Wildwood Church TLH: Recent Episodes
Wildwood Church
Weekly messages and additional content from Wildwood Church in Tallahassee, Florida to help make mature and equipped followers of Jesus
Eric Ryan and Dan Roeber chat about books that have impacted their spiritual lives to read over break. Also, stay tuned for season 2 of Make Disciples! Below is a list of the books mentioned in this episode. Deep Discipleship- J.T. English Blessed: A History of the American Prosperity Gospel- Kate Bowler Lead: 12 Gospel Principles for Leadership in the Church- Paul David Tripp Who Is an Evangelical?: The History of a Movement in Crisis- Thomas Kidd Gentle and Lowly- Dane Ortlund Telling the Truth: The Gospel as Tragedy, Comedy, and Fairy Tale- Fredrick Buechner Praying the Bible- Donald Whitney
Dan Roeber and Eric Ryan discuss how to pray for our nation: specifically for the leaders and welfare of our country. They also chat about how we can practically do this in our daily lives.
Eric Ryan and Dan Roeber talk about viewing politics through a Christian perspective and discuss the pitfalls of partisanship.
Eric Ryan and Dan Roeber discuss lament in the Bible. They chat about examples of lament and how we can practically view lament in our lives.
Pentecost has just occurred. The Holy Spirit has come to empower and embolden Jesus’ bride, the church, to go and accomplish the commission of Jesus. Just like Jesus laid out in Acts 1:8, it will begin in Jerusalem with the apostles.
Eric Ryan and David McNeely chat about online church and explain their perspectives behind its purpose during this COVID season and beyond.
The World is hurting. Jesus can heal them. We can play a role in that healing. We want to play a role in the healing of the World, but feel as though our efforts don't make much of a difference. We will play a role in the healing of the World when we are filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2 is the story of a small group of Jesus followers experiencing that power.
Eric Ryan and Dan Roeber chat about the last step in Bible study: application. They discuss how to apply Scripture while keeping the context in mind and use Philippians 4:13 as an example.
Eric Ryan and Dan Roeber discuss the second step in Bible study: interpretation. They talk about how to interpret Scripture while using Philippians 4:13 as an example. They also share helpful resources to equip you in studying the text.
In the last portion of His prayer, Jesus intercedes for the future church- that’s you and me. He wastes no words. He prays boldly for three things that are impossible without divine intervention. When we pray for impossible things, we tend to wonder why we even pray. Will it really happen? Am I praying like a fool? Jesus knows why we pray. We pray because nothing is impossible with God.
Dan Roeber and Heather Terhune talk about the first step in Bible study: observation. How do we observe Scripture? They also chat about how observing the context of the text is an important part of Bible study.
After starting the prayer focused on Himself, Jesus prays for His disciples. He prays specifically and intentionally. Many of us feel a bit lost knowing what to pray for those closest to us. If we listen closely to Jesus, we will learn not only how to pray, but what to pray.
Dan Roeber and Heather Terhune discuss why we should study the Bible and provide practical examples on how to approach Scripture. They also chat about how Bible study has impacted their lives.
Virtually every Christian has spent a great deal of time feeling like a toddler when it comes to prayer. We may have energy and enthusiasm, but praying feels awkward and clumsy. Jesus knew how to pray. He knew how to pray because He knew God. If we listen to Him pray, we will learn what’s at the heart of prayer.
Welcome to the Make Disciples podcast! This podcast is a resource for equipping listeners to grow in their faith while sharing topics and ideas on discipleship. In this episode, Eric Ryan and Dan Roeber discuss why making disciples is important and preview the upcoming season.
Friendships matter. We all want to have a good friend and be a good friend. God made us this way: we were made by God to enjoy people. We are better together.
David was called a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22). Why? One of the reasons is because David had a heart of gratitude. David habitually praised God for who He is and thanked God for what He does. One of the best-kept secrets to intimacy with God is gratitude.
Hannah was a desperate woman. She faced a choice: carry the weight of her burden alone or cast her anxiety upon God. Desperation, divorced from prayer, is anxiety carried alone, which eventually buries us. But desperation, offered up in prayer, is anxiety cast on Jesus. He is always able to lighten the load.
The hardest part of the Christian life is resting in God’s love. We assume He likes us when we do good things, but we’re not so sure when we don't live up to His standards. After all, that’s how we typically deal with others. The truth is we need the power to believe that God always loves us. We need that same power to love others the way He loves us. Prayer is the path to power.
The past 5 months should remind us that life is profoundly unpredictable. Yet as humans, we continue to seek continuity, stability, and a desire to control our circumstances. James deals with this mindset in 4:13-16. Today we look at the assumptions made by people who were consummate planners, the factors in life which challenge arrogance, and certainty about our "tomorrow" and the biblical mindset needed to go forward in life. Our message today is truly "Christianity that Walks," the subtitle of a recent sermon series on the practical wisdom from the book of James.
David McNeely hosted a live panel discussion with Nate Schaidt (CEO, Horizon Communities in Prison) and Bob Evans (Pastor, Congregational Care, Wildwood Church) to discuss questions from our congregation about how we should pursue and think about justice as Christ followers in today's culture.
Race relationships. Perhaps nowhere in life could the differences between the way of the Lord and the way of the world be more visible. Paul tells us exactly what justice looks like, “For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility" (Ephesians. 2:14–16).
Biblical justice is not limited to the laws of the land. Yes, God established government/authority for the good of society (Rom 13:1-7), but seeking biblical justice is not exclusive to a government. Justice is rooted in the character of God and displayed in the person and work of Jesus. Amos reminds us that God demands His people represent Him well by seeking justice in every aspect of human life.
Senior Pastor David McNeely sits down with singer/songwriter, speaker and Tallahassee native Royce Lovett to talk about the role of Christians in social activism. Royce shares advice for how to begin getting involved by first getting to know.
Heard is a series of conversations with members and friends of Wildwood Church who have a valuable perspective on justice. It was shown as part of the July 2020 teaching series "In Pursuit of Justice".
Senior Pastor David McNeely talks with Wildwood deacon Andy McClenahan about his experience as a police officer and his perspective of law enforcement in light of current events.
Heard is a series of conversations with members and friends of Wildwood Church who have a valuable perspective on justice. It was shown as part of the July 2020 teaching series "In Pursuit of Justice".
Senior Pastor David McNeely sits down with James Thompson, street preacher and ordained deacon of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Panama City, Florida, to discuss his perspective as a black man in a majority white church.
Heard is a series of conversations with members and friends of Wildwood Church who have a valuable perspective on justice. It was shown as part of the July 2020 teaching series "In Pursuit of Justice".
God’s just character and ways are revealed most clearly through the person and work of Jesus. Jesus had a lot to say about justice and sought to bring about justice. On Calvary’s Hill, Jesus brought about ultimate justice, and only He could do that. He wasn't only concerned with eternity: Jesus invited His followers to join Him in seeking justice now.
This is an abbreviated version of the full conversation also available in this series.
Senior Pastor David McNeely discusses justice in the legal system with Scott Callen, an Employment Law Attorney, Certified Mediator, and Wildwood member.
Heard is a series of conversations with members and friends of Wildwood Church who have a valuable perspective on justice. It was shown as part of the July 2020 teaching series "In Pursuit of Justice".
Senior Pastor David McNeely discusses justice in the legal system with Scott Callen, an Employment Law Attorney, Certified Mediator, and Wildwood member.
Heard is a series of conversations with members and friends of Wildwood Church who have a valuable perspective on justice. It was shown as part of the July 2020 teaching series "In Pursuit of Justice".
God made man in His image. Male and female He made them. The fall marred the image. Seeking justice is a never ending pursuit of restoring that image. Justice is giving people what they deserve. God is just, and He always acts justly.
Senior Pastor David McNeely discusses the criminal justice system with Nate Schaidt, the CEO of Horizon Communities in Prison, a prison ministry.
Learn more about Horizon Communities here: https://www.horizoncommunities.org/
Heard is a series of conversations with members and friends of Wildwood Church who have a valuable perspective on justice. It was shown as part of the July 2020 teaching series "In Pursuit of Justice".
Last week we talked about God’s special revelation to his people in the Bible. This week we look at the clearest revelation of God: Jesus Christ. What does it mean that Jesus is the Word of God?
This month we’re talking about how it is that God has made Himself known to his people. Last week we looked at His general revelation to all people. This week we’ll look at the first aspect of His Special Revelation; His Word inscribed. How has God progressively revealed Himself throughout time, and how does He today?
Paul prayed that the church in Ephesus would be given the Spirit of revelation in the knowledge of God. One of the most encouraging truths about God is that He has made Himself known to His creation. You and I can know the living creator of the universe. This month we’ll let that truth sink deep into our hearts in hopes that it will motivate us to pursue Him more and experience the riches of his power and mercy.
Members of our Wildwood Church teaching team continued the churchwide conversation on Rankin Wilbourne's book "The Cross Before Me".
The team included Michael Neal (Elder); Heather Terhune (Women's Discipleship Director); Bob Evans (Congregational Care Pastor); Eric Ryan (Leadership Development Pastor); and Dan Roeber (Students Pastor).
Eric Ryan chats with David McNeely on the book, The Cross Before Me, and his perspective on the church-wide conversation series. They discuss humility, our identity in Christ, and what it means to take up our cross and follow Jesus.
As we get closer to the end of the chapter Paul gives two illustrations - one about growing up and the other about face to face interaction. Children are wonderful. But growing up is better than staying a child. Reflections are good, but reality is better than a reflection.
Members of our Wildwood Church teaching team begin a churchwide conversation on Rankin Wilbourne's book "The Cross Before Me".
The team included Eric Ryan (Leadership Development Pastor); Bob Evans (Congregational Care Pastor); Heather Terhune (Women's Discipleship Director) and Michael Neal (Elder).
Members of our Wildwood Church teaching team continued the churchwide conversation on Rankin Wilbourne's book "The Cross Before Me".
The team included Michael Neal (Elder); Heather Terhune (Women's Discipleship Director); Bob Evans (Congregational Care Pastor); Eric Ryan (Leadership Development Pastor); and Todd Veleber (Students Pastor).
