The NorthWord
NorthWord is a daily Christian podcast from St. John's Fort Smith in collaboration with the Anglican Family. Hosted by Father Aaron from Fort Smith, Northwest Territories.
Here's how it works: Every Sunday we release the full sermon preached that morning. Then Monday through Saturday, you get 3-5 minute daily reflections based on that sermon - one thought you can actually use each day. Every Wednesday we explore the rhythm of Jesus' life and how his followers have lived it out for 2,000 years.
Whether you're Pentecostal, Orthodox, Baptist, Catholic, or just curious about faith - this is for you. Ancient faith. Real life. No fluff.
The Word. The North. Your Week.
Follow @StJohnsFortSmith and @TheAnglicanFamily
The NorthWord
We Are the People of the Way
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
We want to hear from You! Send us a Text!
Christians have always been called "the people of The Way" — tace ho-DOO — the people of the road. This week we walk the road to Emmaus with two disciples who quit, and discover what Jesus does when you stop.
Good morning, this is Northword.
SPEAKER_00You already belong to something ancient, and it all begins on a road. Good morning, this is Northword, the Word, the North, your Week, a daily podcast from St. John's Fort Smith in collaboration with the Anglican family. I'm your host, Father Aaron. I want to start this week by telling you something about what you actually are. Christians were called in the book of Acts the people of the way, the people of the road. That ancient phrase appears in Acts chapter 9. When Paul was hunting down the early church, he asked for letters to the synagogue at Damascus so that if he found any belonging to the way, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. The way. Not a religion, not a doctrine, but a road. You know, the Jews, when someone goes off of the Jewish path of the religious way, they call him in Hebrew off the Derech, off of the way. And so this idea of religion not being just a doctrine, but being a road, being away, is ancient. Have you ever thought of your faith less as a belief system and more as a journey? Because that would change how you live it day by day. This week we're walking on a specific road together. The road from Jerusalem to Emmaus. Seven miles. Luke chapter 24. And on it, two disciples do something every one of us has done. They give up, they quit. Their hopes had collapsed. Jesus was supposed to redeem Israel, and he didn't, at least not in the way they expected. The tomb was empty, nothing made sense, and they started walking away. But here's what changes everything when they quit the road. Jesus got on the road with them. Thomas Akempis wrote, You are a stranger and a pilgrim wherever you may be, and you shall have no rest until you are wholly united with Christ. The burning, that empty feeling, that sense that the road won't stay in focus and something in you just wants to stop, that's not weakness, friends. That is not failure. That is your soul calling out to Jesus on the road of life. Answer this question. Where on the road are you today? Are you still walking? Are you pulled over? Share that honestly with yourself this morning. Take a moment after the end of this episode and sit quietly and ask yourself that question. Be honest with yourself. This week on Northward, we are staying on the road because he's already there. This has been Northward, the Word, the North Your Week, a daily podcast from St. John's Fort Smith in collaboration with the Anglican family. If you've enjoyed this episode, please share this with somebody. Click the text link to reach out to us and let us know where you're listening from. And until tomorrow, God be with you.
SPEAKER_01In the name of Flower, the Sun and Holy Spirit, amen.