Mt Lebanon United Methodist Church's Podcast

God built our brains to make generalizations and figure out probabilities - it can save our lives!  But sometimes those generalizations can cross over into sinful behavior.  We'll use Jesus' calling of Nathanael to show how to avoid this pitfall.Scripture reading: John 1:43-51Pastor Scott Miller, preacher. Music permission obtained from ONELICENSE: A-700887. All rights reserved. Support the show (https://secure.accessacs.com/access/oglogin.aspx?sn=112595&f=107)

Words create worlds. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth with words alone, and our speech continues to create the world that we live in. As Christians, we are challenged to take words seriously as we follow Jesus, the One who is the Word of God in human form (John 1:14).Scripture reading: Genesis 1:1-5Pastor Tom Strandburg, preacher. Music permission obtained from ONELICENSE: A-700887. All rights reserved. Support the show (https://secure.accessacs.com/access/oglogin.aspx?sn=112595&f=107)

Most of us live at various times with longing and fear.  The wise men acted on their epiphany with longing; Herod with fear.  But what if he had reached out to what that star led to?  How would it have changed him?  How would it change us if we reached out with longing to that Christmas star, rather than hold back at times with fear?Scripture reading: Matthew 2:1-12Pastor Scott Miller, preacher. Music permission obtained from ONELICENSE: A-700887. All rights reserved. Support the show (https://secure.accessacs.com/access/oglogin.aspx?sn=112595&f=107)

Focusing on Mary's famous Magnificat, from the Latin rendering of the first phrase in verse 47: "My soul magnifies the Lord." Could this first-ever carol have been the song to which Jesus returned when under stress and needing assurance that, despite the opposition, he was doing the work that was ordained for him from the beginning?Scripture reading: Luke 1:46b-55Pastor Tom Strandburg, preacher. Music permission obtained from ONELICENSE: A-700887. All rights reserved. Support the show (https://secure.accessacs.com/access/oglogin.aspx?sn=112595&f=107)

The pink candle (the advent candle of joy) reminds us of these three important aspects of joy relating to Christmas: 1) Jesus brings the joy of salvation. 2) Joy leads to proclamation. 3) Joy leads to praise.  Even with everything going on in the world today, we should be filled with joy during Advent - are we filled with joy?Scripture reading: Luke 2: 8-12Pastor Scott Miller, preacher. Music permission obtained from ONELICENSE: A-700887. All rights reserved. Support the show (https://secure.accessacs.com/access/oglogin.aspx?sn=112595&f=107)

This week, we focus on the words of the Prophet Isaiah, and on God's vision for a better future.Scripture reading: Isaiah 40:1-11, focusing on verses 4-5:Every valley shall be lifted up,   and every mountain and hill be made low;the uneven ground shall become level,   and the rough places a plain.Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,   and all people shall see it together,   for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.Pastor Thomas Q. Strandburg, preacher. Music permission obtained from ONELICENSE: A-700887. All rights reserved.  Support the show (https://secure.accessacs.com/access/oglogin.aspx?sn=112595&f=107)

In the midst of anxiety, urgency, and distraction of modern life, we enter into the season of Advent. But in the reading from Matthew, Jesus makes the "Coming of the Son of Man" sound scary... This sermon asks us to look at this coming in a new light... the "urgency" Christ calls us to is not one of anxiety, but one of hope.Scripture reading: Matthew 24:36-44 Pastor Scott Miller, preacher. Music permission obtained from ONELICENSE: A-700887. All rights reserved.  Support the show (https://secure.accessacs.com/access/oglogin.aspx?sn=112595&f=107)

The liturgical year, which begins with the season of Advent, ends with a celebration of “Christ the King.” The assigned lectionary readings for today provide a powerful truth for our lives – Christ is present in the lives of the needy, and Christ’s followers have the power to change the world for the better.Scripture reading: Ephesians 1:15-23Pastor Tom Strandburg, preacher. Music permission obtained from ONELICENSE: A-700887. All rights reserved.  Support the show (https://secure.accessacs.com/access/oglogin.aspx?sn=112595&f=107)

Scripture Reading: The Parable of the Talents from Matthew 25:14-30"After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’ His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’"Pastor Tom Strandburg, preacher. Music permission obtained from ONELICENSE: A-700887. All rights reserved. Support the show (https://secure.accessacs.com/access/oglogin.aspx?sn=112595&f=107)

Wash and make yourselves clean.    Take your evil deeds out of my sight;    stop doing wrong.Learn to do right; seek justice.    Defend the oppressed.Take up the cause of the fatherless;    plead the case of the widow.Scripture Reading: Isaiah 1:10-20, focusing upon Isaiah 1:16-17Pastor Tom Strandburg, preacher.  Music permission obtained from ONELICENSE: A-700887. All rights reserved.   Support the show (https://secure.accessacs.com/access/oglogin.aspx?sn=112595&f=107)

