Kearney First UMC Podcasts

Who Is Jesus: When the World Hates You

Welcome to our midweek podcast!  In this episode, Pastor Matt reflects on the passage of John 15 when Jesus says "If the world hates you, keep in mind they hated me first." and how the people immediately with Jesus responded, how the first century Christian people responded, and how we may respond in the present day.  Matt reminds us to keep these lenses in mind as we in the American midwest do not experience persecution like Christians in other parts of the world or in other eras of history experienced it.

Who Is Jesus: The Way, The Truth, The Life

Welcome! In this Sunday Sermon, Pastor Matt reflects on our church's history for it's 154th birthday and holds comfort in Jesus' words in John 14.  Our church has been through many ups and downs, but God has been with us through it all.  By following Jesus' truth (His teachings) and way (or His life style), we experience a 'with God life.'  We can do this each and every day, it just takes practice.

Who Is Jesus: Love One Another

Welcome to our midweek podcast!  In this episode, Pastor Matt wrestles with Easter and the resurrection.  He touches on Jesus' new command to "love one another as I have loved you" and what that really means in a world that often doesn't seem transformed after the resurrection.  How can we let the resurrection of Jesus and his entire witness change us?

Who Is Jesus: The Risen One - Easter Sunday

Happy Easter!  In this sermon, Pastor Matt looks at the resurrection story in John 20.  He focuses on Mary Magdalene and her grief.  He shares that Easter doesn't erase our grief or fix what feels broken, but meets us in the middle of it.  God raised Jesus from the dead. He calls us by name, so that we can walk with courage on the way of Jesus - even when the road is hard and we carry heavy things.  Whatever hard path we are walking or lies ahead of us, Jesus walks it with us giving us the courage to follow him into new life.

Who Is Jesus: Jesus Biscuits

Welcome!  In this mid-week podcast, Pastor Jo Ellen shares her recipe for "Jesus Biscuits" and speaks to Holy Week taking it's time.  Holy Week is a time to sit in the wilderness with the questions, grief, and uncertainty of life, but we are not alone in it.  God sits with us in it. His love still holds us through the grief and the waiting.

Who Is Jesus: Triumphant

Welcome! In this Palm Sunday sermon, Pastor Matt looks at ancient and modern expectations of a triumphant king and savior.  In John 12 Jesus speaks to the expectations and the kind of triumph He brings. Often times, we want God to show up dramatically or triumphantly.  When God doesn't show up like how we expect, are we disappointed?  Do we think God failed or that we have failed in some way?

Who Is Jesus: The Good Gardener

Welcome to this week's midweek podcast!  In this Episode, Pastor Jo Ellen reads a passage from the book Good Enough by Kate Bowler that focuses on Mary coming to the empty tomb and mistaking Jesus for the gardener.  A good gardener will sow seeds and tenderly care for them, no matter how long they may take to grow.  Like Jesus, seeds die and are buried to provide new growth.  As we approach Holy Week, let us walk along with Jesus, the good gardener and seed planter.

Who Is Jesus: Lord Over Death

Welcome! In this sermon, Pastor Jo Ellen looks at Jesus raising Lazarus.  Jesus declares He is the resurrection and the Life.  Like the stone needing to be rolled away for Lazarus to come out of the tomb, what are some things in our lives that block us from Jesus?  Like the grave clothes, what are we bound by that we need a community around us to free us from?  We can be unbound if we are willing to listen to our shepherd. 

Who Is Jesus: God With Us When We Have Hard Questions and No Clear Answers

Welcome to the mid-week podcast!  In this devotional, Pastor Matt looks at the passage of Lazarus's death in John 11, the hard questions it poses, and possibly why it is a suggested passage for a funeral service in the United Methodist Book of Worship.  This passage poses many hard questions to Jesus from those observing Him and from us.  Within the passage, Jesus doesn't offer many clear or concise answers that leave us wanting or wishing for more.

Who Is Jesus: The Good Shepherd

Welcome!  In this sermon, Pastor Jo Ellen looks at John 10 and Jesus describing himself as the "Good Shepherd"  Jesus is our good shepherd who watches over us, protects us, and leads us.  We are his sheep and part his flock.  Salvation is not just for when we die, but for every day. We participate in community and share our gifts and talents to better the flock.  What kind of sheep do you want to be and whose voice do you want to listen too?