Shadyside Church of Christ
351 episodes - English - Latest episode: 9 days ago - ★★★★★ - 2 ratingsEvangelist Jeff Kent and the Shadyside Church of Christ present a weekly lesson to help and encourage listeners in their daily walk with Christ and spread the Gospel. We are non-denominational and all lessons are taken directly from the scriptures.
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Episodes
Where Sin Leads
September 24, 2018 04:00 - 29 minutes - 13.3 MBSin is a "non-starter" subject for lots of people. Most don't understand sin, and others simply try to downplay its effects. But scripture teaches that mankind's sin is the cause of all human misery and troubles. This is readily seen played out in the book of Genesis after Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit. It is a tale of heartache and woe. But the good news is that Jesus was sent to deal with sin and give us hope for life eternal without any of this planet's troubles! Praise our...
He Anointed Me
September 17, 2018 04:00 - 35 minutes - 16.3 MBToward the beginning of His ministry Jesus had come to the synagogue in Nazareth and read from Isaiah 61 which told of the mission of the Messiah. He told those present that day the scripture was fulfilled in their hearing. Good news would be preached to the poor. Captives would be set free. The blind would see. Understanding the spiritual nature of the kingdom of God, do we know who these people are and exactly what was to be done for them? Would not this still be the mission of the church t...
The Sower, the Seed, and the Soils
September 11, 2018 04:00 - 34 minutes - 15.9 MBThe parable of the sower is familiar to most of us, but it will always yield "a crop" of understanding when we look into it again and take a closer look. We are advised to read our familiar scriptures even more carefully. This parable provides great insights into several aspects of the kingdom of God. Did you know that whenever anyone gets up to preach, to teach a class or even to have a personal Bible study that Satan is standing ready to snatch the Word of truth from people's hearts? Wow!
Reluctant Followers
September 03, 2018 04:00 - 29 minutes - 13.3 MBSometimes we just don't want to do certain things in life: get out of bed in the morning; clean the bathroom; go to the dentist. And sometimes we don't want to follow the Lord's call and do what He wants: make a visit to Sister Crabapple; lead a study; greet visitors. We are not alone in this. Scripture records several who offered their excuses and resisted God's call to serve. But God was very persuasive. They were reluctant followers, but they were still followers. What about you? Ever been...
Lessons from Philemon
August 27, 2018 04:00 - 35 minutes - 16.4 MBWe are taught that all scripture is inspired of God and profitable for teaching, but some scriptures (even entire books) seem to be neglected. Philemon is one such letter. Despite having only 25 verses, this book of scripture paints a beautiful picture of Christian love influencing life and yields many lovely and enduring truths for us to take to heart and follow.
Some Things Not Possible
August 20, 2018 04:00 - 31 minutes - 14.2 MBJesus affirmed in two different places that all things were possible with God, but scripture plainly teaches that God has restrictions even on Himself when it comes to certain things. For example, God cannot lie. When it comes to His dealings with us, there are also restrictions which God has set in place which are usually characterized by such key words as "unless," "except," and "cannot." We need to pay special attention to these teachings.
Finding Peace
August 13, 2018 04:00 - 35 minutes - 16.1 MBThe world is craziness and "nut-ness" these days, and this often makes us all agitated and frizzed out on the inside. Jesus said that in the world there would be tribulation. It is a broken and dying world which dishes out plenty of trouble and turmoil. But how do we find peace among all the lunacy? Many seek it with their drug of choice, booze and other forms of escape. Jesus said that in Him there is peace. How does this work? What about Jesus gives real peace that nothing else can? And how...
Remembering Our Beginnings (Part 6)
August 06, 2018 04:00 - 34 minutes - 15.8 MBJust what was this early kingdom community like? It was growing, and this generated some problems which had to be resolved. It was empowered by heavenly, supernatural power: miraculous healings, the word of God, prayer and the Holy Spirit. People were drawn to them in seeing their unity, their caring for one another, and in hearing their message of the resurrected Christ. As we continue today in the same kingdom of God, we will be blessed to follow in their footsteps.
Remembering Our Beginnings (Part 5)
July 30, 2018 04:00 - 36 minutes - 17 MBThe new community took their Lord seriously and went out with His message. But it didn't take long for them to receive opposition. The religious leaders of the Jewish establishment felt threatened by the power displayed in the healing of the lame beggar and the power of the message of a resurrected Jesus of Nazareth whom Peter says they crucified. So they threaten the apostles not to teach in the name of Jesus any more. This does nothing but empower the church with greater boldness to proclai...
