Ascension on Air

Pastor Ben Berger
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Religion & Spirituality
  • Updated Weekly

Weekly messages where Christ meets everyday people - and the profound change he brings.

  1. 14h ago

    What Makes Christians Different (Part 3): When It Looks Like the Other Side Is Winning — Isaiah 44:6-11

    Isaiah 44 was spoken to people whose nation was about to be swallowed by an empire that credited its own gods with the victory. God's answer to them is a single claim about himself: “I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God.” This episode looks at what that claim means for Christians today who feel like the ideas and powers shaping the culture have already won — and why scripture calls those powers empty no matter how much authority they appear to hold. The reason it holds is Christ: because God planned redemption through his Son before history began and rules history to its ending, the outcome is already settled even when the present says otherwise. Key Takeaways Jesus' parable of the wheat and the weeds describes the world Christians actually live in — what God is growing and what the enemy is growing, side by side — and it also names the ending: a harvest where the two are finally separated.Isaiah delivered these words roughly a century before Babylon arrived, which means God told his people in advance that captivity was coming, that he was not abandoning them, and that he would bring them back.When nations fell in the ancient world, the winning side credited its gods — so the people of Judah were left wondering whether the Lord's hand, meaning God's own power to act and rescue, was strong enough to save them.God's response in Isaiah 44:6 is not encouragement about his people's resilience but a statement about himself: he alone is God, he alone stands above history, and he alone unfolds it for his purposes.Isaiah 44:10 asks who would shape a god that “can profit nothing.” Ancient idols were wooden cores overlaid with gold and silver, and God's verdict on the powers behind them is that they have no eyes, no ears, no mouths, and no hands — they are lifeless.God's verdict falls the same way on every modern authority that appears to be defeating Christians — claims about the self as its own maker, about sexuality and family, about wealth and success — because no power other than God governs and directs history.Christ's promised harvest is therefore not a hope Christians hold at arm's length but a present certainty, since the God who guarantees it is the one who has been working through history all along to redeem his people. Ascension on Air comes from Ascension Lutheran Church in Harrisburg. If this episode was worth your time, subscribe so you don't miss the next one, leave a review to help others find the show, and share it with someone who needs to hear it. Isaiah 44:6-11 ascensionharrisburg.com

  2. Jul 16

    Why Are You Here, Christian?

    Why are you part of the church you're part of? In this episode, Ascension on Air explores 1 Corinthians 3:5–11, where the Apostle Paul confronts a church that had split into rival camps around their favorite teachers. Paul's answer is direct: no preacher's charisma makes a church grow — only God does that — and Jesus Christ alone is the foundation any Christian community can be built on. This episode is an invitation to examine whether your own faith is rooted in Christ, or has quietly drifted toward loyalty to a personality. Key Takeaways Paul reminds the Corinthians that neither he nor Apollos deserves credit for their spiritual growth — Scripture states plainly that “God has been making it grow,” not any teacher's talent or charisma.Scripture identifies Jesus Christ himself as the only foundation for the Christian church — “no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ” — meaning no leader's personality can substitute for him.Paul's warning to “build with care” teaches that faithfulness to Christ, not energy or charisma, is what separates sound gospel ministry from shoddy construction.Because Jesus lived, died, and rose in the place of sinners, Scripture promises that his resurrection secures the believer's own resurrection — a promise that holds regardless of which teacher proclaims it.Paul recounts that he came to the Corinthians resolved “to know nothing... except Jesus Christ and him crucified,” modeling that gospel ministry is measured by faithfulness to Christ's word, not by eloquence.Scripture teaches that it is the Word of God — not a leader's persuasive skill — that roots believers in Christ and grows their faith over time.The episode challenges listeners to ask honestly whether their commitment to a church is grounded in Christ, or has shifted toward attachment to a favorite leader's personality. 1 Corinthians 3:5-11 www.ascensionharrisburg.com Ascension on Air is brought to you by Ascension Lutheran Church in Harrisburg, PA.

