I am a Follower and a Leader. A Dad and a Husband. A Son and a friend. A Pastor and a writer . . . and these are my thoughts. My favorite teams are the Oklahoma Sooners and the OKC Thunder. I reside in the OKC area and pastor Wildwood Community Church in Norman. I welcome dialogue on any or all of the musings found on this blog . . . If you would like to contact me, you can email me at mark.wildwood@me.com .
On Sunday, April 23, 2023 at Wildwood Community Church I preached a sermon based on 2 Corinthians 5:1-10. This message was part 2 in the “Mission: Endure” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to this message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find the audio and video of the sermon to listen to/watch, download, or share.
Sermon Questions:
Pray
Read 2 Corinthians 5:1-10
When was the last time you had a loved one pass away?How have you dealt with this loss?Does any truth of Christianity encourage you as you deal with this loss?
For the Christian, we are provided a home, clothing, fellowship in heaven (as we saw in this morning’s passage).Is there any particular component of this encouragement that resonates with you most today?
Have you trusted in Christ for the forgiveness of your sins?If so, how does this impact you as you consider the reality of your own mortality?
In heaven we will see Jesus face to face.How does knowing this help you “aim” the ambition of your life today?
What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?
To access these questions in pdf format, click here.
I am a person who likes the IDEA of camping, more than camping itself.Don’t get me wrong, I love the outdoors.I love to hike, see creation, and experience things far from my ordinary world … but at the end of the day, I would strongly prefer to be in my bed at home.
Why is this?Well, I have yet to have a tent camping experience that gave me the same restful sleep as I can have in my climate controlled home and on my king bed.It has been my experience that it is very difficult to pack that mattress and central heat and air into a backpack I can reasonably carry … so when I hike, I long for the comfort of home.Can anyone relate?
Now, this is not to say that tents are not valuable.THEY ARE.If you want to hike the Appalachian Trail or see the summits of Half Dome (AND NOT TAKE OUT A SECOND MORTGAGE), then the tent is the way to go.If you plan to move from place to place nightly, taking your portable home with you by foot – the tent cannot be beaten.The tent is amazing at being portable … it is just not as plush and more prone to breaking down than its more permanent relative – “the house.”
I was thinking about this today as I looked at 2 Corinthians 5:1-10.These verses (written by a tent maker) talk about death, and what lies after.The Apostle Paul compares our current physical bodies to a tent, that (for the believer in Jesus Christ) will one day be traded in for a heavenly home.
Let’s play with this analogy for a moment …
When life in this world is going well, things are good … like taking my tent out on a 70 degree day and setting it down on a bed of soft/level pine straw; I see things I would not see otherwise, and enjoy the moment.
When life in this world is going poorly (health concerns, relational strife, financial burdens), things are good … like my tent springing a leak during a rainstorm on a cold night as I toss and turn over a root poking me in the back, I rejoice that in just a few moments, the pain of the night will be over, and a warm comfortable bed awaits me at home.
In 2 Corinthians 4-7, the Apostle Paul is encouraging us to not “lose heart” as we live out our Christian lives.One of the things that can cause us to lose heart is when we face death or deal with physical difficulties in life.Paul’s encouragement?This body is not your forever home … it is a tent that you will one day trade for a permanent home.So live now in light of where you will be then, and you will be of good courage, regardless the circumstances.
This Sunday at Wildwood Community Church in our 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 services we will share the Lord’s Supper together, and look at part 2 of our “Mission: Endure” sermon series, looking at 2 Corinthians 5:1-10.Hope to see you there … and bring friends!
On Sunday, April 16, 2023 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on 2 Corinthians 4:16-18. This message was part 1 of the “Mission: Endure” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find audio and video to listen to/watch, download or share.
Sermon Questions:
Pray
Read 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
What are some stories you have heard or witnessed of people who once followed Jesus but have stopped following Him today?Has there ever been a time in your life when you stopped following Jesus for a time/season?
Given what we saw this morning in 4:17, how AWESOME must God’s blessings for us be if they make the afflictions we experience today both “light” and “momentary” by comparison?
How does remembering who you are (and where you are headed) motivate you to “not lose heart” today?
What are some examples you are currently experiencing personally (or seeing in the lives of those around you) where the”outer man is wasting away”?What are some examples you have seen in your life of your “inner man being renewed day by day”?
What is your plan to “see the unseen” through pouring over God’s Word, presenting ourselves to Him, and putting on His truth in obedience?
What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?
Access these questions in pdf format by clicking here.
Life is full of hard things.Loved ones die.Sin is tempting, yet destructive.Relationships get complicated.Things break.Storms rage.Inflation inflates.Illness (mental and physical) takes a toll.Sticks and stones break our bones, and words do (in fact) hurt us.
