Whys of Worship (part 7) Sermon Audio, Video, & Questions

On Sunday, March 3, 2024, at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Mark 12:41-44. This message was part 7 in the “Whys of Worship” sermon series. 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:

Pray
Read Mark 12:41-44
When you realized that the message today was about giving, how did you react? Why did you react that way?
Jesus cheers the gift of the widow. Though small for this world’s eyes, it was none-the-less seen as GREATER by Jesus. Why did Jesus respond so positively to her gift of two small coins?
Jesus does not measure generosity against His need, other’s gifts, or appearances. Instead He measured it according to our motivation, our ability, and its proportion to what we have been entrusted with. Did anything stand out to you about this section of our study today (and Jesus reaction to the widow’s gift)?
Have you ever considered that Jesus sees us as we give? How does knowing that impact your generosity?
When was the last time you prayerfully considered what generosity looks like in your life in this season of your life? Ask the Lord anew what you should do!
What are some ways you can remember your giving in a world with automatic withdrawals and electronic payments?
What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

To access these questions in pdf format click here.

To listen to message offline, click the link:

Whys Of Worship #7 3.3.24

To listen online, use media player below:

To watch online use YouTube:

Whys of Worship (part 7) Sermon Preview

In what economy is $1.25 more than $10,000? I mean seriously. For $1.25 you can get a Big Gulp at 7/11; for $10,000 you can get a used car. For $1.25 you cannot even buy a single issue of a newspaper; for $10,000 you can buy a printing press! For $1.25 you can get three packages of ramen noodles; for $10,000 you can feed a family for a year. How can these two sums ever been seen as equal … much less $1.25 being greater than $10,000! Who would ever say such a thing?

Jesus would. And He did. In Mark 12:41-44.

2,000 years ago at the time of the Passover, when all of Israel came to the Temple to give their financial offerings, Jesus sat opposite the treasury and observed what was collected. No doubt, there would have been many rich people giving large sums of money … the equivalent of $10,000 or more. In their environment, the expensive gifts would have been seen, heard, and celebrated by the passing crowds. Then a poor widow arrives at the Temple. Her offering is not large and showy, makes no noise when placed in the offering chest, and is celebrated by nearly no one … except One. That’s right Jesus sees this woman put two small, thin coins (worth only 1/64th of a days wage … roughly $1.25 in today’s dollars for a person who made $10 per hour) into the offering container and exclaims, “She has given more than all the rest!”

WHAT? Was Jesus really bad at math? Or is He getting at something much deeper about the nature of godly generosity?

This Sunday, March 3, 2024 at Wildwood Community Church, we will be in the 7th and final week of our “Whys of Worship” sermon series … this week talking about why we take up an offering. We will look to the Scripture to see Jesus’ comments about this widow’s gift and what it tells us about our expressions of generosity today, and why we consider giving a part of our time of worship each week.

See you Sunday in our 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 worship services. We will worship together, have a brief interview with David Robles – one of our Global Ministry partners, and dive into Mark 12. See you then … and bring friends!

Whys of Worship (part 6) Sermon Audio, Video, & Questions

On Sunday, February 25, 2024, at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on John 6:66-69. This message was part 6 in the “Whys of Worship” sermon series. 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:

Pray
Read John 6:66-69
Has there ever been an item that you were looking for intently, scanning many stores and websites? If so, what was it?
What are some of the times in your life that it was “easy” to believe in Jesus? What are some of the things in the Bible and about Jesus that are hard for you to grasp?
What are some of the “places” where people go to get their deepest questions answered? In what way is the Bible better than those other sources?
Have you ever had a moment when you have said to the Lord, “I am with You! There is no one else like You and I will follow You forever, even through the things that I don’t fully understand”?
Consider committing to the “intro” and “conclusion” prayers Mark mentioned in this message … praying at the beginning of the sermon for the Spirit to enlighten your understanding of the passage, and then praying at the end of the message for the Spirit to empower you to live out the ways the Lord has convicted you in the message.
What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

To access these questions in pdf format click here.

To listen to message offline, click the link:

Whys of Worship #6. 2.25.24

To listen online, use media player below:

To watch online use YouTube:

Whys of Worship (part 6) Sermon Preview

Have you ever been looking for a product to buy … and not been able to find it?

Think a “hard-to-find” gift for your child for Christmas … or a special seasoning for a dish you are cooking for dinner … or enough orange gatorade to drown an elephant?

Wait, WHAT? You were tracking with me for a moment, but did I just lose you? Let me explain.

About a year ago my wife and I had volunteered to get Gatorade ready for a local 5K. Assuming this substance was easier to come by than rare minerals, we did not immediately gather the necessary supplies to make the magic brew. On Thursday evening (before the Saturday race) we go out to purchase the Gatorade powder necessary to make the drink, but we ran into a problem. Wal Mart did not have enough. And by “Wal Mart” I mean ALL THE WAL MARTS … neighborhood markets, super centers, not-so-super centers – all of them. So we moved on to Target. Still an insufficient supply. Then Crest. Then Homeland.

