, an important part of youth ministry is just that — involving them, encouraging them, showing them that you see them and that you see them as an important part of the church community.

Our approach

Many people feel that children are very approachable and it’s easy to make them laugh. But not everyone feels the same way about teenagers. Teens might appear to want to create distance from adults, can be sarcastic, or might even look like they could eat you alive! But in my experience, this is not the case at all.

Being a teenager can feel awkward. And teens are at a stage in life where they can feel like every single decision they make and every word they speak will decide who they are and will be for the rest of their lives. We should make the first move to connect, so let’s be awkward with them! Sit next to them when they are on their phones and just be present. We, as adults, are precisely the ones who can show them that it is okay to be awkward or to not know what to do or say. We do this by just being ourselves and creating meaningful friendships with them.

Teenagers know that they are not adults yet, but I can guarantee you that they really do want to be treated as one. Take them seriously and give them a chance to express themselves. Find ways that they could be involved in service with a low threshold.

Through our congregations, we are blessed to be part of a community where most every age group is represented and gathered together. This isn’t something that exists anymore in most parts of society! Yes, we can find this in a family but on a very different scale. Also, there’s an expectation to care about our own children and to connect with them. But connecting with youth that are only in our lives because of Christ? What an amazing privilege we have!

So how can we connect?

    • Involve them in our worship service when we can.
    • Talk to them and show genuine care, even if it takes effort. Yes, it may be awkward!
    • Create (or continue with) specific parts during the worship service tailored to them, whether these are:
        • Bible stories
        • Children’s service with arts, crafting, drawing, anything creative
        • Teen service where you conduct a Bible study with them and discuss what we read or what is happening in their lives
    • After the worship service, think about mini golf, bowling, a movie, or a game night with board games.

There are always enough children or teenagers

Do you know the feeling of preparing something with young people in mind, and then they don’t show up? Don’t lose heart! And even if only one shows up, that is amazing! Now you have the opportunity to talk one-on-one and tailor your discussion to them personally. You can create valuable memories and help them build their Christian foundation.

Our goal is to build an appropriate friendship with our youth and build on the foundation of their beliefs. We cannot force them to believe or see things as we do. Thankfully, Jesus shows us that coercion isn’t the way to him. Love, acceptance, his sacrifice, his lessons, and a desire to follow our Savior are the way. So, this is what we give our youth — the same things Jesus Christ showed us.

Join Our Virtual, Self-paced Book Club

You can read the introduction to this book club here.

Session 1 was published in June (see below). Look for session 2 in the August issue of Equipper and session 3 in the October issue.


Centering Discipleship — Session 1

We’re excited to kick off our Centering Discipleship book club! In this first session, we’ll dive into Chapters 1–4 of E.K. Strawser’s Centering Discipleship, exploring the foundational elements that form a healthy discipleship culture: Communion, Community, and Co-Mission.

This journey ties directly into our 2025 theme of Kingdom Culture — living out our identity as followers of Christ by cultivating discipleship pathways that foster Christ-centered community, belonging, and mission.

Session 1: Resources to support your reading of Chapters 1–4

Intro Video:

Watch the Intro Video before you begin. It will help you orient your heart and mind toward the goals of this session and prepare you to engage reflectively and intentionally.

Teaching Slides:

Move through the slides at your own pace, taking time to read the notes beneath each slide. The notes offer reflection prompts, activity instructions, and key insights to guide your learning and application.

Participant Guide:

Use the Participant Guide alongside the slides to deepen your reflections, complete activities, and capture your insights and next steps as you move through each section.

Interactive Activity: Reflecting on Your Discipleship Pathway

At the end of your participant guide is an interactive resource you can use to engage with the material:

Step 1: Assess Your Current Discipleship Context

    • Bounded Set (Discipleship Core): List current practices that foster deeper spiritual growth, accountability, and covenant relationships within a committed group.
    • Centered Set (Missional Community): Identify practices that welcome seekers, cultivate curiosity about Jesus, and foster neighborhood engagement.
    • Bridging Practices: Write down activities that help move people from missional engagement into intentional discipleship.

Fill in this simple diagram on pages three and four or recreate it for your team conversations.

We’d love to hear from you!
As you engage with Centering Discipleship, drop a comment below and share one of the following:

    • A practice your church already does well.
    • A bridging practice you’re excited to try.
    • A key takeaway that’s shaping your ministry.

Discipleship is not built in a day — it grows through small, faithful steps toward Jesus and one another. As you reflect, dream, and act, trust that God is already at work in your community.

May this journey deepen your hope, strengthen your love, and renew your imagination for what Christ-centered discipleship can be!


Look for session 2 in the August issue of Equipper and session 3 in the October issue.

Save the Date

The Denominational Celebration
will be held
in Dallas, Texas, U.S.
on
July 23-26, 2026.

Please mark your calendars. More information will be made available in mid-2025.

We’re Hiring

The Grace Communion International (GCI) Home Office in Charlotte, NC, U.S. is still seeking qualified applicants for a full-time position.

The Assistant Operations Coordinator position is currently available, and applications are being accepted. See the job description here.

If you would like further details on the position or would like a GCI job application, please contact Human Resources at humanresources@gci.org or 980-495-3960.

Please share this announcement with qualified candidates who may be gifted for this position at the Home Office.

Ted Johnston—Year C Proper 13-17

Video unavailable (video not checked).

Colossians 3:1-11 ♦ Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16 ♦ Hebrews 11:29-12:2 ♦ Hebrews 12:18-29 ♦ Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16

The host of Gospel Reverb, Anthony Mullins, welcomes Ted Johnston to unpack the August 2025 RCL pericopes. Ted is a faculty member at Grace Communion Seminary, where he teaches practice of ministry and Christian counseling. He’s the editor of The Surprising God, a blog focused on Trinitarian theology and its application. Ted served 32 years vocational ministry for Grace Communion International as a church pastor, district superintendent, denominational leader of youth programs, regional pastor, and publications editor, before retiring. He earned master’s degrees from Regis University and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.

August 3, 2025 — Proper 13 in Ordinary Time
Colossians 3:1-11

August 10, 2025 — Proper 14 in Ordinary Time
Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16

August 17, 2025 — Proper 15 in Ordinary Time
Hebrews 11:29-12:2

August 24, 2025 — Proper 16 in Ordinary Time
Hebrews 12:18-29

August 31, 2025 — Proper 17 in Ordinary Time
Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16


If you get a chance to rate and review the show, that helps a lot. And invite your fellow preachers and Bible lovers to join us!

Follow us on Spotify and Apple Podcast.

Program Transcript


Ted Johnston—Year C Proper 13-17

Welcome to the Gospel Reverb podcast. Gospel Reverb is an audio gathering for preachers, teachers, and Bible thrill seekers. Each month, our host, Anthony Mullins, will interview a new guest to gain insights and preaching nuggets mined from select passages of Scripture in that month’s Revised Common Lectionary.

The podcast’s passion is to proclaim and boast in Jesus Christ, the One who reveals the heart of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And now onto the episode.


Anthony: Hello, friends, and welcome to the latest episode of Gospel Reverb. Gospel Reverb is a podcast devoted to bringing you insights from Scripture, found in the Revised Common Lectionary, and sharing commentary from a Christ-centered and trinitarian view.

I’m your host Anthony Mullins, and it’s my delight to welcome our guest, Ted Johnston. Ted is a faculty member at Grace Communion Seminary, where he teaches practice of ministry and Christian counseling. He’s the editor of The Surprising God, a blog focused on Trinitarian theology and its application. Ted served 32 years vocational ministry for Grace Communion International as a church pastor, district superintendent, denominational leader of youth programs, regional pastor, and publications editor, before retiring. He earned master’s degrees from Regis University and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.

Ted, thanks for being with us and welcome to the podcast. And since this is the first time we’ve had you on in a few years, welcome back. We’re curious how you are doing and how you’ve been participating with the Lord Jesus Christ these days.

Ted: Thank you, Anthony. It’s great to be with you. As you mentioned, I retired from employment with Grace Community International, and that was actually six years ago. It’s hard to believe it’s been that long, but time flies when you’re having fun or something and I have been having some fun. I continued to focus on a lot of the things I did vocationally and that includes the classes that I teach at the seminary, as you mentioned.

I also do some coaching of ministers and that’s really my focus in those things professionally, but also individually and personally, is to lean into and to live out of the life that we have in Christ. And that’s the truth of the gospel. It’s the truth of Jesus. It’s what continues to amaze and comfort and motivate me.

And to see Christ involved in the midst of all that, that spirit-led journey that we’re having with him is truly remarkable. Is it always easy? No, it’s not. We’ve been through some challenges in my family with health issues and a variety of things, but through it all I have found Jesus to be faithful. And my desire is to testify to that and to be thankful for that. And I am.

But real life happens, and sometimes real life is all too real. But the good news is that Jesus is always there. He’s the faithful, ascended, compassionate God-man who always is with us and for us. And by the way, we see that very clearly in the passages that we’re going talk about today.

[00:03:25] Anthony: Yeah. Hallelujah. Praise God that he is faithful. And as you stated so clearly, we want to bear witness to that, to testify to the truth of the goodness of God revealed in Jesus Christ. And Ted, as you were saying, we’re you don’t retire from the journey with Jesus. And we’ve got you on a journey during this podcast. We have five passages we’re going to go through, so we’re going to make you work, man.

Ted: Okay.

Anthony: You may be retired, but you’re going work today, and so let’s get to it.

Our first passage of the month is Colossians 3:1–11. I’ll be reading from the New Revised Standard Version, the updated edition. It is a Revised Common Lectionary passage for Proper 13 in Ordinary Time, August 3.

So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth, 3 for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory. 5 Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient. 7 These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life. 8 But now you must get rid of all such things: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices 10 and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator. 11 In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, enslaved and free, but Christ is all and in all!

When we see a statement like Christ is seated at the right hand of God, we can too often think spatially, Ted. But there’s more to it, right? Tell us about it.

[00:05:57] Ted: Yeah. Well, this passage, like the whole book of Colossians, is about the supremacy of Christ. And to speak of him as being seated is speaking directly to that and using thought forms that the audience that received this to begin with would be very familiar with.

I’m reminded that not too long, and not too many days ago, we celebrated Ascension Day, which is part of the liturgical calendar that sadly is often overlooked. But here in Colossians 3, Paul is clearly alluding to that as he refers to Christ seated at the right hand of God, which is indicating a key aspect of the reality of Christ, who Christ is, the eternal son of God, fully God, who via the incarnation, became and remains fully human, God in the flesh who lived, died, suffered, suffered and died and was buried, and on the third day, resurrected and 40 days later, ascended to the throne of God, where, in Paul’s thought form, he remains seated, which is to say exalted.

It is not seated, as in oh, let’s take a vacation. It’s talking about his exaltation, the granting to Jesus of all authority, which flies directly in the face of the one who claimed all authority, who was Caesar, that throughout the book of Colossians and elsewhere in his letters Paul pokes at, but Jesus has all this great authority as we’ll see in the book of Hebrews as we proceed.

He has that authority as our high priest who is compassionate and yet powerful and united to Christ via his humanity. Our humanity is ascended with him and therefore seated with him. We share in his power and authority. That is a stunning reality with respect to both Christ and humanity, a reality that was fundamental to Paul’s trinitarian, Christ-centered theology and his anthropology.

So there, there’s an awful lot right there in this passage that we could go on about, but that’s a little bit of a capsule of what he is talking about when he talks about Christ being seated.

[00:08:18] Anthony: You mentioned, we are seated with him. Our humanity is, and in that way, we’re active participants of what’s happening to Christ, and Paul goes on to write in this passage that our lives are hidden in Christ.

Then he goes on to say that Christ is our life. Those are brief statements, but Ted, it seems to me there’s quite a lot theologically happening in those declarations.

Ted: That’s for sure.

Anthony: Help us understand.

[00:08:47] Ted: Well, I’ll ask a question. Does my life perfectly reflect the reality that I’m seeing with Christ in heaven?

If I’m honest, I’ve got to say no. I’m not proud of that, but it’s the reality. Do people say about me, “Yeah. I see Ted seated with Jesus on the throne of God.” Yeah, probably not. But Paul, being a realist, knows that this is true of us and yet we don’t see it completely. And he would include himself in that and makes mention of that at times in his letters. He does not see himself as being perfected, but he does see himself seated with Christ in the heavenlies, where we share in his perfection.

And so, Paul is encouraging us to realize that truth, as remarkable as it is, as hard to grasp as it is. And he encapsulates that by saying that we are hidden in Christ. We don’t see ourselves, others don’t see us in his fullness, and yet we are in Christ. And by faith, we’re able to grasp that glorious reality of who we truly are in him. And what Paul is telling these Christians in Colossae and us by extension, is that we need to be grounded in that truth and let it define us and lean into that truth and allow it to change our minds and thus also our behavior.

And that is the essence of Paul’s trinitarian ethics, that we always acknowledge first who we are. That’s the indicatives. The declaration of the Gospel: it says, this is true, as crazy, as wild, as stunning as that seems. This is true. Focusing on that reality of who Jesus is and who we are in him, and let that reality guide and empower us to attend to the imperatives, the commands he gives here to live like Jesus according to the Spirit, to live the way of the new self, the new creation of who we are, truly are, and are becoming in Christ. And Paul uses that same logic throughout his letters as he’s dealing with problems that he’s seeing in these congregations that he is writing to and how relevant that is in our day too.

[00:11:06] Anthony: One of the imperatives that you mentioned, if you don’t mind me asking a follow up question?

Ted: Sure.

Anthony: He said we must get rid of wrath. And yet in verse six we see that the wrath of God is coming. So, is God practicing something he’s not preaching? How … you know, somebody maybe that’s new to scripture and they see, I’m supposed to as a Christian to get rid of wrath in my life, but God has wrath. How do you reconcile those two things, Ted?

[00:11:36] Ted: I think we have to be careful to not say: I don’t like that term, the wrath of God; so, Paul can’t possibly mean that.

[00:11:45] Anthony: Yeah.

[00:11:45] Ted: Paul’s giving a pretty definitive warning, but a warning is different than a proclamation of what is actually going to happen.

So there’s that. So, he’s not trying to guilt people into good behavior. He is not trying to scare the hell out of them, so to speak, but he is saying, look, this is a serious matter. But you can’t, you can’t deal with the issue of behavior through coercion, through shaming, through guilt. And so, he’s not intending to do that.

And I think one then has to have a broader view of what the wrath of God is. And he doesn’t address that here, but he does elsewhere that God’s wrath is fundamentally expression of the actual nature of God, which is love and all that he does toward us and for us is motivated by his love, is directed by his love, and that includes the times he needs to correct us.

And ultimately, God is going to remove from us those things that are contrary to the true reality of who we are in Christ. And so, if you want to term that an expression of his wrath, that’s okay, but you have to understand the context and you have to understand what God’s motivation is and the tactics, so to speak, that he uses.

And so, there’s a warning here. It’s like folks we’re talking about stuff that is really serious, and there were a lot of things going on in the church in Colossae that needed to be corrected. But ultimately his emphasis is on the indicatives, not the imperatives. The imperatives always follow behind the indicatives, and that’s really important to know.

[00:13:28] Anthony: Amen. Amen and amen. And as I heard someone recently say, we can only grow as much as our willingness to be corrected in life and …

Ted: How true.

Anthony: It is a practical truth.

Ted: Yeah, that’s for sure.

Anthony: Let’s transition to our second pericope of the month. It is Hebrews 11:1–3, 8–16. It is a Revised Common Lectionary passage for Proper 14 in Ordinary Time, August 10. Ted, read it for us please.

[00:13:58] Ted:

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. 3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance, and he set out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he stayed for a time in the land he had been promised, as in a foreign land, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 By faith, with Sarah’s involvement, he received power of procreation, even though he was too old, because he considered him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one person, and this one as good as dead, descendants were born, “as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.” 13 All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth, 14 for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better homeland, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them.

[00:15:38] Anthony: The writer of Hebrews states over and over by faith. So, let me ask you this, Ted, what is faith and what role does it play in salvation? Is it an individual thing, a corporate thing, both or something else entirely?

[00:15:54] Ted: In, verse one, as I read, faith, says the author, is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Commentators disagree a lot about the precise meaning of the Greek words that the author is using here. And some translations look at faith as a feeling of being sure.

And other translations think of it as a substance or the content of our hope. Probably the latter is the most accurate. But rather than trying to define faith, the author of Hebrews is actually describing one of the results that faith has in our lives. So, it’s … I wouldn’t look at that necessarily as a definitive definition, but it is telling us this is what happens in your life if you have, if you practice faith.

Faith involves believing and acting on something that is not seen, something we cannot see. And this is the quality of faith that the author especially wants the readers to imitate. One possible translation would be faith is the reality of things hoped for, the proof of things not seen. And I think the thought here is that faith moves us in the direction of realizing things that are presently beyond demonstration.

By faith, we anticipate, and so, at least, in part, we experience the reality of what is believed. And though faith does not bring about that reality, contrary to some teachings, it does provide a window, if you will, through which we are able, at least in part, to view that reality, to see the unseen, so to speak.

