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Episodes
Weekly messages from Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Para Vista Inc
Episodes
Friday Apr 15, 2022
Friday Apr 15, 2022
Mary the mother of Jesus – Traumatised
As Mary witnesses the trauma of her firstborn son’s execution,
she questions what the Father of Jesus is doing.
How can he allow this travesty of justice to happen?
Joseph of Arimathea & Nicodemus the Pharisee – Emboldened
Both were members of Jewish Ruling Council: The Sanhedrin.
Since most of the Sanhedrin were hostile to Jesus,
Joe and Nic were discreet about their connections with him.
This changes after Jesus’ death.
What inspired their boldness to ask for Jesus’ body and carry out his burial?
Friday Apr 15, 2022
Friday Apr 15, 2022
Mary the mother of Jesus – Traumatised
As Mary witnesses the trauma of her firstborn son’s execution,
she questions what the Father of Jesus is doing.
How can he allow this travesty of justice to happen?
Joseph of Arimathea & Nicodemus the Pharisee – Emboldened
Both were members of Jewish Ruling Council: The Sanhedrin.
Since most of the Sanhedrin were hostile to Jesus,
Joe and Nic were discreet about their connections with him.
This changes after Jesus’ death.
What inspired their boldness to ask for Jesus’ body and carry out his burial?
Thursday Apr 14, 2022
Thursday Apr 14, 2022
We wonder, “What motivated Judas to betray Jesus to the Jewish leaders?”
Was it just greed or something deeper?
It seems Judas failed to understand Jesus’ plan and purpose.
Perhaps Judas wanted to impose his own agenda on Jesus.
Thursday Apr 14, 2022
Thursday Apr 14, 2022
We wonder, “What motivated Judas to betray Jesus to the Jewish leaders?”
Was it just greed or something deeper?
It seems Judas failed to understand Jesus’ plan and purpose.
Perhaps Judas wanted to impose his own agenda on Jesus.
Sunday Apr 10, 2022
Sunday Apr 10, 2022
In our Lent-Easter worship series, Encounters with Jesus, we’re following Jesus from his raising of Lazarus to his resurrection (based on John 11-20).
This Sunday we’ll hear the story of Joanna, the wife of Chuza. After being healed by Jesus, she and some other women followed him and financially supported his ministry. It is likely that they accompanied Jesus and the disciples to Jerusalem for Passover and were in the crowd on Palm Sunday, giving him a welcome fit for a king - the promised Messiah-King of Israel.
What were the expectations of those who sang Jesus’ praises that day. Of the women who followed Jesus during his ministry in Galilee, and then to Jerusalem for the Passover festival? And the children who came along as well? What might their expectations have been of Jesus as Messiah-King?
Sunday Apr 10, 2022
Sunday Apr 10, 2022
In our Lent-Easter worship series, Encounters with Jesus, we’re following Jesus from his raising of Lazarus to his resurrection (based on John 11-20).
This Sunday we’ll hear the story of Joanna, the wife of Chuza. After being healed by Jesus, she and some other women followed him and financially supported his ministry. It is likely that they accompanied Jesus and the disciples to Jerusalem for Passover and were in the crowd on Palm Sunday, giving him a welcome fit for a king - the promised Messiah-King of Israel.
What were the expectations of those who sang Jesus’ praises that day. Of the women who followed Jesus during his ministry in Galilee, and then to Jerusalem for the Passover festival? And the children who came along as well? What might their expectations have been of Jesus as Messiah-King?
Sunday Apr 03, 2022
Sunday Apr 03, 2022
Over the last 4 weeks, we’ve heard the stories of Caiaphas, Mary the sister of Lazarus, Andrew, and his brother Peter. This Sunday we’ll hear the story of Pontius Pilate. His encounter with Jesus can be summed up with the word: Perplexed.
In John’s account we read the dialogue of Pilate with the Jews – and Pilate with Jesus. While Pilate is trying to get to the truth of what Jesus has done wrong, Jesus is also asking questions of Pilate – and making claims that Pilate finds perplexing. It makes the reader wonder: “Who is on trial here?”
What is common in all four Gospel accounts is that Pilate cannot establish a charge under Roman law to warrant the death penalty. The Jewish leaders keep pressuring Pilate until he concedes to their demands.