Remembering Our Beginnings (Part 4)
July 23, 2018 04:00 - 32 minutes - 14.9 MBHow important it is for any group, country or organization to stay true to the purposes for which it was brought into existence and the beliefs upon which it was founded. The early church remained focused upon their Master Jesus and began immediately to live according to His words. In keeping with Jesus' command they begin at once to fulfill their purpose as "light of the world" and "salt of the earth" by taking the message of the resurrected Christ out into their local community. The imme...
Remembering Our Beginnings (Part 3)
July 16, 2018 04:00 - 41 minutes - 18.8 MBThe kingdom of heaven had both earthbound and supernatural beginnings. On Pentecost (Acts 2), three significant Old Testament prophecies were shown to be true and fulfilled - the coming of the Holy Spirit on all flesh, the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, and the establishment of a new covenant community (the church) in which there was true forgiveness of sins. The roots of the church run deep. These are still our roots today.
Remembering Our Beginnings (Part 2)
July 09, 2018 04:00 - 35 minutes - 16.3 MBOur series continues to remind us of our historical and heavenly roots. From the mountain top experience of Jesus' ascension the apostles return to the confines of an upper room. Here they are faced with the new reality. Jesus is gone having left them with a promise and the command to wait. They must replace a traitor who was among them. They are only about 120 in number. What is there left to do except pray.
Remembering Our Beginnings (Part 1)
July 02, 2018 04:00 - 36 minutes - 26.5 MBThe kingdom of God, the church, had a beginning. God established it and set it in motion with definite purposes and organization to further those purposes. In this series of lessons, we want to revisit the beginnings of the church of Jesus Christ to be reminded of both its historical and heavenly foundations. In this day and age when evil seems to be making such great advances, we must be certain of our Master, our message and our mission.
Adoption as Sons
June 25, 2018 04:00 - 33 minutes - 15.4 MBThe human family is one of God's greatest gifts to us, but He has an even greater gift for us that that. He has His own family into which we can be adopted. This adoption as "sons of God" is more than some kind of spiritual symbolism, but is a reality of life in the kingdom, a genuine happening. Consider this: Jesus is the only begotten Son of the Father, but all other sons are adopted into the family. And despite our being adopted son, we get to share in the inheritance of the Father's ...
Our World
June 11, 2018 04:00 - 37 minutes - 17.2 MBShootings in schools and churches; aborting of over 300,000 babies in this country every year; sexual abuse and immorality everywhere; lack of civility and the use of profanities and vulgarities in every media; et al - What has happened? 50, 40, 30 years ago, such was not the case. When God and His word are rejected, man replaces Him with himself and his own philosophies. The result - disaster!! Nothing is valued any longer: not life, not the individual, not marriage, not the body, not the so...
Joy Beyond Words
June 04, 2018 04:00 - 33 minutes - 15.6 MBJoy in God's people is a theme throughout the Bible. They rejoiced that the Lord was their God and because of all His goodness toward them. It seems, though, that this joy in the Lord is lost on the church today. We are sober, solemn and somber, but are never full of rejoicing in our God and His Christ. Peter gives us more than good reminders why the Christian should rejoice with "joy inexpressible"! Look out! Somebody might actually shout "Hallelujah!"
Optional and Non-Optional
May 28, 2018 04:00 - 32 minutes - 22.7 MBWe like choices, and God gives us plenty of them. From foods to eat, flowers to plant and enjoy to different kinds of pets, the Lord has given us many options. There are even other options like places to live, jobs to hold, schools to attend, channels to watch, etc. But some things none of us can avoid, even though many of us try. We must all come to grips with these non-optional aspects of life. They are matters of life and death.
On Loving People
May 14, 2018 04:00 - 34 minutes - 15.9 MBOften we want to show someone that we truly care about them but don't know exactly what to do or what to say. We end up being upset with ourselves thinking we could have done more or been more encouraging. Sometimes we don't do anything! Jesus whole life is an example of loving others so we need to look carefully at how He went about it. Here's a little memory clue: L - A - T - T - A. It will come in handy.
No Free Lunch
May 07, 2018 04:00 - 32 minutes - 26.8 MBWhenever something is billed as "free," it might be free to the recipients, but we can be sure that somebody paid for it. People go to soup kitchens for a free lunch, but someone supplies the food, the building, the work of preparation, etc. There is a cost involved. God invites people to come and receive the "free gift" of life eternal. This gift is free to those who will accept it, but there was a great cost to God to provide this gift. Just what did this cost the Lord?
