Pastor Mark Robinson .com: Recent Episodes

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On Sunday, November 17, 2024, at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Isaiah 11:1-12. This message was part 2 in the “King of Kings” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Isaiah 11:1-12
3. What is a place you have always wanted to live? What has attracted you to that place? What are some characteristics that you feel like make a great leader of a nation?
4. In Isaiah 11, we see a picture of both the King of Kings, and His coming Kingdom. In 11:1-5, we see a picture of King Jesus. What stands out to you most about His leadership (described there)? What would it be like to live in an area ruled by Him?
5. Have you trusted in Jesus to be your King of Kings? Is there evidence in your life that you are living under His direction?
6. The Kingdom Jesus presides over is described in Isaiah 11:6-12. This future Kingdom upon the earth, established after Jesus returns, is marked by various phenomena outlined in these verses. What stands out to you most about life in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ?
7. How has reviewing both the King and His Kingdom encouraged you in light of the “groaning” we see around us in the world today? Our problems are only temporary, but His Kingdom will reign forever and ever!
8. What evidence do you see today of churches living by Kingdom priorities?
9. What is one particular application you took away from this message?

To access these questions in pdf format click here.

To listen to message offline, click the link:

Audio here when available.

To listen online, use media player below:

Audio here when available.

To watch online use YouTube:

Video goes live at 9:45 am at this link.

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Let’s suppose we were all able to select where we were from and who our President or King would be. Let’s say we had that kind of sway … what would we do? Well, maybe we would fly around from country to country, looking for the cities or natural landscape we liked the best. We would make a short list from the environments … then we would cross check our approved places with the leaders who ruled over them. What kinds of characteristics would you look for in your leader of choice? What policies would they promote? What kind of character would they represent? After this thorough examination, we could then make a selection on where we would live and under whose leadership we would reside.

Now, the above scenario is mostly fantasy. We do not determine our nationality at birth, and it can be quite complicated to change our citizenship in this world! Acts 17:26 actually lets us know that God Himself sits sovereign over the context of our lives, saying, “He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place.” Further, though our form of government in America allows us to participate in the process of selecting a leader, if you voted in the last Presidential election, you are merely one vote out of 140 million! We play a part, but many other forces are at play in determining our leaders … and again, God Himself sits sovereign over that process as Romans 13:1 reminds us, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.”

And so, our places of residence and our governing authorities are not entirely of our own choosing … and part of the challenge we face in this world is that because of sin and the consequences that have followed it, both our environment and our leaders are far from idyllic. No matter where you live, there are a unique set of problems. Oklahoma has rattlesnakes, tornados, and ice storms (among other things). We take the good with the bad! And our leaders are morally imperfect and make flawed decisions at times. You win some, you lose some. Change the city, state, or even country you live in, and you will trade one set of imperfections with another. To say it another way, both our kingdoms and our kings have their problems!

But what can God teach us through this? Romans 8:22 tells us that “all creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.” Our imperfect world and our flawed leaders remind us that THIS IS NOT OUR HOME. We groan like a mother in childbirth, longing for the birthday of a new age … and a new leader.

On Sunday, November 17 at Wildwood Community Church in our 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 worship service, we will continue our sermon series “King of Kings” by looking at Isaiah 11:1-11. This prophetic passage, written 700 years before Jesus was born, describes Jesus and what it will be like to live under His authority. This prophecy describes the King of Kings and His coming Kingdom in terms unlike anything we know. It is my prayer that these verses will raise our eyes from our kings and kingdoms (lowercase “k’s”) to Him and His promised dominion … and that we will all be filled with hope!

See you Sunday, and bring friends!

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On Sunday, November 10, 2024, at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Revelation 5:1-14. This message was part 1 in the “King of Kings” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. In what ways is Jesus different from all other world leaders today? How are you encouraged when you look to Jesus, and discouraged when you look to the world?
3. How does knowing that Jesus will one day return to the earth and establish His kingdom encourage you today?
4. In this passage, what do you learn about Jesus? Make a list and keep it handy as a reminder of the object of your faith.
5. What is your general posture toward Jesus? Do you position yourself ABOVE, BESIDE, or BELOW Him?
6. How does seeing the prayers of believers present in heaven ENCOURAGE your prayer life today? What have you stopped praying for that you might begin praying for again given this reminder?
7. Take some time to praise Jesus with your words. If you need inspiration, look to the songs of Revelation 5:8-14.
8. What is one particular application you took away from this message?

To access these questions in pdf format click here.

To listen to message offline, click the link:

King of Kings #1 11.10.24

To listen online, use media player below:

https://pastormarkrobinson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/20241110-0945_96kbs.mp3To watch online use YouTube:

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I heard someone recently say (regarding this past presidential election) that “Jesus was not on the ballot.” I think their point was that all candidates running for office at any level, are flawed at some level. After all, “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God,” and this includes politicians as well as plumbers and painters! The thesis being, Jesus is perfect, and we are not. True statement.

But as we head past November 5, I want to remind us of something very important. Jesus was not on the ballot, because Jesus is not like any other leader we know. He is not voted into and out of office, His reign is eternal. He is not “the better of two evils” as some have described candidates in elections, He has no evil in Him. He is not pursuing our “likes” to His posts, He desires to be our Lord. He is not first asking what we can do for Him, but He came while we were yet sinners to die for us. He does not want our ballot, He wants our best. He is not wanting something from us, ultimately He has something for us. His Kingdom ultimately knows no boundaries, term limits, or end. He has no “god complex,” He is (in fact) God Himself!

As John Stott has said, “So we may talk about Alexander the Great, Charles the Great, and Napoleon the Great, but not Jesus the Great. He is not the Great – He is the ONLY. There is nobody like Him. He has no rival and no successor.”

So as we walk toward Sunday, November 10 together, I wanted us to pause and remember who the King of Kings really is. Some of you are celebrating election results, while others are crying. Together, let us lift our eyes to heaven and see the exalted Son of God, the King of Kings, who was the same on November 10, 2020 as He is on November 10, 2024, as He will be on November 10, 2028. Let us worship Him together in Spirit and in Truth on Sunday at Wildwood Community Church in our 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 service. This will be part one of a two part sermon series called “King of Kings” and will focus on Revelation 5:1-14.

See you there … and bring friends!

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On Sunday, November 3, 2024, Teaching Pastor Bruce Hess’ message is “Message 3 – How to Cultivate a Clear Conscience” from our The Bible and Your Conscience series. Below are some questions for your personal or group reflection.

1. Bruce stated that Satan’s strategy is to keep us from the blessing of living with a clear conscience. Why does he employ that strategy?
2. One step in cultivating a clear conscience is to proactively flee from sin. How can we accomplish that most effectively?
3. Have your personal convictions ever been altered by Scripture? Elaborate on how that transpired.
4. What are some productive ways we can calibrate our conscience to God’s Word?
5. When it comes to consistently monitoring our conscience, how did David choose to do that in Psalm 139:23-24?
6. What kind of things get in the way of us regularly confessing our sin?
7. Bruce said it is possible to go passive spiritually. Why do you think that happens and how can we avoid it?
8. Bruce mentioned three motivations for cultivating a clear conscience. Can you list the three? Which one is most motivational to you?
9. Have you ever found it profitable to confess a sin in the presence of another believer, or believers? [see James 5:16] If so, explain why you found it helpful.

Some personal questions:

• Are there any dark corners or “hidden rooms” in your life that you have refused to open to the Lord?
• Are you postponing doing something that your conscience has been telling that you should do?

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An old Monday night football saying went like this: Are you ready for some football? We could mimic that by saying: Are you ready for some rain? It looks like we’ll have soaking rains over this Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. We need it!

Well, Christmas continues to march toward us. On Sunday we are beginning the toy collection for the annual Mission Christmas Shoppe. We hope to once again bless some 600 disadvantaged children (and their families). Please drop by the main lobby, or the children’s lobby, and select some gift suggestion cards to purchase a gift or gifts. You can select a Boy or Girl, plus select from different ages. We are also seeking to collect new (or nearly new) coats; along with new socks, underwear and gloves for kids. What a privilege to serve our community in this way!

Please be in prayer for two groups who are “getting away” this weekend. Some 160 men and sons are at the Father-Son campout…pray for refreshed connections. Note: Due to the threat of severe weather on Saturday evening, the campout “officially” will end at 8pm Saturday, although brave dads and sons are free to stay longer.

The other group we’d encourage you to pray for is our college group’s retreat. This also is a time of connection and instruction. We love college students! Pray for a great retreat.

This Sunday we will be concluding the series, The Bible and Your Conscience. In this final message we will be examining How to Cultivate a Clear Conscience, a very worthy goal for all of us (see Acts 24:16 and Hebrews 13:18). I’m excited about exploring this together!

See you Sunday!

Bruce

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On Sunday, October 27, 2024, Teaching Pastor Bruce Hess’ message is “Message 3 – Your Conscience and Other Believers” from our The Bible and Your Conscience series. Below are some questions for your personal or group reflection.

1. Bruce listed a number of examples of perceived right/wrong issues today that Scripture does not directly address. In your experience, what are some of the most prominent areas where believers often view things differently?

2. Has there been a time in your spiritual walk when you considered something as wrong, but other believers considered it as OK? Explain.
   How about the reverse, where you considered some behavior as OK and others considered it to be wrong? Explain again.

3. Have your convictions of right and wrong altered in some way after studying Scripture more fully? Elaborate.

4. Have you ever felt pressure from someone else to violate your conscience?
   How did you respond in that situation?

5. Why is it that people in the believing family can so easily view someone who’s conscience may differ from theirs as being spiritually flawed in some way?

6. What does it mean to “never put a stumbling block in the way of a brother”? (see Romans 14:13, 21; 1 Corinthians 8:9, 13)

7. Bruce mentioned five ‘principles of grace’ that can help us develop convictions about issues today that Scripture does not directly address. List them out.

Personal reflection for later:
Is there anything you may be doing or saying that could encourage another believer to potentially violate their conscience?

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Hey Wildwood Family!

What happened??

Well, we all blinked and now we are staring down the end of the month of October with Halloween happening next Thursday. All that, and yet we haven’t had any fall weather to speak of. Hmmm…is that some sort of indicator about the upcoming winter season? What do you think?

As we continue with this fall/early summer weather, much is happening around Wildwood. The Samaritan Purse Christmas child shoe boxes are due back on Sunday. We so appreciate all who have filled those boxes! In addition, toy collection for The Mission Christmas Shoppe is just ahead.

It’s not too late to register for the Dallas Theological Seminary one day class happening a week from Saturday on November 2. Email info@wildwoodchurch.org for the registration link.

If you’ve never been through Wildwood’s Starting Point class (information on our mission and beliefs…and the first step toward church membership) it begins a week from Sunday (Nov. 3) at 9:45am in Room 4.

This Sunday we will be teaching the third message in our series, The Bible and Your Conscience. You won’t want to miss this one. No two believers have consciences that are exactly the same. How are we to relate to one another when we have different perspectives on issues that the Scripture doesn’t directly address? Sometimes that situation can lead to conflict within the body, and even to judgmentalism towards others. There’s a lot of great biblical perspective this week! I’m looking forward to it.

See you Sunday!

Bruce

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On Sunday, October 20, 2024, Teaching Pastor Bruce Hess’ message is “Message 2 – Some Anatomy of our Conscience” from our The Bible and your Conscience series. Below are some questions for your personal or group reflection.

1. Bruce mentioned at the beginning of his message the classic movie Pinocchio (first released in 1940, last released in 1992). Assuming you watched the movie somewhere along the line, how much did you grasp about the imagery of “turning into a donkey” by not letting your conscience be your guide?
2. Share a time when your conscience may have made you feel uneasy about something you said or did. How did you handle the situation?
3. Why is it not wise to solely rely on our conscience to guide us in life?
4. Do any examples come to mind of how you once thought something was acceptable before the Lord, but the Bible gave you additional insight? How has your growth in understanding Scripture calibrated your conscience?
5. What are some practical ways we can “take pains to have” (ESV); “maintain” (NASB) a clear conscience?
6. Christopher Ash was quoted as saying, “The suppression of conscience has a narcotic effect upon morality. Our moral antennae go to sleep.” Expand on what you think he meant by that.
7. Spend some time praying for one another to have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things (Hebrews 13:18)

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Hey Wildwood Family!

I hope everyone enjoyed the “smell of fall” in the air the last few days. I really do enjoy the change of seasons. Alas, it looks like we’ll be having some early June weather again in the next week or so (projected highs in the mid 80’s). Don’t pack away that sunscreen yet!!

It is an exciting weekend as some 109 dads and daughters are on the Father-Daughter campout in the Sulphur area. The Lord has graciously given them some fabulous weather for the weekend. Pray for refreshed connections with the dads and daughters.

The Father-Son campout is scheduled for Nov 1-3. To learn more and to get more details go to wildwoodchurch.org/campouts.

The next round of Starting Point (where you can learn more about what Wildwood believes and about the membership process) is set to launch on Sunday, November 3rd at 9:45 am in Room 4 downstairs. If you haven’t been to Starting Point, it’s time to go!

It’s not too late to enjoy the free one-day Dallas Seminary class (Theological Method and Bibliology) to be held at Wildwood on Saturday November 2. Email info@wildwoodchurch.org for the registration link.

I am excited to share the second message this Sunday in our new series entitled, The Bible and Your Conscience. We will delve deeper into the Word as we spend some time looking at the anatomy of our conscience. What does all this have to do with Pinocchio?? Well, you’ll have to come and find out!

Hope to see you Sunday!

Bruce

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On Sunday, October 13, 2024, Teaching Pastor Bruce Hess’ message is “Part 1” from our The Bible and your Conscience series. Below are some questions for your personal or group reflection.

1. Have you previously heard a biblical message on the topic of conscience? When and where did it happen? And what did you learn?
2. Were you surprised (or not surprised) at how frequently conscience is mentioned in the New Testament? Explain why.
3. How did Adam and Eve display the presence of their consciences?
4. Share a time where your conscience made you feel good about something you said or did.
5. Share a time when your conscience might have made you feel uneasy about something you said or did.
6. Bruce listed several descriptions of conscience and then gave his own summary. If someone was to ask you, what is the conscience, how would you answer?
7. Spend some time praying for neighbors, or co-workers, or friends, or family that the Holy Spirit might stir their conscience regarding the need for a Savior.

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Hey Wildwood Family!

Well, we made re-entry back into the USA from our trip down to Mexico. It was a wonderful opportunity to speak some biblical encouragement to many of the missionaries who serve faithfully in Mexico.

We got some true Mexican experiences while there. One was experiencing the notorious Arco Norte (Northern Arc) highway. It is a four-lane highway that bypasses around the north of Mexico City. It is known for frequent and significant car/truck wrecks. We were traveling from Amealco (where Jennifer and Zac serve) to Puebla, normally a four-hour drive. Well, indeed, there was a big wreck ahead of us and it shut down the highway. We sat still for 2.5 hours…dead still. The “four-hour” trip took us eight hours! Not unusual in Mexico!

It was also encouraging to meet with the leaders (and their wives) of the church that Jen and Zac are helping to plant. They expressed encouragement in meeting with us, although all communication had to go through either Jennifer or Zac via translation.

The hard part of our trip was having to miss Wildwood’s picnic.

We hope many of you have experienced some refreshment from fall break. Some great opportunities loom ahead at Wildwood. The Father-Son and Father-Daughter campouts are soon. Go to wildwoodchurch.org/campouts for details.

Also, if you’ve ever wanted to attend a seminary class, you can attend a one-day class for free at Wildwood. Email info@wildwoodchurch.org to learn more.

I’m looking forward to starting a four session message series this Sunday, entitled The Bible and Your Conscience. One doesn’t often hear teaching on this subject. I hope to see you then as we delve into this fascinating topic!

See you Sunday!

Bruce

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On Sunday, October 6, 2024, at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on select Proverbs. This message was the final installment in the “Money Matters: Wisdom from Proverbs” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. What do you consider to be the “poverty line”?
3. In general, poverty is a part of this world because of the “fall due to sin” … however, there are a variety of other factors that impact poverty, including: foolishness (Proverbs 13:18, 21:5), injustice (Proverbs 13:23), “spin cycle poverty” (Proverbs 28:3), and sovereign outcomes (Proverbs 10:22; 28:22). How have you seen these contribute to the poverty you have seen or personally experienced in the world?
4. Is there any foolishness in your own life (contributing to financial problems) that you need to change?
5. What are some things you can do to help the poor around you physically AND relationally?
6. What is one need you can meet in the life of another this month in the church or in the community? (Proverbs 11:24-25; 21:13; 22:9; 28:27)
7. Throughout this series, we looked at a number of Proverbs related to money. What has stood out to you most from this series?
8. What is one particular application you took away from this message?

Interested in giving or volunteering to Hurricane Helene Relief? 2 Organizations to consider that Wildwood has experience with in the past:

• Samaritan’s Purse
• Eight Days of Hope
• Give to Wildwood (earmarked to help churches providing assistance in the region) … Give to Wildwood online and put “Hurricane Relief” in the memo.

To access these questions in pdf format click here.

To listen to message offline, click the link:

Money Matters #3 10.6.24

To listen online, use media player below:

https://pastormarkrobinson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/20241006-0945_96kbs.mp3To watch online use YouTube:

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Money matters to us, doesn’t it? Yes it does. In fact, there is a direct connection between our wallets and our hearts. As Jesus said in His Sermon on the Mount, “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Money matters, in part, because it demonstrates where our heart is. Most of the time, our heart lies hidden, but its condition is demonstrated in our actions, reactions, AND our expenditures. This is why how we handle our money matters to God.

Over the past three weeks at Wildwood, we have been walking through a sermon series investigating the Proverbs to see God’s wisdom regarding money. I recently did a study in the Proverbs and made a four page (single spaced!) list of all the verses in this one book that talk about money. Money Matters to God indeed! This sermon series has been a vehicle to showcase what I found in God’s Word.

So far, we have seen a few introductory principles, including:

• A wealth of wisdom (i.e. WISDOM is better than WEALTH).
• Trust funds? (NO! There is a firmer foundation to build our lives upon than our checking account.)
• Rich people opportunities (there are a variety of difficulties disguised as opportunities that people with means have stewardship over … make the most of it!)

Then, last week, we saw the connection between hard work and wages, where we saw:

• There is work that does not pay (how we make money matters!)
• Work hard as unto the Lord (generally speaking there is a positive correlation between hard work and income … AND work is not bad, it is from the LORD, so what job does He have for you in this season?)

On Sunday, October 6, we will wrap up this short series by looking at poverty, and we will see:

• Some of it’s cause.
• The relational implications of poverty.
• AND our call to generosity.

Hope you make plans to be with us as we wrap up this series on Sunday at 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00. We will sing, pray, study the Word together, and end by sharing the Lord’s Supper. Don’t miss it … and bring friends!

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On Sunday, September 29, 2024, at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on select Proverbs. This message was part 2 in the “Money Matters: Wisdom from Proverbs” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. What paid jobs have you had in your life? What did you learn in those jobs?
3. Proverbs 16:8, 22:16, 28:6, and 28:21 all talk about it being better to have righteousness and integrity than wealth. In what ways have you seen that to be true in life? Be honest … what do you want more right now: wealth or integrity?
4. Where are you tempted to “sell your integrity for a piece of bread” (Proverbs 28:21)?
5. Are you tempted at all in your business practices to “use false scales” to slant things in your favor (see Proverbs 11:1)? Have you ever considered that kind of behavior as a sin against God?
6. How have you seen yourself (others you know) become a slave to debt (Proverbs 22:7)? How can remembering this picture of slavery help you from entering into much debt in the future?
7. What is the “job” the LORD has for you in this season of your life? What would it look like for you to work hard at this job (as unto the LORD)? There were many Proverbs addressing this topic that were explored in this message including Proverbs 16:26, 6:6-11, 10:4, 12:27, 19:15, 28:19, 10:5, 20:4, 24:30-34, 12:11, 14:23, 20:13, 21:25-26, 22:13, 23:19-21. Did the message of any of these Proverbs stand out to you in any way?
8. What is one particular application you took away from this message?

To access these questions in pdf format click here.

To listen to message offline, click the link:

Audio here when available.

To listen to message online, use media player below:

Audio here when available.

To watch online use YouTube:

Video goes live at 9:45 am at this link.

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How many jobs have you had in your life? Paid jobs.

I have had only 13. Want to hear what they were?

1. Hawaiian Shaved Ice Stand
2. Summer Youth Pastor at ECUMC
3. Front Counter Worker at McDonalds
4. Dishwasher & kitchen worker at a fraternity house
5. Administrative help at Phillips 66
6. Call center at Dallas Theological Seminary
7. Sold used fax machines for a bartering company (no, really that was the job)
8. Window washer
9. Youth Pastor at Ovilla UMC
10. Associate Pastor at MCC
11. College Pastor at Wildwood
12. Executive Pastor at Wildwood
13. Senior Pastor at Wildwood

13 jobs over 35 years of employment (with the last 24 years … including 3 different roles … here at Wildwood). What’s your list?

In that time, I have learned a lot of things on the job … but one consistent lesson I learned is the connection between work and wages. When you work a job, you get paid. (Well, most of the time … I did have one job that I was promised a wage I never received). Some jobs paid by the hour, others paid a monthly salary, and still others paid by the job. But the steady lesson was this: “The wages of work is money.” And through that arrangement, God has provided the resources for me and my family to live.

As we saw last week at Wildwood Community Church in part 1 of our “Money Matters” sermon series, money matters to us AND money matters to God. That is why the Bible has so many sections dealing with finances. Particularly in the book of Proverbs there are many verses dealing with money. This Sunday, we will be in part 2 of our study, looking at what God says in the Proverbs about work (as it relates to money). Some great stuff there!

I think there are two big lessons God wants us to learn about the connection of work and wages from the Proverbs, and we will explore these principles together on Sunday in our 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 services. Hope to see you there … and bring friends!

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On Sunday, September 22, 2024, at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on select Proverbs. This message was part 1 in the “Money Matters: Wisdom from Proverbs” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Why do you think money matters so much to people? Why do you think money matters to God?
3. What is some of the advice about money you have received in your life? How much of that advice was directed from God’s Word?
4. Proverbs 3:9-10 talks of “honoring God with your wealth.” What do you think it means to honor God with the money He has entrusted to you? Are you honoring Him with your money today?
5. In Proverbs 8:10-11, 16:16, 20:15, 22:1, and 25:11-12, wisdom is elevated above wealth. Which do you TRULY desire more? Wisdom or wealth? Why do you value that so highly?
6. Proverbs 18:11 talks about money being a high wall in the imagination of the rich person (i.e. it is tempting for the rich to make the focus of their trust their personal resources … but security in our stuff is only imaginary … it will not stay.) Do you find yourself trusting more in your stuff or in your Savior? How does that impact your use of money?
7. In Proverbs 14:4 we see two sides to riches … more problems but also more opportunity. How have you personally experienced this dynamic in your life … in other words, how have you seen MORE MONEY bring with it more challenges AND more opportunities? If you are in a season of life right now where God has given you more than you need for today, how do you view that abundance? More as a problem or more as an opportunity?
8. What is one particular application you took away from this message?

To access these questions in pdf format click here.

To listen to message offline, click the link:

Money Matters #1

To listen online, use media player below:

https://pastormarkrobinson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/20240922-0945_96kbs.mp3To watch online use YouTube:

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Money matters … doesn’t it? At least it matters to most of us.

If we are walking down the street and saw a $50 bill laying on the sidewalk, it would probably catch our eye … we might even stop to pick it up! We might ignore a gum wrapper on the same sidewalk … but legal tender catches our eye and motivates a response. Money matters.

If we have more expenses in bills than we have dollars in our checking account it causes stress. Money matters.

Our access to money often influences what car we drive or where we live or what we are able to do for fun. Money matters.

We might take a certain job because it pays more. Money matters.

We can use money to honor God, bless others, pay for our necessities, or save for the future. Money matters.

Even as it relates to the upcoming election, the economy is at or near the top of the list of issues debated by the candidates. Money matters.

Money matters to us.

But does money matter to God?

Well (in a word), YES. Not because God needs money (He has access to all things) and not because God needs our money (again, He has the cattle on a thousand hills). Money matters to God because how WE handle it reflects our hearts … and God cares deeply about our hearts.

In the middle of our Bibles, the book of Proverbs provides a wealth of wisdom on many relevant and practical issues: avoiding adultery, relating to family, how we communicate, and more. One of the categories of human behavior MOST addressed in this book of wisdom is (you guessed it) M-O-N-E-Y. I sat down recently and read through the entire book, and jotted down 4 single-spaced pages of notes of what JUST THE BOOK OF PROVERBS had to say about money. Over the next three Sundays at Wildwood Community Church (beginning this week, September 22), I will help us explore this wisdom.

This week (September 22), we will look at some general principles on finances from the Proverbs. Next week (September 29), we will explore the connection between WORK and WAGES. Then on the last week of the series (October 6), we will see what the Proverbs say about generosity and the poor.

Hope to have you join us over the next 3 Sundays in our new series “Money Matters: Wisdom from the Proverbs.” See you Sunday at 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 AM … and bring friends!

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On Sunday, September 15, 2024 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached the sixth installment in the series “Finding a Place of Grace.” This message was based on John 13:31-35. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find sermon audio and video to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read John 13:31-35
3. Have you ever received or given any “final instructions” to a child, friend, teammate, employee, etc. before leaving for an extended period of time? Describe that moment.
4. Jesus has DONE something for us that no one else could do … dying on the cross for our sins. Jesus died for our sins according to the Father’s plan. That is why His doing so brought glory to the Father (and to the Son). How does obedience to the Father’s plan (doing the Father’s work) in your own life glorify God? NOTE: Of course we cannot do what Jesus has done in dying on the cross to pay the penalty of other’s sins, but what HAS God called us to do in Scripture? How would obeying God’s plan for YOU lead to God being glorified?
5. Jesus’ command is for us to love one another. This command was given new life by Jesus increasing both its extent and providing a new example. In what ways do we try to limit the EXTENT of God’s love (i.e. those we want to exclude from God’s love)?
6. How did Jesus love His followers? How are you inspired to love as Jesus loved those around you, inspired by His example?
7. Where are you intentionally placing yourself in community with others so that you might love them as Jesus loves you?
8. What is one particular application you took away from this message?

To access these questions in pdf format click here.

To listen to message offline, click the link:

finding a place of GRACE #6 9.15.24

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The church is not just a place that knows ABOUT Jesus, but it is a place where Jesus moves ABOUT.

The church is not only a BUILDING (brick and mortar) for our BODIES, but a BODY (redeemed souls) He is BUILDING in godliness.

The church is not simply an ORGANIZATION or non-PROFIT, but it is a congregation of people ORGANIZED to PROFIT the souls of all who interact with it.

The church is not simply a place that has received GRACE, but it is also a place designed to give GRACE to each other.

Over the past 6 weeks at Wildwood Community Church, we have been exploring a series called “Finding a Place of Grace.” We have seen that we are looking for grace, that Grace (embodied in Jesus Christ) is looking for us, and that Grace justifies, sanctifies, and ultimately glorifies all who receive Him. This Sunday, in our final installment of this series, we will talk about how Jesus wants the culture of His church to be a culture of grace. Through His church, Jesus wants to seek and save the lost, sanctify and shepherd the found, and bring to glory all who are connected to Him by faith. And the hallmark of the grace-filled church is the LOVE that we have for one another … but not just any kind of love. The kind of love that Jesus gave to us first.

“But God shows His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

“By this we know love, that He laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.” (1 John 3:16)

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)

So, make plans to join us this Sunday, September 15 at Wildwood Community Church in our 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 worship service as we reflect on how we can see Jesus love one another through us in our church. We have been called and equipped to be a place of grace, so if you are seeking a place of grace, may you join us this Sunday as we seek to love in Jesus’ name. Join us for worship, communion, and a study of John 13:31-35 in the sixth and final part of our “Finding a Place of Grace” sermon series at Wildwood. See you there, and bring friends!

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On Sunday, September 8, 2024 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached the fifth installment in the series “Finding a Place of Grace.” This message was based on Romans 8:32. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find sermon audio and video to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Romans 8:32
3. List as many examples as you can quickly imagine of things that began small, but grew into something impressive.
4. God’s grace flows from justification all the way to glorification (as we talked about this morning). Too often we fail to remember this progression over time, and it leads to times of potential disillusionment or discouragement when we don’t see everything realized TODAY that God has promised. What are some examples of struggles in your life that linger today but that God has promised to take away TOMORROW?
5. God graciously has given His Son for us and will eventually take us to glory if we believe in Jesus. What are you most looking forward to about the glorified provision of God for us in eternity (we talked about several aspects of this today)?
6. What are some practical ways you can “keep looking downstream” as you live your life today?
7. What is one particular application you took away from this message?

To access these questions in pdf format click here.

To listen to message offline, click the link:

finding a place of GRACE #5 9.8.24

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Ever been to Leadville, Colorado? I’ve been there a couple of times. This small town sits at an elevation of over 10,000 feet. That’s probably why I spent MOST of my time in this mountain village at an emergency room with my son who was suffering from altitude sickness. But apart from the elevation of Leadville, I have another connection with this place: the Arkansas River begins on the outskirts of town.

Growing up just north of Tulsa, Oklahoma and with a sister who lives in the Little Rock area, I am well familiar with the Arkansas. So when I was in Leadville and saw the sign for the headwaters of the this river I was intrigued. While the alpine setting is beautiful, the waters of the Arkansas themselves look scattered and thin at their origin. Like a 4 year old t-ball team at their first practice, the waters of the Arkansas are still trying to get their act together at 10,000 feet.

So, let’s imagine that we are standing next to the narrow water’s edge just outside Leadville, and looking at the “river” together. And, let’s imagine that you had never been to the ocean before. If I told you there that the Arkansas ultimately becomes the Gulf of Mexico, you might assume that the Gulf of Mexico was nothing more than a half acre farm pond. But of course, you would be wrong. What begins as a stream in Leadville, ultimately grows into an ocean just past New Orleans! But, if you had never seen downstream, you might question how big the ocean really is.

I tell you this today, because as I was preparing for Sunday’s message (part 5 in the “Finding a Place of Grace” sermon series at Wildwood Community Church), I was reminded that the grace of God is like a river flowing toward us. From the moment of our belief in Jesus, a river of God’s love and mercy are poured upon us … but this grace does not stop there. It is flowing downstream. What do I mean by that?

Well, in theological terms, the moment of our belief is the moment of our justification – where we are declared forgiven by God, being brought into alignment positionally with Jesus’ righteousness by God’s grace. We saw this two weeks ago as we looked at Zaccheus’s conversion from Luke 19. From justification, the grace of God flows toward sanctification – our growth in obedience and faithfulness as we follow Jesus. Last week we saw from Titus 2, that God’s grace not only saves us, but also trains us to walk away from ungodliness and toward godliness through the power of the Spirit. But the grace of God keeps going past sanctification, ultimately ending in glorification – when we are transformed completely from a corruptible body to an incorruptible one, outfitted for eternal blessing.

To say it another way, the headwaters of grace are justification, that gain intensity through tributary of sanctification, and culminate in the ocean of glorification.

Why is this important?

Well, we have not been to the ocean. We live in either Leadville or Tulsa or maybe Little Rock, looking at a small to medium sized body of water, unable to imagine (or possibly too impatient to see) the ocean that is coming. When we come to faith in Christ, we are like that t-ball team at their first practice … and even years into our walk with God, we may still feel like little leaguers. Since we have not yet gotten our act together, we wonder if we ever will.

So we have a farm pond sized faith … that begins to question God for the still broken condition of our world, the lingering temptations of our sin, or the suspicion that things will never improve (or if they do, we may never get to see it.)

Dear friends … this universe is headed someplace, being directed by Someone, and if we know Him, the grace that brought us justification and sanctification, will ultimately lead to our glorification. BY. HIS. GRACE.

This Sunday, we will look at select verses in Romans 8 together (ultimately centering on Romans 8:32) to see the certain hope we have for the ocean of glory and grace that is to come. I can’t wait to look at these verses together. Are you looking for a place of grace? Join us Sunday at 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 as we swim in this ocean together. See you then – and bring friends.

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On Sunday, September 1, 2024 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached the fourth installment in the series “Finding a Place of Grace.” This message was based on Titus 2:11-14. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find sermon audio and video to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Titus 2:11-14
3. Have you ever seen expressions of Christianity that were only focused on the past (Jesus’ death & resurrection) or the future (His bodily return), while neglecting the present day opportunities we have to follow Jesus in obedience and faith today?
4. How is your walk with God going today? Are you presently following Him or are you wandering away? What leads you to answer the question the way you did?
5. God’s grace intends to train us to walk away from sin and toward His righteousness. What are some of the things God (in His grace) is convicting you of today? What things are you doing that you need to stop? What things are you not doing that you need to start?
6. The Holy Spirit is God’s grace to power us forward in godly living. Take a few moments and pray that God’s Spirit would guide you and strengthen you as you follow Him this week.
7. What is one particular application you took away from this message?

To access these questions in pdf format click here.

To listen to message offline, click the link:

finding a place of GRACE #4 9.1.24

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Tomorrow night, the Oklahoma Sooners begin the 2024 football season. I. Can’t. Wait. My wife and I are OU alums who have lived in this state nearly all our lives, and our son is seriously considering attending OU next fall. Truly we are Sooner born, bred a Sooner, and when we die … well, you get the gist.

This fall will be the 129th season of OU football. The football team’s history is 12 years older than the state itself! In that time, the team has won 50 conference championships, 7 national championships, and countless individual honors. What a history!

But as the team takes the field this year, let me ponder a science fiction styled hypothetical. Imagine someone from the future were to travel back in time to visit us in our current day and let us know that the Sooners would win 7 MORE national titles (and 10 more conference championships – TAKE THAT SEC), by the year 2050.

Now, imagine you are in the locker room with the team as they are getting ready to take the field tomorrow night. What if you talked with one of the players and they said this, “We are a part of a team with an amazing past and a powerful future … therefore, we will stop practicing today. No more practicing. No more lifting weights. No more watching film. No more nutrition. We are just going to do whatever we want to do. With our history and our future so strong, what we do today does not matter.”

If a player were to say that to you today, how would you respond? My guess is you would say something like this (at least if you were a Sooner fan): “How could you say such a thing?!?!? You should want to work your hardest today BECAUSE of the storied history of this program, and you should commit anew to the task SINCE future success is promised!!! The jersey you are wearing demands such a response … it is your reasonable duty as a modern day Sooner!”

Now, why do I say this today? I say this today because many of you reading this post are Christians. At some point in the past, you were recruited by the Savior and signed your name on the line joining His team. AND, as followers of Jesus, we have an unbelievable past! Our LORD appeared on this earth as the embodiment of grace and won a decisive victory over sin and death. AND, as Christians you also have a promised championship future. One day Jesus will return to this earth in glory and establish His Kingdom and reign forevermore!

Given our association with past victory (through Jesus’ empty tomb) and hope for the future (through Jesus’ triumphant return) why shouldn’t the Christian today simply fumble their way through life and care nothing of practicing righteousness? After all, we are a program with a victorious past and future … why does today matter at all?

Well, the Apostle Paul seeks to answer that very question for us in Titus 2:11-14. In these verses He talks of the past and future championship trophies surrounding today’s Jesus followers … but instead of using the past and future as reasons to COAST today, Paul points to our “Jesus” jersey and reminds us that our association with Him demands a disciplined and righteous response … it is our duty as a modern day disciple of Christ.

This Sunday at Wildwood Community Church, we will explore these verses together in part 4 of our “Finding a Place of Grace” sermon series. So far in this series we have seen that we are looking for grace, that Grace is looking for us, and that we are saved by grace. Sunday, we will see that His grace also grows us in Him. Hope you can join us in our 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 service. See you there … and bring friends!

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On Sunday August 25, 2024 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached the third installment in the series “Finding a Place of Grace.” This message was based on John 12:1-8 and Ephesians 2:1-9, 19-22. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find sermon audio and video to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read John 12:1-8, Ephesians 2:1-9, 19-22
3. What is the most memorable meal you have ever shared with others (Think FAVORITE experience at a meal with others, not WORST experience at a meal with others)? What made it so memorable?
4. The 17 people who gathered for dinner at Simon’s house in Bethany all had seen Jesus do SO MANY THINGS in their lives! They all had things they were “formerly” known for, but had been changed by Jesus. What is your “former” story? Before Jesus, what things marked your life?
5. Ephesians 2 talks about how believers in Jesus have gone from spiritual death to spiritual life (RESURRECTED!) The church is literally a collection of spiritually resurrected people! How does knowing this encourage you about participation in a local church?
6. Mary’s response of honoring Jesus above all stands in great contrast to Judas or the chief priests. What do you most honor with your life? How can we honor Jesus most as we gather as a church family? How can you honor Jesus most in your personal life?
7. What is one particular application you took away from this message?

To access these questions in pdf format click here.

To listen to message offline, click the link:

finding a place of GRACE #3 8.25.24

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A few years ago, through a unique set of circumstances, my wife and I found ourselves having dinner with a famous politician and his wife. Away from the crowds, the four of us just got to sit and talk. Based on their unique set of experiences, I made a conscious attempt to listen way more than I talked (for those of you who know me well, you know what a challenge this must have been ). It was a joy to hear of their life story, how they came to faith in Christ, how they ended up running for office, and what their favorite accomplishment was during their public service. I was so encouraged to hear their account of their life, and its effect.

Have you ever had an opportunity like this? It was unique for me . . . and may never happen again. I really enjoyed that private access to this public person, though, and it allowed me to thank them personally for the impact they have had in our world.

I was thinking about that experience this week as I prepare for Sunday’s sermon. This week (week 3 in the “Finding a Place of Grace” sermon series) we will be looking at John 12:1-8 and Ephesians 2:1-9, 19-22). In the verses from John’s Gospel, there is a private dinner party happening including 17 people. These 17 people were:

• Jesus of Nazareth (the featured guest)
• The Twelve disciples
• Mary
• Martha
• Lazarus (the former dead man)
• Simon (the former leper)

Just imagine that group. Jesus, eating dinner with a man He cured from leprosy, a man He resurrected from the dead, the dead man’s sisters (Mary and Martha), and twelve witnesses to ALL of the public ministry of Jesus. WHAT. A. SCENE. I so long to have been there for this meal. Seriously. How cool would that be?

What did they talk about? What did they do? Who did the talking?

Far more than just a famous politician, Jesus is the Son of God. Far greater than just being someone who had passed a few laws, He was the One who had fulfilled ALL THE LAW! Far beyond having just served society, Jesus had worked dramatic miracles in the lives of ALL PRESENT! Amazing.

Out of that dinner party, what do we learn for our lives today? This Sunday we will “listen” in on the transcript from that dinner, and watch the “video footage” of what happened as we think about the significance to you and me. Join us this Sunday (August 25) at Wildwood Community Church at 8:30, 9:45 or 11:00 as we look at these verses together. Come . . . and bring friends! This is a passage of Scripture none of us can miss.

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On Sunday August 18, 2024 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached the second installment in the series “Finding a Place of Grace.” This message was based on Luke 19:1-10. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find sermon audio and video to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Luke 19:1-10
3. What are some examples you can think of today of groups of people who would be analogous to the tax collectors of the first century (people who would have seemed like morally “too short to ride” with Jesus)?
4. Zacchaeus learned of Jesus reputation as the embodiment of grace. This drew Zacchaeus to Jesus. What is the reputation of Jesus in your world today? What influences most people’s perspectives of Jesus?
5. When Jesus shows up, He is even better than Zacchaeus expected! How does this picture of Jesus impact your view of Him?
6. If Jesus is the embodiment of grace, then Zacchaeus embodies “faith” for us. We summarized a number of ways Zacchaeus demonstrates faith in Jesus (his desire to know Jesus, child-like enthusiasm, warm reception, and repentance). Do you see these evidences of true faith in your own life?
7. Have you placed your faith and trust in Jesus Christ and are you following Him as Zacchaeus was? If so, what does that look like in your life right now? If not, what is keeping you from following Jesus with a whole heart today?
8. What is one particular application you took away from this message?

To access these questions in pdf form, click here.

To listen offline, click the link below:

Audio appears here when available

To listen online, use the media player below:

Audio appears here when available

To watch the livestream, use YouTube online:

Video goes live at 9:45am on August 18 at this link.