We see this kind of faith lived out in Abraham’s life, and that is the principal, or a principal example that he gives. Without physical evidence to rely on, Abraham stepped out in faith in the direction of God’s promise — literally in that case.

And as believers we’re called to do the same. The reality we believe in and focus on by faith is our coming resurrection, which means our glorification entering into the fullness of our salvation. And though that reality is yet to be seen in faith, we rely on it. We move toward it, we lean into it, we allow it to shape our thinking, and thus, our behavior right now and doing so is not about earning salvation through faith, but about living into the promises of God who is faithful.

He can be trusted. That trust, that reliance is the essence of faith, our faithful response to the promises of our faithful God. So that’s kind of a definition, if you will, but it’s the results of possessing that faith that the author is interested in. And so, he offers the example of Abraham.

[00:18:54] Anthony: Yeah, it’s somewhat akin to the work of the Holy Spirit, which is sometimes just described as this wind blowing. You don’t know where it comes from or where it comes from or where it’s going, but you see the evidence of the work and the presence of the Holy Spirit often in fruit, that it’s being born in somebody’s life.

And you may not see it in the moment, but you see the results. And what I hear you saying is you see the results of faith. It looks like stepping out and trusting, and ultimately, isn’t that what belief and faith are all about? It’s trusting the one who is good and is faithful to himself and to his promises.

Hallelujah. Praise God. Amen. The writer of Hebrews talks about desiring a better homeland as it’s put in verse 16.

Ted: Yes.

Anthony: What’s going on there? What does that mean? What does that look like? Tell us more.

[00:19:48] Ted: He’s using an example for the fullness of salvation by pointing to something that his audience would’ve been very familiar with, and that is that the type of salvation in the Old Testament is the land of Canaan, called the promised land. It was the homeland that was promised to Abraham and his offspring. The homeland for us is defined in scripture as a new heaven, a new earth, the ultimate promised land, if you will. And that’s the reality toward which we, in faith, walk.

And I would add to that, even if the road is tough. And Hebrews speaks a lot about how tough that road can be, and urges us to persevere, for in faith we see what lies in the future for us. By the way we saw that in Colossians, where we are already there in that homeland, if you will — as our humanity, united to Christ is ascended and seated with Christ, just to point back to what we just saw in Colossians. But when Christ returns and we are resurrected and glorified, we will be home — home in all of its fullness, all of its glory.

[00:21:01] Anthony: Quicken that day, Lord Jesus Christ.

[00:21:04] Ted: Yeah, and that’s a better homeland.

[00:21:06] Anthony: Amen, man. Let’s go!

Let’s go on to our next pericope of the month. It’s Hebrews 11:29–12:2. It is a Revised Common Lectionary passage for Proper 15 in Ordinary Time, August 17.

By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as if it were dry land, but when the Egyptians attempted to do so they were drowned. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell after they had been encircled for seven days. 31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had received the spies in peace. 32 And what more should I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, refusing to accept release, in order to obtain a better resurrection. 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned to death; they were sawn in two; they were killed by the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented— 38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains and in caves and holes in the ground. 39 Yet all these, though they were commended for their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better so that they would not, apart from us, be made perfect.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

Tortured, flogging, stoned to death, sawn in two, killed by the sword — what should we learn about, rejoice in, and soberly consider about our brothers and sisters of old?

[00:23:59] Ted: Yeah, that’s quite a passage, sometimes called the Hall of Faith, right?

A little background here I think would be helpful. It’s important to understand that Hebrews is written to Jewish Christians who were bailing on the church. At least some of them were. They had accepted Jesus as their Messiah. They were Jews who accepted Jesus as the promised Messiah, and because of that, they were ostracized by the Jewish community in which they lived, even their own families.

As a result of that, they were targets of persecution. And some in order to avoid persecution, were returning to the Jewish faith. That’s the context here. And so, the author of Hebrews, whoever that was, we’re not sure, writes to them to encourage and exhort them to stay the course, to persevere, to continue following Jesus despite persecution.

And in this passage gives examples from their own history of men and women, who did just that, who remained faithful to God despite dangers in their journey, sometimes terrible persecution, sometimes even martyrdom. And all of these, we call them saints, died in the faith awaiting the fullness of what they hoped for, which they had not yet experienced.

And that’s the fullness of salvation, which is yet to come, in the coming resurrection. I mentioned that before. That’s the homeland for which we are looking and hoping and focusing on, and that is what helps get us through the difficult times that we often face. To sort of paraphrase Paul, if in this life only we have Christ and we don’t have this hope of the resurrection, we’re of all men most miserable.

Now, not a lot of us can say we’re being terribly persecuted for following Christ in this day and age, although I know some folks who in other parts of the world from where I am in the United States are indeed. And that’s part of the experience. And there is a real need to keep this focus on the future.

And it’s helpful to have this great cloud of witness that these examples of faithful Christians. Or faithful people of God. Some many of them were pre-Christian, if you will, who remain faithful despite the difficulties they face. And Paul, not Paul, but the author of Hebrews is wanting these people to remain faithful despite what they were going through.

[00:26:36] Anthony: You mentioned the great cloud of witnesses. Hallelujah. Thank God for them found in 2:1. And what I want to ask you to do, invite you to do, is exegete Hebrews 12:1–2. And Ted, feel free to preach, preacher. Let’s hear.

[00:26:53] Ted: Yeah, I have gotten into that already, but I mentioned these examples they were to follow, but it’s also important to say to them, and this is what Paul is saying, is that they are to remain faithful to Jesus, and Jesus himself is the epitome of faithfulness. These others point us in that direction, but it’s Jesus himself who is the great faithful one, who is the supreme witness, the pioneer and perfecter, the author says, of faith, of our faith, of the faith that we have been given.

How is that true? His own journey, his race consisted of enduring the cross and its shame. And by virtue of that endurance, he crossed the finish line and took his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. He triumphed. And the point is that in our journey, our race, which does require perseverance, sometimes there is suffering, but the message is, “But be encouraged — you do not run alone.” We have a faithful high priest — and he’ll speak about Jesus’ high priesthood later in this book — who has gone through it all before on our behalf, a high priest who understands, who intercedes for us, and perhaps not always delivering us from the trouble, but listen, but always there with us, encouraging, aiding, sometimes crying with us, sharing in our sufferings. So, my friends, be encouraged. Continue to run the race of faith, looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.

[00:28:29] Anthony: What Ted just did there for our friends in the listening audience is the best kind of preaching, I believe, which leaves the congregation talking about Jesus, not the preacher, not even the sermon per se, but the God revealed in Jesus Christ. May it be so in our preaching.

Thanks, Ted.

Let’s transition to the next pericope, it’s Hebrews 12:18–29. It is a Revised Common Lectionary passage for Proper 16 in Ordinary Time, August 24. Ted, we’d be grateful if you read it.

[00:29:06] Ted:

You have not come to something that can be touched, a blazing fire, and darkness, and gloom, and a tempest, 19 and the sound of a trumpet, and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that not another word be spoken to them. 20 (For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned to death.” 21 Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.”) 22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. 25 See that you do not refuse the one who is speaking, for if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject the one who warns from heaven! 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven.” 27 This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of what is shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe, 29 for indeed our God is a consuming fire.

[00:30:44] Anthony: Since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude. Hallelujah. Ted, Jesus is the mediator of a new covenant. Those are, that was, an eight-word statement, but a lot of work is being done there. It’s good news. Why is it such good news in the here and now?

[00:31:02] Ted: Yes. If we had about 12 hours, I would explain it to you in detail,

[00:31:08] Anthony: which we don’t, but

[00:31:09] Ted: … we don’t. So, suffice it to say that the author of the book of Hebrews, whoever he or she is, is comparing and contrasting the old covenant with a new covenant. And this letter, this sermon really is addressed to Jewish Christians who are extremely familiar with the old covenant.

They’d grown up living by its precepts, but now have embraced Jesus who is himself the new covenant, and he is urging them and urging us by extension to understand the superiority of the new as compared to the old. Some of them, of course, were being tempted to turn away from the new and return back to the order of the old, because that was what was familiar to them. That was what was comfortable, was kind of safe for them.

And I don’t mean to condemn those folks. If I were going through what they were going through, I don’t know what I would do. But he wants them to keep their eyes focused on Jesus, who is the new covenant. To leave the new is to turn one’s back on Jesus, who mediates the new covenant. One might say as I’ve already said, that he himself really is the new covenant, the new relationship between God and humanity found in the person of the incarnate, Son of God, Jesus Christ. And here’s the good news and a source of encouragement to them, and I hope and encouragement and hope to us — Jesus is God and can be trusted.

[00:32:47] Anthony: I say it again. We are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken because God cannot be shaken. So, we should show gratitude. It’s expressed in verse 28 and the writer of Hebrews goes on to continue the thought by heralding God as a consuming fire. I’m curious, how do these things go together?

[00:33:10] Ted: As I mentioned before the author is drawing from the Old Testament, in other words, the Hebrew scriptures, which these Jewish Christians were very familiar with and using stories and symbols, events that were very familiar to them and the language that’s being used here he is drawing directly from Israel’s experience in the Exodus and which God revealed his presence to Israel in a cloud by day and by fire at night.

And even back to the story of the burning bush. These were signs of the presence of God that left the Israelites awestruck, but now the author is saying, you Jewish Christians, and all Christians today, now that you and the person of Jesus see how the new covenant operates, don’t lose that sense of awe, that sense of reverence that will allow you to turn your back on Jesus. Instead of under appreciating Jesus and what he gives us, be full of gratitude.

For it is, I’m going to say, reverent gratitude that so powerfully shapes our affections and directs our steps. Is worship important? It’s important because God is due worship, but it’s also important to the worshipers, because it instills in us that reverent awe, and that is extremely important, especially in the hard times, times when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, to quote from that familiar psalm.

And so, to keep in mind of who it is that we are worshiping and to cultivate that reverent awe, that sense of gratitude towards God is extremely important for how we walk this journey with Christ, which sometimes can be very difficult.

[00:35:11] Anthony: I think you’ve said something vitally important because there’s a misunderstanding sometimes, especially from critics of Christianity, that God is somehow this needy, self-absorbed God who needs our worship.

Ted: Yeah.

Anthony: He doesn’t.

Ted: No.

Anthony: No, but as you pointed to, he’s worthy of it for certain, for what he has revealed in Jesus Christ, but also it does something to us, just like praying. It changes the person who is praying, not the one being prayed to, he’s the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is good.

Ted: Yes.

Anthony: He doesn’t have to be conditioned to be good. He is good. But it does something to our hearts and I think that’s so important for us to see God.

God is not needy. He is completely full of harmony and love and is satisfied, but he chose to create out of love and hallelujah that we get to participate in that. And just a final word before we transition to our final passage of the month. As Hebrews says, Jesus’ blood speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

Hallelujah.

Our final passage of the month is Hebrews 13:1–8, 15–16. It is a Revised Common Lectionary passage for Proper 17 in Ordinary Time, August 31.

Let mutual affection continue. 2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. 3 Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them, those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured. 4 Let marriage be held in honor by all, and let the marriage bed be kept undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers. 5 Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for he himself has said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” 6 So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?” 7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

“Keep your lives free from the love of money,” verse 5 says, “and be content with what you have.” What might you say about this? A prophetic word, a social commentary. What does the church need to hear about this, Ted?

Ted: Don’t get me going.

Anthony: Well, I’m inviting you to, actually.

[00:38:10] Ted: I don’t mean to get on my high horse because this speaks to my heart and is convicting, but I must say that the author of Hebrews …

Anthony: Yes.

Ted: … is certainly focusing in now on ethical matters. He is getting at the reality of his readers’ everyday life, and what they are thinking, what really motivates them, and therefore what they are doing. And he’s urging them to embrace, and through a Christ-like life, show forth the truth and power of the gospel.

You talk about evangelism; you talk about our Christ-like example in the world has a lot to do with how we live. And we don’t do it to impress people. We don’t do it for the favor of people. We do it because that’s the way Christ is, and we’re participating in his life.

And one specific behavior that he zeroes in on is living in contentment — free from a love of money is part of that. Money representing material goods, certainly an issue for these folks because following Jesus was often leading to them losing their way to make money. Their businesses were being closed down because of it. Their Jewish neighbors wouldn’t do business with them.

And that’s an issue for us today. Did they, do we, love money more than Jesus? It’s a challenge in a world that it becomes increasingly materialistic. Maybe we don’t have the same kinds of problems or temptations that they did in that respect, but we certainly face that challenge today.

And we are challenged to ask ourselves, are we generous with what we possess? Do we use our resources in order to offer hospitality to strangers, is the example he gives, which by the way, them being Jews familiar with the Old Testament, with Hebrew scriptures would have thought of those passages in the Hebrew scriptures that talk about the necessity of caring for people who are strangers among us — foreigners, if you will.

That’s certainly an issue in our world today, especially in the United States and other fairly wealthy nations. If you don’t mind, I’d like to read something that I ran across from Walter Brueggeman on that very issue. This is from Away, Other Than Our Own devotional for Lent. He said:

I believe the crisis in the United States Church has almost nothing to do with being liberal or conservative. It has everything to do with giving up on the faith and discipline of our Christian baptism, settling for a common generic US identity that is part patriotism, part consumerism, part violence, and part affluence.

That’s not an easy thing for people who are affluent and living in luxury — you and I, both, we live in luxury compared to most people in the world and certainly most people in history. And it’s easy to be seduced by that. And so, we have to look to Jesus, who though he experienced some physical blessings, I suppose you could say, would never grasp for those things. And he always shared what he had, even if it was very little. And we’re challenged to do the same thing, to show that kind of hospitality, to embrace strangers and to live in contentment, not to always be constantly trying to grasp for more.

And that is a challenge to us, and, I think, one that that makes me stop and think about it and we should stop and think we should be aware of that. The reason for it is in order for us to share more fully in the way of Jesus and to live a Christ-like life that can be seen by others and therefore help them to see Jesus.

And so there we are. He’s ending on a pretty strong note with these folks and it’s a word of correction for sure.

[00:42:43] Anthony: It is, because if the church looks exactly like the world and its priorities, how can the church bear witness to Christ? How can it be an agent of change in the world?

You mentioned Walter Brueggeman. We’re recording this episode in June, and yes, Walter died within the past week and he was an Old Testament scholar, theologian, and a gift to the church. And I just want to commend his book on Prophetic Imagination to our listening audience. It’s a powerful word, and it’s a challenging word. And the church throughout its history has had to be challenged from time to time.

And I think what you just said is really an important word for all of us. Ted, we’re on the gun lap coming around to the end here, and I wanted to close with this. The writer of Hebrews says that Jesus will never leave you or forsake you, verse 5. The Lord is my helper, verse 6. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever, verse 8. So why don’t we end the episode with a proclamation of that good news of God revealed in Jesus Christ.

[00:43:56] Ted: Yeah. Both the passage we read in Colossians, and now this in Hebrews — those were written nearly 2000 years ago, are really relevant today. And the reason for that is because Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

What that means is he is steady. He can be counted on. He is faithful, always faithful, and that’s great good news for us because Jesus, who is fully God and fully human, is very much alive and is with us and can be counted on at any time in any circumstance, whether that be true in first century Judea or 21st century North America or any continent on the face of this earth.

Jesus is the pioneer and perfecter of our faith and can be trusted, trusted to never leave us or forsake us. And so, we may place fully our trust in him. By God’s grace, trusting in Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit, we may, we must trust and follow him with reverence, perseverance, gratitude, and courage.

[00:45:12] Anthony: And there you have it folks. Ted, it’s great to have you back. We’ve worked together in various ministry capacities through the years and we haven’t had a chance to catch up in months. It’s great to chat with you brother about the good news revealed in Jesus and holy scripture.

Tec: Likewise.

Anthony: This has been really sweet to have you on. And as a final word to our listening audience, I want to remind you, God has torn the temple curtain.

Ted: Amen.

Anthony: And nothing you can do can mend it. It is done. It is finished. Grace has conquered. Jesus has conquered all. And so, as the writer of Hebrews pointed us to, and Colossians pointed us to, cast off that old life, there’s something better awaiting us.

The promise of what is to come, new heaven and new earth, and let us move forward in the power of the Holy Spirit.

I want to thank the team of people that helped make this podcast possible. Reuel Enerio, Elizabeth Mullins, and Michelle Hartman. It’s a joy to work with them. And again, Ted, it was a joy to have you on the podcast, and as is our traditional end, we’d like for you to close us with a word of prayer.

[00:46:19] Ted: Sure. Let’s pray.

Father, as we bring this time and your word to a close. We thank you for the great cloud of witnesses that you have given us. We thank you for your faithfulness to us through your Son and by your Spirit, for the way you have led your people to testify by their lives, and sometimes their deaths, to your goodness and grace.

Father, in this life, we often face great difficulties. Help us when we do to not be discouraged or distracted. Help us not to compromise or give up. And Lord Jesus, our high priest, keep our eyes fixed on you. And Holy Spirit, turn our eyes and our hearts toward Jesus. Give us that grace of perseverance. Strengthen our faith. Grant us a compelling vision of the fullness of our salvation that is coming in a new heaven and a new earth, the home for which we long. And now, Father, may you who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead, our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, equip us, equip those who are hearing this, with everything good for doing your will.