Pray Like Hezekiah
April 30, 2018 04:00 - 32 minutes - 14.9 MBKing Hezekiah faced two seemingly hopeless situations in his day. One was on a national level, and the other was very personal. But he turned to the Lord God in prayer, and God heard him and answered him with two amazing deliverances. Hezekiah believed that prayer can change things. Perhaps we can learn some lessons about prayer from Hezekiah.
One Matters
April 23, 2018 04:00 - 34 minutes - 15.9 MBToday's church needs to start thinking like its God - to think small! One day matters. One hour matters. One minute matters. One good deed matters. One good word matters. One word of comfort matters. One uplifting word matters. One soul matters. One person matters - no matter their background and current "baggage." One soul seeker matters. One kingdom worker matters. One matters
Are You Crazy Enough to be a Christian?
April 16, 2018 04:00 - 32 minutes - 9.91 MBThey said that John the Baptist and Jesus each had a demon. Paul was accused of being out of his mind. When you don't think like the world, believe like the world, or act like the world, the world will call you crazy, stupid, weird and a whole lot more. You might lose friends, job, position and get ostracized from your group. We are warned not to fear men nor what they can do to us. Are you good with that? Are you "crazy" enough to follow Christ?
Nailed to the Cross
April 02, 2018 04:00 - 30 minutes - 13.8 MBScripture tells us (so does secular history) that Jesus of Nazareth was crucified by the Romans, nailed to a cross. But the Bible also tells us that some other things were nailed to Jesus' cross when He was. What are those things? Do they have anything to do with my salvation? And if they do, how do I avail myself of them? Hmmm?
Celebration
March 26, 2018 04:00 - 32 minutes - 15 MBWe celebrate just about anything these days from sports victories to birthdays to National Donut Day. But we Christians tend not to celebrate our spiritual victories very much, and that is a mystery. However, the greatest celebration ever is yet to come, and that will be when Jesus returns, raises the dead in Christ and lifts us all into the air to be with Him. It will be a reunion with those gone before and the first "face to face" with our Lord for most of us. What a day that will be!! Time...
The Humble Christ
March 12, 2018 04:00 - 33 minutes - 15.6 MBJesus called Himself gentle and humble in heart. And He also showed Himself to be just that in giving up divine privileges to become human. He was born into a lowly family and grew up a carpenter. He owned no property and accumulated no wealth. When He rode into Jerusalem and was hailed as a great prophet, He was on a donkey. He died the death of a criminal. Truly surprising for the Creator of the universe!Or maybe not.
The Priesthood Through the Ages (pt. 3)
March 05, 2018 05:00 - 37 minutes - 17.3 MBIn removing the Aaronic priesthood of Moses, God ushered in a better covenant by a priesthood which would continue forever - Christ Jesus was ordained a priest after the order of Melchizedek. Under this new covenant, sins could be totally removed (forgiven) because the sacrifice was none other than Jesus Himself, the Lamb of God. Disciples of Jesus are privileged to serve as priests although they are not involved with sacrifices for sin. They offer up spiritual sacrifices of praise and good w...
The Priesthood Through the Ages (#2)
February 26, 2018 05:00 - 38 minutes - 17.7 MBWe continue in this series with a brief look at the priesthood under the law of Moses. Aaron, Moses' brother, and his sons were chosen by the Lord to be priests and they underwent a seven-day consecration ritual to set them apart for God's holy service. The law was very specific about the duties of the priests and the various sacrifices which were to be offered. But the priesthood became corrupted along with the entire nation of Israel, and that situation coupled with the known weakness in th...
The Priesthood Through the Ages (pt. 1)
February 19, 2018 05:00 - 38 minutes - 17.5 MBSince Adam & Eve sinned in Eden, there has been a need for a "go between" with God and man. God Himself provided for such a "go between" in the work and person of a priest. It was God who established the office of a priest and designated his purposes, duties and responsibilities. From early in Genesis, the work of the priest was performed, the most striking example being that of Melchizedek. We want to examine the priesthood in the various dispensations beginning with the age of the patriarch...
What Are You Waiting For?
February 12, 2018 05:00 - 30 minutes - 13.9 MBGod's Book regularly reminds us of the brevity of life, and that there is much to be done in the time we are allotted. Not meant to be a "downer," this is just to impress upon us the reality of life. We humans, however, tend to put things off and think we have "all the time in the world." Scripture affirms such is not the case, and that we need to get busy with what we need to do. So - What are you waiting for?!