Pastor Eric Ryan chats with Russell Matherly and Sarah Roeber, our Worship Arts staff, about preparing their hearts for worship. They discuss slowing down, fighting distractions, and practical ways each of them prepare for Sunday mornings through stillness, prayer, and intentional rhythms.
1 Corinthians 13:7 paints for us a breathtaking portrait of love. There are four things love always does and one thing it will never do. With a focus on both the present and the future Paul reminds us in just sixteen words that love is timeless. It will never go out of style. It will always be relevant. It will never quit.
The desire to love and be loved makes us human. While we all want it, we aren't sure how to give or receive it. With the best of intentions, the human race has set out to define what love is and that changes with every new generation. The current definition of “love” is deceptive and dangerous. Enter 1 Corinthians 13. God’s description of “love” is reliable and relevant.
Eric Ryan chats with Kids Ministry Director, Kristen Matherly, about Camp All-American and how camp impacted each of their lives. From spiritual growth and leadership opportunities, both reflect on how their view of the gospel was shaped by their camp experiences. They also discuss how camp equipped them for their current roles in ministry and beyond.
Mark ends the book with an empty tomb and some astonished women. People all throughout the book have been amazed, astonished, or even afraid. Mark draws our attention to their current position and their future direction. Will they be content to stay where they are with distant memories of Jesus or will they move forward and seek to encounter the risen King? In essence, Mark leaves each reader with this question, “What will you do with Jesus?”
Mark 15 focuses on the crucifixion of Jesus. His life was not taken from him but he willingly gave it up for our sake. We will discover in this chapter the underlying human envy of the religious leaders which led to the cross. The crucifixion can be observed from three critical vantage points: the historical, the theological, and the personal.
The gospel of Mark has been building to the last three chapters. In Mark 14, Jesus eats one last Passover meal with His disciples. During the meal Jesus confronts all twelve but focuses on two. Both are prideful. Both will fall. Jesus offered Himself to them both. One will turn back to Jesus while the other will not. Jesus still confronts people. And He still offers Himself.
How should Christ followers view this COVID-19 pandemic through a gospel lens? What might God be doing in the world and the Church? Practically speaking, how do we approach this new normal? What could be different when the crisis ends? Pastors David McNeely and Eric Ryan discuss these questions and offer gospel perspective and practical advice for our church and the larger Church.
Jesus foretells what would happen to the Temple in the future. Some of what He said is clear, some is unclear. The bottom line is Jesus prepared His disciples for what was to come. They did not know all the details, but they did know two truths: Life would be hard for them, but the grace of God will be sufficient for them.
We live in a deeply polarized culture, often exacerbated by cable news and social media. Christians are called to unity, and yet Christians fall on different sides of the political spectrum. Christians are called to proclaim the gospel, but we also are called to be aware and respectful of the beliefs of others. How do we engage each other and the world around us in disagreement, while keeping Jesus and the gospel in focus? Josh King discusses these questions with Professor Dan Roeber.
Find links to two of Dan's recommended resources below.
In Mark 12 everything feels so disconnected, but it’s not. This is Holy Week and Jesus is addressing some very important teachings. As Jesus is confronted with various ideologies, Mark invites us to watch and ponder. As we do, we’ll see that Jesus transcends all social and political views. It’s not that viewpoints are unimportant. We have to remember that where we have points of view, Jesus has view.
Mark turns our attention to the cross of Jesus. Everything in chapters 11 - 16 happens in one week. Some theologians have said the gospel of Mark is the passion narrative (11-16) with a long intro (1-10). Chapter 11 begins with the crowds cheering his entry into Jerusalem and ends with the chief priests and scribes trying to challenge Him. In between Jesus uses a fig tree to teach an important truth while forcefully drawing people’s attention back to the heart of worship.
Pastor Bob Evans discusses with Wildwood elder Randy Lashua how God used a physical health issue in Randy's life to impact his spiritual health and ultimately reshape his perspective of his life in Christ.
Chapter 10 is full of familiar encounters with Jesus, perhaps none so familiar as his statement: “Let the little children come to me...for to such belongs the kingdom of God.” This is the heart of the gospel, and the thread through the rest of the chapter. For Jesus’ teaching on divorce, we encourage you to revisit our Nov 17, 2017 message in the Malachi series and Feb 24, 2019 message in the Marriage series. Access both messages online or in our app.
Josh King follows up with David McNeely on his Nov 30, 2019 sermon on Mental Illness, our most highly viewed message online. David also previews a conference coming up at Bradfordville First Baptist Church on March 7th.
To watch or listen to the message on Mental Illness in our "Broken World" series, visit https://wildwoodtlh.com/sermons.
To learn more or register for the Mental Health Conference featuring Dr. Tim Clinton at Bradfordville First Baptist on March 7th, 2020, go to https://bradfordville.org/.
The transfiguration of Jesus pulled back the curtain for Peter, James, and John. They caught a glimpse of glory and power. It is interesting to note that while Jesus is overcoming the demonic world, predicting his suffering and death, endorsing ministry, and calling each of his disciples to wage war against their own personal sin, they are busy arguing with one another as to who was the greatest. True power comes from above and reaches down.
David McNeely sits down with Wildwood members Mike and Morgan Tolia to talk about the way two series in Mark, including our current series, have impacted their family and the way they view Jesus.
View Francis Chan's series in Mark on RightNow Media here: https://bit.ly/32bqCnf
Don't have an account with RightNow Media? Sign up for a free login at our website here: https://wildwoodtlh.com/rightnow
If you would like to contact the Tolias, email them at: thetoliateam@gmail.com.
Mark 8 is a pivotal chapter in Jesus’ life. After another large group of people were fed with scant supplies, Jesus takes His disciples into Caesarea Philippi and asks them two critical questions. The second question is decisive: “Who do You say I am?” Everyone alive must answer this question. How do you answer this question? What difference does it make in your life?
Mark draws our attention to the central issue with religion in the first century: replacing the commands of God with the traditions of man. Jesus encounters three sets of people in this section. The first are the religious who are making every effort to change themselves from the outside in. The next two are those who are desperate for change. Jesus changes them from the inside out.
Josh King, Director of Communications for Wildwood, introduces a series of new episodes to the Wildwood Church TLH podcast.
If you have ideas for future episodes, email them to jking@wildwoodtlh.com or info@wildwoodtlh.com.
Throughout his ministry Jesus came across people experiencing physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual pain. People came to Him because He was the only one who could actually do something about it. Jesus meets hurting people where they are. And while He did not do it on every occasion, oftentimes He brought about healing. When He healed the body he gave relief, but when He healed the soul He gave peace.
Throughout the book of Mark so far, the disciples have observed Jesus’ healing and preaching ministry. In Mark 4, they face their first major crisis, a violent storm on the Sea of Galilee. Today’s passage reveals Jesus as fully man and fully God and teaches us about the challenges of trusting Jesus during our own raging storms.
Since His birth, there have been many different ideas about who Jesus was/is. At the beginning of his ministry He was followed by a large number of people. He chose 12 from among them to be “with Him.” Later He would “send them.” He faced constant opposition. His friends would betray him, His family misunderstood him, and His enemies hated Him. But He never got distracted from His mission.
Throughout human history man has attempted to impress God and control man through false religion. False religion starts with man but sucks the life out of man. Jesus told us he did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. He came to keep the requirements of a Holy God on our behalf. He clarified what true religion is. True religion starts with God and breathes life into man.
The arrival of the newborn Savior was first announced to shepherds, one of the lowliest occupations in Israel. The sheep over which they were watching were likely raised for a special purpose. This moment in the Christmas narrative reveals points us to the greater truth of who Jesus was, who He came to serve, and ultimately what He came into the world to accomplish.
The cry of every human soul is for meaning and purpose. Deep inside we suspect the search for purpose will lead to something or someone much greater than ourselves. Since the fall in the garden man has been asking, “What must I do to get to God?” The two approaches stand in stark contrast to one another. Naturally speaking we are performance driven (Performance is man working to get to God). Supernaturally God is grace driven (Grace is Jesus dying to get to us). Jesus did not wait for us to come to him.
The Book of Mark is unmistakably and unapologetically about Jesus. Mark writes in a direct style and focuses on Jesus as the ultimate servant of God. In this series, we want people to see Jesus. We want people to fall in love with Jesus. As a result of the series we want people to “pursue the person” of Jesus. In our spiritual journey, we all have a tendency to replace Jesus with something else. The heart of this gospel is the person of Jesus. Mark reminds us that christianity is about Christ.
Mental health concerns did not originate in the last one hundred years. They began in the garden when Adam and Eve chose to rebel against God. Throughout history God’s people have struggled to understand the connection between the Fall and mental, physical, and spiritual health. And while the majority of the church has a growing compassion for the mentally ill, she still has an unhealthy view of mental illness. Jesus has compassion for broken people and sovereign control over our broken world.
Sooner or later we all face something that requires outside help. Eventually some issue, problem, challenge, hardship, etc. will be more than we can handle alone. The Psalmist wrote the question we all ask, “From where does my help come?” We have heard that God is capable of handling all of it. But do we believe he wants to? Psalm 121 screams to us that God has both the ability and desire to help His children.
We read the book of Proverbs to gain wisdom and draw near to God. We’ve learned the beginning of wisdom starts with the fear of the Lord. Today, we’ll conclude our Proverbs series by looking at honesty. James E Faust said, “Honesty is more than not lying. It is truth telling, truth speaking, truth living, and truth loving.” The question everyone must answer is: Will I trust God with the truth?
We read the book of Proverbs to draw near to God and attain wisdom. Many of us find it difficult to wisely steward our money. Fortunately there is a great deal of financial wisdom to be obtained from Proverbs. The same question confronts us again, “will we choose wisdom or folly?”
One author expressed childrearing this way. “Parenting is sacred, smelly, exciting, crushing, frustrating and expensive.” As has been often said no one gets a childrearing manual with specific steps to stress free parenting. But we do have the sacred scriptures which provide wise principles for healthy family life. Today we focus on four key truths about parenting which should challenge our thinking and approach to childrearing.
