Dayspring Fellowship Podcasts

Gospel of John | Part 9 | An Emotional Time | Jon Sprouse

An Emotional TimeThe Gospel of JohnMay 8, 2022
I’m sure you’ve seen them before. Although most of us tend not to really notice them until we’re in a desperate situation. They’re those “In case of emergency, break glass” boxes. Sometimes they have a fire hose inside; most just have an alarm button or lever to pull.However, fire is not the only emergency for which these kinds of boxes might be needed. Consider these other “emergencies” for which you might want to have a panic option available: there’s the toilet paper emergency, a cold, hard cash emergency, or a desperate need for chocolate.You most likely have an emergency medical kit in your home or car; hopefully you’ve got an emergency fund at your bank; some people even have emergency food rations stockpiled... just in case of... well, an emergency! You just never know what tomorrow might hold, and it doesn’t hurt to be prepared!While it is wise and good to be physically prepared for emergency situations, what does it look like to be prepared emotionally and spiritually for the desperate seasons or circumstances of life?  As followers of Jesus, we have been invited to dialog with God... to connect with His heart and to know and have a relationship with Him. We have access to Him through the gift of prayer. Not just when we need rescued, but in the ordinary, everyday rhythms of daily life. It’s this regular connection and communion with Him that enables us to weather the storms that will certainly come our way.We’ve seen this modeled in the life of Jesus as we’ve worked our way through the gospel of John these past couple of months. This week, we’ll see it once again.In our study this week, we’ll be looking at the conversation that Jesus had with His Father as He walked with the disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane. This was no casual stroll. Emotions were high; the stress was heavy. And Jesus pours out all that is on His heart in prayer, as His disciples listen in. 
Join us as we dig in to this part of Jesus’ story and discover what mattered most to our Savior in these last hours of His life.

Gospel of John | Part 8 | Relationships | Michelle Snook

RelationshipsThe Gospel of JohnMay 1, 2022
What time did you get up this morning? Did you hit the snooze button or hop out of bed right away? Did you check Facebook first thing or the weather? Look at your calendar or read your Bible? What color shirt did you pick out of your closet? Was it eggs and bacon for breakfast or coffee and toast? Did you stop for gas on the way to work or decide to wait until later? Some internet sources claim that on average people make an astonishing 35,000 decisions each day. I’m not sure how they came up with that number, but even a quick stroll down the cereal aisle at any grocery store would give you a great visual example of the overwhelming number of options that we as humans encounter on a daily basis. Some of our choices are big ones, others...not so much. But even the little ones like Cheerios or Rice Krispies for breakfast, tax your brain just a bit. Is it any wonder that by the end of the day, when you ask your spouse where they want to go for dinner, the answer is often, “I don’t care. You choose.” So, when it comes to making a difficult choice, we are often prone to put off or avoid making the decision altogether. But choosing to delay or ignore is making a choice... it’s just not a great one. We are continuing in our series on the Gospel of John, and this week we’re taking a deeper look at what Jesus said about relationships. What does it look like to really love others, especially when those others can be so opinionated, obnoxious, or different from us? When those others are so stinkin’ hard to love? Loving others is a choice. And like all the other choices we make every day, doing it requires intentionality; doing it well requires real effort. I invite you to join us as we consider what it means to love others, especially those who are challenging for us, in ways that are healthy. At Dayspring, we are fully committed to growing as followers of Jesus, in every area of life. Come grow with us as we learn to more intentionally love others the way Jesus calls us to.

Gospel of John | Part 7 | Humility & Heart | Chris Voigt

Humility and HeartThe Gospel of JohnApril 24, 2022
What was the last promise you made to someone? We make little promises all the time without really giving it a second thought. You might agree to a task or errand, commit to a meeting or appointment, or something bigger like signing a contract or agreement. All of these, in one way or another, are some form of a promise. From the time we are kids, promises are a big deal. Whether it’s a pinky swear or a blood brother covenant, in our earliest relationships we long to know that we matter to someone else and that we can count on and trust them. Our sense of belonging and confidence deepens when we know we can trust another and that they, in turn, trust us. But as we’ve all experienced, broken people, operating in a broken world will not perfectly keep their promises. Sooner or later, we will experience disappointment. But, we were designed by God to be interdependent, not independent. And so even in our disappointment, we continue to look for trustworthy sources in which we can place our confidence. Sometimes, it can feel as if we are out of options. We’re picking back up with our series in the gospel of John this week; and as we do, we find Jesus’ disciples just a little... well, maybe more than a little disappointed in the way things are playing out. But in the midst of their confusion and deep disappointment, Jesus makes some promises. Things are about to get really ugly, and Jesus knows that they will need a lifeline or two. And so do we. I invite you to join us this Sunday as we look at six promises that Jesus gave His disciples just before their world got turned upside down.In a world where it can feel like everything is upside down, and things are going to hell in a handbasket, we need to know there is Someone we can count on and Who keeps His promises. The promises of Jesus are just as much for you, today, as they were for His disciples then.