And Father, may you work in us what is pleasing to you through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. In his name we pray. Amen.

[00:47:40] Anthony: Amen.


Thank you for being a guest of Gospel Reverb. If you like what you heard, give us a high rating, and review us on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcast content. Share this episode with a friend. It really does help us get the word out as we are just getting started. Join us next month for a new show and insights from the RCL. Until then, peace be with you!

Foundations of Discipleship w/ Dr. Rev. Eun Strawser

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In this episode of the GC Podcast, we dive back into our 2025 theme, Kingdom Culture, through the lens of discipleship. Host Cara Garrity is joined by Rev. Dr. Eun K. Strawser, a community physician, missional church leader, and author of Centering Discipleship: A Pathway for Multiplying Spectators into Mature Disciples (IVP). Together, they explore how discipleship is not just a church program — but the very heartbeat of kingdom living.

Rev. Dr. Strawser draws from her two decades of local and global experience to share how we can center discipleship in our ministries and communities in a way that leads to deep transformation, multiplication, and maturity.

Listen in and be inspired to reimagine discipleship as the core of your church’s life and mission.

Connect with Eun for a 1:1 consultation on Centering Discipleship or further virtual learning communities: eun@iwacollaborative.com. Learn more about her book: Centering Discipleship – InterVarsity Press

“My favorite question is asking the leader, okay, in five years from now what do you hope or imagine your church or your faith community to be like, to look like, to smell like, to sound like, to act like? … If leaders are answering that essentially that the church itself will experience multiplication or growth … and if they’re not including the flourishing of the neighborhood the church resides in, then I know discipleship is at the periphery and not center.”
— Rev. Dr. Eun K. Strawser

 

 

Main Points:

  • What prompted Eun to write Centering Discipleship? 2:41
  • Describe the difference between central and peripheral discipleship. 3:57
  • What difference does it make when we identify markers of discipleship? 10:11
  • How does the distinction between centered and bounded sets help us center discipleship? What makes bounded set a suitable setting for discipleship core? 15:06

 

Resources:

IWA Collaborative — Strawser co-leads this organization that exists to empower kingdom-grounded leaders to navigate change, grow adaptive capacity, and foster local flourishing.

Stages of Faith Discipleship — a church hack to identify challenges and encourage participation in discipleship pathways.

Centering Discipleship Book Club — Join our virtual book club walking through Strawser’s book, Centering Discipleship


Follow us on Spotify and Apple Podcast. 

Program Transcript


Foundations of Discipleship w/ Dr. Rev. Eun Strawser

Welcome to the GC Podcast. This year, we’re centering on Kingdom Culture and exploring how it transforms ministry and equips leaders for kingdom living. Through conversations with Grace Communion Seminary professors and a few other guests, we’ll explore how their teachings equip ministry leaders to embody kingdom values.

This is the GC Podcast, where we help you grow into the healthiest ministry leader you can be. Sharing practical insights and best practices from the context of Grace Communion International Churches. Here’s your host, Cara Garrity.


Cara: Hello friends, and welcome to today’s episode of GC Podcast. This podcast is devoted to exploring best ministry practices in the context of Grace Communion International churches.

I’m your host, Cara Garrity, and today we dive back into our 2025 theme of kingdom culture through exploring discipleship. In our efforts to explore discipleship, I am so honored to have Dr. Reverend Strawser join us to discuss her book, Centering Discipleship, A Pathway for Multiplying Spectators into Mature Disciples.

Eun Strawser is the co-vocational lead pastor of Ma Ke Ala o, non-denominational missional communities multiplying in Honolulu, and was a community physician at Ke Ola Pono. She is the founder of IWA Collaborative, a consulting and content developing firm to empower kingdom grounded leaders to navigate, change, grow adaptive capacity, and foster local flourishing.

Prior to transitioning to Hawaii, she served as adjunct professor of medicine at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and of African Studies at her alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania, where she and her husband served with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, and after finishing her Fulbright Scholarship at the University of Dar es Salaam.

She is the author of the book that we’re going to explore today, as well as her upcoming book, You Were Never Meant to Lead Alone, with pre-orders available now. The book will be released this fall of 2025.

Thank you so much for joining us today. I am so happy to have you as our guest.

Eun: Cara. You are the best hype person. I’d like to just carry you around with me everywhere I go. You did the best intro. You did the best intro.

[00:02:41] Cara: I would love that. I would love to be your hype woman. Before we jump in and explore some follow up questions that expound on your book, I’m wondering what prompted you to write this book.

[00:03:00] Eun: Yeah, I think that even as you folks at Grace Communion are even thinking about this theme for this whole year of 2025, I think in it, and how you’re describing it, in it already, I think, defines why something like Centered Discipleship needs to be put on the map, because you folks are trying to think: What does kingdom culture look like as we explore discipleship?

I think that word exploring, exploration, means that we’re not certain about things. It’s not discovered yet. It’s not clear or concrete yet, and I just think that it’s such a deficiency in the church today that discipleship is a word that is thrown around. We use it. It’s over-generalized. There’s a multitude of definitions under it.

And because there isn’t a certainty or a clarity for Christians, and Christian leaders in particular, I think that there is such a deficit of discipleship in the church today.

[00:03:57] Cara: I am so glad that you did choose to put your efforts into writing this book. I think that it is so relevant, so helpful. And I am really looking forward to the additional insights that you have to offer to our listeners today.

So, one of the first questions that I have for you is, in the book you do talk about centering discipleship, of course. And so, I’m wondering, can you describe for us the difference between central and peripheral discipleship that you talk about at the start of your book?

[00:04:32] Eun: Yeah, sure. This is such a primer because I want to preface it by saying, okay, I do really, really, really believe in the priesthood of all believers. I sincerely believe that. But I think that in how we people, human beings, do life, we have to consider what is the leaders’ or the leadership role in how structures work, systems work, organizations, what we focus on, what we emphasize, how invitation moves, what visions are there in the life of a church or a faith community.

I think because there isn’t a clarity around discipleship in general, we can probably have a better starting point that there isn’t a clarity or a stronger vision for discipleship to be central to our ministry, central to our churches or our faith communities. And that’s why it’s kept at the periphery.

If you think about what are probably the three things that are on the leaders’ plates to do that nobody else can really do this for the leader. It’s not the thing that the leader can easily delegate out. It’s three things. It’s what the leader emphasizes. Which is usually where all resources, time, finances, even leadership pipelines, go towards whatever it is a leader or a leadership set emphasizes.

The second is invitation. No matter how much people will say that this is not true. It is true. Whatever the leader does the invitation for something, more often than not, people will follow and come. Right? And so, there’s [inaudible] an invitation. And then, the last thing, on vision. It’s a leader’s job to cast a vision and be a broken record about the vision for the community, for the church.

Whenever I do a lot of work around centering discipleship with church plants, inherited churches, Christian organizations, things like that, and I can walk in and ask questions around those three things. And I can tell you immediately if a discipleship is at the periphery of the organization or community or if it’s in the center because of those three things.

[00:06:52] Cara: What are some of those questions that you ask?

[00:06:55] Eun: Yeah. For instance, around the invitation, it’s really questions around: what do you really invite your people to? What do your people actually invite people to? If the bulk of the invitation is — if your people feel like they can give themselves a pat on the back, a sigh of relief because they finally got to invite their friend or neighbor or coworker or family member to attend your Sunday morning worship service. And they’re just like clapping, brushing off their hands and being like, okay, check, now I’m a good Christian, because I made that invitation.

If that is the thing that’s most rewarded, if that’s the invitation that’s most rewarded, probably it’s because we’re assuming that any sort of semblance of discipleship, (and that clarity piece is so important, right?) we’re probably saying that the best chance that people get at understanding what it is to imitate Jesus clearly is going to happen at a worship service. Versus, if discipleship is centered, then I know that everybody would already understand that discipleship is best lived out in practice. So, practicing discipleship, living like Jesus, actually doesn’t happen in a once-a-week Sunday morning worship service, right?

It happens out in the community, in real life, in neighborhoods, in households, at workplaces, in schools, right? That’s where it’s happening. So, wherever the invitation is strongest, I know that discipleship is either center or peripheral.

[00:08:38] Cara: Yeah, that’s a great example. Thank you for sharing that with us.

[00:08:42] Eun: Yeah. Another, I think, important thing is that vision question. I think that leaders assume that their vision is really clear, but I think that we can test it out by asking our people what is the vision of our community or our church? And if your people can’t recite it clearly, then we’re probably not being as clear as we assume that we are.

I think the second thing around vision is my favorite question is asking the leader, okay. In five years from now what do you hope or imagine your church or your faith community to be like, to look like, to smell like, to sound like, to act like — all those kinds of questions, right?

And most of the time, when leaders depict in five years … and I love that five-year mark. It’s so short enough that there’s realistic practical pieces that we could set in place now. But it’s not, and it’s not far enough that it’s some dream, like a thing that, that we can dream too big around. So, in five years, what will your … what do you hope your church to be like?

If leaders are answering that essentially that the church itself will experience multiplication or growth? If that’s the only conversation around it, and if they’re not including the flourishing of their community that the church resides in, or the neighborhood the church resides in, then I know that again, discipleship is at the periphery and not center.

[00:10:11] Cara: Thank you. Those are, I think, helpful places for us to even start reflecting in our own context and kind of start making those assessments about where are we at in our kind of expressions and practices of discipleship in our local churches.

And I’m wondering … a lot of times when we think about discipleship, we can feel like it is something that maybe is meant to be organic or just, maybe not quite “go with the flow” but maybe something that …

Eun: … like Spirit-led …

Cara: Yes. And maybe some of our listeners have maybe a reaction, a visceral reaction to this idea of identifying markers of discipleship. And so, I’m wondering what difference have you seen it make when we do identify markers of discipleship?

[00:11:12] Eun: Yeah, it’s like a really good exercise to run through. The best example I can give for this through story is my family and I, we moved, I was born in South Korea. My family moved to West Philly. I did all my upbringing, I fell in love, got married, had my three babies — all in Philly —and then we moved to Hawaii. Philly was a lot of training grounds for my own ministry, how I see Jesus, how I have love for people, all those kinds of things.

And I was leading in a community, a church in West Philly, and our neighbors were a pretty strong Muslim population. We were really good neighbors to one another and we did a community dinner, hosted it so that we could learn a little bit more about each other’s faith. And there were a hundred people, 50 Christians, 50 Muslim brothers and sisters, and we had a meal together.

It was wonderful. And then we went around and our Muslim neighbors were asking like, “What does it mean to be a Christian?” And so, we’re going through it, different people at the table are answering, “Well, to be a Christian means this and this…”. And at the end of the night, it was so confusing to our Muslim neighbors, because for if there were 50 Christians in the room, there are 50 different answers to what it means to be a disciple of Jesus.

Whereas when there are 50 Muslim neighbors in the room, all 50 Muslim brothers and sisters could answer the five pillars of Islam, very clearly… that that’s what their faith is anchored around. This is what it means to be, to believe in Allah, all those kinds of things. So, already it’s so confusing to other people, let alone to ourselves about what does it actually mean to be a Jesus follower.

If we don’t have clear maturity markers of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus, then I think two kinds of things happen. One, we probably will be more influenced by what the culture and our specific culture, and for us, it’s going to be contending with what Western culture says about us, and probably it’s culture that is defining what it looks like, “to be a disciple of Jesus,” which usually just means, like a nice person who doesn’t want to challenge anything, and attend church. I think on the far other extreme, if we allow our culture to define what discipleship is and not what Jesus sets as maturity markers, that there is a picture, a portrait of what it looks like to be a very visible, recognizable, mature, follower of Jesus all around the world that’s clear to everybody, then the other thing that could happen, because culture is going to set that pace, is assimilation, which is just a PC word for a canonization. And Christian history has already experienced that and continues to experience that. So, I think that the action for why I think that, and why I think leaders should be thinking about that, if we don’t clarify discipleship, and have clear markers around it — it’s not a structure thing — it’s a way to contend against a current culture today.

[00:14:37] Cara: I like that. That’s really helpful to think about why it matters, to identify that, and not just have almost like a fluffy answer of or an unclear answer of, “Well, it just means growing in Christlikeness.”

Sure. That’s great, but what does that actually look like? What does that mean in the real life of a people in a community. That’s really helpful.

One of the other things that you describe on the earlier chapters of your book is this distinction between centered and bounded sets. And I’m wondering both how that helps us as a framework to center discipleship and what makes bounded sets a suitable setting for this discipleship core that you discussed throughout your book.

[00:15:37] Eun: Yeah. Yeah. I’m going to change around some words just because I think it’s more helpful for folks who may not be sociologists in the room, which is pretty much most people.

Yeah, I think that it really is trying to think about what happens in a room when you’re trying to intentionally equip — which is really discipleship, right? We’re trying to intentionally equip and provide spaces and environments for people to have the best chance at really clarifying what it means to imitate Jesus.

If discipleship, in a nutshell, to be as clear as possible, means that a person is imitating Jesus intentionally, actively, within a community — that we don’t believe as Christians that it is a privatized faith, that it happens and is worked out within relationship, within a community — then two things should be happening. Every single person should be actively, intentionally growing and maturing in both their spiritual confidence, but it has to be tethered to their social competence. Meaning that, spiritual competence, meaning what’s the thing that’s forming their identity. They know God. They’re growing in knowing God and loving God. They’re growing in being known and being loved by God. What happens in a person’s identity becomes transformed in that manner?

For the Christian, if you’re imitating Jesus, how you know and love God needs to be tethered to how you live in the world, right? If you know God and love God, then you also need to live like God in the world. You can’t have just one or the other. The flip side, I think in thinking about it that way is that people can’t just be really great at social competence, but not be great at spiritual competence, right? They can’t be people who are just do-gooders, but their motivation comes from someplace else, not anchored in an identity in Christ, right?

So, you have to do both of these things. So, in order for that equipping, and in our culture, where it’s hard to be clear about discipleship and the work is just to clarify what that means in our local context, in our local churches, then there has to be an intentionality to equip a group of people.

So, the bounded set is really just a discipleship core for us. And this can look like a variety of ways, but in the book, Centering Discipleship, it really is a love letter to my church, that the way that we wanted to do it was, I just had 15 people that first year make a commitment. They already love Jesus. They’re making a commitment to love one another and to begin to love of some sort of identified space of mission. So that, that bounded set was, with these 15 folks intentionally going through a discipleship pathway together intentionally being equipped in the ways of Jesus. So, their spiritual competence and their social competence are also being Christ-like.

And then that centered set is really just like the practice space. How do we know that this formation piece is really working? Unless there is practice happening, there’s a practice space where people can actually, like, make mistakes, right? To have the freedom to make mistakes join together in doing work that’s not just alone work to do, right? People can say in formation spaces, oh my goodness, I am being transformed by Jesus because I am growing in patience. You can share that all you want, right?

But you never really, really know if a person is really growing in Christ-like character in the form of patience, unless you see an impatient situation happening.  Is that person actually showing that this kind of fruit, this kind of maturity marker of deep patience, a longsuffering with others and for others, you won’t know it until it’s practiced out, until it’s worked out. So, for me, that founded set is really that, that protected, guarded space where people have the space to be equipped, but that centered set is just as important to be tethered to that bounded set because it’s the practice space. It’s the living space for the disciple within that community.

[00:19:54] Cara: Yes. Thank you. That is really helpful and I really love thinking about that centered set as that practice space where we’re really living out what we are saying that we’re being transformed in.

I think that’s, I always to think about that, like, as are we putting flesh on what we’re saying? We’re learning. And so, thinking about being intentional about are we living this out together, I think, is really important. So, I love that you have that as a key aspect of the process of discipleship. And also, …

[00:20:39] Eun: For all the folks who feel like, oh, discipleship should be organic, or you know, that is structured, trust me, it’s that practice space that, that puts that flesh, like you were saying, Cara, to how it’s flexible, it’s organic. You get … it’s unpredictable, like all those things are really happening, but you’re trying to clarify, so that people can pay attention to it, right?

That’s the bounded sets job — you’re trying to help people to pay attention to it, focus on it, put attention to it, prioritize it — to only want people of Jesus to want to prioritize their imitation of Jesus. We want that to happen. We’re just saying that centered set is like how we’re going to live it out.

[00:21:23] Cara: I love that. I really appreciate what you have shared with us so far and I’m praying for our listeners that this importance of really bringing to the center discipleship and what it looks like to begin to shift our, not just our viewpoint and our mindsets about discipleship in our church context, but also what it can begin to look like, to start shifting our practices and our structures is something that we begin to start reflecting on and chewing on.

I, for all of our listeners, want to encourage you if you haven’t already, to please read Ms. Strawser’s book that we are exploring, again called, Centering Discipleship: A Pathway for Multiplying Spectators into Mature Disciples. You will see a link in our show notes in order to purchase that if you would like a copy of it for yourself.

