Mark Reynolds播客

Human beings tend to demonize difference, and this sometimes causes us to dehumanize "the other," including the religious other, the racial other, and the political other. It can also cause us to treat people more as contaminates than persons of sacred worth. But his mission to lift up the lowly, Jesus teaches us to love our enemy and treat all peo…

In this message, we look at three parables unique to the Gospel of Luke: (1) the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, (2) the Prodigal Son, and (3) the Rich man and Lazarus. In these stories, we see how God longs to lift up the humble, the lost, and the poor. If this message is a blessing, you can support our ministries by donating at www.fumccb.com. Sp…

March is Women's History Month, and in this message we continue our Lenten series on Jesus in the Gospel of Luke by focusing on the vital role that women played in Jesus' ministry and continue to play in the church today. If this message is a blessing, you can support our ministries by donating at www.fumccb.com. Speaker: Pastor Mark Reynolds Venue…

This is the first message in our 2023 Lent series on Jesus in the Gospel of Luke. Some of the most beloved stories and parables are found only in Luke, including the story of Zacchaeus, the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, the parable of the good Samaritan, the parable of the prodigal son, and Jesus’s resurrection appearance on the road to Emma…

This week, Rev. Jim Harnish is our guest speaker. Jim is the author of the book, "Earn, Save, Give," that has been the focus of this message series, "Three Simple Rules for Money." In this final message, "The Cure for the Selfie Addiction," Jim focuses on generosity in the Christian life. If this message is a blessing, you can support our ministrie…

In this message, Pastor Mark explains the first two rules for the use of money: earn all you can and save all you can. He also explains how these rules must be guided by other Biblical principles and paired with the third rule, which we will explore next week. Check out this message to find ways to connect your work, your money, and your Christian …

Many people are feeling stressed out about money these days, but what we often forget is that there's wisdom in the Bible to help us find peace in our financial lives. To address this, I launched a new series yesterday, "Three Simple Rules for Money." In this first message, we reflect on how we often don't need more money but more wisdom about how …

In this message, Pastor Mark describes the church as a symphony and explains how God gives everyone an instrument to play. Tune in to discover why this includes you! If this message blesses you, you can support our ministries by making a donation at www.fumccb.com Speaker: Pastor Mark Reynolds Venue: First United Methodist Church (Cocoa Beach, FL) …

In this message, Pastor Mark continues the series, "Three Simple Rules," by reflecting on rule three: Stay in love with God. According to John Wesley, we do this by engaging in spiritual practices that keep us awake and alive in God's presence. Check out this message to learn about those practices. Speaker: Pastor Mark Reynolds Venue: First United …

In this message, Pastor Mark continues the series, "Three Simple Rules," by reflecting on rule two: Do good. What does it mean to do good and what are the boundaries around this proactive way of life? Speaker: Pastor Mark Reynolds Venue: First United Methodist Church (Cocoa Beach, FL) To donate: www.fumccb.com www.revmarkreynolds.com Facebook: http…

Sometimes life gets complicated and it's difficult to know what to do next. That's why the founder of Methodist movement, John Wesley, came up with three simple rules for Christian living: (1) Do no harm, (2) Do good, and (3) Stay in love with God. This is the first message in a three-week series focusing on the first rule: Do no harm. What exactly…

The first serval minutes of this message was lost due to technical difficulties, but Pastor Mark was describing how Ephesians 1:3-14 gives us four cardinal points on our moral compass. The north point is the axiomatic faith claim that we are chosen by God for good things. Jump right in and see how our moral compass is built in large part by the kin…

In this Christmas Eve meditation, Pastor Mark helps us to see the true meaning of Christmas: God has sent the light of the world in Jesus, and we are invited to receive and share this light in ways that resist darkness and destruction. Speaker: Pastor Mark Reynolds Venue: First United Methodist Church (Cocoa Beach, FL) To donate: www.fumccb.com www…

Too often we try to "go it alone" in life, but at some point we reach the end of our resources and discover that we need other people. In this fourth and final message of our our Advent series, "Making Room," we reflect on the importance of community, of having close friends who will walk us home when we feel lost. Advent 2022: Message 4 of 4 Resou…

During the Christmas season, we are fascinated with lights, and this is appropriate because Christmas is all about the Light of the World coming to us in the birth of Jesus. In this message, we focus on how our lives can light up this world, especially as we care for the marginalized. God can use you to leave a light on for those who are lost and l…

Don't talk to strangers. . . Stranger danger . . . This is what we teach our children to keep them safe. But should we continue to avoid and even fear strangers as we get older? If we do, we might miss some pretty awesome blessings. Check out this this message to see how. Advent 2022: Message 2 of 4 Resource: "Making Room" by Ed Robb Speaker: Pasto…

This is the first message in a new Advent series, "Making Room." During this season of preparation, we make room in our lives for God and others, just as God has made room for us in the birth of Christ. One way we practice the radical hospitality of God is by being a good neighbor. Advent 2022: Message 1 of 4 Resource: "Making Room" by Ed Robb Spea…

If we are going to live from our heart, stay connected to God, love others, and live sustainably, then we must find ways every day to engage in activities that renew and rejuvenate us. Check out this message as we reimagine the practice of Sabbath. Worship as a Way of Life: Message 6 of 6 Webpage: fumccb.com/worship-as-a-way-of-life Series based on…

Jesus says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9). But what does it mean to be a peacemaker? Sometimes we get so focused on large scale problems in pursuit of world peace that we become blind to the small conflicts that erode important relationships in our everyday lives. While big issues are important, o…

In this message, Pastor Mark talks about his own health journey and then connects it to the theme of worship as spiritual nourishment. As Christians we seek spiritual nourishment from Christ, who gives us the Bread Life through through the ministries of Word and sacrament. As we habituate worship, we are perpetually reminded that our core identity …

When considering the spiritual practice of confession, we often think of unburdening our conscience of "big sins" that we occasionally commit when tempted beyond our limits. But this significantly constrains the transformative power of honestly sharing our brokenness. In contrast, when confession becomes a daily habit, it can reveal places where we…

In this message, we reflect on the power of habits and how our habits shape us into a particular kind of person. Some habits are helpful and some are hurtful or wasteful. The good news is that God empowers us to change our habits, and when we change our habits we change our lives. But where do we discovered these habits, and how do we overcome our …

This is the first message in a new series, "Worship as a Way of Life," that focuses on baptism. As the initiating sacrament of the Christian church in which God claims us in unconditional love, baptism is the foundation of our identity that we are called to live-out in our daily lives. Everyday, we can find ways to remember our baptism, reclaim our…

In this message, Pastor Mark talks about the offensiveness of the parable of the Good Samaritan. Our culture has domesticated this story by making it about helping strangers in need. But there is more to this story than meets the eye, and seeing it makes us wince. Indeed, it turns our world upside down! Nevertheless, it is precisely the offensivene…

In this message, Dr. Phil Maynard, our Minister of Discipleship at First UMC Cocoa Beach, teaches on the Parable of Prodigal Son. However, it is not just the younger son that is prodigal in this story, so is the Father! Venue: First United Methodist Church (Cocoa Beach, FL) To donate: www.fumccb.com www.revmarkreynolds.com Facebook: https://www.fac…