Bad Boys of Easter | Part 3 | Twelve Feet of Separation | Chris Voigt

Twelve Feet of SeparationThe Bad Boys of EasterApril 17, 2022
In an online article from The Atlantic, author Ed Yong tells a story that illustrates an important truth. He writes, “At some point, a kauri tree fell in a New Zealand forest and no one noticed. Nor did anyone pay attention when the remnant of its trunk rotted away, leaving behind a stump that’s barely even a stump—a chair-size, hollowed-out half cylinder, sticking up from the middle of a hiking trail, leafless and apparently dead. 'It doesn’t look spectacular at all,' says Sebastian Leuzinger of the Auckland University of Technology. 'Everyone would have walked past it for years.'"
Out hiking with a colleague, Leuzinger stumbled across the tree stump. Yong continues, “He saw that even though it had no leaves, stems, or greenery of any kind, it did still contain living tissue—and when he knocked on the stump, it sounded different from deadwood. All appearances to the contrary, it was still alive.”
Things are not always what they seem.
There are a variety of factors that affect how our brains process information and come to conclusions. We rely on our senses to provide us with information. But we tend to enhance that information as it passes through various filters that we all use every day... things like past experience, memories, knowledge, and assumptions.
Optical illusions and practical jokes are effective because they mess with our assumptions. As Albert Einstein said, “Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.”
 Over the past couple weeks, we’ve been in a short series called, The Bad Boys of Easter. As we wrap up this weekend, we’ll discover, much like Leuzinger and his dead-looking, but not dead tree stump, that things aren’t always as they seem.
It’s true that things are not always as they seem. Sometimes, they’re better!

Bad Boys of Easter | Part 2 | The Pretender | Chris Voigt

The PretenderThe Bad Boys of EasterApril 10, 2022
Back in the late 90’s there was an American television drama called The Pretender. Maybe you’re familiar with it. The storyline revolved around a young man named Jarod; a genius impostor who could quickly master the complex skill set needed to impersonate someone in any profession. Kidnapped as a child and raised by an organization known as The Centre, Jarod’s abilities were exploited for their sinister purposes. Eventually, as an adult, Jarod escapes. He goes on the run, moving from place to place, utilizing his unique abilities for good. In each episode, Jarod assumes a new professional identity, such as doctor, lawyer, soldier, or pilot, in order to investigate a crime for which an innocent person has been framed, and ultimately deliver justice to the real guilty party. He traded a ‘secure’ life aiding those whose plans were motivated by power and greed, for the unpredictable life of a fugitive, but one where he could use his skills for the benefit of others. This week, in our series The Bad Boys of Easter, we’re taking a look at a guy who was a pretender, a thief, and a con man. He was motivated by his own agenda... what’s in this for me? When following Jesus seemed like the most profitable option, he was in. But when Jesus didn’t live up to his expectations, when his hopes were disappointed, he flipped and aligned himself with those who offered what looked like a better deal. He traded his relationship with Jesus for a little bit of cash.I invite you to join us this Sunday as we consider the choices of Judas. Sooner or later, all of us experience disillusionment, disappointment and dissatisfaction. And it’s in those moments that we consider whether or not we should make a trade. Sometimes those pain points can prompt us to make good changes that benefit us and others. But there are also times when we are tempted to take a short cut, to give in and exchange what we ultimately want, for what would feel good right now. What kind of trades are you making?

