New Life Philly

This Easter Sunday, 

Pastor Larry Smith takes us beyond the empty tomb and into the lives of the often-overlooked witnesses of the resurrection.
From Mary Magdalene—the first to see the risen Jesus—to Peter and the disciples back at their nets, to the two travelers walking the road to Emmaus, we see a powerful truth: Jesus meets people in unexpected places, in their doubt, grief, and even their return to old ways. Some recognized Him immediately. Others missed Him completely—at first.

This episode invites us to wrestle with a deeper question:
Will we recognize the resurrected Jesus when He shows up in our lives—and how will we respond when we do?
Because the resurrection isn’t just something to believe in… it’s Someone to encounter.

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Is that all you’ve got, Jesus?

As Gospel of Luke 19:28–44 unfolds, the crowd celebrates what looks like a victorious moment—palms waving, voices shouting, expectations rising. It’s Palm Sunday, and everything feels like the arrival of power, rescue, and glory.

But Jesus doesn’t meet their expectations—He rewrites them.

In this episode, we wrestle with a question many of us carry: What happens when Jesus doesn’t show up the way we thought He would? From a humble donkey to tears over a city, we see a Savior who refuses to fit into our limited vision of victory.

This isn’t weakness. This is a different kind of King.

Lean in as we explore how Jesus challenges our assumptions, exposes our shallow hopes, and invites us into a deeper understanding of who He truly is.

Because maybe the real question isn’t, “Is that all you’ve got, Jesus?”
…but “Have we been looking for the wrong thing all along?”

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In this episode, Reverend Wesley Johnson II calls us to slow down—and that’s exactly what this season of Lent is about.

Before we move forward, we reflect.

Acts 2 shows us a Church devoted to what mattered most: the Word, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer. No distractions. Just deep, steady devotion.

Lent invites us back to that kind of faith.
Less noise. More presence.
Less rushing. More surrender.

Because the way forward isn’t doing more—it’s returning to what matters most.

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In this episode, Pastor Larry Smith walks through Galatians 3:18–25, helping us understand the purpose of the law and how it ultimately points us to Jesus.

Paul addresses three important questions about the law:
Why was it given? Does it undermine God’s promise? And how does it actually work in the life of God’s people?

Rather than replacing God’s promise, the law exposes our need and prepares the way for Christ. It shows us our sin, guards us along the way, and ultimately leads us to the One who fulfills God’s promise.

The good news is that the law was never the final answer. Its purpose was always to direct our attention and hope to Jesus.

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So much of life teaches us that blessings must be earned. But the gospel tells a different story.

In Galatians 3:15–18, Pastor Larry Smith reminds us that God’s relationship with His people has always been rooted in grace and promise. The inheritance promised to Abraham wasn’t secured by human effort but by God’s faithfulness—and fulfilled through Jesus Christ.

Through Christ, we are welcomed into God’s family and invited to live with the assurance of children of God who stand on His promise.

Take a moment to rest in the good news: your inheritance isn’t something you achieve—it’s something you receive as a child of the promise.

Main Idea: God’s gracious promise, wrapped up in Christ, provides everything you need for your inheritance in God. 

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Jesus said you can’t pour new wine into old wineskins. So what happens when the King marks your life?

In Kingdom Wineskins: Marked By the King, Pastor Larry Smith walks us through what it means to become a new wineskin disciple — shaped by humility, reflection, and holy curiosity. This is about embracing hardship instead of running from it. Taking holiness seriously. Choosing love when it costs. Practicing forgiveness daily, sitting still long enough actually to hear God.

The question isn’t just “What is God doing?”
It’s “Where is the Holy Spirit trying to grow me right now?”

If you’re tired of surface-level faith and ready for formation that stretches you — this one is for you.

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Jesus said you can’t pour new wine into old wineskins. When the Kingdom comes, it stretches us. It disrupts comfort. It refuses to fit inside systems that were never built to carry resurrection life.

In this message, Pastor Larry Smith calls the church to become wineskins that can hold what God is pouring out right now — not stale religion, but living, active Kingdom life. And when we make room for that new wine, our lives begin to carry the unmistakable aroma of Christ in a world that desperately needs Him.

This isn’t about hype. It’s about formation. It’s about surrender. It’s about becoming a people who don’t just talk Kingdom — we smell like it.

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Passage: Mark 2:18-22 

Jesus didn’t come to tweak religion — He came to flip it. And when He talked about new wine and old wineskins, He was warning us: the move of God will make you uncomfortable.

New wine stretches. It presses. It feels risky. When God’s Kingdom shows up, it won’t fit inside your safe routines, your polished systems, or your “we’ve always done it this way.”

Main point: When God’s Kingdom comes, drastic and expansive change is necessary.

New Life Philly, if we’re asking for revival, we can’t be scared of discomfort. Growth stretches. New wine needs new wineskins.

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In this episode, we’re joined by guest preacher Drew Hart as we sit with one of Jesus’ most puzzling stories—the Parable of the Ten Minas in Luke 19.

At first glance, this parable can feel confusing… even unsettling. But together, we slow down and listen closely to what Jesus might actually be inviting us into. What if this story isn’t about pressure to perform, but about learning to trust the heart of a different kind of King?

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Following Jesus was never meant to be a solo journey. In this episode, Elder Bob Haymes explores how spiritual formation happens most deeply in community, as we learn to become like Jesus together.

Drawing from key New Testament passages—including Galatians 2:11–14, where Paul publicly confronts Peter—we see that even mature leaders need loving accountability, truth-telling, and community shaped by the gospel. Formation isn’t just about private devotion; it’s about shared life, mutual correction, and walking in step with the Spirit together.

This conversation invites us to reflect on:

• Why community is essential to becoming like Jesus
• How the gospel reshapes our relationships across differences
• What loving confrontation looks like in a healthy church
• How humility and truth help us grow into Christlikeness

Whether you’re deeply rooted in community or longing for it, this episode calls us to resist isolation and embrace the kind of shared life that forms us into the people of Jesus.

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