This message applies to everyone present because even if you are not responsible for children you were a child at one time. This message may help you reflect on your own experiences which can provide better understanding of yourself as an adult.
Anger. We all experience it every day whether we realize it or not. For all of us, it’s a very natural emotion and experience. And while Proverbs will show us that we would be wise to address our anger, not all anger is bad. As God's image-bearers, we have the capacity for godly anger. But sin has corrupted our hearts, so we also have the capacity for resentment and hatred. What started out as good becomes selfish and destructive. So this morning, we want to have an honest look at anger in our hearts. We aren’t going to simply put a lid on our anger, but rather let the wisdom of Proverbs help us deal with the root problems of our anger and give us biblical hope as we face it.
Most everyone agrees that fidelity in marriage is foundational to a healthy marriage. And while all enter into a relationship wanting faithfulness, few couples have clearly defined how they plan to maintain faithfulness. Fewer still have a plan for how to handle infidelity if it occurs. Proverbs once again offers valuable insights on how to remain faithful. But what about those who have not been faithful? Is there hope? Jesus’ interaction with a woman caught in adultery shows us the heart of God.
As Christians, we tend to evaluate our decisions and behaviors based on whether they are right or wrong, acceptable or sinful, in the eyes of the Lord. The book of Proverbs teaches us we can assess these decisions and life choices based on wisdom or folly. Various passages in Proverbs describe being “better” than other courses of action. Today, we will identify three major life choices that are better than foolish ones.
We know Proverbs is full of wisdom, but what kind of wisdom does it give us? Today, we’ll look at several key takeaways of work, a reoccurring topic in the book of Proverbs. How much work is too much? How do we know we’re in the right job or role in the workplace? What major warnings does Solomon give us about our work?
Most of us have a favorite proverb. While we may be familiar with a handful of individual proverbs, the book of Proverbs is a mystery. We don’t really know why we should read it or how to read it and as a result the book of Proverbs is largely ignored. But from this book comes a wealth of wisdom, insight, discernment, and life-giving instruction on how to live. The motto of the book is given in this first chapter and it sets the stage for the whole book, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Lord willing, by the end of the series, we will have a good grasp on the major themes in the book of Proverbs, know why it was written, and have the confidence to consume it regularly.
Matthew 18:15-20 We return to our ongoing “super” series on the Spiritual Habits. If you missed our previous series on Prayer, Worship, or The Word, you can watch or listen to them on our website or app. Now we turn our attention to Accountability. When it comes to Accountability, the truth is we don’t practice biblical accountability. And yet accountability as the Bible presents is essential for growth and maturity.
Many of us have seen the destruction in the Bahamas after Hurricane Dorian. How do we process these tragedies through a Biblical lens? How do we respond to friends who are wrestling with this? Does the Bible address how to respond to natural disasters?
Sometimes you may find yourself thinking God isn’t trustworthy, because of hard things that may be happening in your life outside of your control. Why doesn’t God do something about it? The truth is God may be doing something you can’t see yet. He is always good and always in control, even when it doesn’t feel like it. The bottom line is you can trust God no matter what, because He loves you.
Text: Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; Proverbs 27:5-10, 17
We return to our ongoing “super” series on the Spiritual Habits. If you missed our previous series on Prayer, Worship, or The Word, you can watch or listen to them on our website or app. Now we turn our attention to Accountability. When it comes to Accountability, the truth is we don’t practice biblical accountability. And yet accountability as the Bible presents is essential for growth and maturity.
Today’s passage begins with the death of the Shunammite woman’s promised son. Her response to his death is surprising; “All is well.” Is this a lie? Is deception masking her true feelings? How can she respond this way in her grief? She had a core belief that allowed her to focus on pursuing the “man of God.” What does this look like for us? How do we declare, “all is well” during times of immense pain and stress?
Throughout the summer we have explored the mission and values of Wildwood through the lens of Scripture. This fall, we will take a look at practical wisdom issues revealed in Proverbs. Today though, we take an interlude to remember our end goal; our final destination, the ultimate prize we have been promised. Yet our examination of heaven today is not simply a look into the future. Each aspect of Revelation 21 has practical ramifications right now.
The way a company, institution, family, or individual behaves reveals what they value. Values guide people. They are the standards and beliefs that shape who we want to be and how we want to work. Wildwood church has eight values that determine how we treat people and how we conduct ministry. It is our prayer that God would make these values a reality in us.
The way a company, institution, family, or individual behaves reveals what they value. Values guide people. They are the standards and beliefs that shape who we want to be and how we want to work. Wildwood church has eight values that determine how we treat people and how we conduct ministry. It is our prayer that God would make these values a reality in us.
The way a company, institution, family, or individual behaves reveals what they value. Values guide people. They are the standards and beliefs that shape who we want to be and how we want to work. Wildwood church has eight values that determine how we treat people and how we conduct ministry. It is our prayer that God would make these values a reality in us.
Gideon's story is one of miraculous triumph, but also, when you look closely, one that displays Gideon's fear and anxiety. Each time Gideon is afraid, God answers by displaying His power and showing His presence. But God's displayed power, and tangible presence are only Old Testament things right? Today we look at Gideon and learn the Christian's answer to their own fear and anxiety.
We now come to the stunning conclusion of the book of Jonah. He just completed a very powerful preaching assignment through which the city of Nineveh, the King and his subjects turned from cruelty and wickedness. But instead of celebrating, Jonah is exceedingly angry and begs to die. Today we explore why Jonah was so angry and how his anger revealed that even though he did what God commanded, he did not care deeply. What Jonah experienced can also keep us from caring deeply for the people in our lives.
Jonah is now given a second chance to obey the commandment of the Lord to go to Nineveh. We are told that Jonah arose and went to Nineveh “according to the word of the Lord”. This is a key mark of a true disciple. He is one who believes and obeys the word of God. Jesus said this plainly in John 14:21-24. Jonah had a unique mission in Nineveh unlike any we might have, yet his mission there brings out a second mark of a true disciple. He is one who exports his faith and life for the welfare of other people. A true disciple then is one who lives under the commands of Christ and helps other people do the same.
This month we are looking at the book of Jonah against the backdrop of the Wildwood mission statement. Last week we saw that Jonah did not “serve freely”. This led to his being thrown overboard as a sacrifice. But the Lord provided an amazing rescue. He was in the stomach of a great sea creature for 3 days. The Lord now has Jonah’s full attention and he turns to Him in a desperate prayer. Jonah now sees his absolute need for God and his heart is moved to worship. Today we look at Jonah’s predicament because it helps define some of the conditions that God uses to move our hearts toward Him in true worship.
Today we begin a 4 part series on the book of Jonah. In each of these 4 weeks we will discover a connection between Jonah’s mission and the current Wildwood mission statement, “serving freely, moving hearts, making disciples and caring deeply”. In Jonah’s case he failed significantly at serving freely and caring deeply. As we work through the text we will see ourselves in Jonah’s story and identify and apply the deeper mission the Lord has called us to as individuals and as a collective body of believers. It should be noted that the approach taken in studying Jonah is that it is a true historical narrative which occurred around 780-760 BC during the reign of Jeroboam II in the northern kingdom.
In an effort to combat pride, the Church has rightly emphasized the sin of man and the grace of God. This has been true since the Church began in the first century AD. One of the unintended consequences for many of us is that we feel the displeasure, rather than the delight, of God. We find it easy to believe He is displeased with sin, but we have a hard time believing God delights in His kids. In fact, God rejoices over His children.
The Gospel means the Good News. It’s God’s plan to rescue us from our hopeless condition by sending Jesus to live the life we couldn’t live and die the death we deserved. But most people, including many in our churches, don’t understand the message of the Gospel.
God made it all. We lost it all. Christ did it all. We get it all.
How is it that “we get it all”? Today, we wrap up our Gospel series by looking at a passage that instructs us to possess the benefits of all Christ did for us.
Everyone faces eternal death and judgment. Nothing less than perfection in thought, word, action, even motive can fix the problem. So who can rescue us? Only God. Jesus claimed to be God and the only Way a person can be made right with God again. He came to earth, fulfilled all of God’s laws by His life, and received all the punishment of our sin by His death. But then He came back to life as proof of His claims. His life and death are now a substitute for anyone who trusts in Him. Jesus did everything required for salvation. Nothing we do—good deeds, religious duties, etc—can be added to His perfection.
Sin is any thought, motive or deed that goes against God. Adam and Eve were morally perfect in the Garden and after they rebelled, moral imperfection was born. Sin has impacted every relationship in creation. It broke our fellowship with God as well as with each other and with all creation. It even shifted how we relate to ourselves. The consequence for sin is death, which has become a normal part of our lives. Our problem as humanity is sin. We lost everything and now we are helpless to do anything about it.
The term “gospel” is used so often that many of us don't know what the gospel actually is. We know it technically means good news, but several questions come to mind. What is this good news? Good news for who? What is the bad news? Why should it matter to me? Many of us simply do not know what the gospel is. The gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ, and it all starts with God. This first week we look at the fundamental question of mankind: Why are we here?
Sharing the gospel can be tricky in a secular business context. Still, Jesus commands all of his followers to carry the good news to all the world, in every context.
Just as a farmer carefully sows his crop, believers need to be intentional about the way we plant the gospel, especially in the workplace.
Andy is a business owner in South Asia and shares his perspective of living in God's Kingdom in the midst of a secular marketplace.
The Kingdom of God is often seen at odds with secular culture, and yet God's Kingdom pervades all cultures. How should citizens of His Kingdom live out His values in a secular culture such as business?
Andy is a business owner in South Asia and shares his perspective of living in God's Kingdom in the midst of a secular marketplace.
Depending how your work day is going, it's easy to forget the presence of Jesus in your life, even in the office. And yet Jesus promises to be with us always, all the time, in all places. How do we keep ourselves mindful of Christ in our workplace? How does it change our work life?
Andy is a business owner in South Asia and shares his perspective of living in God's Kingdom in the midst of a secular marketplace.
We all want to experience something significant. At times, significant moments can leave us still and speechless. 2000 years ago Jesus did something no one could imagine and it caused those who experienced it to stare on speechless. Two angels appeared and asked them a profound question, “Why do you stand looking into heaven?” That very question remains as relevant today as it did for those present then.