And keep an eye out in the GCI Equipper for some additional information about a book club for this book, so that you can, along with a cohort of your peers, engage with this further and see, really tangibly, what it would look like to engage this centering of discipleship in your local context.

And thank you so much for sharing with us today. And folks, until next time, keep on living and sharing the gospel.


Thanks for listening to the GC podcast. We hope this episode inspired and equipped you to lead with health and purpose. We would love to hear from you. If you have a suggestion on the topic or if there’s someone who you think we should interview, please email us info@gci.org.

Offering and Communion Starters

We hope you find this new resource helpful as you prepare for the time of giving and taking communion in your Hope Avenue. These are meaningful formational practices that we can plan with care and intentionality.

How to Use This Resource

An outline is provided for you to use as a guide, followed by a sample script. Both the offering moment and communion can be presented as a short reflection before the congregation participates. Here’s how to use it effectively:

    • Scripture Reflection: Include the relevant Scripture to root the offering and communion in biblical teaching.
    • Key Point and Invitation: Briefly highlight the theme’s key point and offer an invitation that connects the theme to the practice.
    • Prayer: Include a short prayer that aligns with the theme. Invite God to bless the gifts and the givers. Ask God to bless the bread and the wine and the partakers.
    • Logistics: Explain the process; this helps everyone know how they can participate. For giving, indicate whether baskets will be passed, if there are designated offering boxes, or if digital options like text-to-give or web giving are available. Clearly explain how the communion elements will be shared and that participation is voluntary.
    • Encouragement: For the giving moment, invite congregants to reflect on their role in supporting the church’s mission, reminding them that their gifts impact both local and global ministry. For communion, encourage congregants to express gratitude for Jesus’ love poured out for us and the unity present in the body of Christ.

For more information, see Church Hack: Offering and Church Hack: Communion


Offering

July Theme: Our reasonable act of worship

Scripture Focus: Colossians 3:17

Key Point: Do it all in the name of God

Invitation: How can you express your thanksgiving and worship this week?

Sample Script (time: 1 minute, not including giving instructions)

Colossians 3:17 says, “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

Everything we do, whether in our speech or actions, we do in the name of Jesus — always giving thanks to our heavenly Father, the hallowed Father who gave us his one and only Son.

Do you see how the Triune God is a giver? The Father gave his beloved Son. The Son set aside his glory to become human, giving us salvation by the laying down of his life, then giving us the Spirit who empowers us. Our great God is caring for us from creation to salvation to sanctification and on to glorification. Our reasonable act of worship is to do all that we do to his glory! How can you express your thanksgiving and worship this week?


Communion

July Theme: Jesus, Our Vine

Scripture Focus: John 15:5

Key Point: Jesus is the true vine, and we are his branches — through him, we are connected to the Father, Son, and Spirit.

Invitation: May the bread remind us of our life in Christ. We are sustained and nourished by him. The cup reminds us of our unity with Christ. We are joined with him in his love and purpose.

Sample Script (time: 2 minutes, not including giving instructions)

Ordinary Time is an appropriate time to focus on our abiding in Christ. In John 15, Jesus reminds us that he is the true vine, and we are the branches of that vine. In other words, we are one with Christ. We are an extension of who and what he is. We are connected to him and live in his faith. We live in the truth of who he is in communion with Father, Son, and Spirit, and who we are in him. Through his faith, we are transformed to righteousness, we are made whole, and we are learning to live in that identity of being whole in him.

We read in the next chapter of John, that Jesus explains that these words should always encourage us to remain in the faith regardless of what happens to us — regardless of the persecution we might face. He is our all in all.

As we partake of the bread and wine, we are reminded that we are partaking of the body and blood of Christ. We are being reminded that he is in us by the act of eating the bread and drinking the wine, and the result is a constant reminder that he is in us. He is the vine, we are the branches, and he protects our faith by reminding us of our communion with him.

Sermon for August 03, 2025 — Proper 13

Welcome to this week’s episode, a special rerun from our Speaking of Life archive. We hope you find its timeless message as meaningful today as it was when it was first shared.

Program Transcript


Speaking of Life Script 4036 | Not So Buried Treasure
Greg Williams

You have probably heard this funny story about a man who did not want to part with his money. I’ll give you the short version if you haven’t heard it.

There was a greedy old miser who loved his money so much that he made his wife promise that she would put every cent he had in his casket after he died. Well as it so happened, he did die, and just before they buried him his wife put a box in the casket. Her friend asked her if she really carried through with her promise to bury him with all that money. She replied, “I sure did! I’m a good Christian and I’m going to keep my word. I gathered up every cent he had, put it in my bank account, and wrote him a check.”

That story gives me a chuckle, but it also makes a good point. We admire the wife for her wise solution to the problem. At the same time, we recognize the foolishness of a man who thought material possessions secured his life.

Now, if you are a believer, you know you have an abundant life secured in Jesus, a life of riches beyond measure. It’s no funny matter when we lose sight of this reality and settle for worldly loose change. But, let’s face it, in our materialistic world, there is always something shiny to distract us. So, here is a little reminder of how we can keep our eyes on the reality we have in Christ, so we don’t play the fool this side of the grave.

“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.”
Colossians 3:1-5 (NLT)

I hope that will be a helpful reminder to you the next time you are tempted to settle for worldly wealth. The treasure that we have in knowing Jesus and Jesus knowing us is wealth beyond measure.  

I’m Greg Williams, Speaking of Life.

And hey, if you still want to take your money with you, give me a call. I’ll gladly write you a check.

Psalm 107:1–9, 43 • Hosea 11:1–11 • Colossians 3:1–11 • Luke 12:13–21

This week’s theme is God sets his persistent love on bringing us into fullness of life. In our call to worship psalm, thanksgiving is expressed for God’s steadfast love. The Old Testament story in Hosea presents the moving portrait of God, the ever-loving Father determined to raise his stubborn child, Israel. In Colossians, a profile of behavior is sketched for those whose life is hidden in Christ. The Gospel reading in Luke contains Jesus’ parable of the rich man to illustrate that there is more to life than accumulating possessions.

How to use this sermon resource.

Heavenly Minded and Earthly Good

Colossians 3:1–11 ESV

Today we conclude our visit of Colossians where we have been hearing Paul establish who Jesus is and what he has done for us along with the implications it has for those who put their trust in Christ. Today’s text will be a message along the same lines, only more pointed. The passage can be divided between two parts. First, in verses 1–4, we are given an orientation for our thoughts that are fitting for one who has been baptized into the death and resurrection of Jesus. The second part, in verses 5–11, gives us some negative behaviors that should be avoided by those who have been baptized into Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Both parts are dealing with the implications of our union with Christ as it pertains to what he accomplished for us in both his death and his resurrection. The first section places emphasis on being raised with Christ and an exhortation of how we should live because of that reality. The second section places emphasis on our death in Christ and an exhortation of things we should not do because of that reality. They both hold together our union in Jesus’ death and resurrection but with a corresponding positive and negative implication. Jesus’ resurrection and death gives us a life to live out and a death to die out. In other words, in Christ there are beliefs and behaviors being brought to life and some being put to death.

You will notice in this passage a prominent dynamic to keep in mind when reading Scripture. Whenever scripture gives us a command, it will always have a coinciding truth that enables the keeping of the command. You may remember from English class that the big words use to describe this concept are indicative and imperative voice or mood. The indicative voice declares what is true or states a fact, like, “The door is open.” The imperative voice is used for requests, instructions, and commands. It tells you to do something, like, “Go inside.”

We’re having an English lesson today only because it is an important concept for understanding Scripture. God’s instructions are never random or without reason, but rather they flow out of a reality — the truth. For example, we’re instructed to trust in the Lord with all our hearts. How can we do this? It is possible to trust God because of this truth: God is always faithful and good. He is trustworthy.

This passage has the indicatives (truths) and imperatives (commands) side by side throughout, so it is a good example to look at to understand this dynamic. We will make note of that as we go. Hopefully, you will see the encouragement that comes in knowing that all of God’s commands rest on a truth that supports the command. For example, the Ten Commandments, or 10 imperatives, are not just random commands God gave to Israel to test their loyalty. Rather, these 10 imperatives are preceded by the indicative, “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” It’s after God gives this indicative, this truth and reminder of who he is and what he has done, that he then gives them the Ten Commandments.

When you know the indicative, that this God is the one who is for you so much that he reached down in his own freedom and love to rescue you from a bondage you could never free yourself from, then on that basis, because of knowing that indicative, keeping the commands of this God comes with an understanding of his greatness. This is a God who has proven he is for us. This is a God we can trust. This is a God who wants to set us free from bondage.

So, with that, let’s take a look at what Paul is exhorting or urging the believers in Colossae to do. You will notice that the grand indicative that lies behind all the imperatives is Jesus Christ, who he is, and what he has done.

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Colossians 3:1–4 ESV

Did you notice the indicative and the imperatives? The indicative is plain and clear, “you have been raised with Christ.” That’s the truth, the reality, the indicative that Paul wants to begin with. Any imperatives he gives from here are connected to this truth. The imperatives are fairly simple to pick out as well. They are, “seek the things that are above,” and “set your minds on things that are above,” and do not set your mind “on things that are on earth.” Can you see the connection? It follows that since we are raised with Christ, we would, of course, want to seek the things above and set our minds on those things because that is where we are. That is our reality. And we would not want to waste our time thinking about worldly things if Jesus has now raised us above it. To clarify, when Paul speaks of not setting our minds “on things that are on earth” he does not mean that we should not concern ourselves with the material world. That’s not what Paul means at all. In fact, that would be what the false teachers would advocate. But Paul is using that language to indicate the things that are “worldly” or those things that are not fitting to our relationship with God or aligned to the kingdom. So, we are not to read Paul’s words in a strict literal way on that point.

You may have heard the expression, “You can be so heavenly-minded that you are of no earthly good.” There is a sense that this is true if by heavenly-minded, you really mean having your head in the clouds. But, reading Paul’s words in this passage, I think it’s safe to say he would not be a fan of this expression. For Paul, seeking and setting our minds on what’s above would be the greatest good we could offer the earth and all who inhabit it. Setting our minds on what’s above is to set our mind on what God is up to in the world, in Jesus Christ. It is to align our thinking with his good purposes for his creation and his good, loving intent for his creatures. God is not seeking to do away with his good creation. Rather, he intends to fill it with his presence, which is exactly what being “seated at the right hand of God” would indicate. So, being heavenly minded is of immense earthly good.

Paul offers up another indicative which will set up the next section. That indicative is, “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” He also adds that this hiddenness is temporary. When we see Jesus face-to-face, we will then see all that was hidden. Paul means for us to understand that just as we were raised in Christ’s resurrection, we have also died in his death. We have been baptized into his death and resurrection. It’s helpful that Paul lets us know that who we are becoming in Christ in this life is hidden. When we look at our lives, our shortcomings, and failings, we may quickly conclude that we are nowhere close to being raised with Christ. But the key point of this hiddenness is that it is “with Christ in God.” That’s a really good place to be whether you can fully see it or not. We can trust that God is not blind to who we are truly becoming in Christ. He will see to it by his Spirit that we get there. In the meantime, we do exactly what Paul is advocating. We set our sights and our minds on Christ, the one who is with us and the one who brings us home “in glory.” On that ground we can face the daunting list of imperatives that are about to follow.

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. Colossians 3:5–11 ESV

Notice the imperative that leads this section. “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you.” Paul just told us the indicative or truth that this imperative or instruction rests on. We have already been put to death in Jesus’ death and burial. Because of that, we can participate in this reality day in and day out. It may be excruciating at times, but we have the sure hope that it adds up to what God is working out in us by the Spirit. And if the reality is that we have died in Christ, why would we want these dead things up walking around, still active in our lives? Besides, Paul also lets us know that it is on account of these “dead” things that “the wrath of God is coming.” That means that God is not going to let these things remain. They are going away for good, so it is to our own hurt to hold on to them — like holding onto a rock that has been thrown into the sea. The rock is going to sink to the bottom. That’s a given, another indicative. Therefore, the imperative is obvious. Let go. Paul of course speaks of putting it to death, which is much stronger than letting it go. But hopefully you get the point.

Paul then lists a number of things which are representative of all that must be put to death. On this note I want to return to the initial statement that being heavenly minded is being earthly good. Let’s just take a quick look at the things Paul lists that need to be “put to death.” We see sexual immorality, impurity, passion (and that is not the good kind), evil desire, and covetousness. Do you think if these things were put to death in our world that that would lead to some earthly good? Well, of course it would.

How many atrocities would disappear overnight if the world were free of just one of these things? This is what God is up to. Ultimately, he is not going to let any of these things stick around to tarnish or harm heavenly earth or his beloved creatures. When we put to death these “dead” things in our lives, we are contributing in a real way to what God is doing in our world right now. Also, we will serve as a witness against all that is wrong in our world that God is setting it right, and God will get the last word on all that is immoral, impure, and evil. It’s going away and you can see it on the way out in those whose lives are hidden with Christ.

Paul’s not done yet. There is more that must go. Before he gives us another list, he reminds us that these things were once part of our walk of life. But now it must all go. Why? Because Jesus has put these things to death in his crucifixion, death, and burial. They have no part in the reality of being raised with Christ. It’s a good reminder to know that we are not excluded from Paul’s instructions. We all need to have these things put to death in us. The Father did not miscalculate when he sent his Son to die for our sins. He was right on target, and right on time … for us all.

Now here is more of Paul’s list of things that must be put to death: anger, wrath, malice, slander, obscene talk, and lying. Again, do you think that putting these things to death would benefit the world? Of course, it would. Another example of how being heavenly-minded is of earthly good. Paul changes his metaphor at this point from “putting to death” to “putting on” and “putting off” like you would put off old clothes in favor of new clothes. The new clothes would be the “new self” that has been recreated in the image of Christ. The “old self” is dead and buried in Christ’s death and burial.

Paul will conclude with one final statement: “Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.” This concludes our time in Colossians and serves as one final exclamation point on how being heavenly minded is of immense earthly good. When we set our minds on heaven above and put to death the earthly deeds below, we are participating in how God is removing all the barriers that once divided all humanity.

The earthly heaven or heavenly earth God has in mind, is one where, not only are we reconciled to God, but we will be reconciled one to another. Distinctions will no longer be used to divide us. We will have Christ in common as he is “all, and in all.” That alone will override any warring factions between brothers and sisters. This is where God is taking us in Jesus Christ. This is the hope we can hold out to the world in the gospel message. The indicative is Jesus Christ himself, who has kept the Father’s imperative to reconcile the world. May we go forward seeking and setting our minds on “the things that are above.” And in that way, we can be so heavenly minded that we are of immense earthly good. Amen!

Ted Johnston—Year C Proper 13

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August 3, 2025 — Proper 13 in Ordinary Time
Colossians 3:1-11

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Program Transcript


Ted Johnston—Year C Proper 13

Anthony: Our first passage of the month is Colossians 3:1–11. I’ll be reading from the New Revised Standard Version, the updated edition. It is a Revised Common Lectionary passage for Proper 13 in Ordinary Time, August 3.

So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth, 3 for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory. 5 Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient. 7 These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life. 8 But now you must get rid of all such things: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices 10 and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator. 11 In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, enslaved and free, but Christ is all and in all!

When we see a statement like Christ is seated at the right hand of God, we can too often think spatially, Ted. But there’s more to it, right? Tell us about it.

Ted: Yeah. Well, this passage, like the whole book of Colossians, is about the supremacy of Christ. And to speak of him as being seated is speaking directly to that and using thought forms that the audience that received this to begin with would be very familiar with.

I’m reminded that not too long, and not too many days ago, we celebrated Ascension Day, which is part of the liturgical calendar that sadly is often overlooked. But here in Colossians 3, Paul is clearly alluding to that as he refers to Christ seated at the right hand of God, which is indicating a key aspect of the reality of Christ, who Christ is, the eternal son of God, fully God, who via the incarnation, became and remains fully human, God in the flesh who lived, died, suffered, suffered and died and was buried, and on the third day, resurrected and 40 days later, ascended to the throne of God, where, in Paul’s thought form, he remains seated, which is to say exalted.

It is not seated, as in oh, let’s take a vacation. It’s talking about his exaltation, the granting to Jesus of all authority, which flies directly in the face of the one who claimed all authority, who was Caesar, that throughout the book of Colossians and elsewhere in his letters Paul pokes at, but Jesus has all this great authority as we’ll see in the book of Hebrews as we proceed.

He has that authority as our high priest who is compassionate and yet powerful and united to Christ via his humanity. Our humanity is ascended with him and therefore seated with him. We share in his power and authority. That is a stunning reality with respect to both Christ and humanity, a reality that was fundamental to Paul’s trinitarian, Christ-centered theology and his anthropology.

So there, there’s an awful lot right there in this passage that we could go on about, but that’s a little bit of a capsule of what he is talking about when he talks about Christ being seated.

Anthony: You mentioned, we are seated with him. Our humanity is, and in that way, we’re active participants of what’s happening to Christ, and Paul goes on to write in this passage that our lives are hidden in Christ.

