Ankeny Gospel Church 1n5h28

How does repentance get us into the presence of God? What are the steps of repentance? Listen in as we look at 4 steps to true repentance found in Psalm 51.

Meditation is suddenly a buzzword in a society looking for solutions in a broken world. But while the world seeks to empty the mind, God longs to fill it. Listen as Nate explores the Biblical theme of meditation as we know God, wonder, hope, and receive wisdom.

In our modern digital age, solitude is difficult to find. When we make the effort to identify a place of quiet solitude, free from noise and distraction, we can begin. We begin to slow down out bodies, throughs and emotions. Once in the quiet place, we connect with God through prayer, scripture, worship, and silence. In the silence we can hear the still small voice.

Paul uses a very familiar word to teach us about prayer. The word is "all." We pray all the time in all ways with all perseverance and for all people. This isn't used to condemn or shame us, but to invite us to the source of life Himself. God longs to speak with us, to dwell with us, to be with us, and to savor our company.

What if the greatest danger to your faith isn't failure, but success without God? This week we look at Moses in Exodus 33 and the longing for God's presence that shaped his life. As we kick off a six-week series, we explore what it means to practice being with God–through prayer, silence, worship, and more. us as we learn to desire God's presence more than His gifts.

What does the resurrection of Jesus mean? There are many assumptions out there about what the resurrection mean, and most of them don't capture the whole picture. So, according to the end of Matthew, what does it mean? Listen in as we explore five reasons for the resurrection.

Jesus responded to the accusations against him with silence; the crowds demanded a Jesus that fit their own agendas; the soldiers staged a coronation without realizing what they were doing. Through it all, Jesus still invites us to follow him into the darkness, into death.

Throughout our lives, we develop strategies for dealing with our own betrayal, sin, and failures. Whether we try to cover them up or dwell on them too deeply, it’s easy to take matters into our own hands. Today’s age in Matthew reveals three different responses to betrayal—from the Chief Priests, Judas, and Peter: apathy, shame, and tears. us as we explore how Jesus meets us in our brokenness, inviting us into true freedom and redemption through the power of tears.

Everyone reacts when they see the real Jesus, the Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah, Son of God, and Son of Man. The chief priest and Sanhedrin reacted by tearing their clothes and beating Him, but before that they were looking for a false witness. What we look for, we will find. What do you look for? How do you react to Jesus?

On Jesus' last night with the disciples, he decides to pray. He goes into the garden and has an experience with the Father that we could only describe as a panic attack. He knew what was going to happen to Him, yet He still submitted to the Father's will and gave himself for us, to defeat the powers of sin and darkness. Despite the experiences of anguish, defeat, and suffering, Jesus responded with comion, peace, and obedience.

Jesus celebrates the over meal with his disciples. Far from being just a nice tradition that they do mindlessly, this meal carries with it a story; a story of God's salvation and evil's destruction, of suffering and joys, of triumphs and trials. What does it mean, then, for all of us to come to the table and partake of the same meal?

What gets Jesus' attention is whole-hearted devotion. Despite cultural pressures, criticism, and losing a valuable possession, the woman in Bethany takes the first step, pours it out, receives criticism, and is defended by Jesus. Her unreasonable devotion can disciple us all into seeking one thing: Jesus.

Jesus doesn't just care for the poor and marginalized, he identifies with them. In this age, Jesus declares that whatever we do for the "least of these", we actually do to him! Listen in as we see God's heart for the poor across the pages of Scripture and reflect on the shocking words of Jesus.

Prepared and Productive

Jesus continues his discourse to the disciples, this time pivoting to the timing of His return. Jesus' answer: no one knows! Instead of trying to figure out when Jesus is going to return, His disciples should be ready, lest they are taken away in judgment. So how can I be ready? Be responsible, wise, and caring.

Jesus sits with his disciples, on the Mount of Olives, and taps into the prophetic tradition of Isaiah and Daniel, quoting their poetic and cosmic language to describe the events about to happen: Jerusalem and the Temple will be destroyed because of the rebellion of God's people.

Immediately after leaving the temple, Jesus tells everyone it's going to be destroyed. Alarmed and confused, the disciples come up to him in private and ask him when these things will happen. Jesus gives them an answer in very dense imagery to tell them that Jerusalem will fall within the generation. His message to the disciples, and to us, is the same: don't be alarmed, endure, and bear witness.

In Matthew 23:25-39, Jesus uses symbols from the surrounding culture to reproach the Pharisees. These sharp words will be his last to the Pharisees and constitute his final visit to the temple before he is crucified. Jesus minces no words to warn of the dangers of self justification and external religion. He warns them to turn their attention from external purity to internal purity and from external life to internal life. But even these difficult words come from his deep love and are meant to draw them to repentance. Finally, Jesus declares His great love for Jerusalem and yearns for their freedom and protection. But they would not listen. This moving age calls across the centuries declaring Jesus's love and desire to be our refuge. Is Jesus a threat to you or a refuge?

This section of Matthew 23 starts the Woes to the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus proclaims seven woes, each one calling out the hypocrisy and failings of the dead man-made religion the Pharisees advocated for. This week, we explore the first four woes of Jesus.

In Matthew 23, Jesus starts his rebuke of the religious leaders of his day. This chapter is filled with seven woes, oracles against the hypocrisy and performative religion of the Israelite leaders. However, this age acts as a mirror in our lives and hearts. Before we can change the world, we must first follow Jesus' call to self-examination and humility. Listen in and reflect.