So how do we keep going in the midst of a life like this?How do we not lose heart?And as Christians, how do we not give up our faith when what we prayed for does not happen, we are persecuted for our faith, or the “giant” never seems to fall?
Well, I saw a quote this past week from an ultra-marathoner (you know those crazy people who run 100 mile races) that I thought was intriguing.Ultra-marathoner Dick Collins was asked how to prepare to run something so long.
His response?
“Decide the conditions that will cause you to stop and drop out BEFORE the race. You don’t want to be out there saying, ‘Well, gee, my leg hurts, I’m a little dehydrated, I’m sleepy, I’m tired, and it’s cold and windy.’ And, as a result, talk yourself into quitting. If you are making a decision based on how you feel at that moment, you will probably make the wrong decision.”
What a fascinating statement!Decide in advance what would cause you to drop out, because challenges are sure to come.
Now I am guessing that most of you reading this are not going to attempt an ultra-marathon.However, I do believe there is interesting insight from Collins’ statement for the Christian.It is as if we might say, “How does the Christian run with Christ for the duration of the ultra-marathon of their earthly life?How can we NOT GIVE UP SPIRITUALLY when things are hard or confusing or painful?”With this question, Collins’ answer creates an interesting consideration for us.“What circumstance might cause you to walk away from Christ?What would have to occur to prompt you to walk away from your Lord and Savior – the One who bled and died for you and has promised you eternity?”
Outside of the emotion of the moment, the obvious answer for any true follower of Jesus would be …. NOTHING.Nothing would be worth leaving Christ.As Peter says to Jesus in John 6:68-69, “Lord, to whom shall we go?You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.”
That said, we still find temptation to “quit following Jesus” from time to time.Pain, frustration, or difficulty try to push us to despair on a far-to-regular basis.Sadly, the world is dotted with people who said “Lord I will follow you anywhere” at church camp or on a college retreat, but at some point jettisoned their faith.Given this possibility, what perspectives should we keep close that would encourage us to endure … to not quit, even when our “legs hurt?”
This Sunday at Wildwood we will begin an 8 week sermon series that will walk us through 2 Corinthians 4:16 – 7:16 as we see how we might endure on the mission Christ has called us to.This Sunday we kick things off with “Mission: Endure” part 1, focusing on 2 Corinthians 4:16-18.I hope you make plans to be with us each week of this series over the next two months.I want to run an ultra-marathon of faithfulness alongside each of you.Let’s look to God’s Word to see how we can keep the pace.See you Sunday in our 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 service … and bring friends!
On Sunday, April 9, 2023 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Luke 24:1-12. This message was the Easter Sunday sermon for 2023. Below you will find questions related to this message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find the audio and video of the sermon to listen to/watch, download or share.
Sermon Questions:
Pray
Read Luke 24:1-12
Why do you think the Apostle Paul makes such a major case that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is SO IMPORTANT to Christians?
Have you ever had a time/era/season when you felt like “all hope was lost”?What were the conditions that led you to have that feeling?Can you identify with how the women might have felt on that first Easter morning?
Jesus wants to make sure that we KNOW that He is alive.This is why He had His resurrection documented so well.It reminds us that we can have hope even when times seem impossible.How does the resurrection of Jesus bring you hope today?
Have you ever had a time when someone encouraged you with God’s Word at just the right moment, when you needed God’s perspective on a situation badly?Share that experience.
Who might God want to use you to encourage with a fresh perspective from His Word today?Think of the various passages we shared this morning and consider who these verses might be particularly encouraging for this week and then “go and tell” them about it.
What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?
To access these questions in pdf format, click here.
On Friday, April 7, 2023 at 6:00 and 7:30 PM, Wildwood is hosting our Good Friday services. These services will walk through a deeper understanding of what Jesus meant when He said from the cross, “It is finished!” The stream from tonight’s worship service can be found here:
When your basketball team is down 5 points with 1 second to go, you turn the television off or head for the parking lot.
When you have stage four cancer and your doctor calls in Hospice, you head home and prepare for the worst.
When your marriage has been battered by infidelity or broken trust, you call the divorce attorney.
When things look impossible we assume that they are, and give up hope.
This feeling of hopelessness was certainly felt by the Jesus’ followers on the day following His crucifixion.Having just witnessed their friend (and hopeful one day King) be brutally tortured and killed by the Romans, Jesus’ first followers gave up hope.After a day of shock and mourning, only a small group of women were stirring early one Sunday morning … and they were headed to the tomb to treat Jesus’ dead body for long term burial.This was the equivalent of turning off the TV, heading for the parking lot, heading home and preparing for the worst, or moving out and preparing to start over.
The followers of Jesus looked at their situation and gave up hope.
But …
They.Were.Wrong.