Then he goes on to say that Christ is our life. Those are brief statements, but Ted, it seems to me there’s quite a lot theologically happening in those declarations.

Ted: That’s for sure.

Anthony: Help us understand.

Ted: Well, I’ll ask a question. Does my life perfectly reflect the reality that I’m seeing with Christ in heaven?

If I’m honest, I’ve got to say no. I’m not proud of that, but it’s the reality. Do people say about me, “Yeah. I see Ted seated with Jesus on the throne of God.” Yeah, probably not. But Paul, being a realist, knows that this is true of us and yet we don’t see it completely. And he would include himself in that and makes mention of that at times in his letters. He does not see himself as being perfected, but he does see himself seated with Christ in the heavenlies, where we share in his perfection.

And so, Paul is encouraging us to realize that truth, as remarkable as it is, as hard to grasp as it is. And he encapsulates that by saying that we are hidden in Christ. We don’t see ourselves, others don’t see us in his fullness, and yet we are in Christ. And by faith, we’re able to grasp that glorious reality of who we truly are in him. And what Paul is telling these Christians in Colossae and us by extension, is that we need to be grounded in that truth and let it define us and lean into that truth and allow it to change our minds and thus also our behavior.

And that is the essence of Paul’s trinitarian ethics, that we always acknowledge first who we are. That’s the indicatives. The declaration of the Gospel: it says, this is true, as crazy, as wild, as stunning as that seems. This is true. Focusing on that reality of who Jesus is and who we are in him, and let that reality guide and empower us to attend to the imperatives, the commands he gives here to live like Jesus according to the Spirit, to live the way of the new self, the new creation of who we are, truly are, and are becoming in Christ. And Paul uses that same logic throughout his letters as he’s dealing with problems that he’s seeing in these congregations that he is writing to and how relevant that is in our day too.

Anthony: One of the imperatives that you mentioned, if you don’t mind me asking a follow up question?

Ted: Sure.

Anthony: He said we must get rid of wrath. And yet in verse six we see that the wrath of God is coming. So, is God practicing something he’s not preaching? How … you know, somebody maybe that’s new to scripture and they see, I’m supposed to as a Christian to get rid of wrath in my life, but God has wrath. How do you reconcile those two things, Ted?

Ted: I think we have to be careful to not say: I don’t like that term, the wrath of God; so, Paul can’t possibly mean that.

Anthony: Yeah.

Ted: Paul’s giving a pretty definitive warning, but a warning is different than a proclamation of what is actually going to happen.

So there’s that. So, he’s not trying to guilt people into good behavior. He is not trying to scare the hell out of them, so to speak, but he is saying, look, this is a serious matter. But you can’t, you can’t deal with the issue of behavior through coercion, through shaming, through guilt. And so, he’s not intending to do that.

And I think one then has to have a broader view of what the wrath of God is. And he doesn’t address that here, but he does elsewhere that God’s wrath is fundamentally expression of the actual nature of God, which is love and all that he does toward us and for us is motivated by his love, is directed by his love, and that includes the times he needs to correct us.

And ultimately, God is going to remove from us those things that are contrary to the true reality of who we are in Christ. And so, if you want to term that an expression of his wrath, that’s okay, but you have to understand the context and you have to understand what God’s motivation is and the tactics, so to speak, that he uses.

And so, there’s a warning here. It’s like folks we’re talking about stuff that is really serious, and there were a lot of things going on in the church in Colossae that needed to be corrected. But ultimately his emphasis is on the indicatives, not the imperatives. The imperatives always follow behind the indicatives, and that’s really important to know.

Anthony: Amen. Amen and amen. And as I heard someone recently say, we can only grow as much as our willingness to be corrected in life and …

Ted: How true.

Anthony: It is a practical truth.

Ted: Yeah, that’s for sure.


Small Group Discussion Questions

  • Discuss the importance of how indicatives and imperatives work in Scripture. What difference does it make that all the commands in the Bible rest on a truth given to us?
  • How does what Paul says about setting our minds on things above challenge the phrase “You can be so heavenly minded that you are of no earthly good?”
  • What are some ways we can seek and set our minds on things above?
  • What earthly good comes from putting to death the things Paul has listed in the passage? What specific implications can you think of if just one of these things were put to death?
  • Discuss how God’s wrath coming informs the importance of putting to death all the things on Paul’s list.
  • According to the sermon, Jesus Christ is the grand indicative of all the imperatives in this passage. Discuss how this is so or what it means to you.

Sermon for August 10, 2025 — Proper 14

Psalm 50:1–8, 22–23 • Isaiah 1:1, 10–20 • Hebrews 11:1–3, 8–16 • Luke 12:32–40

This week’s theme is faithfulness of heart. In our call to worship psalm, we see a theme of what constitutes an acceptable sacrifice to God. Our Old Testament reading in Isaiah recounts God’s confrontation with Israel, declaring that their sacrifices are worthless if not accompanied by a return to right doing marked by justice. In our reading from Hebrews, we are given a definition of faith along with some great examples of faith from Israel’s history. In the Gospel reading from Luke, Jesus lays out the truth that what we treasure reflects our hearts.

How to use this sermon resource.

Results of Faith

Hebrews 11:1–3, 8–16 ESV

Last week’s sermon gave us the opportunity to talk about the pattern in Scripture involving indicatives and imperatives. [It’s a good idea to give the explanation from the Proper 13 sermon again.] A simpler way to remember it is the pattern of promises and commands. In short, we discussed how anytime you see a command (imperative) in Scripture you also see a corresponding promise or reality (indicative) that command rests on. In other words, there are no arbitrary commands or commands without a reason given to us by God. They are all supported by something real, a promise you can trust. In this way, we can be enabled and empowered to keep God’s commandments, because we know they come from a place we can trust.

I revisit this dynamic because today we move out of the letter to the Colossians and into the letter of Hebrews. Only we do so near the letter’s conclusion. We will pick up at chapter 11, skipping over 10 noteworthy chapters — these 10 chapters provide the indicatives of the entire book. The author of Hebrews has been building up his claim of the all-sufficiency of Christ for the purposes of feeding the faith of the recipients of his letter. The letter is most likely written to Jewish Christians who have undergone persecutions but are drifting away from God for a variety of reasons.

It seems that over time they became stagnate in their understanding of who Jesus is and what he has done for them. This has led to a deterioration of their trust and dependence solely on the Lord. As a result, they were being tempted to add things to their faith which would result in making Christ secondary or even turning from Jesus altogether. They were on a slippery slope. So, the author’s response is to remind them once again of who Jesus is and what he has done for them, to build up their trust in him once again. He does much of this in the first 10 chapters by displaying Christ as the Son of God as well as the Son of Man. He also gives some warnings about the dangers that come from unbelief and then spends roughly 5 chapters exploring the sufficiency and power of Jesus as our High Priest. All of this lays the ground work for our passage today.

Here the author will refer to some Old Testament examples of faith to remind and encourage his readers to return to the faith they once had. He is seeking to rebuild their faith by reminding them of God’s faithfulness to those who went before them. So, we can see the first 10 chapters of Hebrews lay down the indicatives, the promise and reality that exist on the basis of who Jesus is and what he has done.

Now, beginning in chapter 11, we get an implied imperative to place our trust once again in Jesus. That’s the indicative/imperative or promise/command dynamic played out over the entire letter. In short, God is faithful to us in Jesus Christ. That’s the indicative. Therefore, put your faith, or trust, in him. That’s the imperative.

The fact that we have this letter in our Bibles should tell us that we too need constant reminders of who Jesus is and what he has done. The Bible is indispensable to this end. It is God’s word to us that he is faithful and can be trusted. Each Sunday in our worship we are reminded of this as we focus on God’s word to us, in the songs we sing, the prayers we pray, the scriptures we read, the sermons we hear, and the sacraments we participate in. Today will be no different. We will now look at the passage that flows out of 10 chapters of reminders that Jesus is to be trusted above all. The author will begin by giving us a memorable definition of faith.

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. Hebrews 11:1–3 ESV

The author wants to establish what faith is in case anyone has a wrong understanding of it. I think this is an important clarification that needs revisiting in our day as well. Thanks to some of the messaging that comes from our culture, faith or belief often gets reduced to some type of inner determination to believe in ourselves to the point that we can do anything we set our minds to. This idea is clearly seen in the popular song, “I Believe I Can Fly.” Here is a sample of the lyrics that indicate the kind of “faith” that has been popularized in our day and time:

If I can see it
Then I can do it
If I just believe it
There’s nothing to it
I believe I can fly
I believe I can touch the sky

This is not an example of what is meant by Christian faith. This is just raw self-determinism. Unless the singer is a bird, no amount of belief in flying is going to enable him to “touch the sky.” What’s missing is a real indicative, or reality. So, let’s look at the definition of faith we have in our passage and compare.

Notice that faith is the “assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Unlike the lyric, “If I can see it, then I can do it,” this definition does not need sight for accomplishment. The difference is the object of faith. Instead of self-determinism, or believing in ourselves, Christian faith is, well, trusting in Christ. Hence it is a Christian faith. It is not faith in and of itself that is important. It is what that faith is placed in. Perhaps it is clearer if we substitute the word “trust” for the word “faith” or “belief.” That is the essence of faith. It is a trust in something. Christian faith is simply a trust in the God who is revealed in Jesus Christ. Unlike popular notions, belief is not a trust in ourselves, but a trust in one who is far more trustworthy.

That is why the author of Hebrews spends so much time reminding us of who Jesus is. If our trust in Jesus is going to grow, we need to be reminded that he is trustworthy. According to the author’s definition of faith, we have “assurance” and “conviction” of things we hope for and even things we do not yet see. Why is that? Because our trust is in a God who keeps his promises to us. Even when we cannot yet see the promise fulfilled, we have a sure hope because we know who God is, and we know he never fails in keeping his word to us. And we can know that because he has kept his word in Jesus Christ, a word that will never be taken away.

After the author defines faith for us, he then introduces his main point, namely, “people of old.” And he lets us know that these people of old are commended for placing their faith in God. And that is what we can come to understand as well. When we put our trust in Jesus, we will not be disappointed. Jesus is trustworthy and he will always come through. Even when we don’t fully see it or experience it, we know, on the basis of who Jesus is and what he has already done for us, that he will keep his promises. Looking at examples of others in the past where this has occurred can encourage us to remain faithful, to not doubt the one in whom we trust. As we continue, we will also note three things that a faith, or trust in Jesus will bring about. The first one is noted here in verse 3: understanding.

By faith we understand

The author notes that it is by faith we come to “understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.” Without getting into the topic of creation, what is apparent is that understanding follows faith, not the other way around. Often, we may think that we just need more understanding before we can have faith. But in reality, we must start with faith before we can have true understanding.

This is especially true as it relates to Christian faith because we are dealing with a relationship. Our faith is in a personal God. So, if we are going to understand anything about this personal God who is completely different from us, we must first trust what this God says to us about himself. We will have to trust his word to us. So, we are left to trust Jesus, God’s Word to us, if we are to grow in our understanding of him.

As a parallel, we may think of a marriage relationship. If a man is ever going to understand a woman, or vice-versa, that person must first trust the one they are trying to understand. If he doesn’t trust his wife, then he is not going to understand her even if she tells him plainly what she is thinking. This is true of all relationships that require us to receive from another a disclosure of who they are. Without trust, there will never be proper understanding.

A second result of Christian faith emerges from the next section.

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. Hebrews 11:8–12 ESV

By faith we obey

Now the author describes some of Israel’s great examples of faith, and he starts at the very beginning with Abraham. What we see in this first example is that faith leads to obedience. The apostle Paul often refers to this as the “obedience of faith.” Again, this makes sense when we think in terms of the relationship we have with a personal God. Our obedience flows out of a trust we have in him. We typically will not obey someone we don’t trust. Or, at least not in sincerity. We may obey out of fear of punishment or out of coercion, but not out of trust.

If you are walking with someone you trust, someone that you know is for you and loves you, and they bark out a command to “Don’t move,” you are more likely to stop walking. This is because you know that this person is probably trying to protect you from something you don’t see, like a snake in your path. But what if that person has always played the trickster in your life, pranking you and making fun of you by getting you to fall for some set-up? If that person said, “Don’t move,” you may keep walking, because your experience says it is probably best to ignore such commands from such a person. They are probably just setting you up for another laugh. That is the nature of faith and obedience.

We see this played out in Abraham’s life. Abraham was given a promise, and over time God had proven to Abraham that he was trustworthy. God walked with Abraham in such a way over time to help him see who he was. He revealed to Abraham that he was not like all the pagan gods that could not be trusted and were only obeyed out of fear of retribution. The God of Abraham was a God who grew Abraham’s trust by being trustworthy to him. God revealed that he was faithful, and as a result, Abraham grew in obedience, even to the point of obeying when he did not know “where he was going.” That’s the obedience of faith. He was trusting in the faithfulness of God, not in his own knowledge or what he could see and understand.

A third result of Christian faith is displayed in verse 9.

By faith we go

The author recounts that it was faith that got Abraham to go “live in the land of promise.” Faith gets us moving. Or I should say, it is the God in whom we trust that gets us moving. This “going” is connecting to obeying but it shows that faith in God is not a passive activity. It is accompanied by motion, by action. God’s faithfulness gives us the freedom to move into the promises he has for us. We too, like Abraham, are called to “live in the land of promise.” Our lives are to reflect those who seek and pursue the promises of God. He is faithful, so we can boldly move into where he is leading, knowing that he intends to bless us. He never leads us to a place that is not for our good. He is faithful to his promises to us, promises for our good, not our harm.

But living in the land of promise doesn’t mean everything will be easy or even enjoyable. As the example of Abraham shows, he had to live “as in a foreign land” with those who were trusting the same promises. They knew that where the Lord was leading was bigger than the actual territory of Canaan. They trusted that what this God was doing in their “going” would lead to a place beyond any human accomplishment. God was the “foundation” and “designer” of their destination.

One final result of Christian faith can be seen in this section.

By faith we receive

The author now includes Sarah as an example of faith along with Abraham. In this example, we are told that it was faith in the one she considered faithful that enabled her to receive “power to conceive.” And this against all odds. Again, when we understand that faith is putting our trust in another, then we can see how faith leads to the ability to “receive.” It is difficult to receive from someone that we don’t trust. Even when it appears they are trying to give us something good.

Have you had someone you didn’t trust offer to do you a favor? You probably have a hard time receiving such a favor from them. Maybe you know it might be used to obligate you to something in the future or be held over your head as a tool of manipulation in some way. Even good things are hard to receive if we do not trust the one offering the gift.

But Sarah helps us see that when God gives us a promise, we can trust him. Even if the promise looks impossible by human standards. But instead of trusting ourselves, we can trust in the one who stands beyond all human limitations. And as we see in this example, Sarah receiving from the Lord amounted to not just a blessing for her, but a blessing for “as many as the stars of heaven.” When God promises us a blessings, we can also trust it will be a blessing for all.

Now the author is going to conclude this section with a larger perspective.

These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. Hebrews 11:13–16 ESV

The author just told us how Sarah “received power to conceive,” and now he is saying that they died without “having received the things promised.” Is this a contradiction? The author clarifies that those who are living in faith, trusting in God, “are seeking a homeland.” They acknowledged “that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.” In other words, there were promises that were fulfilled and experienced in the earthly life. But they understood that even those promises kept were signs of the greater promise that God would bring them to their true heavenly home. The author wants us to understand that this is not our final home. When we are tempted to set our eyes on “that land from which [we] had gone out,” we will be tempted to turn from Christ and return to other “homes” that do not offer the granting of the ultimate promise held out to us in Jesus Christ.

Even the good things and blessings we receive in this life are only signs and reminders that God has far more in mind for us, far more than we can receive here and now. But we can live in trust, knowing that we will not be disappointed that we put our full trust in him in everything. Everything else will eventually let us down. We too will close our eyes one day “not having received the things promised,” but having our hands open to receive all the Lord has for us when we arrive at the home “he has prepared for us.”

Ted Johnston—Year C Proper 14

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August 10, 2025 — Proper 14 in Ordinary Time
Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16

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Program Transcript


Ted Johnston—Year C Proper 14

Anthony: Let’s transition to our second pericope of the month. It is Hebrews 11:1–3, 8–16. It is a Revised Common Lectionary passage for Proper 14 in Ordinary Time, August 10. Ted, read it for us please.

Ted:

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. 3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance, and he set out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he stayed for a time in the land he had been promised, as in a foreign land, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 By faith, with Sarah’s involvement, he received power of procreation, even though he was too old, because he considered him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one person, and this one as good as dead, descendants were born, “as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.” 13 All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth, 14 for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better homeland, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them.

Anthony: The writer of Hebrews states over and over by faith. So, let me ask you this, Ted, what is faith and what role does it play in salvation? Is it an individual thing, a corporate thing, both or something else entirely?

Ted: In, verse one, as I read, faith, says the author, is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Commentators disagree a lot about the precise meaning of the Greek words that the author is using here. And some translations look at faith as a feeling of being sure.

