Passages
Passages explores upcoming Bible passages used for preaching and weekly discipleship by Craig Brown, Lead Pastor at First Free Methodist Church of Seattle. Passages will open new doors to Biblical texts in preparation for a sermon or other teaching.
Episodes
166 episodes
Genesis 2:1-9 | April 27, 2025
The creation story in the Bible is filled with so much wonder and blessing. Too often, we read right past it to get to the story of the fall of Adam and Eve. Perhaps we should pause a bit longer over God's creative work and find that all we hav...
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Season 6
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Episode 20
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23:52
John 20:1-18 | April 20, 2025
The story of Jesus' resurrection is deeply moving. Jesus goes from seemingly being lost but, instead, is found victorious. Our belief in this Jesus is ever-growing as it was for those first witnesses of the resurrection. Even in our doubts, Jes...
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Season 6
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Episode 19
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16:51
Luke 19:28-40 | April 13, 2025
Jesus' entrance into the city of Jerusalem is cause for celebration by his followers. It is an entrance of peace which hails the soon and coming King, Jesus. Not all people welcome his arrival. The week which follows will be an unfolding of Jes...
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Season 5
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Episode 18
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19:23
John 12:1-8 | April 6, 2025
We all know what commitments or duties we have. What about our devotion? More than commitment or duty, devotion invites us into something deeper. In devotion we are changed by gratitude and generosity working in the grace of God. This week we d...
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Season 5
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Episode 17
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17:57
Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 | March 30, 2025
The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Lost Son) is one of the most well-known stories Jesus told. We should wonder why we are fixated on the "lost" son more than the forgiving father as portrayed in this story. It is a powerful story of forgiveness ...
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Season 5
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Episode 16
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26:39
Luke 13:1-9 | March 23, 2025
All of us wonder why things happen the way they do. Sometimes it is about something that creates joy and wonder while, at other moments, it is pain or grief. Trying to know "why" is hard work. Perhaps there is a different way to live where God'...
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Season 5
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Episode 15
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17:07
Philippians 3:17-4:1 | March 16, 2025
We live in one of the most polarizing times in recent memory. We argue about politics, religion, relationships, and so much more. What matters most in these times when we are pushed and pulled by so many? This week's episode opens us up to a ne...
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Season 5
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Episode 14
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23:17
Luke 4:1-13 | March 9, 2025
We all face temptation. Sometimes it is on a small scale, and other times it can destroy lives and relationships. The greatest temptation of all is to believe that one has no temptations. This week, we dive into how temptation comes to us and w...
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Season 5
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Episode 13
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19:28
Luke 9:28-45 | March 2, 2025
When is Jesus at His best? The passage of scripture for today's episode might lead us to believe that it is when Jesus is glorified in power and appears with Moses and Elijah on a mountain. Could the lesson of this story be about the moment whe...
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Season 5
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Episode 12
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27:44
Mark 2:23-28 | February 23, 2025
Legalism is always a danger in any religion. Christians are not called to follow a law but a Savior, Jesus. Knowing the difference between following a law versus following a person can make all the difference. When we follow Jesus, we can let g...
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Season 5
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Episode 11
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17:53
Matthew 28:16-20 | February 16, 2025
Jesus' parting words to His followers are to go and make disciples. What is a disciple, and how does one go about making one? This week's episode explores how being a follower of Jesus makes us uniquely able to do what Jesus asks of us.
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Season 5
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Episode 10
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21:57
2 Corinthians 9:6-15 | February 9, 2025
Generosity is a key practice to living as a follower of Jesus. Giving can open doors of thanksgiving and even more giving if we will just trust God's promise to guide us. This week's episode explores how the practice of giving can change our li...
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Season 5
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Episode 9
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21:30
1 Peter 2:1-10 | February 2, 2025
We all face the reality of growing. Sometimes growing older demands much of our attention, especially early in our life and late in our life. What about growing other parts of our lives? This week's episode puts the attention on our spiritual g...
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Season 5
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Episode 8
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24:42
Hebrews 10:19-25 | January 19, 2025
Time is one of the few things in life we cannot find more of. When faced with making time for what is important, it is easy to let urgent things get in the way of the most important things. The worship of God can be easily crowded out in our da...
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Season 5
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Episode 7
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20:30
Jude 17-25 | January 12, 2025
How do the followers of Jesus live during a time of "anything goes”? It may seem like a question for today, but it was also the same question Christians struggled with 2,000 years ago. This week's podcast episode explores the seldom-read book o...
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Season 5
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Episode 6
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23:50
Matthew 2:1-12 | January 5, 2025
The story of the Magi visiting the young Jesus is a rich story which often gets lost in the Christmas celebration. The Magi represent a deep expression of love and worship as they bring their three gifts to the Christ child. This week's episode...
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Season 5
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Episode 5
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23:36
Luke 1:39-55 | December 22, 2024
From "God bless you!" to " Count your blessings", the word "blessing" has come to mean many things. Most everyone would like a blessing to be sure! What is a blessing and how does it come to us? Is it just another word for luck or enjoying God'...
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Season 5
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Episode 4
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23:52
Luke 3:7-17 | December 15, 2024
Repentance can make us stop in our tracks. We then have to wonder about where to go from there. John the Baptist tells his own listeners to focus on generosity as a response to repentance. He says that these acts of gratitude are "worthy" fruit...
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Season 5
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Episode 3
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20:46
Luke 3:1-6 | December 8, 2024
We are usually more in touch with feelings of remorse and regret than we are with repentance. The first two words focus on emotions of guilt and shame while repentance places the focus squarely on changing our behaviors and practice. Remorse an...
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Season 5
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Episode 2
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23:06
Luke 21:25-36 | December 1, 2024
The second coming of Jesus is surrounded by such controversy and disagreement which makes it hard to even talk about without a debate. If we simply set aside some finer (perhaps petty) details, we can find a certain hope for our lives and the r...
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Season 5
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Episode 1
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19:20
John 18:33-38 | November 24, 2024
"The truth is out there", was the slogan of the popular TV show, The X-Files. The truth in the case of this week's passage is the source of disagreement between Pilate and Jesus. Pilate believes that the truth is a "what" while Jesus knows that...
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Season 4
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Episode 36
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17:36
John 14:1-7 | November 17, 2024
Jesus speaks a word of peace and grace in the midst of troubling times. Conflicts seem near and far today as they were in Jesus' time. The fact that He is, "the way, and the truth, and the life" gives us hope for the future.
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Season 4
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Episode 35
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15:36
John 15:1-11 | November 10, 2024
At the center of Christian living is Jesus, our source and giver of life. As Jesus prepared his followers for his death and resurrection, he makes clear that a connection with him is vital for their lives. We, too, must make the same choice eac...
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Season 4
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Episode 35
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15:31
November 3, 2024 | John 11:32-44
People of faith often talk about how they are different or transformed because of their faith. When times of testing come, however, that faith may not be as important as it seems. This is especially true when we face death. Too often, we face t...
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Season 4
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Episode 34
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20:26
John 9:1-12 | October 27, 2024
When something amazing happens, we often first ask how it happened. During a difficult season for us or others, we often ask what caused things to be this way. What gets lost here is caring in the moment. In this week's episode Jesus helps us t...
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Season 4
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Episode 33
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15:30