Messiah's Upper Room Podcast

Gina Lerhmann is our guest speaker while Pastor Otte is out this week as we continue with the first full week of the Red Letter Challenge. This coming week is all about “being” - being with God and being with His Word. The class discusses what it means to “be” and what it means to “feel”, what earthly treasures we may try to place over heavenly treasures, the importance of rest, and our identity given to us by God.

Messiah’s Upper Room takes a break from the book of John as they participate in a 6-week church-wide event called the Red Letter Challenge, exploring the words of Jesus Christ (often shown in red text across translations of the Bible) and putting those words into action. This is a short introductory episode to this new series with a sneak peek at what is to come.

Pastor Otte and the Upper Room Bible Class continue their talk about the man at Bethesda. The class discusses what Jesus may have meant when He tells the man “sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” Was the man paralyzed because of a past sin? The class also discusses Jesus’s clarification on why He is performing work even on the Sabbath, since His “Father is working until now.” Jesus later goes on to equate Himself with God, which deeply upset the Jews during that time. Learn more in this week’s episode.

Pastor Otte and Messiah’s Upper Room continue through the gospel of John with the story of the invalid at the pool of Bethesda. The class discusses whether the man truly wanted to be healed when Jesus Himself asked the question. What would be the ‘cost’ of being healed? We quickly learn what the price may be as the man is soon accosted by orthodox Jews for carrying a burden on the Sabbath.

Pastor Otte and the class complete chapter 4 of the book of John. Jesus speaks to His disciples about the type of food that sustains Him, and the bountiful harvest that has come.

Pastor Otte and the class finishes the talk between the Samaritan woman and Jesus at Jacob's Well. Join as we continue our journey through the book of John discussing what it means to worship, and whether it matters to worship at a specific place, or what defines the body of the church.

Pastor Otte and the Upper Room class returns to John this week where we left off with Jesus speaking to the Samaritan woman at Jacob's Well. Pastor Otte and the class discuss Jesus's truthful approach with this woman and how attention is brought to her sin. Does to show love mean being truthful even if that truth may hurt someone's feelings? Listen along as we discuss this and more on this week's episode.

This week the class steps away from the book of John and listens as Mr. Bob Orr steps in for Pastor Otte to talk about love ("agape"), God, and what it means for the Christian.

We continue on our journey through the book of John as Pastor Otte and the rest of the Messiah Upper Room class discuss the everlasting, living water Jesus provides. Whoever drinks of it will no longer thirst. The class also examines what people in society, and even ourselves, may thirst for today.

Pastor Otte and Messiah's Upper Room Bible Class continue through the book of John, discussing God's wrath and why it remains on some but not others, the societal tensions between Jews and Samaritans, and what living water Jesus can bring that water from Jacob's well cannot.

Join Messiah's Upper Room Bible Class and Pastor Otte as we continue our series on the book of John. We discuss the concern John's disciples had with more people going to Jesus and fewer people coming to John or his disciples for baptism and how similarities may be drawn for current Christians comparing church organizations.

Pastor Otte and the Upper Room class continue the discussion between Jesus and Nicodemus. The class tackles several thought-provoking questions regarding the love we receive from God and how it may brush against our human logic.

Pastor Otte and the Upper Room Bible Class continue their journey through John, learning about Nicodemus who came to Jesus by night to gain a better understanding of this man come from God.

Join Messiah's Upper Room as we continue into the second chapter of the book of John and discuss the greater things Jesus foretold His disciples.

We finish the first chapter of John discussing Nathaniel's realization that Jesus is the Messiah, and what Jesus means when He tells His disciples that they will "see greater things than these." The class also jumps into the wedding at Cana and the first documented miracle performed by Jesus in turning the water to wine.

In this latest installment on our series through the book of John, Pastor Otte and the class discuss Jesus and His disciples answering others who have questions by telling them to "come and see" and decide for themselves. Class members also examine what brought them to church, and how we may be able to make ourselves more involved in the church in order to invite others to "come and see" the good news of Jesus for themselves.

Pastor Otte and the class continue their study in the book of John where John bore witness about Jesus, calling Him the Lamb of God. The class discusses how we may also bear witness, and the importance of learning what people seek before offering our own answers in haste.

"I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness,'Make straight the way of the Lord'" Join Pastor Otte and the Upper Room Bible Class as we continue our study in the gospel of John. We examine why it was important for John to identify himself and letting people know he was not a prophet or the Christ, but only a messenger - a voice to prepare and make clear the road ahead for God. Download the class notes here.

Pastor Otte and the Upper Room Bible Class continue through the book of John, discussing how the world did not know Jesus, how His own people did not receive him, and how we may come to know Jesus Christ through baptism.

"The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world." Join Pastor Otte and the class as they continue through the Gospel of John. This week the class talks about how Jesus is the "true light, which gives light to everyone" and what that means.