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Many years ago, when Josh (our son) was much younger, we went with family to Silver Dollar City (SDC) in Branson, Missouri. When I was a kid, we went to this theme park several times, but when I visited with Josh, I noticed the park had changed. When I was a kid, SDC was mostly a place where you could watch someone make a candle or blow glass – not exactly items at the top of my list when I was 10! Today, SDC is full of rides … big rides … roller coasters. So when we arrived at the park with my sister’s family (including her two daughters who were middle schoolers and high schoolers at the time, we immediately ran toward coasters like Wildfire, Powder Keg, and Outlaw Run. Josh, not wanting to be outdone, followed quickly behind. He may have only been in elementary school, but he was ready for whatever that park could throw at him! After waiting in line to ride Outlaw Run, and all the anticipation built, we approached the area where we would board the coaster. It was here that a worker had Josh measure against the required minimum height to ride … and sadly he missed it by a fraction of an inch! If only he had spiked up his hair with hair gel or wore some platform sneakers!!!! Josh had to step through the ride vehicle and wait on the other side while the rest of his family blasted down the track.

Fast forward to this past summer. In June, Josh (now a senior in high school), his mom and I went to Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Ever been there? If you haven’t been to Dollywood, here is how I would describe it: It is basically Silver Dollar City EAST. AND, it was also full of roller coasters. Really cool ones. Josh and I ran ahead and hopped in line to ride Lightning Rod and Wild Eagle (two rides that make all the coasters at SDC look like the moving walkways at the airport by comparison). While these rides also had a designated necessary height to ride, in his grown up state, Josh and I walked right on. It is amazing the difference a few years make!

Now, I was thinking about this experience today as I prepare for Sunday’s message at Wildwood. This week we are in Part 2 of our new series, “Finding a Place of Grace.” This week we will be looking at Luke 19:1-10. In these verses we hear the story of a man from Jericho named Zaccheus. In these verses we learn two things about Zaccheus: he was short (physically) and he was small (morally). As a person vertically challenged, Zaccheus had to climb a tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus as he could not see over the heads of the surrounding crowds. As a tax collector, Zaccheus had made a living exploiting his fellow citizens for personal gain. If gaining access to Jesus was a ride, Zaccheus would come up short and be unable to ride.

Any Zaccheuses out there? Anyone you know think they are beyond the reach of God’s grace? Anyone feel like you have measured your life against the height of God’s holiness and come up lacking? What does Jesus do with you? Does He even see you? Will He allow you to ride? Do we have to wait years to grow into a more respectable person before being welcomed into fellowship with God?

Join us this Sunday as we see a vivid example of God’s grace in part two of our series. You won’t want to miss this beautiful section of God’s Word as we look into it together. See you Sunday at Wildwood Community Church in our 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 services … and bring friends!

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On Sunday, August 11, 2024, at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Romans 5:1-11. This message was part 1 in the “Finding a Place of Grace” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Romans 5:1-11
3. What are some examples of your life where you longed for grace from others? Do you typically find it easier to receive grace, or to give it?
4. In the message today, we looked at a definition of grace from Caleb Batchelor: “Grace is the personal love of God for people who deserve the eternal wrath of God.” What stood out to you about this definition … and how do you see it illustrated in Romans 5:6-11?
5. Have you ever been tempted to reduce grace to God “lowering the standard” or reducing our need so grace is not necessary? How did the study of these verses this morning give you a greater appreciation for God’s grace to us in Jesus Christ?
6. Are you currently placing your faith in Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins and receiving His grace? If not, what obstacles are preventing you from placing your faith in Jesus today?
7. If we have placed our faith in Jesus and stepped into the environment of His grace, our lives have stability and security. In what ways does living in God’s grace allow you to “move freely about the boat” (in the words of the illustration used this morning)?
8. How does God’s grace help the Christian through seasons of suffering and difficulty? How have you personally experienced this in your life, or witnessed this in the lives of others?
9. What is one particular application you took away from this message?

To access these questions in pdf format click here.

To listen to message offline, click the link:

finding a place of GRACE #1 8.11.24

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What if grace were a place? If it were … wouldn’t we all want to live there?

I mean, we often go looking for grace … wanting to RECEIVE it in abundance, even if we are slow to GIVE It in moderation.

Think about it: right now students of all ages are gearing up for the start of another school year. At some point this fall, most all of these students will find themselves behind on an assignment, imprecise in the answers they provide on a test, or rambling in their essay. When students struggle in these ubiquitous ways, they LONG for a teacher to extend them grace. However, these same students often offer little sympathy or grace to a professor/teacher who asks a question in a misleading fashion, grades one student’s essay harder than the essay of another student, or does not entertain with every lecture. We look for grace … we sometimes even demand that it be given to us, but we often are slow to extend it to others.

But back to my original question. Knowing how we long for grace … grace GIVEN TO US … if grace were a place, wouldn’t everyone want to live there? I know I would.

In Romans 5:1-11, the Apostle Paul describes the environment in which a follower of Jesus finds their life. The Christian lives (according to Paul) on the GROUNDS OF GRACE, having gained access to it through Jesus’ work on our behalf.

What is grace? How does it define the environment of the Christian life? And how does it allow us to stand even as the waves of life roar about? This Sunday, August 11, 2024 at Wildwood Community Church, we will begin a new 6 part worship series called “Finding a Place of Grace.” The Church is a place of grace, and we can see it in many areas if we know what it is and how to look for it.

And when we begin to see God’s grace given, it inspires us to not just receive it, but give it away as well. Join us this Sunday for part one of this series as we begin this important study together, kicking off a new ministry year. See you Sunday … and bring friends!

P.S. We will also have communion at the end of our services this week.

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On August 4, 2024 at Wildwood Community Church we celebrated the baptisms of 22 individuals. Below you will find the video from each of our 3 morning services.

Video from 8:30 Service (Baptisms only):

Video from 9:45 Service (Entire service):

Video from 11:00 Service (Baptisms only):

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Sunday, August 4, 2024, was a Baptism Sunday at Wildwood Community Church! These Sundays are great celebrations of God’s work in the lives of people in our congregation. We spent the morning worshipping God, hearing testimonies of how He has worked, and celebrating the water baptism of 22 people! See the graphic below for who was baptized in which service. You will also find video from each service to watch or share.

Our next Baptism Sunday will be November 24. If you are interested in being baptized or have questions about baptism, please click here.

To watch online use YouTube:

8:30 Baptisms:

Video here when available.

9:45 Entire Service:

Video goes live at 9:45 am at this link.

11:00 Baptisms:

Video here when available.

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On Sunday, July 28, 2024, at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Nehemiah 1:1-11. This message was part 4 in the “roundtrip” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Nehemiah 1:1-11
3. How does our behavior typically reveal to others what we believe about God? Think of as many examples as you can come up with.
4. Had you ever considered before God’s plan for His work with Israel: to display against the canvas of that small nation His greatness, so that all the people of the earth would ultimately know of His greatness? If you need to review some of the key passages covered today here is a list: Deuteronomy 7:7-9, Genesis 12:1-3, Exodus 9:13-16; 15:11-14; 18:1, 9-12; 19:3-6; 1 Kings 10:1-9; Numbers 14:13-21, 2 Kings 18:33-35.
5. Based on our study of the fame name of God, in your own words, why was Nehemiah experiencing “shame” because Jerusalem lay in ruins?
6. In what ways has God’s reputation (His fame name) been lifted high by the Church (at large) in your lifetime? In what ways has the Church (at large) profaned God’s reputation in your lifetime?
7. In what ways has your lifestyle magnified God to the world? In what way has your lifestyle profaned God’s name in the world?
8. Spend time confessing your sin before the LORD and apologizing for how in any way our actions have defamed His great name.
9. How might God be leading you to make any changes in your lifestyle based on our study of the importance of His great name?
10. What is one particular application you took away from this message?

To access these questions in pdf format click here.

To listen to message offline, click the link:

Audio here when available.

To listen online, use media player below:

Audio here when available.

To watch online use YouTube:

Video goes live at 9:45 am at this link.

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Some moments never leave you.

Take November 23, 1984, for instance. It was the Friday after Thanksgiving, and I can still vividly remember sitting at my Grandma’s kitchen table in Southwest City, Missouri while she prepared some delicious lunch for my dad and I. I don’t remember what we ate (probably brown beans and cooked apples, but I’m just playing the odds), or what we talked about (I was an 11 year old boy so small town news and notes had little interest to me), BUT I do remember distinctly what was on television.

On this day, Boston College was playing a football game against the University of Miami … and it was turning into a classic. I was seated in the one chair with a clean view of the television, and I watched as it seemed certain that Miami would pull out the hard fought victory. But, on the last play of the game, BC quarterback Doug Flutie threw a 48 yard prayer to a sliding Gerard Phalen in the end zone. TOUCHDOWN … and a BC 47-45 victory!

Some of you might be rolling your eyes right now, wondering why the one thing I remember from Thanksgiving 1984 is a FOOTBALL game (and one that did not even involve the Sooners!) However, that play was way more consequential than you probably know. Did you realize that enrollment at Boston College increased a whopping 30% after that season?!?! The increase in enrollment due to on the field success became known as the “Flutie Effect,” and it has proven true at many other universities around the country.

Want another example a bit closer to home? How about Boise State. Before you google if Boise is really closer to Norman than Boston, I am not talking about closer to home geographically. I am talking about an on field victory that led to classroom enrollments. After Boise State beat our Sooners in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl, enrollment surged from just over 18,000 to just over 24,000 students in Idaho’s capital city!!!!

On behalf of Sooner Nation, “you’re welcome, Boise State.”

The “Flutie Effect” seems to have some legs.

Now, I am writing this today, not just to bring up glimpses of gridiron glory. I write this to show how certain things impact people’s perception, even if they have nothing to do with one another.

Boise State’s winning percentage in football has very little to do with how good their business school is, but people’s experience with the brand on the field, impacts what they think about the school at large.

Now, let me transition from 21st century football to Jerusalem in 444 BC. After many years in exile, the nation of Judah was returning from Babylon/Persia to the area surrounding Jerusalem. Under the leadership of Ezra, Haggai, and others, the people had come home to worship their God again after 70 years of punishment due to disobedience. A remnant of the people had settled in the area, and the Temple had been rebuilt … but the city of Jerusalem itself was still a mess. In 586 BC, the city had been sacked, the wall around the city had been torn down, and most of the prominent homes had been burned. When the Jewish exiles returned home beginning in 536 BC, the city was still a mess – and it remained a mess until 444 BC when Nehemiah (who was still living in the Persian city of Susa) learned of its sad state, and its walls that were still rubble.

Upon learning of his dilapidated city, Nehemiah makes it his aim to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem. But why did he do so? To protect his people? Yes. But not JUST for that reason. He also wanted the wall rebuilt to address something else – SHAME. BUT, and this is super critical to see, not just SHAME that businesses might not want to move into a town with a broken down wall, but SHAME for something far more consequential … an interrupted WITNESS to the surrounding people about their God. In a sense, there was a “Flutie Effect” at play between the appearance of the city of Jerusalem and the surrounding nations view of the God of Abraham. Nehemiah was interested not just in a wall, but in his nation’s witness about their God.

This Sunday at Wildwood Community Church in our 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 worship service, we will dive into Nehemiah 1:1-11 in our fourth and final part of our “roundtrip” sermon series as we see true believers concern with their witness to the reality of their God to a watching world. As we have seen in this series already, people who once were close to God and now have walked away from Him, CAN SPIRITUALLY GO HOME AGAIN and reconcile with their Heavenly Father .. . And the life truly turned to Him will not only exhibit a priority of WORSHIP, and a life that comes under the WORD (things we saw the past two Sundays) … but also a concern to be His WITNESS to a watching world (our topic for Sunday). Make plans to join us Sunday as we conclude this series together! See you there … and bring friends!!!

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On Sunday, July 21, 2024, at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Ezra 7:6-10 and Nehemiah 8:1-8. This message was part 3 in the “roundtrip” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Ezra 7:6-10 & Nehemiah 8:1-8
3. Have you ever gotten lost by misunderstanding the map or the directions that you were following? OR, have you ever gotten lost because you refused to consult a map or ask for directions? Share your experience.
4. God raises up Ezra to assist His people with understanding His Word. In the message we talked about 3 gifts the Lord gives to guide us into an understanding of His Word today: the Holy Spirit, Spirit-empowered teachers, and the Body of Christ. How has God used these in the past to aid in your understanding of Scripture, and how is He using these resources in your life today?
5. In Nehemiah 8:1-8, we see the people’s response and attitude toward the Word of God. It is: attentive, reverent, worshipful, open, humble, understandable, and repentant. How do these traits describe your current attitude toward the Word of God? Anything need to change?
6. Do you currently have a plan for regularly reading the Bible? IF not, what will be your plan over the next month to read God’s Word?
7. Are you a part of a small group who is studying God’s Word together? If not, why not? What are some of the advantages you can imagine that would come from studying God’s Word in community?
8. Have you recently been convicted as you have studied God’s Word? What action can you take today to bring your life in alignment with God’s Word?
9. What is one particular application you took away from this message?

To access these questions in pdf format click here.

To listen to message offline, click the link:

roundtrip #3 7.21.24

To listen online, use media player below:

https://pastormarkrobinson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/20240721-0945_96kbs.mp3

To watch online use YouTube:

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Many moons ago, over Christmas break, I went skiing with a few high school friends. We all piled into one of our friend’s mini-vans and began driving toward Colorado. As we passed Wichita, heading north on I-35, something didn’t seem right. Though I had ridden to Colorado a handful of times, I had never been the driver, yet as we went north out of Wichita, the road did not look familiar.

Back in 1992, we did not have electronic navigation or smart phones. If you needed directions, you had to count on Rand McNally and their massive book of maps. I asked our navigator to check the atlas and let me know if I was on the correct road.

“I-35?” I asked.

“Yes, I-35,” was the response.

So we kept going on that Interstate … headed toward Kansas City! Now I was not a geography major, but I knew enough to understand that Kansas City was to the east, and I knew we needed (ultimately) to go west. We pulled over and looked at the map again. A simple mistake had been made … on the map, it said 135 … but our navigator mistook the “1” for an “I.” Could have happened to any of us. Interpreting the map correctly, we were able to turn around, and get back on the right track.

When we were in the car that day, all of us knew where we wanted to go. We had a common and determined destination: Copper Mountain. We also had a guide to help us get there: an up to date copy of a Rand McNally atlas. But simply having a desire and owning an atlas were not enough to get us there. We had to properly INTERPRET the atlas, then obey its directions. Only then would we arrive at our destination.

I was thinking about this today as I prepared for Sunday’s sermon. We are currently in a series called “roundtrip: coming back home to worship.” In this series, we are scanning the books of Ezra, Haggai, and Nehemiah to see if it is possible for someone who has walked away from God to come back home to Him. We saw in week 1, that because we have a God who loves us and desires fellowship with us, it is possible to come home to Him! But what does it look like for the one who is coming home? How can we tell if our hearts are truly coming back to Him? Well, last week, we saw that part of what it looks like is that the trajectory of the returning prodigal prioritizes the worship of God. But is that all?

In this week’s message (part 3 of our series), we will look at Ezra 7:1-10 and Nehemiah 8:1-8 to see that coming back home to Him also involves us coming back TO and UNDER His Word. It is not enough to simply say that we desire to come back to God or that we own a Bible – just as it is not enough to WANT to get to Copper Mountain and HAVE an atlas in the van. We need to understand what the Scripture actually says, and then obey it!

Certainly, we do not and cannot earn our way home with our obedience (it is by grace that we have been saved), but the heart of the Christian longs to know God’s Word, and seeks to follow it in faith and action. In this way, we return NOT just to WORSHIP, but also to the WORD. One of the tell tale signs of Christians is their growing understanding of and obedience to God’s Word.

Join us Sunday in our 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 services at Wildwood as we explore this more from these great Old Testament texts, supported by New Testament themes. See you Sunday … and bring friends!!

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On Sunday, July 14, 2024, at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Ezra 1-6 & Haggai. This message was part 2 in the “roundtrip” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Ezra 1-6 and Haggai
3. What are some of the important things you might look for if you were to determine if someone is REALLY following God?
4. When the people of Judah book their “roundtrip” ticket to come home to Judah, God wants their true worship of Him to be the priority. How do you prioritize worship of God in your life? How does your devotion to the Lord show up in the way you invest your calendar and your cash?
5. What are some of the “trip hazards” you face when trying to prioritize worship of God? How can you keep your priorities in the face of those challenges this year?
6. Today’s temple is the Body of Christ, the Church (as seen from Ephesians 2:19-22). Therefore, if we are to follow the example of the people of Judah from long ago today, we would need to stay connected to a local church. Do you have a commitment to be connected to a local church in the year ahead?
7. Jesus is the sacrifice for our sins. Have you trusted in Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and your hope for eternity?
8. What is one particular application you took away from this message?

To access these questions in pdf format click here.

To listen to message offline, click the link:

Audio here when available.

To listen to online, use media player below:

Audio here when available.

To watch online use YouTube:

Video goes live at 9:45 am at this link.

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In less than one month thousands of college students will come back to Norman. Yes, it will take twice as long to get through the War Mart check out line, and no, I will no longer be able to cut through campus on my drive home due to increased traffic … but I don’t care.

I. CANNOT. WAIT.

I love the University. I am so thankful for the opportunity we have as a church family to welcome these students to our community each year, and invite them to follow Jesus with us and live for His glory. It is one of the main reasons (humanly speaking) I am in Norman, OK!

But as I was walking through Target today (enjoying the calm before the storm), I had this thought: what REALLY makes someone an OU student? How do I know who the real college students are?

Well, we might be tempted to think that every young person wearing an OU T-shirt and Crocs walking through Target is an OU student, but that would be a rather superficial understanding. After all, MANY young people who live in Cleveland County, don’t go to OU. And, they will sell OU T-shirts to anyone who will buy one; you don’t have to show a student ID to purchase. So what makes an OU student an OU student?

THEY ARE CURRENTLY TAKING CLASSES AT OU!

(NOTE: Thanks for tuning in for insight this profound … I appreciate you coming to my TED talk!)

Not all wearing OU T-shirts are students and not all students wear OU T-shirts, but all students are students! The proof is in the pudding.

Now, I say this as we approach week 2 of our July sermon series “roundtrip.” Last week we asked the question, “Is it possible for someone who once followed Jesus, but now no longer does, to come back home to Him?” From Jeremiah 29:11 and Luke 15:11-32, we found the answer is an emphatic YES! In fact, our God longs for all His prodigal sons and daughters to come home. But we ended last week’s message with a question … “what does coming home to Jesus look like?”

Does it look like a facebook or Instagram declaration that you are with Jesus again? Does it look like putting on a cross necklace or downloading the YouVersion Bible app? Well, these things are certainly not BAD AT ALL (in fact they might be great!) but they are not the strongest indicators of a heart that has truly turned back to Christ. Social media reposts and Christian things CAN BE indicators of a changed life, but we all know those who make bold internet claims, without a life direction that backs it up … and we all know that not everyone who wears a cross or has certain apps is truly following Jesus. So what is it that makes a Christian a Christian?

THEY ARE CURRENTLY FINDING THEIR ALL IN ALL IN CHRIST!

Christians are people who have made Jesus their home, not their vacation spot or status symbol or sometimes (when it is convenient) fashion. This Sunday at Wildwood Community Church in our 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 worship services, we will look to Ezra 1-6 and the book of Haggai to see what a previous generation learned about what it looks like to go roundtrip back to God and demonstrate that with a priority on worship.

Hope you make plans to be with us Sunday for this study as we worship together, celebrate the Lord’s Supper together, and follow Jesus together for the glory of God. Hope to see you Sunday … and bring friends!!!!!

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On Sunday, July 7, 2024, at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Jeremiah 29:10-14 & Luke 15:11-32. This message was part 1 in the “roundtrip” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Jeremiah 29:10-14 and Luke 15:11-32
3. Are there people you know and love who once were part of a church, and now no longer go? What led to their departure? Do you have any hope of their “coming home” to the church and making their “journey” roundtrip? Why or why not?
4. In Jeremiah 29 and Luke 15 we see pictures of God’s desire for His children to “come home.” In what way do these pictures give you hope for those you know who have wandered away? Who can you invite “home” to church today?
5. Based on God’s promise and gracious work, God’s people can come home … yet He desires that we repent and turn to Him and seek Him. What does a life that is “turning to Christ” and “seeking Him” look like? (NOTE: we will see more about this in the other 3 messages in this series … come back July 14-28!)
6. What is one particular application you took away from this message?

To access these questions in pdf format click here.

To listen to message offline, click the link:

Audio here when available.

To listen online, use media player below:

Audio here when available.

To watch online use YouTube:

Video goes live at 9:45 am at this link.

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Going home. This is something that many of us do at the end of the day. After a day of work or school, we head back to a place that represents (at least a portion of) our identity and is occupied by those with whom we have our closest connections (family).

But for some, one day, they simply do not come home. I am referring to those who have, left their home through neglect or rebellion. I am thinking of the spouse who leaves their family in the sinful pursuit of an affair, or a prodigal child who runs off with their inheritance even while their parents are still living. When someone leaves like this, we often wonder … can they EVER go home? I mean, what happens if they (like the prodigal son of Luke 15) “come to their senses” and want to return … will there be a home that has left a light on for them?

And what if the “home” is the church? What about those who were once active participants in a local church, but who no longer attend? Can they ever come home? According to recent Gallup surveys, 40 million Americans currently USED to attend church, but no longer do … a whopping 16% of the population. According to the book “The Great DeChurching,” this exodus has contributed to our current era where American NON-CHURCH ATTENDERS outnumber church attenders.

Why did they leave? For many reasons. Some have been hurt deeply by those inside the church and have left due to lack of trust or self-protection. Others have left to pursue a lifestyle that Scripture condemns – leaving the church to live a different way. Still others, however, have not left because of hurt or rebellion … they simply drifted away.

Some who drifted away have prioritized weekend events for themselves or their children over regular church attendance. Others moved to a new town and never restarted attending church … maybe watching a livestream or listening to a podcast on occasion, but not re-engaging in rhythm relationally and in person with a local church. Still others went to their residences during the pandemic and never came back. These drifters did not leave angry, like the frog in the kettle, they simply looked up one day and it had been years since they were a part of a church.

If there are 40 million of these de-churched Americans in our country, my guess is there are at least several thousand in Cleveland County. If this describes you, let me personally invite you to join me at Wildwood Community Church this Sunday morning as we kick off a new sermon series called “roundtrip.”

Who says you can’t go home again? Not God! He has left a light on for us! In fact, about 400 years before the birth of Jesus, God’s people found themselves far from home. Like the prodigal son, a disobedient Israel found themselves in exile in a foreign land. But God, in His mercy, purchased them a return trip to their homeland. The story of the final leg of this roundtrip is told in the Old Testament books of Ezra, Haggai, and Nehemiah. Over 4 weeks in July, we will look to this historical account to see if there is hope for people today who may have grown up in the church, but now have found themselves far from the faith of their “home.”

God has left His light on for you … He has purchased your ticket home … will you make your journey roundtrip?

AND (and this is really important) – this series will help you begin to follow Jesus, even if this is the beginning of your relationship with Christ, not a return to it.

We all know someone for whom this series would be a benefit, so invite them to join us THIS WEEKEND at Wildwood (July 7) in our 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 service as we kick off this series looking at one of the most often quoted verses in the Old Testament – Jeremiah 29:11. See you then!!!

NOTE: This Sunday is an ALL IN Sunday at Wildwood … so, no adult, student, or children classes meeting, but all will meet together in the worship services this weekend. All classes return the following weekend, July 14.

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On Sunday, June 30, 2024, Teaching Pastor Bruce Hess’ message is “Emergence of a Global Mindset” from our ForeShadows of the 2nd Coming of Jesus series. Below are some questions for your personal or group reflection.

1. How aware have you been of the surging tide of a global mindset? What things have you seen or heard promoting the idea that we are all global citizens?
2. Hebrews 10:22-25 mentions some things we as believers should be doing “as you see the Day [Jesus’ return] drawing near.” Make a list of what stands out to you.
3. How does the timing of the emergence of many World organizations parallel the rebirth of Israel; the renewed unity in Europe; and the hostile coalition of nations aligned against Israel?
4. What signs have you seen of a growing authoritarian atmosphere in our country and around the world? Is this happening randomly? Elaborate.
5. Given the indicators mentioned in this series of the potential nearness of Jesus 2nd Coming, what should be our focus as followers of Jesus? Bruce stated that now is the right time for Wildwood to widen and deepen our ministry. What reasons did he give? Do you agree or not, and why?
6. Jeff Kinley has such a powerful quote: We are a redeemed, blood-bought people—washed clean of all sin, forgiven, made righteous in the Father’s sight, freed from condemnation, sealed by the Holy Spirit, beloved of God, the apple of His eye, empowered by the Holy Spirit, commissioned by His Son, entrusted with the truth and the treasure of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and commanded to penetrate our culture and the darkness that defines it… [Bruce added]..with the hope of forgiveness and eternal life.
7. What a wonderful call to action. What a great reminder for everyone to make it a priority to invest our resources to better help win eternal friends who will one day greet us in Heaven (see Luke 16:9). Spend some time in prayer asking God to lead you (and Wildwood as a church family) in how to “redeem the time” that God has alotted to us—for His glory and honor.

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I hope you are stoked to enjoy the last three days of the month of June for 2024! The calendar flips to July on Monday!

Please be in prayer for our students as many of them are getting ready to head to camp up near Wichita right now. Pray for the Holy Spirit to touch hearts with His Word. Pray for the students to be reachable and teachable. Pray for our wonderful staff and lay leaders who are investing these days with our students.

Also, a heads up: there is an opportunity to join in on another mission trip to Casas Grandes, Mexico in mid-August. The ministry will include medical clinics, children’s ministry, and clean water. This is the type of trip for anyone to consider, and also for families! For more info contact Tom Brewster (214-454-6476) or email him at tom@chiamissions.org

Sunday we will conclude our June sermon series on Foreshadows of the 2nd Coming of Jesus. The message this Sunday will focus on the Emergence of a Global Mindset. We will also draw things to a close by reflecting on how as a church family we should strive to excel still more in our ministry to others. I’m excited.

Appreciate all of you!

See you Sunday,

Bruce

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On Sunday, June 23, 2024, Teaching Pastor Bruce Hess’ message is “Renewed Roman Empire (Europe)” from our ForeShadows of the 2nd Coming of Jesus series. Below are some questions for your personal or group reflection.

1. Bruce began by stating that biblical prophecy is supernatural intel. That it is literally a backstage pass to coming attractions by the God who orchestrates history. Yet, so many believers remain fairly uninformed about prophecy, especially prophecy related to the 2nd Coming of Jesus. What are some of the reasons for this? Discuss.
2. What are the three indicators (so far) in the Foreshadows series? Which one intrigues you the most and why?
3. Nebuchadnezzar had been a very ruthless ruler who obviously was skeptical of the so-called “wise guys” and dream interpreters who consulted with him. After Daniel describes in detail both the dream, and also the interpretation, how much of an impact can you imagine that had on Nebuchadnezzar? Elaborate.
4. Some are skeptical about Daniel’s dream of the statue in Daniel two since there would be a significant time gap between the Legs of Iron (the ancient Roman Empire) and the Feet of Iron and Clay (the renewed Roman Empire around the time of the return of Jesus). Can you think of any other passages of Scripture where there is a time gap between verses? You might look at Isaiah 61:1-2a (which Jesus read from in Luke 4:17-21). Jesus said he was fulfilling this passage about his First Coming that very day. But he stops short of the rest of verse 2 in Isaiah 61. What Coming does the rest of the verse relate to?
   1. You might also look at Zechariah 9:9-10. Which coming of Jesus is the focus of verse 9? Verse 10?
5. Read out loud Isaiah 41:10. How does this declaration from the Living God bring encouragement when we find ourselves facing suffering, discouragement, grief, and difficulty?
6. Spend some time in prayer thanking God for who He is.

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Hey Wildwood Family!

One my favorite cultural understatements is the saying, ‘Time flies.’ As you likely are aware, this past Thursday was the first day of summer. Technically that means that for the next number of months each day will be getting shorter. If you are like me, you are thinking to yourself, Wait! I haven’t really had the time yet to savor summer, and already the daylight is shrinking! Yep. Time flies.

However, it is NOT too late to be baptized if you have never taken the step to express that public testimony of faith in Jesus as your Rescuer. This Sunday there will be baptism classes available to learn more about baptism at Wildwood. The Children’s class will be at 11am in the Downstairs Lodge Theater. The Student/Adult class will be at noon in Room 2 (some food will be provided). You can sign up to learn about baptism on our website: wildwoodchurch.org/baptism

We are excited that this Sunday our new Associate Pastor of Adult Ministries, Jon Dunton, will be leading us in our closing reciting of the Great Commission in all three services. Officially, Welcome Jon!

This Sunday will be part 3 in our sermon series Foreshadows of the 2nd Coming of Jesus. It has been a very challenging series for me as I seek to get my theological and biblical arms around some rather broad topics. Still, this is some important perspective. Too often I think we are distracted by everyday life so much that we might miss some of the signs of the times.

Sunday we will be looking into Daniel chapter 2 (and some in chapter 7) as we examine one of the bedrock prophecies of Scripture. As we shall see, Daniel projects a time forward when there will be a Renewed Roman Empire, illustrated by the relatively recent alliances in Europe today. I believe you will find it intriguing.

See you Sunday!

Bruce

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On Sunday, June 16, 2024, Teaching Pastor Bruce Hess’ message is “Alliance Aligned Against Israel” from our ForeShadows of the 2nd Coming of Jesus series. Below are some questions for your personal or group reflection.

1. As a discussion opener, when you go to the movies, do you try to catch the coming attractions previews or not? Why or why not?

2. Before diving into Ezekiel’s prophecy, it might be helpful to read Ezekiel 38:1-12; 15-16, 18; 21-23, and 39:2-8. As you do it, reflect on the fact that you are reading prophetic truth written some 2600 (26 centuries) ago! Where did Ezekiel get his information from? [see Ezekiel 1:1-3]

3. The second indicator of the nearness of Jesus’ 2nd Coming relates to a specific coalition of nations that will arise and be hostile to Israel. Bruce shared several reasons why both the biblical text and history indicate that this coalition is NOT one from the distant past. Some reasons relate to phrases in 38:8 and 38:16. Some relate to historical issues. List as many as you can remember.

4. Sometimes we can tend to view current events that develop around us—and the domino effects that proceed from them—as random events. What does a passage like Ezekiel 38 tell us about God’s involvement with the world?

5. Sometimes people like to say regarding future prophecy, why bother? There’s a lot of opinions out there…why should we put effort into understanding it? What perspective can we gain from 1 Peter 1:10—11 about those who studied/inquired about the prophecies of Jesus’ first coming?

6. Bruce stated that what jumps out clearly in this passage is the sovereignty of God. Does God ‘break into a sweat’ when he sees what is happening among the nations? (check out Psalm 2 in this regard).

7. If He’s sovereign in the affairs of the world, is He also sovereign in the outworking of our lives? Elaborate.

8. Take some time to pray for all the nations listed in the coalition…that they may hear the Gospel and respond in faith. Wouldn’t it be exciting to meet someone one day in heaven that you had prayed for?

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Well, the heat is starting to line up for some longer stretches. I hope you are ready for some “hot” times ahead!

Speaking of hot times ahead, the summer men’s and women’s bible studies began this week (men on Wednesdays at 7pm; women on Thursdays at 7pm). It’s not too late to join in…a great way to stay in the Word over summer!

Also, if you have never been baptized—never given that public testimony of trust in Jesus as your Rescuer from sin and judgment—this summer can be the time! Starting one Sunday from now, (June 23…happens to be my 51st wedding anniversary too) Wildwood will be holding baptism classes. The class for children will be at 11am in the Downstairs Theater and the student/adult class will be at noon in Room 2. You can sign up at wildwoodchurch.org/baptism. Hope you do!

Another “hot” thing, our College Life group is back to meeting on Sundays at 9:45am in Room 5. Check it out!

This Sunday we will be continuing our June series entitled, Foreshadows of the 2nd Coming of Jesus with part 2. We will see a very special prophecy from Ezekiel 38 that predicts a coalition of nations that align with Israel clearly in their crosshairs. It is a fascinating study!

See you Sunday!

Bruce

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On Sunday, June 9, 2024, Teaching Pastor Bruce Hess’ message is “Restoration of the Nation of Israel” from our ForeShadows of the 2nd Coming of Jesus series. Below are some questions for your personal or group reflection.

1. Recent history has been marked by certain Bible teachers who made very detailed predictions claiming Jesus would return at a particular time or date. Share about any experiences you may have had (or heard about) with such predictions.

2. Some folks seem to dismiss discussions about Bible prophecy as fruitless endeavors. Why do you think that is?

Jesus spent time talking to his disciples about future prophecy as Acts 1:3-7 demonstrates. Why do you think Scripture gives so much space to discussing future prophetic events? List some reasons.

1. Bruce emphasized that we should avoid “newspaper exegesis”, where one simply looks at current events and then reads those events back into Scripture. Why?

Bruce also stressed that good prophetic interpretation should start with ___________.
What term goes in that blank?

1. “The existence of Israel today is a ‘first class’ miracle. Explain how so.

2. Since God has been faithful to His promises to the nation of Israel in much detail, it also means He will be faithful to His promises to us. List at least two of your favorite promises that God has given us.

3. Spend some time in prayer thanking God for His faithfulness to you!

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Hey Wildwood Family!

Greetings to everyone on this sunny day! Well, things are quieter now at the church facility. VBS 2024 is completed (but cleanup is under way). A very special ‘Thank You’ to the 300+ volunteers who made this VBS a joy for some 600+ children. It was a joy interacting with the kids and parents this week. Today (Friday) I greeted one young family and said, Welcome to the last day of VBS. Their daughter immediately responded: I wish VBS was every day! Another spoke with her normal WCC SS teacher and said she probably won’t be in SS on Sunday. She plans to be at VBS again!

And a very BIG shout out to Children’s Pastor Brooke Harrison and her children’s team for ALL the invested energy and creativity to make VBS a joy for kids, while also teaching the gospel and leading our next generation in worship of the living God. Great work, all!! Pray for the seeds that were planted to blossom in a big way.

On Sunday I will be launching a June series I’ve entitled Foreshadows of the 2nd Coming of Jesus. The noun foreshadow refers to ‘an indicator of what is to come.’ Too often it seems folks will label Bible prophecy as confusing, and maybe even as uninteresting. Yet Scripture contains SO much prophecy about future events and the Second Coming of Jesus.

This Sunday’s message will focus on how Israel’s rebirth as a nation is a key sign of the nearness of Jesus’ 2nd Coming. We will be looking at multiple Scriptures and will also offer some insight into the current issues and events we’ve all heard about recently. I think you will find this message to be profitable.

Also on Sunday, we will share an update on the prospect of Jon Dunton joining Wildwood’s pastoral staff. God is at work, men and women!

See you Sunday!

Bruce

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On Sunday, June 2, 2024, Teaching Pastor Bruce Hess’ message is “Two Life Paths” from our Him Book series. Below are some questions for your personal or group reflection.

1. Bruce began by stating a truism…that ultimately life is about the choices we make.
   What might be an unwise choice or two that you have made? Elaborate some.

2. Bruce cited another common truism: “the choices you make, make you.” Do you concur with that truism? Why or why not?

3. It was stated that both Psalm 1 and Psalm 2 were purposefully chosen to lead the Book of Psalms. What were the reasons cited?

4. When Psalm 1 says, “Blessed is the man” what does that really mean? Explain.

5. Bruce cited both Psalm 16:11 and Psalm 34:8. How have those verses been displayed through God’s working in your life?

6. Psalm 1 lays out a common downward spiral that can influence any life:

7. Phase 1 – walking in the counsel of, starting to listen to the world’s way of thinking
8. Phase 2 – standing in the way of, stopping and beginning to buy into worldly thinking and values

9. Phase 3 – sitting in the seat of, settling into and identifying with worldly attitudes and behavior
   What tools does the world system utilize to influence people in this way?

10. Let’s get real…Are there currently any areas in your life where the world system seems to be “squeezing you into its mold”?

11. Read out loud Psalm 1:2-3. Also read out loud Psalm 119:15-16. What are some ways we can put the principles of those verses into practice in our everyday lives?

12. Bruce closed the message citing Psalm 92:12-14. Pray that God will work in your life in such a way that you can still be bearing fruit in old age, being ever “full of sap and green.

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Hey Wildwood Family!

Well, June arrives tomorrow! Where did the month of May go?????

The good news is that the month of June begins with a BIG bang at Wildwood. Monday is the training day for VBS (vacation bible school) and then some 650+ kids and some 300+ volunteers will be journeying together Tuesday thru Friday at VBS. Please be in prayer for this wonderful opportunity to demonstrate to so many children that Jesus is indeed the true superhero of the universe…the one who bled and died for our sins. There will be a lot of fun, music and worship, and clear declarations of God’s truth. Exciting stuff!

June will also be interesting as a few of our world outreach partners will be visiting this month. You’ll be able to see some of them this Sunday!

Also, this Sunday we will be concluding the Him Book series on selected Psalms. It will be my personal privilege to close out this series by looking at the very first Psalm in the collection—Psalm 1! Have you ever pondered: why was Psalm 1 selected to be the first one? I don’t believe it was a random event or even that it was the first psalm written (especially since Moses wrote one). In fact, I believe both Psalm 1 and Psalm 2 were selected to lead the Book of Psalms for specific reasons.

Psalm 1 sets before us the vital truth that there are two life paths that each person must choose from. Thus, the title of this week’s message is Two Life Paths. Although Psalm 1 contains only six verses, there is plenty of practical life truth crammed into those verses. I’m excited to take us on a journey of examining this final message in the Him Book series. One additional treat…our closing song themed on Psalm 1 was composed by our very own Greg Hill! You can’t miss this Sunday!

See you then!

Bruce

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On Sunday, May 26, 2024, at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Psalm 130. This message was part 8 in the “Him Book” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Psalm 130
3. Recount a time in your life when you acutely felt your need for forgiveness before God. Share whatever portion of that experience you are comfortable sharing with your group.
4. Have you ever felt like you were “drowning” or in absolute desperation due to sin in your life – as you were experiencing the consequences of your actions?
5. When we cry out to God for rescue from our sin, the Psalmist gives us 3 reasons for optimism that God will respond: Because He is a forgiving God, because His Word provides a sure hope, and because He is a loving redeemer. Which of these truths are the strongest source of encouragement for you today?
6. In light of the forgiveness God has provided us in Christ, He desires that we “fear Him” (revere, depend, and obey Him) and that we have hope. In light of this Psalm are you responding appropriately to God’s forgiveness today?
7. Are you trusting in Jesus as your redeemer today?
8. What is one particular application you took away from this message?

To access these questions in pdf format click here.

To listen to message offline, click the link:

Audio here when available.

To listen to online, use media player below:

Audio here when available.

To watch online use YouTube:

Video goes live at 9:45 am at this link.

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51 years ago, Billy Joel soared to superstardom with the song “Piano Man.” Since that time, Joel has gone on to sell the fourth most albums by a solo artist all time in the United States. Over 22 years (from 1971 to 1993), Joel released 12 albums, had 33 top 40 hits and had 3 go to number one. For the past decade, Billy Joel has played a sellout show every month at New York City’s Madison Square Garden. The man is a modern musical legend.

But, given his success in music, has Joel’s life been only smooth and tranquil? Of course not. In fact, in an interview he conducted recently, Joel said this, “I owe a thousand apologies to thousands of people.” Joel’s life has been dotted with bouts of depression, a suicide attempt, and a string of divorces.

Now 75 years old, Billy Joel has once again recorded a new song (his first in 30 years.) What is the subject of his latest hit? Regret and a longing for forgiveness.

The song is titled “Turn the Lights Back On” and is really deep and moving. As the song moves toward conclusion, these are the lyrics:

“I’m late, but I’m here right now. Is there still time for forgiveness? Won’t you tell me how? I can’t read your mind. But I see you now, as we’re laying’ in the darkness. Did I wait too long, to turn the lights back on?”

Can’t you just feel his ache? He wants forgiveness but will he ever find it? He wants a restoration of relationship, but will it ever come? He is in a waiting room of angst and emotion. He has come to his senses and he wants a change … but is he too late?

