How many of His followers did Jesus call to be apostles during His earthly ministry?

The answer … twelve.

Many of you already knew that.  But here is another question … WHY did Jesus call apostles at all?

In our study of the Gospel of Luke, we have already seen Jesus do some AMAZING things.  Over the first 5 chapters of the Gospel of Luke, Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary, celebrated by angels, prophesied over by Anna and Simeon, celebrated by John the Baptist, triumphed over Satan in the hour of His temptation in the wilderness, demonstrated His authority over disease (with many, many healings), demons (by casting out demons from those oppressed), and sin (offering forgiveness), and He taught with authority (correcting the errors of the religious leaders of that day).  These demonstrations of power and revelations of His identity had drawn crowds of thousands, many of which were wondering, “could He be the Messiah?”

Jesus had done ALL OF THAT without calling a single follower onto a special team of Apostles.  Looking ahead, Jesus will go to the cross alone, for only He, the spotless Lamb of God, could offer His life to pay the penalty for our sins.  So, if Jesus could accomplish the events of Luke 1-5 without Apostles, and if Jesus would go to the cross in Luke 23 without the Apostles, WHY does Jesus call the 12 in Luke 6:12-16?  After all, He seemed to be doing fine without them!

Well, it was no accident that Jesus called the 12 … Jesus did NOTHING accidentally, for He was God after all!  It was according to God’s will that Jesus called the 12 – He did so after spending a night in prayer before calling them onto this special team.

So, why did Jesus call the Apostles?  Because they would be His plan to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth.  He trained them during His earthly ministry, He equipped them with the power of His Spirit at Pentecost, He commanded them to go to the ends of the earth, and He sovereignly pushed them forward through prompts and world events.

He certainly did not HAVE to accomplish His work this way.  He could have played a film of His life, shining it on the clouds around the world every night so that everyone would hear.  He could have simply tuned people’s hearts to His frequency and whispered the truth to their souls without human assistance.  He could have done it this way … but He didn’t.  The primary way the Gospel of Jesus Christ is ordained by God to go from here to there is through the testimony of His people … and His Apostles were the first to be sent out in His name to accomplish this mission.

This Sunday, May 31, 2026 at Wildwood Community Church, in our 8th and final installment in the “Launch Day” sermon series, we will look at Luke 5:1-11, 27-32, and 6:12-16 as we see the calling of the 12.  Along the way, we will see what all this means for you and me.  Hope to see you Sunday in our 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 service … and bring friends!

On Sunday, May 24, 2026 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Luke 6:1-11.  This message was part 7 of the “Launch Day” sermon series.  Below you will find questions related to the sermon for personal reflection and group discussion.  You will also find the audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download, or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Luke 6:1-11
3. What do you know about the Sabbath?  What has been your life experience with its practice?
4. Jesus describes Himself as the “Lord of the Sabbath.”  In other words, He is the One who created it and gave it to His people.  It was intended to be a gift and not a burden.  In the New Covenant in which we now live, there are a variety of changes to “sabbath practices” from that which was done in the Old Covenant.  Based on what we talked about this morning, did any of these changes help clarify things for you?  Any questions you still have?
5. Though not commanded in the New Testament, the practice of rest is still a healthy rhythm for life.  What does “rest” look like for you in your life today?  Are you creating margin to rest your body and refocus your soul on your Savior?
6. Jesus practice as the Lord of the Sabbath included compassion for people.  This is a great reminder that true religion in the eyes of our God both loves God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, but also loves our neighbor as ourself.  If we are to follow the Lord of the Sabbath we will also live a life of compassion for others.  What does that look like for you in your life today?
7. What stands out to you most from this message?  Any particular takeaway?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here.

 

To listen offline, click the link below to download:

Launch Day 7

 

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We were made to work … but we were not made to work all the time.

This goes all the way back to the beginning of all created things.  Our Eternal God created the world in six glorious movements, then rested on the seventh day.  This created a pattern for people created in His image.  Work six, rest one.

And what are we to DO with this day of rest?  Well … rest!

Let’s examine the example of the Israelites who lived under the law in the Old Testament.  God used groupings of seven to reinforce the need for rest among His people.  God instructed them to let the land “rest” every seventh year by not farming it (a Sabbath year of rest for the soil.)  God also instructed His people to rest on every seventh day.  This rest accomplished a number of things:  it allowed them to remember the God who created this world and to worship Him, it also allowed the people to rest and trust in His provision AS THEY rested, and it also allowed sufficient margin in their lives to rest their perishable bodies and not wear them out.

What does all this add up to?  The day of rest was a gift given by God to the people.  This day of rest was modeled by and created for them by a loving God.