We began our Last Kingdom series with a history of God’s People as revealed in the Old Testament. We then zoomed in to God’s Church from the New Testament to present day and took a closer look at a few believers who expanded the Kingdom through care and courage. Today, we zoom in further to God's Parish here at Wildwood, and the call of Jesus for unity. Jesus was adamant His followers be united (John 17), and the Apostle Paul would continue to call the early Church to be unified (1 Corinthians 1:10). Borrowing a phrase from the US Constitution, Wildwood must strive to become “a more perfect union.” But it raises one of the most important questions we will ever ask: “Unified around what?”
The dichotomy between following God as part of His people, no matter the cost, and the mundane rhythms of life sometimes leaves us bored or forgetful of the reality of the Last Kingdom. Today, we look at what the Spirit has done since the Resurrection; calling some to care for God’s Church and others to courageously work to expand it. Where is Wildwood’s part in God’s Church?
The citizens of God’s Kingdom have been living with a promise. The promise was given originally to Adam and Eve, but whispers of it were heard in every generation. Abraham, Moses, Joshua, David, and others all spoke about it. It was the prophet Isaiah who wrote down the words of the King telling us the Kingdom of God will be established forever. It is the Last Kingdom.
The mission Jesus gives to all Christians is to make disciples of all nations. We are not to make disciples of a theory, philosophy, or religion but rather to make followers of a person. Theories, philosophies, and religions don’t give people the purpose, freedom, and assurance we long for. Jesus does. Jesus calls us into His mission and guarantees its success.
In our Greats series, we’re exploring the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. Both are imperatives that the Lord gave us to best understand what it means to love Him, follow Him and live out the mission He gave us. Last week, we saw the foundation for the Greats as our love for God. Today, we’re told that the love we have for God is the starting point so that the overflow of our love for God would manifest in our love for others. Where does Jesus tell us to focus that outward love? On our neighbors. Which begs the question, “Well, who is my neighbor?”
Stephen Covey rightly said, “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” Nobody did this like Jesus. He never wavered. While he walked the earth he constantly pointed his followers to the main thing. A lawyer once asked him, “What is the greatest commandment?” We begin a new four-week series with this very question. Theologians have referred to the “Great Commandment” and the “Great Commission.” We will discover both of these “Greats” are tied to each other. Together, they are the main thing.
When faced with divorce and remarriage, many of us allow emotions to rule the day. And while it is understandable, we must have our hearts shaped by the scriptures. Divorce wreaks havoc. But God is bigger than havoc. His grace is greater than all our sin. Perhaps nothing else in life points to Christ more clearly than covenant faithfulness.
In our increasingly consumer culture there is great skepticism about the value of “church”. Many people are content with “going it alone”. But the Christian life in general and your marriage is particular was never designed to live in isolation. Today we will consider three very powerful reasons why the church is vital as you journey through life and marriage. Hopefully by the end of this service you will depart with a renewed vision for why you need the church. This is what God designed and it is essential.
Throughout human history, sex has been distorted. At times it has been treated as ultimate, while other times it has been seen as unnecessary. Sex is good, because it is from God. Sex divorced from God is dangerous. But sex, viewed through the lens of God and functioning under the design of God, is a deeply satisfying aspect of marriage. A biblical understanding of sex will give us a powerful picture of who He is and how He wants to relate to us.
Effective communication is perhaps the most difficult thing to accomplish. It’s true of an organization and it’s true of a relationship. Although difficult to achieve, effective communication is essential. Tony Gaskins once said, “Communication to a relationship is like oxygen to life. Without it … it dies.” God communicates. If he did not do this we would all perish. Just as God does with us, our communication with one another should bring life.
A 1966 hit song called “1,2,3” makes the assumption love is easy: “like stealing candy from a baby”, and “basically it is as easy as pie”. This common sentiment is actually producing pessimism and cynicism about marriage in our culture, because most people discover marriage is in fact difficult. If you truly desire to have a Christian marriage, it is not just difficult, it is impossible in your own strength. Today we look at the roles and responsibilities of the husband, who is meant to model the love of Jesus for the Church.
Doubt can often lead to a renewed and strengthened faith. But if that doubt is rooted in despair, it can lead us to some dark places. Eric concludes our three-part Cafe Conversation on "When Doubt Becomes Dangerous".
God gave us marriage to show us who He is and how He relates to us. His reputation is on the line, and so He took the initiative in His Word to give us the big picture of how each spouse is to reflect Him and His ways. When it comes to our specific roles and responsibilities, we don't think biblically enough. Over the next two weeks we will explore what the Bible says about the roles and responsibilities of husbands and wives, beginning with wives.
We all will experience doubt at some point in our spiritual journey. Doubt can often lead to a renewed and strengthened faith, but if rooted in our own pride, it is dangerous. In this three-part series, Eric shares three ways in which doubt can actually be dangerous to our faith in Christ.
When considering what we want and need in a future spouse, most of us don’t look deep enough. While we should place a certain emphasis on the physical and psychological qualities of the other person, the spiritual life is what will cause a marriage to thrive over the long haul. When it comes to choosing a spouse look to the deepest level - the spiritual life.
We all will experience doubt at some point in our spiritual journey. Doubt can often lead to a renewed and strengthened faith, but if rooted in our own pride, it is dangerous. In this three-part series, Eric shares three ways in which doubt can actually be dangerous to our faith in Christ.
Most people have high hopes for marriage. And many are disappointed with what they see. What if our view of marriage isn’t grand enough? What if God gave us marriage for something far greater than we are experiencing. Marriage is God’s idea. He gave us marriage to show us who He is and how He relates to us. If we embrace this, then marriage will take its rightful place.
A parabola is a mathematical term. It is shaped like this U. This shape also represents the journey of Jesus Christ from heaven to earth, and back to eternity again. Christmas does not start with a baby in a manger. It begins with the second person of the Trinity in eternity past. Jesus’ incarnation (God becoming flesh) shows how much he gave up to love us. This truth forms the basis for Paul’s exhortation to look out for the interests of other people. We also discover the parabola can be a pattern for our own lives, and was the experience of many people in scripture. As we work through the text we will see how this great parabola impacts our lives today.
If Jesus came to bring joy, why do so many of us walk around without it? Eric helps us remember where to find our joy this Christmas.
Life is filled with uncertainties. Most of us struggle with that. We want to know what will happen with many good things like our jobs, our marriages, our friendships, or our health. Sometimes we believe if those good things were guaranteed, then peace would reign over our hearts. John writes to the church about what is sure. He calls God’s people to look to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to find certainty.
This Advent, celebrate the Mediator who was fully God and fully man in order to fully love us.
There are many people who intellectually believe certain truths about Jesus. This was the experience of Pastor Bob before he became a Christian. True Christianity involves a trust, reliance and dependence on Jesus alone. This kind of trust is life changing. A person who truly believes will begin to be transformed. We look at several of the themes already taught in this letter to further grasp the true signs of life. Our passage concludes with an exciting summons to look to Jesus rather than your own effort to gain the assurance of eternal life.
We’ve already seen in 1 John that a true believer is going to love others. But, how can I? I am still attached to my sin nature! I try, and I fail! God’s solution for our lack of love from one another is that He, being love, would send His Spirit to dwell inside us. Another sign that I am a believer, is the Spirit of God is alive in me.
John once again is encouraging his readers to test the claims others are making about Jesus. There were those in the community who were trying to deceive the believers into believing doctrines about Jesus that were false and the disciples did not teach. John gives his readers a test, to see whether their claim about Christ are of the Spirit or of the world. We hear these same claims today, how do we know what to believe?
"I went to church this morning...but I didn't really get anything out of it." Whether we say this out loud or not, it's a common heart posture we often experience as we engage worship and church life. In this final video in our 3-part series on Brett McCracken's article "8 Ways to Fight Comfort Idolatry" (linked below), Eric discusses the fine line between having our comforts and expectations met at church, and tempering those expectations in the context of the larger church family.
While virtually all people are aware that loving and being loved is a need, many of us struggle to know how to give and receive love. John cites an example of how one man did not love. He then draws our attention to the ultimate example of how one man did. If you want to know how, look to the giver - rather than the taker - to find the expression of love.
Christopher, whose family serves in Berlin, Germany, stands in for Eric Ryan to offer a unique perspective on comfort. This is part of our mini-series on Brett McCracken's article "8 Ways to Battle Comfort Idolatry". Find the link to the full article below.
Everyone is searching for hope and love. We want to believe in something and be loved by someone. In this section, John compels the Church to have confidence in Christ, and as children of God, to live like children. Followers of Jesus should look no further than the cross. It is the anchor for the soul who doubts God’s love.
Are you flexible? In the second of our 3-part series on Brett McCracken's "8 Ways to Battle 'Comfort Idolatry'", Eric Ryan talks about the importance of flexibility when it comes to our mission. Read the full article at https://bit.ly/2RANZB8.
An important characteristic of a Christ follower is a sound doctrine and theology. While no one can claim to understand all things, John tells us true Christians pursue a right understanding of God and His Word, and avoid doctrinal error and heresy. If we truly love God, we will naturally want to learn more about Him, and so every believer is in some sense a “theologian”. The question to ask ourselves when looking for signs of life is, “Do I want to grow in my knowledge of God, and am I attempting to do so?”
All of us will naturally believe what we want to believe. Look to the Word - rather than the world - to know what to believe about God.
We all have idols, and one of the largest idols we share in the American church is comfort. In this new three-part series, Eric unpacks three of Brett McCracken's "8 Ways to Battle 'Comfort Idolatry'. Read the full article in the link below.
John writes this section to followers of Jesus to assure them of their status as God’s children, and to challenge them to grow into spiritual adulthood. As one person said, “Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional.” Growing up is hard, but it’s worth it.
Faith is something that we are always talking about, that we want more of, and that we so often struggle to live out in our lives. But, Jesus had faith, too. Taking a look at his faith, seeing it worked out powerfully in his life, and being more convinced of his trust in His Father and love for His church both strengthens and emboldens our faith.