Since first hearing this song a couple of months ago, I have had it regularly in the playlist. It is truly deep and contemplative piece. If you haven’t listened to it before (and that is your kind of music) give it a listen. Find it on YouTube at this link.

I have never had the privilege of meeting Billy Joel, but I have met many who have struggled with this kind of regret. Husbands or wives, parents or children, employers or employees, friends or colleagues, who have wounded those around them, want to reconcile and move forward, but wonder if they waited too long to try to “turn the lights back on.” Perhaps you are dealing with this emotion in some relationship in your life? Can you relate to Joel’s plea?

What is particularly striking to me about this new song is that it offers no resolution. The song is simply a question without an answer. To paraphrase the tone of the song, “I’ve screwed up and want to re-engage. Is that even possible?”

As it relates to human relationships, the lack of certainty in Joel’s question is totally understandable. After all, it takes two to tango. One person may realize their failure and want to make amends, but the offended party may not reciprocate the desire to reconcile.

But what about with God? What if our transgression was not just against another person but against God Himself? After all, when we sin against someone created in God’s image, we are sinning against God also. Upon coming to our senses, and repenting from our errant ways can we return to a relationship with Him? Is it too late to turn His Light back on in our lives?

This Sunday at Wildwood Community Church, in part 8 of our “Him Book” series, we will be in Psalm 130 where we will see how to respond when we are drowning in despair, convicted under the weight of our sin, scared in the dark of the unknown, or enslaved and in need of freedom. In all these situations, the Psalmist cries out to the LORD … who hears his cry. Come Sunday, and cry out to the LORD with us, as we will find that with God, it is not too late. His Light can illuminate our darkness today. On this, I am absolutely certain. See you Sunday for worship and sharing the Lord’s supper … and bring all you know who can be encouraged by this great truth!

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On Sunday, May 19, 2024, at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Psalm 103. This message was part 7 in the “Him Book” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Psalm 103
3. Can you recall a time in your life when you found it difficult to praise and thank God due to the current circumstance of your life? What made it difficult to praise God in that season?
4. Have you ever stopped to consider that you can actually be a blessing to God?
5. Have you ever spoken to yourself and instructed yourself to NOT FORGET THE BENEFITS OF KNOWING GOD?
6. Today we talked about some of the benefits of knowing God that are enumerated in the Psalm. We are not to forget His forgiveness, His healing, His new life, His righteous rule, His unending love, and the fact that He is worth it all. Spend some time brainstorming some of the ways you have seen and experienced these benefits in your own life.
7. Spend some time now alone or in a group thanking God and praising Him for the many benefits He has extended to us.
8. What is one particular application you took away from this message?

To access these questions in pdf format click here.

To listen to message offline, click the link:

Him Book #7 5.19.24

To listen to message online, use media player below:

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On a late July night back in 2012, I was reeling. Earlier that day, my wife, Kimberly, had undergone a kidney transplant in Oklahoma City. Due to other complications, she also had to be given a trach to ensure an open airway. AND, Kimberly’s sister had donated the kidney … so late that night, I had two people I loved recovering from 3 significant surgeries – my wife was in ICU, my sister-in-law was in pain … and I was a mess.

At the end of that long day, I could hardly vocalize any words, much less pray any coherent prayers. So I put some music on to occupy my mind. The first song that came on was a new song (at the time) … Matt Redmond’s “10,000 Reasons.” As the song began, the chorus encouraged, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, worship His holy name! Sing like never before, O my soul, I’ll worship Your holy name.”

As I sang that song in the hospital that night, I wept tears of thankfulness for the provision of the previous day. The LORD was good and worthy of praise – no matter what. While I was singing this song, Kimberly was bleeding internally (unbeknownst to us at the time) and was truly in a life or death situation. I am so thankful that the LORD saved her life that night, and she has made a full recovery … but no matter what had happened, the LORD was worthy of our praise.

For those familiar with the Psalms, you realize that Redman’s “new song” is not really new at all. The powerful chorus is a quotation from Psalm 103 – a 3,000 year old song written by King David. This Psalm’s introduction is Redman’s chorus, and it serves as somewhat of a command to our own souls. Rather than responding to our feelings like a feather in the wind, David commands his own soul to “bless the Lord and forget none of His benefits.”

When times are going great OR in times when you are reeling, may these words roll off our tongues. May we sing to our souls and call them to bless the Lord, no matter what, and forget not any of His benefits.

This Sunday, at Wildwood Community Church in our 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 worship services, we will be in part 7 of our “Him Book” sermon series, looking at Psalm 103. As we gather, I am going to be encouraging us to speak to our souls and call them to bless the LORD and remember His provision no matter what. It was true on that night in July 2012, and it is true this Sunday. See you there … and if you know anyone who needs an encouraging reminder of what our God has done for us … bring them with you!

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On Sunday, May 12, 2024 the sermon is based on Psalm 90. This message is part 6 in the “Him Book” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Psalm 90
3. When was a time that you looked over creation and felt “small” in the face of all that God has created?
4. What are some experiences from your life where you have been reminded of the brevity of life?
5. What are some of the things you are going through right now that remind you of the difficulty of life?
6. We can go before our powerful and eternal God to ask His help in the face of our troubles. Moses mentions three prayers in Psalm 90:12-17 – “to number our days,” to have God “satisfy us in His love,” and to allow us to “see His works.” In your prayer life, do you ever find yourself praying THESE PRAYERS?
7. Spend some time today praying the prayers Moses mentions in Psalm 90:12-17, making our home in God amidst this brief and difficult life.
8. What is one particular application you took away from this message?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here.

To listen to audio offline, click link below:

Him Book #6 5.12.24

To listen online, use media player below:

https://pastormarkrobinson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240512-0945_96kbs.mp3To watch the stream of the service, use YouTube online:

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Dear friends, I have great news for us. God is bigger. Bigger than what? Bigger than anything!

Bigger than our problems, bigger than our universe, bigger than our pain. God is simply bigger than all … and this should encourage us today.

While most of our selfish instincts want to enlarge us, we actually have a healthy dose of awe and peace when we are faced with something larger than our life. When you look out over the ocean, or up to the stars, or gaze across the mountains, or stare down into the Grand Canyon … we don’t think – Wow, I’m awesome! Instead, we look at these amazing vast places, and realize that there is something bigger than us, and it gives us peace.

Now, think about this … God is bigger than all of creation. There was a time before there was an ocean or a canyon, but there was never a time when God was not. He is everlasting … and He created all there is to communicate His divine attributes and power to us. When we are calmed by the vastness of nature’s beauty, we are finding peace in the God who is greater than we are.

And, dear friends, not only is God bigger, but He is also a Helper. We can come to Him and request His help as we deal with the difficulties of this life. This is great news that we need to hear today.

On Sunday, May 12, we will be gathering for worship at Wildwood Community Church and continuing our “Him Book” sermon series from the Psalms. This week, we will be in Psalm 90 – a Psalm written by Moses. In this Psalm, Moses calibrates our perspective from the temporal to the eternal, and from a focus on us to a focus on God … so that we might turn to Him for help in the midst of this brief and often difficult life. I hope you can join us in our 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 service as we look at Psalm 90 together. Hope to see you there … and bring friends (including your moms – HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!”)

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On Sunday, May 5, 2024, at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Psalm 67. This message was part 5 in the “Him Book” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Psalm 67
3. What is the “chief export” of your life? What do others most often experience on the others side of you?
4. Have you ever asked for God to bless you FOR THE PURPOSE that His glory might be known in the lives around you?
5. Have you ever considered that the deepest REASON for world mission is not the needs of the world, but the glory of God? He is so great that He is worthy of the praise of ALL peoples. How would understanding this principle encourage you to be a part of world missions?
6. What are some ways practically that you could be a part of exporting the glory of God to the ends of the earth?
7. Have you ever thought that God’s glory and your greatest joy were not the same thing? To say it another way, are you ever tempted to think that if I follow Jesus I will be accepting a “lesser life”? How did this morning’s message impact the way you think about your greatest joy and God’s greatest glory?
8. What is one particular application you took away from this message?

To access these questions in pdf format click here.

To listen to message offline, click the link:

Audio here when available.

To listen online, use media player below:

Audio here when available.

To watch online use YouTube:

Video goes live at 9:45 am at this link.

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The nation of Israel may be small, but has a robust economy. Even though it is only the size of the state of New Jersey, it actually EXPORTS products to the world. And what is its biggest export? Diamonds! The diamond industry accounts for nearly $11 billion in annual revenue for Israeli businesses … and this is followed closely by exports in technology and oil. In total, Israel exports nearly $80 billion in products annually.

But this should not surprise us. From the very start of this nation – going all the way back to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob … and down through Moses, Joshua, and David – God ALWAYS intended that Israel would not be a receiver, but a giver. God’s plan was for Israel to be like the flowing streams of the region of Dan, not like the stagnant waters of the Dead Sea. “I will bless you,” God said to Abraham, and “in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” (Genesis 12:3)

Indeed God has blessed Israel. But in what sense does God desire Israel to be a blessing to others? Is God’s plan for Israel’s primary export to be diamonds or oil? Before we answer that, let me pause for a moment, and redirect the conversation.

What are YOU exporting? God’s desire is not for you to be like a mosquito infested ditch filled with stagnant water … a place where His blessing goes but does not leave. God’s desire is for our lives to be channels through which His blessing flows to others. So, what are you exporting? Are you exporting primarily your knowledge of OU football or some other hobby? Are you primarily exporting the promotion of your own ego? What do people around you experience on the other side of you … AND, is there anything about you that is worth exporting to every nation on earth?

Back to Israel … God’s desire from the very start has always been for Israel to spread the knowledge of the one true God to the ends of the earth. God gave to them the Old Covenant Scriptures, and God related to them in a very unique way … God blessed them … so that the people of the surrounding nations might come to know God through observing their lives. Their God-given, primary job in the Old Testament times (and a job that they will take up again in the final tribulation times before Christ returns) was to EXPORT the glory of God to the world. Indeed through the Jewish born Messiah (Jesus Christ), hope is provided to all who believe in Him.

By application, dear friends, the role of the church in this New Covenant age that we are living in, is to not export “us” but to export Jesus. Our particular interests and hobbies and personal accomplishments are not worth sharing with the peoples of the world … but Jesus IS WORTH EXPORTING. The missionary core of the church is that Jesus is worthy of the honor and praise of all people everywhere … which is why we are called to go to the ends of the earth with the Gospel message.

This Sunday, at Wildwood Community Church in our 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 worship services, we will be in part 5 of our “Him Book: Psalms for our Souls” series, looking at Psalm 67. This Psalm is a prayer, asking God for OUR CHIEF EXPORT TO BE HIM. In our “me focused” world, we need to recalibrate on this Psalm, and (God-willing) we will do so on Sunday. Hope to see you there … and bring friends! He is worthy of ALL of our praise!

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On Sunday, April 28, 2024, at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Psalm 46. This message was part 4 in the “Him Book” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Psalm 46
3. Where do you take refuge when tornadic storms blow in? Where do you tend to take refuge when the heavy storms of life begin to take a toll?
4. What is a time in your life when you were experiencing a particularly difficult “storm”? Are you in one right now?
5. In this morning’s message, we talked about what it looks like to take refuge in the LORD (by faith, in prayer, through song, in obedience, and taking actions while trusting in God). In the face of storms, have you ever sought refuge in the LORD in these ways? How did the LORD sustain or encourage you in the midst of your storm?
6. Spend some time looking back (both in the Bible and in your life & the lives of those you know). Do you see evidence that God is faithful?
7. What evidence do you “behold” today that God is faithful?
8. How does knowing what the Bible promises about the future encourage you that God is faithful?
9. What is one particular application you took away from this message?

To access these questions in pdf format click here.

To listen to message offline, click the link:

Him Book #4 4.28.24

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Spring time in Oklahoma is the “Sundance” (Film Festival) of storms; the mecca of meteorology; the world series of weather. It is a BIG DEAL. Every few days from late April to the end of May, the atmosphere “re-loads” for another round of supercells and rotating thunderstorms. Given the threat of severe weather (even for this weekend), we all talk about having our “tornado plan” ready.

As a lifelong Oklahoman, my severe weather plan sometimes has involved a lawn chair with a view to the west to watch the storm roll in, but if the weather REALLY hits, we need a safer place to go. And, if you have seen the aftermath of an EF5 tornado (like hit in Moore in May 2013), you know you really need a shelter strong enough to offer protection. If the storm hits this weekend, where will YOU go?

Knowing what we Oklahomans have learned regarding tornados, are there symbolic lessons for us to consider? If the “storms of life” hit, do we have a safe spot where we can shelter?

Severe thunderstorms in tornado alley mostly hit in the month of May … but the storms of life? We are PERPETUALLY under a watch, and often under a warning. Health concerns, hostile forces, and temptations (in addition to the actual weather!) form dark clouds around us. Is there anywhere we can go to find protection in the midst of the storm?

In Psalm 46, the Psalmist reminds us where we can shelter when the the storms of life hit … in the Lord our God. How do we do that, how reliable is His protection, and what historical evidence exists of His track record? We will take a look at that in this amazing Psalm in part 4 of our “Him Book” study this Sunday at Wildwood. Hope to see you in our 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 service … and bring friends!

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On Sunday, April 21, 2024, at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Psalm 34. This message was part 3 in the “Him Book” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Psalm 34
3. What are some ways you see the world around us “searching” for abundant living? What are some of the ways you are searching for abundant living? Have you followed David’s recommendation to turn to the LORD? How is that going for you?
4. What are some parts of your story that God could have you share with others as an encouragement for them to worship God?
5. What are some fears and troubles in your life right now that you can bring before the LORD in prayer?
6. What actions in your life today reveal your “fear of the LORD”? Anything stand out today in the message from Psalm 34 that challenges you to “fear the LORD” by acting differently?
7. Where do you tend to turn for help when things are hard? To the LORD, or someplace else?
8. What is one particular application you took away from this message?

To access these questions in pdf format click here.

To listen to message offline, click the link:

Him Book #3 4.21.24

To listen online, use media player below:

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We live our lives on a quest. A quest for meaning, happiness, fulfillment, joy, and connection. In short, we are looking for LIFE … and not a so-so kind of life … but life to fullest, (we might say) ABUNDANT LIFE. We are on an abundant life quest.

This is why we buy certain products. Somehow we have become convinced that our lives would be just a little better driving a ______. Or that our summer’s would be more abundant if we visited ___________.

On our abundant life pursuit, how do we know where to find it? Well, often we listen to others we trust. When a good friend says, “I had the BEST FAJITAS EVER,” then you tend to lean in that direction the next time you are going to eat out. When a trusted voice in your life says, “we stayed at this place when we went on vacation, you simply HAVE TO GO,” then the next time you are planning a vacation you know where to look next.

We are so programmed to think this way, we will listen to the advice of TOTAL STRANGERS on Yelp, Trip Advisor, or Google to see where we might maximize our life one decision at a time!

But the sad reality is that (as U2 so famously observed), in our quest for life, many of us “still haven’t found what we’re looking for.” Can you relate?

Well, if this describes you, I would like to offer that the path to abundant life may not be best marked on facebook, but through the direction of a couple of Friends.

From Friend #1, Jesus Christ – “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10)

From Friend #2, King David – “Magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name forever! Oh, taste and see that the LORD Is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.” (Psalm 34:3, 8)

Jesus offers to give life TO US, not take life FROM US … and David, having lived his life trusting in the LORD, leaves a five star review. This Sunday at Wildwood Community Church, in part 3 of our series “Him Book: Psalms for our Souls,” we will be looking at Psalm 34, hearing David’s review of how following the LORD has led to an abundant life, then being challenged to follow the LORD as well. Hope you make plans to join us in our 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 service. Who knows … maybe you will find what you are looking for. Join us as we exalt His name together this weekend!

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On Sunday, April 14, 2024, at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Psalm 23. This message was part 2 in the “Him Book” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Psalm 23
3. Who are some of the “shepherds” in your life? In other words, who are you trusting, listening to, allowing to guide you? If you followed them for the next 8 months, where do you think they will take you?
4. David reminds us that THE LORD HIMSELF is our “shepherd.” In what ways is the LORD a superior “shepherd” to any of the other voices/leaders in your life?
5. What are some of the ways that you have seen the Lord provide for your needs in the past? How does remembering what the Lord has done in your life, encourage you to trust Him more this year?
6. What “valley of deep darkness” are you walking through right now? How does knowing the Lord is WITH YOU, encourage you to not fear today?
7. In this life, we are not removed from the vicinity of our “enemies” . . . yet the Lord can still bless us even in the shadow of these challenges. Can you think of a time when you were blessed by God, even in the midst of trials?
8. What is one particular application you took away from this message?

To access these questions in pdf format click here.

To listen to message offline, click the link:

Him Book #2 4.14.24

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We are trusting people … at least those of us who have ever flown on an airplane!

Have you ever considered the amount of trust you place in the pilot, ground crew, maintenance team, and airplane manufacturer every single time you get on a plane? Think about it … you place your possessions (luggage) in the hands of the ground crew, TRUSTING they will get your stuff to your destination. You place your life in the hands of the pilot, TRUSTING he or she will drive you through takeoff and landing. You place your safety in the care of the maintenance crew and plane maker, TRUSTING that they have tightened all the bolts and inspected the plane for potential weakness so doors don’t fly off at 20,000 feet!

Now, here is what is amazing … we extend that kind of TRUST to people we have NEVER MET! Wagering our lives, our safety, and our stuff – we willingly get on board … even more – WE PAY GOOD MONEY to get on board.

Given this dynamic, I have to ask … are we CRAZY?

Well, it all depends on whose plane you are riding in! If you are flying on an airline with a stellar reputation for safety and attention to detail, it does not seem wild that their aircraft will remain intact. And, there is a rigid training process that commercial pilots have to complete in order to work for an airline, so when you climb aboard the plane, you are not silly to assume certain capabilities in the pilot.

We gladly trust our life and our stuff to Delta or Southwest because of what we know about them. It is no blind leap. By trusting them, we are able to get where we want to go.

Now, I was thinking of this dynamic today while reflecting on Psalm 23. This Psalm begins with the emphatic words, “The LORD is my shepherd …” In this opening phrase, King David is not saying “God is my co-pilot” … he is saying, “God is my pilot, and I am on His plane.” David celebrates and rests in the notion that he can have peace and contentment in life EVEN IN THE MIDST OF TURBULENCE, because of WHO is flying his plane! Peace comes from who is in the cockpit more than in the quality of the drink service mid-flight!

This Sunday, at Wildwood Community Church, we will be in part 2 of our Psalm series “Him Book,” looking at Psalm 23 in our 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 service. We will rest and trust in the Lord through this Psalm, then celebrate the Lord’s Supper together (while singing a musical rendition of this great Psalm). Hope to see you Sunday in our 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 service … and bring friends!

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On Sunday, April 7, 2024, at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Psalm 8. This message was part 1 in the “Him Book” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Psalm 8
3. What are some of your favorite Christian songs? What makes them your favorites? Look up on Google when they were written.
4. What are some aspects of God that make you think of His majesty? Are there experiences you have had, places you have been, things you have read or learned, that have caused you to respond by exalting God?
5. Humans have a very special place in God’s design. What are some of the ways you are tempted to value something else more than God or people created in God’s image?
6. Think of a normal week for you. In what areas is God having you exhibit some form of “dominion” in the world? How does remembering this help bring dignity to your “day job”?
7. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

To access these questions in pdf format click here.

To listen to message offline, click the link:

Him Book #1 4.7.24

To listen online, use media player below:

https://pastormarkrobinson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/20240407-0945_96kbs.mp3To watch online use YouTube:

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Christianity is a singing religion … after all, there is MUCH to celebrate about our God and His Gospel! Jesus Himself sang with His disciples on the night before He went to the cross (Matthew 26:30). And in Colossians 3:16 we are told to “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Christians have literally sung together since the beginning!

Further, Christianity is not a “fake” religion. We can be real with God … therefore, not only have Christians expressed joy in their singing, but also heartache, longing, and lament. Melodies match our mood to express our hearts at the deepest levels.

As a result, for 2,000 years, Christians have written songs celebrating our God and encouraging us to follow Him together and live for His glory. As Christians living today, we have access to both the “greatest hits” of the past two millennia, as well as new songs that are being written today. We literally have a treasure chest of rhyme and meter and message!

Sometimes, Christians will talk of loving the “old hymns.” At other times, people will mention how they love the new songs of today. Me — I like them all! But when we say “old hymn,” what do we mean?

Does “In Christ Alone” count? That one is only 23 years old now (written in 2001). How about “Great is Thy Faithfulness”? That one just celebrated its 100th birthday (written in 1923)! Or do we need to go way back to the 1800s, with songs like “How Great Thou Art” (1885), “Holy Holy Holy” (1826), or “It is Well with My Soul” (1873). But those songs are still “contemporary” compared to “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name” or “Amazing Grace” (both written in 1779), “Praise to the Lord the Almighty” (1665), “A Mighty Fortress” (1529), or “All Creatures of our God and King” (1225).

Still, think of the relative youth of even Luther’s “Fortress” compared to “Be Thou My Vision,” which was written in the 500’s AD!!!!!!!!

“Old” and “young” are terms that only have meaning with a referent. To my son I am “old” while to my parents, I am a “kid.” So, understanding the sliding scale of age, what if I told you that even “Be Thou My Vision” was “new” Christian music, compared to the best worship songs and prayers ever written?

Well, written between 3,500 and 2,500 years ago, a hymnal was compiled to fuel our worship of God. This book would be named, “Praise Songs – to the accompaniment of stringed instruments.” (Ironically, that name sounds quite contemporary, doesn’t it? The “worship wars” of the 1980’s and 1990’s talked of organs vs. guitars, and hymns vs. praise music. Surprisingly, the oldest known hymnal out there was called “Praise songs – with strings”!) This ancient song book had a number of human contributors, people like Moses and King David (among others) … but the real genius of this book is that it is inerrant and inspired by God!

What is this book? It is the book of Psalms (Hebrew title means “Praise songs” and Greek title means “accompanied by strings”) … 150 songs planted in the middle of our Bibles so that we might place them at the center of our souls. Over the next 9 weeks at Wildwood, we will be walking through 9 Psalms in a sermon series titled “Him Book: Psalms for our Souls.” The series will cover the following Psalms on the accompanying dates:

• April 7 – Psalm 8

• April 14 – Psalm 23

• April 21 – Psalm 34

• April 28 – Psalm 46

• May 5 – Psalm 67

• May 12 – Psalm 90

• May 19 – Psalm 103

• May 26 – Psalm 130

• June 2 – Psalm 145

It is my prayer that these Psalms will encourage your souls in a deep way! Oh … and by the way … we will be ending each message in this series by singing a contemporary arrangement of one of these ancient songs. I. Cannot. Wait.

See you Sunday for part 1 of this series. Let’s skip the “new songs” (like “Be Thou My Vision”) for the next few weeks and sing the old stuff … written by Moses, David, and the like. See you Sunday … and bring friends!

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On Easter Sunday, March 31, 2024, at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Luke 24:1-12. This message concludes the “Victory Over Death” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Luke 24:1-12
3. Why do you think the resurrection is so important? In what way does the resurrection give you hope?
4. The story of Christianity is a “happily ever after” story for those who have placed their faith in Christ! We talked about three specific ways this is true – regarding physical death, suffering, and sin. How does the Easter account give us hope in each of these areas? Which of these is particularly meaningful to you today?
5. We talked of the Resurrection of Jesus. And then saw the Resurrection (spiritually speaking) of Paul from 1 Corinthians 15:8-10. Have YOU had a spiritual resurrection as well? Share your story of how Jesus has changed your life?
6. Have you trusted in Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins? Have you repented of your independence and sin and turned to follow Him in faithful obedience? If so, how is that going in your life? If not, what is keeping you from turning to Christ?
7. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

To access these questions in pdf format click here.

To listen to message offline, click the link:

Victory Over Death #3 3.31.24

To listen to message online, use media player below:

https://pastormarkrobinson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/20240331-0945_96kbs.mp3

To watch online use YouTube:

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On Friday night, March 29, 2024 at Wildwood Community Church, we held a Good Friday service. Below you will find the livestream video from the service to watch or share.

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How important is the resurrection of Jesus Christ?

Well, it is so important that if you take that one historical event away … if it did not really happen … all of Christianity ceases to exist. And don’t take my word for it. Listen to the Holy Spirit directed words of the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:17, 19, “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins … If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.”

Or listen to the reflections of the great British theologian and Pastor John Stott, “Christianity is in its very essence a resurrection religion. The concept of resurrection lies at its heart. If you remove it, Christianity is destroyed.”

Without the resurrection of Jesus, Christianity is destroyed? Without the resurrection of Jesus our faith is futile and Christians are “most to be pitied”? Yup.

THE resurrection is THAT important.

At the front of many churches (including Wildwood), a cross hangs reminding us of the centrality of Jesus’ death for our sins. Rightly so! But the cross is a symbol (primarily) of death … and Christianity is WAY MORE than a message simply of death – even His death on our behalf. Christianity is the way of TRUE, ABUNDANT, and EVERLASTING life! On the other side of the cross & His death for us – is an empty tomb … and just because no one has ever figured out a cool way to hang THAT on the wall, may we not forget that we are a RESURRECTION PEOPLE! As Paul would say in Romans 6:4b, “just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, WE TOO MIGHT WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE.”

And if Christianity is a resurrection religion, then Christianity is a religion of LIFE … and HOPE … and NEW BEGINNINGS.

And here is what is awesome … this life and hope and new beginning is not just something Jesus lives, it is something that He gives to all who trust in Him. So, if you want life abundantly, hope after loss, light after darkness, a new start after an epic fail, life after death … it is available in Jesus Christ – the author and giver of the resurrection.

This weekend at Wildwood Community Church in Norman, we will gather to celebrate the central tenets of our faith:

Friday night, March 29, at 6:00 & 7:30pm we will remember the cross as we worship Jesus together on Good Friday, focusing on His death on the cross in our place.

Sunday morning, March 31, at 8:30, 9:45, & 11:00am, we will remember the empty tomb as we worship Jesus together on Easter Sunday, focusing on His resurrection and the new life it brings to all who believe in Him.

Hope you can join us this weekend! And bring friends!

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On September 10, 2023, at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a message based on 2 Corinthians 11:1-33. This message was part 2 of the “Mission:Own” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find the audio and video of the message to listen… Read More

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You may have heard it said that Christianity is not a religion, but a relationship. I am not sure who first put that phrase together, but I have heard it most of my adult life.

This statement sure is catchy … but is it true? I mean, it seems like Christianity is a religion … after all it has doctrines, and places of worship, and organized leadership structures, and philosophies of living, and thoughts about God and creation and morality. Religions all have these things.

So in what possible way is Christianity (at least MORE of) a RELATIONSHIP than a RELIGION?

Well, it is found not in ecclesiastical structures and style … but in who Christians insist that God is. As a Christian I 10000% believe that God is knowable, relatable, accessible, and THAT HE LOVES US. I really believe that is true. So do hundreds of millions of Christians who are on the planet today.

When we say that Christianity is a relationship, we are saying that we can ACTUALLY KNOW GOD, because God has graciously made Himself available to us. Tim Keller once said that in order for the Gospel to be good news, then the God behind the Gospel must be both both all knowing and all loving. If God were all knowing and not all loving, then God would see our sin and not intervene in any way for His people. If God were all loving, but not all knowing, then we would live in fear that one day He would find out what we have done and He would reject us. But the fact that God is all knowing AND all loving, means that we (who have trusted in Christ for the forgiveness of our sins) can be both known AND loved.

So when we say that Christianity is a relationship and not a religion, we are actually saying something even better than that. We are saying that the relationship that we ALL LONG FOR (to be both fully known and fully loved) is accessible for us ETERNALLY through our God who has graciously made this possible in Christ.

Now, the situation gets even better … we know that God is like this and that He wants a relationship with us BECAUSE Jesus came to this earth! Jesus is God in the flesh, and so when He walked the earth, eyewitnesses saw Him, interacted with Him, and recorded in the New Testament what they learned. This allows us to look at Jesus today and say with confidence “THIS IS WHAT GOD IS LIKE.” When a woman at a Samaritan well interacts with Jesus in John 4, Jesus reveals to her His omniscience by commenting on her troubled history, even though He was from out of town. Then, Jesus reveals to her His love by offering her “living water” that would quench her thirst forever and ever. The One who fully knew her, fully loved her. The same relationship with God is also available for us!

Like any relationship, our relationship with God in Christ grows as we spend time with Him and communicate with Him. As Christians, we believe that the Holy Bible is God’s Word. So when we read it, we are listening to the Lord. As Christians, we also believe that God welcomes our prayers (after all it was Jesus Himself who taught us to pray … Lord’s prayer anyone?). So when we pray, we are talking to God and He listens! As Christians we believe that Jesus is still at work in this world through His Spirit empowered church, so when we gather with other Christians and serve others in His name and obey His teachings, we are walking a path WITH HIM.

Christianity is a RELATIONSHIP with the LIVING GOD.

As a Pastor, my greatest joy and chief job is to introduce people to Jesus Christ and encourage them toward growth in their relationship with Him. This job is not just unique to me … it is also the job of every true pastor going all the way back to the first century. The Apostle Paul had this same Pastoral heart for his churches, including the church in Corinth. Apparently, though, there were some who (under the banner of the religion “Christianity”) came in and tried to promote a different version of Jesus, and lead the people astray. Paul wasn’t having any of it. He speaks out strongly against these opponents in 2 Corinthians 11:1-33. Paul had introduced the Corinthians to the real Jesus … like a matchmaker of sorts … and he was not going to sit idly by while they flirted with another philosophy or mythology or religion.

Jesus, the real Jesus, is jealous for the hearts of His people. He does not want to share us with worldly philosophies and made up religions. Why? To steal our fun? Absolutely not! He is jealous for us because the One who fully knows us and fully loves us knows the life that is best for us. The life we were created for. We are most satisfied in Him.

This Sunday at Wildwood Community Church, we will explore this beautiful chapter in Scripture together in part 2 of our “Mission:Own” sermon series. We will be reminded of the relationship we have with Christ, and then will have a clarification of what leaders in Christ’s relational network (i.e. the church) look like. See you Sunday at 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 … and bring friends!

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On September 3, 2023, at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a message based on 2 Corinthians 10:1-18. This message was part 1 of the “Mission:Own” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find the audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download, or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read 2 Corinthians 10:1-18
3. Have you ever been exposed to Christian leaders who did not seem very “Christian”? How about leaders who were more Christ-like? What made the difference between the two?
4. How have you imagined the Apostle Paul looking and sounding? Does it surprise you that the Corinthian opponents of Paul pointed out negatives about his appearance and public speaking?
5. This morning, we talked about how this passage gives us some things to think about when we are looking for a church home or a ministry to connect with. These were: don’t rely only on a “first look,” examine what the primary weapon is that they are wielding, discerning if the leaders of the church are looking to build others up or simply to control, is the leadership walking the walk or just talking the talk, and who is the hero of the congregation? Using that grid, evaluate the spiritual influences/church in your life to see how they/it stack up. Anything stand out?
6. Also this morning, we talked about how we can learn from Paul’s model as we “own” the mission Christ has for us. We saw how we need to know where the power lies, know who the hero is, know who you are following, and know who commends you. How does remembering these things help you as you serve Jesus with your life?
7. What is one particular application you took away from this message?

To access these questions in pdf format click here.

To listen to message offline, click the link:

Audio here when available.

To listen online, use media player below:

Audio here when available.

To watch online use YouTube:

Video goes live at 9:45 am at this link.

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When I was in high school, I played for a basketball team that had not one, but TWO sets of twins! Out of the 10 or 11 guys who played the most when I was a senior, four of them came from two families. I am not sure what the criteria is for identical twins, but I can say that both sets of twins looked very similar. How similar? Well, if you didn’t know them well, you might mistake one for the other.

As someone on the team who saw all four of them daily, it was easy for me to tell them apart. Their mannerisms, vocal tone, slight differences in their appearance, and how they moved athletically had enough minor differences that those who knew them well could identify them.

That said, this fall I will most likely see all four men as our high school team is being inducted into the Bartlesville Sports Hall of Fame. It will have been nearly 30 years since I have seen a couple of these guys, and at least a decade since I have seen any of them. I can tell you … I am a bit nervous to do so. Why? Though I could easily tell them apart in 1992, I might not recognize the differences 31 years later!

I tell you this because when I look at 2 Corinthians 10:1-18 I see the Apostle Paul talking about differences between himself and others who were opposing his ministry in Corinth. At quick glance, they both looked similar (i.e. both claimed the name of Christ … both wore the jersey of “church leader,” etc.). These (not so identical) twins might have been confused by those who did not know them well, or those who had not spent much time with their Savior Jesus Christ recently. Given the confusion, Paul writes to correctly identify the true apostle from the fake imposter.

This is important for us to consider as well. We live in a day and age when many people wear the jersey of Christianity … yet their voices don’t always sing harmony. How do we separate the wheat from the chaff when it comes to Christian leaders? Well, Paul provides some great insight for us, and we will look at it this Sunday at Wildwood Community Church in our 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 worship services.

The next 6 weeks we will be in one final series from the book of 2 Corinthians … a series titled “Mission:Own.” In 2 Corinthians 10-13, Paul gets very personally about how he is owning his role on mission with Christ. By looking at his example, we might also see how we might step into “owning” our role in Christ’s mission as well. Hope to see you Sunday as we are in part 1 of this series. See you there … and bring friends!

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On August 27, 2023, at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a message based on Acts 1:8. This message was part of the “Following Jesus Together” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find the audio and video of the message to listen… Read More

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Healthy things grow. If conditions are right, and nothing is impeding development, life progresses. Babies begin as a tiny fertilized egg that grows to 8 pounds at birth, then continues to progress as he or she ages. Humans do not just grow physically, though, we grow intellectually … throughout life we grow in understanding. We… Read More

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On August 20, 2023, at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a message based on Romans 12:1-5. This message was part of the “Following Jesus Together” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find the audio and video of the message to listen… Read More

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Ekklesia.  This is the Greek word translated “church” in Matthew 16:18 … and the word appears 114 other times in the New Testament.  Jesus said He would build “His church.”  Jesus wrote letters to 7 churches in Revelation 2-3.  Paul planted churches in most signifiant cities within the Roman Empire.  Today, buildings all over town… Read More

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On August 13, 2023, at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a message based on Joshua 4:19-24. This message was part of the “Following Jesus Together” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find the audio and video of the message to listen… Read More

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America has a remarkable history (even though we are quite “young” by historical standards), and a bright future (though we may debate the shades of that brilliance – the potential is certainly there!)  So how does the story of our great country get communicated from one generation to the next? When our founding fathers conceived… Read More

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Sunday, August 6, 2023, was a Baptism Sunday at Wildwood Community Church!  These Sundays are great celebrations of God’s work in the lives of people in our congregation.  We spent the morning worshipping God, hearing testimonies of how He has worked, and celebrating the water baptism of 24 people!  See the graphic below for who… Read More

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Sunday, August 6, 2023 is a Baptism Sunday at Wildwood Community Church!  These Sundays are great celebrations of God’s work in the lives of people in our congregation.  We will spend the morning worshipping God, hearing testimonies of how He has worked, and celebrating the water baptism of 24 people!  Make plans to join us… Read More

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On July 30, 2023, at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a message based on 2 Corinthians 9:6-15. This message was part 4 of the “Mission:Fund” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find the audio and video of the message to listen… Read More

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In finances, there are at least a couple of basic things we can do with money.  We can spend it or we can invest it.  When we spend money, we are exchanging dollars today for some kind of experience or provision (either a want or a need).  For instance, when we spend money on groceries,… Read More

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On July 23, 2023, at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a message based on 2 Corinthians 8:16-9:5. This message was part 3 of the “Mission:Fund” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find the audio and video of the message to listen… Read More

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It can be a challenging thing for a pastor to talk about money.  After all, some ministers are well known for their “FLEECING” instead of “FEEDING” their flock.  Extravagant lifestyles of certain TV preachers, and questionable accounting in certain congregations have left a bad taste in many mouths.  So, as a Pastor, I want to… Read More

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On July 16, 2023, at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a message based on 2 Corinthians 8:8-15. This message was part 2 of the “Mission:Fund” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find the audio and video of the message to listen… Read More

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Often our intentions are better than our actions.  We INTEND to eat healthy, but we often eat too many sugary or processed foods.  We INTEND to exercise, but we often sleep in instead.  We INTEND to pray for our friend, but we often forget.  We INTEND to make our family a priority, but we often… Read More

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On July 9, 2023 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a message based on 2 Corinthians 8:1-7.  This message was part 1 of the “Mission:Fund” sermon series.  Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion.  You will also find the audio and video of the message to listen… Read More

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By God’s grace, I was born at just the right time and in just the right place.  There are many meaningful evidences of that statement … including my family, friends, church experience, university, etc. that were all providential gifts from my Creator.  However, right now, I want to highlight a less consequential (but fun) example… Read More

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On Sunday, July 2, 2023, Teaching Pastor Bruce Hess’ message is “Celebrating the Cross” from our sermon series “Unpacking the Gospel”. Below are some questions for your personal or group reflection. 1. Read Revelation 5:9-10. Look back over those verses which describe God’s work in redemption and make note of these ideas: – the cost of… Read More

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Hey Wildwood Family! It truly has been hot in recent days, but not as hot as some places in our nation. Recent days in the Big Bend National Park area of Texas the temperature reached 119 degrees, hotter than Death Valley. The “real feel” temperature was even higher. Yikes! Suddenly our recent high temperature of… Read More

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On Sunday, June 18, 2023, Teaching Pastor Bruce Hess’ message is “Choosing to Embrace the Cross” from our sermon series “Unpacking the Gospel”. Below are some questions for your personal or group reflection. 1.Read out loud John 4:10 and John 7:37-38.  What are some ways that Christ, the Living Water, has quenched the thirst of your soul?  Share,… Read More

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Hey Wildwood Family! Something very special to me happened 50 years ago today. Fifty years ago today, I was married to my dear wife, Janet!  I find it hard to calculate: how could 50 years have flown by? As I said to Janet, it feels more like maybe 30 years to me.  She said, maybe even… Read More

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On Sunday, June 18, 2023, Teaching Pastor Bruce Hess’ message is “God’s Work at the Cross” from our sermon series“Unpacking the Gospel”. Below are some questions for your personal or group reflection. 1. What has stood out to you in the first two messages of this series? 2. If someone asked you— Why was it necessary… Read More

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Hey Wildwood Family! A word of congratulations to the OU Softball team for dominating and winning their third consecutive national championship—three in a row after the canceled Covid year!  I have been impressed with the spiritual heart of many of the players.  Check my Facebook page for a link to a press conference where some… Read More

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Sunday, June 11, 2023, Teaching Pastor Bruce Hess’ message is “The Need for the Gospel” from our sermon series“Unpacking the Gospel”. Below are some questions for your personal or group reflection. As followers of Jesus, what contributes to us drifting at times into a complacent, lackadaisical attitude toward the cross? Why is it that the ‘most significant truth… Read More

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Hey Wildwood Family! It has been a wonderful week at Wildwood as some 650 kids were encouraged to ‘set sail’ in following Jesus at WCC’s 2023 VBS.  So much energy, and so much great teaching!  A big feature of the week was the children giving offerings every day to help provide water filters for families… Read More

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Despite the fact that the Apostle Paul endured “afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, and hunger,” (2 Corinthians 6:4-5) he still “did not lose heart” (2 Corinthians 4:16). The phrase “do not lose heart” renders the idea “I do not quit.” Paul is a model of one who endured on Mission with Christ. Over the past 8 weeks at Wildwood, we have seen a variety of perspectives shared by Paul from 2 Corinthians 4-7 that help us know how we might endure on mission as well. In order to endure we are helped by remembering:

1. What our point of reference is (4:16-18) … compared to the glory that is to come, our trials are light and momentary – so we endure on mission even when things are hard.
2. To focus on the inner man that is being renewed and built up, rather than the outer man which is withering away. (4:16-18) – so we endure on mission even when time takes its toll on our bodies.
3. That Jesus dealt death a fatal blow and offers us life after death (5:1-8) – so we endure on mission, even in the face of death.
4. That there are relational implications of life after death … we will see Jesus again one day, so we live our lives awaiting that meeting (5:6-10) – so we endure on mission, even when we wonder if we are making a difference.
5. That the fear of God and the love of God motivate us (5:11-15) – so we endure because these are constant.
6. That God is making all who trust in Christ into new creations, so we should consider people according to the flesh no longer (5:16-17) – so we endure on mission in order to observe the ongoing creation work of God in the transformation of human lives.
7. That God (in Christ) is reconciling the world to Himself, and knowing He has given to us the ministry of reconciliation (5:18-21) – so we endure on mission remembering the importance of our role as ambassadors for Christ.
8. That we partner with the Lord and allow Him to work through us in ministry to others (6:1-10) – so we endure on mission even when we feel inadequate for the job.
9. That we can appreciate those God uses in our lives (6:11-13) – so we can open our hearts to those God has used to bless us to encourage THEM to endure on mission.
10. That we would not allow others to co-opt the mission of the church by trying to yoke leadership in the church to non-Christian people who are headed in different directions (6:14-16) – so we can endure on mission by staying tied to leaders and churches who share our same spiritual DNA.
11. That we would patch the holes in our holiness and cleanse ourselves of all unrighteousness (6:16-7:1) – so that we might endure on mission and not be distracted away by lesser things.
12. That we would feel God’s familiar “hand” through the ministry of presence provided by our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ (7:2-6) – so we might endure on mission knowing God will comfort us when we are downcast through His presence through the agency of His people.
13. That we would respond to God by repenting of sin when we see it our lives (7:7-13) – so that we might endure by turning back on mission when we are wandering astray.
14. That we would realize the interconnected nature of Christian joy (7:13-16) – so that we might endure on mission by rejoicing in others success, and being encouraged by others growth.