What was this day called?  The Sabbath.  (The English word “sabbath” comes from the Hebrew word “shavat” which means “to stop”).  The Sabbath was celebrated each week on the seventh day (from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday).  On this day the people were not to work, but to rest and to worship.

Fast forward to the first century A.D. … the days when Jesus lived out His public ministry in the land of Israel.  By this time, the religious elite had taken God’s gift of the Sabbath and made it into another form of a religious score card.  They added 39 specific categories of things that were not allowed to be done on the Sabbath. The public nature of these prohibitions and their regular occurrence (Saturday came around every week!) made them a particularly favorite marker of one’s religious reputation as judged by the first century Pharisees.

What God had created as a gift FOR His people, the Pharisees had tricked up (like Frankenstein’s monster) something that had some resemblance to the Sabbath, but with scary self-righteous consequences.  They certainly would not have characterized it like this, but (in some ways) they made their rendering of the Sabbath their god and they lived to serve that lesser ideal!

Proof positive of this flip was their use of their understanding of the Sabbath to regularly judge Jesus.  Imagine that … Jesus CREATED THE SABBATH and GAVE IT TO THE PEOPLE who so misunderstood its purpose that they used their 39 rules as a way to condemn Jesus to death on more than one occasion!!!

Now, why do I go into all this?  Well, I say this today because on Sunday, May 24 at Wildwood Community Church in our 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 services we will be looking at Luke 6:1-11 in part 7 of our “Launch Day” sermon series.  In these verses we will investigate what the Pharisees got wrong about the Sabbath, what Jesus clarified about the Sabbath, and what this means for you and me.

Do you have questions about the Sabbath?  Questions like, “is this why Chick-Fil-A is closed on Sundays?”  “Why do we primarily gather to worship on Sundays and not Saturdays?”  “Why is the fourth commandment (about the Sabbath) the only one of the ten commandments NOT repeated in the New Testament?”  “Is there any application on the Sabbath for followers of Jesus today?”  If so, this passage and message may prove helpful for you!

Also, we will be celebrating the Lord’s Supper together in our services this Sunday.  Hope you can make it Sunday … and bring friends!

On Sunday, May 17, 2026 at Wildwood Community Church I preached a sermon based on Luke 5:33-39.  This message was part 6 of our series, “Launch Day.”  Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion.  You will also find audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download, or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Luke 5:33-39
3. What do you imagine a religious person today looks like?  How does this compare to Jesus from today’s passage? 
4. Is there a joy about your life because of your relationship with Jesus?  If so, how does this joy reveal itself?  If not, why not?
5. Are there things you do just so that others will think you are more spiritual?
6. What has been your experience with fasting?  How does this passage and sermon impact you concerning the practice of fasting?
7. Jesus “installed” a new operating system (the New Covenant) for how humanity relates to God that was different in some significant ways from the old operating system (the Old Covenant).  Think of these differences are generally the differences between the Old Testament and the New Testament.  What are some of the major differences you see?
8. We don’t need a little Jesus patched onto our old religion, we need new life in Him!  In what ways are you clinging to the old instead of embracing the new life Christ has created for us?
9. What stands out to you most from this message?  Any particular takeaway?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here!

 

To listen offline, click the link below :

Launch Day 6

 

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In 2009, on the third season of the hit show “Britain’s Got Talent,” a female singer by the name of Susan Boyle walked out on the stage before a packed house, a massive television audience, and three celebrity judges.  As she ambled onto the stage, people watching from home and in the studio were bracing for the worst.  Their expectations were visualized on the faces of the three judges: Simon Cowell, Piers Morgan, and Amanda Holden who could barely keep a doubting snicker off their faces.

In a contest designed to evaluate talent, why were people so skeptical before she ever sang a note?  Well, Ms. Boyle did not LOOK the part.  She was older (47 years old).  She had no record of success (she was unemployed.) She was from a village (not a city).   And she looked like a normal person (not a movie star).  The moments before she began to sing felt like a close race between “let’s just get this audition over with” and “I hope she doesn’t embarrass herself.”

Then she began to sing.

The song she had chosen was “I Dreamed a Dream” from “Les Miserables,” a difficult song to be sure!  But this dream was no nightmare.  She dazzled her way through the presentation.  By the end of verse 1, the audience was giving her a standing ovation.  By the end of the performance, the judges had joined them.  And before Simon could give his evaluation, there were tears in the eyes of people watching from home.  It was magical.

What had just happened?  People had an idea of what they THOUGHT a “Britain’s Got Talent” winner would LOOK like, and Susan Boyle did not LOOK the part … but oh did she deliver!  She would parlay that song into an album that is in the top 40 of album sales in the 21st century.  She has gone on to sell over 25 million records in the past 17 years.  And she became the first female artist EVER to have two different albums atop the US and UK record charts in the same year.  Susan Boyle is exceptionally talented and Britain (and the world) have been blessed to listen.

