The Park Road Pres Podcast

He sees something about Planet Earth that most people didn't see and most people TODAY don't see… that is the Kingdom of God.
What he saw… if YOU see it… you'll begin using new metrics or criteria to evaluate the health of this planet and "all who dwell in it" (Psa 24). WE tend to see economic indicators or GDP (productivity) or the amount of freedoms or health/disease stats as the key markers. Nehemiah sees something else.
Let's meet this unsung hero with whom we hope to spend the next eight weeks, Nehemiah. This opening episode is composed of three parts or movements:
Bad News from the Headquarters
Better Days and Memories of the Future
Moved/ to Mission

There would be a catharsis in the city - a cleansing. Cities aren't known to be clean and hygienic places BUT to become great, THIS city would have to be purified and would become a SOURCE of purity and beauty to others - let's look at
HOW THIS CITY BECAME GREAT AND HOW ANYONE BECOMES GREAT:#1 - A City Graced by Grief#2 - A City With a Flowing Fountain#3 - A City Cleansed and Confident

There would be a catharsis in the city - a cleansing. Cities aren't known to be clean and hygienic places BUT to become great, THIS city would have to be purified and would become a SOURCE of purity and beauty to others - let's look atHOW THIS CITY BECAME GREAT AND HOW ANYONE BECOMES GREAT:#1 - A City Graced by Grief#2 - A City With a Flowing Fountain#3 - A City Cleansed and Confident

When the prophets came to a disappointed people... they didn't bring cheery songs without meaning nor was the message, "Oh, just lower your expectations and just deal with it - get realistic (i.e. cynical!)." NO! The prophets nourish the souls of this people with hope. Is it realistic? Yeah! It's truth! Is it optimistic? Yeah! Beyond their wildest dreams... Unassailable Hope.
Let's look at:#1 – How this is AN ENACTED PROPHECY#2– How It CULTIVATED HOPE THEN#3 – How It Can CULTIVATE HOPE NOW

This is APOCALYPTIC LITERATURE. Some people are inordinately drawn to it, and others are sort of afraid of it... We'll look at the FORM or GENRE at the end of the sermon but since it touches on some huge themes of the spiritual life and since we all have a spiritual life (even if you think you don't - you do!), let's look atTHE MAIN IDEA of the passage, thena MAJOR IDENTIFICATION in it and finally,THE MYSTERIOUS MODE (why's it expressed in this strange way with symbols and images?)

How do you keep the fire of the spiritual life burning?... And what happens if that fire dims, smolders, goes out...how do you deal with the disillusionments and inevitable disappointments that are always a part of the spiritual life? How do we sustain ZEAL when we're in the mundane rhythms that are, AGAIN, just a part of any normal relationship (even a relationship with God)?
Five occasions for FADING ZEAL, five ways we cool down in the spiritual life and how God responds to each.

Preacher: TJ Campo
Scripture: Ezra 6:1-15

Scripture: Acts 11:19-30
Preacher: Reverend Nate Taylor

Guest preacher, Rev. Nate Taylor, presents today's sermon. Nate grew up at Park Road Church and has become a pastor, missionary, and church planter in Glasgow, Scotland (Crossbridge Church) partly through the influence of the church's youth pastor in those earlier days, Rev. Brad Hunter, who, himself, planted a church in Vienna, Austria (New City Wein).
While Nate's back in the states on a brief furlough, we have the opportunity to benefit from his preaching this and next Sunday.
Sermon Text: Acts 8.26-40The Family Story of God's Mission
https://www.crossbridgechurch.co.uk/

This writer was trying to strengthen these early Hebrew Christians. And his/her approach is really helpful as WE try to interpret the tough stuff of life and even find ourselves asking, "Why me?" So, let's get into this idea of interpreting pain in the Christian life:
#1 – The Besetting Sin Facing All Believers#2 – How the Problem of Pain Aggravates This Sin#3–How Fixing Our Eyes Leads to Healing and Endurance