Kearney First UMC Podcasts

Called and Equipped: Perfection Not Required

Welcome to our midweek podcast!  In this episode, Pastor Matt looks at Jesus' instructions to His disciples to retrieve a donkey and Jesus' entry into Jerusalem.  In our lives, we may be called to do things that are uncomfortable or result in confrontation.  Jesus equips us to handle these situations.  We do not have to know exactly how the perfect prayer or devotion is said in order to answer Jesus' call.  Jesus humbly enters a common gate to Jerusalem without the display of a grand king.  He walks with us, not above us.  As the people cried out hosanna to Jesus, Pastor Matt asks us to think about what we cry "hosanna" to? What do we cry out to save us and to save us from?

The Greatest?

Welcome to our Sunday Sermon podcast!  In this sermon, Pastor Matt looks at Matthew 20:20-28.  Jesus flips the order of the world in the sense of power.  The world operates with "power over" and almost always turns to oppression, violence, abuse, and control that ignores or devalues the most vulnerable. We don't always see the subtle way power "power over" shapes our lives, hearts, relationships, and our world.  Do we struggle with how to have authority without being authoritarian?
Jesus shows power in service and submission to others with "power under" Christ.  When we embrace Jesus and follow His "power under" way through service and sacrifice, we are transformed by the Holy Spirit.  Jesus gives us the courage and imagination to live into His way.

To Listen and Have Compassion as a Part of God's Healing

Welcome to our midweek podcast!  In this episode, Pastor Matt looks at Matthew 20:29-34 when the blind men call out to Jesus for healing.  How are we called to healing?  We may think that we can't heal others in the same way Jesus did, but being the means by which God begins to heal someone may be as simple as hearing and listening when someone calls out, then showing and acting with compassion towards them.

Parable: The Generous Vineyard Owner

Welcome to our Sunday Sermon podcast!  In this sermon, Pastor Matt looks at the Parable of the Generous Vineyard Owner in Matthew 20.  In our western culture, we often finding ourselves comparing ourselves to others.  We look at the work we've done and easily take responsibility when things go well, but may just as easily shift blame away from us when things do not go well.  When someone is having a hard time in life, are we quick to assume they did something in life to cause it?
In the parable read today, who do you relate to?  The vineyard owner, the last hired workers, the all day hired workers, Peter asking what he will inherit for being a first follower?  Jesus invites us into the Kingdom of Heaven so we can live in its grace and generosity.  When we follow Jesus, we discover the Kingdom of God together and see God's nature is not like ours.  Our nature is envy while God's is generosity.  Our nature is to work to get a reward while God's nature is gift and grace.  Our nature is to seek perfection while God's nature is to love us toward perfection.

Loving God by Addressing Christian Nationalism

Welcome to our midweek podcast!  In this episode, Pastor Matt reflects on the recent Orders and Fellowship Gathering which was themed: Loving God by Addressing Christian Nationalism.  Matt shares some of the things he learned and offers some of the ponderings he is working through.  One of the points the speaker of the conference made was "When we fuse our Christian and American identities, it is worse for us as a nation and worse for us as Christian folk sharing in God's mission of redeeming the world through Jesus."  When we fuse these identities and confuse them, we sometimes lose sight of which identity is guiding and motivating us more.  Which one are we worried about more?  Which one consumes our news feed, our time, and our prayers?  Which one do you fight for?

What Is Your Treasure?

Welcome to our Sunday Sermon podcast!  In this sermon, Pastor Jo Ellen looks at Matthew 19 and how Jesus interacts with children and the rich young man.  She poses the question, if you only had 2 minutes to grab what you treasure, who or what would you grab?  Jesus treasured children in a society that saw children as workers and property.  Jesus invited children to be right next to Him and blessed them.  What if we followed Jesus like a child?  Children do not have the same worries adults do.  If we trusted Jesus like a child trusts, what would our faith life look like?  What worries would we let go of that we've been holding tightly to?

Forgive Like Jesus

Welcome to our midweek podcast!  In this episode, Pastor Jo Ellen reflects on Pastor Matt's sermon from Sunday.  She thinks about how quick children are to forgive and how Jesus provides an example on forgiveness.  Even before people said they were sorry, Jesus forgave.

A Community of Forgiveness

Welcome to the Sunday Sermon Podcast!  In this sermon, Pastor Matt looks at the story of the unforgiving servant in Matthew 18.  He challenges us to put ourselves in Corrie Ten Boom's position. When approached by a former guard of the concentration camp she was held in asked for her forgiveness.... if you were in her position, would you have forgiven him?  Jesus shows us the kingdom of God is experienced in community.  Living in community requires forgiveness and forgiving as many times as it takes.

The Blessing and Kindness of Children

Welcome to our midweek podcast!  In this episode, Pastor Jo Ellen shares about what a blessing children can be in our lives, both children who may be our own and children we interact with in society.  Children love and serve wholeheartedly, which may play into why Jesus calls us to follow Him like children.  Kindness is deep within the human soul that echos the compassionate goodness of God.

Children and Stumbling

Welcome to our Sunday Morning Sermon Podcast!  In this sermon, Pastor Matt looks at Matthew 18.  We are called to humility, to live as invitational witnesses of the Kingdom of God and to let go of pride.  Pride is focused on self, power, and creates division.  Humility is focused on others, that there is a place for everyone.  Be humble so others can see Jesus calling them through you.