Church at the Well Podcast

Summer Sabbath - Week Three

Three Obstacles to Practicing Sabbath
Rest just doesn’t just happen; we have to choose to take it. In this sermon, Abby considers three common obstacles that hinder us from practicing Sabbath and invites us to see Sabbath not as something to master or accomplish, but as a gift to receive and enjoy as we are able.
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Discussion Questions:
Preparing for Sabbath isn’t just about guarding time, but, if helpful, planning it. Take two minutes to write a list of life-giving things you might enjoy doing as part of your Sabbath practice, then go around the circle, each sharing a few items from your “Sabbath Menu.”
Is there someone in the group who knows someone who practices the art of rest well? If so, please share. If not, how does it feel not to know anyone who rests well?
Building on Exodus 20:10, come up with a list as a group of who Sabbath is for besides you. (In other words, come up with a modern paraphrase of this verse). Do any items on your list stand out?
What are a few ways our practice of Sabbath might be a blessing to others?

Summer Sabbath - Week Two

Keeping sabbath is an act of resistance. In this sermon, Jordan explores three lies of identity (we are what we do, we are what we have, and we are what others say about us) and how practicing sabbath helps us to resist these lies and lean into the truth that we are God's beloved.
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Discussion Questions:
Have you ever had a really busy week or season that left you feeling exhausted or burned out? What was it like to finally stop and rest after such a hard time? What did rest look like?
The Israelites were forced into harsh labor, day in and day out. How do you think they might have reacted to God’s command to stop and rest? Would it have been easy for them? Difficult?
Bruggemann writes that God is a “Sabbath-keeping God… a Sabbath-giving God, and a Sabbath-commanding God.” Which one of these sticks out to you the most? Why?
Nouwen describes three lies of identity: I am what I do, I am what I have, and I am what others say about me. Do you see any evidence of these lies of identity at work in the world around you or in your own story?
How might keeping the Sabbath help us resist those lies of identity?

Summer Sabbath - Week One

When we practice Sabbath, we’re not just taking a break from work, we’re returning to the heart of God’s design for relationships and renewal. This week, Adam kicks off our Summer Sabbath series by offering three ways to look at Sabbath and reminding us that when we Sabbath, we’re rehearsing for the Kingdom of God.

You've Heard It Said - God Helps Those Who Help Themselves

How does the popular mantra, “God helps those who help themselves,” square with Scripture? And since it’s not actually found in the Bible, where does this mantra come from? In the sermon, Abby gives a brief history of this saying, shares a story from her own life, and offers three things we can learn from Daniel about God’s will when it comes to our need for help. 

You've Heard It Said - Jesus Take The Wheel

Many of us have heard the advice (or the song) that we ought to let "Jesus Take The Wheel." This week, Jordan continues our series, "You've Heard It Said," with a closer look at this common phrase. Together, we explore how faith and personal responsibility can work together, and what it really means to trust God with our lives. 

You've Heard It Said - Follow Your Heart

Follow Your Heart
In movies, songs, and well-meaning conversations, we hear the phrase, “Follow your heart.” Is this advice in line with the Bible? In this sermon, Adam offers five helpful “runway lights” to keep us on track with God’s will as we discern the path forward in our lives. Hint—one of them involves our hearts.

You've Heard It Said - More Than You Can Handle

Ever heard someone say, "God won't give you more than you can handle"? It sounds good, but it might not be the whole story. In fact, Scripture is full of stories about people who faced more than they could bear. This week, Jordan explores how we might adjust this common phrase in light of what God does give us - his grace, his presence, and his Spirit.

You've Heard It Said - Three Ways God Lets Us Down, and Why We Can Still Trust Him

Three Ways God Lets Us Down, and Why We Can Still Trust Him
“God will never let me down,” we sing, but if we’re honest with ourselves, many of us have felt let down by God. In this sermon Abby explores disappointment, how God uses falling as part of our formation, and Jesus’s invitation to a downwardly mobile life. 

Echoes of Easter - Eutychus

The story of Eutychus is a powerful reminder that Jesus meets us in our exhaustion and offers true rest and renewal. This week, Adam continues our "Echoes of Easter" series with a look at Eutychus' story and an encouragement to welcome Jesus into our own weariness. 

Echoes of Easter - The Widow of Nain

When Jesus encounters a widow whose son has died, his compassion leads to a surprising twist in her life trajectory. In this sermon, Jordan takes us into the details of this the story, revealing Jesus’s heart and showing that God is in the business of turning endings into new beginnings.