Jesus' famous parable of the sheep and the goats will take center stage as we consider God's call to "do justice." Is there room in your life for "one more" -- for the least, the lost, the lonely, the leper, the "other"?Scripture Reading: Matthew 25:31-46Pastor Tom Strandburg, preacher.  Music permission obtained from ONELICENSE: A-700887. All rights reserved.   Support the show (https://secure.accessacs.com/access/oglogin.aspx?sn=112595&f=107)

Paul’s goal for the Christians in Thessalonica is that they would walk in a manner worthy of God. But what does it mean to walk worthy of God? We'll discuss three things that Paul showed these early Christians what that "worthy walk" looked like, in how he came to them and how he acted when he was with them.Scripture Reading: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8; 11-12Pastor Scott Miller, preacher.  Music permission obtained from ONELICENSE: A-700887. All rights reserved. Support the show (https://secure.accessacs.com/access/oglogin.aspx?sn=112595&f=107)

Gratitude is the foundation for a life of genuine Christian discipleship. Saying "thank you" is more than just good manners. The Apostle Paul's practice of thanking God for those among whom he worked was not just a habit, but a genuine expression. It encouraged the people in the churches and made Paul a better person.Scripture lesson: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10The Rev. Thomas Strandburg, preacher. Music permission obtained from ONELICENSE: A-700887. All rights reserved. Support the show (https://secure.accessacs.com/access/oglogin.aspx?sn=112595&f=107)

The parable of the wedding feast shows us that everyone is invited to God’s party, and the grace of the King changes us – we just have to accept the invitation!Scripture: Matthew 22:1-14Pastor Scott Miller, preacher.Music permission obtained from ONELICENSE: A-700887. All rights reserved.Support the show (https://secure.accessacs.com/access/oglogin.aspx?sn=112595&f=107)

Paul's search for meaning in life was a long and circuitous one. Join us as we consider our own search for the meaning of life.Scripture reading: Galatians 1:11-24, focusing on verses 15-16:But when God, who had set me apart before I was born and called me through his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, so that I might proclaim him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with any human being . . .Pastor Tom Strandburg, preacher.Music permission obtained from ONELICENSE: A-700887. All rights reserved.  Support the show (https://secure.accessacs.com/access/oglogin.aspx?sn=112595&f=107)

Authority is the theme running through today's verse. All of us have had some kind of authority issues in our lives.  God gives each of us gifts and authority unique to our lives. God knows and sees the authority He has given us and waits for us to see and know it too. And when we do, we change our minds and go into the vineyard.Scripture reading: Matthew 21:23-32Pastor Scott Miller, preacher.Music permission obtained from ONELICENSE: A-700887. All rights reservedSupport the show (https://secure.accessacs.com/access/oglogin.aspx?sn=112595&f=107)

Sermon for 20 September 2020: The apostle Paul was not afraid of death and shows us how “God’s doing” brings us new life during times of sacrifice and suffering. Endings can deepen our faith and bring us closer to Christ. Belief and suffering often go together but can lead us to a new beginning.Scripture reading: Philippians 1:21-30Pastor Thomas Q. Strandburg, preacher.Music permission obtained from ONELICENSE: A-700887. All rights reserved Support the show (https://secure.accessacs.com/access/oglogin.aspx?sn=112595&f=107)

Sermon for 13 September 2020: Many people think that shame is something to be avoided at all costs...that it signals to us we are somehow "bad."  But shame is actually a gift from God, and helps us makes course corrections in our lives.Scripture lesson: Jeremiah 6:15Pastor Scott Miller, preacher.Music permission obtained from ONELICENSE: A-700887. All rights reservedSupport the show (https://secure.accessacs.com/access/oglogin.aspx?sn=112595&f=107)

Sermon for 06 September 2020: We make choices all the time.  Some of them are great and extremely life-changing, while others of them are relatively small and of little consequence. The question of faith and of what a person chooses to believe (or not to believe) truly is one of the most fundamental choices that we are challenged to make. Join us this Sunday morning, as we consider the call of Moses to choose life!Scripture Lesson: Deuteronomy 30:15-20Pastor Tom Strandburg, preacher.Music permission obtained from ONELICENSE: A-700887. All rights reservedSupport the show (https://secure.accessacs.com/access/oglogin.aspx?sn=112595&f=107)

Sermon for August 30, 2020 - When we're hurt in life or when we suffer loss, we want a strong God who will heal and justify us. But strength from a human perspective isn't necessarily how God views it. Do we want God, or do we want our idea of God?Scripture Lesson: Matthew 16:21-28Pastor Scott Miller, preacher.Music permission obtained from ONELICENSE: A-700887. All rights reservedSupport the show (https://secure.accessacs.com/access/oglogin.aspx?sn=112595&f=107)