FirstLight Gardner UMC Podcast

What Pinocchio, John the Baptist, and You Have in Common

firstlightumc — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 15:51:11 +0000

A perfect message to begin your new year. Pastor Steven Blair discusses how we begin the new year with strings attached, just like Pinocchio and John the Baptist. These strings hold us back from the things we really want in life. Sometimes we have been attached to a string so long that we have become all tangled up. There is Good News: God knows what to do with strings.

This message explores the freedom God wants to give us and includes a challenge for what we can do with that freedom.

‘The Angels Start a Rumor’ November 30, 2008

firstlightumc — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 16:48:31 +0000

Week 1 of 4 Look into Luke Chapter 1. See a handful of people needing some good news encounter an angel and watch the rumor spread. This Sermon takes you closer into what happened in the Temple when Gabriel made her first appearance. It also examines the geography of the Biblical story as a way of imagining how the rumors of this king impact today. You can follow the geography by viewing the map hyperlinked below while you listen to the sermon

http://www.ccel.org/bible/phillips/CNM04-Jesus-Year3.gif

Testimony Time: Christ the King, Christ My King (November 23,2008)

firstlightumc — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 14:40:56 +0000

Today’s ’sermon’ is a collection of 5 people sharing their experience with God. In an old school testimony time, 5 people share how they have met God along the way. Listed and be blessed by the stories of Keith Moll, Tim Brady, Marilyn Lawrenz, Jared Busenitz, and Kendall Mille.

FirstLight’s version of David Crowder’s Song “Come and Listen” is included in the sermon audio.

What Happens When We Die, Biblically Speaking

firstlightumc — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 01:21:04 +0000

In this message, Pastor Steven Blair examines the Scriptures to see what they say about life after death, or better said: life after ‘life after death.’ It will do more than peak your curiosity. The message will help you get closer to God through a conversation about death, heaven, resurrection of the body, and including some hopeful words about hell and judgment. Listen for yourselves.

What Happens When We Die, Biblically Speaking

firstlightumc — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 13:51:53 +0000

This sermon takes a deep, honest look at Scripture to give this question some clarity. Your curiosity will be piqued, but more importantly, you will hear a message of hope which is distorted in most sermons and funerals. The sermon discuss death, life after death, and life after “life after death” called The Resurrection of the Dead. Judgment and Hell are also addressed in a way that affirms the Biblical texts and the Christian belief in a Loving God.

Jump into this conversation and change the way you view your death and every other funeral you will ever attend.

Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?

firstlightumc — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 18:27:32 +0000

You have asked that question before. Something seemed wrong, out of place. You have struggled with connecting the belief that a good God exists in this world and that evil also happens. In this sermon, Pastor Steven Blair examines the question by looking into two dominant answers. One answer focuses on “God is all-powerful, all-knowing” while the other focuses on “God is love.’ Enter the discussion and see if this truthful picture of God shows Him as someone worth getting to know.

Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?

firstlightumc — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 18:18:49 +0000

You’ve asked the question. Some tragedy has happened causing you to ask “Why?” In this sermon, Pastor Steven Blair addresses two ways this question has traditionally been answered. Do we focus on “God is all-knowing and all-powerful” or do we focus on ‘God is love?” Enter the conversation and see if it paints an image of God worth getting close to.

How Do You Know When That Voice is God’s Voice? - October 19, 2008

firstlightumc — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 02:59:15 +0000

The spiritual life hinges on the ability to hear God’s voice. But how can we know when that voice is God’s voice? In this sermon, Pastor Steven Blair shares his experience of hearing God’s voice on a road trip to Fayetteville, AR. You will hear about God’s insistence on detours, how God speaks through Toby Keith, and a set of timeless truths abut recognzing God’s voice. Above all, you will hear how to respond to God who wants to be heard even more than we want to hear.

Jesus, Are You a Democrat or a Republican?

firstlightumc — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 23:23:52 +0000

Be-lieve: God Has an Eye on You, Always Has and Always Will

firstlightumc — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 12:01:27 +0000

Sermon from August 17, 2008. Week two of The Ephesians Bunch sermon series. In this week’s podcast/sermon, Pastor Steven makes a great analogy about sin, grace, Jesus, and freeze tag. Remember playing freeze tag? This is a great message for anyone who struggles with perfectionism (and everyone else who interacts with those of us who struggle with perfectionism).

Be-long: Finding Out Where We Fit

firstlightumc — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:16:51 +0000

Sermon from August 10, 2008. Week 1 of the sermon series The Ephesians Bunch.

The Book of Ephesians is unique because it spends three chapters telling us what we should be before it gives any instruction on what we should do. Join us as we explore the Book of Ephesians together seeking God’s answers to “Who am I?” and “What does God want us to be?”

STRESS and God Putting the Life Back into You

firstlightumc — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 19:01:31 +0000

Sermon from July 13, 2008. From the Life Suckers sermon series:

Ever feel like you are having the life sucked out of you? Jesus tells us that he has come to bring us life to its fullest (John 10:10), but we often miss out on it.

Your Sexiness Makes a Comeback

firstlightumc — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 17:42:58 +0000

Sermon message from April 27, 2008 worship service at FirstLight about what it means to be sexy and being made in the image of God. From the 225: they were naked and not ashamed sermon series.