Highland Church Podcast

In this podcast, Eric looks at Mark 15 when the curtain is torn at the death of Jesus. Mark doesn’t explain it all, at least like some narrators might. But he knew when that curtain tore from top to bottom, that the world was different than it had been only a moment before. He knew that when Jesus died on the cross, you and I became different than we had been a moment before.

You ever feel like you’re the bad guy, and you don’t know when you became the bad guy. You were sure you were the good guy, and then all the sudden, you’re on the wrong side. If you are a Christian, if you are a believer these days, you probably know what I’m talking about. For centuries, Christians have enjoyed a moral high ground. Even people who disagreed with many Christian beliefs, still saw Christians as good people with good values. But it doesn’t feel that way these days, does it? Christians are labeled all kinds of things these days. Christians aren’t exactly the good guys anymore. But Christianity is about Jesus. At its core, its about him. And we see him most clearly at the cross—when he gives himself for us. And we know—we just know—this is more moral than anything in this world. Now or ever.

This class is the first lesson in a three part series on the Birth of Jesus. We begin our series be discussing the first two chapter in Matthew.

In this Podcast we are joined by Dan Henley, the director of our ministry partner, Agape's, Faith and Formation Program. Dan is leading an initiative where 365 churches are each praying for the city of Memphis for a day for the year. Dan challenges us to come together as believers in Christ and pray together. He invites us to pray together for the Will of God, Instructions from God, and Motivation to do God’s will.

This Sunday we spent our service thinking about our time of communion. We were led in thoughts by some of our elders, including Sam Leow, Jeff Frizzell, Sean Prine, and David Jackson. We hope this podcast will help you reflect on this important meal that we take together each week.

We certainly live in a time when we need encouragement from what Hebrews describes as "a great cloud of witnesses" cheering us on to "run with perseverance the race marked out for us" (Heb 12:1). In this class Tim Stafford will use Hebrews 11:35b-40 to look at some of the great men and women who lived by faith and make up that great cloud.

Have you ever heard someone say—this is a must. I’m sure you have. You’ve probably said it yourself. Someone says here’s some things they may need, or some things you might do, or some things that maybe helpful. There’s all that—and all that is a maybe. But this—this thing—this is a must. Which brings us to Jesus. I want to pay attention to what Jesus says is a must. On those things there’s no debate. I want to be people who are convicted and compelled by what Jesus says must happen. What we must do. In Mark 13 we find a passage where Jesus says we "must" do something. We want to be a church that does this thing well.

We certainly live in a time when we need encouragement from what Hebrews describes as "a great cloud of witnesses" cheering us on to "run with perseverance the race marked out for us" (Heb 12:1). In this class Allen Black will use Hebrews 11 to look at some of the great men and women who lived by faith and make up that great cloud.

Today, on Orphan Sunday, we look at what happens when we intercede for vulnerable children. But that also helps us to think about the way Jesus has interceded for us. The most important realities in my life are the result of this divine dynamic between God the father, the son, and the spirit. Someone is interceding for me always, and that changes everything.

We certainly live in a time when we need encouragement from what Hebrews describes as "a great cloud of witnesses" cheering us on to "run with perseverance the race marked out for us" (Heb 12:1). In this class Gary Kenley will use Hebrews 11 to look at some of the great men and women who lived by faith and make up that great cloud.

Mark 13 is apocalyptic—which is a good genre to talk about on Halloween. Apocalyptic is a way of using symbols and metaphors to talk about the world as it really is, both in the future but also now. Sometimes symbols and metaphors make better sense of some things than anything else. And so Mark uses this apocalyptic language to describe our world as growing increasingly dark, and frankly scary. There are a lot of ways we can face the darkness of this world. Fight it. Resist it with beauty and power. Try to scare it away. Hide from it. Or we can be light. The people who stand in the light and offer blessings to those coming from the dark.

Our lesson today comes out of Mathew 5:13-16. 1. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus used this practice of curing meat with salt to teach us one of our purposes as believers, and that purpose is this: We are to be salt to an unbelieving world. That purpose is desperately needed by the world because without salt the world will rot. Jesus calls us to make the world a better place for everyone.

We certainly live in a time when we need encouragement from what Hebrews describes as "a great cloud of witnesses" cheering us on to "run with perseverance the race marked out for us" (Heb 12:1). In this class Allen Black, David Jackson, Gary Kenley, and Tim Stafford will use Hebrews 11 to look at some of the great men and women who lived by faith and make up that great cloud. In this lesson Tim will look at the faith of Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph.

What does Jesus do when he feels anxious? He prays. But not just any prayer. Here in Mark 14 is prayer for a special time. This is a prayer that I would say when I am in despair. Sad. When it feels like I am dying. Here in Mark 14, Jesus models how we should pray when we are anxious. And through this prayer we can surrender control to the only one who deserves it.

We certainly live in a time when we need encouragement from what Hebrews describes as "a great cloud of witnesses" cheering us on to "run with perseverance the race marked out for us" (Heb 12:1). In this class Allen Black, David Jackson, Gary Kenley, and Tim Stafford will use Hebrews 11 to look at some of the great men and women who lived by faith and make up that great cloud. In this lesson Allen will look at Abraham and his remarkable faith.

Pride is by nature—based on comparison. So when Peter says “I wont” even if everybody else does, that comparison signals to us that what is going on inside him is pride. Problem is pride toxic to our whole system. Discipleship is not only about being with Jesus. To be with him, we must deny ourselves. But that’s hard for the proud. You see its not just that God doesn’t like pride. Its that he favors the humble. Gives power—resurrection power—to the humble. Takes away the anxiety of the humble. Keeps the minds of the humble, clear and alert. And it’s the humble—not the proud—who end up able to stand firm in the faith, against the devil.

We certainly live in a time when we need encouragement from what Hebrews describes as "a great cloud of witnesses" cheering us on to "run with perseverance the race marked out for us" (Heb 12:1). In this class Gary Kenley will use Hebrews 11 to look at some of the great men and women who lived by faith and make up that great cloud. In this lesson Gary will look at Noah and his remarkable faith.

Its in this chapter full of betrayal, that Jesus institutes a meal of forgiveness. A meal that we take every week. What we call the Lord’s Supper, or Communion, or the Eucharist, has its origin right here. In this moment. So be clear, this meal of rememberence and forgiveness, this meal that reminds of God’s new covenant with us, is given to us, from Jesus, not when we have proven how deserving we are, but in the very moment we have hurt him most.

We certainly live in a time when we need encouragement from what Hebrews describes as "a great cloud of witnesses" cheering us on to "run with perseverance the race marked out for us" (Heb 12:1). In this class David Jackson will use Hebrews 11 to look at some of the great men and women who lived by faith and make up that great cloud. In this lesson David will look at Abel who offered a better sacrifice and Enoch who did not die.

The foundation of my relationship with God is prayer, but the essence of my relationship with God is forgiveness. I am only in this relationship, only able to pray to him, because he has forgiven me of so much. And therefore, how can I be in a relationship defined by forgiveness, if I am unforgiving. If I’m holding forgiveness out from someone who doesn’t deserve it, why should God forgive someone like me—who, for the record, doesn’t deserve it. Who do you need to forgive. Its not just your relationship with them that might improve, its your relationship with God that will.