Many of us question whether we are truly saved and redeemed by Christ. The early Church wrestled with this same question, and John the disciple writes to what to look for in the life of a Christian. But these signs of life come from a source, Jesus Himself. We are powerless to create them in and of ourselves. We have to seek the source, not the signs, to produce true love and obedience.
In his gospel account, John quotes Jesus as saying, “I am the light of the World.” Light exposes darkness, including the darkness in every human heart. This is why all people naturally avoid the light. But God changes the hearts of his children. Christians crave the light and run to it. It is only when we look to Jesus rather than a man-made system, that we experience life as God intended...in the light.
It's good to have a plan...especially when it comes to reading the Bible. It's crucial that every believer spend daily time in God's Word. But there's more than one way to do that, and that's where Bible reading plans can be super helpful. If you don't already have a reading plan, Eric shares three of his favorites to consider.
The “disciple whom Jesus loved” wrote a series of letters to the church near the end of his life. The church was questioning their own salvation and John writes in unambiguous terms on the subject. 1 John is one of the best books to turn to when we are looking for signs of spiritual life.
Parents, the Church isn't the only place where our kids should be growing spiritually. We need spiritual homes as well. In the second of a two-part Cafe Conversation, Eric shares a few ways moms and dads can begin to cultivate a a healthy spiritual environment at home.
The last step in the process of getting a grasp on the Word is to apply it. If we leave this one step out, we have missed the whole point. Howard Hendricks says it best, “The Bible was written not to satisfy your curiosity but to help you conform to Christ's image. Not to make you a smarter sinner but to make you like the Saviour. Not to fill your head with a collection of biblical facts but to transform your life.”
Parents, the Church isn't the only place where our kids should be growing spiritually. We need spiritual homes as well. In the first of a two-part Cafe Conversation, Eric shares a few ways moms and dads can begin to cultivate a a healthy spiritual environment at home.
God speaks to His children through His Word. When reading the Bible we all, at times wonder, “What is God saying?” If we are going to improve our listening skills then we must memorize and meditate on God’s Word. We memorize scripture so that we can meditate on it. Dr. Denis Parsons Burkitt provides wise counsel, “It is better to read a little and ponder a lot than to read a lot and ponder a little.”
Paul told Timothy, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” In order to get a good grasp on the scriptures we must first read and study it. Just as we need to develop the skill of listening in our human relationships, so we need to develop the skill of listening to God as we read His Word.
Jesus said, "As the branch cannot bear fruit [a]of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me" (John 15:4). So how do we abide in Christ? Eric shares three practical ways to make sure our lives our rooted in Jesus.
In our study of God’s word we discover the importance of trusting the Bible, defending the credibility of the Bible, reading, memorizing, meditating, studying and applying the Bible. We can engage all these important disciplines but leave out a very vital dimension. Do you love the Bible, savor it, and delight in it? More specifically, do you love the One the Bible reveals? Today we examine the challenge of savoring scripture, not simply for the sake of itself, but because of the greatness of the Living God revealed in its pages.
Happy Vision Sunday! What is a church? Why do churches even have a vision in the first place? A church is not a body made up of individuals with individual missions, but rather a body of believers who come together to work toward the mission of God together. Is not as much about, "What do you want from me, Lord?" as it is "What do you want from us, Lord?", followed by "What is my role within the larger mission?”.
Happy Vision Sunday! What is a church? Why do churches even have a vision in the first place? A church is not a body made up of individuals with individual missions, but rather a body of believers who come together to work toward the mission of God together. It is not as much about, "What do you want from me, Lord?" as it is "What do you want from us, Lord?", followed by "What is my role within the larger mission?”.
The Bible is God’s Word to us. The first words of John’s gospel declare: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Human beings did not create the Word. Rather, God spoke through individual people like Moses and Paul to write and disperse His truths to His people for the benefit of all humanity. The Holy Spirit not only inspired human authors to write the texts of the Bible. God also preserved the integrity of His Word through history. The Word is not our work. The Word came to us.
Disobeying God is never a good thing. What may be worse is actually presuming things about God. Eric shares a passage in 1 Samuel where we discover both a warning and a hidden encouragement for our lives today.
The Bible is unlike any other book ever written. It stands alone. The first recorded words of God are, “In the beginning”. The first recorded words of the devil introduce shadows of doubt: “Did God really say?” Since the beginning, the enemy has relentlessly assaulted us with doubt in what God has said. Many today view the Bible with skepticism and even cynicism, but there are compelling reasons why God’s people should have great confidence the Bible is in fact God’s Word to us.
Arguments are not bad, but the way we go about them can be. So how do we go about arguing the right way? Eric shares four ways to argue well as followers of Jesus.
Peter is writing to Christians who are suffering terribly for the name of Jesus, so he weaves the theme of suffering throughout his letter. Not many of us will be persecuted like Peter's original audience, but we will all suffer as we face our own challenges, trials, and struggles in this life. God wants to meet us in our suffering and for us to give him our hearts as we suffer. In this passage, Peter shares three ways we can respond when times get difficult.
We've all been there. At some point, we all find ourselves in disagreements, often about important issues. Clearly we disagree with the other person, but how should we respond? Eric talks about the biblical steps to respond to people with whom we may strongly disagree.
Someday Jesus will return and make all things new, including work. Work will finally be renewed and returned to its original state. We will work for the glory of God, helping others thrive and flourish, and be satisfied. We will create and produce like never before. Sin will no longer be a part of the world, and we will finally enjoy the full presence of our Creator. We will finally see just how good God designed work to be.
Prayer is vital to the Christian life, but many of us struggle to keep it a daily priority. Eric shares three quick and simple ways to pray daily.
When sin entered the world the driving focus of work turned inward. But God refused to leave it that way. Jesus came to the earth, completed His work, and gave us a new perspective and motivation for work. Like all aspects of life, the cross changes everything.
It's good to take life seriously. But it's good to also cut loose when the time is right. Eric chats about the forgotten value of fun in the Christian lifestyle.
Great crowds were following Jesus. He didn’t turn and encourage them or try to hold on to their affection but rather gave them one of the most challenging charges we see from Jesus: “Count the cost” “Take up your cross”. While the grace of the Gospel was won by Christ and there is certainly nothing we can do to earn it, following Christ will cost us greatly. So, what is the cost of following Christ? What is the reward? This is the weight of Luke 14.
Eric Ryan, Pastor of Leadership Development, explains the long break from Cafe Conversations and what's to come with the new and improved series.
If work is so good, then why is it so hard? Work was originally designed with challenges to overcome. Sin brought thorns and thistles and made work painful. At times work can be fruitless and seem meaningless. But even with the pain, work is still good.
For many of us work has become a four letter word. But that is not what God intended. God is a worker. In the beginning He worked for six days and then he rested from his work. After each day's work he said, “It is good.” God created work. God is good. Work is good.
We now conclude the last of this four part series. “Restoration” speaks to our fantastic eternal future where our deepest longings as human beings are realized. The new heavens and the new earth will not be dreamlike monotony but more beautiful and exciting than anything we have experienced on earth. Hebrews 11 provides timeless wisdom which helps us think correctly about our brief journey on earth. We conclude the service today by celebrating the Lord’s Supper. Jesus’ death on our behalf provides the reason we will spend eternity with the Living God!
In our study of Creation (June 3), we discovered vital characteristics about human nature: dignity, conscience, design, and the desire to worship. These qualities were not destroyed by our rebellion but deeply marred by sin. In our fall (June 10), we now experience a warped view of what will make us happy (gain), shame, blame, and pain. If the story stopped here it would be depressing and tragic. But God did not leave the world in despair and judgment. The entire Bible is a story of reconciliation. The Father turns toward us in favor because of the death and resurrection of Jesus.
The fall of mankind into sin was devastating for the entire universe and for each of us personally. The grand creation of God fell into a state of rebellion and chaos. The fall of man explains what is wrong with the world and exposes the basic motives and impulses of our own hearts. Yet in the midst of this tragic story we see glimpses of hope. We discover God's provision of a solution to man’s plight in Genesis 3.
Your ethnicity, ancestry, family, education, personality, and experiences reveal a lot about you...but not the most important things! As a Christian and as a person your identity is defined profoundly by four powerful realities: Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Restoration. All human beings have to determine why they exist, what’s wrong with us, how do we overcome what is wrong and what happens when we die. The Christian answers these questions through the lens of scripture to discover who we were, who we are and what we will be.
Eric Ryan, Leadership Development Director of Wildwood Church, was officially installed as a pastor in the Presbyterian Church in America. The Wildwood Church family gathered at the 11am service on June 3 to witness and celebrate his ordination.
Eric Ryan describes the three-step lifestyle of true confession for the believer in Jesus.
Almost 2000 years ago Jesus of Nazareth was crucified on Friday, dead on Saturday, and alive again on Sunday. By looking at the accounts from all four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) we get a more comprehensive understanding of the day of all days, Sunday, April 5, AD 33.
Eric encourages us to be OK disrupting our usual routine this week in order to take full advantage of the spiritual richness Holy Week offers.
Palm Sunday marks the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. For the first time in his ministry Jesus allowed people to openly express their hopes that he was indeed Israel's Messiah. The entry was celebrated but very unlike the entrance of other kings into royal cities. In fact, if the original triumphal entry was all we knew about Jesus kingdom we would be unsatisfied. Thankfully the original triumphal entry was only the beginning of "Jesus unmasked". We have a complete picture of His kingdom in Revelation 7:9-17. When we compare and contrast the historic entry with the scene in Revelation 7, profound practical truths for how we live our lives begin to emerge.
Haman is dead but the threat still remains for God’s people. Esther pleads for their lives and they are empowered by the King. After a victorious battle, the Jews celebrate and the Feast of Purim is established. In the final reversal mentioned in this book, Mordecai is set in the place of Haman as the second in command. His legacy is as a man who sought the welfare of his people.
If our mission at Wildwood is to make disciples of Jesus, we have to first be prepared to share the gospel of Jesus. Being prepared means knowing the essentials of the gospel message. We have developed a simple resource to equip everyone in our church family with the four key truths of the gospel message. Eric shares the final two, Christ and Response, in this two-part Cafe Conversation.