LOTS of encouragement to keep going in the midst of difficulty! Thankful to the Lord for this great section of His Word! We will be back in 2 Corinthians beginning July 9 at Wildwood Community Church. Any takeaways you had from this series? I’d love to hear it!

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On Sunday, June 4, 2023 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on 2 Corinthians 7:2-16.  This message was part 8 of the “Mission:Endure” sermon series.  Below are questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion.  You will also find sermon audio and video to listen to/watch, download or share.… Read More

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“Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” – Mike Tyson

The former heavyweight boxing champ shared that bit of wisdom in response to a question about his concern about his opponent’s (Evander Holyfield) fight plan. The idea is pretty straight forward … lots of people can plan and talk a good game. Our ACTIONS and plans may be loud … but our REACTIONS are even louder.

Want to know what is really on the inside of someone? See how they REACT to things in the moment. This is not just true about others … it is true about us. We show our true colors in our reactions as much as our actions.

In 2 Corinthians 7:2-16, the Apostle Paul continues his letter to the Corinthian church, and once again is imploring them to stay open to him … to stay in relationship with him … for their mutual encouragement and for the growth of the gospel. Discord between the Corinthians and Paul would lead to impediments to the Gospel … so Paul again implored them to “open their hearts to him.” But his desire to keep the relationship with them strong did not prevent him from saying hard things. In fact, it was his great love for them that compelled him to speak up and challenge them on sin that was festering in their midst. In a sense, the Corinthian church had a plan … but they got hit in the mouth with a stern letter from the Apostle Paul. How would they react?

Well, the Corinthians responded with repentance and growth … thus demonstrating their true character. This greatly encouraged Paul, and it should greatly challenge us.

How do we respond when we are confronted with sin in our lives? Do we “attack the messenger”? Make excuses? Justify the behavior? Minimize its significance? Beat ourselves up with a “whoa is me” attitude? When we get punched in the mouth with confrontation from a brother or sister in Christ, how do we react?

This Sunday in the 8th and final part in our “Mission:Endure” series at Wildwood Community Church, we will look at these verses and see for ourselves the need and place for repentance in enduring on mission with Christ. Hope to see you there in our 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 service … and bring friends!

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On Sunday, May 28, 2023 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1. This message was part 7 of the “Mission:Endure” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1
3. Has there been a time when those you were partnered together with made a POSITIVE impact on your life? How about a NEGATIVE impact on your life?
4. 2 Corinthians 6:14 is an oft quoted section of God’s Word. Have you ever heard this verse taught, used before? What was the primary emphasis of that teaching? Did anything we talked about this morning add to your understanding of this passage (given its context)?
5. What are some of the “worldly yokes” you (or our church) are tempted to be unduly influenced by?
6. What are some things in your life that you need to “cleanse yourself” from in your pursuit of holiness?
7. Would you describe yourself as “maturing in holiness/godliness”? Compare this year’s version of yourself with previous iterations of yourself in your assessment.
8. What is one particular application you took away from this message?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here.

To listen offline, click the link below to download:

Audio appears here when available

To listen online, use the media player below:

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I love airports. I really do. It fascinates me to see all the locations you can go from one hub. This is especially striking at some of the big airports in the world … like Paris, New York, or Frankfurt. You can hit nearly every continent from there!

Airports are places of tremendous choice. Whatever plane you get on will lead to vastly different destinations. From OKC, you can head to the mountains, the beach, big cities, Disney World, or the Gateway Arch … all depending on which gate you walk through.

Now most people arrive at the airport knowing where they want to go; after all, they have purchased a ticket with a particular destination in mind. The intended destination is such a strong motivator, it is the reason you went to the airport in the first place. When you show up in the terminal, you will allow nothing to stop you from getting on the right plane. Imagine the folly of showing up at the airport to go visit family in Los Angeles, but getting into conversation with someone in the security line headed the New York, and you just board their plane with them. At some point, you will look up and realize you are thousands of miles off course! The conversation seemed so interesting at the time, but ultimately prevented you from going where you really wanted to go.

When we know where we want to go, we should prioritize spending time with like-minded people who are headed there … instead of following others whose destinations are quite different.

I was thinking about this while preparing for this Sunday at Wildwood. We will be in part 7 of our “Mission:Endure” sermon series. This Sunday we will look at 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1. These verses emphasize the importance of only “getting on the plane” with those headed to your same destination. While we serve those headed in the opposite direction (and invite them to join us on our journey), we should resist the urge to “get on their plane.” The gates we walk through matter … don’t allow others to lead you off course.

Does this analogy resonate? What in the world am I talking about? Well, make plans to join us on Sunday at Wildwood in our 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 service and find out more. We will celebrate the Lord’s Supper and worship the Lord together as we reflect on these verses. See you Sunday … and bring friends!

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On Sunday, May 21, 2023 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on 2 Corinthians 6:1-13. This message was part 6 of the “Mission:Endure” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for further reflection or group discussion. You will also find sermon audio & video to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read 2 Corinthians 6:1-13
3. Think about the last time you “said yes” to a serving/ministry role. WHY did you say “yes”?
4. How does knowing that God is at work, and knowing that people need to respond motivate you to stay engaged in ministry to others?
5. Is serving others/ministering to others something you see as “optional” in the Christian life, or is it an essential part of the Christian life? Are you ministering to others right now? If so, how does this passage encourage you to continue to do so? If you aren’t where might you begin working with Him to serve them?
6. Who are some people God has used to impact your life for Christ? When was the last time you “opened your heart wide” to them? Who might you write to this week to encourage in their ministry?
7. What is one particular application you took away from this message?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here.

To listen offline, click the link to download:

Mission: Endure #6 5.21.23

To listen online, use the media player below:

https://pastormarkrobinson.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/20230521-0945_96kbs.mp3To watch the stream use YouTube online:

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Ministry is service. Therefore, by definition, we are in ministry for the benefit of others, not ourselves.

If you are serving in the children’s ministry, this means you are serving so that the children may learn to follow Jesus. If you are a volunteer at student camp, it is so that students might deepen their relationship with Jesus and each other. If you are leading an adult or college small group, it is so that those in your group might experience the presence of the Body of Christ around them. If you are a missionary, it is so that people in a culture other than your own might come to know Christ. If you are a greeter on Sunday mornings, it is so that others might have a great first experience.

This line of thinking also applies to those in vocational ministry or ministry leadership. Pastors, Elders, and church staff members exist to serve the congregation and help equip them to do the work of the ministry. As followers of Jesus, we are ALL CALLED TO SERVE (Pastor, Elder, and congregant alike). And this should not surprise us … after all Jesus Himself came “not to be served but to serve, and to give His life.”

And … all this service glorifies God – the chief end of all things.

Even though this is the clear focus of Scripture, we can easily get it twisted. We are tempted to take on a ministry role to fill some need to feel important, validate ourselves in some way, or receive some other benefit. To be clear, ministry is personally satisfying in so many ways … but that is not what it is all about.

When ministry is all about “what can I get out of it” we tend to quit when it is hard, when persecution starts, when it costs us something, or when we get tired. If our calling is found in our comfort, then we will cancel our commitments when we are challenged. But if our calling is to serve, then we serve as long as there are needs in the lives of those around us. And how long are there going to be needs? Well … I’ll let you do the math.

Over the past number of weeks, we have been walking through 2 Corinthians 4-7 in our Sunday services at Wildwood. As we have done so, we have seen how we might endure on the mission Christ has called us to. This week, in part 6 of the “Mission:Endure” series, we will be looking at 2 Corinthians 6:1-13 and remembering the durable SERVANT FOCUS of ministry that we desperately need to keep going for the long haul. See you Sunday in our 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 service … and bring friends. It will be a joy to serve you by speaking on this passage!

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On Sunday, May 14, 2023 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on a selection of verses from 1 and 2 Timothy. This message was part 5 in the “Mission:Endure” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. Additionally, you will see below the audio and video from the message to listen to, watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read 2 Timothy 1:5; 3:14-17; Acts 16:1-5; and 1 Timothy 1:2
3. To what degree are you motivated in life by the LEGACY you will leave in the next generation?
4. What are some of the ways you have been impacted by the investments of your earthly family AND your spiritual family?
5. If you are a parent, how are you working to build God’s truth into your children?
6. What do you think Paul meant by referring often to Timothy as his “child”? Is there anyone who would refer to you as their “spiritual parent”? Is there anyone who has had this kind of relationship with you?
7. Who are you investing your life in for the sake of their spiritual development?
8. What is one particular application you took away from this message?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here.

To listen offline, click the link to download:

Mission: Endure #5 5.13.23

To listen online, use the media player below:

https://pastormarkrobinson.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/20230514-0945_96kbs.mp3To watch the stream, use YouTube online:

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“I’m not throwing away my shot.”

According to Wikipedia, “Hamilton” is currently the fourth highest grossing Broadway musical of all time. However, when you factor into the equation its recent release (only debuting in 2015), its “per show” average has it on pace to DOUBLE the current #1 show of all time “Lion King.” Who knew the “ten dollar founding father without a father” would make such a popular storyline?

Now, it may stand to reason that making a musical about the birth of our nation that has George Washington rapping and choreographed pistol duels would be something people would want to see … but we should think a bit deeper about the story that is told in “Hamilton” to understand its epic success.

What is this musical all about? I believe it is about one word – “LEGACY” – and I think you and I care a whole lot about the legacy that we leave. This is why the musical resonates at such a deep emotional level.

So where do we see the theme of legacy running through the show? Well, it is the purpose that carries our title character along. He is more concerned with how he is remembered in the long run than how he is benefitting from his decisions today. In a microwave society, we are drawn to the story of someone this radically committed to the long game. This theme shows up throughout the songs in this production:

The musical begins with Alexander Hamilton boldly declaring that he “will not throw away his shot” at leaving an impact on the world. He understands that his life CAN MATTER, and he wants to rise up to the challenge and leave his mark.

In the middle of the musical, Alexander prays, “God help and forgive me, I wanna build something that’s gonna outlive me” … and General Washington sings of his longing for a nation that “outlives me when I am gone.”

Near the end of the show, Hamilton defines this for us as he says: “what is a legacy? It’s planting seeds in a garden you never get to see. I wrote some notes at the beginning of a song someone will sing for me.” Our legacy is what it is about us that lasts in this world beyond us.

And then, there is the final line of the entire musical … a haunting statement – “Who tells your story?” Our lives leave an impact. Our lives tell a story. What story is your life telling? What seeds are you planting?

As you know, over the past several weeks at Wildwood we have been walking through a series anchored in 2 Corinthians 4-7 entitled “Mission: Endure.” We have been talking about perspectives the Apostle Paul is sharing with us about how to remain on mission with Christ for the long haul. This Sunday, we are in part 5 of this series … but we will take an excursion from 2 Corinthians to talk a bit more about Paul’s co-author of this letter … his younger protege Timothy. Timothy is the legacy of (at least) two streams of influence: his Mom and Grandma (2 Timothy 1:5), and the Apostle Paul (2 Timothy 1:2, 2:1). This Sunday, we will look at these influences of traditional family and church family.

On this Mother’s Day, we will reflect on the impact we can have on our “offspring” both physical and spiritual, as we see the examples of Lois and Eunice (Timothy’s Grandma and Mom), and Paul (Timothy’s spiritual “dad”). Regardless of our family status (married, single, kids, no kids), we will all find challenge in this study!

We want our lives to matter. We don’t want to throw away our shot. We know (instinctively) that our lives lead to fruit a future generation will have to eat … so how do we live our lives in such a way that outlives us in its utility, productivity, and meaning? We will see this together on Sunday in our 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 services at Wildwood. Hope to see you there … and bring friends! You will want to be in the room where this happens …

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On Sunday, May 7, 2023 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on 2 Corinthians 5:16-21. This message was part 4 of the “Mission: Endure” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find the audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download, or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read 2 Corinthians 5:16-21
3. In Kara Powell’s research, she has concluded that there are 3 basic questions teens are asking today: Who am I? Where do I fit? What difference can I make? These questions actually are being asked by MORE than just teens. Do you find these questions as deeper thoughts that you have wrestled with in life?
4. In your best understanding, what is the “old that passed away” and the “new that came” for all who are in Christ?
5. What are some of the ways you have personally (or you have seen others) think of Jesus ONLY according to the flesh? What are some of the ways that we ONLY see OTHER PEOPLE only according to the flesh? How do things differ when we consider the spiritual implications of Jesus and others through “new creation eyes”?
6. Have you been reconciled to God through Jesus Christ? If so, when did this occur? What do you think this means?
7. God wants us to represent Him by Jesus making His appeal through us for those around us to be reconciled to God. Who does Jesus want to reach through you (in this season of your life?) Will you commit to pray for, initiate with, and represent Jesus to this person/people sometime in the next month?
8. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

To access these messages in pdf format, click here.

To listen offline, click the link to download:

Audio appears here when available

To listen online, use the media player below:

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To watch the stream, use YouTube online:

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Ambassadors are representatives of a country living a long way from home. Embassy’s are locations where the values and interests of another land are demonstrated on otherwise foreign turf. Right now, American Ambassadors to Sudan are negotiating the release of American citizens in this war torn region … and at the U.S. Embassy in England on July 4, someone who light a sparkler and cook a few hot dogs celebrating American Independence from … ENGLAND! Ambassadors and Embassies play important roles in the world as we know it.

With this set of observations and definitions, CHRISTIANS … let me remind you of something: THIS WORLD IS NOT YOUR HOME. Right now, we are (as Hebrews 11:14-15 implies) “strangers and exiles on the earth.” Our true home is not Oklahoma (or even America). This may be where we live, but it is not what most defines us. We are living in a land “far from home.”

The true home of the Christian is heavenly not earthly. Our true identity is “in Christ” not “in skin color,” “in gender,” or “in socio-economic status.” What MOST DEFINES US is not what the world sees, but what God says. We are not who we used to be … from the moment we have trusted in Christ, the old “us” was crucified with Jesus … and a new “us” is raised to newness of life! We are not (ultimately) an ethnicity, gender, nationality, or member of a particular political party. In Christ, we are something far greater, connected to a home that is far grander, and identified with Someone who is far more glorious. We are children of God, made new in Christ, and living far from our heavenly home.

So why are we here on earth, and what are we to do while we are here? Well, we are to be AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST … representing Him before those we interact with. And, if we are AMBASSADORS, then our churches are “EMBASSIES” where the values of Home are lived out for all to see on this foreign soil.

Remembering this perspective can help keep us going in our lives as “strangers and exiles.” This Sunday at Wildwood Community Church, we will be looking at 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 in part 4 of our “Mission: Endure” sermon series, as we see what it means to live into our duties as AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST all the days of our lives. Make plans to worship with us Sunday at 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 … and bring friends!

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On Sunday, April 30, 2023 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a message based on 2 Corinthians 5:11-15. This message was part 3 of the “Mission: Endure” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find the audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download, or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read 2 Corinthians 5:11-15
3. What are some “reasons for obedience” that have motivated you in different settings of your life (at home as a child, at work, on a sports team, etc.)?
4. In what way is the “fear of the Lord” a motivator for you today? Does knowing you will see Jesus one day face to face impact the way you live your daily life?
5. Paul’s knowledge that he would see Jesus face to face one day motivated him to share the Gospel with the Corinthians (and others) today. Does knowing YOU will see Jesus again one day motivate you to engage in Christ’s mission in the world? What is one or two ways you can engage in ministry and evangelism this coming month?
6. The love of Jesus “controlled” Paul. What would you say “controls” you? How does reflecting on Jesus’ love for you motivate you to follow Him today?
7. Can you think of any reasons “why not” to follow Jesus? Write out any reasons you think you might not follow Him and put them on an index card. Then revisit that list as you study the Scripture. If there is something on your list today that is keeping you from following Christ, ask yourself once a week for the next month – “Is this a good reason to not follow Him?” Most of our reasons “don’t age well” … in that over time, we realize that our reasons are nothing compared to His great love for us!
8. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here.

To listen offline, click the link below to download:

Audio appears here when available

To listen online, use the media player below:

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To watch, use YouTube online:

Video goes live at 9:45AM at this link

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Growing up I always had a desire to obey my parents. While I was never a perfect kid, I always (at least at a foundational level) wanted to do what my parent’s wanted me to do.

Why is that?

Well (best I can figure), for two reasons.

1. I wanted to obey my parents because I respected them. In our home, they set the rules, and so I wanted to live in light of them. I do not remember a lot of “being grounded” or other forms of punishment, but I do remember that the expectations for behavior were clear, and when I crossed those lines I could see (and often would hear about) their displeasure. This was a big motivator for me. I knew my parents observed my life and that I was accountable to them for my behavior. This caused me to “just say no” to some temptations that came my way, to come home (mostly) on time when curfew was set, and to speak with kindness and respect to my parents (and other adults in my life). Because of the respect I had for them, I wanted to please them.
2. I wanted to obey my parents because I loved them. My parents loved ME … and I always knew it. I grew up in a home where my needs were provided for (emotionally, physically, spiritually). There was warmth, friendship, and care that permeated our household. Because of this love, I was motivated to behave in a way that demonstrated my love that I had for them. The love in our home was (and is) reciprocal, and translated into a demonstrable pattern of behavior.

Now, when I say this, I know what some of you may be thinking – “Wow Mark, when it comes to parents you really ‘won the lottery.’ I wish I was that lucky!” If this is your reaction, I would simply say – Yes. I won the lottery when it comes to parents. Through no good work I had done, by God’s grace, I was born into a family that had parents who were both respectable and loving. I know that many of you reading this did not grow up with that blessing and had to persevere through absent or abusive parents, or saw a parent pass away while you were at an early age. I do not know why (exactly) God allows these things. Others reading this, though, also had parents like mine, and you have feelings of thankfulness welling up reading these thoughts today.

But here is something amazing …

Regardless of your earthly situation or past experience, I want to remind you of something important: if you have trusted in Christ for the forgiveness of your sins (or if you trust in Christ today and begin to follow Him), you and I SHARE THE SAME FATHER – Our Father who art in heaven – hallowed be His name!

And, our Heavenly Father is both respectable AND loves us.

In 2 Corinthians 5:11-15, the Apostle Paul provides two reasons why He “makes it his aim to please God” — the respect/fear He has for God, and the love God has for him that has captivated his life. This Sunday at Wildwood Community Church, we will be looking at these verses together in part 3 of our “Mission: Endure” sermon series as we find the true motivations and responses of those who are “in Christ.” Can’t wait to look at these verses together. We will do so this Sunday in our 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 services. Hope you can make it … and bring friends!

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On Sunday, April 23, 2023 at Wildwood Community Church I preached a sermon based on 2 Corinthians 5:1-10. This message was part 2 in the “Mission: Endure” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to this message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find the audio and video of the sermon to listen to/watch, download, or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read 2 Corinthians 5:1-10
3. When was the last time you had a loved one pass away? How have you dealt with this loss? Does any truth of Christianity encourage you as you deal with this loss?
4. For the Christian, we are provided a home, clothing, fellowship in heaven (as we saw in this morning’s passage). Is there any particular component of this encouragement that resonates with you most today?
5. Have you trusted in Christ for the forgiveness of your sins? If so, how does this impact you as you consider the reality of your own mortality?
6. In heaven we will see Jesus face to face. How does knowing this help you “aim” the ambition of your life today?
7. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here.

To listen offline, click the link to download:

Mission: Endure #2 4.23.23

To listen online, use the media player below:

https://pastormarkrobinson.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/20230423-0945_96kbs.mp3To watch the service, use YouTube online:

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Do you like to tent camp? Yes? No? Maybe? It Depends?

I am a person who likes the IDEA of camping, more than camping itself. Don’t get me wrong, I love the outdoors. I love to hike, see creation, and experience things far from my ordinary world … but at the end of the day, I would strongly prefer to be in my bed at home.

Why is this? Well, I have yet to have a tent camping experience that gave me the same restful sleep as I can have in my climate controlled home and on my king bed. It has been my experience that it is very difficult to pack that mattress and central heat and air into a backpack I can reasonably carry … so when I hike, I long for the comfort of home. Can anyone relate?

Now, this is not to say that tents are not valuable. THEY ARE. If you want to hike the Appalachian Trail or see the summits of Half Dome (AND NOT TAKE OUT A SECOND MORTGAGE), then the tent is the way to go. If you plan to move from place to place nightly, taking your portable home with you by foot – the tent cannot be beaten. The tent is amazing at being portable … it is just not as plush and more prone to breaking down than its more permanent relative – “the house.”

I was thinking about this today as I looked at 2 Corinthians 5:1-10. These verses (written by a tent maker) talk about death, and what lies after. The Apostle Paul compares our current physical bodies to a tent, that (for the believer in Jesus Christ) will one day be traded in for a heavenly home.

Let’s play with this analogy for a moment …

When life in this world is going well, things are good … like taking my tent out on a 70 degree day and setting it down on a bed of soft/level pine straw; I see things I would not see otherwise, and enjoy the moment.

When life in this world is going poorly (health concerns, relational strife, financial burdens), things are good … like my tent springing a leak during a rainstorm on a cold night as I toss and turn over a root poking me in the back, I rejoice that in just a few moments, the pain of the night will be over, and a warm comfortable bed awaits me at home.

In 2 Corinthians 4-7, the Apostle Paul is encouraging us to not “lose heart” as we live out our Christian lives. One of the things that can cause us to lose heart is when we face death or deal with physical difficulties in life. Paul’s encouragement? This body is not your forever home … it is a tent that you will one day trade for a permanent home. So live now in light of where you will be then, and you will be of good courage, regardless the circumstances.

This Sunday at Wildwood Community Church in our 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 services we will share the Lord’s Supper together, and look at part 2 of our “Mission: Endure” sermon series, looking at 2 Corinthians 5:1-10. Hope to see you there … and bring friends!

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On Sunday, April 16, 2023 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on 2 Corinthians 4:16-18. This message was part 1 of the “Mission: Endure” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find audio and video to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
3. What are some stories you have heard or witnessed of people who once followed Jesus but have stopped following Him today? Has there ever been a time in your life when you stopped following Jesus for a time/season?
4. Given what we saw this morning in 4:17, how AWESOME must God’s blessings for us be if they make the afflictions we experience today both “light” and “momentary” by comparison?
5. How does remembering who you are (and where you are headed) motivate you to “not lose heart” today?
6. What are some examples you are currently experiencing personally (or seeing in the lives of those around you) where the”outer man is wasting away”? What are some examples you have seen in your life of your “inner man being renewed day by day”?
7. What is your plan to “see the unseen” through pouring over God’s Word, presenting ourselves to Him, and putting on His truth in obedience?
8. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

Access these questions in pdf format by clicking here.

To listen offline, click the link to download:

Audio appears here when available

To listen online, use the media player below:

Audio appears here when available

To watch the service, use YouTube online:

Video goes live at 9:45 AM at this link

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Life is full of hard things. Loved ones die. Sin is tempting, yet destructive. Relationships get complicated. Things break. Storms rage. Inflation inflates. Illness (mental and physical) takes a toll. Sticks and stones break our bones, and words do (in fact) hurt us.

So how do we keep going in the midst of a life like this? How do we not lose heart? And as Christians, how do we not give up our faith when what we prayed for does not happen, we are persecuted for our faith, or the “giant” never seems to fall?

Well, I saw a quote this past week from an ultra-marathoner (you know those crazy people who run 100 mile races) that I thought was intriguing. Ultra-marathoner Dick Collins was asked how to prepare to run something so long.

His response?

“Decide the conditions that will cause you to stop and drop out BEFORE the race. You don’t want to be out there saying, ‘Well, gee, my leg hurts, I’m a little dehydrated, I’m sleepy, I’m tired, and it’s cold and windy.’ And, as a result, talk yourself into quitting. If you are making a decision based on how you feel at that moment, you will probably make the wrong decision.”

What a fascinating statement! Decide in advance what would cause you to drop out, because challenges are sure to come.

Now I am guessing that most of you reading this are not going to attempt an ultra-marathon. However, I do believe there is interesting insight from Collins’ statement for the Christian. It is as if we might say, “How does the Christian run with Christ for the duration of the ultra-marathon of their earthly life? How can we NOT GIVE UP SPIRITUALLY when things are hard or confusing or painful?” With this question, Collins’ answer creates an interesting consideration for us. “What circumstance might cause you to walk away from Christ? What would have to occur to prompt you to walk away from your Lord and Savior – the One who bled and died for you and has promised you eternity?”

Outside of the emotion of the moment, the obvious answer for any true follower of Jesus would be …. NOTHING. Nothing would be worth leaving Christ. As Peter says to Jesus in John 6:68-69, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.”

That said, we still find temptation to “quit following Jesus” from time to time. Pain, frustration, or difficulty try to push us to despair on a far-to-regular basis. Sadly, the world is dotted with people who said “Lord I will follow you anywhere” at church camp or on a college retreat, but at some point jettisoned their faith. Given this possibility, what perspectives should we keep close that would encourage us to endure … to not quit, even when our “legs hurt?”

This Sunday at Wildwood we will begin an 8 week sermon series that will walk us through 2 Corinthians 4:16 – 7:16 as we see how we might endure on the mission Christ has called us to. This Sunday we kick things off with “Mission: Endure” part 1, focusing on 2 Corinthians 4:16-18. I hope you make plans to be with us each week of this series over the next two months. I want to run an ultra-marathon of faithfulness alongside each of you. Let’s look to God’s Word to see how we can keep the pace. See you Sunday in our 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 service … and bring friends!

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On Sunday, April 9, 2023 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Luke 24:1-12. This message was the Easter Sunday sermon for 2023. Below you will find questions related to this message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find the audio and video of the sermon to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Luke 24:1-12
3. Why do you think the Apostle Paul makes such a major case that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is SO IMPORTANT to Christians?
4. Have you ever had a time/era/season when you felt like “all hope was lost”? What were the conditions that led you to have that feeling? Can you identify with how the women might have felt on that first Easter morning?
5. Jesus wants to make sure that we KNOW that He is alive. This is why He had His resurrection documented so well. It reminds us that we can have hope even when times seem impossible. How does the resurrection of Jesus bring you hope today?
6. Have you ever had a time when someone encouraged you with God’s Word at just the right moment, when you needed God’s perspective on a situation badly? Share that experience.
7. Who might God want to use you to encourage with a fresh perspective from His Word today? Think of the various passages we shared this morning and consider who these verses might be particularly encouraging for this week and then “go and tell” them about it.
8. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here.

To listen offline, click the link below:

Audio appears here when available

To listen online, use the media player below:

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To watch the stream, use YouTube online:

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On Friday, April 7, 2023 at 6:00 and 7:30 PM, Wildwood is hosting our Good Friday services. These services will walk through a deeper understanding of what Jesus meant when He said from the cross, “It is finished!” We would love to have you attend in person, but if that is not possible, feel free to join the livestream at 6PM. That stream is available by clicking here.

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We are used to situations that feel hopeless.

• When your basketball team is down 5 points with 1 second to go, you turn the television off or head for the parking lot.
• When you have stage four cancer and your doctor calls in Hospice, you head home and prepare for the worst.
• When your marriage has been battered by infidelity or broken trust, you call the divorce attorney.

When things look impossible we assume that they are, and give up hope.

This feeling of hopelessness was certainly felt by the Jesus’ followers on the day following His crucifixion. Having just witnessed their friend (and hopeful one day King) be brutally tortured and killed by the Romans, Jesus’ first followers gave up hope. After a day of shock and mourning, only a small group of women were stirring early one Sunday morning … and they were headed to the tomb to treat Jesus’ dead body for long term burial. This was the equivalent of turning off the TV, heading for the parking lot, heading home and preparing for the worst, or moving out and preparing to start over.

The followers of Jesus looked at their situation and gave up hope.

But …

They. Were. Wrong.

Their despair (like the stone covering the entrance to the tomb) would soon be rolled away. The darkness of the moment would be illuminated as the Son rose. God was able to do what was impossible for humans. Instead of quitting, God was just getting started. The grief of the moment had blinded Christ followers from seeing what Jesus said is true … and so God sent a pair of angels to reiterate the words of Jesus and remind them that Hope was alive.

As people who are used to situations that feel hopeless … situations where our grief blinds us from seeing and remembering the truth … we need to look deeply at the account of the first Easter morning to have our hope rekindled by our glorious God.

This weekend is Easter weekend. At Wildwood we will gather for worship services on both Good Friday (April 7 at 6:00 and 7:00 PM) and Easter Sunday (April 9 at 8:30, 9:45, 11:00 AM). Friday night we will see the work that Jesus’ finished on the cross. Then on Sunday morning we will see why this gives us hope. Make plans to join us Friday AND Sunday. See you there, and bring friends!

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On Sunday, April 2, 2023 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Luke 9-22. This sermon was the Palm Sunday message. Below you will find questions related to this message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find the audio and video of the sermon to listen to/watch, download, or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Compared to other holidays, how “prepared” do you feel to celebrate Easter each year? Why do you think Easter can “sneak up” on us?
3. Easter was a part of God’s plan, and was in the works for thousands of years. Even during Jesus’ earthly life and ministry, He was headed to Jerusalem to “keep the appointment” of His crucifixion. What does this plan tell you about God’s heart for you?
4. Jesus loves you and died for your sins. Have you ever placed your faith in Him for the forgiveness of sins?
5. Jesus (the One who loves us) invites us to follow Him with our lives. Are you following Jesus in obedience today? What are some areas of your life where you need to follow Him more this week?
6. The people on Palm Sunday SANG and CELEBRATED around Jesus, but they did not follow Him. Have you crowned Him LORD OF ALL in your life?
7. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here.

To listen offline, click the link to download:

Audio appears here when available

To listen online, use media player below:

Audio appears here when available

To watch the stream, use YouTube online:

Video goes live at 9:45 at this link

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Does Easter ever sneak up on you? It certainly can do that. Even though this holiday celebrates the most important event in history, we almost miss it from time to time. Unlike Christmas or Independence Day (which always occur on the same day each year), Easter moves – sometimes even occurring in a different month! If we are not careful, we can “accidentally” bump into Resurrection Sunday on the way to or from a T-ball game or soccer tournament!

It is rather ironic, though, that Easter (of all holidays) would surprise us. After all, the events remembered at Easter had been planned for a very long time. From the time that sin entered the world in the Garden of Eden, God promised that one day the seed of the woman would have His heel bruised while He crushed the head of the snake (Genesis 3:15). The victory promised at Eden was accomplished on Calvary’s cross and announced in the garden’s empty tomb.

Jesus ushered Easter in by intentionally processing from Heaven to Bethlehem to Galilee to Jerusalem in a multi-millennia-long journey. Given this amount of planning, it would be a shame for us to miss it.

This Easter season at Wildwood Community Church we will be gathering on three days for three different worship services:

• Palm Sunday – April 2 (8:30, 9:45, 11:00)
• Good Friday – April 7 (6:00 PM & 7:30 PM)
• Easter Sunday – April 9 (8:30, 9:45, 11:00)

This weekend, as we celebrate Palm Sunday, we will look at Luke 9:51 – 22:53 and see Jesus journey to Jerusalem knowing full well what awaited Him there. And why did He do this? Because HE LOVES US and was coming to rescue us.

Join us this Sunday as we prepare our hearts for Easter by seeing His heart for us. Get ready. Don’t miss it. And we will see you this Palm Sunday morning … and bring friends!

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On Sunday, March 26, 2023 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Luke 16:1-13. This message was part 3 of the “In God We Trust” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find audio and video from the sermon to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Luke 16:1-13
3. Have you ever stopped to consider the principle that we take zero dollars and possessions with us into eternity? How does remembering this cause you to think differently about the stuff (money and possessions) in our lives today?
4. When you look back on your life, do you have any regrets financially? Given what we have studied over the past three weeks, is there a spiritual component to your regret? (i.e. do you have any sense that you have squandered any of the resources the Lord has entrusted to you?)
5. What are some ways God is leading you to invest for the ultimate tomorrow today?
6. In the message we talked about what Jesus says in Matthew 6:21 … that our heart attention follows where ever our “treasure” is. Have you seen this principle play true in your life?
7. We detailed some of the ways we can serve God with our money in the message:
   1. • Give then live (Matthew 6:33)
      • Work for your wages (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12)
      • Provide for your family (1 Timothy 5:8)
      • Pay your taxes (Romans 13:6-7)
      • Save for the (un)known (Proverbs 6:8, Ecclesiastes 11:2b)
      • Plan to help others (Deuteronomy 24:19-21)

Did the Lord prompt you during this section of the message in any particular way to change any of your current behaviors regarding money?

1. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here.

To listen offline, click the file to download:

Audio appears here when available

To listen online, use the media player below:

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To watch, use the YouTube stream:

Service goes live at 9:45 AM at this link

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Have you ever made a financial decision you regret? A decision painful enough to make you wish you had a time machine to go back and worn “former you” what lay on the other side of that decision/purchase/investment?

I have. Sadly a few times.

I once bought a used car that within 3 months of ownership was identified to have more $ of repairs needed than I had paid for the car initially! What a disaster! And then there was my first “investment” in a Mutual Fund when I bought a “can’t miss” portfolio that popped in the Tech Bubble. Sure, neither of these things were THAT expensive (the car was not that awesome to begin with and the amount I “invested” in my late twenties was laughably slim) but looking back, I wish I had stayed away from both.

How about you … can you relate? A house that was a money pit? A business venture that went south? A timeshare that was a money suck?

Living in this world carries with it a number of “mandatory” expenses, or things that are dictated to us by life and culture … things like taxes, medical bills, and the rising price of groceries. The resources we manage already feel crimped by the things outside our control … so we HATE IT, when the things inside our control go up in smoke.

This feeling of financial regret is often-times magnified when investigated through the lens of our walk with Christ. Over the past two weeks at Wildwood we have seen that “God owns it all” and “We are called to manage His resources.” How are we to respond TODAY in light of the financial regrets of our YESTERDAYS as we follow Christ?

Well, this Sunday, we will look to the ultimate TOMORROW to help us make the right investments TODAY with God’s resources He has entrusted to us to manage.

Join us this Sunday, March 26 at 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 at Wildwood Community Church for the conclusion to our series, “In God We Trust: 3 Thoughts about God and Money.” We will look at Luke 16:1-13 and select verses from Matthew 6 to see our third thought about God and Money – “Invest His resources in light of eternity.”

See you Sunday … and bring friends!

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In Matthew 25:14-30 Jesus tells a parable about a wealthy landowner who entrusts His riches to His servants expecting them to invest those resources according to the landowners intentions while they await His return. The resources given by the landowner are extensive … as he gives today’s equivalent of millions of dollars to each.

Jesus tells this parable in the context of a sermon He was preaching about His certain return to the earth in the last days (Matthew 24-25 … “The Olivet Discourse.”). The implication is clear – Jesus was telling His disciples that He was leaving for a “long journey” (2,000 years now and counting) but one day would return. While we wait for His return, we are to invest His resources for His purposes.

What are His resources? Truly ALL THINGS … but generally these could be categorized in three areas: time, talent, treasure.

Is time truly the Lord’s? YES. Psalm 90 reflects on our relatively brief lives, yet God is eternal. Our days are numbered, Psalm 139 says, by the Lord of All Time. Whatever time we have is GIVEN US BY GOD, with the expectation that we would use those opportunities according to His purposes.

Is talent truly the Lord’s? YES. 1 Peter 4:10 indicates that we are each given a spiritual gift by the Lord to equip us for service and Psalm 139 tells us that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Ephesians 2:10 even tells us that the Lord has prepared us for good works “that we should walk in them.” Whatever talent we have is GIVEN US BY GOD, with the expectation that we would use those skills according to His purposes.

Is treasure truly the Lord’s? YES. Psalm 50:10 lets us know that God has “the cattle on a thousand hills” and King David reminded us in the prayer of dedication over the resources to construct the Temple that truly all things are the Lord’s (1 Chronicles 29:10-16). So whatever treasure we have (money, possessions, etc.) is GIVEN US BY GOD, with the expectation that we use that stuff according to His purposes.

In His grace God has saved us and equipped us with opportunities, skills, and stuff. He wants us to use them as He intended, and one day we will give an account for how we stewarded His resources (2 Corinthians 5:10). It is my prayer that we would all hear “well done good and faithful servant” on that day.

How will you put to use what He has given you this week?

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On Sunday, March 19, 2023 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Matthew 25:14-30. This message was part 2 in the “In God We Trust” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find the audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Matthew 25:14-30
3. Take an inventory … enumerate the resources the Lord has entrusted to you: Time (opportunities), Talent (skills), and Treasure (stuff). Taking a look at those resources, would you consider yourself having been given 1 “talent” or several “talents”?
4. Three observations were given … one about our past (do we need to repent for any previous misdealing with God’s provision?), one about our present (are we currently playing the “comparison game” with other believers?), and one about our future (what is our plan to invest His provision in the days ahead?) Did anything in particular stand out to you as you evaluated your life in these ways?
5. Like the “one talent” servant in the parable, we are also tempted to bury God’s blessing and not deploy it for His purposes. Can you relate to this? Do you have a sense that you have buried or squandered any of the Lord’s resources that He has entrusted to you?
6. What are some specific ways you want to invest His blessing this week?
7. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here.

To listen offline, click the link below:

Audio appears here when avaiable

To listen online, use the media player below:

Audio appears here when available

To watch the stream, use YouTube online:

Video appears at this link at 9:45AM

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Every day there are a number of assets that I manage. It is actually quite a generous portfolio. These resources are not mine, but are mine to manage. What does this collection include?

• I am not an investment banker, but this portfolio does include money.
• I am not a real estate broker, but it does include property.
• I am not an auto dealer, but it does include transportation.
• I am not an event planner, but it does include time.
• I am not famous, but it does include relational connection and influence.
• I am not the most talented person around, but it does include gifts and skills.

Every day, I wake up on this planet, I tend to these resources, and attempt to steward them in the manner that their owner would desire. Hundreds of dollars and square feet, thousands of minutes and relationships, several skills and a few vehicles have all been entrusted to my care by their true owner.

This is not unique to me. You also manage a similar portfolio daily of resources that are owned by another.

Who is that Owner? Well, if you were at Wildwood last Sunday for the start of our new sermon series, you heard from 1 Chronicles 29:1-16 that Jesus Christ is the rightful Owner of All Things. This means that our salary, our stuff, our calendar, our skills, and our influence is not REALLY OURS … but are actually God’s. By His grace and mercy He has entrusted into our care some of His things, with the hope that we would manage it for His glory and honor.

Your time, talent, and treasure are actually His. Though He has entrusted different amounts to each of us, the objective is the same. So how can we be a good steward of His resources? We will look at that this Sunday morning at Wildwood in our 8:30, 9:45 and 11:00 sermon series in part 2 of our series – “In God we Trust: 3 Thoughts about God and Money.” Last week we saw that God owns it all. This week we will discuss our role as stewards of His portfolio.

