Church at the Well Podcast

What if Jesus' parable about the Pearl of Great Price isn’t only about discovering the value of God’s Kingdom, but also about discovering the kind of God who comes looking for us? In this sermon, we explore the surprising image of Jesus as the one who searches for what is precious—and what it could look like to join him in that search.  

Jesus likens the Kingdom of God to treasure, but what actually is treasure, and how can we best treasure God's Kingdom? Drawing on scripture and story, Abby shares three ways God's Kingdom is treasure for her, acknowledges the cost, and invites us to enjoy deeply the gift of God's Kingdom.

Jesus tells the parable of the buried treasure and the parable of the valuable pearl side-by-side in Matthew 13. This week, Jordan explores the similarities and differences between these two parables, and what Jesus might be inviting us to consider through them.

One Psalm is labeled as the "Song for the Sabbath day" - Psalm 92. This week, Jordan explores what makes this psalm one fitting for the Sabbath, and considers what kind of good news is waiting for us in the middle of the song. 

In a world that constantly tells us to do more, Psalms 116 & 131 offer a different invitation: return to rest. This week, we explore how Sabbath rest begins not by escaping our circumstances or trying harder, but by remembering that we are God's beloved children.

In a hot desert, shade isn't just refreshing - it can be a matter of life and death. In this sermon, Abby explores Psalm 91's invitation to rest in the "Shelterer" - the one whose presence is our soul's safety, and argues that the gift of rest is itself protective. 

This week, Jordan kicks off our four weeks of meeting outdoors with a short reflection on the invitation to "Return to Rest" from Psalm 116. 

This morning, we take a walk along the dusty road of Acts 8, where we witness an unexpected interaction between Philip and an Ethiopian official. Along the way, we discover the remarkable things that God can do with a question.

What if creation doesn't just point to the existence of a creator but to the Creator's character as well? In this sermon, Abby explores God's conversation with Job about creation (featuring ostriches) and offers three practical ways we can engage holy curiosity.
The sermon closes with a guest musical appearance by our friend Lydia Koch. You can listen to her song "Nothing Is Too Small" here or wherever you stream music.  

In Mark 9, the disciples hesitated to ask questions when Jesus shared about his coming death and resurrection. What got in the way of their curiosity? What would it have cost them to be curious? This week, Jordan continues our series, "Curious," by sharing about what it really takes to be curious and what Jesus can do with our curiosity.