After a sleepless night, King Xerxes reads the account of when Mordecai saved his life. Fearful nothing was done to honor Mordecai, he consults Haman, who selfishly assumes the king intends to honor him and thus proposes an elaborate plan. Then comes the moment we’ve all been waiting for; Esther reveals Haman’s plot to the king and pleads for her people. The king’s wrath is stirred, and justice is served. Today we discover the truth about divine moments. God wasn’t asking Esther to do something great for Him, He was inviting her to do something great with Him.
If our mission at Wildwood is to make disciples of Jesus, we have to first be prepared to share the gospel of Jesus. Being prepared means knowing the essentials of the gospel message. We have developed a simple resource to equip everyone in our church family with the four key truths of the gospel message. Eric shares the first two, God and Sin, in this two-part Cafe Conversation.
After Esther completes three days of fasting, she develops a strategy to inform the King of Haman's power play. First, she must approach the King in an unlawful manner. In doing so, she places herself at the mercy of the King. She then invites The King and Haman to consecutive banquets. Along the way Haman is tortured by Mordecai's lack of worship and seeks counsel from his wife on how he might deal with it.
Our vision at Wildwood is to make mature and equipped followers of Jesus who live with gospel purpose. But what does a mature and equipped follower look like? In this Cafe Conversation, Eric begins to paint a picture of the values and traits we hope to develop in our Wildwood community of Christ followers, beginning with evangelism.
The public now knows of the plan to destroy the Jews. Mordecai grieves and through a series of exchanges challenges Esther to step up and be used by God to change the course of history. Esther's divine moment is close at hand. If she says nothing her people die, if she says something she may die. Fear and anxiety set in and now she must decide what to do.
Mordecai immediately chooses to reveal a plan which would have brought harm to the King. He was faithful. The villain (Haman) enters the story and when Mordecai refuses to bow to worship him, he devises a plan that would wipe out the entire Jewish race.
In this challenging section of God's word we encounter male abusers, sensuality, forced compliance, drunkenness and leering lust. Yet, through all these displays of random wickedness and carnal indulgence God was working to protect His covenant people. What emerges as ultimately victorious is not physically beauty but inward character. We also learn that only Jesus Christ can wield absolute power justly and it is Jesus who rescues us not because of external attractiveness but because of inward moral perfection!
This morning we launch a new series in the book of Esther, which features the incredible story of a powerful God and a godly woman. Though we will not see God’s name specifically mentioned in this narrative, we will absolutely see His hand at work to save His people and fulfill His promise. We will also see the foreshadowing of a greater Savior to come for an even greater rescue…Jesus
Eric asks Senior Pastor David McNeely to share some of the books that have influenced his own life.
Jesus didn’t say “be like him” or “live like her.” He said, “follow me.” We all suffer from comparison. Comparison leads to us trying to become someone else and we fail when trying to make ourselves into someone else. Jesus, not others, is the Standard. The Father will succeed in molding us into the image of His Son. And God molds us into the image of His Son when we follow Him.
Eric chats with Andie Kepper, who shares two books that have been a significant influence in her journey with God.
Large crowds followed Jesus’ movements. They followed as he went from place to place and event to event. But that doesn’t necessarily mean they followed the person. Anyone can follow a system when it works for them. Followers of Jesus follow Jesus. Their hope is in Jesus, not their expectations.
Pastor Bob Evans shares three books that have inspired and shaped him on his own faith journey.
Peter placed too much confidence in his commitment to Jesus. We all tend to misunderstand God’s call. We think our commitment is what God is after. Jesus is not after our commitment, passion, or devotion. All of those will eventually wane. God is after a surrender of the will.
Commitment is dangerous. Surrender is secure.
Wildwood member Barbara Wright shares her new and exciting opportunity to serve through Mission to the World in Manchester, UK.
The new year prompts us to think about the areas of our lives we would like to grow. Books can be a great way to pursue that growth. Eric shares two books that have helped him grow. Over the next few weeks, Eric will chat with other Wildwood leaders about the books that have most impacted and shaped their lives.
“Follow me” are some of the first and last words Jesus spoke to Peter. What does it mean to follow Christ? It starts with an invitation. Jesus’ invitation is “come and see,” but His call is “follow me.”
New Year's is a time for resolutions and making changes. Change can be good, but first stop and ask yourself...why do I want to change? What is my heart motivation?
Are you waiting for God to speak in the lightning and thunder, or are you listening for God to speak in the quiet of the mundane?
On this Christmas Eve morning we witness a profound encounter with a man named Simeon and the baby Jesus. As Simeon held the infant in his arms he spoke about the future mission of this child and the stunning effect his life would have on his mother. This moment was the culmination of Simeon’s great longing for God to rescue his people. Throughout the account we discover significant practical lessons and truths for our own lives which affect the way we understand our salvation and even our parenting.
It’s hard to trust God is up to eternal good when all we see is temporal bad. Just like us, the people in Malachi’s day could not see the future. Assumptions about the future are made based on the past and present. All of us will ride an emotional roller coaster if we’re looking to past and present circumstances to orchestrate a desirable future. We live best by seeing who God was, learning who He is, and resting in who He will be. God’s people see a horizon of hope even as they stand on a shore of despair.
God hears the conversations of the people of Israel as they talk amongst themselves. The Israelites see serving God as empty, pointless….vain. They see the Persians around them prospering despite testing God and questioning God’s character. God challenges them by laying out His plan for those who fear Him.
God expects His people to live gratefully and generously with all He has given us...our money, our time, and our talents and abilities. How we relate to these things is an indicator of whether our hearts are at home in this world, or at home in His presence.
The natural inclination of our heart is to believe the lie that all I have belongs all to me. Few things reveal the heart like money. How we handle our money reveals what we value. Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). God wants the hearts of His children to be turned back to him. So he asks for a portion of our money. God doesn’t need your money back … but He does ask for it back.
The American thanksgiving holiday was established on the last Thursday in November during the administration of President Abraham Lincoln as a day of “thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens”. Today most of our citizens see this holiday as a time to enjoy family, food and football.
Thanksgiving is to be a daily feature of true Christianity. But as the account in our passage demonstrates those expressing a true heart of gratitude for the gifts and goodness of God are in a minority. Today we explore the challenges of expressing a thankful heart and conclude our service with a display of God’s unwavering grace expressed in the Lord’s Supper.
We see in the book of Malachi God pleading with his people for more…to return to Him after testing His patience for so long. He stands as the gracious and merciful God, longing for His people, and yet He will not relent on His holiness and desire for purity for His people. In our text today, we see a clear picture of the Gospel with the promise of a coming forerunner to Jesus, and then ultimately Jesus Himself, and an explanation of what will happen when He comes. We also see a clear picture of the process of sanctification as our loving God purifies us with the Refiner’s Fire.
One of the defining characteristics of God is faithfulness. God is, always has been, and will always be faithful. We were created to reflect His faithfulness, but sin corrupted our hearts so all of us are, at some point, unfaithful. God’s people misrepresent Him when they are unfaithful. They represent Him best when they are faithful.
Eric sits down with Pastor David McNeely to talk about David's vision for creativity at Wildwood, and why it's such an important value for any church family.
The people of God had lost the fear of the Lord. Their worship was an afterthought and their spiritual health was anemic. God called all to repentance but saved a harsh rebuke for the priests. They were cowards. Years later, Peter and John would say all Christians are “priests.” Priests are called to honor God by living courageous lives.
Julie Costas is a missionary of Wildwood Church to Athens, Greece, where she serves as a church planter for Mission to the World.
Andy is a missionary of Wildwood Church to a country in the Muslim world. Due to the nature and area of his mission, we are not able to publish his full name, specific location, or video recording of him. Instead, we have recorded an audio update from Andy.
On October 31, 1517, a thirty-three year old priest named Martin Luther nailed 95 questions and statements to the door of The Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. The “theses” were designed to spark discussion about some of the practices and theology of the Church...but they did more than that. Luther's action ignited a movement called The Reformation. The "Five Solas" summarize this important historical period.
Wildwood worship services are planned with simplicity and clarity as we seek to declare the greatness of God. The goal is to glorify God and edify His people. Our desire is for God to delight as He moves us from delusion of hope in the temporal to certainty of hope in the eternal. We strive to embody and uphold ten values along the way.
Corporate Worship is a beautiful and powerful gift God has given His people. God did not leave it up to His children to try and figure out what should take place in a worship service. He has taken out the guess work without taking away our creativity and freedom. Corporate worship, just like all of life, is regulated and instructed by God.
Happiness and celebration cannot be the exclusive moods involved in true worship. Sometimes life is overwhelming and dark. Worshipping in the dark moments of our lives is not natural, it is supernatural. Even though it sometimes can’t be felt, God meets His worshippers in the dark.
The posture of our heart determines the expression of our bodies. Expressions are natural. We shout when our team wins, and we cry when they lose. Expressions are also Biblical. Biblical characters stood, shouted, cried, and did all sorts of other things in response to life.
As we continue our series on the nature of worship we look at the contrast between Old Testament worship and New Testament worship. We explore the major differences but also find striking similarities. Hopefully by the end of this worship service you will be drawn even closer to the presence of God as you reflect on the sacrifice of the true Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!
Worship is a verb. Worship is a natural response to whomever or whatever we find worthy of our praise. Everyone is a worshipper of someone or something. God demands that ultimate worship be reserved for him.
Psalm 73 describes a man who looks back on a very miserable time in his life. The Psalms are full of emotional transparency and this Psalm is raw and real. The problem is that Asaph is bitter, disillusioned and angry at the troubles in his life. What makes this worse is that he concludes that those without a love for God have it easy and get away with mocking and malice toward God. We discover two important truths that will help us as we begin a new series on worship.
Who we are largely determines what we do. The heart and mind of a servant guide and direct his actions. The eyes and hands of a servant reveal who she is. One hand helps meet the needs of the church while the other seeks to bless the community. All of God’s children are called to serve with both hands.
We all are enamored with greatness. We celebrate the greatness of a few athletes, musicians, actors, business people, teachers, doctors, military leaders, and the like. Deep down inside we also want to achieve greatness. Most of us rightly pursue greatness, but in a wrong direction. Jesus shows us that the path to greatness isn’t up, it’s down.