See you Sunday … and bring friends!

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On Sunday, March 12, 2023 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a message based on 1 Chronicles 29:1-16. This message was part 1 of the “In God We Trust” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find the audio and video of the sermon to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read 1 Chronicles 29:1-16
3. Why do you think the subject of “my money” is so emotional for all of us? Can you think of any examples when your emotions or anxieties were elevated as you were considering your resources?
4. In 1 Chronicles 29:9, the people rejoiced at the opportunity to give. Have you ever experienced this feeling when giving away your resources? Describe that experience? What led to you having this feeling of joy as you gave?
5. In 1 Chronicles 29:10-16, David prays to God and declares that ALL David and Israel had were actually the Lord’s. Personalize this statement for a moment. Did you realize that all you have is actually on loan from God? Take a brief inventory of all of the Lord’s resources He has entrusted to you in this season of your life.
6. Take some time and pray and thank God for His provision He has given you to manage and steward at this time in your life.
7. What are some ways you are challenged to alter the way you are handling God’s resources at this time in your life?
8. Do you regularly give a percentage of your income away (as a reminder that ALL of the resources are ultimately the Lord’s)? When did you develop this rhythm? What led to you to begin giving? If you are not giving, what is preventing you from practicing this act of worship today?
9. Why is it easier to trust Christ with our souls than with our stuff? Are you gently holding both with an open hand before Him today?
10. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here.

To listen offline, click the link to download:

Audio appears here when available

To listen online, use the media player below:

Audio appears here when available

To watch the stream, use YouTube online:

Video goes live at 9:45AM at this link

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Money is an emotional subject … isn’t it? To be fair, not all aspects of money are emotional; after all, most of us don’t beak out into cold sweats when we drive by a bank, or when we submit an expense report at work, or when we attend a class on Macro-Economics at University. These things are common for us – simple everyday realities.

But we do understand money to be emotional in different contexts. For instance, when someone approaches us at a busy intersection with a sign that says “Help Please,” our heart rate might quicken. When we get a bill from the orthodontist about the cost of straightening a smile, we have an emotional reaction. And when a Pastor says “the subject of today’s sermon is about money” … well, we might just decide this is a good week to sleep in and watch the church down the street on livestream.

Why is that? Well the answer is simple. Money isn’t the issue … it is MY MONEY that causes the anxiety to rise. And the reason the busy intersection of money and religion cause such avoidance is that we approach the topic EXPECTING the Pastor to tell US what we SHOULD DO with OUR money. This has the emotional appeal of an arranged marriage.

And so with that introduction, I want to let you know that for the next 3 weeks, I will be preaching at Wildwood Community Church about [drum roll please] … YOUR MONEY*!

Now, before you sleep in and tune out for the remainder of March, I want to share with you three reasons why you should pay attention to this new series:

1. We WANT this input. We really do. We want to understand what the creator of the universe has to say about money.
2. We NEED this input. We really do. Inside each of us is what the New Testament calls “the flesh” which is an insider agent who is exceptional at convincing us that our desires are the most important thing. Yet giving into the flesh financially does not lead to happiness and fulfillment … instead it leads to things like debt, idolatry, and lack of peace. We need outside input about a better way.
3. We CAN TRUST the input of Jesus on this topic. Did you realize that Jesus never took up an offering … though He talked about financial matters often. Jesus is not after our money, He is pursuing our hearts … but there is a peculiar connection between these two things. We often ignore the advice of people concerning our finances because we assume that they just want to take advantage of us in some way. However, we CAN TRUST Jesus on this topic every time. He actually wants something for us, not just from us on this issue.

So, if you don’t want to listen to ME about money – I get it. But let’s both gather these next 3 Sundays to see what God says about the topic. We will be in a 3 part series entitled “In God We Trust: 3 Thoughts about God and Money.” This week, we will look at 1 Chronicles 29 and see why the phrase “YOUR MONEY” is starred (*) above. Looking forward to worshipping with you all Sunday morning at 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00. See you there … and bring friends!

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On Sunday, March 5, 2023, at Wildwood Community Church, we celebrated the baptisms of 19 people. Join us in praising God for His work in people’s lives! Below you will find links to the video stream of the 3 worship services (NOTE: the 8:30 and 11:00 services only include the baptism portions, while the 9:45 service has the entire service). You will also find a link to the audio of the sermon (which was only preached at the 8:30 service due to time constraints in the later two hours). Also, you will find a link to only the baptism testimonies.

Video from the 8:30 Service (baptism portion):

Video from the 9:45 Service (full service):

Video from the 11:00 Service (baptism portion):

8:30 Sermon audio to listen to offline (click link):

Baptism Sunday 3.5.23

8:30 Sermon audio via online player:

https://pastormarkrobinson.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/20230305-0830_96kbs.mp3Vimeo Channel with baptism testimonies only:

March 2023 Baptism Testimonies

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On Sunday, March 5, 2023 at Wildwood Community Church, we will be celebrating the baptisms of 19 of our people! We will gather in our 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 worship service, sing praise to God, pray for our mission team that is going to serve in the Middle East over Spring Break, hear the testimonies and witness the water baptisms of 19 people, and even look at Acts 2:37-41 together. I can’t wait for this Sunday!!!!

As is our tradition on baptism Sundays, we will not have our adult/college/student/elementary classes meet (only our early childhood – Pre-K and below will be meeting.) The rest of us will be “all in” the worship center celebrating God’s faithfulness! Hope to see you Sunday in one of our morning services. See the graphic below to know who is being baptized in which service.

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On Sunday, February 26, 2023 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on 2 Corinthians 4:7-15. This message was part 5 in the “Mission: Brief” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find sermon audio and video to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read 2 Corinthians 4:7-15
3. In what way is the gift of the Gospel a “treasure?” In what way are our earthly lives like “jars of clay”?
4. What do you treasure most? Your “self” or your Savior? What is the evidence of this in the manner you live your life?
5. What are some examples you know in your own life or those close to you where people have walked with God through difficult times leading you and others to praise God for your seeing Him work through their experience?
6. When you think of planning for “the future” how far ahead do you think? To this lifetime only, or do you include eternity? How does what Paul says in 4:14-15 encourage you invest in others for Christ today?
7. What are some ways you can serve others in Jesus’ name THIS WEEK?
8. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here.

To listen offline, click the link to download:

Audio appears here when available

To listen online, use the media player below:

Audio appears here when available

To watch the stream, use YouTube online:

Video goes live at 9:45 at this link

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In a drawer in our kitchen sit a stack of clear plastic containers. Some are square, others are rectangles, and still others are circular. These “lidded” containers have grown in number over the years. Most were considered disposable by another, but have been kept by us for re-use.

They are basically worthless by themselves. If I tried to sell them on eBay, my guess is they would not even get an opening bid of $1 … for all of them. That said, they prove VERY USEFUL for my family. We store food inside them that ultimately is used to nourish our bodies. Their value is found NOT in what they are, but what is IN THEM.

I say this today, because in 2 Corinthians 4:7-15, the Apostle Paul says something quite striking. He compares our lives to plastic disposable lidded dishes. He indicates that (for the Christian) the most valuable thing in our lives IS NOT OUR LIVES. The most valuable thing about a Christian is CHRIST IN THEM THE HOPE OF GLORY.

God has placed His glorious gospel in our souls … a true treasure no doubt … even though our earthly lives are fragile and (in some sense) transient. In his words, “this treasure is found in earthen vessels.” Earthen vessels were the cheap tupperware of the ancient world. Paul’s point was clear … compared to God’s glory, our lives are not that spectacular – a mere container for His true treasure.

This is a perspective that is all but lost today. We live in an era that champions the individual human life above all else. The most important thing is WHAT I WANT. A post-enlightenment, post-modern perversion that sees the world as a hierarchy with ME on top. To people living in this world, enduring persecution and suffering and hardship for Jesus Christ so that others might come to know Christ is pure lunacy. Yet this is what Paul says our lives are all about!

Instead of seeing our comfort and desires as ultimate, Paul sees the glory of God as the true treasure … a treasure we should sacrifice all to both possess and share.

Human lives matter — for sure. We are created in the image of God and Jesus came to die for us! However, human lives are not ultimate. Your comfort is not ultimate. There is a greater Treasure designed to fill your bowl … and when this Treasure fills your heart, it nourishes for all time.

This Sunday at Wildwood Community Church in part 5 of our “Mission: Brief” sermon series, we will look at 2 Corinthians 4:7-15 together. Make plans to be with us in our 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 … and bring friends!

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On Sunday, February 19, 2023 at Wildwood Community Church I preached a message on 2 Corinthians 4:1-6. This message was part 4 of the “Mission: Brief” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find the audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read 2 Corinthians 4:1-6
3. How would you assess your current involvement in ministry/service to Jesus? Are you serving? Used to serve (but don’t currently)? Never really served in Jesus’ name?
4. What does Paul say in 4:1 that encourages you to “get in” or “stay in” the game?
5. What examples have you seen (either friends, yourself, or public figures) where Christians have taken shortcuts or tampered with God’s Word in some way to be more “relevant” or to serve themselves in some way?
6. The minds of the perishing are veiled to the truth. How does this impact the way you criticize AND pray for the lost?
7. Have you given yourself to Jesus as your LORD and Savior? Tell the story of how God opened your eyes to see the truth of the Gospel (Acts 26:18).
8. How can you serve others in Jesus name (in word and deed) this week?
9. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here.

To listen offline, click the link to download:

Audio appears here when available.

To listen online, use media player below:

Audio appears here when available

To watch the service use YouTube online:

Video goes live at 9:45AM Sunday at this link

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Have you ever wanted to quit the ministry? I say this to both the vocational and lay minister. The past couple of years have seen an alarming number of Pastors and missionaries leave the field … but also communities are dotted with people who once served weekly who now sit on the sidelines.

What happened? Why does our serving flame blow out? How can we run a marathon in ministry and not just a sprint? How can we avoid being an evangelist at 18 but a jaded cynic at 80?

Well in 2 Corinthians 4:1, the Apostle Paul says “we don’t quit.” Certainly Paul had reasons to quit. He had been beaten up, slandered, and belittled by many. And not just Paul. He says “WE don’t quit” in part referring to his traveling mates (Timothy, Titus, etc.) but also in reference to all clear thinking Christians.

How can we have a “we don’t quit” kind of ministry? Well, Paul develops this idea over a long section of Scripture (one we will be looking at over a number of weeks ahead at Wildwood), but he begins his explanation in 4:1-6 by clarifying his understanding of the ministry.

The glory of Paul’s gospel did not fade … and neither did His Savior. Paul’s privilege was to point people to Jesus. It is our privilege as well. With an unfading glory and a steadfast Savior, we remain faithful in His service.

This Sunday at Wildwood Community Church we will look at 2 Corinthians 4:1-6 in part 4 of our “Mission: Brief” sermon series. Hope you can make it to our 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 service. Let’s run this marathon together to the glory of God!

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On Sunday, February 12, 2023 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on 2 Corinthians 3:4-18. This message was part 3 of the “Mission: Brief” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find the audio & video of this message to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read 2 Corinthians 3:4-18
3. What kinds of things do you think people tend to rely on to “qualify” themselves for ministry? What does this passage tells us about how someone is made sufficient for serving others in Jesus’ name?
4. The New Covenant (in Christ) is compared to the Old Covenant (Law of Moses) in this passage. What differences did you notice between the two?
5. The Christian life is a life of following Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit that leads to a transformation (or sanctification) of our lives. We are being transformed into His image “from glory to glory.” What are some ways that you have seen Jesus change your life in the past? What are some ways you hope He changes your life in the future?
6. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here.

To listen offline, click link below:

Audio appears here when available

To listen online, use media player below:

Audio appears here when available

To watch the service, use YouTube online:

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Over the years, I have preached many sermons, led many Bible studies, and shared many talks about faith with various groups of people. At this point, it is hard to remember all the longer series of messages … much less a single sermon, but I certainly remember one message I gave about 22 years ago.

To be honest, I don’t remember the passage of Scripture I was teaching, the main points of the message, or the details of any application. But I DO REMEMBER ONE THING: a piece of feedback I got after I finished the message.

A dear brother in the Lord came up to me after I finished and said, “Mark, interesting talk today, but help me out here … how is what you were teaching today ANY DIFFERENT from what a Muslim or Hindu or any teacher of another religion might say?”

This comment floored me. It causes me to still shake a bit in my boots. I certainly was not AIMING FOR Universalist Therapeutic Deism, I thought I was speaking “Christian.” Upon further examination, though, I found the punch of this comment landed squarely on the jaw of my message.

Though I had based the message on a New Testament text, I had not infused it with New Covenant Life. Like every other religion, I was saying, “DO, DO, DO” without regard for what Jesus has “DONE, DONE, DONE” and what the Spirit was “DOING, DOING, DOING.”

From that day onward, I have always tried to run the messages I preach through a New Covenant Gospel lens … to share anything else would be to serve Corn Flakes to dinner guests when Filet Mignon is perfectly prepared in the cooker.

The true Christian life is not like anything else. As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 3:4-18, it is gracious (based on God’s power), glorious (revealing God’s character), and generous (ushering us boldly into a state of freedom to live the life we have been called to live.)

This Sunday morning at Wildwood, I hope to share the gracious, glorious, generous HOPE of the Christ-exalting, Spirit-infused Christian life in part 3 of our “Mission: Brief” sermon series. Hope to see you in our 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 service as we worship and share communion together. See you then, and bring friends!

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On Sunday, February 5, 2023 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on 2 Corinthians 2:17 – 3:3. This message was part 2 in the Mission: Brief sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find the audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download, or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read 2 Corinthians 2:17-3:3
3. Before you listened to the message this morning, how might you have answered the question, “What does your pastor most desire to see happen in your church?”
4. The Apostle Paul was unwilling to water down the Gospel message because he knew that the Corinthians needed the full (and real) Jesus, not some version of Jesus that Paul manipulated in his head. What are some ways you sense people and ministry leaders today try to water down the truth of the Gospel to better fit in with our culture or to benefit them in some way?
5. What are some of the ways you have seen Jesus change your life over your time following Him? What are some areas you are hoping for continued transformation in the year ahead?
6. Who is someone who Jesus has used to impact your life significantly? How has God used them in your life? Have you ever let them know the difference they have made in your life?
7. Who is someone who Jesus has laid upon your heart to pour into in this season of your life?
8. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

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A couple of weeks ago I celebrated my 22nd year on staff at Wildwood Community Church. It is really hard to believe it has been that many years. If someone were to ask me what has “happened” during my time here, I could mark my experience many ways:

I could count the years by “title.” For 5 years I served as the College Pastor, for 10 years I served as the Executive Pastor, and for the past 7 years, I have served as the Senior Pastor. This would be one way to remember the time.

Or …

I could think about different big projects we have worked on over this span. Watching the development of the “new” worship center, overseeing the construction of a children’s ministry building, or cheering on the mobilization of additional dollars toward outreach (locally and globally). Each of these projects marked an era of our church’s history.

Or …

I could think of different programs designed for service, training, or community that have launched in different eras over the past 2+ decades. This is another way to count each season.

But, at the end of the day, for the right thinking minister, the target is not titles or buildings or programs. These things are a part of ministry, but the growth of such things is NOT the definition of a healthy church or an effective minister.

So what should we be aiming at? Well, the true target in ministry is to glorify God by seeing lives transformed in Christ. That is our mission … that is our hope.

To say it another way, if 20 years of ministry produced bigger buildings, loftier titles, and new programs – BUT NO LIVES WERE CHANGED … well then, we would be spinning our wheels. Ministers are not in the “org chart” business, or real estate, or instructional designers.

No … we are pens. Dipped in the inkwell of the Spirit, we long to see God use us to write Jesus’ Word on the hearts of people in a transformative way. This is what I have hoped for over 20 years in ministry … it is what I hope for in the years that lie ahead. If no lives have been changed than I wasted a lot of people’s time, trust, and treasure.

This idea of transformation is at the heart of Paul’s “Mission: Brief” in 2 Corinthians 2:17 – 3:3. This Sunday at Wildwood, in part 2 of our series, we will look at these verses together as we talk about the target of life change in ministry.

Jesus is in the business of changing lives. Is He changing yours? Join us Sunday in our 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 services as we talk more about this. Hope to see you there … and bring friends!

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On Sunday, January 29, 2023 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on 2 Corinthians 2:12-17. This message was the first in the “Mission: Brief” series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find the audio/video of the sermon to listen to/watch, download, or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read 2 Corinthians 2:12-17
3. Have you ever heard anyone describe the Christian life as a pursuit to “healthy, wealthy, and happy”? What do you think is missing from this description?
4. What are some of the challenges you are currently facing “‘round the clock” of your life?
5. Paul describes a perspective that allows him to ‘round the clock and ‘round the world give thanks to God … it is the perspective of a triumphal procession. To the best of your understanding, what do you think Paul is trying to tell us with the example of the “triumph” Christ is leading us through “always” and “everywhere”?
6. What are some ways you have sensed the “aroma of Christ” in the midst of the struggles or suffering of someone who was following Jesus?
7. How might God be glorified through your life as you follow Christ through your current challenges?
8. Your purpose in this life is to glorify God by spreading a knowledge of Christ throughout this world. How are you living that reality out in your current context? What might need to change as you live into this purpose?
9. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

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There is a lot of misunderstanding around the Christian life. For some reason, some insist that being a Christian (at least a “good” Christian) means that we will have good health, lots of stuff, and a favored position. So this version of Christianity goes: Jesus wants you healthy, wealthy, and happy – and if we are doing “it” right, we should experience all three.This picture works sort-of, and some-times, and in the lives of some people. Examples will be shared of people who are on a “biblical diet” who are not sick; Christians who increased their tithe and then saw their business boom; and people who shared the Gospel and their entire network trusted Jesus and celebrated.This is, some would argue, the triumphant Christian life.But there is something that doesn’t seem right about this assessment. The physically healthy Christian eventually gets sick and dies. The world is full of godly believers in Jesus Christ who live below the poverty line or have “less” than their non-Christian neighbor. And even the celebrated evangelist finds their message rejected in some audiences … sometimes with people even “shooting” the messenger.How do we square these realities? Doesn’t Jesus “always lead us in triumphal procession in Christ?” If I am doing the Christian life right, why can’t I expect to be healthy, wealthy, and happy?Well, if you have ever had any questions like this … come to Wildwood Community Church on Sunday, January 29. I will be preaching in our 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 worship services in part 1 of a series entitled “Mission: Brief.” We need to accurately understand the mission Jesus is taking us on as we follow Him. In fact, He IS leading us in triumphal procession (as we will see this week in 2 Corinthians 2:12-17)… but the parade may be a bit different than you have been led to believe: in the most important ways, it is way better, just maybe with a few more bumps in the road than we previously knew.After all, what should we expect when we follow a crucified King? A resurrection – YES … but not before carrying our cross up a meaningful hill. See you Sunday … and bring friends!

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On Sunday, January 22, 2023 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on 2 Corinthians 2:5-11. This message was part 3 of the “Mission: Prep” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find audio and video from the message to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read 2 Corinthians 2:5-11
3. When was the last time you really felt like you needed the forgiveness of another? When was the last time you forgave someone? For you is it harder to forgive or to be forgiven?
4. Satan’s desire to divide and devour the church through our attitudes toward sin was detailed in the message. One extreme is to avoid confronting known/public sin. Another extreme is to never forgive a repentant sinner. Do you find yourself personally falling more into one of these two ditches (either to licentiousness or judgmentalism)?
5. Have you ever experienced a sin in a church or even small group you were a part of that caused pain to a large portion of the church? How was that sin handled? Was it handled at all?
6. Is there someone you may need to lovingly confront about a sin issue this week?
7. If someone repents, are you willing to forgive them? How does the example of Jesus compel you in this conversation about forgiving one another?
8. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

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Forgiveness. We all want to be the recipient of it … after all, “all have sinned and fall short …” At the macro level, we have sinned against God, we have fallen short of His glory, and thus all right-thinking people understand our need for His forgiveness, mercy and grace. But even at the micro level, we need to be forgiven. Not only have we sinned against God, but we also sin against people created in God’s image. So many times we are in need of the forgiveness of another.

We all want to be the recipient of forgiveness – from God (unto salvation), and from others (unto peace and reconciliation). We all want to be a part of a faith community that celebrates the forgiveness we have from God and practices this forgiveness to us. But what about when we are the one who has been offended? What about when we are the one being asked “will you forgive me for the harm I caused TO YOU?” Well, that is a bit more difficult, isn’t it? We want to receive forgiveness freely, but to grant forgiveness conditionally.

Movies give us models of Avengers who “right the wrongs” or vigilantes who dish out payback … but where are the models of forgiveness in our world today? Well, these models should be in the church. After all, all true church members understand that they have been forgiven MUCH by God, therefore, they should be the first to extend forgiveness to others … but ARE churches places of forgiveness? Reviews are mixed.

What is clear, though, is that on the pages of the New Testament we see amazing examples of forgiveness. The chief example, or course, is God our Father forgiving us in Christ. However, there are also other examples of the followers of Jesus forgiving one another in light of what Jesus has done. One of those examples is found in 2 Corinthians 2:5-11.

Apparently a man had done some pretty hurtful and damaging things to the Apostle Paul … things that required the church to act to protect the reputation and integrity of the local church. It is even possible that the man who had hurt Paul was asked to leave the fellowship of believers in Corinth for a time. At some point in the midst of this discipline, the offending party apparently repented of their sin. Though the church in Corinth eventually disciplined the man in his sin, how would they treat him in his repentance? And what was Paul’s stance on the matter (since he was the one in the crosshairs of the abuse in the first place)?

This is the situation we will be looking at in part 3 of our “Mission: Prep” series this Sunday at Wildwood Community Church in our 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 services. We will be looking at how we should respond to a repentant brother or sister in Christ who sin against us … at the corporate church level. Two weeks ago, we saw that the “comforted comfort.” This week we will see that the “forgiven forgive.” Part of our preparation for the mission is to practice forgiveness as a church assembly.

Hope to see you Sunday for worship, communion, and study of God’s Word. See you there … and bring friends!

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On Sunday, January 15, 2023 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on 2 Corinthians 1:12 – 2:4. This message was part 2 in the “Mission: Prep” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read 2 Corinthians 1:12 – 2:4
3. Have you ever “rejected a message” because of the “messenger”? Describe that event and see if you can determine what contributed to your rejection.
4. Have you ever been misunderstood (as you were serving/ministering to someone else)? Have you ever misunderstood someone else as they were serving/ministering to you?
5. Paul argued that if you checked his heart you would see that his motivations were pure in his actions toward the Corinthians. Think of your own times of ministering to/serving others. How pure are your motives as you serve others? If challenged (and your heart was laid open) would your motives stand up under inspection?
6. Why does personal integrity matter so much for someone who ministers in Jesus name (according to the verses we read today)?
7. What is an area of personal integrity that you need to improve in the days ahead?
8. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

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In this day and age, many people are “deconstructing” their faith. Entire podcasts (garnering huge audiences) are detailing the negative impact that abusive church leadership has had on the faith of a generation. Almost every day you can open a newspaper or scan social media and find evidence of another awful situation that has played out in a church.

We must first admit that though we have a perfect God and an amazing Savior, the church is an imperfect place, because it is made up of sinful people like you and me. Everything from grievous sins and abuses (on one end of the spectrum) to unwise decision-making (on the other) can creep into churches and impact their congregants in profound ways.

But why are the decisions of church leaders and their responses to these sinful situations so impactful on their congregants? And why should church leaders be held to such a high moral and ethical standard (if all sin and fall short of the glory of God)? This is the subject of 2 Corinthians 1:12 – 2:4. In these verses, the Apostle Paul addresses a few complaints he has received from the Corinthian Church … complaints that apparently led some in Corinth to believe that Paul was unfit to be an Apostle or a spiritual leader. Some Corinthians were complaining that Paul was flaky, non-committal, hard to understand, too worldly, and too harsh. That is quite a string of accusations against the man who God used to write half of the New Testament!

Rather than just ignoring these criticisms, or squishing the Corinthians with his apostolic authority, Paul was compelled to lovingly and pastorally address them. Why? Because if people could not trust the messenger, why would they trust his Message? So Paul addresses their concerns over 16 verses … the same 16 verses we are going to be looking at in our sermon this Sunday at Wildwood Community Church.

As we continue to talk about how God is preparing us for the mission He has called us to (in part two of our “Mission: Prep” series), we will see the importance of integrity and motivation in our connections with others. Hope to see you Sunday at 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 … and bring friends!

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On Sunday, January 8, 2023 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on 2 Corinthians 1:1-11. This message was part 1 in the “Mission: Prep” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to this message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find the sermon audio/video to listen to/watch, download, or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read 2 Corinthians 1:1-11
3. Do you have an example from your life where a time of “loss” prepared you to help someone else in the future?
4. Paul talks about the people in Corinth as “the church of God” and “saints.” Given what we know of their struggles and behavior (from 1 Corinthians) how does this help you understand the grace of God toward you and me (who also have lots of struggles)?
5. What are some examples of general affliction you are experiencing right now … or even “suffering” right now you might be experiencing because of your connection with Jesus Christ? What are some ways “the Father of mercy and all comfort” is caring for you in this season of your life?
6. How are you relying upon the “God of reality” not just the God of a textbook of theology today in the midst of your struggles?
7. Who in your life is struggling right now that God may want to use you to administer comfort (through your presence, encouragement, and prayer)? What is one thing you can do this week for this person to encourage them?
8. Using 2 Corinthians 1:8-11 as a model, take some time praying for a brother or sister in Christ the the Lord has laid on your heart (who is experiencing difficulty). After you pray for them, send them a note of encouragement today, letting them know you are praying for them.
9. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

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What is the difference between “money lost” and “tuition paid”?

I am not sure where I first heard this analogy, but it is not original to me. It contrasts money that is flushed down the drain, and a payment that is made to learn something new. In my life, I have paid tuition at the University of Oklahoma for my undergrad, and at Dallas Theological Seminary for both my Masters and Doctoral degrees. In total, tens of thousands of dollars were invested in tuition at these institutions … but that money was not “lost.” My experiences both places helped grow me more into the person I am today.

So to summarize, when we “pay tuition” we may lose money, but we gain an education/“preparation for future impact” in return.

The point of the comparison, though, is not simply to reflect on formalized education. The point of the comparison is that in life, we often learn a lot through painful experiences. Painful and costly experiences can actually prepare us for something more.

While I don’t remember where I first heard the “tuition vs. loss” analogy, I DO remember where I learned that “experience prepares us for service.” I learned that from 2 Corinthians 1:1-11. In these verses, the Apostle Paul writes to his friends at the church in Corinth and instructs them that when we go through difficult circumstances … when we suffer … when we experience “loss” … the God of ALL COMFORT comes to us and comforts us. Not only does He comfort us, but He has designed His comfort to be portable – that we might share it with others going through similar circumstances.

The suffering we go through is not loss, but tuition. The comfort we receive is not intended to be only for us, but to flow through us into the lives of others.

God is not a God who is distant and uncaring. He is the Father of all comfort and mercy, and He comes near to the brokenhearted and the hurting. He did so in the time of the Bible, and He will do so today.

This Sunday at Wildwood, we will begin a year long study of the book of 2 Corinthians. This study will help us understand the Mission we are on … and who is in Control of that mission. From January 8-22, we will kick off this study looking at “Mission: Prep,” how God prepares us for the Mission He wants to work through us in the world. This preparation involves a calibration of our motivations and attitudes, a willingness to extend forgiveness to those who have hurt us, and (in this week’s message) how God prepares us to comfort others through the comfort He gives to us in the midst of our troubles. We will be in part 1 this week looking at 2 Corinthians 1:1-11. Hope to see you there in our 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 service … and bring friends!

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On Sunday, January 1, 2023 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on John 14-16. This message was part 7 in the “God with us” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find the audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download, or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. As you end this Christmas season, what are you sad to “pack up”? Is there anything God taught you this season that you want to “keep out” the rest of the year?
3. The Holy Spirit inside us is a wonderful promise that Jesus makes to His followers as He ascends to heaven. Have you ever felt like an “orphan” or alone in this world? How does this promise encourage you today?
4. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, the Spirit of God is in you and with you as you enter your home, school, work, neighborhood, etc. How might God want to use you in those environments this year?
5. In the year ahead, make a commitment to begin your bible study with a simple prayer asking the Spirit of Truth to guide you into a correct understanding of what you are reading. What role has prayer played in your Bible study in the past?
6. How does knowing the Spirit is in you encourage you to faithfully share witness of Jesus to those around you who do not know Him?
7. The Spirit empowers us toward obedience. What area of your spiritual life/moral life would you like to grow in obedience to Jesus more in the year ahead?
8. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here.

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Christmas 2022 has come and gone. A festive season of special decorations, holiday lights, and gift giving has all been unwrapped. So what do we do in the days between Christmas and New Year’s?

Many of us spend (at least part of) the week taking ornaments down, unstringing lights, and storing away the wrapping paper. Has anyone else’s week looked similar?

If you are like me, there is a sadness that comes when the decorations come down — knowing it is 11 months before you see them again. While it is a bit sad to see a Christmas tree still up in February, it is also sad that these overt expressions of our faith, hope, and love remain in boxes for extended periods of time. Is there anything of Christmas we can leave up all year?

This past Advent season at Wildwood Community Church we have been studying the phrase “God with us.” Looking to prophecy from the book of Isaiah, and Gospel truth from Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, we have celebrated that Jesus Christ is (in fact) our Immanuel (a Hebrew word meaning “God with us”). Jesus, being fully God (the second member of the Trinity), came to the earth to reveal God to us, to rescue us from our sin and its consequences, and to inaugurate a new operating system (new covenant) to govern the relationship between God and man. It has been great to explore these amazing Scriptures together as a church family in daily devotionals, songs, and sermons. Now that the season is over though, I want to encourage you to not box your spiritual life up for another 11 months. After all, “God with us” does not stop with Jesus’ birth!

At the end of Jesus earthly life, knowing he was just a day or two away from going to the cross to die, Jesus began talking with His disciples about what would happen next. Though Jesus would be ascending to heaven, He would not leave them … He would not leave US … as orphans in this world. But, He would send the Holy Spirit to be with us … to be IN US.

This Sunday at Wildwood, we will have two Sunday services – one at 9:45AM and one at 11:00AM. We will be “all in” the worship services on this day as our children, student, and adult classes will not be meeting. As we gather to start the new year as a church family we will be looking at what it means that “God STILL with us.” Hope to see you there in the new year … and bring friends!

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On Sunday, December 25, 2022 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Isaiah 9:1-7. This message was part 6 of the “God with us” series. Below you will find questions related to the sermon for group discussion or personal reflection. You will also find audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download, or share.

NOTE: The “God with us” Daily devotional book ends today … but the entire devotional is available for download at this link.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Isaiah 9:1-7
3. Make a list of everything you have done to celebrate Christmas this year? Anything new that you added this Christmas season? Anything missing?
4. In Isaiah 9:1-3, we see God replace “gloom” with “glory.” What are some reasons for “gloom” in your world this year? What would it look like for God to trade those gloomy things for glory? If you KNEW God would replace your gloom with glory, what kind of celebration would you want to throw?
5. In Jesus, God has done SO MUCH for us! And, when Jesus comes again, EVEN MORE blessing will flow in the direction of those who are trusting in Him. Because of these reasons, it is absolutely appropriate for us to celebrate Jesus and MAKE MUCH OF HIM this Christmas season and always. Make a Christmas list … this one a list of things that Jesus has done or will do for you. How does looking at THAT LIST inspire you to worship Him more this year?
6. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

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Each nativity set in our house is arranged similarly. All the pieces are crowded together around the baby Jesus . . . as they should be. After all, Jesus was at the center of it all that first Christmas night. However, what is sometimes lost in nativity sets is how those pieces ARRIVED at the manger scene. Unlike the pieces that adorn our mantles, the participants at the first Advent did not all come out of the same box.

Most nativity scenes include 3 “wise men” or “magi.” Sometimes they are riding on camels and most every time they are carrying three neatly wrapped gifts. They are often painted the same color as the other pieces in the set. In our nativity scenes, they look like they totally belong. However, those familiar with first century Jewish culture would have been quite surprised at their inclusion in the story.

By the first century, the Magi were considered to be more “wise guys” than truly wise. The Magi were an ancient order of star-gazers from Babylon who made a living interpreting dreams and foretelling the future. While there were certainly some honest men among them, their reputation had deteriorated toward “snake oil salesmen” – people who would tell you what you wanted to hear just as long as they could make a buck. Most people did not view them as honorable, and certainly, no one viewed them as godly. Metaphorically, these Gentile heathens were about as far away from the birth of the Jewish Savior as you could possibly be. The Christmas song, “We Three Kings” talks about them traveling far to see Jesus, but their distance was even further spiritually than physically. For the wise men to look the part in our nativity sets, we should paint them contrasting colors and place them at the beginning of December in the garage while the rest of the pieces nestle together in the living room.

Yet in God’s mercy, those who were far off are brought near by the birth of Jesus. Further, they were brought near INTENTIONALLY. The Magi made it to the manger at the end of a very long and well thought out plan:

• 1400 years before the birth of Jesus, Balaam issued a prophecy about a star rising for the Messiah. This led Jews to a belief that a real star would one day be a sign that Messiah had arrived.
• 700 years before the birth of Jesus, Micah prophesied that the Messiah would be born in the little town of Bethlehem.
• 600 years before the birth of Jesus, the Jews were taken captive by the Babylonians. The Babylonian foreign policy of the time was to take the best and brightest people of the lands they conquered back to Babylon to work for the improvement of their culture.
• One of the Jews exported to Babylon in this captivity was Daniel. After demonstrating his ability to interpret dreams, Nebuchadnezzar promoted Daniel to become the overseer of (you guessed it) the Magi – see Daniel 2:48. Daniel would have been in a position to influence this group with his understanding of Jewish prophecy, which would have included the idea that one day the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem and a star would mark his arrival. This story was passed on from generation to generation of Magi until the birth of Jesus.
• At the time of Jesus’ birth, God sends a special star in the sky to guide the Magi from Babylon/Persia to Israel to see the newborn king (see Matthew 2:1-12).

For 1,400 years, God had prepared a plan to invite those who were far off to come near and into a relationship with Himself. The night Jesus was born, the star rising in the sky made sense to the Magi because of years of divine planning. The pieces that began in the garage were brought into the living room by God’s grace.

Contrast the response of the Gentile Magi with the response of the Jewish religious elite. In Matthew 2:1-12, we see the chief priests and scribes correctly answer the question, “where will the Messiah be born?” BUT, they do not do anything with that knowledge. Though the Savior of the world was right down the road from them, they were too busy or preoccupied to go check Him out! The absurdity of the Jewish leaders’ actions might be best reconstructed in script form:

• HEROD: Hey Jewish religious leaders . . . there are some Magi out here who have traveled hundreds of miles over hard terrain following a special brand new star that they believe is leading them to see where the Savior of the world was born. Do you know where the Savior of the world is supposed to be born?
• RELIGIOUS LEADERS: Yeah, the Savior will be born in Bethlehem. The town directly underneath that brand new and bright shining star.
• HEROD: Oh really? Should we go check it out?
• RELIGIOUS LEADERS: Nope. Can you pass the pretzels? We are busy watching some paint dry.

The religious leaders of Israel WERE in the same box as Jesus. They were painted with the same colors. They did look like they belonged in the same room . . . however, the story of Matthew 2 shows us that sometimes those who look near are really VERY FAR away spiritually.

The contrast between the Magi and the Scribes and Priests is shocking. Those who were far are brought near while those who looked near are revealed to be very far away. The implications of this are extremely important to us at Christmas time.

Are you someone who is currently very far away from the Savior? Someone who is painted a totally different color than most church people? Maybe your life is marked by addiction, abuse, or sensuality. Maybe you are known by your peers for your marginalized business ethics or immoral lifestyle. Maybe you even follow another religion and do not own a Bible. Because of the sin in your life, you appear to be in another zip code compared to Jesus, much less in the same room. This Christmas, are you someone who is far from Him?

Or, are you someone who has grown up inside the church. You were dedicated at First Baptist Church, confirmed in the Catholic Church, and attend a non-denominational church . . . you just want to make sure your bases are covered! Do you have multiple bibles in your house, never miss a History channel documentary about the historical Jesus, and have a set of Jimmy Stewart “It’s a Wonderful Life” morals. Do you realize that it is possible to have all these things . . . to look like you belong . . . yet to never really have begun a real relationship with God?

The beauty of the Christmas story is that there is hope . . . for people who are both FAR AND NEAR. If you feel very far away from the Savior today, know that God has been working since the foundation of the world to get the message of salvation to you. The combination of the life of Christ, the preservation of God’s Word, the sending of the Holy Spirit, and your network of friends, family, and opportunities have served as a “star” to invite you to the manger this Christmas. The same set of signs have also been shared with those who are “near” the church. The big question is: will you (like the Magi) follow the signs God has given and worship the Savior this year, or will you simply enjoy some pretzels and ignore the real reason for this season (like the Jewish religious leaders)?

To those who are far or near, Jesus is the “good news of great joy for all the people.” He is our Savior, so come let us adore Him.

This devo is a part of the 2022 Wildwood Christmas Daily Devotional, “God with us.” You can find the entire Christmas Devotional here.

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On Saturday, December 24, 2022 at Wildwood Community Church, we have 3 identical worship services – one at 4PM, 5PM, and 6PM. These services are filled with Scripture reading, short reflections, Christmas carols and candlelight. We hope to see you in one of these services. Additionally, the 4PM service will be livestreamed at wildwoodchurch.org/live.

Also, on Christmas Day, December 25, 2022 at 9:45AM, we will have one worship service. This service will be filled with Christmas carols and a sermon I will preach from Isaiah 9:1-7 (“Unto us a child is born! Unto us a Son is Given! The government will be upon His shoulders, and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace!”) Make plans to join us both Saturday night AND Sunday morning at Wildwood Community Church. As always, our 9:45 service will also be livestreamed.

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Imagine that you were the shepherds that first Christmas night. You were gathered out on the hillsides surrounding Bethlehem watching your livestock. You were bundled up to keep warm. Having never been a rancher or taken care of any animal larger than a Beagle, I have a hard time imagining what they were doing. My best guess is that they were sitting by the fire . . . maybe singing a song.

As the they sat there, these shepherds saw an impressive sight. It is hard for me to imagine what shepherds were doing on that Christmas night, but it was even harder for the shepherds to imagine the sight they were getting ready to behold. Out of no where angels appeared in the sky singing a new song. They were singing “Gloria in Excelies Deo!” For me today, it is easy to imagine the shepherds seeing the angels . . . this is a story I have heard since I was born . . . but for the shepherds, this was a very “out of the ordinary” situation. It was not normal for them to see angels on the hillside. This was a unique event! The angels told the shepherds to go to Bethlehem and see a baby which was the Savior of the world.

The shepherds quickly took off for Bethlehem. Can you imagine the conversation they may have had with each other all the way to the stable? “I wonder what He looks like? What could this all mean? I wonder if everyone got this same announcement . . . if so, I wonder how long we will have to wait in line?!?” The questions would have no doubt fired back and forth throughout their walk/run to the manger.

Upon arriving on the scene, however, I am sure the shepherds were probably scratching their heads a bit. There was no line outside the stable filled with government and religious dignitaries and local celebrities. Upon entering the stable, the place smelled more like a barn full of animals than the temple incense. As they approached the baby in the manger, no halo circled His head, and the child was probably crying for His mother to give Him more milk. While the text does not say it, I am guessing that the shepherds were probably wondering (either aloud or to each other) if they had heard the angels correctly. Given the disparity between what they saw and what they had heard, these old school cowboys were placed in a spot that is very familiar to us . . . they were being asked to take God at His Word.

I walk through this story today because many times as I read the Christmas story I think, if only all people could see what the shepherds saw then all people would believe that Jesus is the Savior of the world. To my old way of thinking, the shepherds, based on what they had seen, would not have needed a lot of faith to believe in Jesus as their Savior. The reality, though, is that I still think it took LOTS OF FAITH for the shepherds to believe. In fact, they did not have some of the benefits that we have.