And other translations think of it as a substance or the content of our hope. Probably the latter is the most accurate. But rather than trying to define faith, the author of Hebrews is actually describing one of the results that faith has in our lives. So, it’s … I wouldn’t look at that necessarily as a definitive definition, but it is telling us this is what happens in your life if you have, if you practice faith.

Faith involves believing and acting on something that is not seen, something we cannot see. And this is the quality of faith that the author especially wants the readers to imitate. One possible translation would be faith is the reality of things hoped for, the proof of things not seen. And I think the thought here is that faith moves us in the direction of realizing things that are presently beyond demonstration.

By faith, we anticipate, and so, at least, in part, we experience the reality of what is believed. And though faith does not bring about that reality, contrary to some teachings, it does provide a window, if you will, through which we are able, at least in part, to view that reality, to see the unseen, so to speak.

We see this kind of faith lived out in Abraham’s life, and that is the principal, or a principal example that he gives. Without physical evidence to rely on, Abraham stepped out in faith in the direction of God’s promise — literally in that case.

And as believers we’re called to do the same. The reality we believe in and focus on by faith is our coming resurrection, which means our glorification entering into the fullness of our salvation. And though that reality is yet to be seen in faith, we rely on it. We move toward it, we lean into it, we allow it to shape our thinking, and thus, our behavior right now and doing so is not about earning salvation through faith, but about living into the promises of God who is faithful.

He can be trusted. That trust, that reliance is the essence of faith, our faithful response to the promises of our faithful God. So that’s kind of a definition, if you will, but it’s the results of possessing that faith that the author is interested in. And so, he offers the example of Abraham.

Anthony: Yeah, it’s somewhat akin to the work of the Holy Spirit, which is sometimes just described as this wind blowing. You don’t know where it comes from or where it comes from or where it’s going, but you see the evidence of the work and the presence of the Holy Spirit often in fruit, that it’s being born in somebody’s life.

And you may not see it in the moment, but you see the results. And what I hear you saying is you see the results of faith. It looks like stepping out and trusting, and ultimately, isn’t that what belief and faith are all about? It’s trusting the one who is good and is faithful to himself and to his promises.

Hallelujah. Praise God. Amen. The writer of Hebrews talks about desiring a better homeland as it’s put in verse 16.

Ted: Yes.

Anthony: What’s going on there? What does that mean? What does that look like? Tell us more.

Ted: He’s using an example for the fullness of salvation by pointing to something that his audience would’ve been very familiar with, and that is that the type of salvation in the Old Testament is the land of Canaan, called the promised land. It was the homeland that was promised to Abraham and his offspring. The homeland for us is defined in scripture as a new heaven, a new earth, the ultimate promised land, if you will. And that’s the reality toward which we, in faith, walk.

And I would add to that, even if the road is tough. And Hebrews speaks a lot about how tough that road can be, and urges us to persevere, for in faith we see what lies in the future for us. By the way we saw that in Colossians, where we are already there in that homeland, if you will — as our humanity, united to Christ is ascended and seated with Christ, just to point back to what we just saw in Colossians. But when Christ returns and we are resurrected and glorified, we will be home — home in all of its fullness, all of its glory.

Anthony: Quicken that day, Lord Jesus Christ.

Ted: Yeah, and that’s a better homeland.

Anthony: Amen, man. Let’s go!


Small Group Discussion Questions

  • What do we need most when we are struggling in our faith? What do we need to be reminded of?
  • Discuss the difference between the definition of faith recorded in Hebrews and what is often called belief in our culture today.
  • What is the relationship between faith and understanding?
  • How does faith enable obedience?
  • The sermon stated that faith gets us moving. How does faith lead to action?
  • How does faith free us to receive from the Lord what he has promised?

Sermon for August 17, 2025 — Proper 15

Welcome to this week’s episode, a special rerun from our Speaking of Life archive. We hope you find its timeless message as meaningful today as it was when it was first shared.

Program Transcript


Speaking of Life Script 4038 | Wrong-Way Drivers
Greg Williams

Here is a funny story you may be familiar with:

There was a lady who called her husband while he was driving home from work. She worriedly told him, “I just saw on the news there’s an idiot driving the wrong way on the same interstate you’re on. Please be careful!” Her husband corrected her, “It’s not just one driving the wrong way. There are hundreds of them!”

It’s an old joke that still makes me laugh. But I want to add a new twist to the story. What if it wasn’t a joke. What if the man was correct and he was the one driving in the right direction on an interstate full of hundreds going the wrong way. In that case, it wouldn’t be a laughing matter.

I don’t think that has ever happened (outside of a Jason Bourne movie), but in another way, it happens every day for those who follow Jesus. The interstate that travels through this present evil age actively opposes Christ and his followers by treating them like “idiots” traveling in the wrong direction. Christians can identify with phrases like, “Swimming upstream,” or “Sailing against the wind.” It sounds obvious when said out loud, but following Christ comes with obstacles, adversity, and conflict.

Thankfully, for the believer, we are not on this journey alone. First, we have our Lord and Savior who has completed the journey ahead of us and is presently preparing us for glory by the Spirit, even in the face of opposition. Second, we have brothers and sisters who have either completed the journey or are traveling with us in the same direction. This community of believers—known as the Church—not only encourages and equips one another to keep our eyes on Jesus to stay the course, but they also become a witness to others who have been driving in the opposite direction. True to who Jesus is, even then he continues to draw all of humanity to himself. He includes us in his ministry, as others experience Christ in us, inspiring them to take a u-turn towards him.

The author of Hebrews used the metaphor of a race instead of driving on an interstate. Listen to this description of Jesus and his followers facing opposition:

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Hebrews 12:1-2

No doubt there are challenges and struggles in the Christian journey. It can feel like an obstacle course as we move towards Christ. But please be encouraged that we are not driving alone. The great cloud of witnesses have gone before us. Jesus is before us, around us, and always with us. It is our joy to journey together with fellow believers and to invite others to come along for the ride.

I’m Greg Williams, Speaking of Life.

Psalm 80:1–2, 8–19 • Isaiah 5:1–7 • Hebrews 11:29–12:2 • Luke 12:49–56

This week’s theme is faithful judgement. In our call to worship psalm, Israel is pictured as a vine that was once fruitful but now ravaged because of the Lord’s rebuke. Our Old Testament reading in Isaiah offers a parable of a vineyard that contains a message of judgement for Israel’s unrighteousness. In our reading from Hebrews, we have a list of models of faith from Israel’s history that serve as forerunners to Christ, the founder and perfecter of our faith. The Gospel reading from Luke contains some strong words of judgement from our faithful Lord.

How to use this sermon resource.

A Great Cloud of Witnesses

Hebrews 11:29–12:2 ESV

Today we will continue in the Book of Hebrews and the author’s focus on faith. Last week, we discussed how the first 10 chapters of Hebrews laid the indicatives, the groundwork, for the command that is developed in chapter 11. [It’s a good idea to give the explanation of indicative and imperative from the Proper 13 sermon again.] Today, we will conclude this section with the command that the author has been building up to. It has been implied up to this point in chapter 11, but it will be stated plainly when we move into chapter 12, which will conclude our time in Hebrews. But before the author does that, he continues giving us a survey of many heroes of faith as seen throughout Israel’s history. Last week we focused on Abraham and Sarah and noted some results of living in faith or trusting in God. We also read a definition of Christian faith that we compared with some competing views of belief that circulate in our culture today.

As we continue in this section on faith, we will notice in today’s reading that not only do we have many more examples of faith to observe, but we move into seeing what faith requires. As we noted last week, faith is active. When we put our trust in the Lord, that trust will make demands on us. Sometimes, as we will see in today’s text, those demands may alienate us from our own communities. Faith may lead to all kinds of suffering and demand endurance. Faith also creates a witness in our world, a witness that will be received by some and rejected by others. But we will also be encouraged that we are not on this journey alone but belong to a “great cloud of witnesses” that have gone before us. What’s more, we will see that this faith is not even our own, but a faith that originates with the perfect faith of our Lord and Savior who shares and perfects his faith in us. This will be a see-saw and up-and-down journey of faith examples, but in the end, we will find ourselves on solid ground.

The lectionary skips over the details of the section in Hebrews 11:17–28 that focuses on Abraham and Moses’ example of faith. In that section, we see that Moses’ faith was active and dynamic and even subversive and costly. I refer to this section because that theme gets echoed in today’s reading. If we were to go back and read the account of Moses, we would see that it was the faith of Moses’ parents that led them to disobey Pharaoh, the highest ruler of the land. Once Moses grows up, he too stops associating with Pharaoh and chooses “rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin” (Heb. 11:25). We are to see that faith in God not only enables us to obey God’s commands, but it also enables us to disobey the commands of man when they do not align with God’s will and purposes. Moses’ example of faith sets up our reading today that highlights this bold and costly aspect of faith. Let’s jump right in.

By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies. Hebrews 11:29–31 ESV

As the author continues his survey of faith heroes from Israel’s history, we read a couple of important points. First, with the example of the crossing of the Red Sea, we are shown that it does matter who you put your faith in. By faith, the Israelites crossed safely to the other side of the Red Sea, whereas the Egyptians did not. This shows that there is a distinction to be made between believers and unbelievers. This doesn’t mean that God does not love all, but it does mean that a relationship with him requires trust in him over our chariots and armies.

The story of the walls of Jericho falling down and Rahab being saved makes the same point. These three examples show that who you put your trust in is a matter of life and death. Second, these examples seem to emphasize the greatness of God over the greatness of men. It wasn’t the might of the Israelites that enabled them to cross the sea. It was their trust in the one who was going to free them. Also, Rahab is noted as “the prostitute,” yet this does not disqualify her from being saved. She trusted the one who was working through the spies, and she participated by faith in what God was doing.

You can also notice that the author is working his way chronologically through Israel’s history. He had already talked about Abraham and Moses, and here he relates the Exodus, which starts Israel’s journey to the promise land. The example of Jericho and Rahab takes us right up to the point before the Israelites enter the promise land. Next, he will fast forward to some examples during the period of the judges, followed quickly by examples from the time of the kings. We can look at those now.

And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. Hebrews 11:32–38 ESV

Clearly, the author is not naming all who could be listed in this faith hall of fame. There are many others who lived faithful lives but may not be recognized in the history books. Nonetheless, this sample list illustrates that God is faithfully working through all history, and he includes his faithful servants in what he is doing. We all may have different parts to play, but it is all part of what God is doing and receives the same “well done good and faithful servant” from our Lord.

What emerges in this list of examples is an increasing intensity of suffering and hardships. The picture begins with faith enabling great accomplishments and miraculous experiences. But as the author works his way down the list, we begin to see that faith also carries a heavy cost that may require all types of suffering and even death. One thing remains consistent throughout, and that is a faithfulness to God that does not shrink back from being ostracized, criticized, and marginalized by a society and its rulers who are resistant and rebellious to God. In this way, acting out of faith becomes a witness in our world. When people choose to pay the consequences of disobeying the powers that be in order to remain faithful to God, it speaks loudly to all who are watching that, at least for these few, there is a higher power at play. These few are obeying another, even at great cost. That will get the attention of onlookers, and it becomes a major witness to the one who is worth obeying. As the author states, “the world was not worthy” of these faithful ones who by their actions bore witness to the one and only living God.

And on that point, the author has these words:

And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. Hebrews 11:39–40 ESV

Similar to the author’s words we read last week, the faithful don’t always receive the fullness of God’s promises in this life. But we can trust that our trust in the Lord will add up to far more than we can imagine in this life. Every good thing we do receive is only a sign of more to come. As we grow in our trust of God, who is a generous giver, we grow in our capacity to receive all things from him. When we see him face-to-face, then we will be able to receive from him the “something better” that he gives, right along those who came before.

Now that the author has spent an entire chapter highlighting one example after another of those who exercised trust in God, he will now deliver his overall imperative. For 11 chapters now the author has been leading up to this one thing he wants for us to take act on. This is the imperative, the command, that comes from all the indicatives of who Jesus is and all the promises kept.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1–2 ESV

The command is straight forward, “lay aside every weight, and sin” and “run with endurance.” This is the life of faith. And this is possible, because on one end we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses who have done the same. They weren’t perfect. They had many of the same flaws and shortcomings as we do. However, they still ran with endurance and paid whatever cost was demanded. More importantly, on the other end, we have Jesus our Lord who is the “founder and perfecter of our faith.” He is the one who will grow our faith in him. And he does that through faithful examples like we have in this passage, and he does that by reminding us in his written word of who he is and what he has done for us.

In short, he shows us time and again that he is trustworthy, so we can respond by turning to him again and placing our trust in him. If you notice from the description of Jesus in this concluding verse, his life of faith in the Father sounds very similar to the examples painted throughout Israel’s history. He suffered and died knowing that he could trust the Father and that the Father had something better in store. Our Lord did not cease trusting the Father when faced with suffering, shame, and death. That is the faith he now gives to us. We are invited to participate in his trust of the Father. And we can do that by laying “aside every weight, and sin” and running “with endurance.” It may not be easy, but in the end, it makes all the difference. We will not be disappointed that we put our trust in Jesus, and we will join that great cloud of witnesses for others to see.

Ted Johnston—Year C Proper 15

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August 10, 2025 — Proper 15 in Ordinary Time
Hebrews 11:29–12:2

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Program Transcript


Ted Johnston—Year C Proper 15

Anthony: Let’s go on to our next pericope of the month. It’s Hebrews 11:29–12:2. It is a Revised Common Lectionary passage for Proper 15 in Ordinary Time, August 17.

By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as if it were dry land, but when the Egyptians attempted to do so they were drowned. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell after they had been encircled for seven days. 31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had received the spies in peace. 32 And what more should I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, refusing to accept release, in order to obtain a better resurrection. 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned to death; they were sawn in two; they were killed by the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented— 38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains and in caves and holes in the ground. 39 Yet all these, though they were commended for their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better so that they would not, apart from us, be made perfect.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

Tortured, flogging, stoned to death, sawn in two, killed by the sword — what should we learn about, rejoice in, and soberly consider about our brothers and sisters of old?

Ted: Yeah, that’s quite a passage, sometimes called the Hall of Faith, right?

A little background here I think would be helpful. It’s important to understand that Hebrews is written to Jewish Christians who were bailing on the church. At least some of them were. They had accepted Jesus as their Messiah. They were Jews who accepted Jesus as the promised Messiah, and because of that, they were ostracized by the Jewish community in which they lived, even their own families.

As a result of that, they were targets of persecution. And some in order to avoid persecution, were returning to the Jewish faith. That’s the context here. And so, the author of Hebrews, whoever that was, we’re not sure, writes to them to encourage and exhort them to stay the course, to persevere, to continue following Jesus despite persecution.

And in this passage gives examples from their own history of men and women, who did just that, who remained faithful to God despite dangers in their journey, sometimes terrible persecution, sometimes even martyrdom. And all of these, we call them saints, died in the faith awaiting the fullness of what they hoped for, which they had not yet experienced.

And that’s the fullness of salvation, which is yet to come, in the coming resurrection. I mentioned that before. That’s the homeland for which we are looking and hoping and focusing on, and that is what helps get us through the difficult times that we often face. To sort of paraphrase Paul, if in this life only we have Christ and we don’t have this hope of the resurrection, we’re of all men most miserable.

Now, not a lot of us can say we’re being terribly persecuted for following Christ in this day and age, although I know some folks who in other parts of the world from where I am in the United States are indeed. And that’s part of the experience. And there is a real need to keep this focus on the future.

And it’s helpful to have this great cloud of witness that these examples of faithful Christians. Or faithful people of God. Some many of them were pre-Christian, if you will, who remain faithful despite the difficulties they face. And Paul, not Paul, but the author of Hebrews is wanting these people to remain faithful despite what they were going through.

Anthony: You mentioned the great cloud of witnesses. Hallelujah. Thank God for them found in 2:1. And what I want to ask you to do, invite you to do, is exegete Hebrews 12:1–2. And Ted, feel free to preach, preacher. Let’s hear.

Ted: Yeah, I have gotten into that already, but I mentioned these examples they were to follow, but it’s also important to say to them, and this is what Paul is saying, is that they are to remain faithful to Jesus, and Jesus himself is the epitome of faithfulness. These others point us in that direction, but it’s Jesus himself who is the great faithful one, who is the supreme witness, the pioneer and perfecter, the author says, of faith, of our faith, of the faith that we have been given.

How is that true? His own journey, his race consisted of enduring the cross and its shame. And by virtue of that endurance, he crossed the finish line and took his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. He triumphed. And the point is that in our journey, our race, which does require perseverance, sometimes there is suffering, but the message is, “But be encouraged — you do not run alone.” We have a faithful high priest — and he’ll speak about Jesus’ high priesthood later in this book — who has gone through it all before on our behalf, a high priest who understands, who intercedes for us, and perhaps not always delivering us from the trouble, but listen, but always there with us, encouraging, aiding, sometimes crying with us, sharing in our sufferings. So, my friends, be encouraged. Continue to run the race of faith, looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.

