GSLCVA Podcast

In this Sunday's gospel John, the Baptist was called not to baptize, but to witness to the light, and the coming of the Savior, Jesus Christ. Join Pastor James as he discusses how like John, we are also called by God to witness to the light. Witnessing is about how we are called to talk about what matters most to us, questions of meaning and purpose, our relationships, and what happens in our daily lives in light of our faith.

In life, we have checklists of tasks to remember and perform ahead of our daily activities. Preparation and adaptation are vital as we face challenges to our checklists. In today's Gospel, we see how our daily checklists pale in comparison to the story of John the Baptist. Join Pastor Johann as he discusses the vital preparations of the believer's life as we strive to prepare our hearts, purge sin from our lives, repent, and focus on Jesus, as he gives us deep peace and rest.

Perhaps more than any of the other Gospels, Mark offers a distinctly apocalyptic view of only Jesus and the Christian life. Not, mind you, apocalyptic as in the end of the world. His views pull back the curtain of false hopes and realities. In doing so, Mark helps to reveal God's commitment to enter into, and redeem, our lives and world just as they are.

People are more comfortable with the known rather than the unknown. We want certainty, the bottom line, and we want to know what is going to happen more than wanting a particular outcome to happen. As we crave certainty, we realize that life is full of uncertainty. Join us today as Pastor Johann discusses how in a world with seemingly no certainty about anything our Lord is clear. He lived and died for us, and through His grace, we will inherit the kingdom of God the Father for eternity.

Noticing and thanking – the first step to setting in motion a cycle of gratitude and grace. Join Pastor James as he discusses how after noticing the blessing we have just received, we cannot forget to turn and give thanks, just as the leper did on the road to Jerusalem. And having been noticed with gratitude, we will discover it easier to gratefully notice in return.

When considering today's text, The Parable of the Talents, one of the great scholarly debates is whether or not we should treat the landowner as God. Join Pastor James as he examines just how do we imagine and treat God in light of the text. Do we see Him as arbitrary and capricious or as loving and gracious? Moreover, just how does what we see impact the way we live our lives?

Do you procrastinate and get things done at the last minute? Do you realize that procrastination typically has poor results? Join us today as Pastor Johann discusses how our Lord is patient and full of grace; but judgment day is coming, and we should not procrastinate with our spirituality. Instead of doing the minimum to get by, we should be ready to carry out the commission God has given us. We should have a Christian attitude, doing the best for the Lord, transformed to serve Him always.

Humanity holds a fascination with life, death, and the afterlife. We all share a mortal nature and death is an inevitable part of life. On this All Saints Day, we honor and remember the saints gone before us. Join us today as Pastor Johann discusses how salvation is for all people; how those who have gone before us have found lasting rest through the mercy and grace of God; how we remember them today; and rise to serve Him until we are called to the Lord.

The rise of an earthly civilization and its preeminence never lasts as societal values and morals ultimately break down. Join us this Reformation Day as Pastor Johann discusses how history has shown that selfish ambitions have veered people, and civilizations, off-track. Instead of judging our shortcomings we should focus on revitalizing our faith lives by repenting, focusing on Christian fundamentals, and understanding how His gift of grace transform us providing lasting salvation.

Sunday, we arrive at the point in Matthew's story about Jesus where things are getting tense. Riding the wave of popular acclaim, Jesus is confronted by the religious leaders regarding the authority behind his actions. Jesus asks to see a coin and answers with a question, "Whose likeness and inscription is this?" Join Pastor James then asks us, just whose likeness do we bear? Do we bear God's likeness? Or act for ourselves instead of for Him?