Highland Church Podcast

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, David, Gary, and Tim will use Hebrews 11 to look at some of the great men and women who lived by faith and make up that great cloud.

Todays passage is from Mark 10:46-52. There is a thing going on with sight here. You have a man who cannot see…who wants to be seen. Who spends his days on the side of the road in the off-chance that someone sees him. And he’s been doing it so long that he thinks it would be merciful for someone to do that. That’s the word he uses. Son of David, have mercy on me. And this story should speak to all of us. I know Jesus cares about His Church with a capital C. I need Jesus to care about me. To see me. To have mercy on me. I don’t deserve it. But I sure need it.

n this Wednesday Night Class Series, Allen Black and David Jackson look at many statements that Jesus made about why he came to the world. In this class Allen examines the passage from John 9:39 that says “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”

Todays lesson is from Mark 11:1-11. This is a great story of Hope. This is one of those stories that would work well for a VBS. There is a colt, or a donkey, so it’d be good time to call the petting zoo people. But you go a little deeper, and you see the kind of hope I’m talking about taking shape—unexpectedly.

In this Wednesday Night Class Series, Allen Black and David Jackson look at many statements that Jesus made about why he came to the world. In this class Tim Stafford examines the passage from Mark 1:38 that says "I have come to preach..."

Mark 10:17-31 is today's lesson. In this story we find a young man. Not a villain. Not a failure. Not a rich brat. Just a human. One who struggled to walk across the line on which Christ stood on the opposite side beckoning. Come a little farther. Let go. Step out where it’s a little bit riskier. Itll be good for you as you follow me.

In this Wednesday Night Class Series, Allen Black and David Jackson look at many statements that Jesus made about why he came to the world. Allen will be teaching from John 10:10 "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." Allen is also joined by his guest and friend Mani Pagidipalli to hear about Mani's ministry to India.

Todays lesson is from Mark 10:1-12. When Jesus gets asked about divorce, he talks about marriage. Jesus thinks marriage is one of our greatest witnesses to the world of an otherworldly story. And this world needs more talking badgers if they are ever going to believe in Aslan. And when more believe, God gets the glory he deserves. Jesus would say, your marriage isn’t about you. It never has been. Its about him.

In this Wednesday Night Class Series, Allen Black and David Jackson look at many statements that Jesus made about why he came to the world. In this lesson, David looks at the passages that parallel in Matthew 9 and Mark 2. In these passages Jesus said "For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

Today we are joined by Smith Hopkins, the lead church planter for Oikos Church. Existing churches that plant new churches often experience revival and growth. Smith will guide us through Acts 19:1-10 to see what Paul says about planting new churches.

In this Wednesday Night Class Series, Allen Black and David Jackson look at many statements that Jesus made about why he came to the world. In this lesson, Allen teaches about what Jesus said about our relationship with our family.

Todays lesson comes from Mark 10:13-16. Jesus is saying that God’s kingdom is not something we achieve, a place we reach, it’s a gift we receive from God. It’s a grace. The great grace that we receive like a child—whose done nothing to earn what is given them—who takes their gift on Christmas morning and treasures it. Savors it. Delights in it. The kingdom of God is a gift, I didn’t earn, but one God just wants to give me. To receive. Like a child.

Everybody leaves. That’s what the world says we should do. But it is not what the word of God says we should do. The world says, if its hard, leave. The Word says, because its hard, stay.

In this Wednesday Night Class Series, Allen Black and David Jackson look at many statements that Jesus made about why he came to the world. In this lesson, Allen teaches on the passage found in Mark 10:45.

Our lesson today comes from Psalm 73. This is the story of someone for whom life has become really hard. In the meantime, this person looks around at others who do not serve God and it seems like they their lives are smooth and get better and better. This person finally says, “What’s the use?” He eventually discovers God when he enters the sanctuary of God (73:17). He comes away remembering four precious gifts that God has given him and each one of us.

Aaron Jones leads us in a lesson from Matthew 4 about where we find our identity. Each day we wake up, we get to celebrate a God who loves us and cares about us. A God who we get to call, Abba, father and find our identity in him.

In this world, we’re told you can’t be a person of conviction and a person of grace—it’s one or the other. Either you’re judgmental and closed-minded, or you don’t take sin seriously. Either you are committed to God’s holiness, or you’re an advocate for God’s love. You can’t do both. Or can you? Let's look at this passage in Mark 9:38-50 and see what Jesus says about it.

What happens when we die? In Mark 12, Jesus addresses a part of that question. I don’t preach about heaven a lot. We used to talk about heaven more when I was growing up in church. Sing about heaven more. But only thinking about heaven can sometimes make us overlook God’s plans for earth. So maybe we talk it about it less than we used to. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t talk about it. It’s a big deal. Its forever. And its such good news.

Moments of pain in our lives help shape who we are. In this lesson Aaron leads us through Romans 8 and how God works in our lives, and how he works for the good.

June 27, 2021 Sunday Sermon- There are stories we don’t like, until we do. There are stories we don’t want to be part of, until we do. When Jesus says he is going to be delivered into human hands, killed, and then three days later rise again, he’s telling a story. Not surprisingly, the disciples dont want that story for him…and they don’t want it for them. This story in Mark 9: 30-37 speaks to one defining aspects of the character of God and to one of the deepest truths of the good news of Jesus. Its sometimes called the Great Reversal—God’s commitment to turning the world’s standards, values, and beliefs upside down.