Branches HB Podcast

The Coming Kingdom of God - July 23, 2017

In this teaching from Luke 17:20-18:8, Jesus answered the question of when the Kingdom of God would come, describing a present spiritual reality rather than a calendar date. In this study, Brian Sumner challenges all who hear this teaching not to limit it to a literal, physical understanding of the details and how the events of the end times will happen, but to receive this as a teaching for you today. While the Second Coming of Jesus has not yet happened, the Kingdom of God is a present spiritual reality if your eyes are open to the miracles of God around you and you are living an active, urgent life for God, preparing the way as a preacher of the gospel in whatever position or community God has placed you.

 

Your Faith Has Made You Well - July 16, 2017

Andrew Schey leads this study on Luke 17:11-19, which records the account of Jesus healing ten lepers as he was traveling along the border of Samaria and Galilee. While all nine were physically healed, only one came back to thank Jesus, and only one was healed spiritually and received salvation. What separated him from the other nine was simply his heart of gratitude, which is the door to eternal life. Are you more concerned with physical healing and improving your immediate circumstances, or are you concerned with eternal wellness and thanking the Giver for your blessings?

Unworthy Servants - July 9, 2017

In this message, Andrew Schey teaches from Luke 17:7-10, which contains one of an assortment of Jesus' teachings on how we ought to be as disciples. in the passage, Jesus relates the humility we ought to have through the dynamic between a master and servant, as all who accept God's grace are His servants. If you accept the gospel, you can do so with entitlement or humility, but only humility reflects what Jesus is after. Where is your heart? Is your heart full of gratitude as an unworthy servant or are you entitled to His grace as if God owes you?

The Rich Man and Lazarus - July 2, 2017

In this message from Luke 16:19-31, Andrew Schey leads a study on Jesus’ teaching about the Rich Man who neglected the beggar, Lazarus, who was laid at his doorstep. Jesus shows that that all who hear the teaching found in scripture and receive God’s grace are accountable for what God has revealed to them, and have a responsibility to love and tend to the needs of those around them. There are many needs in the world, and your healing from your own sin and brokenness comes as you love others as Christ first loved you. Will you neglect or care for a “Lazarus” in your own life?

The Shrewd Manager - June 25, 2017

Chris Shaddix leads this study on Jesus' parable of the shrewd manager, found in Luke 16:1-15, a teaching Jesus uses to challenge all of his followers to live generously, in a way that worships God, not money. Greed is an attachment to money, but generosity is an attachment to God that transforms hearts and teaches His children to value the greater good of others. Because of God's great generosity and grace He first extended to us, we can be generous in the way we use everything at our disposal, including money, as tools for serving others and for the sake of God's Kingdom. Is money a tool or an idol in your life?

 

God, The Father Who Seeks - June 18, 2017

In this message from Luke 15:1-32, Andrew Schey teaches that Jesus practiced what he preached in the way he esteemed the lowly and the social outcast. In fact, Jesus used three parables to demonstrate the depth of God’s concern for those who are lost, the focused attention of His search for them, and His compassionate and merciful love for each of His children, demonstrated in the parable of the prodigal son. Many are familiar with this story, but do you connect with it emotionally? Are you able to receive the loving embrace of God the Father, and do you understand the depth of His rejoicing at the return of one of His lost children?

 

The Great Banquet - June 11, 2017

In his previous teaching, Jesus told you to make every effort to enter the narrow door, and, as Andrew Schey points out, this teaching of Jesus from Luke 14:1-24 is one of many teachings found in this gospel, which provides an application for what making every effort looks like in a real-life context. At yet another meal with the Pharisees, Jesus confronts their selfish priorities, as nothing is more important than compassion for the suffering of even one person. Using a parable, Jesus teaches that everyone should let go of their self-obsession and, like God, be concerned with attending to and caring for those in humble and lowly walks of life without any expectation of a return, as all are equal in God's Kingdom. God does what He is asking for - do you? Or are you stuck in the prison of self-obsession?

The Narrow Door - June 4, 2017

By his loving grace and death on the cross, Jesus has opened a narrow door to salvation for anyone who is willing to be saved. As Andrew Barris points out in this challenging teaching from Jesus, you must be willing to make every effort to enter, through repentance and striving against sin, human weakness and the forces of darkness to enter the narrow door and take your place at the feast in the Kingdom of God. The eternal prize is offered freely to all, and, as Scripture says, you have to run the race and fight the good fight of faith.

Message by Andrew Barris

Seek First the Kingdom - May 28, 2017

In this message, Brian Sumner teaches from Luke 13:10-21, which tells the account of how Jesus healed an oppressed and crippled woman on the Sabbath and made the religious leaders indignant because he worked on the day of rest. In a single act, Jesus dismissed legalistic religion, healed a woman physically and freed her spiritually in a demonstration of what the Kingdom of God is like as Jesus explained through parables. The Kingdom of God is at hand, and Jesus is ready to heal you, but even religious people can miss it. Do you seek first the Kingdom in your life?

Repent or Perish - May 21, 2017

In a hard teaching from Jesus in Luke 13:1-9, Jesus makes a stern call to repent or perish - a message that is offensive on picketing signs and in the church. As Andrew Schey examines in this study, this message is both a stern ultimatum and also a grace-filled opportunity, which complement one another and work together for your own good. God is doing everything possible to provide you with time and resources to turn from sin and live a full and fruitful life, but the choice to turn and repent is yours to make. Everyone must choose, over and over again, and the time is short.

- Message by Andrew Schey