Five-Fold Witness
February 05, 2018 05:00 - 31 minutes - 14.3 MBIt is said that no one can prove the existence of God. This may well be true, but God has left more than enough evidence, even very powerful witness to His existence. From the wonders of complex design and the intricate structures in the cell to the convicting power of Holy Scripture to the Person of Jesus of Nazareth both crucified and resurrected, the witnesses all testify with boldness and authority. And they agree: "There is a God."
For This Reason
January 29, 2018 05:00 - 33 minutes - 15.1 MBWhy do we do some of the things we do? Have you ever asked yourself that question? Why did you by that home gym now collecting dust in the basement? Why did you buy that oversize truck which gets 9 miles per gallon? Sometimes we have no good answer. When it comes to our souls and spiritual lives, we need to have good reason for what we do. Paul suffered great and numerous hardships for the cause of the gospel, but he had good reason for doing so. It was Christ Jesus Himself. No better reason ...
Friend of Sinners
January 22, 2018 05:00 - 31 minutes - 14.3 MBJesus was called a friend of sinners by his adversaries - and He truly was! The reason He became one of us was to give us comfort, peace and hope so He focused on the individual more than the situation that each was in. He "loved" the young ruler who had much wealth. He marveled at and praised the faith of a pagan centurion. He did not condemn the woman caught in adultery. He knew who we were and what we needed. His disciples needed to learn the same. God's people today also need to become fr...
The Church of God at Corinth
January 08, 2018 05:00 - 42 minutes - 19.6 MBPaul has no hesitation in affirming this group of believers as the church of God and that they were in Christ, had received the grace of God, were in fellowship with Jesus Christ and would be confirmed "blameless" to the day of Christ. Then he goes on in the bulk of the letter (1 Corinthians) to point out all of their failings and even immoral behavior! We have to ask: "What's with that?" There is a certain "tension" in all of this which needs to be unpacked.
Words to Fight By
December 31, 2017 05:00 - 30 minutes - 14 MBThe new year 2018 is upon us (the Lord willing), We know not what great blessings which God might bestow upon us which will be cause for rejoicing and thanking God. We also do not know what troubles the devil might bring and temptations which the world will throw at us, so we need some words to fight by. We need reminders of the power, glory and purposes of the God who is "for" us. And the Lord has given us plenty of words of truth to inspire and encourage us in our times of distress.
What Did Jesus Look Like?
December 25, 2017 05:00 - 32 minutes - 15.1 MBOver the years, people have painted and sculpted what they thought our Lord looked like, but the New Testament is silent on Jesus' physical appearance. Was He short? Tall? Of rugged build? What color were His eyes? Hair? We just don't know. Perhaps God is telling us something in this?! But when we consider the whole person of our Lord, we do know what Jesus looked like. He looked like a man who was concerned about His fellow man; someone who had the courage of His convictions; a per...
His Name Shall Be Called
December 17, 2017 05:00 - 37 minutes - 17.1 MBIt was prophesied in Isaiah that the promised Messiah was to be called "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace." Knowing that names correspond to the character and position of the one so named, we ask if Jesus fulfills the meanings contained in all of these names? Was this child born in an obscure village in occupied Judah really God being a man? And if it's true, what does that mean for you and me?
Too Bad to be True
December 04, 2017 05:00 - 30 minutes - 14.1 MBAll too often we make decisions or take positions with out really examining their logical consequences. Such is the case with atheism whose adherents often have chosen a non-belief in God to avoid having any restraints in their lifestyles (especially sexual) and to escape any end of time judgment (so they believe). However, atheism logically leads us to the following conclusions: We are worthless. Life is pointless. The future is hopeless. Are atheists ready to accept these outcomes? Does thi...
What is Faith?
November 27, 2017 05:00 - 37 minutes - 17.1 MBWithout faith a person cannot be pleasing to God. But what is faith? Many have tried to come up with a simplistic definition, but since faith is such a complex idea, finding a definition is difficult. A "picture" of faith is a better approach, and this is exactly what God through the author of Hebrews gives us in chapters nine and ten of the book. It's worth careful consideration to determine whether or not I have faith.
By What Authority
November 20, 2017 05:00 - 35 minutes - 16.4 MBJesus was asked by what authority He taught what He did, healed people, cast out demons, etc. It was a legitimate question. Authority seems to be something which is shoved into the background these days. People are bending the rules, breaking the rules, and even making up their own rules! How does that work? Scripture affirms that all (legitimate) authority rests with God. He created this planet and the people on it, so it's His right to write the rules. He designates who is to have authority...
What Jesus Gives
November 13, 2017 05:00 - 29 minutes - 13.6 MBIt has been said that you can't out give God. God's blessings flow daily upon all people with gifts for the body, the heart and the soul. When Jesus lived among us, He was continually opening up a treasure trove of God's gifts to humanity. Sometimes, though, we fail to see the gifts and appreciate them. And sometimes, we just focus on the gifts and forget the greatest One of all.