Bad Boys of Easter | Part 1 | My Private Nation | Chris Voigt

My Private NationThe Bad Boys of EasterApril 3, 2022
Control. We like it. It feels good.We get irritated when our plans go awry, when we’ve got an agenda or timeline and someone or something gets in our way and slows us down, or completely blows up our carefully crafted plans.While there are some things that you can control, ultimately, control is an illusion. Sure, there are choices you can make; but the truth is, our ability to control is limited. I might choose to go to bed at a time that allows me to get enough sleep, only to toss and turn until it’s time to get up again. Our ability to control is limited. And yet, we as humans seem driven by the desire to be in control.If you look up the word ‘surrender,’ you’ll find a definition that is full of negative sounding words and a list of synonyms such as: abdicate, capitulate, acquiesce, relinquish, and succumb. Sounds fun, huh? When it’s painted that way, no wonder we resist surrender and pursue control. Those words are not on anyone’s list of life goals.Even as followers of Jesus, there are places in our lives where we resist surrender. We want to be in control. I know what’s best for me, because I know me. Because trusting in someone or something we cannot see, touch, understand or control, is scary.This week, we’ll be looking at Caiaphas, the high priest who finds his way into the story of Jesus. He too struggles with control and surrender. Even though he’s on the wrong side of history, there are valuable things we can learn from his story.Believe it or not, and contrary to popular opinion, there are benefits to not being in control and blessings to be found in surrender. I hope you’ll join us as we explore those ideas together.

Gospel of John | Part 6 | Crisis | Jon Sprouse

CrisisGospel of John: That You May BelieveMarch 27, 2022
I’ve traveled outside the United States a fair amount. One thing that has been fascinating to me is how different cultures relate to time. The first time I traveled to Honduras, it quickly became a joke among our team that we were on “Honduran” time because the local Honduran leader we were working with was always running about an hour later than he told us to be ready! In Lima, Peru, for our first international worship conference, we set the start time for 9 AM. We were ready and waiting, but people in Lima don’t do mornings! At least not that early. Their approach to time is different than what we expected and planned for. In many cultures around the world, the pace is slower, meals take longer, rest is part of the daily rhythm. Americans, on the other hand, are notoriously impatient. We have instant oatmeal for breakfast, communicate by instant messaging, grab fast food for lunch, download documents or directions instantly to our devices, make dinner in our Instant-pot or air fryer, then entertain ourselves with video on-demand before swallowing something to help us instantly fall asleep. Our pace is fast - we want everything now; there is no time to waste or to wait.  In Lamentations 3:25-26 we read: “The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.” Did you catch that? Let me say it again: The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. We are at the mid-way point in our sermon series through the Gospel of John. This week we’ll be taking a look at a story that reveals the difference between God’s timing and our own. No matter what culture you live in, hoping, seeking, waiting for something that you desperately want or need can be incredibly challenging. Can we really trust God’s timing? Even when it looks like hope is lost and He has let us down? I encourage you to join us this Sunday as we consider the truth that we can trust God’s plans and timing, even - or perhaps especially - when it seems out of sync with our own.

Gospel of John | Part 5 | A Blind Man & the Shepherd | Michelle Snook

A Blind Man and the ShepherdGospel of John: That You May BelieveMarch 20, 2022
Joanna Sullivan was born near Springfield, Massachusetts in April of 1866. She was the oldest of three children born to Irish immigrants. Annie was only 8 years old when her mother died of tuberculosis. Two years later, fearing the responsibility of raising three children alone, Annie, her brother and sister were deserted by their father. A childhood illness had left Annie almost completely blind. After enduring several unsuccessful surgeries to correct her eyesight, Annie entered the Perkins Institution for the Blind at the age of 14. A year later, surgery partially restored her vision. It was at Perkins where she learned to use a manual alphabet...a way of using hand signals pressed into the palm of another to spell words. In 1886, at the age of 20, Annie graduated as the valedictorian of her class. Annie is best known as the teacher and life-long companion of Helen Keller. Just a few short months after graduation, Annie accepted a call to work with the then 7year-old Helen. Like Annie, a childhood illness had left Helen with physical impairments. She was blind, deaf, and had a limited ability to speak. Annie began teaching Helen the same manual alphabet she had learned at Perkins Institute; teaching her that things had names. Within 6 months, Helen had learned 575 words, some multiplication tables, and the Braille system. Orphaned, abandoned, and robbed of her sight, it would have been understandable if Annie had become bitter, defensive, arrogant and isolated. But instead, she chose to listen, learn, and discover new ways of seeing. And not only was her life radically changed, she dramatically impacted the life of Helen, and through her, thousands of others as well. We are working our way through a study of the gospel of John. This week, we’re looking at the account of Jesus’ healing of the blind man. Certainly, the restoration of physical sight was amazing, but there are deeper implications about spiritual blindness that we’ll unpack together.