Their despair (like the stone covering the entrance to the tomb) would soon be rolled away.The darkness of the moment would be illuminated as the Son rose.God was able to do what was impossible for humans.Instead of quitting, God was just getting started.The grief of the moment had blinded Christ followers from seeing what Jesus said is true … and so God sent a pair of angels to reiterate the words of Jesus and remind them that Hope was alive.
As people who are used to situations that feel hopeless … situations where our grief blinds us from seeing and remembering the truth … we need to look deeply at the account of the first Easter morning to have our hope rekindled by our glorious God.
This weekend is Easter weekend.At Wildwood we will gather for worship services on both Good Friday (April 7 at 6:00 and 7:00 PM) and Easter Sunday (April 9 at 8:30, 9:45, 11:00 AM).Friday night we will see the work that Jesus’ finished on the cross.Then on Sunday morning we will see why this gives us hope.Make plans to join us Friday AND Sunday.See you there, and bring friends!
On Sunday, April 2, 2023 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Luke 9-22. This sermon was the Palm Sunday message. Below you will find questions related to this message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find the audio and video of the sermon to listen to/watch, download, or share.
Sermon Questions:
Pray
Compared to other holidays, how “prepared” do you feel to celebrate Easter each year?Why do you think Easter can “sneak up” on us?
Easter was a part of God’s plan, and was in the works for thousands of years.Even during Jesus’ earthly life and ministry, He was headed to Jerusalem to “keep the appointment” of His crucifixion.What does this plan tell you about God’s heart for you?
Jesus loves you and died for your sins.Have you ever placed your faith in Him for the forgiveness of sins?
Jesus (the One who loves us) invites us to follow Him with our lives.Are you following Jesus in obedience today?What are some areas of your life where you need to follow Him more this week?
The people on Palm Sunday SANG and CELEBRATED around Jesus, but they did not follow Him.Have you crowned Him LORD OF ALL in your life?
What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?
To access these questions in pdf format, click here.
Does Easter ever sneak up on you?It certainly can do that.Even though this holiday celebrates the most important event in history, we almost miss it from time to time.Unlike Christmas or Independence Day (which always occur on the same day each year), Easter moves – sometimes even occurring in a different month! If we are not careful, we can “accidentally” bump into Resurrection Sunday on the way to or from a T-ball game or soccer tournament!
It is rather ironic, though, that Easter (of all holidays) would surprise us.After all, the events remembered at Easter had been planned for a very long time.From the time that sin entered the world in the Garden of Eden, God promised that one day the seed of the woman would have His heel bruised while He crushed the head of the snake (Genesis 3:15).The victory promised at Eden was accomplished on Calvary’s cross and announced in the garden’s empty tomb.
Jesus ushered Easter in by intentionally processing from Heaven to Bethlehem to Galilee to Jerusalem in a multi-millennia-long journey.Given this amount of planning, it would be a shame for us to miss it.
This Easter season at Wildwood Community Church we will be gathering on three days for three different worship services:
Palm Sunday – April 2 (8:30, 9:45, 11:00)
Good Friday – April 7 (6:00 PM & 7:30 PM)
Easter Sunday – April 9 (8:30, 9:45, 11:00)
This weekend, as we celebrate Palm Sunday, we will look at Luke 9:51 – 22:53 and see Jesus journey to Jerusalem knowing full well what awaited Him there.And why did He do this?Because HE LOVES US and was coming to rescue us.
Join us this Sunday as we prepare our hearts for Easter by seeing His heart for us.Get ready.Don’t miss it.And we will see you this Palm Sunday morning … and bring friends!
On Sunday, March 26, 2023 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Luke 16:1-13. This message was part 3 of the “In God We Trust” sermon series. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion. You will also find audio and video from the sermon to listen to/watch, download or share.
Sermon Questions:
Pray
Read Luke 16:1-13
Have you ever stopped to consider the principle that we take zero dollars and possessions with us into eternity?How does remembering this cause you to think differently about the stuff (money and possessions) in our lives today?
When you look back on your life, do you have any regrets financially?Given what we have studied over the past three weeks, is there a spiritual component to your regret?(i.e. do you have any sense that you have squandered any of the resources the Lord has entrusted to you?)
What are some ways God is leading you to invest for the ultimate tomorrow today?
In the message we talked about what Jesus says in Matthew 6:21 … that our heart attention follows where ever our “treasure” is.Have you seen this principle play true in your life?
We detailed some of the ways we can serve God with our money in the message:
Give then live (Matthew 6:33)
Work for your wages (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12)
Provide for your family (1 Timothy 5:8)
Pay your taxes (Romans 13:6-7)
Save for the (un)known (Proverbs 6:8, Ecclesiastes 11:2b)
Plan to help others (Deuteronomy 24:19-21)
Did the Lord prompt you during this section of the message in any particular way to change any of your current behaviors regarding money?
8. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?
To access these questions in pdf format, click here.