Jesus Is Still The Answer
November 06, 2017 05:00 - 35 minutes - 16.1 MBOver the years, many have thrown aside Jesus and His teaching in favor of science, worldly religions and human philosophies to provide the answers to life's questions and give guidance on how to live. But Jesus is just as real today, and His words are just as true as they've ever been. And when we ask such questions as: Is there really a God? What kind of God is He? Why is there pain and suffering? Does our life have a purpose?, etc., only Jesus provides truly satisfying answers.
Fixer Upper
October 30, 2017 04:00 - 34 minutes - 15.6 MBWe've all seen the TV shows in which somebody buys a house on the market, goes in and extensively remodels it, and then resells it. We like to watch them break down walls, tear out old kitchens and re-purpose living space. We love to see the finished home. When a person becomes a Christian, a similar process takes place. Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus comes to dwell in that person. When He comes to take up residence, He begins the "remodeling" process. The old must go: sinful behavior, ...
Not By Bread Alone
October 23, 2017 04:00 - 27 minutes - 12.8 MBIn His confrontation with Satan, Jesus quoted from Deuteronomy that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. Now we like to eat and do a good job of providing "bread" for the body. How much do you eat in a week? How many times? It seems we are always going to the fridge or looking in the pantry for something to nibble on. So how well do we do with feeding our soul? How much of the "living bread" (Jesus) do we take in during the week to keep our soul healthy and fit for serv...
I Will Make a Way
October 16, 2017 04:00 - 28 minutes - 13 MBIsrael was "up against it" when they came out of Egypt. Pharaoh's army was pursuing and the Red Sea was a barrier in front of them. They could not see a way out and began to cry out in fear. But the Lord had a plan (He always does), and He made a way thru the Sea for them to escape. The Lord still helps His people out of trouble today. He is God!! When we can't see any way out of our difficulty, God does, and He will make a way for us. We don't need to know how He's going to do it. We only ne...
The Lord is My Shepherd - Really?
October 09, 2017 04:00 - 34 minutes - 15.8 MBJesus refers to Himself as the good shepherd in John 10, and He speaks there of some of the blessings for those who are shepherded by Him. David wrote in Psalm 23 of the blessings which came to him since the Lord was his shepherd in life. If a person were truly letting Jesus shepherd them, would not their life be characterized by the one which David describes in his psalm? Hmmm?
God's Family - Can I Get in on That?
October 02, 2017 04:00 - 42 minutes - 19.4 MBLast week we talked about the design and purposes of God's family. But is God's family for everybody? Some believe that only certain folks are eligible to be part of God's family, the body of Christ, the church. You know, you have to have achieved some standard of good or not done certain things in your past. Is this true? And how does this all work? The Bible speaks of people being "adopted" as sons of God and also being "born again." How does all of this fit together?
God's Family - What is it?
September 25, 2017 04:00 - 31 minutes - 14.5 MBThere are a lot of differing views floating around out there about the family of God, i.e. the church. Some people see it as this rather faceless body of Christians worldwide. Others believe it's all about a once a week worship service. What does the Bible teach about the family of God? Who is part of it, and what are its purposes? Like all things which God created, He designed for His family to function in certain ways and to do certain things for it to flourish. Just what are those things?
Christian? Why?
September 18, 2017 04:00 - 37 minutes - 17.2 MBPeople become Christians for many different reasons, some of which are rather poor. Perhaps this is why the witness of so many Christians is also rather poor. If some one asks us why we are Christians, what do we say? How do we answer?
Getting a Handle on Good Works
September 11, 2017 04:00 - 37 minutes - 17.1 MB"Works" has been debated for a long time in Christian circles. Do they have anything to do with salvation at all? What are these good works, anyway? The Bible does not supply a listing. What is their purpose, and what should be the Christian's attitude toward them? Are they to be a prime focus or are they sort of optional, like when you have the time? Lots of questions! Let's look for answers.
The Gospel
August 28, 2017 04:00 - 35 minutes - 16.4 MBThe history in the Old Testament is filled with bad news. Adam and Eve sinned and were removed from the Garden. Man's wickedness was so great that God told Noah to build an ark. Despite being called as God's people and having a covenant relationship, Israel continued to go astray and ended up on the other side of captivity with a beggarly-looking temple and 400 years of silence out of God. But the New Testament opens with good news - the birth of a Savior. And the gospel marches from Bethlehe...