Why do I say all this?  Hang with me for a moment.

What do you think it looks like to be the winner of “America’s Got Religion” (if such a show existed)?  What would be the demeanor of such a person?  What would they LOOK like?  How would they act to make you assume they should win the prize?

In the first century, there were common activities among the religious “elite,” and one of them was that they would often fast.  The Pharisees would fast two days a week (skipping day time meals, similar to Muslims today during Ramadan).  The entire nation of Israel would fast during daylight hours on the Day of Atonement, and many would also fast on days remembering the destruction of Jerusalem a few hundred years before.  Accompanying these times of fasting would be sullen looks and sometimes loud complaints.  After all, what could be the point of going to all that religious activity if their neighbors did not recognize their religious greatness?

Jesus launched His public ministry into this world of religious activity, and some of the “judges” began to snicker.  He did not LOOK the part (in their eyes).  After all, He and His followers did not fast.  In fact, they ate and drank with tax collectors!  How could He possibly be the epitome of the old religion if He looked happy and did not walk around telling you about how much He DIDN’T eat?

The expectations of Simon Cowell blinded him to Ms. Boyle’s talent, and the self-righteousness of the Pharisees kept them from seeing the overwhelming godliness of Jesus Christ.  He had authority over demons, disease, and sin.  In many ways, Jesus did not look like the epitome of the old religion because He was the founder of a new one.  To be clear, Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament Law in all of its brilliance, but He did not come to just put a band aid over the broken excesses of the Pharisees. No, Jesus came to offer something new, and the world that listens to His Song will always be blessed.

This Sunday, May 17, at Wildwood Community Church in our 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 worship services, we will look at Luke 5:33-39 in part 6 of our “Launch Day” sermon series.  In these verses we see Jesus answering the question, “why don’t You and Yours not fast?”  His answer goes way beyond food.  Let’s read and explore it on Sunday together.  Hope to see you there … and bring friends!

On Sunday, May 10, 2026 at Wildwood Community Church I preached a sermon based on Luke 5:17-26.  This message was part 5 of our series, “Launch Day.”  Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion.  You will also find audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download, or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Luke 5:17-26
3. What are some things that people would describe as humanities greatest need?  This morning we talked about how forgiveness is our greatest need.  Did this resonate with you?  Why or why not? 
4. The four faithful friends pushed through challenges to get their paralyzed friend before Jesus.  What are some ways you can push through challenges to bring your friends before Jesus today?
5. Getting their paralyzed friend before Jesus cost the four faithful friends something.  What are some of the costs associated with ministering to your friends today?
6. Jesus met the paralyzed man’s deepest need (forgiveness) and healed him physically (to prove to the Pharisees that Jesus, indeed, had the power to forgive).  Do you believe that Jesus truly has the authority to forgive us our sins today?
7. Confess your sin to God and ask God to forgive you for Jesus’ sake.
8. What stands out to you most from this message?  Any particular takeaway?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here!

 

To listen offline, click link to download audio:

Launch Day 5

 

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To watch the stream, use YouTube online:

 

 

What is your greatest need?

Some might answer this question by pointing out our physical needs:  food, water, oxygen, or shelter.

Others might be a bit more metaphysical, thinking our greatest need is truth, hope, or security.

Still more may be a bit more practical and focus on common cents, thinking our greatest need is money to pay the bills or a job that provides a reliable income.

A few more may think relationally, and identify our greatest need as love or companionship.

But I believe there is a more fundamental need that runs back even further than this list.  If you deprive someone of love or companionship, they may be lonely or depressed.  If you take away funding, they may be stressed and desperate.  If you take away access to the right information or hope or security, they may be unstable.  And if you take away oxygen, food, and water, people would DIE … but then what?

Even after this life is over, we spend eternity someplace.  Therefore, we have a deeper need than just what we experience here in this life.

I believe our deepest need is FORGIVENESS.  After all, the Scripture tells us that we “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” and that the “wages of sin is death.”  Just as we all need nutrition to survive in this life, so we need forgiveness to thrive eternally.  We have sinned before a holy God, and because of that there is literally hell to pay.  That is why I would say that forgiveness for our sins is even more important than the air we breathe.

So if that is our greatest need, where do we find it?  Can we find it?  Is it possible for you and I to be forgiven before God?

The answer to this is an emphatic YES … we simply need to come in faith before the One who has the authority on earth to forgive sins.  And who is this One?  None other than Jesus Christ.

This Sunday, May 10, at Wildwood Community Church in our 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 worship service, we will be looking at Luke 5:17-26 in part 5 of our “Launch Day” sermon series.  So far in this series we have seen that Jesus has authority in His teaching, authority over demons, and authority over disease.  This week, we will see that He also has the authority to forgive us our sins.  Make plans to join us this week on Mother’s Day weekend … and bring friends!

