On Sunday, June 23, 2019 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Matthew 23:37-39.  This message was part 3 of the “Father Heart of God” series.  Below you will find audio from this message to listen to, download, or share.

 

To listen offline, click the link to download audio:

The Father Heart of God #3 6.23.19

 

To listen online, use the media player below:

 

To watch the video from the service, see the Facebook Livestream recording by clicking here.

 

On Sunday, June 23, 2019 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a message from Matthew 23:37-39.  This message was part 3 in the “Father Heart of God” sermon series.  Below you will find questions related to this message for personal reflection or group discussion.

 

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Matthew 23:37-39
3. Have you ever attended an event that you were not invited to, or that the host of the event did not want you there?  How does that experience differ from an event you attended after a clear and heart-felt invitation?
4. Knowing that Jesus spoke of a desire to gather together people who rejected Him and were headed for eternal judgment, how do you make sense of the comments of Paul and Peter in 1 Timothy 2:4-5 and 2 Peter 3:9 regarding God’s DESIRE for all people?
5. What are some of the consequences you have seen regarding sinful living (living a life of rejecting Jesus AND/OR His truth)?
6. Jesus provides THE WAY to salvation . . . by recognizing who He is and embracing Him by faith.  Are you resting under the protection of His wings today, or are you not willing to to come under His protection and leadership?
7. What is one particular application you took away from this message?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here.

Your heavenly Father loves you.  Did you know this?  He loves you.  He loves you with a deep and enduring and committed love.  When we rebel against Him, it hurts . . . us, and Him.

This Sunday, we will reflect further upon the Father Heart of God by looking at the loving declaration of Jesus’ final words to the crowds in Jerusalem before His arrest, crucifixion, and resurrection from Matthew 23:37-39 in the third and final installment in our “Father Heart of God” sermon series at Wildwood.  Hope to see you in our 9:45 or 11:00 service.  As you prepare for Sunday, reflect upon these words from the song, “How Deep the Father’s Love for Us” by Stuart Townend (we will close the service singing this together):

 

How deep the Father’s love for us, how vast beyond all measure.

That He should give His only Son, to make a wretch His treasure.

How great the pain of searing loss, the Father turns His face away

As wounds which mar the chosen One, bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon the cross, my sin upon His shoulders

Ashamed I hear my mocking voice, call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held Him there, until it was accomplished

His dying breath has brought me life, I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything, no gifts no power no wisdom

But I will boast in Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward, I cannot give an answer

But this I know with all my heart, His wounds have paid my ransom

 

On Sunday, June 16, 2019 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Matthew 22:1-14.  This message was part 2 of the “Father Heart of God” sermon series.  Below you will find the audio related to this message to listen to or share.

 

To listen offline, click the link to download the audio:

The Father Heart of God #2 6.16.19

 

 

To listen online, use the media player below:

 

To watch the video of the service, view our Facebook stream by clicking here.

 

On Sunday, June 16, 2019 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Matthew 22:1-14.  This message was part 2 of the “Father Heart of God” series.  Below are a set of questions related to this message for personal reflection or group discussion.

 

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Matthew 22:1-14
3. In this parable, we see the King’s invitations to all to celebrate the wedding feast of his son.  This is a picture of God the Father’s invitation to salvation to people.  What do you notice about these invites in the parable?  What does that tell you about the heart of your Heavenly Father?
4. The rejection of the Jewish leaders of Jesus results in real consequences for the nation of Israel (and Jerusalem . . . it’s capital).  Jesus’ comments preview what will happen to Jerusalem when it is sacked by Rome in 70AD.  This historical fulfillment reminds us that God is serious about sin and will punish its presence.  Do really believe that God will judge sin one day . . . and that people will give an account for their lives?
5. God has invited you and I to the “feast.”  Have you responded to this invitation and “come to the table” or have you rejected His invitation?  What are some reasons you have heard people give for NOT responding to the invitation to follow Jesus?
6. Being “in the room” is not enough . . . we must also be clothed “in the regalia” of the King.  To say it another way, church attendance is not enough.  Approaching God on our own terms is not enough.  Our only hope is found by being “clothed” in the saving work of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins.  Are you wearing “His clothes” . . . or are you trusting mostly in your attendance or your own performance (as it relates to your salvation)?
7. What is one particular application you took away from this message?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here.

When was the last time you had a party and sent out a variety of invitations?  It may have been for a birthday, wedding, baby shower, graduation, or other occasion where you wanted to invite your network to celebrate with you something significant.  

What if you sent out these invitations and no one came?  What if you addressed, stamped, mailed, and emailed dozens of invites without a single RSVP . . . what would you do?  

