The 180 Church Podcast with Dr. Sammy and Friends

Advent: Wisdom From the First Noel

The Joy accompanied by the arrival of the Christmas season is also subtly marked by the departure of days past. Christ’s arrival in the first Noel brought promises and joys of new life, but simultaneously came with grief and loss as a result of his transition from divinity to humanity. Much like how Christ experienced joy alongside grief on that first Christmas, the joy we experience in following Christ is not in vain when we are inevitably faced with grief; it perseveres because of the Father who knows our stories, and fully sees and understands us.

Advent: Joy To The World

Joy can be experienced in the midst of sorrow; it’s an attitude we adopt not because of our circumstances but because of our hope in God’s love and promises. Psalm 98 captures the joy of our response to Advent, because Jesus’s arrival was anything but exuberant and lofty—it was quiet, humble, and subtle. He is the reason to share this joy boldly this season.

Advent: The Hope Jesus Brings Us At Christmas

As we enter into Advent this year, we reflect on the hope God gave us through the birth of Jesus Christ. In the Gospel of Luke, when Mary receives news that she will give birth to the Son of God, we see that this is God's blessing and the fulfillment of His promise to redeem His people. That God would come in the flesh meant radical change for the entire world as well as in each of our personal lives. Back then, and still now, the news of Jesus' imminent birth is the ultimate reminder that we have hope because Jesus is Emmanuel - God with us - not just in the future, but presently and eternally.

How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen

David Brooks, New York Times Opinion columnist and author of "How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen", discusses the importance of knowing others on a deeper level, emphasizing the challenges of consoling friends when our words fall short. Brooks highlights recognition as a fundamental human need and posits that its absence can be devastating. In order to affirm the God-given dignity and value of others, we need to move beyond indifference and actively develop skills such as deep listening, empathy, and patient companionship, which all contribute to personal growth and stronger connections with others. 

The Surprising Challenge Most Overlook in The Parable of The Prodigal Son

In the Parable of the Prodigal Son, we are given two examples of people who need grace. The younger son sought freedom and abundance through wild living, only to come back to his father penniless and dejected. He had the right reasons, but did the wrong things. On the other hand, the older son stayed by his father's side, but he did so with bitterness and self-righteousness; this led him to reject his own brother upon his return. He did the right things, but for the wrong reasons. The truth is, in the church, we need both the dynamism of the younger child and the obedience of the older. Our challenge, then, is to do the right things for the right reasons, becoming the father who welcomes both sons, and displaying grace so profound that all people from all walks of life can experience God's love and come home. 

Our Need For Sabbath Rest

With the holidays quickly approaching, we remember that the most wonderful time of the year is accompanied with some of the busiest times of the year. With the quick succession of events, the busyness of our day-to-day, and the overwhelming number of obligations that can pile up on our plates, the necessity of sabbath rest comes into frame. It can feel difficult to carve out time to rest amidst this season, but when we choose to spend time with Him, whether out in nature or at our desk, we can find rest that is truly restorative, life-giving, and reminiscent of who we are in the Father. Keeping the sabbath gives us the opportunity to connect with God, find the rest that sustains His people, and trust the God of peace with our lives.

God & Money (Part 2)

In shifting our attitudes around money and generosity from a question of how much to give to a question of how much to keep, we can set financial goals that encourage a healthy, God-glorifying relationship with money. There is nothing wrong with accumulating resources and using them for what we need or even want, but hoarding excess wealth without a clear purpose is a dangerous habit. Ultimately, God calls us to express generosity to one another as He does to us - without restraint, limits, or merely doing the bare minimum. When we make sacrifices for the sake of loving and ministering to others, we worship God and the radical generosity He displayed in giving us His son, Jesus Christ.

From Practicing Anxiety to Learning to Breathe

We often react anxiously to stressful circumstances when they arise, but our responses to them are not involuntary—they’re learned processes. Catastrophizing, or reverting to imagining the worst outcome in given events, is one of those learned processes we respond with which reflects a deeper rift in our understanding of who God is. In Mark 4, we see a contrast between the disciples catastrophizing in the face of a storm and Jesus remaining relaxed in the midst of it because he had full confidence in the provision and sovereignty of the Father. Throughout his ministry when under persecution and pressure, Jesus stayed aligned with God’s presence and demonstrated to us that transcending peace is not merely a fleeting feeling or state of mind, but a reflection and practice of our relationship with the Father.

Just to be clear, Who is my neighbor?

Many of us struggle with mercy not because we have bad intentions, but because it's a hassle to go out of our way to help others. Just like the priest or the Levite in the Parable of the Good Samaritan, we pass by, thinking someone else more qualified will help. However, Jesus calls for all of us, not just a select few, to display the radical generosity that He had for us when He died on the cross. More than just a call to action, this is a call to reflection, as we should ask ourselves whether we are truly embodying Christ's vision of love and generosity. And should we ever doubt our ability, remember that no one starts out perfect, but by starting we will gradually and inevitably build the skills necessary to truly embody Christ's vision.

Seeking God’s Presence in a Troubling World

As we get older, our fears multiply to a point of omnipresence, and our worries can feel suffocating because of how much of our attention they take. To deal with our anxieties, we often resort to various unhealthy coping mechanisms, which may not rid us of our problems. However, the good news of the gospel emphasizes that we have a God who, like the calming presence of a caring parent, wants to protect us and sustain us through our concerns. Through the story of Elijah and his call to God, we learn the importance of seeking out God’s presence, unplugging from a distracting world, and intentionally withdrawing from troubles to connect with God’s quiet voice that sustains us.