Andy Talks

We see Haman get a great position of great honor, yet Mordecai will not defer to Haman as Haman thinks is right. Haman is offended, and his pride is hurt. Because of this hurt pride, Haman decides not just to kill Mordecai but to destroy all the Jews. Because of his wounded pride Haman is willing to destroy so many. What relationships are destroyed, and what harm is caused because of our pride? Pride is always destructive! Shameless plug: here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Esther%203&version=NIVYou can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/b

In our Traditional message from January 19, 2025, Andy shares with us from John 6: 35-41.  In the first of our series about the "I Am statements of Jesus, we see that He is the Bread. We unpack what it means to feast on the goodness of Jesus. 

We see the story of Esther continuing to play out. Mordecai hears about a plot to assassinate the king, and he tells Esther, who in turn tells the king.  He then has these two men impaled upon poles. This may not seem like a lot happening, but see that Mordecai is involved and doing good. He tells Esther, who then tells an irrational king.  These steps don’t seem like that much, but in time, they will be the very steps that will help save God’s people. God is bringing all these little, seemingly insignificant things together.  We will see how all these things play out. God will work it all for good in the coming chapters.  Shameless plug: here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phon

The King begins his search for a new bride today. I jokingly say that this feels a lot like our modern concept of The Batchelor. All we need are the cameras and TVs. But each woman is lavished so much, perfumes, oils, so many things. When it comes to meeting the king, they can do or take whatever they would like. Esther doesn’t do any such thing; she simply goes with what they suggest and trusts in who she is and what God has graced her with. In life, we can choose to rely upon the things of the world, or we can choose to rely upon God. Esther chose to rely upon who she is and what God has given her. Will we rely upon Jesus or rely upon the world? Shameless plug: here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this dail

Not every story in the Bible is given so that we know what to do sometimes; they are given to us so that we know what not to do. We see King Xerxes today, and we see how powerful he is. He is throwing grand and great festivals. He is showing his power and wealth for all to see. The last thing that he wants to show off is his wife. And she refuses to be treated as such, so he banishes her. We are called, as people and as husbands and wives, to show respect to each other. Xerxes has much, yes. But he is not living in a way that we should see to imitate as Christians. Shameless plug: here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s pa

Remember where we started the book of Ruth? Naomi had lost everything. She lost her husband, her children, her people, everything. This book begins with having nothing. But then, we see God’s loving kindness modeled over and over again. Ruth to Naomi. Ruth to Boaz. Boaz to Ruth. And in the end, God to Naomi. God’s kindness to Naomi affects all of Israel and affects each of us to this very day. Shameless plug: here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ruth%204%3A%2013-22&version=NIVYou can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/

In our Traditional message from January 12, 2025, Andy shares from Luke 2: 15-22. On this Baptism of the Lord Sunday, we talk about the promises we make to God in our baptism, but more importantly, we talk about the promise God makes to us.

Today, another has the chance to redeem Namoi’s property and, with that, gain Ruth as a wife. The man, first in line, does not do that. It’s interesting the scripture never names him. There’s even a funny Hebrew idiom that he is called. I’m not saying that he commits a sin, but he does not do what he could have. We focus a lot on sins of “commission” when we do things we should not do. We should also focus on the sins of “omission” when we do not do the things we should be doing. Let’s avoid evil, yes. But let’s also seek to do good. Shameless plug: here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here - https://www.biblega

Chapter three of Ruth is full of some interesting things. Threshing floors, odd routines, things just sound out of step to us.  What is happening? We see Ruth showing to Boaz that her time of grief is now over, and she would desire marriage. But not just any marriage, but marriage to him. As an older person, this is quite an unexpected gift of kindness. Once again, we see in Ruth the power of kindness, of true, empathic kindness, to change everything. Shameless plug: here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ruth%203&version=NIVYou can watch this in video form h

We begin to see the power of kindness today. Boaz shows kindness to Ruth. Why? Well, first, he’s a good man. Second, he tells her that he and others have heard of the kindness that she has shown to her mother-in-law.  Ruth has left her people and has taken refuge under the wings of the God of Israel. We see kindness begin to weave its way into so many tales of redemption. Kindness is always rewarded, for it brings goodness.  It changes others, and it changes us. Shameless plug: here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ruth%202%3A%204-34&version=NIVYou can watch

In our Traditional message from Ephiphany, Andy shares with us from Matthew 2: 1-12. We see the story of the Wise Men, but more than this, we see the first impression of who Jesus is. We see the wideness of God's mercy. 