When the shepherds saw Jesus in Bethlehem, they had never heard Jesus preach; they had never seen Him work miracles; they had never imagined the cross; they had never conceived the empty tomb. While they had an angel declaration, there were many facts of the story that they did not have. Based on what they knew, they were asked to take God at His Word (through the angels) and trust Him with the rest. As people today, we have record of His preaching, miracles, death and resurrection. We have the testimony of 2,000 years of Church History, and the corroborating evidence of ancient historians. Given that, however, we have never seen Jesus face to face, and angels have not visited us on hillsides. Based on what we know, however, we are asked to take God at His Word (through the Bible) and trust Him with the rest. When we do this, great blessings come our way.

The Apostle Peter wrote a letter to the first generation of Christians who were growing up in our present reality . . . people who had the testimony of eye-witnesses and the Scripture, but had not physically seen Jesus. To this group (to us) Peter writes in 1 Peter 1:8-9, “Though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” Peter celebrates the faith of those who have not seen Jesus, but still love and believe in Him. This verse of Scripture is talking to you and me!

1 Peter 1:8-9 further indicates that when we believe in Jesus based on what we know (but have not seen), we reap the same benefits that His first followers experienced, “an inexpressible joy” (“Good news of Great Joy”) and “the salvation of our souls” (“a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord”).

At first glance, it appears that we have very little in common with the shepherds that first Christmas night, but in the end, we have something big in common . . . we are both being asked to embrace by faith that the child born in Bethlehem is our Savior, Christ the Lord. Upon hearing this announcement this Christmas will you run to the manger as the shepherds did? Will you believe in Him based on what you know and trust Him for the things that are harder for you to understand? If you will, then joy and salvation await. Those are two Christmas gifts that are on everyone’s list.

This devo is a part of the 2022 Wildwood Christmas Daily Devotional, “God with us.” You can find the entire Christmas Devotional here.

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A “manger” is an animal’s feeding trough. After Jesus’ birth, Mary and Joseph placed Him in one such trough. This reality is sung about in the song “Away in a Manger.” This fact is so commonplace to us since the Christmas story is so familiar. However, have you ever stopped to wonder exactly WHY God had Jesus placed in a manger that first Christmas day?

While certainly the repurposed manger helped symbolize the humility of Jesus, Luke 2:12 gives us the specific reason for the trough. “And this will be a sign for you, you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloth and lying in the manger.” These words (spoken by the Angels to the shepherds, inviting them to visit Jesus after His birth) indicate that the manger crib was the sign to let the shepherds know which baby Jesus was. In others words, there were other babies in Bethlehem that night, but only one was wrapped in cloth and lying in an animal’s feeding trough. That One was Jesus.

Since every Jewish mom would wrap their child in cloths, it was the manger that highlighted Jesus’ identity as the Son of God. The Angels basically used the manger as a spotlight. The shepherds would go house to house until they found the baby in the feeding trough. When they found THAT child, they would worship Him.

I think it is important to reflect on the BED Jesus lay in being the distinguishing factor as to His identity. This lets us know that He otherwise LOOKED like a normal child. He was not glowing in holiness . . . He looked normal. He was not talking in perfect language . . . He sounded like a normal baby (meaning He probably was crying, despite what the lyrics of the Christmas Carol might suggest). Everything about Jesus looked normal, so the Angels could not identify Jesus to the shepherds through His physical appearance. So they described the bed He lay in.

Friends, this simple point helps remind us that the Son of God really did become the Son of Man. Jesus really did become fully human, identifying down to all the sights and sounds of “normal.” This reminds us that, “For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:15-16)” Jesus knows what it means to live a normal human life. He lived a “normal” human life in every way . . . except that He did not sin. Therefore, He can help us and forgive us as we deal with the sin in our own life as well!

As you sing “Away in a Manger” this Christmas season, be reminded that Jesus’ bed (not His body) revealed His uniqueness that first Christmas night. He knows normal, and so He can help normal people – like you and me.

This devo is a part of the 2022 Wildwood Christmas Daily Devotional, “God with us.” You can find the entire Christmas Devotional here.

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Football is the ultimate team game. It takes 11 men on each down to make a play work. This sounds like coach-speak, but it is actually gospel truth. For instance, if the quarterback drops back to throw a deep pass to the wide receiver, everyone must do their part for the play to work. If any member of the offensive line does not make their block, the quarterback does not have time to throw the pass. If the running back does not pick up the blitzing linebacker, the quarterback will be sacked. If the other wide receivers (the ones not being thrown the ball) do not run their routes, the intended receiver will be double-covered. If the quarterback does not throw the ball on target the receiver does not have a chance to catch it. If the receiver does not catch the ball, the play is a failure. Everyone must do his job for a single play to work. This makes football the ultimate team game.

Even when a play is not “about them” everyone must do their part in order for the play to work. This is different than other sports. On a baseball team, the right fielder does nothing on a routine ground ball to the short stop. On a basketball team (while a very good team game), a great player can score lots of points playing a “one-on-one” kind of game. Only in football must everyone participate in order for the play to work.

I was thinking about this today as I was reflecting on the Christmas story . . . particularly the part of Jesus being born in Bethlehem. The fact that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem was promised by God through the prophet Micah in Micah 5:2, “But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah. From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity.” In light of our analogy here, Micah 5:2 is like a play that God was calling in the “huddle” with Israel 700 years before the birth of Christ. As Israel broke the huddle though, and prepared for the play, it would take millions of people in motion to pull off this “play” for the team.

Mary and Joseph did not live in Bethlehem. They lived in Nazareth. Nazareth was a small town about 70 miles from Bethlehem. In a world without planes, trains, or automobiles, it was certainly not likely that Mary would give birth in Bethlehem. So, in order for God’s play to unfold, everyone had to do his or her part to get Mary to Bethlehem. Luke 2:1 tells us that Caesar Augustus issued a decree for a census to be taken. In order for all the people who lived in the Roman Empire to be counted, Caesar wanted everyone to travel to their ancestral home. While Caesar did not do this intending to see the Messiah born in the proper town, God used Caesar’s decree to properly execute His play. Imagine the scene . . . in order to get Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem (their ancestral home) at the time of Jesus birth (as Luke 2:3-5 indicates), the decree for the census had to be issued at just the right time and would mandate that 4.2 million people would travel to their home towns to be counted. (4.2 million is the count Caesar took from this census).

Think about that for a moment. 4.2 million people probably wondered why they were traveling . . . why they needed to be counted. Even though the “ball” was not coming to them, they were playing an important part in the unfolding of God’s play.

As I ponder the significance of the 4.2 million people moving around the Mediterranean in response to Caesar’s decree, I am reminded that at times the events of my life will unfold in ways that have me playing a significant part in God’s plan, but will not feature me “getting the ball.” We sometimes ask questions like “Why do I have this job?” “What was that all about?” “What was the point of that relationship/conversation/etc.?” Usually when we ask these questions we ask them because we assume that we will be featured in the “play.” In reality, we are always playing a part in God’s purposes, though sometimes we are not the ones getting the “ball.” From Bethlehem we see that the unfolding of God’s will is ultimately a team experience.

This devo is a part of the 2022 Wildwood Christmas Daily Devotional, “God with us.” You can find the entire Christmas Devotional here.

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Growing up I was very optimistic about my future. Let me give you an example. Back in 1984 when the Olympics were in Los Angeles, I remember dreaming that one day I would be a part of the U.S. Olympic basketball team. I loved playing basketball, and thought I had a “realistic” shot at making the team one day. I actually did the math and thought that I would only have two chances to make the team – 1992 and 1996. I thought I would only have the chance for those two Olympics because I would be in the NBA in 1997, thus making me ineligible for an amateur competition (the Olympics at that time were only open to amateurs). Best I can tell, I wanted to be an Olympian for two reasons:

1. A love of America. Putting on the stars and bars and taking on the world was an incredibly motivating idea.
2. A love of Basketball. I thought I had the skills to compete.

By the time 1992 rolled around, I no longer lived in Bartlesville . . . and I no longer thought I could be an Olympian. Though the inclusion of the professionals did not help me (thanks a lot Dream Team), the reason I did not make it to the Olympics in 1992 was that I was not good enough to make the team. Time has an incredible ability to kill our dreams, doesn’t it? The longer we live, the more we are in tune with our own abilities and liabilities. The more basketball I played against better and better competition, the more I realized that I was not going to be the next Mark Price or even the next Tim Legler. My talent ceiling was 6A sports in Oklahoma. Getting a realistic picture of what I could accomplish caused me to alter my idealistic notion of being an Olympic champion.

What about you? What did you used to think you were going to grow up to be? How has time changed your hopes and dreams?

While it is fun and nostalgic to look back on our dreams of fame, it is tragic when we let the passing of time ebb away at the confidence we have in our spiritual lives. For far too many of us, we trust God with less each passing year. This happens because over time we become more and more acquainted with our lack of ability to accomplish things we genuinely desire. Year after year, an illness remains, a relationship deteriorates, a sin struggle lingers, depression clings on. Because of the persistent nature of some of our struggles, and our lack of ability to change them, we begin to trust God with less. As we become aware of our liabilities, we begin to limit our expectations. When we limit our expectations, we shrink our dreams. When we shrink our dreams, we have a tendency to shrink our God as well.

The flaw in all this is that we are attaching our hopes and dreams in the areas that matter most to us only to our own ability. As believers in Jesus Christ, we have a God we can trust for things way larger than that! Think about it: if you are a believer in Jesus, you are trusting God for forgiveness of all your sins. Your ability to be forgiven has nothing to do with your ability to accomplish something yourself, but it has to do with God’s ability to do more to you and through you than you could ever do alone! God forgives by sending His Son to die on the cross for us. That is how we are forgiven. However, as believers live out their spiritual lives, we can allow time to cause us to focus more on what we can do and less on what God can do. When we do that, our vision for tomorrow deflates.

This year, this Christmas, I want to encourage you to inflate your vision again. Trust God more this coming year for things bigger than what you can accomplish on your own. I want to encourage you in this direction by looking at the first few words in Luke 2. At the beginning of the story of Jesus’ birth, Luke says this, “In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus. . .” If you have been a Christian for a long time (or if you have recently watched the “Charlie Brown Christmas” special), no doubt these words are very familiar to you. In fact, the name Caesar Augustus is one of the most famous names of any Caesar in the history of the Roman Empire. But who was Caesar Augustus and why do we know his name today? Answering that question is a very interesting story.

In 63 BC, a young man named Gaius Octavius was born. Octavius was in the Roman army. At that time, a man named Julius Caesar was the dictator of Rome. Julius noticed the great skill and leadership ability that Octavius had. Octavius was Julius’s nephew. Julius had no children of his own. Unknown to Octavius, Julius had written into his will to adopt Octavius upon his death, and make him the heir to his fortune and political successor. On the Ides of March, in 44 BC, Julius Caesar was assassinated by political adversaries in the Roman Senate. Octavius was summoned to Rome to hear a reading of his late Uncle’s will. In the will, Octavius found out his future would be changed forever. He had been post-humously adopted by his uncle Julius and at the age of 19, Octavius had become the leader of Rome. As a tribute, Octavius took on Julius’s name “Caesar,” making him Octavius Caesar. In 42 BC, the Roman Senate deified Julius Caesar, making him the “Divine Julius” and Octavius, “The Son of the Divine” or as we might say, he became known as the “Son of God.” Then, in a twist that changed the course of Rome, Octavius changed the Roman constitution making himself an Emperor and Rome an Empire. At that time, they changed his name to Augustus . . . which means “Sacred one” . . . Thus Augustus Caesar became known as the Sacred One, the Son of God. He was the apparent leader of the world at the time of Jesus birth.

Caesar Augustus was such a powerful man that he was able to speak a word and make the entire Roman Empire move. When you are an emperor and people think you are a god, you have lots of power. That is why when Caesar developed a new tax code and said that people needed to go to their ancestral homes to register, people started walking – among them Mary and Joseph.

Now imagine that you were alive in the Roman Empire on the night that Jesus was born, and imagine that you were walking with a set of travelers to the town of Bethlehem to register for the census. Imagine that someone were to say to you that alive in the world at that time was one known as the Son of God, the Sacred one, who would be known for 2,000 years and counting into the future. Imagine that someone were to tell you on the way to Bethlehem that 2,000 years later all of human history would hinge around this Son of God and what He would accomplish with His life. Imagine that someone were to tell you that 2,000 years later, people would look at pictures and symbols of this Sacred One and think of how the Son of God had changed their lives. Imagine that. I would imagine that if someone would have told you all that on that night, you would have thought they were talking about Caesar Augustus. In reality, however, they were talking about a child that would be born later that night in a cave and placed in an animals feeding bin.

Despite the drastic differences between Jesus and Augustus on the first Christmas night (one in a manger, the other on a throne), the world has come to remember the one, only because of His association with the other. Think about it, the man who was responsible for starting the Roman Empire . . . the man who was known as a god by the most advanced civilization in the world at that time, would be known to us only because he was the ruler at the time of the birth of Jesus Christ. As Andy Stanley has correctly said, Augustus Caesar is merely a footnote in the history of God’s Story in Christ. Men and women, we serve a God who can make a baby born in a manger infinitely more powerful than the leader of the “free world.”

This Christmas, as you ponder anew what the Almighty can do, I want you to stop limiting what God can do. I want you to renew your belief that God can do big things. As the Christmas story is read and you hear of Caesar Augustus, I want you to remember the power of God. Caesar thought he was a god and tried to make himself famous, but in the end, he was a footnote in history. Time has taught us of the limitations of human power. However, time has also taught us of the enduring nature of God’s story. When we are attached to Christ, He can do infinitely abundantly beyond all we ask or think. I want you to trust God again for big things this year, because we serve a big God.

Now, I want to ask you this question. Who are you trusting tonight? For the problem of our sin. For the problem of our uncertainty. For the problem of our mortality. For the things you truly long for. Who are you trusting? Yourself? The best a person could do is what Augustus did . . . and he is rotting in a tomb. Trust instead in the One who has gone from the manger to a throne that will never be unseated. He can offer us forgiveness, and hope. He is the One we orient our history around. His story gives meaning to ours. My dreams are bigger because I am a part of His team.

This devo is a part of the 2022 Wildwood Christmas Daily Devotional, “God with us.” You can find the entire Christmas Devotional here.

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Common sense is a form of the common grace God has given to humanity. When we see a burner on the stove that is glowing red, we don’t touch it – assuming it is hot. When we see a thunderstorm brewing on the horizon, we don’t start a round of golf – knowing that the metal clubs in our hands would be all too attractive for a stray bolt of lightning. Patterns in nature and our experience in practice help us form expectations from which we interact with the world around us. It is a blessing that we have instincts that guide and protect.

This phenomena is not new to us in the 21st century, it has been around since the beginning of time. 2,000 years ago, Joseph (Jesus’ earthly father) also had common sense, informed by the patterns he had experienced in the world. That is why when Joseph hears that Mary is pregnant he assumes she has slept with another man. Being a noble man whose relationship with Mary was pure, Joseph knew he could not be the father, but common sense told him that some other dude must be responsible. This made all the sense in the world to Joseph.

Only thing is … Joseph was wrong. Mary had not been sleeping around. The child was from a supernatural origin – a virgin conception.

The way God lets Joseph know about this is through an angelic visitation. In Matthew 1:20-25, an angel meets with Joseph and reveals that Joseph’s instincts (in this instance) are wrong, because God had intervened. The child was not a cause for shame, but was the Savior of the world! Thankfully Joseph listened to God’s proclamation, even when it went against his first instincts.

As we reflect on this principle today, I know that we will not be visited by angels with similar announcements in our lives. That said, all us will encounter things that don’t jive with our instincts. We think that salvation has to be about us being “good enough.” We assume that certain behaviors the Bible calls sin can never be overcome in our lives. We imagine that there is no way for certain people to really experience life change. We just assume that is the case, because in our lives, we have seen patterns confirming the rationale of these opinions. If you are thinking along these lines today, may you be visited by the revelation of Scripture today to remind you what God can really do.

• “For it is by grace that you have been saved through faith. It is a gift of God. Not as a result of works that no one should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9). It is not about being good enough, salvation is about God’s goodness and grace saving us in spite of us … simply as we respond in faith.
• “… the body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin.” (Romans 6:6) “walk by the Spirit and you will in no way carry out the desires of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). Because of what Jesus has done for us, we HAVE BEEN liberated from sin’s necessary rule in our lives, and by faith, we can depend on the Spirit’s power to guide us away from even the strongest of temptations.
• Paul was a persecutor of the church. But Jesus changed Him. This lets us know that He can change us as well!

Thankfully God gives us common sense … but sometimes things don’t fit the pattern. In these cases God gives us special revelation in the Scriptures (just like the special revelation God gave to Joseph through the angel) to recalibrate our thinking and let us know of a greater reality.

Like Joseph, have the courage to take God at His Word this holiday season.

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For good reason, Mary (the mother of Jesus) gets a lot of attention in the Christmas story. After all, the Gospel of Luke gives us a number of details (throughout Luke 1-2) about Mary’s experiences while Jesus was in the womb and at His birth. Further, it seems as though Joseph died by the time Jesus’ public ministry took off, while Mary lived on. Therefore, there are more biblical records of Mary’s experience than Joseph’s.

All that said, it is important for us to think through Joseph’s experience in the story of Jesus’ birth – as it is a remarkable story of faith and faithfulness.

Matthew 1:18-25 tells the story of Joseph’s experience during the time Jesus was inside Mary’s womb. Joseph and Mary were betrothed, but not yet married. This meant that they had made the commitment to spend the rest of their lives together, but they had not yet begun to live together and sleep together. This month, we have already looked at Mary’s experience from Luke 1 as God announced (through an Angel) that Mary would be pregnant (even though she was a virgin) and have a Son who would be the Messiah. This was HUGE news, and certainly would have been hard to believe for anyone who was not talking to Angels! And at first, Joseph was NOT talking to Angels. God first brought the news to Mary before He brought the news to Joseph. So, with Mary pregnant, and Joseph looking only to natural explanations for this situation, Joseph decides to divorce Mary quietly – probably so that she could then marry whoever was the father of the child.

But it was not God’s will that Joseph would leave Mary. So, an Angel intervened and visited Joseph to tell him that Mary’s child was indeed supernatural, and that Mary was telling the truth that the Baby was the Messiah.

Can you imagine being a fly on the wall of Joseph’s room as he prays out loud, processing the news of Mary’s pregnancy and the Angel’s visit. What must Joseph have been thinking in that moment? Ultimately, Joseph chooses to trust the Lord (and not his emotion, reason, or logic) and stay with Mary. As a result, generations of people all over the world have named their kids “Joe” and put statues of him out each Christmas season. What a great choice Joseph made!

Take a moment and ponder the things about God that don’t make sense to you. Things you might wish to “dismiss quietly” instead of receiving them as true. Though God’s ways are sometimes “strange” to us, there is salvation and blessing in God’s plans in this world.

This devo is a part of the 2022 Wildwood Christmas Daily Devotional, “God with us.” You can find the entire Christmas Devotional here.

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On Sunday, December 18, 2022 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a message based on Mark 1:1-45. This message was part 4 of the “God with Us” Sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group interaction. You will also find the audio and video from the message to listen to/watch, download, or share.

To access the “God with Us” daily devotional, click here.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Mark 1:1-45
3. In the first chapter of Mark’s Gospel, he begins at the start of Jesus’ public ministry as a grown Man. Scan through the chapter and review some of Jesus’ “Greatest Hits” in this section. What do they tell you about the person of Jesus Christ? Why do you think Mark began His Gospel here?
4. It is impossible for you to save yourself. But what is impossible for men and women is TOTALLY POSSIBLE for God! Like Mary, are you trusting in God alone for your salvation? If you are not trusting in Christ, what is preventing you from doing so today?
5. What are some of the “costs” you have experienced by following Christ? Have you ever wanted to distance from Christ because of what the “cost” of standing with Him would be? What does the example of Joseph teach you? Where are you tempted to turn away from Christ today out of fear of the consequences?
6. How are you communicating to others in your circle of influence the greatness of Jesus Christ? Who would God have you reach out to this Christmas season and invite them to come to Church with you to remember the greatness of Jesus?
7. Think of the year in front of you (2023). What are some specific ways you can follow Jesus more closely in the year ahead?
8. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here.

To listen offline, click the link to download:

Audio appears here when available

To listen online, use the media player below:

Audio appears here when available

To watch the stream, use YouTube online:

Video goes live Sunday at 9:45AM at this link

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I am the son of Dick and Beverly Robinson . . . the grandson of Don and Boonetta Davis and Glen and Alice Robinson . . . and so on, and so on. These facts are personally very meaningful. They describe my earthly heritage and contain the names of people who have shaped my life in profound ways.

Every person reading this ALSO is a part of a family tree. Though my experience as a descendant of the “Robinson” and “Davis” families is very positive, your experience may have been rocky. For good or for bad, we are still connected to and marked by our lineage. Personally, it bears great meaning to each of us.

However, there are some people whose family trees are not just PERSONALLY interesting, but have implications that impact the world. Think about members of the British Royal Family. Their blood lines bring with them responsibility and authority that impacts the society around them.

In Matthew 1:1-17, we see the family tree of Jesus Christ. This family tree lets us know a few things:

1. It shows us that Jesus (the Son of God) became fully human at His earthly birth. He did not just become “human-like,” He PERSONALLY took on flesh and dwelt among us. Therefore, we do not have a Savior who cannot relate to us, but we have One who knows what it means to live in this world. His lineage is a reminder of that.
2. It shows us that Jesus genealogy sets Him up for a WORLD-WIDE impact. He is a descendant of Abraham, reminding us that He is ethnically a Jew, thus continuing the fulfillment of God’s promises to His people long ago. Also, we see that Jesus’ great, great, great, great, great Grandpa was David – a reminder that Jesus would be the promised descendant of David to sit on the throne of God and reign forever. His family tree supports and qualifies Him for not just personal influence.
3. It shows us that God’s grace in Jesus is for all who believe in Him. Inside of this genealogy are foreigners (Ruth and Rahab), the publicly disgraced (wife of Uriah), and those who have committed very consequential sins (David – among others). Yet all these show up in the royal lineage of Jesus. They are there NOT because they are great people, but because our God is gracious. … and He wants us to know His grace runs in the family.

At Christmastime, we sometimes skip the beginning verses of Matthew 1:1-17 and begin our Scripture reading when the Angels show up in 1:18ff. When we do that, we miss the blessing of generations . . . reminding us of the PERSONAL and WORLD shaping reality of Jesus’ life. Scan over the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1 and see how many names you recognize.

This devo is a part of the 2022 Wildwood Christmas Daily Devotional, “God with us.” You can find the entire Christmas Devotional here.

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When I was a child, I remember my parents occasionally hosting a “Bridge” group some Saturday nights. When they would host this group, my sister and I would retreat to my parents’ bedroom where we would watch “Solid Gold” and “Hee Haw” on the 12 inch black and white television. As we would watch this TV, I never thought of it as small or poor quality, because it was all we had. However, when you compare that 1970’s era TV to the HD flat screen in my living room right now, it is easy to point out how much “better” today’s technology is.

A lot of descriptors we have in our language only gain their meaning by comparison. To a small child, I am tall, but not to the roster of the OKC Thunder. To my parents I am young, but not compared to the kids in Wildwood’s children’s ministry. Old/young, tall/short . . . these terms gain their meaning when they have a point of reference.

Let me ask you a question . . . a MACRO-LEVEL question: When it comes to your life, what is your point of reference? Honestly, I think that our point of reference for our lives can be centered in one of only 3 places:

• Our self
• Others
• God

These are the options.

If your point of reference is yourself, then you determine your own reality. What is “needed” is what you want. What is “good” is what is “good for you at that moment.”

If your point of reference is “others” you allow another human or group of humans to define your world. If they say something is important, it is important. If they say something is right, it is right.

If your point of reference is God, then He is your vision. He determines right from wrong, truth from error, good from bad.

Here is what I have noticed, both in my life and in the lives of those I know. When our primary reference point in life is a person (us or someone else), “God” tends to be small in our lives. When God is our reference point, people tend to be small. To say it another way, when people are big, God is small, but when God is big, people are small. By this I don’t mean that people are not valuable, but I mean that when God is our reference point, we tend to not fear the reactions of men, but when people are our reference point, we tend to not fear the presence of God.

In Luke 1:46-56, Mary reveals her response to the news that she would be the mother of Jesus. Her response (called the Magnificat due to the Latin word for the first word of the “song” recorded here) shows that her reference point was God. In this song, she magnifies the Lord, thereby properly understanding that she is small . . . and so are the problems around her. Not small as in insignificant, but small compared to the greatness of our God.

And even though Jesus was still in utero at that point, measuring just a few inches in length, He stood tall over all because of who He was and what He would do for His people.

This Christmas we will spend a fair amount of time comparing ourselves to others. Are the gifts we are giving our kids too much or not enough? Are our holiday plans good or bad? Is this year’s celebration better than last? In the midst of these comparisons, spend a few moments magnifying the Lord using Mary’s example from her song. As we make the Lord our reference point, as He “becomes” big, we will find our problems small by comparison.

This devo is a part of the 2022 Wildwood Christmas Daily Devotional, “God with us.” You can find the entire Christmas Devotional here.

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Christmas time is a season of gift giving. Most of you reading this will be buying at least ONE Christmas gift for someone this year. Maybe it is a toy for your child, a sweater for your dad, a gift certificate for your nephew, or a piece of jewelry for your spouse. Gifts are a part of the Christmas experience for many of us … but have you ever stopped to wonder why?

The reason why we give gifts around Jesus’ birthday is because His birth WAS A GIFT – and an extremely generous gift at that. Jesus birth in Bethlehem gave us a picture of who God really is. Jesus birth gave the opportunity for Jesus to die on the cross for our sins later on. Jesus birth gave us the knowledge that God really knows what we are going through since He has literally walked where we walk. These are some BIG GIFTS! And they are just some of the presents given to us through that very first Christmas morn. Remembering this Gift, so many of us give gifts to others this time of year.

But with any gift given, it must be received to be enjoyed. I can buy my dad a sweater … I can wrap it in a beautiful package … I can address it to my dad … I can tell him it is from me … but if he never opens the package, then the sweater will never keep him warm on a cold winter night or have him looking stylish out at dinner with friends in the weeks ahead. Those intended purposes for the gift remain covered up if it is not opened.

Jesus came into the world to give gifts to the world. Wrapped up in His advent were so many blessings God intended people to have. However, many people miss out. The warmth of salvation is prepared with heavenly style for all, yet many refuse to open this gift. In our verses for today in John 1:9-13, we see this reality spelled out. Jesus created the world. He created us. Then in Bethlehem He came to us to offer us His gifts of life and light. But many people did not receive Him. They rejected the gift. They left it in its wrapping. However, not all rejected Him. To all who received Him, He gave the right to become children of God! I love that phrase … to ALL who receive Him.

What that tells us is that the gifts of salvation and life that Jesus offers are ready for us … and can be effective for us … if we will just open them. But how do we open them? The passage tells us. We believe in Him.

Do you want forgiveness of your sins? Do you long to have a personal relationship with God? Do you want a better direction and trajectory for your life today? Do you want to have an assurance of eternity? THEN believe in Jesus. Believe He is the Son of God. Believe that His death on the cross paid the penalty for your sins. By faith, take Jesus out of the box and rejoice! He is our biggest gift.

This devo is a part of the 2022 Wildwood Christmas Daily Devotional, “God with us.” You can find the entire Christmas Devotional here.

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One day, Kimberly and I went Christmas shopping. Faced with a long list of “to dos” that needed to get done, I took a day of vacation and we headed out in the All Wheel Drive sleigh trying to fill it with presents to deliver on Christmas morning.

As we worked our way around the malls looking to make purchases, we were guided by a list of names of people we were buying for. On this list were friends and family, and because they are so dear to us, the opportunity to bless them with a gift is always a real privilege. The problem, however, was what kind of a gift do you bless them with? Moments like this are a great object lesson for understanding the need for a budget. If I were to let my love for the people on my list dictate what I bought them, I would never be able to pay off the balance of the bills! I simply have more love in my heart for the people on that Christmas list than I have money in my bank account — or even than I WILL have in my bank account if I did not spend a cent between now and when Jesus returns. Therefore, I could not determine what to give them based on how much I love them, because I do not have a matching resource to offer to the scope of my love.

A second way I could determine what to give them would be to play the principle of reciprocity. By this, I mean that I would try to give a gift back to someone of equal value to what they have given me. This principle, however, is also flawed. I can never pay back my parents (for instance) for all they have done for me. No sweater (I don’t care which logo is on it) can ever equal sitting through little league games in 40 degree weather or caring for me when I was sick or providing love, food, and shelter for me throughout my growing up days. I simply will never be able to pay back what has been given to me — I have just received so much.

I was thinking about all as we shopped, and it reminded me of a deep spiritual truth that impacts my understanding of God’s love for me and my response to that love towards Him.

First of all, though our budget always constrains our ability to give, it never constrains God. God is the only One anywhere who has no budget. Even Bill Gates and Warren Buffett have their limits, but God does not. He has everything at His disposal, so He never tires at ways to demonstrate His love for us. The obvious “big gift” that God gives us each day (including Christmas) is the gift of salvation through His Son Jesus Christ. As Romans 5:8 says, “God demonstrates His own love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” The God who has everything gave His very life so that we might live and know that He loves us. Even beyond that big gift, however, God continues to give to us without a budget. The beauty of nature, the spiritual encouragement of the Body of Christ, tasty food to nourish our bodies, etc. are all evidences of God’s gifts to us. He never tires or grows weary in giving to His children. He has all the resources to match the scope of His love for us. As John 1:16-17 remind us, Jesus has given us “grace upon grace” … literally gift after gift.

As I was shopping, however, a second thing stood out to me. I cannot practice the principle of reciprocity with God. There is no “sacrifice” that I can make in this life that is of equal value to the gifts God has given to me. No “I’ll go serve you on the mission field” claim could ever be the same as all that God has given to me. We cannot pay back to God what He has given us — for we simply have been given too much.

Given these truths, what are we to do? Well, when it comes to understanding how much God loves us, we should stand in awe of the gifts He continues to send our way. What great demonstrations of His budget-less love! Stop right now and thank Him for His indescribable gifts. Second, stop trying to pay God back for His gifts to us, for you can never give enough. This does not mean that we do not serve Him or worship Him or love Him or give back to Him. We absolutely do that. Just as I still bought presents for family and friends that day as reminders of my love for them, we still give to the Lord out of our love for Him . . . we just don’t do it to settle a score. This frees us up and purifies our motives in responding to His gifts!

As you remember the gifts you purchased this December, may they remind you of the gifts we have received from Him that we can never repay. Jesus brings the joy of gift after gift … grace upon grace!

This devo is a part of the 2022 Wildwood Christmas Daily Devotional, “God with us.” You can find the entire Christmas Devotional here.

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The year was 959 BC. The place was Jerusalem. 500 years had passed since God had called His people out of Egypt and through the Red Sea. King David had passed away and now the ultimate “wise guy,” King Solomon had ascended to the throne. By God’s design, Solomon completed a project his father David had planned . . . the construction of a Temple for God in the capital city. Inside the Temple, the ark of the covenant would be placed and God’s presence would hover.

In the year 959, Solomon dedicated the Temple and the words he shared provide a powerful reminder for us at Christmas time. In 1 Kings 8:27, Solomon says of the Temple: “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You; how much less this house that I have built!”

As Solomon looked at the impressive Temple the people of Israel had just constructed, one of the seven “wonders of the ancient world,” he marveled at the thought that God would inhabit such a common place.

Imagine that you were standing in front of the White House, the Taj Mahal, Buckingham Palace, or Notre Dame Cathedral. As you look at these impressive structures, despite all their grandeur, you probably would say something similar to Solomon. As beautiful as the best of our buildings are, it is impossible for mankind to create an adequate “home” for an eternal, omnipotent, omniscient God.

And yet at Christmas time, we celebrate God coming, not to a palace, but a stable! We celebrate God arriving not in a chariot but in the womb of a teenaged girl riding on a donkey. We celebrate God not merely sending a telegram through the stars, but arriving in the flesh. Listen to what John says in His Gospel, John 1:14, 18: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth . . . No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, He has made Him known.”

When we look at nativity sets around our houses this Christmas, we should wonder like Solomon did, “Did God indeed dwell upon the earth?” The answer to this question is an emphatic YES!

Jesus moved into our neighborhood. Jesus spoke in a way we could understand. Jesus demonstrated all grace and truth so that we might KNOW GOD. By living out a life in human flesh and having that life preserved for us in the Bible, we can understand what God’s character is like in three dimensions.

Do not let the wonder of the incarnation slip by you this year. God did indeed dwell on the earth, and we are blessed beyond measure as a result. Yet another reason for joy this year!

This devo is a part of the 2022 Wildwood Christmas Daily Devotional, “God with us.” You can find the entire Christmas Devotional here.

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3,500 years ago, God called His people (the Israelites) out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, and into the land that He had promised them. This is the story of the Exodus, and is recorded for us in the second book of the Bible. As the Israelites left Egypt God led them at night represented by a fire the people could see. Like a child is comforted by their night light, so the children of Israel were comforted in their journey by the fire in the sky, reminding them that God was with them.

Fast forward 1,500 years to the time of Jesus. While the rest of the Israelites were celebrating the Festival of the Tabernacle (remembering when God led them like a fire at night), Jesus makes an amazing assertion. He says in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” In this statement, Jesus was making a few VERY important points:

1. Jesus is the light. In the time of the Exodus, the people saw a fire cloud in the sky. That was nice. But, Jesus is even better! The fire in the sky was a presence, but it was a presence that did not talk or provide a 3-D example of what God was like. Jesus is our reminder that God is with us, a Living Light!
2. Jesus is the Light of the World! In the time of the Exodus, the fire was only for the people of Israel. However, by saying that Jesus was the light of the world, Jesus was pointing out that ALL people, regardless of nationality can be encouraged by His presence.
3. Jesus invites us to Follow Him. His Light is not just meant to comfort, it is meant to direct.
4. If we follow Him we will not walk in darkness. Jesus will never lead us to sin. He only leads us towards righteousness. He is out for our growth, not our destruction.
5. If we follow Him, we will have life. Darkness leads to death. Don’t believe me? Put your favorite flower in the dark closet for a week and see if it survives. Jesus is the Light of Life . . . He came to give us life, not take it from us!

This same designation of Jesus as the “light of men” is found in John 1:3-5 as a part of the Christmas story that John shares. At Christmas time, we often have lights as a part of our decorations: on trees, on our homes, etc. This is so appropriate, because Jesus is the Light of the world! As we sing look at Christmas lights, be reminded of God’s presence with us, and His desire that we walk in obedience following Jesus’ commands and example. If we do, we will have life as God intended! Rejoice! Jesus lights the way!

This devo is a part of the 2022 Wildwood Christmas Daily Devotional, “God with us.” You can find the entire Christmas Devotional here.

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There is a great scene in the 1995 movie “Apollo 13″ where Tom Hanks (playing the part of Astronaut Jim Lovell) sits in his back yard staring at the moon. Lovell was soon to pilot the famed Apollo 13 spaceship all the way to a lunar landing. As he sat in his suburban backyard on terra firm, however, Lovell was thousands of miles away from his destination. While staring at the moon, Lovell closed one eye and extended his hand in front of him. The captain then extended his thumb up into the air. The camera switched to Lovell’s perspective and showed us the captain’s ability to make the moon disappear behind his thumb.

Now, two possible explanations exist regarding Lovell’s disappearing moon technique:

1. The disappearance of the moon was an optical illusion created by the close proximity of the finger to the eyeball. In other words, it was a matter of perspective.
2. Tom Hanks has an extremely large thumb! In other words, his thumb is bigger than the moon.

Of course, option one is the correct answer. It also serves as a helpful reminder to you and me.

In our lives, the problems we face everyday have a very close proximity to our eyes. Medical issues we deal with, relationships that crumble, dreams that are dashed, are so close to where we live that they feel absolutely enormous. In fact, they feel so big, they can even cause us (as we close one eye of perspective under the strain) to not be able to see God in the midst of our difficulty. As we ponder this phenomena, two possibilities exist:

1. We have some really large problems … larger than the God who created the universe.
2. We are allowing our current circumstances to create an optical illusion, blinding us to the reality of the presence of our God.

This Christmas season, many of you are no doubt dealing with difficulty. In fact, I would hazard a guess that virtually all of us are facing a tough trial of some kind. Because of that, we might have a tendency to miss God this holiday season. Under the stress and strain of life, we squint our eyes and see only that which is attached to our own hands. However, do not be fooled. God is there! The infant born in Bethlehem is not small in stature . . . He is larger than life, and He is our Immanuel – God with us.

In today’s verses, we see Jesus described as the “Word.” John begins His Gospel in eternity past, not in Bethlehem in the first century. The reason for John going that far back is to underscore the GREATNESS OF JESUS! He has always been. He created all that there is. His birth in Bethlehem was His arrival in bodily form, but it was not the beginning of His story. He has eternally existed as the second person of our Triune God. This reminds us of just how important Jesus really is. He is God … and that reminds us that He is bigger than anything we face.

We can have great joy because when we open both eyes of biblical perspective, we can see that the Lord Jesus who came to us has been here all along. And, remember Jesus last words to His disciples were, “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” This promise opens our eyes to dispel the illusion that we are alone. He is here, and He is bigger than all of the problems and issues we face. We can trust Him with all our problems, big and small.

This devo is a part of the 2022 Wildwood Christmas Daily Devotional, “God with us.” You can find the entire Christmas Devotional here.

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On Sunday, December 11, 2022 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on John 1:14-18. This message was part 3 in the “God with us” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find the audio and video of the message to listen to, watch, download, or share.

Accompanying this sermon series, we have a Christmas Daily Devotional, “God with us.” You can find the entire Christmas Devotional here.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read John 1:14-18
3. Have you ever received a present for Christmas that you considered “life-changing”?
4. In what ways does Jesus birth change the lives of people on earth?
5. What aspects of God’s character MOST stand out to you from the life of Jesus (as recorded for us in the Gospels)?
6. Jesus changed the “operating system” that governed people’s relationship with God. As we saw in the message, Jesus made the Old Covenant obsolete as He established a New Covenant through His work on the cross. In what ways is the New Covenant (of Jesus) better than the Old Covenant (as described in the Old Testament)?
7. What is the “operating system” currently installed in your life governing your relationship with God? Is it more of an open source (something you are inventing as you go)? A path of religious fervor (similar to the Old Covenant)? Or is it a life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ? God is offering you a relationship with Him based on grace through Jesus Christ. Are you trusting in Him?
8. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here.

To listen offline, click the link:

Audio appears here when available

To listen online, use the media player below:

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To watch the service, use YouTube online:

Service goes live at 9:45AM at this link.

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Over the past 15 days in this devotional, we have been reading John’s Gospel, seeing 7 miraculous signs and 7 Messianic sayings that argue that Jesus is God. At Christmas we celebrate Jesus’ birth – His arrival on the earth as the God/Man. That first Christmas began a 33 year exhibition, witnessed by thousands of eye witnesses in real time, and recorded for all time by four Gospel writers (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) so that we might know what happened. John writes His Gospel arranging certain key facts from Jesus’ life to demonstrate that Jesus is really God. As John 20:31 says, “ … but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.” It DOES take faith for us to believe that Jesus is God (no question) … but it is not a blind leap of faith. Jesus provides evidence as to His identity, and based on that, invites us to believe in His name.

Jesus didn’t have to do it this way. He was under no obligation to provide evidence to us of His divinity, but He did. In His grace, He reaches out to us and invites us to believe in Him. Of all His signs and sayings, though, there is one piece of evidence that stands above them all. That is why each of the Gospels ends with this “closing argument” – the definitive evidence of His resurrection.

I was once talking with a non-Christian friend about Jesus. The topic landed on Jesus’ resurrection. My friend asked me, “Mark, what makes Jesus’ resurrection so special? After all, several people have been resurrected. That does not make THEM God? Why is Jesus any different?” Of course my friend was partly right. There are several biblical accounts of resurrections. In our study these past two weeks, we looked at the resurrection of Lazarus, but there were others … the widow’s son in Nain (Luke 7) and Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5) to name two. Even in the Old Testament, there were resurrections’ performed by Elijah and Elisha on the widow’s son in Zarepheth (1 Kings 17) and the Shunammite woman’s son (2 Kings 4). Additionally there are other resurrections in the book of Acts performed by Peter and Paul (in Acts 9 and 20). So what DOES make Jesus’ resurrection different?

