In our final episode we take some time to look at the wrestling of doubt in the days after the resurrection. All of the followers of Jesus experienced doubt after they heard the news of Jesus' resurrection. One of the most famous followers is Thomas. As we learn from his story we can see that doubt is a reality and isn't bad. In fact, it is actually necessary for us to experience doubt to grow in our faith.

In this episode we explore the beauty of the last supper and the significance of the passover meal that Jesus shared with His closest followers.

Meals were such an important part of the New Testament world and the life of the Jewish people. The Passover meal was one of the most significant meals that the Jewish people practiced and observed. This meal told the story of Israel's liberation from slavery in Egypt and God's faithfulness in their lives and history!

The last supper that Jesus shared with His followers was this meal and served as a heightened representation of God's redemption that was about to occur in Jesus' death and resurrection. The last supper was a beautiful "mess" of all the imperfect followers of Jesus sharing in God's faithful with their perfect leader (Jesus). After the resurrection - the followers of Jesus would continuously point back to the last supper as a way to always remember what God has done in Jesus!

In this episode we explore the mystery of Jesus' brilliance as He taught through parables. The primary means of Jesus' teaching came from stories that connected with His audience and listeners. They were so compelling that they still hold tremendous truth for us over 2,000 years later.

As we dive into some of the parables - we will find that the nature of grace, the temporal nature of material possessions, and the danger of hypocrisy are packed into these incredible teachings. The parables hold so much wisdom for our every day lives and walk with Jesus. Moreover, they teach us how we must and can stay close to Jesus as we learn to Follow Him Then and Now!

As we ⁠continue on in the life of Jesus ⁠we center in on Jesus' teachings and life of prayer. Prayer is a fascinating and critical element of Jesus' life and our life with Jesus. As we explore the nature of prayer we want to learn why Jesus prayed and why it was so important to his early followers.

One of the elements to consider is the nature of Jesus' humanity. As a human being, Jesus' primary connection to His Father - the God of the universe - was through prayer. In the same way, as human beings, a primary relational connection to God is through prayer. Jesus not only modeled the important of this connection but also leaves for us an example to follow and model of prayer. In the well known prayer of Jesus, the Lord's prayer, Jesus sets out a framework for how prayer should work.

As Pastor Kevin and Jerry talk through the importance of prayer they unpack a practical approach to prayer by following the acronym P.R.A.Y.

Praise

Repent

Ask

Yield

As you listen to episode - consider how your own personal prayer life can mold more toward the practice of prayer we see from Jesus.

As we ⁠continue on in the life of Jesus ⁠we come to a place in Jesus’ story where he talks and teaches about fear. Fear is a natural human emotion and while it is normal to be afraid, we tend to minimize our fears with words and phrases like, "There's nothing to be afraid of..."

Jesus handles fear a little differently. He very often acknowledges that there is, in fact, plenty to be afraid of and then almost immediately commands His followers to "not be afraid!" Jesus' approach to fear is an important perspective for us to take. The truth is life is filled with many things that rightly cause fear, but Jesus promises to be present with us and because of his presence and power we don't have to give into fear.

In this episode, Pastor Kevin and Pastor Anthony explore the dynamics of facing fear as followers of Jesus. As we look at Jesus' life then, we can learn what it means to Fearlessly Follow Him now!

As we continue on in the life of Jesus we come to a place in Jesus’ story where he teaches on the Sabbath. The Sabbath was a celebration of rest given to humanity at the origin of human history. It was a commanded day of rest of the people of Israel that fostered a deeper sense of trust and dependence on God. It was also a practical way for the people of Israel to take delight in God and His creation.

Over the centuries following Exodus, God’s people fell away from the practice of Sabbath and it – along with other neglected commands – led to the downfall of Israel and the exile. As such, during the days of Jesus – the religious leaders held to a strict and tyrannical view of the Sabbath. As Jesus interacted with the leaders, He challenged their warped views and helped them to see the more significant purpose behind the Sabbath.

It is important to remember that Jesus did practice Sabbath within the context that it was given and as God intended. For us, as followers of Jesus, we too want to practice Sabbath in a way that fosters trust and dependence on God. In this episode, Pastor Aaron Brown, Lead Pastor of Third Coast Community Church, and Kevin Pike, Senior Pastor of the Fearless Churches, dive into the significance of the Sabbath and how we can rightly understand it now.

As we enter into the a season of Following Jesus Then and Now we want to take a critical look at one of the more inspiring and challenging elements of Jesus’ early ministry – His baptism. We read these words in the gospel of Mark:

Mark 1:9-11

9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.10 Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

The baptism of Jesus is an event that occurs in all four gospels, making it a prominent and significant story for us to pay attention to. While we, in the American Church, tend to see baptism as an optional element of our faith (something we do when we “get around to it”) there is a deeper significance to it and our faith journeys. Throughout the history of the church – baptism has been an important part of Following Jesus. That is because of what occurs in the life of Jesus both at the beginning of his ministry (marked by baptism) and the end of his ministry (emphasizing baptism).

Baptism was, for Jesus, the inauguration of his ministry. It was also the inauguration for the launching of the church. Jesus commissioned his first followers to “make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:19-20) and that process starts with baptism. Effectively, Jesus prioritizes baptism as the beginning of the our pursuit of his ways and kingdom life.

In our first episode of the “Jesus: Following Him Then and Now” podcast – Kevin Pike, Senior Pastor of the Fearless Family of Churches, and Josh Zoerhof, Teaching and Chaplaincy Pastor of the Fearless Family of Churches, explore why the emphasis of baptism in the life of Jesus is so important for our lives.