Anthony: What Ted just did there for our friends in the listening audience is the best kind of preaching, I believe, which leaves the congregation talking about Jesus, not the preacher, not even the sermon per se, but the God revealed in Jesus Christ. May it be so in our preaching.

Thanks, Ted.


Small Group Discussion Questions

  • What is the distinction between those who are believers and those who are not?
  • Discuss the importance of the object of our faith. What are some other objects of faith other than God that we may be tempted to put our trust in?
  • How does suffering for our trust in God create a witness to our world?
  • What are some examples in your life of those who have gone before you as part of that great cloud of witnesses?
  • What are some examples of weights that we need to lay aside? How does sin harm our faith?
  • What encouragement did you receive from knowing that Jesus is the “founder and perfecter of our faith?”

Sermon for August 24, 2025 — Proper 16

Welcome to this week’s episode, a special rerun from our Speaking of Life archive. We hope you find its timeless message as meaningful today as it was when it was first shared.

Program Transcript


Speaking of Life 4039 | Remembering God’s Goodness
Cara Garrity

Have you ever left home without your wallet or cell phone? Or any item that you almost always have with you? I think most of us can relate to the wave of panic that ensues when we have forgotten something that was vitally important to us.

In the popular movie, “Home Alone”, Macaulay Calkin’s character, Kevin, accidentally gets left at home after his large family frantically leaves for the airport for their holiday vacation. A power outage the night before their trip turns off all their alarm clocks. Chaos ensues as the overslept family rushes out of the house as quickly as possible to meet their morning flight.

The family gets whisked off to the airport in two full-sized vans to accommodate all the brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts, and uncles. As they arrive at the airport, they make a mad dash to reach their flight. The family arrives at the gate just in time. The doors to the plane are shut as they find their seats.

Once on board, and in the skies, Kevin’s parents breathe a sigh of relief and start to relax. After a few minutes of destressing, Kevin’s mother gets a sneaking suspicion that something is missing. As she starts to recount her steps, she frighteningly realizes what it is and screams, “KEVIN!!!”

In the busyness of life, it sometimes happens that we can forget to factor in God’s goodness towards us and fail to notice all the many blessings that he has bestowed upon our lives. So many things vie for our attention that it’s easy to get distracted as we rush through our days doing important things.

One such figure in the Bible who had a problem getting distracted and forgetting what was most important was King David. He truly needed to remind himself of all the ways that God had been faithful to him. You can imagine that David was no stranger to busyness. As king, he had an entire kingdom to run, and the pressure was at times overwhelming.

It seems like David made a discovery that something was missing – that something in his life had been forgotten. With that in mind, David says the following:

Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Psalm 103:1-5

Losing our perspective and forgetting about God’s good nature can leave us in a bad place. A place that King David was familiar with. He was no stranger to life’s trials and tribulations. Perhaps David wrote this when he recognized his vulnerability and realized his soul needed to think differently. David had to remind himself of God’s good nature and hold onto this belief despite his circumstances.

We too get tempted to look at the negative things in this life and wonder where God is in all of this. If you watch the news daily, you can’t help but notice how the vast majority of the stories are negative. Even if there is something positive, the news will find a way to bring out the bad.

But here is the deeper truth that cannot be touched by our circumstances or our busyness or forgetfulness. The truth about who God is and how he cares for us never changes. Even when we sometimes lose sight of it, because we get lost in our rush to live and work and recreate.

If you feel overwhelmed, stressed, and burdened beyond your limits.

Stop and take a moment to reflect on who God is and what he has done for you and for all of humanity. Think about the things David mentions – forgiveness, redemption, love, compassion. Give your soul the refreshment it needs by basking in the goodness of God, the life you have in Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, who is our comforter.

While we may at times temporarily forget God’s faithfulness to us, we can be assured that he will remain faithful. In his kingdom, we will never get left home alone.

I’m Cara Garrity, Speaking of Life.

Psalm 71:1–6 • Jeremiah 1:4–10 • Hebrews 12:18–29 • Luke 13:10–17

The theme for this week is God’s gracious word. Our call to worship psalm reminds us of the power of God’s word. We cry out for deliverance, and at God’s command, we are saved. In our Old Testament passage, Jeremiah believes he is unfit to speak on God’s behalf, to share God’s word with others, but the Lord touches his mouth and gives him the words to say. The writer in Hebrews contrasts the difference between God’s word spoken on Mt. Sinai to the people of ancient Israel and God’s word of grace spoken in his Son Jesus Christ. In our Gospel passage, as the Son of God incarnate, Jesus speaks words of gracious love and heals a woman who had been bent over for eighteen years.

How to use this sermon resource.

Are We Listening?

Hebrews 12:18–29 ESV

Have you ever told someone the details about an amazing experience you had, only for them to say when you get done, “I’m sorry. What did you say? Was it important?” As we read the text today, keep in mind that God has spoken a profound and final word to all of us. The question is not, is God speaking — the question is, are we listening?

The writer of the book of Hebrews begins in the first chapter,

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high … Hebrews 1:1–3 ESV

This sets the groundwork for the entire book of Hebrews. The writer then begins to show the infinite superiority of the New Covenant ratified in Jesus’ blood as compared with the Old Covenant ratified in the blood of animals. God’s word to his people is his own Son, the One the apostle John called the Word of God, the Logos.

As the writer of Hebrews explains, this Word of God, who is the perfect sacrifice for sin, died his sacrificial death, rose again, and is now seated in the heavenly realms. Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Word of God, now sits in face-to-face union and communion with his Father in the Spirit. As our risen Lord, he bears our restored and glorified humanity. Jesus intercedes on our behalf, acts as our high priest and our mediator. Jesus takes all we offer God in our prayer and worship and makes it an acceptable gift to his Father in the Spirit. And Jesus takes the blessing and grace of his Father and offers it to us in the Spirit. Jesus’ intercession, in this way, enables us to live in right relationship with God.

In view of all this, let’s begin to read our passage for today, which lies near the end of the book of Hebrews. [Read Hebrews 12:18–29 ESV]

You may have noticed that God speaks in this passage, the voice of God is mentioned, and the sprinkled blood speaks. And there is a warning spoken on earth, and a warning spoken from heaven. The spoken word appears to be an important concept in this passage. And the word being spoken on earth is contrasted with that spoken from heaven. God’s voice may have shaken the earth the first time, but the next time, God’s shaking will involve all he has made, and result in the establishment of a permanent, eternal kingdom.

So, let’s look a little more closely at what this writer is saying.

For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” Hebrews 12:18–21 ESV

This is a reference to the time when God gave the law to Israel. God spoke to his people from the mountain, but they were so frightened by the experience that the ancient nation of Israel begged Moses to speak in God’s stead from then on. And even though their covenant with God was ratified with the blood of animals and bound them to love God devotedly and to obey him, they did not keep that covenant. While Moses was up on the mountain with God to receive the two stone tablets on which were written the ten commands, the people worshiped a golden calf. God’s response to their faithlessness was not pleasant, but its purpose was to restore their relationship with him and move them to faithful obedience.

Now the writer will contrast Israel’s faithless disobedience with God’s faithfulness:

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. Hebrews 12:22–24 ESV

The author takes us away from our earthly vantage point and moves us up into a heavenly one. We are asked to open our eyes to see beyond the physical realities into the spiritual realities. We’re to see God’s presence, the universal Church of believers, along with myriads of angels, all gathered in glory. Jesus is in the center, the one and only firstborn Son of God. The redeemed are equal inheritors of Jesus’ blessings — in Christ we are all firstborn, therefore heirs, of God’s eternal kingdom.

And notice the “word” motif showing up again. This time it has to do with the blood of Abel speaking out, the blood that was spilled when Cain murdered his brother Abel. His death — the death of a firstborn son, by the way — sparked a desire for vengeance in those around him. God marked him to prevent vengeance from being enacted on him. But Cain eventually ended up murdered, just as he had murdered his brother.

Abel’s sprinkled blood spoke of murder and vengeance. The sprinkled blood in the tabernacle or temple in ancient Israel did not ensure healing and renewal for those who participated in sacrificial offerings. But the sprinkled blood of Jesus Christ, spread on the ground as he hung on the cross, covered all our sin. The shed blood of Jesus spoke of our redemption, restoration, forgiveness, and healing. The sprinkled blood of God’s own Word, Jesus Christ, is a powerful word which speaks renewal to all things, and to us.

But this is a word we need to listen to and pay attention to. The writer of Hebrews says,

See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. Hebrews 12:25 ESV

The readers of the book of Hebrews were in danger of succumbing to the belief that they needed to go back to observing Old Testament days and rituals to be saved. They were overlooking the profound difference between what God had given to them originally and that which was meant to supersede it finally in Jesus Christ. They were so focused on their human efforts to save themselves that they missed the One who had saved them, Jesus Christ. They were so focused on the written word and what they thought it required they do, that they missed the eternal, living Word, Jesus Christ, who saves by grace alone through faith.

This is easy for us to do, too. Not only do we need to hear the Word, Jesus Christ, we need to obey the Word, who is Lord of all. He reigns on high. Only he redeems us, restores our relationship with God, and makes us new. As God in our glorified humanity, Jesus continues to be God’s word to us. Jesus is the truth of our being. And Jesus is the king of the kingdom of God. Because he is the king of the kingdom, it is his glory we seek and his will we do. It is his word we listen to and obey. It is by his grace that we are healed and are saved. It is him we put our faith and trust in.

Keeping this in mind, let’s read further:

At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. Hebrews 12:26–27 ESV

Here the author brings out a profound contrast between Mount Sinai, which shook when God spoke to his people, and the shaking which will occur when Jesus returns in glory to establish the new heaven and earth. At Mount Sinai, God was wanting to ratify a love covenant with ancient Israel, to make them his people. But when the people of ancient Israel heard God, and everything around them shook, it was a terrifying experience. Instead of fear, though, they should have experienced faith, love, and gratitude.

Here in this passage in Hebrews, we learn that this first covenant is superseded by something infinitely superior. In the same way, this earth, which we think is so solid and secure, will one day be made new, along with everything else in our cosmos. Jesus is making all things new (Revelation 21:5), and Jesus will complete this when the renewal of all things occurs in his heavenly kingdom. The spiritual realities will supersede the physical realities — so we need to keep our perspective right. We need to pay attention to what God says to us in Jesus Christ. We need to attend to the spiritual realities, so that we don’t miss out on the significant thing God is doing right now and will do, that will last for all eternity.

The writer of Hebrews concludes this section of the book by saying,

Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:28–29 ESV

Our response to all Jesus Christ has done for us, is doing for us, and will do for us is simply gratitude and worship. The author reminds the readers of Hebrews that God is not requiring the Old Covenant observances. He is simply asking for a faith response of gratitude and worship. Keeping our eyes on Jesus, and all he has done for us, there is only one proper response, and that is to be thankful, and to bow in reverent worship. Our God is so passionate about our redemption and restoration, that he was willing to go through the fire of a truly human existence, death by crucifixion, and being laid in a grave. We are called to be equally passionate about all God has done for us in Jesus. May the fire of the Holy Spirit burn in our hearts, and consume all that does not belong, so that we may share in the glories of his heavenly kingdom, now and forever. May God finish what he has begun in us, that we may truly worship him in reverence and awe, in gratitude for his word spoken to us in Jesus Christ our Lord.

As we close, this is a good time to spend a moment in silence, reflecting on who Jesus Christ is for us as the God who is a consuming fire. What would you have Jesus burn away in your heart and your life by his Spirit? Let’s take a moment to reflect and pray about this. [Pause for a few minutes of silent congregational prayer.]

Prayer: Holy Father, we thank you for the glorious and wonderful thing you have done in speaking your love to us in and through your Son by your Spirit. Thank you for coming, Jesus, to speak to us of the love of your Father. Thank you, dear Trinity, for keeping your word to us. Please bend our will to your will, for your glory and praise, in Jesus’ name by your heavenly power. Amen.

Ted Johnston—Year C Proper 16

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August 24, 2025 — Proper 16 in Ordinary Time
Hebrews 12:18-29

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Program Transcript


Ted Johnston—Year C Proper 16

Anthony: Let’s transition to the next pericope, it’s Hebrews 12:18–29. It is a Revised Common Lectionary passage for Proper 16 in Ordinary Time, August 24. Ted, we’d be grateful if you read it.

Ted:

You have not come to something that can be touched, a blazing fire, and darkness, and gloom, and a tempest, 19 and the sound of a trumpet, and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that not another word be spoken to them. 20 (For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned to death.” 21 Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.”) 22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. 25 See that you do not refuse the one who is speaking, for if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject the one who warns from heaven! 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven.” 27 This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of what is shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe, 29 for indeed our God is a consuming fire.

Anthony: Since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude. Hallelujah. Ted, Jesus is the mediator of a new covenant. Those are, that was, an eight-word statement, but a lot of work is being done there. It’s good news. Why is it such good news in the here and now?

Ted: Yes. If we had about 12 hours, I would explain it to you in detail,

Anthony: which we don’t, but

Ted: … we don’t. So, suffice it to say that the author of the book of Hebrews, whoever he or she is, is comparing and contrasting the old covenant with a new covenant. And this letter, this sermon really is addressed to Jewish Christians who are extremely familiar with the old covenant.

They’d grown up living by its precepts, but now have embraced Jesus who is himself the new covenant, and he is urging them and urging us by extension to understand the superiority of the new as compared to the old. Some of them, of course, were being tempted to turn away from the new and return back to the order of the old, because that was what was familiar to them. That was what was comfortable, was kind of safe for them.

And I don’t mean to condemn those folks. If I were going through what they were going through, I don’t know what I would do. But he wants them to keep their eyes focused on Jesus, who is the new covenant. To leave the new is to turn one’s back on Jesus, who mediates the new covenant. One might say as I’ve already said, that he himself really is the new covenant, the new relationship between God and humanity found in the person of the incarnate, Son of God, Jesus Christ. And here’s the good news and a source of encouragement to them, and I hope and encouragement and hope to us — Jesus is God and can be trusted.

Anthony: I say it again. We are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken because God cannot be shaken. So, we should show gratitude. It’s expressed in verse 28 and the writer of Hebrews goes on to continue the thought by heralding God as a consuming fire. I’m curious, how do these things go together?

Ted: As I mentioned before the author is drawing from the Old Testament, in other words, the Hebrew scriptures, which these Jewish Christians were very familiar with and using stories and symbols, events that were very familiar to them and the language that’s being used here he is drawing directly from Israel’s experience in the Exodus and which God revealed his presence to Israel in a cloud by day and by fire at night.

And even back to the story of the burning bush. These were signs of the presence of God that left the Israelites awestruck, but now the author is saying, you Jewish Christians, and all Christians today, now that you and the person of Jesus see how the new covenant operates, don’t lose that sense of awe, that sense of reverence that will allow you to turn your back on Jesus. Instead of under appreciating Jesus and what he gives us, be full of gratitude.

For it is, I’m going to say, reverent gratitude that so powerfully shapes our affections and directs our steps. Is worship important? It’s important because God is due worship, but it’s also important to the worshipers, because it instills in us that reverent awe, and that is extremely important, especially in the hard times, times when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, to quote from that familiar psalm.

And so, to keep in mind of who it is that we are worshiping and to cultivate that reverent awe, that sense of gratitude towards God is extremely important for how we walk this journey with Christ, which sometimes can be very difficult.

Anthony: I think you’ve said something vitally important because there’s a misunderstanding sometimes, especially from critics of Christianity, that God is somehow this needy, self-absorbed God who needs our worship.

Ted: Yeah.

Anthony: He doesn’t.

Ted: No.

Anthony: No, but as you pointed to, he’s worthy of it for certain, for what he has revealed in Jesus Christ, but also it does something to us, just like praying. It changes the person who is praying, not the one being prayed to, he’s the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is good.

Ted: Yes.

Anthony: He doesn’t have to be conditioned to be good. He is good. But it does something to our hearts and I think that’s so important for us to see God.

God is not needy. He is completely full of harmony and love and is satisfied, but he chose to create out of love and hallelujah that we get to participate in that. And just a final word before we transition to our final passage of the month. As Hebrews says, Jesus’ blood speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

Hallelujah.


Small Group Discussion Questions

  • What is the difference between the Old Covenant ratified in the blood of animals and the New Covenant ratified in Jesus’ blood? Why is it important to understand this?
  • What is the difference between the shaking at Mt. Sinai and the shaking of heaven and earth that will happen when Jesus returns in glory?
  • Why is it important for us to pay attention to what Jesus is saying to us in his gospel message, and in his sacrificial self-offering?

Sermon for August 31, 2025 — Proper 17

Welcome to this week’s episode, a special rerun from our Speaking of Life archive. We hope you find its timeless message as meaningful today as it was when it was first shared.

Program Transcript


Speaking of Life Script 4040 | Living Your Best Life
Greg Williams

You’ve heard the phrase, “Don’t settle for less!” It’s a well-meaning attempt to motivate you to not give up on the best life you have envisioned for yourself. You’ve likely heard the challenge in regard to relationships, your career, financial dreams, or even your personal growth goals.” It can be any number of things where you are challenged to not settle for less. Add to this the number of motivational gurus who “know” the secret to not settling. They will gladly share their discoveries with you in their latest book or video, for a small price of course (since they are not settling for less).