It’s a travesty of justice! Yet it is also a key part of God’s plan to justify us!
Sunday Apr 03, 2022
Sunday Apr 03, 2022
Over the last 4 weeks, we’ve heard the stories of Caiaphas, Mary the sister of Lazarus, Andrew, and his brother Peter. This Sunday we’ll hear the story of Pontius Pilate. His encounter with Jesus can be summed up with the word: Perplexed.
In John’s account we read the dialogue of Pilate with the Jews – and Pilate with Jesus. While Pilate is trying to get to the truth of what Jesus has done wrong, Jesus is also asking questions of Pilate – and making claims that Pilate finds perplexing. It makes the reader wonder: “Who is on trial here?”
What is common in all four Gospel accounts is that Pilate cannot establish a charge under Roman law to warrant the death penalty. The Jewish leaders keep pressuring Pilate until he concedes to their demands.
It’s a travesty of justice! Yet it is also a key part of God’s plan to justify us!
Sunday Mar 27, 2022
Sunday Mar 27, 2022
In our Lent-Easter worship series, Encounters with Jesus, we’re following Jesus from his raising of Lazarus to his resurrection (based on John 11-20).
Over the last 3 weeks, we’ve heard the stories of Caiaphas, Mary the sister of Lazarus, and last week Andrew – one of Jesus’ first disciples. This Sunday we will hear the story of Andrew’s brother: Peter – The Fickle Follower.
With his propensity to speak first and think later, I so get Peter! It’s not easy for an extrovert to remain silent or bite one’s tongue. One’s words can gush out like water from a fire hydrant… and do untold amounts of damage!
Peter wants to prove himself worthy of being Jesus’ right-hand man. But the harder he tries, the more he keeps messing up. Think of when he hopped out of the boat amid the swell, took a few steps towards Jesus, and then sank like a rock!
Even after three years with Jesus and the others, Peter is still making impulsive promises. At the last Passover meal, Jesus talks of imminent betrayal – and of being deserted by his disciples. With characteristic boldness, Peter declares to Jesus: “I will lay down my life for you” (Jn 13:37).
But as the night wore on, Peter’s resolve ran dry. Before the dawn crowing of the rooster, Peter denied having anything to do with Jesus… three times.
Yet Jesus did not give up on Peter! This is good news for every one of us. Jesus never gives up on us! His mercy triumphs over judgment. He is always walking towards us to do us good – to forgive us, to restore us, to grow us, to keep loving on us, and to bring us into his story for his world.
A widely held attitude in many cultures: “Three strikes and you’re out!”
I’m glad that Jesus is not like that!
Shalom!
Pr Rolly
Sunday Mar 27, 2022
Sunday Mar 27, 2022
In our Lent-Easter worship series, Encounters with Jesus, we’re following Jesus from his raising of Lazarus to his resurrection (based on John 11-20).
Over the last 3 weeks, we’ve heard the stories of Caiaphas, Mary the sister of Lazarus, and last week Andrew – one of Jesus’ first disciples. This Sunday we will hear the story of Andrew’s brother: Peter – The Fickle Follower.
With his propensity to speak first and think later, I so get Peter! It’s not easy for an extrovert to remain silent or bite one’s tongue. One’s words can gush out like water from a fire hydrant… and do untold amounts of damage!
Peter wants to prove himself worthy of being Jesus’ right-hand man. But the harder he tries, the more he keeps messing up. Think of when he hopped out of the boat amid the swell, took a few steps towards Jesus, and then sank like a rock!
Even after three years with Jesus and the others, Peter is still making impulsive promises. At the last Passover meal, Jesus talks of imminent betrayal – and of being deserted by his disciples. With characteristic boldness, Peter declares to Jesus: “I will lay down my life for you” (Jn 13:37).
But as the night wore on, Peter’s resolve ran dry. Before the dawn crowing of the rooster, Peter denied having anything to do with Jesus… three times.
Yet Jesus did not give up on Peter! This is good news for every one of us. Jesus never gives up on us! His mercy triumphs over judgment. He is always walking towards us to do us good – to forgive us, to restore us, to grow us, to keep loving on us, and to bring us into his story for his world.
A widely held attitude in many cultures: “Three strikes and you’re out!”
I’m glad that Jesus is not like that!
Shalom!
Pr Rolly