West Portal Church: Recent Episodes
West Portal Church
In Mark 7, Jesus addresses the issue of hypocrites. Here is the only time it is used in Mark’s gospel. The word hypocrite describes someone who wears a mask. It can be someone who pretends to be someone else or someone who thinks they are someone else. It is someone who deceives or is self deceived. Jesus calls all people to their genuine identity in Him.
Between the Red Sea crossing (a monumental victory) and their encounter with Yahweh at Sinai they will spend close to 3 months in the wilderness—learning to trust God through experiences of great need. Through these experiences, albeit difficult ones, Israel is learning that their God is, at heart, a generous provider.
Thankfulness spills over from a heart aware of God’s faithfulness. And God’s faithfulness is front and center in the story we’re continuing this morning.
Unbeknownst to the enslaved Israelites, God has begun a rescue operation for his people. In God’s family we never know what part we may be asked to play. What we do know, is there are no unimportant parts.
Some kinds of growth are natural. Some kinds of growth, are intentional. We’d love it to just happen, but without intentionality and discipline it won’t. Unfortunately for you and me, it seems that more often than not our spiritual growth will be more of an intentional process than a natural one. It will take effort and discipline.
There is a reason why the first step in our process is GATHER. How do we grow in our love for God and love for others? We gather as faith community. Let us not give up meeting together. If you want to grow spiritually, one of the best first steps you can take is committing yourself to regularly gathering with other believers to worship and hear God’s word. It’s kind of like committing yourself to going to a gym even if you aren’t sure what a good exercise program looks like.
What are the distractions that pull you away from Jesus? In this time of your life, what are the distractions that pull you away from being with Jesus?
Everyone knows Paul is a missionary to Gentiles. Everyone knows he’s pro-foreigner. How can we prove that at heart he is still a loyal, devout Jew—that he’s not anti-Jewish? So church leadership suggests the following plan—Paul should participate alongside 4 other men in a Jewish ritualistic vow.
Acts 21 is the end of Paul’s missionary journey and the start of his defence in chains before rulers and kings. As Paul approaches this future, he has his priority matrix to guide his decisions and shape his life. What priorities shape your life?
Acts 20:17-36 is Paul’s call of duty to leaders in God’s church to step up and follow Paul and Jesus into the hard and costly call of leading His flock. Paul makes it clear how precious this flock is to God: Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. (Acts 20:28)
The victory is not in doubt, but the war is still being waged. This spiritual power struggle is front and center in Paul’s letter to the Ephesian church and it shouldn’t surprise us that it also features prominently in Paul’s time in this city—something we’ll come to today.
To accomplish the mission that Jesus gave the church, we need to work together. Together Everyone Accomplishes More! Throughout Acts, God is building a team to reach the world for Jesus. In this section, we see how several teams operate and the growth in grace that comes as a result.
In the high points and low points of life, through joyful blessing and crushing adversity, Jesus continues to walk with his followers and, through them, continue to carry his story to the ends of the earth.
What do you do with a text like this? Most of us aren’t continent-hopping, cross-cultural missionaries in the way Paul and this team were. This doesn’t let you off the hook. If you’re a follower of Jesus you are a witness. What you say and how you live are part of how God’s story continues to be told in this world.
How was it possible for Paul and Silas to go through what they did, being beaten, with rods, and thrown in jail, and still sing praises to God? It was possible because they knew where their true freedom came from. It wasn’t going to come from their Roman citizenship and it wasn’t going to come from being released from prison. Their freedom was secured, only and fully, in Jesus.
Division and Sacrifice and Restrictions, they aren’t words that bring our minds to positive thoughts. As we reflect on Acts 15:36-16:10 we must change our perspective. To focus our minds on things above, not on earthly things.
Acts 15 is the center of the book of Acts. Here is the middle from Jerusalem to Rome; from Peter to Paul; from the Jewish mission to the ends of the earth. This chapter answers two questions: 1) How are we saved? 2) Who must be saved? 3) How then shall we live?
The good news is quite literally going out from Jerusalem, to all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. It is no longer a strictly Jewish faith. The door is wide open to all people groups. How might we apply a sweeping narrative like this to our lives?
Make no mistake, Jesus’ kingdom project begun in Acts—a renewal of God’s creation project—continues today. God’s plan has always been and continues to be to rule through and alongside humanity.
On Palm Sunday we commemorate Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, anticipating His coming as our King.
Did you ever feel like you were made for something greater—some kind of exciting, royal adventure? You have been.
By the 7th day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. This is a fascinating statement. The God of our universe—who doesn’t need sleep or a day off or a vacation, who doesn’t get tired or worn down, who is without parallel to any other being in the universe—rested. Why? I’m glad you asked…
Human destiny is to live in God’s world, God’s way. In those places where God’s way isn’t clear, we wrestle together to understand and discern. In those places where God’s way seems clear, but we don’t agree with it, we’re forced to trust—does God have our best interests at heart or is he holding out on us. The same dilemma facing Adam and Eve comes to each of us. Which tree will we eat from?
Our world is searching for what it means to be human. The Genesis story of Beginnings tells us that every person has intrinsic worth and dignity because they are created in God’s image. This story is challenged by other stories because it begins by looking to God to understand who we are.
God has given us 2 books that tell his story—the bible (scripture) and creation, or the natural world around us (science).
Genesis tells us a story about creation that challenges and corrects our common stories of beginnings.
What on earth are we here for? There are stories—old and new—that tell us who we are and our place in the world. Genesis 1:1 is God’s gift so that we might know who God is and know who we are created to be.
Let’s refocus our vision and make 2021 a year of clarity. Let’s refocus our response to difficult and dark times, that there is light and blessing to be found. Let’s refocus how we remain connected to the vine, to Jesus, our source of life so that we can enjoy a fruitful life. And let’s refocus and remember each other so that we can see the needs of one another and so that others may see their need for Jesus.
Jesus isn’t going to come…one day…eventually…maybe. He is in the process of coming now.
One day, God will create a new heavens and new earth where everything destructive, everything damaging, everything to deal with death, is done away with utterly
The important number in Revelation is not 1,000. The important number is one. The Light of the world has come and has promised He is coming again.
The 1st Advent is a time when we look back at Jesus’ first coming and look forward to Jesus second coming.
Jesus sent his followers into the world where we can witness to others. Until Jesus returns this is our challenge—living in Babylon, but not succumbing to it.
The seven bowls of God’s wrath in Revelation 15-16 act as a warning for us so that we can be ready today. God makes known what is to come, so that we won’t be caught off guard or surprised.
There are only two choices, to choose between the beast or the Lamb. The one who wants to trample you and the one who was trampled for you.
The dragon in Revelation goes after the followers of Jesus, but not directly. He goes after them through two other forces—a beast from the sea and a beast from the earth.
The seven trumpets sound. This passage gives us vision and compassion for those who do not have the seal of the living God. Repent and pray!
Revelation 7:3 says: “Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” Who are the 144,000 who receive a seal?
If you want to make a statement you can do something on your own.
If you want to make the world stand up and take notice, you do something together with others.
This is why we encourage you to Gather, Grow, Go...TOGETHER.
Is the Light of the world with us? Are we still invited to follow him? Some things haven’t changed. Then may God give us the grace we need to do this well in a season we weren’t expecting…
We are called to look, and worship. That is our call, Look, and join in. Worship. As we see this, we see what we were made for.
If the description of Jesus in Revelation is the same Jesus that sees you and is with you, how does this motivate you to live differently today?
Meaningless, Meaningless, Meaningless. Pastor Andrew talks about King Solomon and how he pursued everything and still was not satisfied. Only God can truly satisfy our every needs.