Word of Life Church Podcast

By Pastor Brian Zahnd

Society & Culture Government & Organizations Philosophy Religion & Spirituality Spirituality Non-Profit Christianity

What's Word of Life Church Podcast about?

Word of Life Church in St. Joseph, Missouri is a thriving non-denominational church led by Pastor Brian & Peri Zahnd. We are followers of Jesus seeking to be an authentic expression of the kingdom of Jesus in the twenty-first century. Additional sermon audio and other resources are available on our church website.

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The Beginning of the Good N...

01.24.2021

Jesus came preaching the good news of God -- it was the proclamation of a new kind of kingdom, a kingdom where sins are forgiven and people are invited to live lives of generosity and peace. But why did some ...

Word of Life Church Podcast episodes:

01.24.2021 The Beginning of the Good News: The Good News of God (Audio) Jesus came preaching the good news of God -- it was the proclamation of a new kind of kingdom, a kingdom where sins are forgiven and people are invited to live lives of generosity and peace. But why did some ...
01.17.2021 The Beginning of the Good News: Sub Ficus (Audio) When Jesus told Nathanael that he had seen him under the fig tree, Nathanael instantly dropped his skepticism about Jesus and confessed, "You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" What does is mean to be ...
01.10.2021 The Beginning of the Good News: Thunder In The Desert (Audio) The beginning of the Good News begins with Jesus' baptism. It's nothing less than an invasion from heaven -- a holy invasion of love and grace and peace and the newness from above!
01.03.2021 Songs of Messiah: The Light Shines In the Darkness (Audio) John's poetic prologue to his Gospel is one of the loftiest presentations of Christology in all the New Testament—it's also one of them of the most beautiful passages of Scripture. John's theopoetics reaches its crescendo when proclaims...
12.27.2020 Songs of Messiah: Simeon's Song (Audio) When Jesus was dedicated in the Temple, two old prophets -- Simeon and Anna -- spoke of the infant Jesus as Salvation and Redemption. Indeed, Jesus will save both Simeon and Anna, but neither of them knows how.
12.20.2020 Songs of Messiah: The Angels' Song (Audio) The theology of God’s salvation is contained in three enormous Christ-events: The Incarnation, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection; or Christmas, Good Friday, Easter. The Incarnation launches everything and ultimately determines everything. Once the...
12.13.2020 Songs of Messiah: Mary's Song (Audio) Not only is Mary the most important woman in the story of salvation, we can say that, aside from Jesus, Mary is the most important person in the story of salvation! Yes, there’s Abraham, Moses, David, Elijah, Peter and Paul, ...
12.06.2020 Songs of Messiah: Zechariah's Song (Audio) Zechariah's Song is a a song of salvation announcing that we are to be saved from enemies and hate, fear and foes, placing our feet on the path of peace. And isn't that all we really want—to be set free ...
11.29.2020 Songs of Messiah: Servant Songs (Audio) The Christmas story doesn't begin with shepherds and magi coming to a cave in Bethlehem, it begins with enigmatic oracles from the Hebrew prophets centuries earlier. It begins with an angel making a surprising announcement to an old priest in...
11.22.2020 Let My People Go: Encountering Christ in Exodus: A Prophet Like Unto Moses (Audio) Moses was the great prophet who led Israel out of Egypt, gave them the Law, and formed Israel into an alternative society based on the worship of the true God and just treatment of neighbor. At the end of his ...
11.15.2020 Let My People Go: Encountering Christ in Exodus: In The Wilderness (Audio) Are you in a spiritual wilderness? Don’t despair—it’s a necessary part of the journey that takes you to the land that flows with milk and honey. And you are not alone in your wilderness journey—Jesus is with you. He’s the ...
11.08.2020 Let My People Go: Encountering Christ in Exodus: The Exodus (Audio) The living God is the God who sees, who hears, and who cares about human suffering. This is the God who comes to rescue and liberate. This is the picture of salvation in Exodus and it shapes the concept of ...
11.01.2020 Let My People Go: Encountering Christ in Exodus: The Burning Bush (Audio) No one looms larger in the story of the first Testament than Moses. Moses the deliverer, Moses the lawgiver, Moses the man who talked face to face with God, Moses the man who went toe-to-toe with Pharaoh. But at midlife ...
10.25.2020 In The Beginning: Finding Jesus In Genesis: Joseph (Audio) Like Joseph, Jesus is the beloved Son of the Father, who, although destined for Lordship, was first scorned by his own people, then betrayed into the hands of Gentiles, and finally cast into the pit of Sheol. But, like Joseph, ...
