10 episodes
Epiclesis Epiclesis
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- Religion & Spirituality
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4.7 • 14 Ratings
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Weekly teaching ministry of Epiclesis, an Ancient-Future Faith Community.
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The Father Turns His Face Away?
A popular worship song contains the line, "the Father turns His face away." Did God turn away from or abandon Jesus on the cross? The scope of what happened on Mount Calvary is such a deep mystery. Yet, Jesus Himself showed us on the cross through His words and actions an especially astonishing truth about what was taking place. Join us as we consider the crucifixion, take a brief look at four classic atonement theories, and ultimately go in depth with Psalm 22 to get a beautiful perspective on Christ's work on the cross.
The work of art associated with this podcast/post is by Edward Knippers and is titled "Christ Whipped" (detail). -
The Gate
Sheep and shepherds make frequent appearances in Scripture. Jesus called Himself a "Good Shepherd." So, who were the "bad shepherds"? Join Pastor Chris for a fresh look at Psalm 23 and at least one surprising thing about shepherds.
The picture associated with this podcast is an historic photo of a sheep cave and shepherd from Bethlehem. Date unknown. Library of Congress. -
Evening Psalm
What are we Christians supposed to do in a world full of cynicism that seems to be falling apart? And what about the unfair successes of the ungodly all around us? The psalmist has some very simple, practical, and even profound advice for the godly in times like these.
Join Pastor Chris and learn about an addition or two to your evening prayer and devotional time.
A couple of notes: The hymn text that Pastor Chris read at the end of his concluding prayer is the ages old "Phos Hilaron" ("O Gladsome Light"), an ancient evening song of praise, perhaps a lamp lighting hymn, that in its original Greek dates back even to the second century.
The artwork associated with this podcast is a woodblock print (one in a series for each of the psalms) by American artist Kreg Yingst. The work is called "Psalm 4." -
A Whole New World
Christ's work on the cross-- His death, burial, and resurrection-- means that God has dealt with death once and for all. Yet Christ's work also means a reversal of what happened in the Garden. A whole new world has come into being. Join Pastor Chris for an Easter Sunday sermon focusing on the re-creation that happens because of the person and work of Jesus.
The artwork associated with this podcast/post is titled "A Symphony of Praise," by Yongsung Kim. -
Bend the Knee
On this Palm Sunday, Pastor Chris took a look at the prophetic things the crowd shouted when Jesus came riding into the Holy City at His Triumphal Entry. Question: How is the Davidic Dynasty tied to the events of Palm Sunday, and might they be they relevant to us today? Join us as we focus on bending the knee to ultimate King.
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Snakes!
Remember the episode in the Bible about the "snake on a stake"? So many questions: Why snakes? What did the Children of Israel do to deserve that? And why did Jesus use that odd event in the desert to describe His coming into the world to the Pharisee Nicodemus?
Join Pastor Chris for this sermon, and spend some time with us as we consider our own wilderness journeys.
The image associated with this podcast is "Moses and the Brass Serpent." Oil on canvas, date unknown. Arthur Sussman.
Customer Reviews
Excellent biblical teaching and wisdom
This podcast is an honest, refreshing, and enlightening exploration of what we can learn from the early church and how that informs our lives as Christians today. Some of the podcasts are recorded sermons while others are interviews with other pastors or thinkers. Pastor Chris Alford is sincere, wise, and funny. I was able to spend a summer in the Epiclesis congregation in Sacramento and it was by far the best church experience in my life. I miss it dearly. But at least I can listen to the podcast! Thanks Epiclesis and Pastor Chris. Keep the blessings coming!
What Was Finished?
This is a most interesting and well presented teaching. It is so refreshing to hear God's wonderous story and how we can become part of it - that it is all about God's story and not ours! It is great to hear someone focus on the themes that run through the entirety of the bible and reinforce that they all point to the person and work of Jesus Christ. These podcasts are a breath of fresh air and yet are packed with good theology and teaching. Keep 'em coming!!
Dr. Carl Peters
The dialogue that takes place between pastor and people in these teachings is engaging and refreshing. Saint Augustine taught that, "The Old Testament is in the New revealed and the New Testament is in the Old concealed." In keeping with this understanding, the messages presented here are thoroughly immersed in the narrative of Salvation History. From the excited responses of the congregation, it seems clear that this approach creates a most lively interaction with the Scriptures! Thank you for sharing this beautiful time with us.