Real Good Courage - The Westwood Podcast

Guests are a blessing. Jesus told the Disciples to go out and share the good news, and that they would be showered with hospitality. Hospitality is the process of a stanger taken under protection of the host for a given time during the period of hospitality. The disciples needed hospitality because of the dangers of the world and their vulnerability. Sometimes the roles of those who need welcome and those who offer welcome can change and both parties can do both the welcoming and receiving  welcome.

Today's message comes from Pastor Sarah. Our Gospel comes from John  Chapter 10, verses 40-42. Our scripture lesson is Psalm 100.

The Gospel of John tells us that we are freed by faith alone, and crucified in Christ. However, our culture is trying to remove our remembrances of the sacrifices and the contributions of our non-white brothers and sisters with the intent that we forget. Westwood stands diametrically opposed to this attempt to rewrite history. 

Today's message comes from Pastor Jason. Our Gospel comes from John  Chapter 8, verses 31 - 36. Our scripture lesson is from 2 Samuel, Chapter 13, verses 20-22.

The church exists for all of the people of the world. It doesn't exist to keep us comfortable and cloistered behind our walls. When we live the mission and the Holy Spirit gets unleashed, the endings are unimaginable. Each of us has the good news of God's gift to be shared anywhere and everywhere.

Today's message comes from Pastor Sarah. Our scripture lesson comes from Psalm 100, and our Gospel comes from Matthew Chapter's 9 verse 35 to Chapter 10, verse 8. 

The Gospel of Matthew shares that a value for Christian discipleship is both creating a welcoming space for children and pursuing their well-being in our communities.  This values isn’t just something decided on, but comes from being swept up into God’s story of grace and calling in Jesus.

Today's message comes from Pastor Jason. Our bible reading is Psalm 127, and our Gospel comes from Matthew Chapter 9, verses 18 - 26.

When the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples on that first Pentecost, the results were immediate, obvious and startling. Normally, we don't see the effects of the Holy Spirit that directly, but God is present in the world around us through the work of the Holy Spirit. 

Today's message comes to us from Pastor Sarah. She interviews Olivia Tolzin and Zach Prowell, who are both educators. The three discuss the beauty and lament of the past year in education, and share how their faith made a difference. You’ll hear how the Spirit showed up through them. Today's lesson comes from 1 Corinthians, Chapter 12 verses 1, 4-11.

Luke writes the story of the ascension twice. The main elements of the two match up, but differ in some of the details., but why? We explore the stories and how the perspective may change depending upon the audience.

This message is brought to us by Pastor Jason. The Gosple comes from Luke, Chapter 24, versess 44 - 53, and is compared to the story of ascension from Acts Chapter 1 Verses 6 -11.

Have you ever been recruited for a job, a team, a role that you didn't really know was coming your way? Those disciples on the road to Emmaus were. They didn't know it at the time, but Jesus appeared to them and recruited them into his grand design. They invited him into their home for the evening, offered him food and drink. It was only after he took charge and blessed the meal that they realized who Jesus actually was. Then they became an even bigger part of the story by immediately turning around to go back to Jerusalem and share the good news of Jesus' resurrection with the Eleven. 

God often recruits us be leaders in the same way. We may want to have others in the limelight because it can be hard to see ourselves as leaders, but we all have the capacity within us. 

Today's message comes from Pastor Sarah. Our Gospel lesson is from Luke, Chapter 24, verses 28 - 35.

As the disciples walked away from Jerusalem after the crucifixtion, their internal story of the event was limiting their ability to see a future for Christ and Christianity. As Jesus walked with them, he helped explain how their story was an incomplete telling of the events of the past days. We too can allow our stories to be limiting vs. enlivening.  We need to remember that a Savior is with us at all times. 

Today's message is brought to us by Pastor Jason. Our Gosple is from Luke, Chapter 24, verses 18-27.