New Wine Podcast

We’re embarking on an extraordinary journey up a mountain, and like all good hikes, this one promises a new perspective. We’re diving into a passage that offers a view from a mountaintop, both literally and spiritually. We’re looking at the story of the Transfiguration. This is a moment where heaven meets earth, where the divine and human intersect in the person of Jesus Christ. This is a moment that beautifully illustrates the dis...

Today, we are the audience for a powerful passage from the Gospel of Luke, where Jesus delivers a profound teaching that challenges the conventional wisdom of His time—and ours. In Luke 6:17-26, we find Jesus presenting the Beatitudes and Woes in a way that redefines what it means to be blessed in God’s Kingdom. This message, “Living the Upside-Down Kingdom,” calls us to reflect on our values and priorities, urging us to live lives...

We turn our attention to yet another transformative encounter in the Gospel of Luke that captures the essence of what it means to be called by Jesus. We find a story that unravels the profound nature of discipleship, the unexpected calling of ordinary individuals, and the divine invitation to participate in God’s mission. Many of us have experienced the ebb and flow of life’s uncertainties, the search for purpose, and the desire fo...

In the Gospel text for today, we find Jesus directly after a pivotal moment in His ministry: enduring forty days of fasting and temptation in the wilderness. While the events of the temptation offer rich theological insights, it's crucial for our present purpose to remember that Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit and led by the Spirit into this confrontation with the devil's schemes.

This detail highlights the active ro...

We’re going to explore the wedding at Cana—an event where Jesus performed His first miracle: turning water into wine. This isn't just a neat party trick; it’s a profound moment where Jesus reveals the richness of a life transformed by faith. And it calls us to embrace and celebrate what is possible!

Now, let's be honest: many of us can be skeptical about dramatic shifts and changes. We've seen a lot – technology evolv...

In this episode, we’re going to have a  conversation that's about to take a deep dive into identity, transformation, and discovery— three themes that are as relevant today as they were two thousand years ago. In our world full of social media personas and branding, the quest for authentic identity can sometimes feel like you're running on a treadmill. But in this pursuit of "who we are," there's a famous st...

In this episode, we turn our attention to a formative moment in the life of Jesus. Our gospel passage offers a rare glimpse into Jesus’ childhood and reveals profound truths about being committed and consistent in our devotion to God. Through this narrative, we find an example of unwavering dedication to God's purpose—one that invites us to fully commit to being about our Father’s business.

In this story, Jesus, at just twelve ...

As we near the end of this sacred time of Advent, our hearts are filled with anticipation for the celebration of Christ’s birth. Advent is more than just counting the days to Christmas; it is a season of waiting and preparation, a time when we are invited to reflect on God's promises and His faithfulness throughout generations. Our gospel passage for this episode is one that captures an extraordinary meeting between two women ...

Our gospel text for this episode introduces us to a pivotal moment in history. "In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar," (Luke 3:1) God's word penetrates the silence, calling John the Baptist to prepare the way. This wilderness cry is a transformative call to action—a call echoing the words of Isaiah that demand a straight path for the Lord's arrival.

The wilderness in our lives today might not be ...

Our hearts are collectively tuned to the expectation and the promise of the coming Messiah. Advent is a season of waiting, a time filled with anticipation and hope—a sacred invitation for us to prepare room in our hearts for Jesus Christ, the one we've been waiting for. 

In this episode, our gospel lesson serves as a powerful text that invites us to explore our expectations and convictions about Jesus’ identity. Our g...

Up to this very moment for you and me, after living a life for however long it has been, and we believe we have done our best to live a good life, an upstanding life, a life than can be duplicated or demonstrated by others, a life than we could say serves as an example of good living, after all of that…how would it make us feel if the Lord told us our hearts were far from Him?

Jesus had one final thing to say to this mob o...

Jesus desired seclusion from the excited crowds, the hostel spying of the Pharisees, and he just needed some peace and quiet…so He chose to find it in heathen territory. But our attention is particularly drawn to the response (or lack thereof) He gives this woman. First He ignores her, then by use of some colorful metaphors (children and dogs) He responds to her with a rebuke saying He has come to the Jews. But she is a good debate...

We find ourselves stepping into the season of Advent—a time marked by expectation, preparation, and hope. Advent is a gift, inviting us to pause, reflect, and prepare our hearts for the coming of Jesus Christ. Today, our attention is drawn to a profound passage in Luke 21, a text that at first seems steeped in the mystery of cosmic signs and apocalyptic language. Yet, within it lies the promise of redemption and the invitation to v...

We have a personal relationship with our God! Through the work of restoration provided by Jesus Christ alone, we have a personal relationship, fellowship, and the ability to walk with God. And the best part is that none of that can ever be achieved outside of Christ. Not our works, not our words, and especially not our traditions or extra-biblical rules. And I have to confess that even though I know and believe everything I just sa...

Jesus has been teaching in the synagogue of Capernaum, and remember, the majority of this audience are people from the feeding of the 5,000. With the words of His teaching, Jesus has led them from seeking a fresh new meal for the morning, to having them ask (literally demand) that He always give them the bread which cures hunger indefinitely. But when He tells them HE is the bread, they don’t like that one bit. And just like a grea...

In this episode, we are taking a look at John chapter six, verses 35 through 51. Jesus is declaring to the crowd at Capaernum that He is the Bread of Life, which has come down from Heaven. Just as it was back then, so it is today: this is not something many are willingly to hear or accept. Listen now as Pastor Heath Brady asks us the question: Is Jesus Enough?

Emanuel Lutheran Church is located in Lodi, California. If you’...

Welcome to the “New Wine” podcast FLAGSHIP episode! We are taking a look at John chapter six, verses 22 through 35. It is the day after the feeding of the 5,000, and many of the people of Capernaum come looking for Jesus to feed them again. But what He gives them is not of this world; and they don’t get it. Listen as Pastor Heath Brady conveys the truth that Jesus is all we need.

Emanuel Lutheran Church is located in Lodi,...