  3. Jul 7

    Devotion, Division, But Not Disappointment

    Following Jesus doesn’t just bring peace — Christ himself said he came “not to bring peace, but a sword,” and this episode explores what that means for our closest relationships. Drawing on Matthew 10:34–42, the message shows how faith in Christ creates a new identity that can set believers at odds with the people they love most, because the gospel calls for undivided devotion. Yet Jesus also gives a promise: whoever loses their life for his sake will find it, because his grace and faithfulness never disappoint. This episode offers real hope for anyone who has felt torn between loyalty to family and loyalty to Christ. Key Takeaways Jesus said he did not come to bring peace but a sword — meaning that faith in the gospel inevitably divides those who receive Christ from those who reject him, sometimes even within families.Scripture teaches that following Christ begins with self-denial: Paul writes that the believer’s old self was crucified with Christ, so devotion to Jesus means putting to death who we were apart from him.God promised all the way back in Genesis that he would set enmity between Satan and the offspring of the woman — a promise fulfilled in Christ, who now calls his followers into that same opposition to sin and darkness.Jesus warns that loving father, mother, son, or daughter more than him leaves a person “not worthy” of him — not because God values people unequally, but because what Christ offers is so good that anything less than full devotion to him is a senseless trade.Christ promises that whoever loses their life for his sake will find it, meaning the relational cost of following Jesus is never wasted, because he himself is our truest and most lasting good.Jesus assures believers that his gospel may divide, but it will never disappoint, because he will always be faithful to every promise he has made.Scripture calls Christians to walk through this tension together — leaning on their pastor, their church family, and above all on Christ’s own presence — so their witness stays rooted in his faithfulness, not fear.If this episode was meaningful to you, subscribe to Ascension on Air, leave a review to help others find the show, and share it with someone who needs to hear it. Matthew 10:34-42 www.ascensionharrisburg.com Ascension on Air is brought to you by Ascension Lutheran Church in Harrisburg, PA.

  4. Jun 30

    Forsake Fear in Faith

    This episode examines Matthew 10:21-33, where Jesus prepares his followers for real opposition — even from family — and tells them plainly what's actually worth fearing and what isn't. Rather than pointing them toward willpower or inner resolve, Jesus answers their fear with four specific promises: that those who stand firm to the end will be saved, that everything hidden will one day be disclosed, that God notices and cares for the smallest details of their lives, and that he will acknowledge before the Father everyone who acknowledges him. The episode argues that Christian perseverance isn't a more spiritual version of grit — it's trust placed entirely outside ourselves, in what Christ has already promised. Key Takeaways Jesus tells his disciples plainly that following him will bring real opposition, including from people closest to them — he doesn't soften the cost of discipleship to make it sound easier than it is.Jesus distinguishes between two kinds of fear: fearing those who can only harm the body, and fearing God, who alone has authority over both body and soul — our greatest danger isn't suffering, it's letting fear pull us away from Christ.Christ promises that “the one who stands firm to the end will be saved” (Matthew 10:22) — the opposition we face has a limit, but this promise doesn't.Jesus promises that everything now hidden about him and about faith will one day be disclosed — what believers can't fully see yet will be made known.Jesus assures his followers that the same Father who notices a sparrow fall and numbers every hair on their head is the one who holds their lives — nothing touches them outside his care.Jesus promises to acknowledge before the Father everyone who acknowledges him before others — confidence to speak comes from what Christ has pledged to do, not from personal courage.The episode frames perseverance not as self-reliance in spiritual language, but as faith placed in specific promises Christ has already made.If this episode was meaningful to you, subscribe to Ascension on Air, leave a review to help others find the show, and share it with someone who needs to hear it. Matthew 10:21-33 www.ascensionharrisburg.com Ascension on Air is brought to you by Ascension Lutheran Church in Harrisburg, PA.

  5. Jun 23

    God's Grace Works through Your Witness

    This episode looks at Acts 11:19-26, where ordinary believers scattered by persecution ended up spreading the message of Jesus — the gospel — simply by living and speaking where they already were, not through any grand or far-off mission. It challenges a common assumption: that meaningful faith work requires dramatic gestures, special training, or distant travel. The episode also points to a second, often-overlooked form of Christian witness — encouraging those who already believe, not only reaching those who don't. The throughline is a simple promise: God's grace works through ordinary witness, right where someone already is. Key Takeaways The believers in Acts 11 who carried the gospel to Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch weren't apostles or appointed missionaries — they were everyday people reacting to persecution, which shows that meaningful witness doesn't require a special title or training.A common but mistaken assumption is that "real" mission work happens far away or through someone more qualified; this episode pushes back on that by showing how grace worked through ordinary people in their own circumstances.The phrase "the Lord's hand was with them" describes how God can work powerfully through simple, everyday testimony rather than only through dramatic acts.Barnabas's arrival in Antioch introduces a second form of witness: encouraging those who already believe, not only reaching those who don't yet know Christ.Witness can come out of pain or difficulty — questions from others about why someone is struggling can become an opening for honest testimony, not a disqualifier from it.Ascension's emphasis on "rooting people in Jesus Christ" reflects this same idea, with Life Groups and the Foundations class framed as ongoing opportunities for mutual encouragement and witness.The episode closes by connecting this calling to Acts 1:8 and a prophecy from Isaiah, framing everyday witness as part of a much larger purpose that has been unfolding since long before any of us.If this episode was meaningful to you, subscribe to Ascension on Air, leave a review to help others find the show, and share it with someone who needs to hear it. Acts 11:19-26 www.ascensionharrisburg.com Ascension on Air is brought to you by Ascension Lutheran Church in Harrisburg, PA.