This very scenario is discussed by Jesus in a parable in Matthew 22:1-14.  In this true-to-life story, Jesus talks about a King who is having a weeklong celebration for his son who is getting married.  The King invites all the usual suspects inside his kingdom to come and party . . . but none of them come!  So wrapped up in their own agendas, all of those originally on the invite list are NO SHOWS to the wedding feast of the king’s son!  

In this parable that Jesus tells, what happens next reveals an incredibly important principle that ALL OF US need to remember today.  In this one parable Jesus:

• prophesies about a cataclysmic event that was soon to come (something that happened just a few decades after this parable was told), 
• promises the extended invitation to salvation for all, yet also 
• predicts the actual salvation of only some.

What is this event Jesus is talking about?  Are we really invited to the party?  How do we clothe ourselves appropriately for this celebration?  And what does this reveal to us about the Father’s Heart for each of us?

Join us this Sunday, June 16 at Wildwood Community Church in our 9:45 or 11:00 service as we will be looking at Matthew 22 together in part 2 of our “Father Heart of God” series.  We will also be celebrating the Lord’s Supper together on this Father’s Day weekend.  Hope to see you Sunday . . . and bring friends!

On Sunday, June 9, 2019 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Matthew 21:33-46.  This message was part 1 of the “Father Heart of God” series.  Below you will find the audio from the message to listen to, download or share.

 

To listen offline, click the link below to download:

The Father Heart of God #1 6.9.19

 

 

To listen online, use the media player below:

 

To watch a video of the service, visit our Facebook stream by clicking here.

 

 

On Sunday, June 9, 2019 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Matthew 21:33-46.  This message was part 1 in the “Father Heart of God” sermon series.  Below are a set of questions related to the message for further reflection or group discussion.

 

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Matthew 21:33-46
3. In this parable, Jesus tells the story of a landowner and the landowner’s tenants (who work the landowner’s field).  What stands out to you about the actions of the landowner?  What stands out to you about the actions of the tenants?
4. The landowner in this parable represents God the Father.  The tenants represent the Jewish leaders in Jesus day (but by application could represent people in any day who are presented with testimony about the person and work of Jesus Christ.)  How have you seen your Heavenly Father “pursue you” patiently, persistently, and personally over the years?  
5. Is there any person in your life today who you think God is prompting you to reach out and share the love of Jesus?
6. Though God patiently pursues us, if we reject His offer through Jesus, we will end up experiencing judgment for our sins.  When you think of your relationship with Jesus Christ, is He more your “cornerstone” or is He a stone you have rejected?  
7. What is one particular application you took away from this message?

 

To access these questions in pdf format, click here.

Over the past month, the state of Oklahoma has been taking on water.  Storm after storm has dumped feet of water across the state, saturating the ground, filling ponds, lakes, and streams, and ultimately leading to significant flooding.  Like many of you, I have watched with great concern as property has been destroyed and lives disrupted by the weather. 

Seeing these rising flood waters also reminded me of an old joke . . . maybe you’ve heard it?

The joke goes this way . . . 

There once was a man who lived in a 2 story house in a flood plain.  As the rains poured down, it looked like there was going to be a serious flood, so policemen came by the man’s house and warned him to evacuate before the waters rose.  The man replied, “I am trusting in God.  He will save me!”  So the man stayed as his neighbors left for higher ground.  

After a while, the water rose and covered the man’s yard, even putting about 6 inches of water in the downstairs of the man’s house.  A national guardsman came by in a boat and invited the man (who had now retreated to the upstairs of his house) to hop in the boat and ride to safety.  The man replied, “I am trusting in God!  He will save me!”  So, the man stayed.

Eventually the water came even higher and filled the second story of the house with water, pushing the man to his roof.  Eventually, a local news team noticed the man sitting on the roof as they flew their helicopter overhead.  They lowered a ladder and invited the man to climb the ladder, get on the helicopter, and fly to safety.  The man refused, saying simply, “I am trusting in God!  He will save me!”  

Finally, the water even overtook the roof of the house, sweeping the man away in the flood waters where he drowned.  As the man appeared before God in heaven, the man had only one question, “Why didn’t you save me?”  God’s reply was straightforward . . . 

“I sent you a policeman, a boat, and a helicopter . . . what more did you want?”

I was thinking about that joke today as I looked at Matthew 21:33-46.  In this passage, Jesus tells a parable about a landowner and his tenants who are taking care of his field.  In this parable, Jesus reveals the Heavenly Father’s heart for people to respond to His leading, even when we refuse to “get in the boat” that He sends.  This Sunday at Wildwood, we will begin looking at “The Father Heart of God” in part 1 of a new series from Matthew 21-23.  Join us in our 9:45 or 11:00 service as we begin this study together.