10.18.2020 In The Beginning: Finding Jesus In Genesis: Jacob (Audio) Jacob is the patriarch whom God later named Israel. It's through Jacob that “Israel” enters the Bible story. Jacob’s life embodies the story of Israel that reaches its fulfillment in Jesus Christ. As Jacob became Israel, so Jesus became Israel ...
10.11.2020 In The Beginning: Finding Jesus In Genesis: Isaac (Audio) We look for Jesus in the story of Isaac, because as Christians that is how we read the Bible. Issac is the son of promise. Jesus is the fulfillment of all the promises of God. Isaac is the son of ...
10.04.2020 In The Beginning: Finding Jesus In Genesis: Abraham (Audio) In his many adventures Abraham constantly encountered Christ in some way. Abraham encountered Christ in the Voice that called him out Ur of the Chaldees and into the land of Canaan. In the foreshadowing of Melchizedek king of Salem who ...
09.27.2020 In The Beginning: Finding Jesus In Genesis: Noah (Audio) Jesus is the Ark that carries the Cosmos away from corruption and into God’s new creation. Just as there was a door placed in the side of the Ark for access to salvation, so the side of Jesus was pierced ...
09.20.2020 In The Beginning: Finding Jesus In Genesis: Adam (Audio) Where do we find Jesus in Genesis in relation to Adam? We find Jesus as a new Adam who gives humanity a new original ancestor. We find Jesus in the Seed of the Woman who crushes the head of the ...
09.13.2020 In The Beginning: Finding Jesus In Genesis: Creation (Audio) If we read the Old Testament as only predating Christ instead of deeply anticipating and foreseeing Christ, we have failed to read it in a Christian manner. But when we see Christ as the Creator, as the New Adam, as ...
09.06.2020 Finding God In the Music: John Brown (Audio) John Brown went off to war to fight on a foreign shoreHis mama sure was proud of him!He stood so straight and tall in his uniform and allHis mama’s face broke out into a grin“Oh son, you look so fine, ...
08.30.2020 Finding God In The Music: Call Me Rose (Audio) My name was Richard Nixon only now I'm a girlYou wouldn't know it but I used to be the king of the worldCompared to last time I look like I've hit the skidsLiving in the project with my two little ...
08.23.2020 Finding God in The Music: Wooden Heart (Audio) We're all born to broken people on their most honest day of livingAnd since that first breath we'll need grace that we've never givenI've been haunted by standard red devils and white ghostsAnd it's not only when these eyes...
08.16.2020 Finding God In The Music: Woodstock (Audio) Well, I came upon a child of GodHe was walking along the roadAnd I asked him, tell me, where are you goingThis he told meSaid, I'm going down to Yasgur's FarmGonna join in a rock and roll bandGot to get ...
08.09.2020 Finding God In The Music: You Were There (Audio) Saw a man's home, a box made of cardboardFrozen to the bone, can't take much moreHe says Lord I need help here, send me a strong handTo lift me from the street, help me to standI've been forgotten, been forsakenPoisoned ...
08.02.2020 Finding God In The Music: The Logical Song - Supertramp (Audio) When I was young, it seemed that life was so wonderfulA miracle, oh it was beautiful, magicalAnd all the birds in the trees, well they'd be singing so happilyJoyfully, playfully watching meBut then they send me away to teach me ...
07.26.2020 No Ordinary Time: A New Hope (Audio) When things become unsettled, we typically look for some kind of change, something new, but what we need right now is not a new car, a new job, a new spouse, a new church, or a new country. What we ...
07.19.2020 No Ordinary Time: What To Do On the Worst Day of Your Life (Audio) When David returned to his home in Ziklag, he encountered disaster -- he had lost everything. His house had burned down, his possessions had all been stolen, his family had been kidnapped. What do you do on a day like ...
07.12.2020 No Ordinary Time: The God Who Speaks (Audio) The living God is the God who speaks. This God who knows you, loves you, and calls you by name, will speak to you. You can learn to discern the voice of God. And this is a wonderful thing, because ...
07.05.2020 No Ordinary Time: For the Weary and Worn (Audio) We live in a moment when almost everyone feels weary and worn. Too much has come at us too fast. We are facing no less than four crises at once: A public health crisis; an economic crisis; a political crisis; ...
06.28.2020 No Ordinary Time: The Word From Heaven (Audio) When I begin to feel pessimistic about the way things are in the world, I remember that the world will be saved, because God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the ...
06.21.2020 No Ordinary Time: Scandalous Joy (Audio) To cultivate joy that is not dependent upon acquisition or events is deeply Christian.‬ It also subverts the powers who want to control everything, including our joy. The powers want to dictate when and why we can rejoice, and then ...