There is a difference between knowing about Jesus and knowing Jesus. Knowing the difference is the first step toward experiencing eternal life.
Sometimes when we are wrestling with the circumstances of our lives, we are really wrestling with God. Are we willing to hang on for the blessing?
Nehemiah prays one last prayer. He does not ask the world to remember him for leadership, he asks the Lord to remember him for good. We close our series in Nehemiah with a summary and a few key principles on vision and leadership.
Nehemiah has been gone for several years. During this time the people of God drift back into a life of spiritual decay. He returns and fights against four serious threats to the spiritual health of God’s people. Sooner or later all of God’s people grow tired of fighting the good fight. Great leaders don’t give up.
The Kingdom of God is filled with nameless and faceless heroes. Rarely is a Christian remembered throughout multiple generations.
Nehemiah 10 describes a renewed commitment to the covenant originally given to Moses in the book of Exodus. Christians today are not “under” the law of Moses anymore because those laws, sacrifices, holy days and cleaning rituals were fulfilled in Jesus Christ. However, as we look at the distinct areas of covenant renewal in this chapter, we will discover three abiding principles that apply to the Christian life and impact our everyday obedience as Christ followers.
Confession is hard because no one likes to be wrong. We’d rather be right. No one likes to be wronged either. Many people find it much easier to extend forgiveness than to ask for forgiveness. It may be hard, but closeness with God is impossible without confession. Confession is good for the soul because it leads to intimacy with the Almighty.
The wall of Jerusalem was rebuilt in 52 days. Now the hard task of rebuilding the people’s knowledge of God begins in Chapter 8. When Ezra began reading the Word of God several truths emerge which have great application to our own lives. We explore what happens in a healthy scripture centered, gospel focused community of believers. The basis for this kind of community is gathering people who trust and submit to scripture. This was the motivation behind Nehemiah’s selection process in Chapter 7 when he examined the genealogical records carefully.
Nehemiah 6 records the continued heavy opposition faced by Nehemiah as he labored to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. Any conflict between human beings which produces divisions, fabrications, accusations and fear is caused by the invisible hand of a great spiritual enemy named Satan. As we examine Nehemiah’s conflicts we will discover the spiritual schemes of the evil one which afflict true Christians constantly. The way Nehemiah resisted his opponents is also instructive as we stand firm against strategies designed to frighten and defeat us.
Every family, company, team, and organization must deal with sin. The consequences are too heavy to let sin run rampant. Systematic destruction is always the result of unchecked sin. Sin is like a snake and the leader can either grab it by the tail (management) or grab it by the throat (repentance).
We’d like to think that doing God’s work would lead to an easy path. The reality is that opposition will be your companion when God’s work is done in God’s way. Opposition comes from within and also from the outside. Great leaders don’t lose focus when opposition arrives.
Many times we avoid envisioning because we overcomplicate it. We think we must do abnormal things to find the mysterious will of God. When, in reality, we should do the normal things to pursue the revealed will of God. Most often God guides His children in the routine and mundane.
Priorities matter. They guide us. Before a vision is born, or a movement is created, something happens. First things should come first; but when they don’t, it usually means plans won’t match priorities. Great leaders put first things first.
Nehemiah is the stirring history of leadership courage in the face of severe opposition. Please pick up a copy of the Nehemiah study guide and read pages 1-6 as an introduction to this relevant and dynamic account of the rebuilding of the defensive walls of Jerusalem after decades of neglect and defeat. Today we provide an overview of the leading themes of the book.
We all want to wisely select a spouse, a college, a career, a friend, a business partner, and even a vacation. The same is true for church leaders. Careful selection is important because leaders determine the direction we go. Death of some kind is the consequence of mindlessly following poor leadership. Life of all sorts results from thoughtfully submitting to righteous leadership.
Effective leadership is essential for any organization. A family needs good leadership just as much as a Fortune 500 company. Churches are no different. God set up elders and deacons as the leaders within His church. And while churches often flounder under poor leadership, they usually flourish with righteous leadership.
There is something inside all of us that is uncomfortable with death and decay. Aging creams, better diet, exercise, and even modern technology help us cheat death. But cheating death won’t satisfy our souls. We want life everlasting. Jesus offers that. He doesn’t cheat death, He defeats death.
For three years of Jesus’ public ministry He constantly avoided recognition and publicity. He knew people would misunderstand his Messianic mission and seek to install him as a ruler. But he did not come to reign. He came to die. But on Palm Sunday he finally allowed the multitude to vent their hopes that he might be their deliverer. Thousands of people lined the road as he made his way into Jerusalem. Jesus was a true king. In fact he is the King of Kings. But the description of the triumphal entry reveals Jesus as the “unkingly king”. The observations in this account make us evaluate what should be most important in our own lives as we seek to walk as Christ followers.
When the Gospel is not clearly and consistently explained, “confessing faith” becomes a rite of passage rather than a work of repentance. If the answer to what makes you a Christian is anything less or more than what Jesus has done, and your response to that truth, you haven’t understood the true Gospel.
There are two kinds of people in the world…the natural person, and the spiritual person. There are two certainties true of every spiritual person, each with serious implications for who or what will influence their lives.
Our guest speaker this Sunday, Randy Pope, is the Lead Teacher at Perimeter Church in Atlanta, GA. Randy is the author of four books and discipleship curriculum “The Journey”. His latest book is “Insourcing: Bringing Discipleship Back to the Local Church”.
In his classic devotional, Morning and Evening, Charles Spurgeon once wrote, “Prayer is the never-failing resort of the Christian in any case, in every plight…True prayer is evermore true power.” Spurgeon echoed what James said a couple thousand years ago, “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” James closes out his letter to the tribes scattered among the nations with a call to pray.
In this final chapter of James we encounter a strong indictment against the rich and two exhortations to Christ followers. It is clear that James is not condemning wealth but rather the abuse of power that wealth brings. His warning helps us understand how money distorts our view of reality. He exhorts Christians to be patient in the face of injustice, looking to the coming of Christ to fulfill all unmet longings for justice. And finally James exhorts believers to lead a life of integrity and honest. Our entire reputation is based on the bond of our word. It is the integrity of Jesus’ own word that welcomes us into His presence through the Lord’s Supper.
While few of us have a conscious hatred of God, many of us have a passive indifference toward God. We are not really against God; we just don’t construct our daily lives as if He is in charge. It shows up visibly in the way we talk about others and schedule our days. James reminds us that God alone sits on His throne.
The word “submit” has 6 letters but oftentimes feels like a 4-letter word in our culture. It has been misunderstood and misapplied. James pulls no punches and calls all believers to submit themselves to God. Then he gives two bold statements. The first is, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” The second, “Humble yourself before the Lord and He will lift you up.” Submission leads to exaltation.
The entire book of James is a practical exhortation to apply true wisdom to everyday life. In 3:13-18 James demonstrates the impact of both unspiritual (worldly) wisdom and divine wisdom on our personal relationships. Unspiritual wisdom is destructive for the perpetrator and the victim, because it is ultimately based on lies. Divine wisdom does just the opposite, because it is based in Truth. Jesus Christ encountered demonic wisdom and exhibited divine wisdom. There are great lessons in how he responded to evil people and how he treated people in everyday conversations.
Words hold tremendous power. The tongue can be used for blessing or cursing. It can bring life or death. James calls us to use it for good and choose words that are helpful rather than harmful. Helpful words build up, encourage others, and help solve problems.
Faith and Deeds go together. It is possible to have false faith with no good deeds. It is possible to have good deeds without true faith. But it is impossible to have true faith without good deeds. When God changes the inside (heart) of a person the outside (behavior) mirrors that change. True faith produces good deeds.
We all like to think that we treat everyone the same. But the reality is that we all show partiality. Whether in the positive form of something like favoritism or the negative form of prejudice, even discrimination, we all struggle with treating people based on shallow external criteria. We are tempted to ignore it, but our partiality offends God and is incompatible with our faith in Christ. The way of Jesus is to show love and mercy rooted in the realization that we are all part of the poor God has chosen to be heirs of the kingdom. It is the grace and mercy showered on us that stirs our hearts to extend grace and mercy to others.
Listening is a skill. Anyone can hear, but precious few actually listen well. This is true in every relationship we have, including the one with our Heavenly Father. He talks to us through his word. Hearing the Word is the easy part. We all want to hear the Word. But God calls us to listen to the Word. Listening is hard. God promises to help.
We don’t need to look for hardship. It finds all of us. Trial and temptation are a part of everyday life. And our most natural response to it is sorrow. That is understandable. But James calls us to take a different approach to hardships. He calls us to joy. How can we choose joy over sorrow? By looking to Jesus. Christ responds to trial and temptation with a supernatural joy.
James, the half-brother of Jesus, became the leader of the church in Jerusalem. But during Jesus’ ministry he was a skeptic and doubter, until one powerful event completely changed his life. James wrote his letter to Jewish Christians scattered around the region. The contents are bold and brash. James’ core message is that true faith is not an empty or intellectual profession. It is a dynamic trust with a powerful impact on how we think, act and live.Life change is the necessary result of true faith in Jesus Christ.
If Jesus never came, we would still love others. Plenty of people loved their families before Jesus walked the earth. But we would only have a calculated and restricted love for others. We would not have seen the greatest example of sacrificial and unconditional love. Since He came, we now have a different option. We can receive and then give the limitless love of God for man.
What if Jesus had never come to the earth? Certainly many things would be different, but if Jesus never came, we would only have a distant knowledge of God. But, since He came, we can draw close to Him and have an intimate relationship with our Heavenly Father.
Often times, we make knowledge ultimate. Meaning we place knowledge as the highest achievement. Knowledge is good. But left alone, knowledge puffs up. Knowledge can never replace service. In one of the most eloquent examples of humility Jesus knows his mission and shows his disciples the full extent of his love as he washes their feet. And it is about so much more than washing feet. The question he asked 2000 years ago stills rings loud today, “Do you understand what I have done for you?”
