Parker Ford Church's Podcast

Christians, to the extent that we live out the teachings and example of Jesus, are a sneak preview of eternity. And perhaps, as much as any other Christian trait, mercy is the ultimate sneak peek into the Kingdom of Heaven. One way to understand mercy is "extravagant kindness". There's no reason God has to be so extravagantly kind to us...but he is! And we get to live in the same way towards others. 

Have you ever been hangry? Have you ever been around someone else who is hangry? Hangry, if you're not familiar with it, is the state of being angry...because you're hungry. It's not just toddlers who get a little grumpy when they have an empty stomach. In Matthew 5:6 Jesus says that those who are hangry for righteousness will be satisfied. This week we explore the hunger and thirst that points towards the righteousness and justice of the Kingdom of Jesus.

“Blessed are the meek.” This Sunday as we take a look at Jesus’ next statement in Matthew 5:5, we’re going to see just how fortunate are those who humbly live outside of centers of power and influence, who are even squashed under the thumb of the wicked, yet humbly wait on God and look to Him for ultimate deliverance and justice. Join us as we continue to learn about the ‘upside-down kingdom’ that Jesus brings. 

This week, we are going to look at the second beatitude. Remember, at the start of this teaching, Jesus is talking specifically to his followers and trying to show them what it looks like to be in his Kingdom, which is often “upside down” from the world. Matthew 4:17 says, “Repent for the Kingdom of heaven has come near.” Jesus is now going into further explanation on what his Kingdom looks like. We are taking the time to slowly walk through these principles... it helps us understand not only our call as a follower of Christ, but also the flipside... the pitfalls that we can find ourselves in.  

Have you ever felt depleted in life? Have you ever been in a place where you felt like you had very little to offer in the way of resources, strength, influence, and abilities? Maybe that describes how you’re entering this new year. If so, Jesus offers you tremendous encouragement at the very beginning of His ‘sermon on the mount.’ This Sunday, we’ll soak in this blessing of His presence for the powerless. 

Jesus is the image of the invisible God. He is the standard by which humanity is to live. He is the Light of the World, by which we know the truth. To be a disciple of Jesus is to follow Him, be taught and apprenticed by Him, and to become like Him. This week we enter into Jesus' vision for life in His kingdom. It's an upside down kingdom, different from any other kingdom this world has to offer. Ready? Let's go! 

Jesus is the Light of the World. This is one of the seven "I Am" statements in the Gospel of John. In John 8, Jesus says, "I am the light of the world." This statement pretty much sums up the gospel message. The world, and all of us who live in this broken world, are filled with darkness. But Jesus came and is the light by which we see and experience the truth. But Jesus also says to his followers, "You are the light of the world." Amazingly, God works through people - He shines His light through us! John the Baptist's story illustrates how much the light of God can shine through a person who points to Jesus.

Today we’ll be continuing the Christmas story as told in Luke’s Gospel. Mary visits her relative, Elizabeth and then gives a magnificent psalm of thanksgiving to God. Each step along the way, we see her obedience, faith, and humility. Our focus will be drawn to God in worship because of one person’s humble adoration. The Mighty One truly does great things and He loves to do them through those who are humble.  

The light of the world arrives in an unlikely place, through an unlikely messenger, to an unlikely person, through an unlikely means, but is shone brightly through a faith that believes that with God - all things are possible! Today we’ll listen in on a conversation with a young teenage girl and yes … an angel! We’ll discover that God is at work installing a king and kingdom for all nations for all-time! This is truly good news of great joy to all people! We continue the Christmas story in this second week of Advent! 

As we kick off the Advent season with our Light in the Darkness series, we will be looking at Luke, chapter 1.  Join us to re-imagine hope as we celebrate how God was—and still is—moving towards His people.  

It’s the season of giving. As Christ-followers, we get the awesome privilege to give all year long! Join us this Sunday as Pastor Gil Vining will share some unforgettable personal stories to illustrate Scripture’s teaching in this area of giving. We’ll reflect on various ways we all can give of our time, talents, and treasure to Christ and His work. 

Our ultimate goal is to glorify and please God. However, as we’ll see in Romans 15, we are also called to please others in a way that demonstrates consideration, patience, love, harmony, acceptance, service, generosity, and support through prayer. We need each other. Join us this Sunday as we’ll be reminded that this life is not just about pleasing ourselves. 

The most basic meaning of the biblical word for judge/judgment means to "separate" or "rule over." Jesus says, "Do not judge, or you too will be judged" (Mt 7:1). Paul writes, "Who are you to judge someone else's servant?" The idea here is that everyone who is a follower of Jesus is a servant of God. Jesus alone can sit in the judgment seat (separating out wheat and tares and ruling over). Our job is to "live and die for the Lord" (Rom. 14:8). Jesus - the one true Judge and King - will take care of the rest.

Don’t even think about hitting that snooze button! The alarm is going to sound this Sunday at PFC and the text is going to challenge us to wake up and get dressed. The Apostle Paul will explain why there’s such urgency and will also tell us how we are to dress and live in a spiritual sense. 

This week we are looking at something that can often make us squirm… authority. In Romans 13, which is right after Paul talks about love, he hits us hard on what it looks like to honor authority. How do love and authority coexist? 

"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." From the Garden of Eden, down through the history of ancient Israel, into the age of the early church, and on through church history to us, this simple encouragement is given by the Spirit of God to every generation. How do we overcome evil with good? Jesus. He is embodied good. 

So often, we tend to think that “true worship” takes place in our hearts and minds. Yet, Romans 12 explicitly shows us that it is the sacrifice of our bodies that the Lord declares holy and pleasing worship.  Shannon Vining, our Worship and Creative Arts Director, guides us in taking a closer look at what it means to worship God with our bodies.

You may have heard us talk about it before...but the word "good" is one of the most theologically rich and spiritually significant words in the Bible. It features prominently in crucial passages like Genesis 1-3. It is also a key word in understanding Romans 12. The Apostle Paul says, "Hate what is evil, cling to what is good." This phrase catapults us back to the very beginning of the human story when Adam and Eve were tempted to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 

In Christ we’ve been given unique gifts of God’s grace. This Sunday we’re going to look at Romans 12:3-8 and discover that we are to use these gifts in our community of faith. There are numerous ways here at PFC and elsewhere to use your God-given gifts. It’s more fun to play on the field than to merely spectate from the stands! Let’s go!