The Asbury UMC Smyrna Podcast (Smyrna, DE‪)‬ Asbury_Smyrna

This week, we look at the Gospel of Matthew and the Miracle of the Earthquake as we continue in our Miracles of Calvary sermon series.  After the veil was torn, an earthquake hit that split rock in two and graves were opened.  This miracle was not a natural disaster, but a holy sign that sin had been defeated and that Jesus' death was shaking things up.  When our lives seem to shake, we can remember that God is our refuge.  He will shake things up but will not let US be shaken.

For more information about worship services, special events, and other ministries at Asbury UMC please find our Facebook page or website at www.asburysmyrnaumc.org.

Asbury UMC welcomes the Rev. Jacqueline Davis-Ford, Director of Connectional Ministries for the Peninsula-Delaware Annual Conference to the pulpit on this First Sunday in Lent while Pastor Julie is away on a mission trip.  Rev. Ford brings a message from Romans as we focus on surrendering all to God during this season of Lent.

For more information on Lenten Bible studies, services, special events, and other ministries at AUMC, please find our Facebook page or website at www.asburysmyrnaumc.org. 

Returned from her mission trip to Liberia, Africa, Rev. Julie Lewis begins a new sermon series to take us through the season of Lent.  Miracles of Calvary will be a series focusing on the miracles that happened during Christ's crucifixion; these are stories that scripture mentions but that we don't frequently take a good look at and reveal what God was doing in those moments.  We begin today with the Miracle of Darkness as we look at the three long hours Christ hung on the cross and the total blackness that swept over everything during this time.  The darkness represented the total depravity and sin of humankind which was being redeemed on the cross by the light of the world.  When our lives are filled with darkness, we can rest assured that the light will overcome the darkness because Jesus has already done it through his death.  

For more information about services, events, and other ministries at Asbury United Methodist Church please find our Facebook page or website at www.asburysmyrnaumc.org. 

This week, Rev. Julie Lewis looks at the time following the total darkness during Jesus' crucifixion and the moment when Jesus breathed his last breath.  At this moment, the temple veil was torn from top to bottom.  No human could have done this.  A natural disaster wouldn't have done this either.  The veil was a physical separation between the holiness of God and the sinfulness of humankind.  Once Jesus died, the veil was no longer needed.  We had access to God through his atonement for our sins.  Yet, we still try to put up our own barriers to meeting with God.  God has cleared the way and we can tear down all the barriers and meet Jesus.

For more information about services, special events, and other ministries at Asbury UMC please find our Facebook page or website at www.asburysmyrnaumc.org. 

In this final message in the Dinner with Jesus sermon series, Rev. Julie Lewis shows us the ways that the world tries to tell us that God is dead.  For three days after the cross, Jesus was dead, but then he rose to new life.  He proves he is alive by the eating of meals - with the Emmaus pilgrims and breakfast with his disciples.  We continue to eat together in Communion and in fellowship as living proof that Christ is alive in us.  When we put away our notions of who to share our meals with or finding ways to avoid being with people not like us, we find the true community that we are called to in Christ.

For more information about services, events, and other ministries at Asbury United Methodist Church in downtown Smyrna, Delaware, please find our Facebook page or website at www.asburysmyrnaumc.org. 

On this Communion Sunday, we reflect on the final meal that Jesus ate with the disciples.  Jesus gave us this meal to share with one another until he returns to remind us of his grace and love.  We are to share this meal together remembering who and whose we are that all are invited to the table.  Here we find life.  Here we find each other.  Here we find our salvation.  Here we find community as it was meant to be.

For more information about Asbury UMC in Smyrna, Delaware please find our Facebook group or website at www.asburysmyrnaumc.org.