But how do we know if we have settled?

If we were ever asked if we are living our best life, I think most of us would say “No, of course not.” We are creatures who are always longing for more. How could we ever honestly say we have arrived at our best life?

This is where a Biblical and Christian perspective is helpful. The believer already knows it is not up to him or her to envision or bring about their best life. That has been settled in Jesus. He is our life and to choose anything less is what the Bible calls idolatry. The Bible is full of dire warnings against idolatry because God loves us, and he knows that choosing anything over Jesus for our life is to truly settle for less on a catastrophic level.

King Solomon’s story recorded in Ecclesiastes speaks vividly to how more gold, more women, bigger palaces, and faster horses simply do not bring the lasting fulfillment — a fulfillment that can only be found in a relationship with the true God of the Bible.

Here is another such warning painting the same picture of settling for less.

Has any nation ever traded its gods for new ones, even though they are not gods at all? Yet my people have exchanged their glorious God for worthless idols! The heavens are shocked at such a thing and shrink back in horror and dismay,” says the Lord. “For my people have done two evil things: They have abandoned me—the fountain of living water. And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all!”
Jeremiah 2:11-13 (NLT)

Jesus is the fountain of living water, and our loving Father has given us our best life in Jesus Christ. We can never achieve for ourselves more than God gives us by his grace. And he has given us his Son, in whom we can live our best life by the Spirit. We have all spiritual blessings in Jesus now, so let’s not become distracted by shiny things and get caught up in the striving for what we already possess in Jesus! Know this: you can trust the Father – after all, he never settles for less when it comes to you and me.

I’m Greg Williams, Speaking of Life.

Psalm 81:1, 10–16 • Jeremiah 2:4–13 • Hebrews 13:1–8, 15–16 • Luke 14:1, 7–14

The theme for this Sunday is a life of faithful obedience. The psalmist calls us to worship with a reminder to joyfully praise our Redeemer, listen to his voice, and obey him. In the Old Testament passage, the prophet Jeremiah shares God’s word to his people, which says they have traded in their precious relationship with their Redeemer for what was of little or no value. The author of Hebrews gives a description of what a life of faith in Christ looks like. And in the Gospel of Luke, we see Jesus teach some guests at a dinner the difference between their path of self-exaltation and his way of humble hospitality and service.

How to use this sermon resource.

Our Life of Faith

Hebrews 13:1–8, 15–16 ESV

Who first shared the gospel of salvation by grace through faith with you? Who in your life helped you grow in your relationship with Jesus Christ? Why were they so influential in your life?

Often, we do not pay enough attention to how the choices we make and the way we live our lives influence the people around us. As those who follow Christ, we are called to reflect the Lord Jesus Christ to those around us. We participate in his life and ministry in this world through our everyday lives, as we work, play, rest, and interact with one another.

In Hebrews 12, the author summarizes the point being made throughout the book, that Jesus Christ ratified a superior covenant in his blood, which supersedes that which was ratified using the blood of animals. God’s word to his people is his own Son, the One the apostle John called the Word of God, the Logos. He intercedes for us and acts as our high priest, our intercessor, and our mediator, with our Father in the Spirit. Having established these indicatives of our faith, the author offers a description of what this new life in Christ looks like in our everyday lives.

[Read Hebrews 13:1–8, 15–16 ESV]

As we go through this passage, we want to remember two things. The first and most important thing we want to remember is who God is, specifically in the person of Jesus Christ. In our passage for this Sunday, we learn that Jesus is unchanging in his saving grace and love. And we find that the Lord is our Helper, who is faithful and present in every instance, enabling us to be content and at peace in troubling times.

The second thing we want to remember is that our lives are meant to be a response of gratitude and praise for all God has done for us in Jesus Christ. The author of Hebrews shares some specific ways in which we, as those who trust in Jesus, live in this world. As we look at them, we can see that these ways are reflective of the life and person of Jesus Christ. All we say and do is in and through Jesus, done in his name, for the glory of God.

We realize that often we do not act and speak as those who are a true reflection of our Lord Jesus Christ. So, as we read these passages filled with imperatives or commands, we may believe that these are instructions for what we must do. Instead of thinking of these things in a prescriptive manner, it is better for us to think of them as a description of what a life of faithful obedience to Christ looks like. When we trust in Jesus and allow him to live his life in and through us by his Holy Spirit, this is how we behave.

As we prayerfully read this passage in openness to the Holy Spirit, let’s hear from God, and allow him to do whatever he needs to in our hearts and minds. As we open ourselves to the Holy Spirit and allow him to convict us and do his transforming work in our hearts and minds, and in our lives, this passage becomes a way in which God works his healing and transformation in our lives. By his Spirit, he gives us new motivations, new goals, and new desires. The Lord provides us with his power and presence, bringing us his strength and renewal.

Let us pray: Father, by your Spirit, please open us up to what you want to say to us in this passage. Enable us to hear your words to us. As we look at these verses, grant us a deeper repentance and faith. Turn our hearts and minds back to you. May your Spirit transform us by faith, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. Hebrews 13:1–3 ESV

“Let brotherly love continue.” Does this mean sisterly love is unimportant or omitted? No, this is not referring to genders or love from or between males. The Son of God showed himself to be our Brother. We should love one another as our elder Brother, Christ, has loved us. He showed his love for us as he joined us in our darkness and brought us into the light of God. One evidence of faith in Christ is the love of God which is shared between us as brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ.

Our heavenly Father shared his table with us, making a place for each person in and through Jesus our Lord. Our heart of hospitality toward others reflects God’s own heart of hospitality. We want to remember that in showing hospitality to others, we are showing hospitality to Jesus. When Abraham offered Eastern hospitality to strangers, he discovered he was hosting the Lord himself.

Jesus was held a prisoner by those who should have treated him with honor and respect. There are those who are imprisoned for his sake, or who are imprisoned unjustly, as he was. We do not want to forget those who are held captive in this way. Jesus came to set captives free, and we want to remember those who need released, for Jesus’ sake.

[Consider using a current example of Christians being persecuted.]

The author of Hebrews continues with a new topic:

Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. Hebrews 13:4 ESV

Our worldview regarding sexual relations needs to be grounded in the person of Jesus Christ. In his incarnation, the Son of God joined himself with humanity. He became one with us, so that we might be one with him. That is a connection that will never be broken by him. Even now, as our resurrected and ascended Lord, he bears our glorified humanity. This shows God’s heart when it comes to our covenant relationships.

When we look at God’s covenant relationship with ancient Israel, we find that the nation did not stay faithful to God, but pursued other love interests, depending on others instead of depending upon God. Despite ancient Israel’s unfaithfulness, which made her worthy of God’s “divorce,” the Son of God came in human flesh to bring restoration and renewal in the form of a new covenant relationship.

God desires faithfulness, fidelity, and integrity in our relationship with him and in our relationships with one another. For this reason, we choose to esteem the other better than ourselves and to cause no harm in the use of our body when it comes to sex.

Going on, the author of Hebrews tells us how to live contently:

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” Hebrews 13:5–6 ESV

When we are in need or want, we often immediately think of all our available options. We wonder how we are going to work things out using what we have on hand. The money we have or the money we lack becomes our focus. But the author of Hebrews reminds us instead to focus on who God is for us in Jesus Christ. “The Lord is my helper,” the author of Hebrews writes, and for that reason, we have no need for fear.

As we already said, God desires us to live faithfully with others and to do no harm. The love of money can lead to hoarding while others go without or to oppressing others so we can store up more and more. Let’s not forget: Jesus taught frequently on wealth and greed, even more than on sexual matters.

Now the author of Hebrews turns in a new direction:

Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:7–8 ESV

The gospel of Jesus Christ is not altered by our circumstances, our culture, or even our response to the good news. Therefore, we can rest in the unchangeableness of our Lord and Savior. The gospel of Jesus Christ transforms lives. There are mature believers who have influenced us and guided us on our spiritual journey. As we remember those who walk this journey ahead of us or with us, we are encouraged and helped to stay on track.

We measure each person, though, by the yardstick of Jesus Christ, tempered with his grace and truth. Someone may be a charismatic, influential leader, but it does not automatically mean we should follow them. The evidence of their lives may show us that they have areas in which they need to grow up in Christ. We may need to find someone else to guide us in those areas in our Christian walk.

Finally, we see a summation of our life in Christ and what we are to be doing as those who are in Christ:

Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. Hebrews 13:15–16 ESV

When we look at Christ and his response to the Father in the Spirit, we see how we are to live as those who reflect God’s glory and goodness. We consider the unity, oneness, and love of the Trinity expressed in Jesus’ incarnational life, death, resurrection, and ascension. From this, we are given clear direction in how we live in faithful obedience, worship, and gratitude. As we trust in Jesus’ perfections, and in his intercessions on our behalf, and allow his Spirit to reign in our hearts and lives, we experience healing, transformation, and renewal. The way in which we live changes, and we begin to resemble our Lord more and more.

One of the most important ways our lives can resemble our Lord is “to do good and to share what we have.” Living a generous life is one way we respond in faithful obedience to the work of his Spirit in our hearts and lives. Our actions arise out of a heart and mind surrendered to the will and purposes of Jesus Christ and filled with gratitude for all he’s done.

In tune with God’s heart, we live in the truth of who we are as God’s beloved children, designed to reflect his glory and goodness and love. Our sacrifices are the overflow of God’s love at work in and through us by his Holy Spirit. They are welcomed by the Father through Jesus’ intercessions on our behalf. And this gives us even more reason for gratitude and praise!

As we close, let’s consider the different ways listed in this passage we are to reflect God’s glory and goodness in this world. What does the Spirit indicate needs attention in your life? Is there something God wants to change? How might you begin to participate with what he wants to do in your life?

Let us pray: Father, thank you for all that you are doing in our lives through Jesus by your Spirit. We open ourselves up to you and ask you to finish what you have begun in us. Keep us in tune with your heart and obedient to your will, through Jesus our Lord and by your Spirit. Amen.

Ted Johnston—Year C Proper 17

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August 31, 2025 — Proper 17 in Ordinary Time
Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16

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Program Transcript


Ted Johnston—Year C Proper 17

Anthony: Our final passage of the month is Hebrews 13:1–8, 15–16. It is a Revised Common Lectionary passage for Proper 17 in Ordinary Time, August 31.

Let mutual affection continue. 2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. 3 Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them, those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured. 4 Let marriage be held in honor by all, and let the marriage bed be kept undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers. 5 Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for he himself has said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” 6 So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?” 7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

“Keep your lives free from the love of money,” verse 5 says, “and be content with what you have.” What might you say about this? A prophetic word, a social commentary. What does the church need to hear about this, Ted?

Ted: Don’t get me going.

Anthony: Well, I’m inviting you to, actually.

Ted: I don’t mean to get on my high horse because this speaks to my heart and is convicting, but I must say that the author of Hebrews …

Anthony: Yes.

Ted: … is certainly focusing in now on ethical matters. He is getting at the reality of his readers’ everyday life, and what they are thinking, what really motivates them, and therefore what they are doing. And he’s urging them to embrace, and through a Christ-like life, show forth the truth and power of the gospel.

You talk about evangelism; you talk about our Christ-like example in the world has a lot to do with how we live. And we don’t do it to impress people. We don’t do it for the favor of people. We do it because that’s the way Christ is, and we’re participating in his life.

And one specific behavior that he zeroes in on is living in contentment — free from a love of money is part of that. Money representing material goods, certainly an issue for these folks because following Jesus was often leading to them losing their way to make money. Their businesses were being closed down because of it. Their Jewish neighbors wouldn’t do business with them.

And that’s an issue for us today. Did they, do we, love money more than Jesus? It’s a challenge in a world that it becomes increasingly materialistic. Maybe we don’t have the same kinds of problems or temptations that they did in that respect, but we certainly face that challenge today.

And we are challenged to ask ourselves, are we generous with what we possess? Do we use our resources in order to offer hospitality to strangers, is the example he gives, which by the way, them being Jews familiar with the Old Testament, with Hebrew scriptures would have thought of those passages in the Hebrew scriptures that talk about the necessity of caring for people who are strangers among us — foreigners, if you will.

That’s certainly an issue in our world today, especially in the United States and other fairly wealthy nations. If you don’t mind, I’d like to read something that I ran across from Walter Brueggeman on that very issue. This is from Away, Other Than Our Own devotional for Lent. He said:

I believe the crisis in the United States Church has almost nothing to do with being liberal or conservative. It has everything to do with giving up on the faith and discipline of our Christian baptism, settling for a common generic US identity that is part patriotism, part consumerism, part violence, and part affluence.

That’s not an easy thing for people who are affluent and living in luxury — you and I, both, we live in luxury compared to most people in the world and certainly most people in history. And it’s easy to be seduced by that. And so, we have to look to Jesus, who though he experienced some physical blessings, I suppose you could say, would never grasp for those things. And he always shared what he had, even if it was very little. And we’re challenged to do the same thing, to show that kind of hospitality, to embrace strangers and to live in contentment, not to always be constantly trying to grasp for more.

And that is a challenge to us, and, I think, one that that makes me stop and think about it and we should stop and think we should be aware of that. The reason for it is in order for us to share more fully in the way of Jesus and to live a Christ-like life that can be seen by others and therefore help them to see Jesus.

And so there we are. He’s ending on a pretty strong note with these folks and it’s a word of correction for sure.

Anthony: It is, because if the church looks exactly like the world and its priorities, how can the church bear witness to Christ? How can it be an agent of change in the world?

You mentioned Walter Brueggeman. We’re recording this episode in June, and yes, Walter died within the past week and he was an Old Testament scholar, theologian, and a gift to the church. And I just want to commend his book on Prophetic Imagination to our listening audience. It’s a powerful word, and it’s a challenging word. And the church throughout its history has had to be challenged from time to time.

And I think what you just said is really an important word for all of us. Ted, we’re on the gun lap coming around to the end here, and I wanted to close with this. The writer of Hebrews says that Jesus will never leave you or forsake you, verse 5. The Lord is my helper, verse 6. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever, verse 8. So why don’t we end the episode with a proclamation of that good news of God revealed in Jesus Christ.

Ted: Yeah. Both the passage we read in Colossians, and now this in Hebrews — those were written nearly 2000 years ago, are really relevant today. And the reason for that is because Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

What that means is he is steady. He can be counted on. He is faithful, always faithful, and that’s great good news for us because Jesus, who is fully God and fully human, is very much alive and is with us and can be counted on at any time in any circumstance, whether that be true in first century Judea or 21st century North America or any continent on the face of this earth.

Jesus is the pioneer and perfecter of our faith and can be trusted, trusted to never leave us or forsake us. And so, we may place fully our trust in him. By God’s grace, trusting in Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit, we may, we must trust and follow him with reverence, perseverance, gratitude, and courage.

Anthony: And there you have it folks. Ted, it’s great to have you back. We’ve worked together in various ministry capacities through the years and we haven’t had a chance to catch up in months. It’s great to chat with you brother about the good news revealed in Jesus and holy scripture.

Tec: Likewise.

Anthony: This has been really sweet to have you on. And as a final word to our listening audience, I want to remind you, God has torn the temple curtain.

Ted: Amen.

Anthony: And nothing you can do can mend it. It is done. It is finished. Grace has conquered. Jesus has conquered all. And so, as the writer of Hebrews pointed us to, and Colossians pointed us to, cast off that old life, there’s something better awaiting us.

The promise of what is to come, new heaven and new earth, and let us move forward in the power of the Holy Spirit.

I want to thank the team of people that helped make this podcast possible. Reuel Enerio, Elizabeth Mullins, and Michelle Hartman. It’s a joy to work with them. And again, Ted, it was a joy to have you on the podcast, and as is our traditional end, we’d like for you to close us with a word of prayer.

Ted: Sure. Let’s pray.

Father, as we bring this time and your word to a close. We thank you for the great cloud of witnesses that you have given us. We thank you for your faithfulness to us through your Son and by your Spirit, for the way you have led your people to testify by their lives, and sometimes their deaths, to your goodness and grace.

Father, in this life, we often face great difficulties. Help us when we do to not be discouraged or distracted. Help us not to compromise or give up. And Lord Jesus, our high priest, keep our eyes fixed on you. And Holy Spirit, turn our eyes and our hearts toward Jesus. Give us that grace of perseverance. Strengthen our faith. Grant us a compelling vision of the fullness of our salvation that is coming in a new heaven and a new earth, the home for which we long. And now, Father, may you who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead, our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, equip us, equip those who are hearing this, with everything good for doing your will.

And Father, may you work in us what is pleasing to you through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. In his name we pray. Amen.


Small Group Discussion Questions

  • Is there a difference between behavior based on our effort to keep commands we are given, and freely living in joyful response to Jesus Christ as he lives in us by the Holy Spirit? How so?
  • How do we find comfort in the reality that Jesus does not change in his love for us and his faithfulness to us? In what way is this related to the gospel message?
  • Why is it important to ground our worldview regarding generosity in Jesus Christ? What did the author say were sacrifices pleasing to God?