Ruth goes out to glean from the fields of harvest. Gleaning is a command that God gives His people regarding the harvest. They are not to take everything from the field. They are to leave room at the margins for the poor. It is one of God’s ways to force His people to remember (and see) the poor. And Ruth just so happens to find herself at Boaz’s field. God is work, causing us to remember the poor guiding us in our lives. Let’s give ourselves space to pay attention to God’s nudge. Shameless plug: here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ruth%202%3A%201-3&versio

Naomi tells the people, do not call her by her name but now call her “Mara.”  This is the Hebrew word for bitter.  In the Bible, your name isn’t just what they call you; it’s who you are. Namio is telling the people she has changed. She is bitter.  We will all suffer. We will all have bad times. But don’t let grief change your name. Don’t let it change who you are. Stay rooted in what is good, not in bitterness.  Don’t let it change you. Shameless plug: here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ruth%201%3A%206-22&version=NIVYou can watch this in video form here

We’ll start today looking at the book of Ruth. This is a wonderful book, one of my very favorites, because it teaches us the power of redemptive kindness. We need some of that redemptive kindness in the world today, don’t we? We all hope the New Year will be better, but we look a few days in and realize everything is the same as it has always been. We will have hard times this year, as we do each year. Don’t hope for a perfect year. But live this year knowing that God is with us, no matter what! Shameless plug: here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ruth%201%3A%2

In our Christmas Eve sermon, Andy shares with us from Luke 2: 1-20. Mary saw all that had happened that night and treasured it. May we watch what God is doing and treasure it as well.

In our Traditional message from December 22, 2024, Andy shares with us from Luke 1: 39-45. Mary needed safety and welcome. Where did she go? She went home. So can we. Come home. Come home to faith, to church and community, to Jesus. 

Jesus forgives Peter. He asked Peter three times if he loved Jesus. Each time, Peter responds yes, but the word “love” that Peter uses is not the word that Jesus uses.  Jesus eventually responds with the same “love” as Peter. Jesus meets Peter where He is. Jesus knows us; He loves us. He understands us. He also tells Peter not to worry about others and their journey. He is to follow Jesus. Don’t worry about them. Follow Him. Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2021%3A%2015-25&version=NIVYou can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/

We see Peter going fishing today. This doesn’t just mean he’s going back to an old hobby, but he’s going back to his old life. This whole Jesus stuff is over. He’s tried it, he failed, and he’s going back to what he knows. He’s going fishing. But even when he’s going back to the old, who finds him there?  Jesus.  Even when he wants to walk away, Jesus is there. Jesus didn’t give up on him. And He won’t on you either. Don’t give up on Jesus. Because Jesus won’t give up on you. Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2021%3A%201-14&version=NIVYou can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/

We see John tell us today why we have his Gospel and really all the rest of the Bible. It was given so that we may believe that Jesus is the Messiah and that we may have life through believing in Him. John, and all the Bible, was given to us not merely for information but for transformation. It was not given so that we could know more; it was given so that we could be transformed by the grace and goodness of Jesus! Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2020%3A%2030-31&version=NIVYou can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/

I love Thomas. I always feel the need to defend him because we identify him by his worst moment, “Doubting Thomas.” We don’t think about the brave moments before today’s text or after today’s text. We only think about this moment. As someone who has struggled with doubt at times, I resonate with Thomas. But today, he experiences Jesus. And Jesus says, stop doubting and believe. Remember that experience and believe. That’s good for us today as well. We need to remember when we experienced Jesus. Hold on to that moment. And believe!  Today, may we remember what God has done. May we stop doubting and believe! Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2020%3A%2024-29&version=NIVYou can watch this in video form h