06.14.2020 No Ordinary Time: Return of the Exiles (Audio) One of the most important stories in the history of Israel is the story of their exile in Babylon. Israel's experience with exile informs so much of the Bible that its importance cannot not be overemphasized. The story of exile ...
06.07.2020 No Ordinary Time: No Ordinary Time (Audio) The life of discipleship (which is to say the Christian life) is a life of obedience to Jesus. When the church lets decisions replace discipleship, we drift into nominal Christianity.
05.31.2020 The Eternal Church (Audio) This church and that church may come and go with the tides of time, but the Church, built upon the foundation of the revelation that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, will outlast the gates of ...
05.24.2020 The Only Foundation (Audio) The foundation for Christian faith is the revelation of Jesus Christ; not the Church, not the Bible. The revelation of Jesus is where our faith begins and it cannot begin anywhere else. The Church and the Bible are essential, but ...
05.17.2020 A Tale of Two Psalms (Audio) “The Psalms are not for those whose life is one of uninterrupted equilibrium. Such people should stay safely in the book of Proverbs.” –Walter Brueggemann In the world of the king, in the safe confines of the palace, just reward ...
05.10.2020 The Quarantine Sermons: The Way To The Father's House (Audio) When Jesus says he’s the way, he means he’s the way to Father’s House. And what is the Father’s House? It’s the House of Love. We constantly have to choose between the House of Fear and the House of Love.
05.03.2020 The Quarantine Sermons: Living the 23rd Psalm A Conversation with Brian & Peri Zahnd (Audio) On their 40th wedding anniversary Brian and Peri Zahnd talk about a life of following Jesus together.
04.26.2020 New Eyes and Burning Hearts (Audio) Have you ever said goodbye to a hero?Have you ever had to lay away your dreams?Have you ever been so lonely that a stranger is your best friend?Then you'll know what I mean So this is our highway to heavenOur ...
04.19.2020 Not Abandoned To Hades (Audio) When Jesus died his soul descended to hell, Hades, Sheol, the realm of the dead. But Jesus did not enter Hades as a captive, Jesus invaded Hades as a conqueror. Because Jesus is fully human, he could die and descend ...
04.12.2020 The Resurrection of the Dead Ones (Audio) The resurrection of Jesus Christ is not just a one-off personal victory for Jesus. The resurrection of Jesus Christ has cosmic implications -- new heavens and new earth! The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the event that guarantees the resurrection ...
04.05.2020 The Lenten Journey: A Palm Sunday Promise (Audio) Coming from the Mount of Olives, Jesus not only entered Jerusalem from the opposite direction than the Roman governor, but in the opposite manner. Instead of riding a warhorse like Pilate and all the warhorse riders throughout history, Jesus rides ...
03.29.2020 The Lenten Journey: "Now Is My Soul Troubled" (Audio) On three occasions in Galilee, Jesus foretold his death by crucifixion. But in Jerusalem, a few days before his death, Jesus talked about the meaning of his crucifixion. We cannot attempt to understand the meaning of the crucifixion without paying...
03.22.2020 The Lenten Journey: Love In the Time of Coronavirus (Audio) In the time of coronavirus the question isn't who can we blame, the question is how we can love and who can we help. We don't know what's going to happen, but we know we're not abandoned. We can't control ...
03.15.2020 The Lenten Journey: At the Well... Again (Audio) We find ourselves here again at the the well in Samaria. This sermon invites us into the story of the woman at the well with a fresh perspective and a daunting challenge. Are we willing to see this woman as ...
03.08.2020 The Lenten Journey: The Brightness of Jesus (Audio) At the Transfiguration the disciples had a powerful encounter with the brightness of Jesus in his divine glory. During the season of Lent we can let the brightness of Jesus shine into some of the dark places of our hearts. ...
03.01.2020 The Lenten Journey: Suddenly Angels (Audio) In speaking of the devil I mean something, though not precisely, like this: Experiences of evil and pressure toward evil that become disturbingly present in our lived experience. We all have these experiences with evil from time to time, and ...
02.23.2020 The Lenten Journey: Journey To The Center of Salvation (Audio) During Lent we follow Jesus from Galilee to Good Friday in Jerusalem. It’s a journey to the center of salvation. That the cross is the center of salvation is a confession all Christians can agree on, but precisely how the ...
02.16.2020 From Secret Place To Public Space (Audio)

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