Gospel of John | Part 4 | Feast & Conflict | Chris Voigt

Feast & ConflictGospel of John: That You May BelieveMarch 13, 2022
Legendary ad-man Rosser Reeves was an American executive and pioneer of television advertising. He was the genius behind some of the most effective ads of the 40’s & 50’s, including the “Melt in your mouth, not in your hands” M&Ms line, as well as slogans for Bic pens, Colgate toothpaste and Minute Maid orange juice. Peter Michaels, in an online article called, The Power of the Contrast Principle, relates this story: Reeves and his friend were walking through Central Park one lunchtime when they came across a blind person begging for money. He had a cup for donations in front of him with a sign “I am blind” handwritten on it.  After explaining to the man that he knows a bit about motivating people and he might be able to help the man get more donations, Reeves asked if he would be willing to let his sign be changed.  “Sure,” the man answers and Rosser takes out his pen. He adds four words to the “I am blind” sign, then steps back to see what happens. Soon, passers-by are dropping money into the cup and within 5 minutes, his donations have doubled. As more people drop more change, even dollar bills, the blind man begins to look a little happier.Rosser soon heads back to his office, having effectively demonstrated The Principle of Contrast. What four words had he written on the sign? “It is springtime and...” The sign now read: “It is springtime and I am blind.” Michaels goes on to say, “Rosser Reeves – advertising genius and celebrated ‘wordsmith’ – didn’t add anything fancy.... He simply added contrast, which framed the man’s plight in a way that people responded to. Where they previously passed by, unmoved by ‘just another blind man’ begging for change, now they saw a person in need of help who wasn’t able to see the beautiful New York spring day they all took for granted.” The people were moved by the contrast they saw between their own “fortune” and the lack of the blind man. And being moved, they made a decision to respond. People respond to contrast. Contrast speeds up the connection to our brains, so we understand quickly and clearly where to focus our attention. Contrast allows us to see differences readily and thus helps us make better decisions. This Sunday in our series on the Gospel of John, we’re looking at five contrasts that Jesus gave to help His hearers understand the differences between His message and that of the Pharisees and religious leaders. These contrasts were designed to help people see Jesus more clearly and to move their hearts toward making a decision about who He was and what it meant to follow Him.

Gospel of John | Part 3 | Man of Miracles | Chris Voigt

Man of MiraclesGospel of John: That You May BelieveMarch 6, 2022
For 17 years, Kim Jong Il, ruthlessly oppressed the people of North Korea before his death in 2011. A 2004 Human Rights Watch report, reports that the North Korean government under his leadership was among the world’s most repressive governments. With no freedom of the press or religion, no political opposition, or equal education, virtually every aspect of political, social, and economic life was controlled by the government, and led to more than 200,000 political prisoners. We in the West, rightfully call him a totalitarian dictator. You might not be surprised to hear that he felt differently about himself -- that he was actually quite gifted across a wide variety of disciplines…and had been from birth. In fact...the official records (of North Korea) reportedly claim that Kim learned to walk at three weeks old, and to talk at eight weeks old. He grew up to write 1,500 books in three years and six full operas which are (and I quote) “better than any in the history of music.” And, not only did he claim to be an artistic genius, he was great at sports, too. The FIRST TIME Kim picked up a golf club, he shot a 38 under par round on North Korea’s only golf course, including 11 holes-in-one. Each of his 17 bodyguards even verified this record-breaking feat. His belief in his own greatness didn’t stop here on Planet Earth. North Korean documents also claim that a glowing new star appeared in the heavens to herald his birth on North Korea’s Baekdu Mountain in 1942. Unfortunately, he was born a year earlier. But don’t tell him! Anyone can CLAIM anything. But that doesn’t mean it’s true.This week in our sermon series in the Gospel of John, we'll be looking at some of the outrageous claims that Jesus made about Himself. Imagine, someone claiming to be God in the flesh. If Jesus was a liar, then His claim is outrageous. If He was crazy, then His claim is pitiful. But...if Jesus' claim about Himself is true, then it is a game changer and we ought to pay close attention. The Good News is that Jesus brought witnesses to prove He wasn't lying or crazy.