Why didn’t you just buy the Gatorade online? Remember it was Thursday night and the event was Saturday morning! Prime delivery never seemed so slow.

Eventually after hitting every Gatorade dispensary in Cleveland County we had the prescribed amount to provide for the race. WHEW. We were so relieved that when the event was over, and we had so much leftover, we didn’t even care. We were given a task and we didn’t want to fail and lead to the dehydration of someone during at 15 minute race. Ah, booster clubs.

So why do I tell you this story? Because at some point most of us have been in a situation like this; when you can’t find what you need in one location, you just move onto the next. We are conditioned to think this way because of the era of abundance that we live in and the options that are available to us.

But what if what we need is only found one place?

This Sunday at Wildwood Community Church we will be in part 6 of our “Whys of Worship” series as we look at John 6:66-69. This great section of Scripture details an interaction with Jesus and His disciples. During this interaction some stay and profess their faith in Jesus, while others flee, looking to have their needs met from another source. Peter was one of those who stayed … and while staying says to Jesus this iconic line, “Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life!”

Why do we read God’s Word? Why do we preach sermons each Sunday that (God-willing) help us understand God’s Word better? Because what we need the most is only found in His care and under His direction. We cannot go to any other source than His Word to get what we so desperately require. Join us Sunday at 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 for communion and worship at Wildwood as we look at this great passage together. See you Sunday … and bring friends!

Whys of Worship (part 5) Sermon Audio, Video, & Questions

On Sunday, February 18, 2024, at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Matthew 6:9-13. This message was part 5 in the “Whys of Worship” sermon series. 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:

Pray
Read Matthew 6:9-13
What are some of the struggles you have experienced regarding prayer in your Christian life?
Jesus taught His disciples to pray a prayer that begins by focusing on the adoration of God. Why do you think Jesus had the disciples begin there first?
Take a few moments and pray, adoring God and asking for His reputation to be great and recognized on the earth, His kingdom to come and be established upon the earth at Christ’s return, and His will to be lived out by His followers on the earth.
Now, take a moment and spend some time asking God to act on your behalf, to provide for your needs for TODAY, forgive you of your sin, and protect you from the temptations of the evil one.
In the latter section of the message, we talked about a number of “how to’s” regarding prayer … including our posture in prayer, the conversational style of prayer, the frequency of prayer, the power of prayer, the “war-time” nature of prayer, and the multiplier of prayer. What stood out to you most about this quick survey of a number of other Scripture passages concerning prayer?
What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

To access these questions in pdf format click here.

To listen to message offline, click the link:

Whys of Worship #5 2.18.24

To listen online, use media player below:

To watch online use YouTube:

Whys of Worship (part 5) Sermon Preview

As a Pastor, I have the privilege of officiating many weddings. Over the past 23 years, I have officiated well over 100 of them. It is one of the great perks of pastoring, to get to be close to people in the most significant moments of their lives (and get to point them to Jesus in the process).

My role also allows me to attend many wedding receptions . . . and often times there is a dance floor and DJ ready to pump up the jam. If the wedding has a good DJ, eventually most people spend at least some time on the dance floor. Is it because most people have an inner Michael Jackson waiting to moonwalk across the stage of life? Is it because Gloria Estefan was right, and eventually the “Rhythm is Gonna Get You”? Or is it because the DJ knows there are a few songs EVERYONE will dance to? I am going with the latter. Want proof?

It starts with the Village People’s “YMCA.” People begin moving to the dance floor when this song comes on. Anyone left behind on that song will be drawn offsides by the “Cupid Shuffle.” And anyone who still has not busted a move will be on their feet for the “Cha Cha Slide.” What do these 3 songs have in common? They tell you what to do . . . and people feel more confident to improvise during the verse if they know they can be on cue during the chorus.

Think about it . . . even your Grandma can spell letters with her arms, your Dad can follow cues like “to the left, to the left, to the left, to the left . . ,” and your middle school cousin understands “now stomp three times!” Songs that give us basic direction, inspire us to action.

Now, why am I going into this kind of detail? Many people have been invited to the Christian life. Many even have gone to the altar and connected with Jesus as their Savior. However, prayer is sometimes a challenge for people in their Christian life. Knowing this, Jesus addressed the topic of prayer for the Christian.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says in Matthew 6:5-8 that He wants us to free flow from the heart in prayer to God with our minds engaged. However, this instruction alone (though encouraging) does not really help us “get on the dance floor” in prayer. So Jesus teaches us a structured “line dance” prayer for our chorus, so that we might improvise prayer in the verses of everyday life.

