On Sunday, April 5, 2026 at Wildwood Community Church, we celebrated Easter with a message based on Mark 16:1-8. This message is part of our series, “New Life in Christ.” 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 Mark 16:1-8
3. Has there been a time in your life where you were afraid of death?  What contributed to those feelings?
4. Jesus resurrection shows the way that He conquered death!  He took the penalty our sins deserved upon the cross, and rose from the grave victorious on the third day.  Have you placed your faith and trust in Jesus as Your Lord and Savior?  If so, share your story of how you came to faith in Christ.  If you have not, would you consider trusting Him today?
5. In the message we spoke of 6 benefits of the resurrection for those who are in Christ.  Of these six, what stood out to you the most?  What was most encouraging to hear today?
6. In the message, we talked about three responses of those newly alive in Christ.  Which of these three responses was most challenging to you today?  What might God be leading you to do in response?
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 link below:

Easter Sunday 2026

 

Online audio will appear below when available:

 

To watch the stream, use YouTube online:

 

 

 

I looked down at my phone and saw a text from a friend.

“Hey Mark.  Do you have a few minutes to talk?”

It was September 22, 2025 at 11:37AM.

As I typed a quick reply of “Yes,” my heart sank.  I had a sense of the news I was getting ready to receive.  See, the text was not just from a friend, but also a friend who was my wife’s doctor.  The previous three weeks had been filled with medical tests to determine the cause of some symptoms Kimberly had been experiencing.  Not wanting us to simply read the results in the “patient portal” on the internet, our doctor/friend wanted to personally share with us the findings of the PET scan.

A few minutes later, we were talking on the phone and our fears were confirmed.  It looked like cancer.  A subsequent biopsy would confirm that Kimberly was dealing with metastatic lung cancer, launching us into a season of uncertainties, chemotherapy, radiation, and other treatments.

Why is it that the word “cancer” makes our hearts sink?  After all, it’s not such a scary looking word … only six letters, and none of them x’s!  I’ve had six months to contemplate that, and have concluded that the sting of cancer is its frequent associate – death.  Cancer currently ranks second (behind heart disease) as the most common cause of death in the United States.  This means that many of us have a loved one who has passed away from cancer.  But in addition to this ultimate threat, the experience of living with cancer (and the treatments associated with its care) can kill some aspects of our enjoyment of this life.

So, it is not so much cancer we are afraid of …  it is death.

Now, you need to know that Kimberly has responded to treatment, the cancer is not growing, and Kimberly is alive and well!  But this experience has reminded us of the fragility of this life.  All of our days are numbered (whether we have a cancer diagnosis or not) all the time, and death is often closer than we think, and that fact bothers us.

As I share this story, I know many of you can relate.  You also have received a phone call or text message like this … sometimes with stories that ended way sooner and more tragic than our current experience.  The valley of the shadow of death has a darkness that impacts us all eventually..

Given our universal experience of this … wouldn’t it be amazing to find a cure for cancer?  EVEN BETTER, wouldn’t it be amazing if we found a cure for death?  (After all, death dances with heart disease, accidents, and a number of other partners.)

God created a world without cancer OR death, but the very first inhabitants of that world (Adam and Eve) sinned, plunging the world under a curse.  The violence of the F5 tornado and the metastatic mutations of cancer cells became a part of the experience of humanity after the fall.  Separated from God and His tree of life, we became destined for death.  But God, rich in mercy and love for us, had a plan to save us. 2,000 years ago, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into this world.  He was born in Bethlehem, lived a perfect life, revealed God to humanity, and ultimately died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins … to rescue us from the effect’s of sin’s curse.

But if sin leads to death, how do we know the curse is broken?

This Easter Sunday morning (April 5), at Wildwood Community Church in our 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 services, we will see a definitive reminder that the curse is broken as we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ and look at Mark 16:1-8.  Not only will we see Jesus’ triumph, we will also see the implications of His victory over death for all of us who trust in Him.

“I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” – Jesus (John 11:25-26)

“Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? … But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. – 1 Corinthians 15:54-55, 57

See you Sunday morning … and bring friends!

P.S.  One more thing … we also are gathering Friday night, April 3 at 6:00 and 7:30PM for our Good Friday services.  On Friday night, we will remember Jesus death on the cross on our behalf.  Make plans to join us Friday AND Sunday!

On Sunday, March 29, 2026 at Wildwood Community Church, we will celebrate Palm Sunday with a message based on Mark 11:1–11. This message is part of our series, “New Life in Christ.” 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 Mark 11:1-11
3. Have you ever been a part of a parade that was “headed someplace” in order to accomplish something?  In your experience, what is the purpose of a parade?
4. After much of His public ministry was accomplished in the north, and after many instances where Jesus cautioned people from spreading information about what He was doing or who He was, a big change happens when Jesus enters Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.  What is that change, and how do you explain the significance the change in strategy as Jesus enters Jerusalem for the Passover?
5. In your own words, what is the significance of the cross of Christ and His empty tomb?  Why is this event so important for us to understand?
6. Jesus weeps over Jerusalem as He approaches it.  What does this tell us about God’s heart for people … even those who are rejecting Him?
7. Jesus knew what awaited Him in Jerusalem, yet He came anyway because of His commitment to the will of God and His love for you and me.  Have you trusted in Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins?
8. Make plans to join us next weekend for Good Friday services (Friday, April 3 at 6:00 or 7:30PM) and Easter Sunday (Sunday, April 5 at 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00AM).
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 link below:

Palm Sunday 2026

 

To listen online, use media player below:

 

To watch the stream, use YouTube online:

 

 

 

 

I have participated in a few parades in my lifetime.  As a kid in scout troops and civic organizations I walked in a few Christmas parades.  As a student, I rode in Homecoming parades.  As an adult, I have gone to parades to cheer on my son and his teams.  As an American, I have witnessed 4th of July parades in various states.  As a resident of my neighborhood, we all parade around the neighborhood once a year, and eventually eat popsicles!

Like I said, I have participated in a few parades in my life.

But … I have never been a part of a parade that was actually going someplace.  Most parades are ceremonial, remembering a past event, or celebratory, marking a special day or season.  But the parades never lead to a location where something of great consequence happens.  The Christmas parade never ended with those in the parade building a homeless shelter.  Even the doggone homecoming parade often did not lead to a victory by our team!  For the most part, in my experience, parades are about the parade, not where they were headed.

But in Mark 11:1-11, we see a parade that was HEADED SOMEWHERE.  In Luke 9:51, Jesus is said to “set His face to go to Jerusalem,” a journey that would take months to complete.  But, when Jesus finally gets there, a parade forms for the last couple of miles of the journey.  Make no mistake, this was quite the parade, complete with music, animals, and a celebratory crowd.  It even happened on the verge of a major holiday!  But this was no parade for the sake of the parade.  Though most in attendance of this parade did not appreciate what they were doing or where this was headed, Jesus invited a procession that would lead to His Passion – His death on the cross.

Far from being a parade to no where, or a party halted by the Jewish religious police or Roman authorities, Jesus knew exactly what lay before Him and exactly what He was doing as He lay down His life on the cross.

This Sunday at Wildwood Community Church, we will look at Mark 11:1-11 (along with Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:33-34, 45) to see the significance of this Palm Sunday parade as we kickoff our two Sunday (plus Good Friday) remembrance of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection for our sins.  Make plans to join us in our 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 service this Sunday (March 29) as we kick off our short Easter Series “New Life in Christ.”  See you there and bring friends!  This is one parade that you should not miss, after all it headed to the most consequential event in human history.