On Sunday, May 3, 2026 at Wildwood Community Church I preached a sermon based on Luke 5:12-16.  This message was part 4 of our series, “Launch Day.”  Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion.  You will also find audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download, or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Luke 5:12-16
3. What are some examples of stories you are familiar with that started off with tragedy but end in triumph?  Are there any parts of your life right now that feel like a tragedy and even (possibly) without hope? 
4. Jesus interaction with the leper gains greater impact when we consider the difficult plight of someone with leprosy in the first century.  Imagine that you were this leper in these verses?  What might you have been feeling/thinking as you approached Jesus with your request?
5. Jesus was willing to heal the leper, demonstrating again, that nothing is too great for Him to overcome.  He has ALL authority!  How does this encounter give you hope for the areas of your life where you may be struggling with feelings of hopelessness?
6. Leprosy has some symbolic connections to sin.  In what way do you connect with this symbolic connection?  Does it lead you to respond to Jesus (related to your sin) the way the leper does?
7. The leper was a living letter sent by Jesus to the priests, announcing His arrival.  What have you seen God do in the lives of others that reminds you of HIs greatness and power?
8. Do you have a regular practice of talking to God in prayer?  If not, follow Jesus onto your knees today in prayer to Him, and carve out some time to be alone with Him regularly in prayer.
9. What stands out to you most from this message?  Any particular takeaway?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here!

 

To listen offline, click the link below:

Launch Day 4

 

To listen online, use the media player below:

 

To watch the stream, use YouTube online:

 

 

In order to truly evaluate your story, you need to stick with it to the end.  Just think about the classic tales told in Disney movies.  Many begin with tragedy but end with triumph.  We cry with Simba, Bambi, Elsa, Cinderella, Ariel, Tarzan, and Mowgli as they lose a parent early in life … and (if you are like me) we sob when Mr. Fredricksen loses his dear wife Ellie during the opening credits.  But we don’t think of “The Lion King,” “Frozen,” or “Up” as tragedies.  Why?  Because what began in the valley ends on the mountaintop.

In order to evaluate the story, sometimes you just need to let it go.

Let’s be honest … real life has plenty of moments when we are in the valley.  Maybe you are in one right now, laid low by the grief of loss, an illness, a vocational setback, or a broken relationship. Or perhaps you find yourself crying tears of regret over sin you have committed that leaves you embarrassed, exposed, and feeling lost.  When we are in one of these valleys, we may classify our personal story as a tragedy.

But what if your current valley was not the end of the story?  What if the sun was getting ready to rise?

You may say, “Not my story.  You don’t know the depth of this depression, the isolation of my situation, the sorrow of my regret.  My story is not salvageable.”

But, what if …

What if there was One who could bring hope to the hopeless?  What if there was One who could bring community to the isolated?  What if there was One who could forgive our sin? What if there was One who could give life to the dead?

AND … what if that One who was ABLE to do all this was WILLING to do all this for you and for me?  Well that would change everything, wouldn’t it?

This Sunday at Wildwood Community Church we will be in part 4 of our “Launch Day” sermon series looking at Luke 5:12-16 as we see Jesus bring cleansing and hope to someone in the deepest, darkest valley in the first century.  Join us Sunday in our 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 service as we see Jesus able and willing to help the helpless, and what that means for you and for me.

See you Sunday … and bring friends!

On Sunday, April 26, 2026 at Wildwood Community Church I preached a sermon based on Luke 4:38-44.  This message was part 3 of our series, “Launch Day.”  Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion.  You will also find audio and video of the message to listen to/watch, download, or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Luke 4:38-44
3. What are some of the things you pray for the most?  Do you find yourself praying often for physical afflictions (illnesses for you and those you know)?  Why do you think diseases are such common requests in our prayers? 
4. In today’s verses, Jesus demonstrates a number of things about His abilities/authority over disease. What stands out to you most about His interaction with Peter’s mother-in-law and the other sick of Capernaum?
5. How does knowing the certainty of the healing of our infirmities in eternity, encourage you today?
6. Who are some suffering from illness that you can bring before the Lord in prayer today?
7. The Nazarenes wanted to kill Jesus, but the people of Capernaum wanted to corral Him (stay here and take care of us only!)  Jesus was not killed in Nazareth or killed in Capernaum because He had a global movement to launch.  Have you ever had an attitude toward Jesus that was self-focused (wanting to corral Him for your own benefit) instead of sharing Him with others?  What would it look like to be generous with the Gospel both locally and globally today?
8. What stands out to you most from this message?  Any particular takeaway?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here!

 

To listen offline, click the link below to download:

Launch Day 3

 

To listen online, use media player below:

 

To watch the stream, use YouTube online: