Branches HB Podcast

In the second installment of our series exploring the presence of God, Andrew Schey urges us to reconsider how we perceive God's Spirit in and around us. Much like equating the act of breathing with the presence of air, we should look for the common evidences pointing to the work of the Spirit in every aspect of our lives. In doing so, we find that the question isn't "Where is the Spirit of God working today?" but "Where isn't the Spirit of God at work?"

In Luke 20:27-40, Jesus is presented with a seemingly trick question by the Sadducees who are attempting to prove that there is no afterlife. Jesus proceeds to dismantle their futile worldview by correcting their assumptions about heaven and demonstrating that God is the God of the living. As Chris Shaddix explains, if we're fixated on the temporary things right in front of us, we will never find fulfillment. Instead, we need to retrain our vision through scripture, worship, communion, and prayer in order direct our eyes to God in hope and expectation of what is to come.

In this installment of our series, Andrew Schey leads us through Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem detailed in Luke 19:28-48. Despite arriving to shouts of praise from his followers, Jesus is quickly met with disdain from the Pharisees and corruption in the temple. He knows that in just a short while, Jerusalem will not only condemn him to death, but also be destroyed by invading armies. How did the long-anticipated Messiah become unrecognizable to the religious leaders around him? As we find in this teaching, we too can miss the God of the universe right in front of us by looking for the wrong things in the wrong places.

As we continue our series, Brock Snook unpacks the scene in Luke 19:1-9 in which a despised tax collector, Zacchaeus, climbs a sycamore tree to see Jesus pass through a crowd. When Jesus calls him out of the tree in order to be a guest at Zacchaeus's home, we find that salvation is available to anyone who simply accepts Jesus’ free invitation. However, if you don't decide to come down from your tree, you not only reject Him as your savior, but also force Him to be your judge.

In this message from Luke 18:15-18, Andrew Schey teaches on the importance of becoming like a little child before God to receive His blessing. As his disciples attempted to turn away parents seeking Jesus' blessing for their babies, Jesus challenged societal values and hierarchy by blessing children, though they were unworthy in their weakness and lack of righteousness. As a child, you too must embrace your weakness and acknowledge your needs If you are to receive Jesus' blessing.

In a parable from Luke 18:9-14, Jesus teaches the importance of humility, as those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. The simplicity of this teaching can cause the message to be overlooked. However, as teacher Kyle Vick points out, a true understanding and practice of the humility Jesus is after is challenging, but Jesus himself says that the one who is humble is justified before God. Are you willing to name your needs and shortcomings before Jesus, who wants to bless you?

In this teaching from Luke 17:20-18:8, Jesus answered the question of when the Kingdom of God would come, describing a present spiritual reality rather than a calendar date. In this study, Brian Sumner challenges all who hear this teaching not to limit it to a literal, physical understanding of the details and how the events of the end times will happen, but to receive this as a teaching for you today. While the Second Coming of Jesus has not yet happened, the Kingdom of God is a present spiritual reality if your eyes are open to the miracles of God around you and you are living an active, urgent life for God, preparing the way as a preacher of the gospel in whatever position or community God has placed you.

Andrew Schey leads this study on Luke 17:11-19, which records the account of Jesus healing ten lepers as he was traveling along the border of Samaria and Galilee. While all nine were physically healed, only one came back to thank Jesus, and only one was healed spiritually and received salvation. What separated him from the other nine was simply his heart of gratitude, which is the door to eternal life. Are you more concerned with physical healing and improving your immediate circumstances, or are you concerned with eternal wellness and thanking the Giver for your blessings?

In this message, Andrew Schey teaches from Luke 17:7-10, which contains one of an assortment of Jesus' teachings on how we ought to be as disciples. in the passage, Jesus relates the humility we ought to have through the dynamic between a master and servant, as all who accept God's grace are His servants. If you accept the gospel, you can do so with entitlement or humility, but only humility reflects what Jesus is after. Where is your heart? Is your heart full of gratitude as an unworthy servant or are you entitled to His grace as if God owes you?

In this message from Luke 16:19-31, Andrew Schey leads a study on Jesus’ teaching about the Rich Man who neglected the beggar, Lazarus, who was laid at his doorstep. Jesus shows that that all who hear the teaching found in scripture and receive God’s grace are accountable for what God has revealed to them, and have a responsibility to love and tend to the needs of those around them. There are many needs in the world, and your healing from your own sin and brokenness comes as you love others as Christ first loved you. Will you neglect or care for a “Lazarus” in your own life?