Fairlawn Church Of the Nazarene Podcast

The questions of an honest doubter often lead to the strongest believer.

Christ enters our confused and scared stories to release us from fears and brings peace. 

Mary Magdalene came to the tomb of Jesus as a mourner, but left as a missionary!

God provides the necessary restoration with His creation in the resurrection story.

Have you ever heard of parents having the gift of the “stink eye?”  That means that when a child is acting up, his parent can look all the way across a crowded room with a very specific look and the child knows exactly that he better stop, or else!  Parents also have the gift of using just one word to convey a whole lecture full of truth.  My dad could say the word “Now!” with a stink eye and boy did I totally get what he was meaning!  There is a scene in John 19 where Jesus is on the cross and obviously is not speaking much.  In the very last minutes of his life the scripture says that he looked toward heaven and victoriously cries out “It is finished!”   This one word conveys so much more than what we normally assume when we read this story.  He is conveying that he has now accomplished everything that the Father had given him to complete in order to bring the Creator and the Created back into fellowship again.  Nothing more needed to be done, said, or accomplished.  He had fulfilled all of the prophecies, symbols and fore-shadowing in the Old Testament—over 300 of them.  He had been sent to seek and save the lost, and it was now completed.  Atonement was needed, and he brought about reconciliation between God and man through his death.  It truly was finished.  I would encourage you to prepare for Sunday’s message by reading the crucifixion story in John 19.  

Branding has become almost a science in our culture today.   Companies spend millions of dollars on finding the most effective logo and messaging to communicate about their company.  Jesus didn’t spend a penny on branding research.  As a matter of fact, his logo and message would have been rejected by just about everyone.  And yet, 2000 years later, one of the most recognizable symbols of the church and one of the most important things are the key to following Jesus.  Join us this Sunday either in person or online as we continue to learn how to LEAN IN to Jesus.

Do you remember your first crush?  Remember what it was like to become so infatuated with someone that you pursued them?  Jesus tells us that in order to follow Him, we need to “come after” Him, pursue Him, chase Him.  What does that look like?  What does it take to chase after Jesus?  Join us this Sunday either in person or online as we learn how to to LEAN IN to Him.

Have you ever been the last one picked?  Maybe it was on a playground during recess at school. Maybe it was when you tried out for a team and didn’t get picked. Maybe it was when you didn’t get the job you desperately wanted. We all have had times when we’ve felt rejected. When Jesus invited people to follow Him, he made the invitation out to anyone.  Everyone. All of us!  There are no qualifiers in the Kingdom. We all are invited — especially you!  Join us this Sunday either in person or online as we learn how to to LEAN IN to Him.

God is the one who transforms our lives.   But what’s our part in becoming more like Jesus?  Along with walking in step with His Spirit (Ephesians), Paul says we have to offer ourselves as living sacrifices (Romans). Jesus says we must take up our cross.  In other words, in order for Jesus to transform us, we have to LEAN IN to Him. Join us this Sunday either in person or online as we begin a new sermon series LEAN IN.

A few years ago, a Pew Research poll revealed a majority of American Christians (52%) think that at least some non-Christian faiths can lead to eternal life. Indeed, among Christians who believe many religions can lead to eternal life, 80% name at least one non-Christian faith that can do so.  But can they?  Jesus made an outrageous claim in John 14 that answers that question.  Hear about it this Sunday either in person or online as we conclude our series MOVING FORWARD.