  6. Jun 17

    Embrace Your Story of Mercy

    In a culture that often demands perfection before offering acceptance, the message of the Christian faith offers a radical alternative. This episode explores the profound depth of divine grace by diving into the Apostle Paul’s personal letter to Timothy. Rather than basing security on personal performance, Scripture reveals that the foundation of a life of faith is rooted entirely in an undeserved rescue. Listeners will discover how recognizing personal brokenness is not a barrier to God, but the exact starting point for experiencing a transformative and certain relationship with Christ. Key Takeaways The Limits of Human Mercy: Understanding how everyday experiences of being "let off the hook" differ from the limitless scope of divine grace. An Unlikely Example: Looking at the radical transformation of the Apostle Paul from an aggressive opponent of early Christianity to a recipient of profound mercy. Moving Beyond Performance: Shifting the focus away from human effort and toward the persistent, immense patience of God. The True Purpose of the Gospel: Examining the trustworthy saying that Christ came into the world explicitly to save sinners. Embracing Your Story: Overcoming the fear of a flawed past to find assurance, certainty, and hope for the future. Ascension on Air is a ministry of Ascension Lutheran Church, located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. If this conversation helped deepen your understanding of faith and scripture, please take a moment to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who needs a reminder of hope today. 1 Timothy 1:12-17 www.ascensionharrisburg.com

  7. Jun 3

    Beyond What We See: Finding Hope in Christ’s Ascension

    When we look at the world around us, it is easy to see only the surface—the power, the conflict, and the unsettling realities that seem to dominate our lives. This episode explores the profound comfort of the Ascension, revealing that Christ has not left us, but is actively reigning for us at the right hand of God. Join us as we look past our physical circumstances to see the higher reality of Christ’s rule and discover what it means for our lives to be anchored in his victory. Key Takeaways The Limitation of Sight: Just as the disciples watched Jesus ascend until he was hidden by a cloud, we often feel the absence of Jesus in a world full of trouble, wealth, and power. Looking Beyond the Physical: Through the Spirit, we are invited to "see" with the eyes of our hearts—moving past what is immediately apparent to recognize the true, invisible power of God at work. The Meaning of the Right Hand: The "right hand of God" is not a physical location, but a declaration that the God-man, Jesus, actively exercises all divine authority and power on our behalf. Christ Above All Authority: No matter what earthly threats or inner sins menace us, we can gaze upon a risen Jesus who is exalted far above every rule, authority, and dominion, both in this age and the one to come. Our Place in His Glory: As the body of Christ, we share in his exaltation. We are already seated with him in the heavenly realms, meaning we live with one foot in this fallen world and one foot firmly planted in the age to come. Ascension on Air is the podcast of Ascension Lutheran Church, Harrisburg. For more information, check out www.ascensionharrisburg.com.

  8. May 25

    Inclusive Exclusivity?

    In a culture that often prizes personal opinion above all else, the idea of an "exclusive" claim can feel uncomfortable or even offensive. This episode explores the bold, ancient testimony that salvation is found in one name alone—Jesus Christ—and examines why this message, while exclusive, is actually the most inclusive news possible. Join us as we look at how this ancient confession offers real hope and healing for the shared human condition today. Key Takeaways The Problem with Exclusivity: Modern society often views exclusive truth claims with contempt, preferring a "spiritual buffet" where everyone creates their own path.A Shared Human Condition: The message of Christ isn't arbitrary; it addresses a universal human need. Just as we all share a need for truth and life, we all share a tendency to prefer the "darkness" of self-justification over the light.The Power of the Name: Using the account of Peter and John in Acts 4, we see that the name of Jesus is not just a religious label, but a source of healing and restoration for the broken.God’s Answer to Rejection: While humanity may reject or try to silence the truth of Christ, the resurrection stands as God’s definitive "Yes" to Jesus—proving he remains the cornerstone of life.Confidence in the Messenger: Christians are called to confess Christ confidently, not from a place of arrogance, but from a place of shared need. We point others to the same medicine that has healed our own hearts.Ascension on Air is the podcast of Ascension Lutheran Church, Harrisburg. For more information, check out www.ascensionharrisburg.com.

See All (58)

About

Weekly messages where Christ meets everyday people - and the profound change he brings.

Information

  • Creator
    Pastor Ben Berger
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    58
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Pastor Ben Berger
  • Show Website
    Ascension on Air