Well, first of all, it is different because Jesus “called His shot” before it ever happened. Throughout the Gospels, we see Jesus saying that He would be crucified, and then would be raised again on the third day (Matthew 20:19 is a good example of this). Unlike the other resurrections (that were surprises to those resurrected), Jesus knew what was coming and talked about it often. This demonstrates something unique about Jesus’ resurrection and speaks to His omniscience – something only God could have.

Second, Jesus’ resurrection is different because it happened without the agency of another person. Of course, in the case in Nain, and with Jairus’ daughter and with Lazarus, Jesus Himself is the One performing the resurrection. But in the other cases (both Old and New Testament) God used another to be the conduit for the resurrection (Peter, Paul, Elijah, or Elisha). In the case of Jesus, God raised Him through the work of the Spirit alone … without human intervention. This highlights the uniqueness of this event, and draws our attention to the omnipotent power of God.

Third, Jesus’ resurrection is different because (once raised), Jesus walked about in a glorified body, and never died again. The others that were resurrected (Lazarus, etc.) came back in a healed version of their same old body, that would continue to age and deteriorate until one day they would die again. To say it another way, Lazarus was raised to new life in John 11, but he later had a second funeral, as he died of another cause some years later. Jesus (on the other hand) rose to a gloried body, and ascended to heaven, never to die again! So the KIND of resurrection experienced by Jesus is of a different quality, and reveals His identity as the First Born from the dead!

So, we have seen that Jesus is God, and have surveyed how the Apostle John details to us His divinity through miraculous signs and Messianic sayings … culminating in His resurrection from the dead. John records these for us SO THAT we might believe in Him SO THAT we might have life in His name. How about you? In light of the evidence, do you believe?

Over the next two weeks, we will look at the events surrounding Jesus’ birth to see what we can learn when God came to be with us – Immanuel.

This devo is a part of the 2022 Wildwood Christmas Daily Devotional, “God with us.” You can find the entire Christmas Devotional here.

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We live in a neighborhood with lots of trees. In part, it was those trees that helped to attract us to our house. This towering canopy of sycamores, oaks, elms, and maples keeps our back yards shaded, and our streets lined with beauty. Over the years of living in this house, however, I have come to learn a few things about trees.

First of all, I have learned that tree branches that fail to stay connected to the trunk of the tree become a real hassle. This never became more real than in December 2007 when an ice storm dumped a half inch of ice all over every tree branch in the neighborhood. At first the ice was pretty; then we realized it became very destructive. Under the heavy weight of the ice, branches all over our yard and neighborhood began snapping off and crashing to the ground. The damage was so bad that CNN, The Weather Channel, and NBC nightly news all broadcast about the damage within a short walk from my house. After the temperatures warmed and the ice melted, my neighbors and I began surveying the damage. We lost thousands of pounds of branches. Over the course of the next couple of weeks, I would drag all these branches to the curb for the city to pick up. My neighbors would do the same. Eventually, our entire neighborhood looked like it had a log cabin hedge lining every street. The beauty of the branches that once hung green above the streets below now lay in lifeless, brown piles awaiting destruction in the fires of the city collection areas.

Second of all, I have learned that trees require care if they are to remain vibrant. Left to themselves, trees will actually overproduce branches. We once had an apple tree. That apple tree would produce thousands of grape sized apples if I let it. Over time, however, I found that by trimming several branches off the tree, the tree would actually produce bigger, tastier apples. Without the strain of those extra branches, the tree could produce better fruit. This made pruning a priority for me, because the reason you have an apple tree is to produce apples!

These two truths that I have learned about trees are echoed in John 15:1-17 when Jesus compares His relationship with His followers with the relationship between a tree trunk (the vine) and its branches. This parallel is true in at least a couple of ways.

First, Christians who fail to remain connected to Christ in their daily lives cease to be beautiful. Now, I am not talking about physical beauty, but spiritual beauty. When Christians live their lives dependent upon Christ and allowing Jesus to produce His fruit in and through them, their lives are beautiful and attractive. People want to be around them, and they reflect God’s glory. However, when these same Christians decide to do their own thing, rely on their own strength, and detach themselves from Christ, they quickly dry up and wither. Their lives may have once had a spiritual vitality or beauty to them, but now they lay lifeless by the roadside of life. As Jesus says in John 15:6, “If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers.”

Second, it can be noted that God’s purpose for Christians is to produce His fruit in our lives. In John 15:8, Jesus tells us “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be My disciples.” In order to have a life that produces Christ’s fruit, however, we must remain dependent upon Christ AND allow the Father to prune us for maximum growth. In Jesus’ metaphor, God the Father is the gardener who comes into our lives and cuts away “extra” things so that what is left might sustain more of the fruit He desires that we produce. John 15:2 says, “He (the Father) cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” This can be a scary thought to think of God pruning our lives of the “extra branches,” but it need not be. God is always good and always right, so the things that He cuts away are things that we never needed in the first place and that were getting in the way of what we really want … to glorify God with our lives. Pruning is a priority for the Father because the purpose of Christians is to produce Christ’s fruit!

As you have read and reflected on this passage, I want you to examine your own spiritual life for a moment. How are things going? Is your spiritual life alive or dead? Are you producing Christ’s fruit, or are extra things getting in the way? This passage reminds us that spiritual vitality comes from abiding in Christ as a branch remains in its vine. The key to spiritual life and growth comes from living a life of dependence upon the Savior. Further, if you find your spiritual life producing some fruit, but not “much fruit,” then think for a moment about what is in your life that might be an “extra branch” that the Father might need to prune off to allow for more growth. Maybe your extra branches are relationships that pull you away from Him, addictions, time wasters, etc. Whatever they are, invite the Gardener to examine your life and see if He might want to clip a branch here or there to encourage future growth.

All Christians are a collection of branches attached to one tree. When we stay attached to Him, it becomes a beautiful sight for all to see.

Jesus’ statement “I am the vine” is the seventh revelatory statement John mentions to argue that Jesus is God.

This devo is a part of the 2022 Wildwood Christmas Daily Devotional, “God with us.” You can find the entire Christmas Devotional here.

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At the top of a waterfall, high above beautiful Lake Louise in Banff National Park, Canada, sits a most peculiar tea house. This tea house is a beautiful site: a log cabin equipped with a wood burning stove to heat hot tea for weary hikers. The cabin was built atop this waterfall by the Canadian Pacific Railway many years ago as a diversion for passengers to enjoy while the train was stopped in this mountain villa.

Back in the summer of 2000, my sister-in-law, her husband, and I decided to hike the 2,000 foot ascent to get to this tea house while on vacation in the Banff area. Before we began our hike, we asked someone in the Chateau at the Lake’s edge how to get to this tea house. They told us that you had to take the “horse trail” to the top. This was because heavy snow still covered the ground on the high country trail and made any other route impassable to the tea house’s locale. Upon receiving these instructions, we were faced with two options: 1. We could take their expert advice, ascend the horse trail, and enjoy the benefits of the tea house experience. 2. We could assume that the instructions we received were an exaggeration, and we could try to find our own way to the top.

While those two options do exist, only one of the two of those options is really a valid or wise choice. We had never been to Lake Louise before, but the people we got the advice from were employees of the park and were paid good money to help people like us get to the top of that tea house trail. Therefore, we took their advice and hiked the “horse trail” to get to the top.

After having our tea in those beautiful surroundings, I decided to test the advice we had been given. Instead of heading down the horse trail like my brother-in-law and sister-in-law, I decided to blaze my own trail and follow a different path back down the mountain. About ten minutes into my journey, I realized what a mistake that was. I soon lost the “path” and found myself waist deep in powdery snow, trying to find a way to retreat back to the tea house and gallop back down the “horse trail.” Some might have thought the advice we received was closed-minded and narrow, but in reality, it was just plain fact. If we wanted to go up or down the mountain, there was really only one trail to take.

I was thinking of this story as I read John 14. In John 14, Jesus told His disciples that He was going to heaven to prepare a place for them . . . a place He would one day come back and take them to. After Jesus told them of this place, He also told them of the only way they could make it to heaven: through Him. He said in John 14:6, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” In a sense, Jesus says that at the pinnacle of life is a beautiful place prepared for you. However, in order to get to that place, there is only one trail you can take: through Him.

Now Jesus’ exclusive claim on the way to God may sound narrow or closed-minded to our 21st century ears, but in reality, it is just plain fact. If there were other ways, He (who knows all) would have told us about them. However, Jesus knew that there is only one way to God, and that all other efforts to reach Him will only leave us “waist deep in snow” and helpless on the hillside of life. The only way to a holy God is by means of someone who can make us clean and acceptable in His sight. Since we are all sinful people, we all need cleansing, and the kind of cleansing we need can only be provided by Christ Himself. The paths of Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, or Secularism sound promising, but do not lead you up the mountain of God. Only by faith in Jesus Christ can we make it to paradise.

Faced with these instructions, we are faced with two options: 1. We could take Jesus’ expert advice, place our eternity into His capable nail-scarred hands, and enjoy the unspeakable joy of an eternity in “the Father’s House.” 2. We could assume that Jesus’ instructions are an exaggeration, and try to find our own way to the top. While both of these options exist, only one of them is really a valid or wise choice. There is only one path that leads to the top. As we follow Christ, He will always keep us on the right trail.

Jesus’ statement “I am the way, the truth, and the life” is the sixth revelatory statement John mentions arguing that Jesus is God.

This devo is a part of the 2022 Wildwood Christmas Daily Devotional, “God with us.” You can find the entire Christmas Devotional here.

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As we lined up along the free throw line, we were one miss, three seconds, and ninety feet away from victory. We were trailing our opponent by two points in the 12th Street Recreational Center Fall Church League Tournament, and one of their players was on the free throw line with a chance to clinch the game with a pair of free throws. If he missed, we would have a chance to take the ball the length of the court for a last second desperation heave for victory. I wanted the chance to take that heave. So, when his free throw fell short, I grabbed the ball, turned and began sprinting towards our goal. And that is when I fell down.

Now, I don’t know how many times I have played in my mind or practiced in my driveway this very scenario (three seconds left, down two, with a chance to make the shot and win the game), but never in my fantasies has the play ever ended with me falling to the ground! But in real life, that is exactly what happened. I wanted to take the shot, but I ended up feeling as though I had been shot instead— a loud pop preceded intense pain as I ruptured my right Achilles tendon. Oh yeah … and we lost the game.

The next day, I went to see an orthopedic surgeon who told me that he could stitch my leg back together and make me “just like new.” Sure enough, one week later I had surgery, but I soon found out that becoming “just like new” was not as simple as just having surgery. After surgery, my leg was casted, immobile and sore—it took six months of physical therapy and hard work to get the “just like new” leg I was waiting for. The surgery brought the possibility of life and mobility back to my leg, but actual life and function would not return to my leg for quite some time.

In John 11, Jesus received word that his friend Lazarus was very ill and in need of help. After waiting two days before beginning the journey to Lazarus’ side, Jesus arrived at Bethany (Lazarus’ hometown) to find that Lazarus had already died and had been in the tomb for four days.

When Jesus arrived, He talked with Lazarus’ sister Martha. Jesus said to Martha in 11:25, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die.” Jesus told Martha this (and John recorded it for us) so that when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, everyone might see the larger significance of this mighty miracle. More than just returning life to one dead man, Jesus was offering resurrection AND life to all who would believe in His name.

After making this declaration, Jesus moved to the tomb where He ordered the stone to be rolled back, opening the door for the dead man (Lazarus) to come forth. With a loud cry, Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!”—and out walked Lazarus, still bound in the clothes that they had used to bury him. Jesus then ordered people to cut the grave clothes off of his body, freeing Lazarus to live life. John 12:2 records for us that Lazarus’ health did return immediately, and he was seen at a feast with Christ just a short time later.

When Jesus said that He was both the resurrection and the life, He was implying something very significant. Sometimes we may think that Jesus’ salvation is like surgery. He, our heavenly Surgeon, goes in and creates the potential for life by stitching up our wounds and extracting sin’s ultimate consequence from our lives. Though we understand Christ’s role as Surgeon, we often think of our spiritual lives as physical therapy … a lengthy process where we ourselves have to work very hard to restore life to an otherwise dysfunctional situation. When we hear that Jesus is the resurrection, we sometimes think that as Christians we are like the “living dead,” saved from our sin eternally, but fully bound by its restrictive grave clothes in the present. If this is your attitude, remember that Jesus says that He is both the resurrection AND the life. He not only restores the potential for life, but He also provides the life itself—immediately. Like Lazarus who was not just given breath, but was cut free from his grave clothes, so Jesus offers us not just eternal hope for tomorrow, but every help for today!

Therefore if you know Christ, remember that He has done more than just raise you from the consequences of your sin; He has offered you the abundant life here and now with Him. Remember that He has cut off the grave clothes of your sin and invited you to a feast, living in obedience with Him today.

Jesus’ statement “I am the resurrection and the life” is the fifth revelatory statement John mentions arguing that Jesus is God.

This devo is a part of the 2022 Wildwood Christmas Daily Devotional, “God with us.” You can find the entire Christmas Devotional here.

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There is a string of internet memes flowing across social media today with a common tag line, “show me you are ________ without saying that you are ___________.” For example, show me a picture that you were a fan of the Oklahoma Sooners football team in the 1980’s without just saying you were a fan during that era … then posting a picture of you with a “Boz” haircut.

This standard meme can be applied in any number of situations, so let’s apply it to people who lived at the time of Jesus. One question you might ask first century friends of Jesus is this, “Show me you believe Jesus is God without just telling me that Jesus is God.” If you were to ask this of Martha (sister of Lazarus and Mary), she might reply with the picture of John 11:17-27 … with an emphasis on John 11:21 and 11:25-27.

In these verses, Lazarus (Martha’s brother) had died, and she is mourning his loss. While Lazarus was still sick, Martha (and her sister Mary) had sent for Jesus and asked Him to come and help, yet Jesus delayed, and arrived after Lazarus had already passed. In John 11:21, Martha says to Jesus, “If you had been here, Lazarus would not have died.” Now this is a massive statement. In it, Martha is acknowledging that Jesus had sovereign power over death and illness. Then, (in John 11:25-27) after Jesus tells her that Lazarus will be raised to new life, Martha says that she knows this will happen “on the last day.” Jesus responds that He is the One who makes salvation on the “last day” possible, and asks if Martha believes that to be true, and she nods her head in agreement. So in this meme of a scene, Martha is saying that Jesus is sovereign over illness, death, salvation, and the end of the world. Who could possibly be that powerful? Only God Himself. Martha’s actions indicate that she believes that Jesus is God.

How about you? Do your actions show that you believe Jesus is God? Do you turn to Him when things are tough, or do you look to other forms of deliverance? Who sits in the seat of authority over your understanding of “wrong and right,” is it Jesus and His Word (the Bible) or is it your ideas or the ideas of your friends? Whose “will” do you obey as the general pattern and direction of your life … your will or His?

This Christmas, I want you to think about your life. Daily ask the question … how can I show the world today that I believe Jesus is God? Martha provides a great example for us to follow, and Jesus shows Himself worthy of her trust. He will do the same for us.

The raising of Lazarus from the dead is the seventh miraculous sign John references to argue that Jesus is God.

This devo is a part of the 2022 Wildwood Christmas Daily Devotional, “God with us.” You can find the entire Christmas Devotional here.

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OK, let’s talk about Santa Claus. This big man with a red suit visits your house one night a year, sliding down the chimney with his big bag of gifts. What if this guy really existed … but what if you did not know about him? What if Santa Claus was a real guy who really did the entire “Night Before Christmas” thing, but you had never heard the story? Now if Santa Claus did exist, and you did not know anything about him, how would you react at midnight on December 24 if you heard a “thud” on your rooftop? As you would spring to your feet to see what was the matter, you would find a grown man in a red suit packing (or unpacking … from your angle it is tough to say) an overgrown pillow case worth of stuff in your living room! What would you do? I know what you would do. You would either call the cops or grab your shotgun! But why would anyone do that to good old Saint Nick?

If we were unaware of the existence of Santa Claus, we would not be thinking that ANYONE breaking into our house at midnight was there to bring us stuff. Living in this fallen world has convinced us that people come to our houses unannounced to take stuff, not give stuff. This is why we lock our doors, install security systems, and “let the machine get it” when the phone rings at dinner time. For the most part, this world has shown us that people come to us primarily for their benefit, and not for our own … and so we are skeptical.

With this as a backdrop, I want to remind you all of a true story of someone who comes to us to give rather than to take, and it is found in John 10:9-10.

In John 10:9-10, Jesus says this: “I am the gate; whoever enters through Me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” In these verses, Jesus is saying that He has come to us not to take, but to give something wonderful: “life … to the full.” If Jesus came to give, why do we have the perspective that what He really wants is to take from us?

Now, you may not have thought about this before, but we really do (sometimes) have the perspective that Jesus comes to take from us, not to give. We sometimes feel that He came to “take” the fun out of our lives. Many of the things we think we would want to do and that we are tempted to do are things that exist on the forbidden list in God’s economy. Don’t have sex outside of marriage. Don’t get drunk on alcohol and don’t use drugs. Don’t tear each other down with your words. Don’t harbor anger towards another. Sometimes we can think that all these commandments take more than they give. Our experience in the world has conditioned us to think that anyone coming to us wants to take, not to give, so when we see what Christ is offering, we are waiting for the catch.

However, as I read John 10, I am struck by this incredible reminder that a thief takes, but Jesus always gives. In fact, He not only gives, but He gives unbelievable gifts! Jesus comes to us offering the best life possible. Being the creator and author of life, He knows what is best for us, and He guides us through the gates of everyday life to the green pastures of abundant living. All the things we thought He was taking away through commandments are really just directions guiding us to the location of abundant living.

Therefore, the next time you read the Bible and see commands from Christ, do not imagine that these are the words of someone who has come to take from us. Do not be unaware of Jesus’ existence or be skeptical of His intentions—He has come for our benefit, to give us the abundant life!

Jesus’ statement “I am the sheep gate” is the fourth revelatory statement John mentions arguing that Jesus is God.

This devo is a part of the 2022 Wildwood Christmas Daily Devotional, “God with us.” You can find the entire Christmas Devotional here.

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Who is the good leader? The good leader is the one who is working for the good of those who are following their lead.

Who is the bad leader? The bad leader is one who is working only for their own personal benefit without regard for the welfare of those they are leading.

This principle is true in parenting, business, church life, and politics. When leaders truly care for and develop those they are leading for their joy and welfare, they are leading well. All too often, though, we see leaders who are only in it for themselves … their accolades, ego, compensation, agenda, or perks.

I think part of the reason people are so reluctant to follow leadership today is because we have seen so many leaders who are self-serving. But good leadership? Well, who wouldn’t want to follow a leader that is willing to sacrifice for our benefit?

Let me ask you a question … Is Jesus a leader? Of course He is! He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. He is the Leader of leaders. But let me ask you another question. Is He a good leader?

In John 10:14 Jesus makes the following assertion: “I am the good shepherd.” What does He mean when He says this? He is saying that He is the perfect example of the Good Leader. So at least Jesus thinks He is a good leader … in fact He believes He is THE BEST leader!

But what makes Jesus so certain that He is the good shepherd/leader? He continues and provides us the reason why, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” What makes Jesus such an amazing leader is that He is willing to lay down His own life for us.

This idea is further elaborated on in Philippians 2:5-11. Jesus (as God, the ultimate Leader) left the comfort of Heaven to come to this earth to ultimately lay down His life on the cross, paying the penalty our transgressions deserved, so that we might be forgiven of our sins and reconciled to God. He is the good leader because He lay down His life for us.

Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem was the action of the best leader. Coming to educate us on who God is by showing us what God is like. And His birth gave Him a human life that He would one day lay down as a sacrifice for us. Jesus, the good shepherd, is a leader we can follow in faith and obedience as He is seeking our ultimate good.

Jesus as the good shepherd also shows the pattern and style of leadership He longs for in His followers. Why would we want to be a bad leader/parent/boss? Good leaders follow the example of Christ and lay down their lives for those they lead.

So, this Christmas, remember that Jesus (whose birth we remember) is a good leader, unlike so many other “leaders” in our lives. Therefore, let’s follow Him together to the glory of God.

The statement “I am the good shepherd” is the third revelatory statement John mentions arguing that Jesus is God.

This devo is a part of the 2022 Wildwood Christmas Daily Devotional, “God with us.” You can find the entire Christmas Devotional here.

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On Sunday, December 4, 2022 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on John 1:1-5, 9-13.  This message was part 2 in the “God with us” sermon series.  Below you will see questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion.  Additionally, you will find the audio and video for the… Read More

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When I think of how God worked in my own life to draw me into a relationship with Him, I think of golf balls . . . rocks . . . and car washes.  I am sure you think of the same things. When I was sixteen years old and pulling away (physically and emotionally)… Read More

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When I was a kid, I was terribly afraid of the dark.  Each night, I would hate going to bed because I did not want to be alone in the dark.  As a result, my parents tried several compromises.  For a while, I slept in my sister’s room … being with someone helped ease the… Read More

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Growing up I had always feared the weight room.  I played organized sports my entire life, but somehow, by playing football, basketball, and running track, I was able to avoid ever having an off season for weight training!  It was not the weights that scared me, it was the other people I would find there. … Read More

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Growing up there were two toys I always THOUGHT I wanted, but never got.  These toys looked awesome in TV commercials and on the pages of the JC Penny Christmas catalog.  They were always surrounded by boys about my age looking like they had just won the lottery.  What were these toys?  The tabletop electronic… Read More

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When my son was young, I wore many hats.  On any given day, I might have to serve the function of a jungle gym, an elevator, a taxi driver, and a tour guide … and that is just after 5:00 PM!  Before you begin to think that I was one of the original Wonder Twins… Read More

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In 1871, a wide spot in the road just outside of Washington DC got a new name – “Bethesda, Maryland.”  Up to that time, this little rural community was called “Darcy’s Store” because the only store in the “town” was run by (you guessed it) a man named Darcy!  In 1871, though, the postmaster changed… Read More

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Every year in elementary school, there was one event that attempted to separate the mental men from the boys … one event that drew the attention of students and parents everywhere.  What was this event?  The Science Fair.  Every year, I would make a project … and I would lose every time. While some students… Read More

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On Sunday, November 27, 2022 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a message based on Isaiah 7:1-16 and Matthew 1:22-23.  This message was part 1 of the “God with us” sermon series.  Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion.  You will also find the audio and video… Read More

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The year was 1957.  IBM had created a device which would change the world as we know it.  This device was large by today’s standards, taking up several cabinets of space.  This machine was also expensive, costing nearly $80,000 to purchase.  What is this large and expensive machine that changed the world?  An electronic calculator.… Read More

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On Sunday, November 20, 2022 at Wildwood, we had the great joy of baptizing 22 individuals who had placed their faith in Christ.  Before each of their baptisms, we heard the story of how God had worked in their lives, then we got to witness their water baptism as an outward picture of their inner… Read More

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At Wildwood we are FOR following JESUS together to the glory of God. Because of that, we celebrate when people begin to follow Jesus, and Baptism is a time for the church congregation to celebrate these beginnings! This Sunday (November 20) at Wildwood, we will have the privilege of seeing 22 people baptized. We will… Read More

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Imagine you were to get a phone call this afternoon from someone who is really famous (in a circle or industry you care about).  Could be a politician, a famous sports star, an author, an actor, or a titan of industry.  This is a hypothetical, so you get to decide which famous person is calling… Read More

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On Sunday, November 13, 2022, Teaching Pastor Bruce Hess’ message is “Ruth Chapter 4” from our sermon series “God Behind the Seen”. Below are some questions for your personal or group reflection. 1. As Bruce shared the message from Ruth chapter four, what principles related to God’s Providence hit you in a fresh or significant way?  Elaborate. 2.… Read More

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Hey Wildwood Family! Yes, I know it’s just November 11th, but it FEELS like Christmas. The average high in OKC on December 25th is 46 degrees.  As I type this it’s 39 degrees. See, it does feel like Christmas! Speaking of Christmas, at Wildwood we have two great opportunities before us.  First, would be the… Read More

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On Sunday, November 6, 2022, Teaching Pastor Bruce Hess’ message is “Ruth Chapter 3” from our sermon series “God Behind the Seen”. Below are some questions for your personal or group reflection. 1.  Sometimes “playing it safe” spiritually can lead to missed blessings.  I remember back in the summer of 1990 I faced the prospect of heading off… Read More

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Hey Wildwood Family! We so appreciate all the prayers for my daughter Emily.  She was released from OU Medical Center Thursday afternoon and is now recovering at home. It was a big “triple” surgery, and her recovery will take a while. If you have some extra candy leftover from Halloween, our children’s ministry can utilize… Read More

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On Sunday, October 30, 2022, Teaching Pastor Bruce Hess’ message was “Ruth Chapter 2” from our sermon series “God Behind the Seen”. Below are some questions for your personal or group reflection. 1.  Think back—can you remember a time in your life where you felt like you were at “Wit’s End Corner?” [when you were truly at your… Read More

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Hey Wildwood Family! Wowza.  Life keeps flowing at high speed.  Halloween is on Monday and then it is Thanksgiving, then Christmas, then—double wowza—2023!  Yikes! Many of you were aware that our #2 daughter, Emily, had very extensive cancer surgery on Thursday.  It was very long, but also seemed to be highly successful.  The Team Captain… Read More

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On Sunday, October 23, 2022, Teaching Pastor Bruce Hess’ message is “Ruth Chapter 1” from our sermon series “God Behind the Seen”. Below are some questions for your personal or group reflection. 1.  The book of Ruth occurs during the era of the Judges in Israel’s history. Judges 21:25 describes that era with nine words: “everyone did what… Read More

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Hey Wildwood Family! ​​​​​​​With a projected high temperature of 87 degrees for today (October 21st) one could logically conclude that what has often been called ‘Indian summer’ is upon us.  Interestingly, Indian summer is a phenomenon that is a hallmark of North America. As many would know, Indian summer refers to a very warm spell… Read More

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On Sunday, October 16, 2022 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Revelation 22:14-21.  This message was part 9 in the “Lord of New Heaven and Earth” sermon series.  Below you will find questions related to the message for personal application or group discussion.  You will also find the sermon audio/video to… Read More

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This Sunday will be the 42nd Sunday of 2022.  (That’s right … only 10 weeks to Christmas! … but I digress.)  For 29 of those 42 Sundays, we have been walking through the book of Revelation together.  Add in 39 other blog posts from this study, and you have been surrounded by 68 messages from… Read More

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On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Revelation 22:6-13.  This message was part 8 in the “Lord of New Heaven and Earth” sermon series.  Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion.  You will also find audio and video of… Read More

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“I don’t like the church, but I love Jesus.”   “I don’t care what Paul says (after all he was just a product of his time – with all the prejudices and problems accompanying that era), but I love what Jesus says.” “The Bible is such a confusing book, I will just stick to the… Read More

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On Sunday, October 2, 2022 at Wildwood Community Church I preached a sermon based on Revelation 22:1-5.  This message was part 7 in the “Lord of New Heaven and Earth” sermon series.  Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion.  You will also find audio/video of the sermon… Read More

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I have a couple of friends who purchased homes without first seeing the inside.  One was a home purchase at a foreclosure auction, and the other was a purchase for an out of town move.  Circumstances required they both act “on faith” with their decisions.  While I admire the adventurous nature of these purchases, I… Read More

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On Sunday, September 25, 2022 at Wildwood Community  Church I preached a sermon based on Revelation 21:9-27.  This message was part 6 of the “Lord of New Heaven and Earth” sermon series.  Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion.  You will also find the audio/video of the… Read More

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Own a house, and it will own you. I had always heard that before, but am becoming more and more acutely aware of just what that actually means.  Things in this world are in need of constant care and attention … and often break down, needing repairs. In the past month, my 50 year old… Read More

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On Sunday, September 18, 2022 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Revelation 21:1-8.  This message was part 5 of the “Lord of New Heaven and Earth” sermon series.  Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion.  You will also find audio and video of… Read More

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God’s grace.  It’s amazing, isn’t it?  And yet we often do things that reduce its grandeur. One way we do reduce God’s grace is by thinking MORE OF OURSELVES than we should.  In other words, if we have an attitude that thinks God SHOULD grant us entry into heaven, then we are over-estimating our personal… Read More

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On September 11, 2022 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Revelation 20:11-15.  This message was part 4 in the “Lord of New Heaven and Earth” sermon series.  Below you will find questions related to this message for personal reflection or group discussion.  You will also find audio and video from the… Read More

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Hell.  Now there is a place we don’t really want to talk about.  The concept of a location designed for everlasting torment is unsettling to us … and for good reason!  So, people have tried to assuage their minds concerning Hell in a variety of ways: Some make Hell a punchline in a joke.  In… Read More

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How do you know if someone can be trusted? Well, typically you would look at that person’s character and track record. If they are a person of high character (someone who consistently demonstrates noble behavior) and if they are a person who has regularly done what they have promised they will do … you trust… Read More

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On Sunday, September 4, 2022 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Revelation 20:1-10.  This message was part 3 of the “Lord of New Heaven and Earth” sermon series.  Below you will find questions related to this message for personal reflection or group discussion.  You will also find sermon audio and video… Read More

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We live in a world that is broken.  We all know it.  We feel the effects of this brokenness all the time.  On the personal level this brokenness manifests as addiction, severed and strained relationships, illness (mental and physical), self-destructive behavior, etc.  In the world around us, this brokenness appears as abuse, war, injustice, failed… Read More

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On Sunday, August 28, 2022 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Revelation 19:11-21.  This message was part 2 of the “Lord of New Heaven and Earth” sermon series.  Below you will find questions related to the message for group discussion or personal reflection.  You will also find the audio and video… Read More

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Are you familiar with the Christmas story? I am guessing that most of you reading this post are. I am not talking about the myth concerning Santa Claus and the North Pole, I am referring to the Messiah, Jesus Christ, being born in Bethlehem. The events related to the first coming of Jesus are some… Read More

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One of my favorite professors during my time at Dallas Theological Seminary was Howard Hendricks. “Prof Hendricks” (as he was affectionately known) was a walking/talking quote machine with his perspectives on life, ministry, leadership, and creativity word-smithed into memorable phrases. One comment I often heard Prof say related to the time after the sermon each… Read More

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On Sunday, August 21, 2022 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Revelation 19:1-10.  This message was part 1 of the “Lord of New Heaven and Earth” sermon series.  Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion.  You will also find the audio and video… Read More

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Last week I mentioned that my family went to Washington DC over the summer for vacation.  We saw all the usual sites in DC for the majority of our trip, but one day, we went to one of Washington DC’s newest attractions celebrating one of the oldest documents on earth – the Museum of the… Read More

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On Sunday, August 14, 2022 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on a survey of the book of Acts.  This message (titled “The Church that Acts”) kicked off the school year at Wildwood.  Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion.  You will also find… Read More

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This past summer, we took a family trip to Washington DC. While Kimberly and I spent a couple of days there on our honeymoon years ago, this was our first trip to the nation’s capital since our son was born. We saw most of the monuments, visited Mount Vernon and Arlington National Cemetary, devoted a… Read More

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This morning at Wildwood Community Church, we celebrated with 13 Wildwood people who were water baptized!  Around this time of celebration, we worshipped, looked into God’s Word, and prayed.  Below, you will find links to the worship services and slides from the message.   To watch the stream of any of the services (8:30*, 9:45,… Read More

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At Wildwood we are FOR following JESUS together to the glory of God. Because of that, we celebrate when people begin to follow Jesus, and Baptism is a time for the church congregation to celebrate these beginnings! This Sunday (August 7) at Wildwood, we will have the privilege of seeing 13 people be baptized. We… Read More

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On Sunday, July 24, 2022, Teaching Pastor Bruce Hess’ message is “Experiences – Part 5” from our sermon series“Divinely Designed to Serve”. Below are some questions for your personal or group reflection. 1. Bruce mentioned that camels are divinely designed by God for a specific environment. Have you seen a camel up close? Every ridden one? Ever touched one?… Read More

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Hey Wildwood Family! We hope you got some rain in the last 24 hours. Isn’t it amazing how attractive rain can be when we haven’t had any for a long, long period of overly hot weeks? Some of us just wanted to walk in the rain for fun. I was just praising God for such… Read More

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On Sunday, July 24, 2022, Teaching Pastor Bruce Hess’ message is “Abilities/Personality – Part 4” from our sermon series “Divinely Designed to Serve”. Below are some questions for your personal or group reflection. 1. Share about an acquired ability (a skill) that you have been able to cultivate. How did it happen? 2. Share also about an ability (either… Read More

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Hey Wildwood Family! Anyone noticed it’s been a tad on the warm side? Certainly, we all have! I can guarantee you the 35 Pine Cove City leaders have noticed this week as they’ve ministered to some 180 children (serving sometimes inside and many times outside with fun water slides, climbing towers, etc.). It’s been a… Read More

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On Sunday, July 17, 2022, Teaching Pastor Bruce Hess’ message is “Spiritual Gifts – Part 3” from our sermon series“Divinely Designed to Serve”. Below are some questions for your personal or group reflection. 1. Most of us are passionate about a particular sports team or type of music. Briefly share about which team or style of music you… Read More

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To many families, summer means camping…a way to break the routine and experience the fun of the outdoors. Well, summer also means camping time at Wildwood. Two camping events are on the schedule for Wildwood. First, our Wildwood Students leave today for the WS camp. This exciting event involves some 150+ students and 31 WS… Read More

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On Sunday, July 10, 2022, Teaching Pastor Bruce Hess’ message is “Spiritual Gifts – Part 2” from our sermon series“Divinely Designed to Serve”. Below are some questions for your personal or group reflection. 1. Think of a time when something you got or bought didn’t fit what you needed it for, OR a time when you discovered something… Read More

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Hey Wildwood Family! The weather the past few days reminded me of a movie song from the 80’s, entitled, The Heat is On. The chorus is simple The heat is on, the heat is on The heat is on Oh it’s on the street The heat is… on Yep. Pretty much describes the past week… Read More

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On Sunday, July 3, 2022, Teaching Pastor Bruce Hess’ message is “Spiritual Gifts” from our sermon series “Devinely Designed to Serve”. Below are some questions for your personal or group reflection. What are some of your favorite aspects of God’s divine handiwork in this world?  Bruce mentioned majestic mountain scenes, sunsets ablaze with colors, and the intricacies of… Read More

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Hey Wildwood Family! This has been a “different” week for the Hess family.  Our 42-year-old daughter, Emily, started chemo treatment on Tuesday for stage 4 mucinous adeno carcinoma which she’s been diagnosed.  Em has been a traveling surgical technician for some years now.  Currently she is staying with us as she undergoes treatment. Emily likes… Read More

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Over the past 7 weeks, we have been studying Revelation 6-18, seeing Jesus revealed as the “Lord of the Earth.”  It has been a joy to preach seven sermons, and also to add additional material on this blog, to help us understand these verses better.  It has been my prayer that this study would not… Read More

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On Sunday, June 26, 2022 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Revelation 17-18.  This message was part 7 in the “Lord of the Earth” sermon series.  Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion.  You will also find the audio/video of the message to… Read More

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Have you ever taken Driver’s Ed.?  I did.  Long ago in the summer of 1989.  In this class I learned about turn signals, emergency brakes, how to parallel park, and how many feet I should leave between me and the car in front of me.  You know what else I learned?  How important it is… Read More

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In this morning’s message from Revelation 14, we talked about the question, “Who marks your life?”  We saw how there are two primary things that can mark our lives:  this beastly world, or our Creator God.  Against the backdrop of the end times (and the “666” mark of the beast from Revelation 13 vs. the… Read More

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On Sunday, June 19, 2022 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a message based on Revelation 14:1-20.  This message was part 6 in the “Lord of the Earth” sermon series.  Below you will see questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion.  You will also find the audio and video of the… Read More

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We live in a world that makes promises telling us “We can have it all.”  Life without limits.  Blessing without budgets.  Choices without costs.   This is the basic pitch of almost every advertisement.  “You need this car.”  “You should buy that house.”  “You have to go to that event.”  “Don’t leave the house without… Read More

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There is a scene we are familiar with … a person who knows they are beat, suddenly acts out in anger.   Parents of toddlers have seen this.  You are playing “Chutes and Ladders” when your child hits the long slide … assuring their competitor will beat them to the top.  Knowing defeat is certain,… Read More

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On Sunday, June 12, 2022 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Revelation 12-13.  This message was part 5 of the “Lord of the Earth” series.  Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion.  You will also find the audio and video from the message… Read More

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In any competition, “intelligence” can be a helpful.  By “intelligence” I am not referring to the size of one’s intellect (though an exercised brain is certainly helpful.)  By “intelligence” I do mean information that can help you know what your opponent’s strategy or tendencies are. In military operations, knowing where bases and weapons are located… Read More

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In 1981 a man wearing a fedora and a leather bomber jacket went looking for an ancient relic … and he found  place in our hearts for the past 41 years.  Who am I referring to?  Indiana Jones of course! In 1981 Dr. Jones (played by Harrison Ford) went looking for the “lost” Ark of… Read More

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On Sunday, June 5, 2022 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Revelation 11:1-19.  This message was part 4 of the “Lord of the Earth” sermon series.  Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion.  You will also find the audio and video of the… Read More

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Tonight the NBA Finals tip off between the Celtics and the Warriors. For anyone keeping track at home, I think the Celtics win this series. But I digress … I will be watching the Finals this year, as I have most every year of my life. I love basketball, and have always followed the NBA.… Read More

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[Yesterday morning, I preached a sermon based on Revelation 10:1-11.  This message was part 3 in the “Lord of the Earth” sermon series.  As I have done each week in this series, here are a few more thoughts connected to the message.] Smug orthodoxy is very unattractive.  What do I mean by this?  It is… Read More

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On Sunday, May 29, 2022 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Revelation 10:1-11. This message was part 3 of the “Lord of the Earth” sermon series.  Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion.  You will also find the audio/video of the message to… Read More

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On May 14, a man walked into the Tops Supermarket in Buffalo, New York and opened fire, killing 10 and wounding 3 more.  Making this event even more despicable, were the racist motivations of the killer. On May 24, a man walked into an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas and killed 21 people.  Making this… Read More

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3 More Thoughts From Revelation 7 … This morning, I preached part 2 of the “Lord of the Earth” series.  This message focused on Revelation 7:1-17.  In the sermon we saw that just as there is a certainty of the wrath of God coming in the future during the Great Tribulation, so also there is… Read More

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On Sunday, May 22, 2022 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Revelation 7:1-17.  This message was part 2 in the “Lord of the Earth” sermon series.  Below is a set of questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion.  You will also find the audio and video of… Read More

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Over the past decade, I have had the privilege of leading tours of the nation of Israel.  It has been a true joy to help guide hundreds of people in an exploration of the land where much of the events in the Bible took place.  Exploring the oasis of Eingedi where David hid from King… Read More

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This past Sunday, we launched our new series “The Lord of the Earth,” looking at Revelation 6-18 where we see Jesus as the Lord of the planet we currently call home.  This past Sunday, we did a survey of 5 chapters (Revelation 6, 8-9, 15-16), and saw Jesus revealed as the King and Judge of… Read More

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On Sunday, May 15, 2022 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Revelation 6; 8-9; 15-16.  This message was part 1 of the “Lord of the Earth” sermon series.  Below are questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion.  You will also find the sermon audio/video to listen to/watch,… Read More

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Throughout 2022, on Sundays at Wildwood, we have been walking through the book of Revelation.  So far, I have preached 12 messages from this book that have highlighted two important things revealed about Jesus Christ in Revelation 1-5 … namely, that Jesus is the Lord of the Church (Revelation 1-3), and that He is the… Read More

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On Sunday, May 8, 2022 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Revelation 5:8-14.  This message was part 3 of the “Lord of Heaven” series.  Below you will find questions related to the message for further reflection or group discussion.  You will also find the sermon audio and video to listen to/watch,… Read More

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Five big facts that we cannot forget: 1. Jesus is King.  That is who He is … King Jesus.  Technically, King of Kings Jesus.   2. And King of Kings Jesus is fully God AND fully man – a paradox our logic can’t package and confine, but truth none-the-less.  The omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent One came… Read More

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On Sunday, May 1, 2022 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Revelation 5:1-7.   This message was part two in the “Lord of Heaven” series.  Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion.  You will also find the audio and video of the sermon… Read More

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I am both an OU fan and graduate. I also love sports, and follow the Sooners wherever I can. In this day and age of the “transfer portal,” coaches changing schools, and the very real threat of injuries, fans like me often play the “what if” game. November of last year, it was “what if… Read More

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On Sunday, April 24, 2022 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Revelation 4:1-11.  This message was part 1 in the “Lord of Heaven” sermon series.  Below you will find questions related to the message for group discussion or personal reflection.  You will also find the sermon audio and video to listen… Read More

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Let’s suppose for a moment that somehow, someway, you were tasked with planning a single trip for EVERYONE you KNOW.  I don’t just mean your closest circle or family. I mean for EVERY.ONE.YOU.KNOW.  I know this is fantasy, but humor me for a minute. Now, a couple of parameters: Money is no issue, so truly… Read More

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On Sunday, April 17, 2022 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on John 20:24-31.  This message was a part of our Easter Sunday celebration.  Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion.  You will also find the audio and video of the message to listen… Read More

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Earlier tonight we held two Good Friday worship services.  The first of these two was live-streamed.  The video of the service is found below (linked online via YouTube):  

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On Sunday, March 27, 2022, Teaching Pastor Bruce Hess’ message is “The End Ahead” from our sermon series “Remember, Judgment is Coming”. Below are some questions for your personal or group reflection.

