Andy Talks

We see Paul talk today about the promise that God makes to Abraham. The fulfillment of that promise was always going to be Jesus. Jesus was always God’s plan; He was the lamb that was slain before the foundations of the earth.  In an age that seems topsy-turvy and like everything is going wrong, we sometimes don’t know who or what we can trust. We can always trust God’s promises.

Shameless plug: here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/

Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.

If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up.

You can read today’s passage here - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians%203%3A%2015-18&version=NRSVUE

You can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/

Paul asks the Galatians this question - did you start your journey with faith?  Why do you expect to finish it by works?  We often make the mistake of knowing that we are saved by faith but believing that once we are saved or justified, we have to be sanctified through our own efforts. We partially live as if we are saved by faith but sanctified through works. That’s not the way that it is. We are justified through faith. But we are also sanctified by faith. It is God’s grace at work in us, in all things.

Shameless plug: here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/

Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.

If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up.

You can read today’s passage here - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians%203%3A%201-14&version=NRSVUE

You can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/

We see Paul begin the heart of this teaching in Galatians. If we are saved by works, then Christ died for nothing. The equation is not Jesus plus correct doctrine equals salvation. It is not Jesus, plus the right church equals salvation. It is not Jesus, plus the right gifts of the spirit equals salvation. It is Jesus equals salvation. Just Jesus. He alone saves. That’s the Gospel.

Shameless plug: here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/

Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.

If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up.

You can read today’s passage here - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians%202%3A%2015-21&version=NRSVUE

You can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/

We see the conflict that happens between Paul and Peter over what to do with these Gentiles who are becoming Christians. Should they first become Jews?  Do they need to follow the dietary laws? Become circumcised?  Everyone thought this had been handled, but it came up again to the point that Paul had to publicly rebuke Peter.  He reminds him, that he lives by grace, and so should others.  Do we expect a perfection from others that we do not expect from ourselves?

Shameless plug: here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/

Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.

If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up.

You can read today’s passage here - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians%202%3A%2011-14&version=NRSVUE

You can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/

Paul knows he has been called by God. He has a vision. He knows. But yet, what does he do?  He still knows that he needs to make sure that he is being held accountable. He needs to make sure that he is faithful.  He knows he can’t live this life alone. He knows that he needs the church.  So do we. We need the church. We need each other. We can’t do it alone. We need this community. 

Shameless plug: here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/

Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.

If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up.

You can read today’s passage here - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians%202%3A%201-10&version=NRSVUE

You can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/

Paul tells us what he has been through today. He violently persecuted the church. He tried to destroy it. Folks didn’t really want to believe it at first, but in time, they gave God the glory for what had happened. Sometimes, people don’t deserve a second chance. Sometimes, they have done nothing to earn it. But amazing things can happen when grace is given. Look what Paul did with a second chance. Who do you need to give a second chance to today?

Shameless plug: here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/

Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.

If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up.

You can read today’s passage here - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians%201%3A%2011-24&version=NRSVUE

You can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/

We look today at Galatians 1. Paul is making sure the people know two things. First, he is an apostle. He is not there on his own or of his own accord. He is there because he has been sent by God. Second, he is sent by God with a message of the Gospel, this Gospel of grace, open to all who believe. He wants them to know that anyone, even an angel, who teaches a Gospel other than this is wrong. The Gospel is beautiful. It is life. Paul wants them to know the beauty of the Gospel, no matter what! 

Shameless plug: here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/

Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.

If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up.

You can read today’s passage here - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians%201%3A%201-10&version=NRSVUE

You can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/

Today, we begin looking at Galatians. This is a wonderful book, one of my favorites. Galatians deals with this question: is Jesus enough? We see the constant debate in this book: did someone have to become a Jew before becoming a Christian?  Did they have to follow the Law? What Jesus enough? Did it require more than faith to be a Christian? This is still a question that we wrestle today. Is Jesus enough?

Shameless plug: here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/

Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.

If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up.

You can read today’s passage here - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Esther%209%3A18-10%3A3&version=NIV

You can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/

Esther comes to an end with the beginning of the Jewish holiday known as Purium. It is still celebrated to this day. One of my professors in seminary, a rabbi, told us that it often felt like a Jewish Halloween, with candy and scary masks representing Hamann. As this day is celebrated, the story is told over and over again. There is something powerful about telling our story. When was the last time you told your story to your children or your grandchildren? When have you told them about your salvation?  Or about what God has done for you?  Tell your story today. There’s power there!

Shameless plug: here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/

Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.

If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up.

You can read today’s passage here - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Esther%209%3A18-10%3A3&version=NIV

You can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/

In our Traditional Message, Andy shares with us from John 8:12 and 9:5. As we continue our series "I Am," looking at the I Am statements of Jesus, we talk about what it means to say that Jesus is the Light of the World. How is He light in our lives and in the world?