Aside from the most common response to “How are you doing?” being “Fine”, a close second response to that question is always, “Busy.” Do you find yourself responding that way? Do you feel overwhelmed, stressed or overcommitted? As we will see in our text this morning, Jesus cares greatly about the pace and priority of our lives. Because the truth is, the pace and priority reveal what we worship the most. So to answer the “Why are you so busy?” question is very threatening… at least to the idols of our hearts. The reality is, all of us have time for what we chose to have time for. How are you using that time?
Deep inside the heart of every person is the desire to control his/her own destiny. We want a helper, not a King. But Jesus did not come to be a consultant. He came to rule. And He sits alone on His throne.
As we begin the Advent season, we take a look into the Old Testament to discover God’s redemptive mission. The embodiment of his mission, Jesus Christ, issues his first recorded words to his parents, “Why did you seek me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” What business did he mean? Jesus was on a mission, and now he has given that mission to his followers. Are we also going about the Father’s business?
Hurt is a part of life. That hurt can be physical, emotional, or psychological. It is true spiritually as well. To one degree or another, we all need healing in all places of our lives. And Jesus is the only person who can heal all parts of our lives.
Fear grips us all. Sometimes it remains benign while other times it becomes paralyzing. At times, we all get overwhelmed by a tidal wave of fear. But Jesus brings courage through the current of faith.
Worry is an unhealthy choice. Chuck Swindoll called worry the “thief of joy”. We worry about work, family, relationships, school, and the future, just to name a few. And it really doesn’t help prepare us for what might happen. It just takes away joy and peace. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Worry comes naturally to me. Peace comes supernaturally through Jesus.
The fourth target Jesus calls His followers to pray for is God’s forgiveness. But if Christians are already forgiven, then why would He ask them to pray for it? It is because the heart needs it. No matter how hard we try, we cannot silence the cry of our guilty consciences. Through the cross, Jesus cleanses people from their sins. Through confession in prayer, he quiets their hearts.
After teaching us how to deal with past sin (“Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors”), Jesus then shows us how to pray regarding future sin (“Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil”). He tells us to ask God for His power to resist sin and the enticements of the devil. Jesus offers himself as our help. Sin is strong, but Jesus is stronger.
Independence is a virtue we like to celebrate in our culture. In many cases, independence is a good thing. However, when it comes to our relationship with God, independence can be a destructive attitude. When we fail to realize just how much we depend on God, we cease to pray. Prayer after all is an acknowledgement to God that “I can’t, but You can.” Jesus models for us a prayer that includes a plea to provide. In Jesus, we discover a dependence that actually frees us. Today we explore the things that keep us from embracing total dependence on an all-powerful Provider.
The Kingdom is the good news that through Jesus Christ, God’s kingly power and authority is breaking into the world like never before. God is ruling in a new way to save his people from their sins, deliver them from their enemies and reveal His glory by establishing peace and righteousness in the earth. We pray and we proclaim – “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done” to align our will to the will of God and to ask Him to faithfully use it to fulfill the mission He gave us to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth.
Although the ultimate war for God’s honor was won on a cross, the little battles for His honor continue today. Victory will never be gained with bloodied fists…it will come on bended knees. Too often we live and pray in a way that conceals God and exalts man. Jesus, however, always lived and prayed in a way that revealed God and exposed man.
We all believe prayer is powerful and important. We all struggle to pray. We all struggle when we pray too. At times we even get caught up in thinking our prayers need to be perfect. But God doesn’t ask for perfect prayer…He perfects our prayer.
There is often anxiety and insecurity when we linger in the shadow of others. There is always rest when we live in the shadow of the Almighty.
Note: Wildwood Church met for worship at our usual worship times during an electrical outage following Hurricane Hermine. Sermon video was not recorded, but the audio recording is available below.
We drink the juice or wine, and eat the bread…but do we truly appreciate what Communion represents? When Jesus led his disciples through their last Passover meal together (the Last Supper), he reminded them not only of God’s deliverance of His people from slavery in Egypt. He foreshadowed a greater deliverance He would achieve on the cross…our freedom from sin. Today we remind ourselves why we take Communion, and discover who is invited to take part in this meaningful display of God’s salvation in Jesus Christ.
At some point in time, we all become paralyzed in the grip of fear. But right now, Jesus offers freedom in the grip of grace.
Today Pastor Bob will preach his last sermon as Senior Pastor. On Sep 11th, David McNeely will be installed as the new Senior Pastor while Pastor Bob becomes an assistant pastor with a focus on Congregational Care and Discipleship. Today using Psalm 84, he will look back on some key lessons learned, values Wildwood has embraced, and his earnest desire for Wildwood as we move toward a prosperous and unified future. We are also thrilled to have Pastor Bob’s predecessor Mike Khandjian and Kathryn here today. Mike is the Senior Pastor of Chapelgate PCA near Baltimore.
Romans 8 concludes with a celebration of triumph for the enduring love of God for His people. The amazing promise of 8:28 is followed by rich evidences of God’s love. We discover that He loved you from eternity past (8:29-30). He loves you in the present moment, especially when the voices of condemnation and unworthiness envelope you (8:31-34). Furthermore He loves you in every conceivable situation or condition in which you could find yourself in the future (8:35-39). Sometimes the experiences of life tempt us to wonder if God has forsaken, forgotten or abandoned us. This section of scripture refutes any and all doubt about His grace and concern for your life.
Romans 7 is a description of great inward struggle. Paul has a new identity in Christ but finds his flesh is uncooperative. We concluded last week this conflict is normal and is actually a sign of spiritual health. Romans 8 is the antidote to the battle in Romans 7. Paul teaches that life in the Spirit enables us to put to death the deeds of the flesh when we “mind” the things of the Spirit. This means to think about, ponder and apply the truths of the gospel to our lives. We will discover three critical components of a person who is walking in the Spirit – key terms are adoption, first-fruits and intercession. Each of these words has a dramatic impact on how we see ourselves and how we understand the world around us.
Romans 6 describes our true position in Christ. We have a new nature and new identity as children of God. Sin is no longer our slave master. We have a new master, Jesus Christ. But sin still plagues us because we are subject to old habit patterns and the cry of our flesh that will not easily give up. Our sin nature has been dealt a mortal blow, but as one writer said “A wounded animal is more dangerous than a contented one.” Romans 7 is a description of Paul’s continual battle against the corruption of his flesh.
Romans 5 builds off of chapter 4 where Paul uses Abraham and David as great examples of justification by faith. But justification is not simply a theological or theoretical belief. When we embrace justification by faith we begin to experience tremendous, life- altering truths that shape the contours of our daily lives. We explore the implications of justification by faith and celebrate the love of Christ for weak and rebellious sinners.
Paul now takes the theological truths he has expounded in Romans 1-3 and personalizes his teaching on justification by faith. He focuses on two of the greatest people in the Old Testament, Abraham, the father of the nation and David, Israel’s greatest king. He demonstrates through these patriarchs that people have never been accepted by God through works or human merit. Both Abraham and David were accepted by God by grace through faith. We explore the nature of true faith today.
This passage can be described as the gospel in a nutshell. Paul points to the “double trouble” of our sinful condition. Most of us may be aware of our debt of sin, but there is also a debt of righteousness (perfect obedience). Jesus paid the debt of sin on the Cross, effectively wiping the slate clean. If that was all he did, then we are simply back to square one. But Jesus did more. In what theologians call the Great Exchange, Christ took OUR sin and gave us HIS righteousness, thus satisfying God’s perfect justice. We explore this double cure today…how it shapes both the way we see ourselves in God’s eyes and the way we live out our faith.
Jesus loved the masses and ministered to the few, so the few could reach the masses. Being a disciple of Jesus meant being with Jesus. As a result of being with Him, the apostles would become fully mature and equipped followers of Jesus capable of spiritual reproduction. They would reproduce in large part through preaching the gospel message to the world. We are called to repeat Jesus’ message, and imitate His method. He invested His life into the life of His disciples. Life on life is Jesus’ method. God calls us to equip others with skills and tools to walk in the Spirit and live intentional lives for the advancement of the Kingdom.
The law was never a means of salvation for Israel. It was always meant to humble the people and make them understand they needed to be forgiven by God’s grace. The law is like a mirror that shows us the depth of our sin. We will examine several of the Ten Commandments to demonstrate exactly why we cannot keep them and then celebrate the forgiveness of our sin through the substitution of the Lamb of God, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul now summarizes everything he has been teaching in Romans 1:18-3:8. He uses a series of quotes from the Old Testament to establish the universal and comprehensive sinfulness of mankind. He covers three main focus points; Character, Conversation and Conduct. But for some his description looks like an exaggeration because it appears true that many people seek God and perform good in the world. We will dig into this text to help define exactly what Paul means as he gives this scathing account of human nature apart from God
In Romans 2 Paul speaks to the hypocrisy of moralistic Jews. He could just as well be talking about religious church members. Their hypocrisy served to drive people away from the true God. In 2:25 he narrows the focus to the issue of circumcision, an outward sign of God’s covenant promises. But this external mark does not make a person acceptable to God. In our day that external mark could be baptism, church membership or a moral lifestyle. Paul insists that true faith is a matter of the heart. Today we explore the characteristics of those with an external religion compared to those whose faith is inward and genuine.
In this passage, Paul records a registry of vices that characterized the Gentile world. It is obvious that true Christians have the power and are given the desire to overcome these sins. So in many ways our thinking, values and passions are very different than what is recorded here. But in other ways we are still struggling with many of the sins Paul describes. He says this clearly at the beginning of Romans 2. Today we consider how Christians differ from Paul’s description, but also how we are still caught in the very things Paul mentions in this passage.
In the expansive section of Romans 1:18-3:20, Paul lays out a case against humanity by describing our lost and helpless condition. This is the bad news that precedes the good news of the gospel. Everything taught in this section of scripture is blatantly countercultural. This section will test your commitment to scripture as the word of God, because Paul’s teaching contradicts accepted intellectual, social and ethical values in the 21st century.
In the expansive section of Romans 1:18-3:20, Paul lays out a case against humanity by describing our lost and helpless condition. This is the bad news that precedes the good news of the gospel. Everything taught in this section of scripture is blatantly countercultural. This section will test your commitment to scripture as the word of God, because Paul’s teaching contradicts accepted intellectual, social and ethical values in the 21st century.