1. Have you ever heard of the New Madrid fault zone before? Generally, where is it and how does it compare to the San Andreas fault zone in California? If another 8.8 quake (like in 1812) were to happen now how much more damage do you think might occur? [Note that the modern city Memphis was founded in 1819].

2. Bruce mentioned at the start that God has always been orchestrating history (He’s large and in charge). He then read from Revelation 1:1 and 4:1 where God states these future events “must take place.” Why must they? What does this tell us about our God?

3. Bruce spent some time clarifying the nature of The Day of the Lord (it’s mentioned in verse 10). If you had to explain its significance to someone else—how would you explain it? Expand on it some.

4. What are some of the reasons why the nation of Israel existing back in their land is such a super sign of approaching end time events?

5. Verse 10 and verse 12 stress that one day the heavens and the earth are going to be dissolved and destroyed with fire. Knowing that God gave stewardship over the earth to Adam and that we are called to be stewards of what God has given—what is the balance between concern for the environment and the truth that this world is temporary? Discuss.

6. Bruce said prophetic truth is not given to us by God merely for information. Rather, He does it for our spiritual motivation. What does that mean for our everyday lives?

7. Take some time to pray: 1) to thank God for His sovereignty 2) to pray for one person that you know who does not know Jesus as their Rescuer.

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Hey Wildwood Family!

If you’ve ever been to my house, you would know that we have two large trees in the front yard (one a maple and the other a sycamore)—both of which are some 45 or more years old. Because they cast such looming shade, I have discovered that I can only grow fescue grass in my yard.

What that means is that every spring I have to “overseed” my yard—plant fresh fescue seed to help additional sprouts to form since fescue doesn’t spread like bermuda grass does. I look for a time when the weather is warming enough for the seed to sprout, but well before the weather turns hot.

As I was doing that this week, I was thinking about how we have the privilege of planting seed in people’s lives…the seed of His truth, the seed of our testimony, and the seed of the gospel message. Funny thing about planting seed, sometimes life is so busy we might forget to even do it. On the other hand, we might not even be looking for a good opportunity to plant seed. Here’s a spring thought: pray for God to alert you to good opportunities to share God’s Truth with a neighbor, friend, co-worker, fellow student, or family member.

Part of our assignment is to sow seeds. God through the Spirit is the one who can germinate that seed, water it, and cause growth to happen (see 1 Corinthians 3:5-7). So, let’s be looking for—asking God for—opportunities to share a word of testimony with those in our world. It is always exciting to see what grows from planting seed!

Here’s a timely heads up—please pray for Wildwood’s College Life spring retreat tomorrow, this Saturday. Pray for unity among the students and that the Lord might give them a special time before Him and to reflect on how they can be used to further reach the OU campus. We LOVE our college students!

This Sunday we will continue our series from 2 Peter 3 entitled, Remember-Judgment is Coming. This week we will delve into 3:10-13…some startling verses. Be sure to read them before Sunday. I’ve entitled the message, The End Ahead.

See you Sunday!!

Bruce

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On Sunday, March 20, 2022, Teaching Pastor Bruce Hess’ message is “The World’s Looming Appointment” from our sermon series “Remember, Judgment is Coming”. Below are some questions for your personal or group reflection.

1. Bruce reflected on a time early in his life growing up in the 50s and 60s when there were widespread fears of the world ending due to atomic warfare. Can you remember a time or times in your life when you also found yourself concerned that something could well happen to bring a sudden end to this world? If so, share some about the when, the what, and the why.

2. Peter in chapter 3 is addressing a coming future era when God’s wrath is to be poured out on this world. Bruce shared a definition of God’s wrath. As best as you can recall—how should we describe God’s wrath? Bruce also identified three aspects of God’s wrath in Scripture. List them out and identify a bible passage that describes that aspect.

3. In verse 8 Peter explains that God has a more advanced view of time than we do as humans. If you were speaking with a brand-new believer, how would you explain the differences?

4. Bruce shared the quote, God is never in a hurry, but he’s also never late. How does that idea bring us encouragement and patience in the ups and downs of our everyday life?

5. Why hasn’t God pulled down the curtain on human history as He has promised to do?

Expand on what Peter says in verse 9. What other Bible verses support what Peter is saying in verse 9?

1. Bruce shared some of the story of Charles Spurgeon’s conversion at 15 while listening to a severely underqualified speaker. What does that story tell us about what is most important in communicating the gospel message with others?

2. Review some of the lyrics (below) that we sang on Sunday:

(Death was arrested)

Released from my chains, I’m a prisoner no more

My shame as a ransom He faithfully bore

He canceled my debt and He called me His friend

Take some time in prayer to worship and thank the Living God for loving us so and for extending the free gift of salvation that we so clearly could never afford.

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Hey Wildwood Family!

Well, spring break week is coming to an end. I hope you and yours had the opportunity to take a break even if it was for a day. Janet and the Key family took a day trip on Wednesday to Frontier City. Janet related that while it was great to be outdoors, Frontier City was vastly understaffed that day and many of the rides weren’t yet functioning. Add to that, FC has significantly increased all their prices. Janet’s verdict: buy a season pass, you spend nearly as much with a one-day regular ticket and parking.

For some of us, this time of year means: March Madness basketball! Our church staff is participating again this year in a group Tournament Bracket. Truth be told, I tend to just pretend I know what I’m doing Later on I’ll report on how my bracket fared and which staff member won.

Lots going on at Wildwood despite it being spring break week. If you have kids, signups are active both for VBS and the Pine Cove City day camp this summer. Don’t delay as both events can fill up. College retreat is also on the horizon (March 26) along with the startup this Wednesday of ‘Wednesdays at Wildwood,’ this time with Mike Strauss tackling questions about science and Christianity. Much more is happening: check the bulletin!

On Sunday we will be continuing our 2 Peter 3 series—Remember, Judgment is Coming—by looking at chapter 3:7-9 and a message I’ve entitled, “The World’s Looming Appointment.” Be sure to read the passage ahead of time. As part of the message, I’ll be sharing a highly memorable part of my growing up years in the 50s and 60s. I’m looking forward to it, hope you are too.

See you Sunday!

Bruce

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On Sunday, March 13, 2022, Teaching Pastor Bruce Hess’ message is “Embrace Biblical Prophesy” from our sermon series “Remember, Judgment is Coming”. Below are some questions for your personal or group reflection.

1. Bruce pointed out that people in the church usually have different perspectives on Biblical prophecy of the end times. Some view prophecy on the return of Jesus and the coming judgment of the world as too frightening and negative. They prefer not to think about it, much less study it.

Others feel prophetic passages seem too cryptic and confusing since there seems to be so many interpretations, so why bother investigating them?

Still, others fancy themselves as a PNT…a prophecy nerd type.

Which perspective do you most identify with and why? Be transparent. Elaborate.

1. Bruce shared three positive aspects that flow from studying Biblical prophecy of the end of the age. Try to list them and share which one stands out to you.

[note: if you struggle, the points are listed below]

1. Peter states that his desire is to stir up the believers by way of reminder about prophetic truth. Why is that important for us? Why do we need to be reminded?

2. Have you ever interacted with someone who poked fun at the notion of Jesus’ return to earth and the idea of an eventual day of reckoning for the whole world?

If so, share some about it.

What drives people to take that viewpoint? Does Ephesians 4:18-19 provide any insight?

1. What were some of the reasons why Bruce concluded that the flood of Noah’s day was a global flood rather than a local flood?

2. Based on the truth Peter shares in 3:1-6, are there any attitudes, actions, or activities that the Holy Spirit is nudging you to address or alter? Be honest.

3. Take time to pray and thank God for the Truth He has revealed to us.

[Breeds confidence that God is truly the ruler of the universe; Calms our fears about the future; Motivates us to remain “on mission”]

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Hey Wildwood Family!

Time flies, doesn’t it? It was two years ago today that the Utah Jazz-OKC Thunder game was canceled with fans in the stands when star Utah center Rudy Gobert tested positive for Covid. That was our initial entrance into “Covid-ville” where we’ve spent some 24 months in pandemic darkness.

SO glad there is light at the end of the tunnel. I hope we never have to go through such a confusing, conflict-laden time again. I hope I never again have to pick up one of the myriad of masks that I have stacked in a pile. I’m confident you feel the same.

While we celebrate relief from Covid, the people of the Ukraine are suffering at the hands of an evil tyrant. Please pray for them. I pray every day for God to confound the Russian army. I pray for judgment on Mr. Putin.

I’ve been told that the Ukraine has more evangelical churches than any nation in Europe. I’ve also heard that the Ukraine was the number one missionary sending nation in Europe. The Enemy of souls no doubt has them directly in his sights.

Certainly, our brothers and sisters in Christ covet our prayers. Pray for God’s spiritual kingdom to continue to spread even amidst these times of painful suffering. On Sunday we will share about how Wildwood plans to help some.

I haven’t had the privilege of sharing God’s Word with you since last October. I’m excited that we will be launching on Sunday a 4-part series from 2 Peter chapter three, a series I’ve entitled, Remember, Judgment is Coming. The title for this Sunday’s message is Embrace Biblical Prophecy. Please read 2 Peter chapter three before Sunday. We will be focusing on 3:1-6. My two previous series on 2 Peter, chapters one and two, are available on brucehess.com Check it out!

Meanwhile, enjoy the snow! No doubt it will be the last of the winter.

See you Sunday!

Bruce

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On Sunday, March 6, 2022, at Wildwood Community Church, we celebrated the baptisms of 17 individuals. Before these baptisms in our 8:30 and 9:45 worship service, I shared a few thoughts about baptism in light of our recent study of Revelation 1-3. Below you will find links to the videos of the services, audio from the message in the first two services, and slides from the message in the first two services.

To listen to the message offline, click the link:

Baptism Sunday 3.6.22

To listen online, use the media player below:

https://pastormarkrobinson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/20220306-0945_96kbs.mp3 To watch the baptisms from the 8:30 Service, use YouTube:

To watch the 9:45 full service stream, use YouTube:

To watch the baptisms from the 11:00 service, use YouTube:

For a link to all the baptism testimonies from this morning, click here.

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Friends … this Sunday is BAPTISM SUNDAY at Wildwood. Join us in our 3 morning services as we celebrate with 17 individuals who have trusted in Jesus as their Savior and will expressing their faith in Him through water baptism. We will worship, reflect on this moment from God’s Word, hear their stories of transformation, and PRAISE GOD TOGETHER. If you have been around Wildwood for a while, you know that on Baptism Sundays, we all gather in the worship center during our three morning services (with the exception of our birth-preK that have their classes still running during the 9:45 and 11:00 services). No adult, college, middle/high school, or elementary school aged classes meeting this Sunday. Make plans to join us! These are some of my favorite times of the year.

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On Sunday, February 27, 2022 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Revelation 3:14-22. This message was part 9 in the “Lord of the Church” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find sermon audio and video to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Revelation 3:14-22
3. Have you ever considered that how you live your life and the decisions you make actually MATTER to Jesus Christ? In this week’s verses He says some behavior makes Him “sick” while other behavior is motivated by His love … and He is pursuing us. How we live really maters to Him!
4. In this message we talk about a lukewarm faith that is “useless.” This kind of faith may trust Jesus for our eternity, but it does not trust Him for our day to day lives. Has there ever been a time in your life where you have had a “lukewarm” or “useless” faith?
5. Even though the Laodiceans were rich in this world, they were spiritually poor … but their worldly wealth prevented them from recognizing their need for Jesus. In what ways do you see any parallels with the American church today?
6. How does your sense of “need” show up in your prayer life, Bible study, church attendance, etc.?
7. Jesus tells the Laodiceans to “repent” and “be useful” for Him by turning to Him for true riches, righteousness, and spiritual insight. Which of these things (mentioned in 3:18) most stands out to you today?
8. Jesus knocks on the doors of our churches and our lives and asks to come in and fellowship with us. Have you ever opened the door of your life to Him? Are you currently welcoming Him into every area of your life today?
9. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

Access these questions in pdf format by clicking here.

To listen offline, use the link below:

The Lord of the Church #9 2.20.22

To listen online, use the media player:

https://pastormarkrobinson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/20220227-0945_96kbs.mp3 To watch, use YouTube online to see stream:

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What disgusts you?

I know … weird question, right? But what really upsets you? What causes you to react with a strong sense of rejection? And I am not just talking about foods you don’t like … I mean at a deeper level, what really bothers you?

As someone who has followed and played sports all my life, I have often heard coaches or commentators mention that it drives them crazy when they see a highly skilled and gifted athlete waste their talent with lack of effort or poor life choices.

You might also know of technology experts who roll their eyes and shake their heads when they see people using machines capable of launching the space shuttle to only play minesweeper or solitaire.

Educators might bemoan the national merit scholar who is only a “C” student because they have not fully applied themselves to their academic studies.

Employers complain about employees failing to give their all … or parents shaking their heads over their children who insist on only doing the minimum, instead of going the extra mile.

In each of these examples, you might imagine a coach, expert, educator, employer, or parent comment that these situations “make them sick.” These people are in a position to know the ceiling of an individual, so it drives them crazy when someone they care about routinely under-deliver on their potential.

Now, I want to ask you a question … do you know what makes Jesus “sick”? What turns His stomach? We don’t have to guess. He tells us in Revelation 3:14-22. It isn’t a mystery. He tells us what makes Him want to vomit.

Before I reveal what this is, can I make a side comment? The God of the Universe … the One who created ALL THINGS … CARES WHAT WE DO. He is not detached. He is not aloof. He is the Lord of the Church. He is connected to the church, and the individuals that make it up. And how we live our lives can either lead to His delight or His disgust. And in Revelation 3:14-22, He tells us that there is one way we can live that makes Him want to spit us out of His mouth.

So what is it? What is it that we do that so disgusts and disappoints our Savior?

It is when we exhibit a “useless” faith.

Jesus wants our faith to be more than “fire insurance” for eternity … He wants us to be dynamically dependent upon Him for every moment of every day. He wants us to trust His Word in obedience. He wants us to trust His Spirit for empowerment. He wants us to trust His work on the cross for forgiveness. He wants us to trust His resurrection for giving us a new identity. He wants all of our lives to be identified with Him. But why does Jesus want this? Does He want this because He is on an ego trip? No … He wants this because He loves us and He knows what our ceiling truly is. He knows what we were created for. He knows what He has empowered us to do and be, and it makes Him sad when we settle for something less.

This Sunday at Wildwood Community Church, we will be wrapping up our “Lord of the Church” Sermon series by looking at Revelation 3:14-22 – the letter to the church of Laodicea. This letter will encourage us to have a “useful” not “useless” faith … and it will also encourage us with the knowledge that Jesus not only gives us His stuff to activate our faith … but He also gives us access to Himself, and a promise to work alongside Him in His Kingdom. Make plans to be with us for this final message in the series in our 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 service, or online in the stream … and bring friends!

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On Sunday, February 20, 2022 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Revelation 3:7-13. This message was part 8 in the “Lord of the Church” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find the audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download, or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Revelation 3:7-13
3. What keys do you have on your keychain? What do these keys say about your life? How does knowing the “keys” on Jesus’ “keychain” (see Revelation 1:18 and 3:7) reveal something to you about Jesus?
4. The OBJECT of our faith is incredibly important. This section of God’s Word presents Jesus as someone AWESOME and worthy of our faith and trust. What do you learn about Jesus in this passage that MOST encourages you?
5. Have you thought much about the fact that one day God will JUDGE this earth? Revelation 6-19 (a section of God’s Word we will look at later this year) talks about the 7 year season when God will pour out His wrath upon the earth. This era will include the “mark of the beast” and the presence of the anti-Christ. However, our passage this week reminds us that if we trust in Jesus now, we will not have to endure this season of judgment upon the earth. How is that a motivator for you to trust Christ today? How is that a motivator for you to share Christ with other’s today?
6. The security of a believer is highlighted in 3:12. The believer in Jesus has assurance of His salvation and place in God’s Kingdom forever. How does this assurance encourage you in your relationship with Christ today?
7. The key response indicated throughout this section of God’s Word is to “keep the Word” and “hold fast what you have received.” What are some areas where you are tempted to NOT keep the Word in your life today?
8. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here.

To listen to audio offline, click the link to download:

Lord of the Church #8 2.20.22

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Take out your keychain right now and see what is on it. That keychain will say something of the areas of responsibility you have in life.

You probably have a key to where you live, where you work, vehicles you own or have access to, maybe a bike lock, or possibly a key to a storage unit. All of these keys represent things that you have access to at a level that others do not. With this access comes increased opportunities AND increased responsibility. It is actually an interesting exercise from time to time to look at your keys and see some of what the Lord is asking you to steward.

We hold our keys as things of great value. We don’t want to lose them, and certainly don’t want them to fall into the “wrong hands.” If someone is up to no good AND they have your keys, they could inflict a lot of damage.

Now, I want us to think for a moment about Jesus Christ. Did you know that He has a few keys on His keychain? They show us a lot about Him … His opportunities and His responsibilities. In Revelation 1:18, Jesus shows us that He has the keys to “Death and Hades.” This means that He holds power over death, and He controls access to our destinations after we die (Hades was the “place of the dead” in first century vernacular.) By showing us that He has the keys to death and Hades, Jesus was saying, death cannot lock me up, and it cannot lock up anyone who believes in Me. Jesus was saying that He alone holds the key to unlock an eternity in paradise, and He would open the door to heaven for all who trusted in Him.

In Revelation 3:7, Jesus shows us that He has more than just the keys to death and Hades on His keychain, He also has the “Key of David.” This is a reference to having access to the full treasury of the King. Jesus is able to bless His followers with all the spiritual blessings in the Heavenly Places, and ultimately to provide us with His riches in eternity.

By showing us His keychain, Jesus was showing us what He has responsibility over. Though we don’t have these keys ourselves, we can rest easy. Access to these blessings is far better off in the hands of the One who is Holy and True (Revelation 3:7). Jesus is never up to no good. He is always acting rightly and truthfully. We can trust Him to take care of us in death, the afterlife, and by giving us access to whatever else we might need.

This Sunday at Wildwood, we will look at the Jesus who holds these keys in order to inspire in us more and more faith and trust in Him. We will do this by looking at the letter Jesus wrote to the church in Philadelphia as recorded in Revelation 3:7-13 in part 8 of our “Lord of the Church” series. Hope to see you in our 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 worship service, or online in the stream. Hope to see you there!

P.S. This passage also has a lot to say about a truly unbelievable promise of where the church will be during the period of time when God judges the earth. You don’t want to miss this great truth! It is SO ENCOURAGING.

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On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a message based on Revelation 3:1-6. This message was part 7 of the “Lord of the Church” series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find audio and video to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Revelation 3:1-6
3. Can you think of an example from your life where someone’s reputation did not match up with their reality?
4. Doe the fact that Jesus can see us from the inside out (including our spirit) encourage you or terrify you? Why or why not?
5. The church at Sardis apparently was nice and moral, but not openly acknowledging or professing Jesus as their Savior. Are you ever tempted in life to conceal the fact that you are a Christ follower? What are the circumstances where you may not want your connection to Christ to be known?
6. Jesus calls the silent church to WAKE UP! Yet He also calls (at least a segment of this church dead). The only hope we have to “wake the dead” is a resurrection! Thankfully Jesus is capable of such things! Where in your life do you need the Spirit to “wake you up” to deeper obedience to Him?
7. Who are some examples in your life of people who boldly and openly proclaim the name of Jesus regardless of their audience? How might you learn from their behavior?
8. Who might the Lord want you to talk to this week about Jesus?
9. Of the promises Jesus gives to the church here, what most encourages you? Why?
10. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here.

To listen offline, click the link to download:

The Lord of the Church #7 2.13.22

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Our reputation matters to us. Let’s be honest … we care what others think. Now, some of you may care LESS about this than others, but all of us (to some degree) spend some time and energy thinking about what others think of us.

One of the difficult components of social media is that it creates a two headed monster: (1) a platform on which we can try to carefully manage an appearance of ourselves for the “world” to see, and (2) a “scorecard” of “likes” or “hearts” or “impressions” or “comments” to let us know if people approve of the version of us we just posted. This feeds some really terrible tendencies that have filled many counselor’s offices with people who are experiencing anxiety because of their concern of what others think about us. It is a vicious cycle.

One of the things that must be acknowledged, though, is that sometimes a person’s reputation does not match reality. Sometimes people are painted as a monster when they are not. Other times people are painted awesome when they are a mess. There are limits to our understanding, and with these limits come imperfect evaluations and (at times) mislabeled reputations.

This is not just true of individuals, it is even true of churches. The reputation of some churches might be awful … while they truly love the Lord and are doing great work. But the converse is also true … there are also churches that are celebrated by their city, their culture, or even other churches, but they are actually in really bad shape.

While we may struggle to align reputations with reality, you know who doesn’t struggle in these evaluations? Jesus Christ.

Jesus sees past the reputations of individuals, pastors, and churches and knows who we REALLY are. In Revelation 3:1-6, Jesus writes a letter to the church in Sardis. In this letter, He says, “You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.” Jesus is not wowed by our reputation. He is not distracted by the size of our church building, how many people are in the pews, how talented the worship band is, how interesting the pastor’s messages are, how many followers someone has on social media, or any other thing we might want to zero in on. Jesus sees our hearts. Is our spirit “alive” or “dead”

This Sunday at Wildwood, we will talk more about what it means to be spiritually alive or dead, as we “who have ears will hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” See you for part 7 in the “Lord of the Church” series at Wildwood Community Church in our 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 worship services … on online in the stream. See you there, and bring friends!

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On Sunday, February 6, 2022 at Wildwood Community Church in Norman, OK I preached a sermon based on Revelation 2:18-29. This message was part 6 in the “Lord of the Church” series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection and group discussion. You will also find the audio/video of the sermon to listen to/watch download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Revelation 2:18-29
3. What would you say has the strongest “gravity” in your life? Around what does your life orbit?
4. Does it encourage you to know that Jesus “sees all” (good and bad) … or does that scare you? What is your honest reaction to this knowledge? Why do you react this way?
5. The church in Thyatira was being influenced by a false prophetess who was encouraging compromise (Jesus + other gods). This approach would experience judgment by Jesus in a dramatic way to discourage our participation in its ways. Have you ever witnessed anything that appeared to be the judgment of God upon an unrepentant sinner in this life?
6. What would it look like for you to place Jesus as the center of gravity in your own life today? What changes would you make?
7. The promise of future rule and hope are extended as incentives to trust Christ today. Do either of these promises particularly encourage your heart today?
8. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here.

To listen to sermon audio offline, click the link:

The Lord of the Church #6 2.6.22

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Imagine you are walking down the streets of the village of Thyatira (a small town in the province of Asia inside the Roman Empire) during the first century. While you are walking, you hear of someone talking about the “son of god.” Who do you imagine they are talking about?

For a 21st century American, we most likely would assume that they would be talking about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. However, there is a decent chance, that the conversation about the “son of god” in Thyatira would have been referring to Augustus Caesar (or one of the other Caesars)! Starting with Julius Caesar, the Romans believed their human leaders were gods, so the kids of these Roman leaders were sons of the divine — and all these leaders were considered worthy of worship. Large temples were built in their honor, and all people were required to make sacrifices to them … or face the consequences.

This was the situation on the STREETS of Thyatira. But what about conversations inside the CHURCH in Thyatira? What was happening there?

In the church in Thyatira, there was a woman who called herself a prophetess. By prophetess, I mean that she was claiming to speak for God. The story she was telling was a similar one to the things that the Nicolaitans were preaching down the road in Pergamum and over in Ephesus — basically, worship the Roman sons of gods on Monday-Saturday at the pagan altars, then worship the true Son of God on Sunday in church. That way you avoid Roman consequences while still reaping eternal rewards. AND … by assuming the role of prophetess … this woman was claiming that her message of compromise was baptized by God Himself.

So, to the Christians in Thyatira, the question remained … which Son would they orbit around?

Would they rotate around the sons of god (like Augustus)? Would they rotate around the compromising prophetess who claimed to speak for the Son? OR … would they hold fast to Jesus?

Now, before we look further to see how THEY responded, I want to ask each of us a question as well. Around what does our life revolve? What holds the most gravity in our lives?

Is it:

• the world
• a personality in a church who claims to speak for God while promoting compromise
• or … Jesus Himself?

This Sunday at Wildwood, we will be in part 6 of the “Lord of the Church” series as we look at Revelation 2:18-29 and see the longest of the 7 letters Jesus wrote to the churches of Asia … the letter He wrote to the church in Thyatira. This letter will remind us that Jesus truly is the Son at the center of our system. Make plans to join us at 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 … or online in the stream. See you there – and bring friends!

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On Sunday, January 30, 2022 at Wildwood Community Church in Norman, OK, I preached a sermon based on Revelation 2:12-17. This message was part 5 in the “Lord of the Church” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find the audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download, or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Revelation 2:12-17
3. To this point in your life, what would you consider as the spiritual “high point?” To what degree have you built off that moment or season, and to what degree have things faded?
4. The church in Pergamum had begun to compromise by allowing false teachers a platform in their church on issues of idolatry and sexual activity. To what degree have you seen compromise like this in any churches you have participated in over the years? Are you tempted to personally compromise on these matters today?
5. The solution to compromise is repentance – to turn our thinking and actions away from compromise and toward the truth. If you have been struggling with compromise, what does repentance look like for you?
6. Which “sword” do you fear most: the sword of Rome or the sword of Jesus? Why?
7. Jesus promises provision and intimacy to His believers. How do these promises encourage you to remain steadfast with Him in the midst of a secular society?
8. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here

To listen offline, click the link to download

The Lord of the Church #5 1.30.22

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I think one of the most challenging dynamics of being a successful athlete is coping with the fact that what you are MOST famous for, may have happened very early on in your life. By the time most “non-pro athletes” hit their vocational prime, the average NFL or NBA player is already done with their career. A tailback runs for more yards as a second year pro than they do in their eighth year … if they even get that many years in the league. AN NBA player is considered old if they have already celebrated their 31st birthday … that may be the last year of residency for some physicians! Dealing with that type of success, then the early end of career would be a hard dynamic to navigate.

One note of encouragement for any former high level athletes out there is that your life is not defined by your on-field accomplishments. Mature and healthy people continue to grow and develop throughout their lives in many ways … and the most significant legacies of our lives are almost always made by personal development and generosity well into our fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth decades on the planet.

But what about our spiritual lives? Where are the “highlights” of your Christian walk? For some, they might say their high school years — when they were really involved in the youth program at their church or went to Young Life Camp one summer. Others might point to their time in College and their devotion to a particular campus ministry. They spent their summers on mission trips, their mornings doing devotions, their evenings in small groups, and their afternoons doing outreaches on campus. Still for others, it might be their time as a young adult … or as a new spouse or parent … when they plugged into a church for the first time in their “grown up” life. Many people have an early “peak” in their spiritual walk. Are you one of them?

As we sit here today, has life taken the wind out of your spiritual sail? Has the enthusiasm you once had for Christ begun to wane? Have you begun to compromise? Does your life and values look the same as all others around you … including those who do not know Jesus as their Savior?

If this is the case, I want to encourage you this week – and I want to encourage you with the words of Jesus Christ in a letter He wrote 2,000 years ago to a church in a city called Pergamum. You probably feel like you have nothing in common with this church, but I want you to see that in the letter Jesus wrote to this church He says, “Let he who has ears hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Jesus wants you to listen to what He says to this church.

In His letter to this church (in Revelation 2:12-17), tells them that He remembers the highlights of their spiritual past … but He also tells them that He desires their devotion in their spiritual present. He wants to continue to grow and develop them in the years ahead. He wants them to know that Mature and Healthy spiritual people will continue to grow throughout their lifetimes, and He warns them against some particular temptations. He also gives them some specific promises they have to look forward to.

I believe this is a letter you and I need to read.

So, let’s read it. On Sunday, January 30, 2022 at Wildwood Community Church in our 3 Sunday morning worship services (8:30, 9:45, and 11:00), and online in the stream, we will be in part 5 of our study of Revelation 1-3 titled “Lord of the Church.” This week we will be looking at the letter Jesus wrote to the church in Pergamum. We will sing, pray, be together as a church family, and look at this letter Jesus preserved for you and me. See you Sunday … and bring friends.

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On Sunday, January 23, 2022 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Revelation 2:8-11. This message was part 4 of our “Lord of the Church” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find the audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Revelation 2:8-11
3. In today’s message, we talked a bit about the number of Christians who have been martyred for their faith in Christ over the history of the church (70 million) … and how as many as 5,000 – 10,000 more (on average) will currently die for their faith each year. Were these numbers as you would expect them? Is there more persecution of Christians than you would have expected?
4. Have you ever personally experienced any persecution for your faith in Christ? When did it occur and what happened? Whether you have experienced it in the past or not, do you anticipate experiencing persecution for your faith in Christ at some point in the future?
5. We talked about 3 perspectives to encourage the persecuted Church that Jesus gives in Revelation 2:8-11. The first perspective is that of eternity. How does remembering our eternal destiny help encourage someone in the moment of their persecution?
6. The second perspective is that of true riches. How does remembering what we have in Christ help the “poor” Christian today?
7. The third perspective is that of the resurrection. How does the hope of resurrection encourage the persecuted Christian?
8. What are you afraid of right now? Place your faith in Jesus and find the courage needed to walk forward today.
9. Have you pre-decided to be faithful to Jesus unto death? What might be holding you back from making such a commitment?
10. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here.

To listen offline, click the link to download:

The Lord of the Church #4 1.23.22

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What is more precious than life? Well, not much. Want some proof?

If you have a serious form of cancer, and the only way to stay alive is to undergo expensive and physically debilitating chemotherapy treatments; many will still pay the money and undergo the pain in exchange for length of days. Life is more valuable than money or comfort.

If you are in your home, and it is burning to the ground around you, you will leave your possessions (even if they are uninsured) to remove yourself and your family from the property. Life is more valuable than possessions.

We could go on with other examples, but you get the point. We value life. And we should. People are created in the image of God, so they have intrinsic value and worth. Your life matters … and so does mine.

However, human life is not the ONLY thing that matters. In fact, it is not even what matters MOST. Like the examples I give above, a couple of other extreme examples will demonstrate what I mean.

In 155 AD, Polycarp (the Bishop of Smyrna) was arrested because of his unwillingness to worship a human Caesar as god. Threatened with his life, Polycarp stayed true to his faith and said, “Eighty-six years I have served Him (Jesus), and He never did me any wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?” Polycarp was burned at a stake and stabbed to death with a spear because of His faith in Jesus. To Polycarp, his life was not what was most precious to him. He would rather die with Christ, than live in disobedience.

In 177AD a young woman named Blandina was arrested under similar circumstances to Polycarp. She was tortured viciously and coerced to try to convince her to renege her faith in Christ. She refused to deny Jesus, and as a result was thrown to wild animals for the sport of the watching crowd. To Blandina, her life was not more important than her connection to Jesus Christ.

Though these stories are from long ago, this storyline echoes through every generation (including our own). Followers of Jesus for 2,000 years have indicated that there was something more valuable than their life — Jesus Christ. This was not just an idea they said, it was something they were willing to pay for with the ultimate price.

And so, fellow Christian, let me ask you: Is Jesus more valuable to you than your life? More valuable to you than your stuff? More valuable to you than your reputation? More valuable to you than your position in society or the marketplace?

For the majority of Christ followers over the years, their lives have not ended in martyrdom, but Jesus asks all of us to consider the cost as we follow Him. Will we lay down our lives for His name? Our desires for His direction? Our programs for His plan?

Now, what could possibly convince someone to follow Christ, even unto death? In what way is this even remotely a circumstance we might be able to endure? Especially as 21st century American Christians who are programmed to care for ourselves above all, why would we supplant our self-preservation for His proclamation?

We find the answer to this question in Revelation 2:8-11 in the example of the church in Smyrna. This Sunday at Wildwood in part 4 of our “Lord of the Church” series, we will see how Jesus encourages them to hold up in the face of intense persecution … and how that challenges us as well.

Additionally, we will be sharing an update on our church plant partner in Lagoa De Sao Francisco, Brazil and present an opportunity for you and I to continue to support the work there. Hope to see you Sunday, January 23 in our 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 services or online in the stream.

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On Sunday, January 16, 2022 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Revelation 2:1-7. This message was part 3 in the “Lord of the Church” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find the audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Revelation 2:1-7
3. Have you ever considered that Jesus REALLY CARES about what happens in His churches? In general, what do you think Jesus would most care about regarding His churches? Throughout our study of Revelation 2-3, we will get a much clearer picture of how Jesus evaluates His churches. This will be both encouraging and challenging!
4. The Ephesian church was maintaining a lifestyle and doing “works” that were consistent with the call of Christ, even in the midst of a world that was pressuring them to do and think otherwise. What are some examples from your world today where the culture wants you to behave in certain ways, even if the Scripture tells us otherwise?
5. The Ephesian church also was doing well at evaluating teachers and teachings to see if they were accurate. What are some common “false teachings” that threaten the church today from your perspective?
6. Even though they had much they were doing well, the Ephesian church still had a significant problem … they had floated to a religion instead of a relationship with Christ; to duty and dogma instead of devotion. How are your affections for Christ currently? Have you maintained your first love, or is it waning?
7. The solution to a lack of love (Jesus says in Revelation 2:5) is to REMEMBER, REPENT, and REPEAT. What would it look like for you to apply these principles in your life today?
8. How does remembering our reward in eternity stir your affections for our Savior?
9. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here.

To listen offline, click the link to download:

Lord of the Church #3 1.16.22

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Did you know that Jesus wrote letters? Letters that we actually still have? Letters that were written in interaction with 7 different real world churches that detailed what was going well and what they were doing wrong; that reminded the churches of who Jesus was, and what He was promising to them; and laid out specific prescriptions for action or response tailored to their particular situation?

Jesus actually wrote letters like this … and we have them, in Revelation 2-3. After John sees Jesus in all of His glory in Revelation 1, Jesus immediately has John pick up a pen and write down specific dictation about 7 churches that John either pastored personally, or knew something about.

So, when we look at Revelation 2-3, we find out a LOT about what Jesus loves AND hates about what is happening in His churches. In our day and age, millions of people tune into podcasts to hear of the failures of different churches, while others find sport in watching YouTube explanations of all the churches who are getting it wrong. Therefore, I am guessing that our curiosity is certainly peaked to find out what JESUS HIMSELF thinks about HIS church! After all, Jesus both knows EXACTLY what IS going on and EXACTLY what SHOULD BE going on inside His church. And He thought enough about His church to send them a letter to let them know what was up.

AND (and here is the real kicker) … these messages were not just for those 7 churches, but are for you and I as well! Jesus concluded each of the letters with the statement, “He who has ears let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” So, if you are curious what Jesus thinks about the church, then your spiritual ears are raised … and you should read Revelation 2-3!

Over the next seven weeks at Wildwood Community Church, we will be looking at these letters Jesus sends to the seven churches in parts 3-8 of our “Lord of the Church” series. This Sunday (in part 3), we will be looking at Revelation 2:1-7, and the letter Jesus wrote to the church in Ephesus. There is SO MUCH IMPORTANT STUFF for us to see in this letter. Read it before you come, and make plans to join us on Sunday … at 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 in person, or at 9:45 on the livestream. See you there … all who have ears to hear.

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On Sunday, January 9, 2022 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Revelation 1:9-20. This message was part 2 in the “Lord of the Church” series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find audio and video from the message to listen to/watch, download, or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Revelation 1:9-20
3. Has there ever been a time/circumstances in your life where you wondered where God was or if He had forgotten you? Are you in one of those moments/experiencing some circumstances like this right now?
4. How does remembering what the Apostle John had experienced and was going through help you to understand more the significance of the vision Jesus gives him in Revelation 1?
5. While there are specific meanings to all the symbols in the appearance of Jesus in today’s passage, we should pause for a moment and allow the ART of His appearance to sweep over us (not just the science of breaking down the symbolism). We should rest in our relationship with Him for a moment (instead of just finding the religious significance). Jesus revealed Himself to us in this glorious vision to elicit certain emotions in us. How does this vision of Jesus prompt you to respond?
6. What are you going through right now that you can face when you remember that HE (the Jesus of Revelation 1) is with you?
7. In what ways can you practically “fall” before Him this week?
8. Are you trusting Jesus for your eternity? Remember He has the keys to life beyond death!
9. The church is pictured in this vision as a lamp stand. Have you ever had any experience with a church that functioned in this fashion? In what ways can the light of Jesus shine through you and our church in the year ahead?
10. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here.

To listen offline, click the link to download:

Lord of the Church #2 1.9.22

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Most of us are familiar with the concept of a woven piece of art. Whether it is a rug, a tapestry, or even a Christmas sweater, the front side of a woven piece displays a beautiful picture, while the backside reveals a messier version. If all we ever saw was the “backside” of the sweater/tapestry/rug, we might think that the art was more worthy of the refrigerator than the Louvre. Oh, but when we turn the woven piece over … WOW! The art becomes crisp and beautiful.

We live in a world that has two sides. One side is messy and awkward, while the other side is bright and glorious. Our problem is … we forget which side of the “quilt” we are on.

We are tempted to think that this world is the “front side.” When we think that way, we expect things to be more obvious and evident. We hear that God is sovereign … but then we look around and it can FEEL like this world is spinning out of control without anyone at the wheel. We understand that God is a God of justice … but then we see so much injustice in the world around us. We say that God is present with His people … but we sometimes feel alone. We look at this world expecting to see everything in HD clarity, and yet it looks a bit fuzzy. If we assume we are looking at the “front side” we will be tempted to doubt core beliefs.

Rather than assuming that Biblical truth is a lie, might I suggest another possibility? Could it be that this world in which we live is somewhat like the “back side” of the woven work? We see signs that point to God’s sovereignty, justice, and presence … but it is a bit of a patchwork of yarn, scarred by the fall. However, the stitches we see in this world, remind us that there is a beautiful work of art that is being prepared on the other side … if we could only see it!

In Revelation 1:9-20, the Apostle John is toiling away in a prison camp on a lonely island called Patmos. Talk about the back side of the quilt. Jesus had promised John and His friends that He would return to this earth … but 60+ years had gone by and Jesus had not yet returned. Jesus had promised that He would be with them always … but John felt alone. Jesus had said that they would reign with Him … but John’s friends (the other Apostles) were killed because of their connection with Jesus, and John was in prison. It is at this moment that Jesus invites John to see “the other side.” And WHOA! What a vision! What a work of art!

The world in which John lived … the world in which we live … is the back side of the tapestry. We need to remember what is really going on, and who is really in charge. We need to flip the sweater over and see the work of art. We need to be reminded of who Jesus truly is.

This Sunday at Wildwood Community Church in our 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 worship services, we will be in week 2 of “The Lord of the Church” (part of our year long study of Revelation), as we look at Revelation 1:9-20 and allow these verses to flip the rug over and show us a contemporary portrait of Jesus Christ.

SPOILER ALERT: He does not look like the picture hanging on the wall of your Sunday School classroom from the 1970s. In the words of C.S. Lewis, what we see is a Jesus who is not “safe” but who is “GOOD” and who invites us to know Him and be with Him forever. See you Sunday … and bring friends!