This structured prayer is the Lord’s prayer. In it Jesus gives us an easy to remember 6 point prayer pattern . . . basic direction to inspire us to action. This prayer is recorded in Matthew 6:9-15 and we will be looking at this prayer in depth at Wildwood Community Church on Sunday morning as we resume our series “Whys of Worship” … this week, focusing on why (and how) we pray. If you are someone who has struggled over time with how or what to pray, join us Sunday as we see Jesus get us moving with rhyme and reason. See you Sunday, February 18 in our 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 service … and bring friends!

Whys of Worship (part 4) Sermon Audio, Video, & Questions

On Sunday, January 28, 2024, at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Luke 22:14-20. This message was part 4 in the “Whys of Worship” sermon series. 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:

Pray
Read Luke 22:14-20
What are some examples you can think of where fellowship is enhanced when a meal is shared together? Have you ever thought of communion as a time of fellowship with the Lord and His people?
Jesus replaces the meaning of the bread and cup from the Passover meal with new symbolism in the New Covenant … representing His body and blood that were broken and shed for us so that we might be reconciled to God. Believers are to celebrate this meal often until Jesus comes again! What has been your experience with communion over the years? Has it been a positive experience? Negative? Anticipated? Avoided?
After our study today, what questions do you still have about Communion?
1 Corinthians 10-11 make clear the importance of Communion being an expression of unity with a local church family, not just a private event for personal devotion. What are some ways you can have the celebration of Communion remind you of your connections with others in the Body of Christ.
What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

To access these questions in pdf format click here.

To listen to message offline, click the link:

Whys of Worship #4 1.28.24

To listen online, use media player below:

To watch online use YouTube:

Whys of Worship (part 4) Sermon Preview

There is a special fellowship that is generated around a shared meal.

When I am getting to know someone better, I typically want to meet with them over breakfast, lunch, or dinner … or even coffee … just to hear their story and connect with them. The intimacy that develops over a meal ALWAYS outpaces (in my experience) the closeness created by email or a phone call.

My wife recently celebrated a big birthday, so what did we do? My son and I took her out to dinner and we celebrated her life over copious amounts of pasta and chocolate. Why? Because eating together is way better than just mailing a card.

This past Christmas and Thanksgiving we gathered with our extended families for meals together. Why did we do that? Because a zoom call is no comparison to lingering over post-dinner coffee and catching up on life.

Yes, there is a special fellowship generated around a shared meal.

You know what is awesome? Jesus Christ has established a relationship with us that is “table close.” He did not just ask for a zoom call … He did not just send us an email … He invites us to a table … His table!

Now, some of you may be saying, “Really? When has Jesus ever invited me to gather around His table with Him? Maybe when I die … but until then, I feel like I am on my own!” This is an understandable thought – after all, we live in a day and age where we cannot see Jesus with our own two eyes, so how would we ever eat with Him?

The answer to this question is found in the ordinance Jesus established among His followers on the night before He went to the cross: the Lord’s Supper. Now this symbolic “meal” has been celebrated by Jesus’ followers for 2,000 years now. It has been called a variety of names – the Eucharist and Communion most notably – but it is a staple in Christian worship picturing a variety of things that Jesus’ has done for us. At Wildwood we celebrate Communion once a month as a part of our Sunday worship services. What does Communion symbolize and why do we celebrate it as we do? We will explore that this Sunday in part 4 of our sermon series “Whys of Worship.” And, after looking at Luke 22:14-20, 1 Corinthians 10:15-17 and 11:17-34 seeing what Communion remembers and looks forward to, we will celebrate the Lord’s Supper together to conclude our time in worship.

Make plans to join us Sunday … and bring friends to our 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 worship service!

Is Baptism for me?

Is baptism for you? This was one of the questions I asked as a part of part 3 of our “Whys of Worship” series at Wildwood this past Sunday (watch online here). I tried to answer that question by surveying the New Testament. In summary asked:

Have you repented of sin and are trusting in Christ as Savior? It begins there! In the heart!
If you are trusting in Jesus, then have you been baptized since placing your faith in Christ? Since we saw in Scripture baptism followed belief, we promote that same pattern today.

Now, I am guessing that some of you who were with us last Sunday or watched the sermon online were challenged by the Scripture (and the Holy Spirit) to consider baptism, but are hesitant to take the next step. This might be for several reasons. You might think:

“I was baptized as an infant (so obviously before trusting in Christ), but don’t want to do anything to dishonor the gift my parents gave me of raising me in a church with a desire to know Jesus.” If this describes you, I totally understand! I really do. I was there! My parents had me baptized according to the teaching and tradition of the church they attended when I was born. I not only was baptized there, I was confirmed as a church member in that congregation about a dozen years later, and ultimately trusted Jesus as my Savior in the basement of that church during a youth event on Easter Sunday 1990. I am forever thankful for the spiritual investment that church and my parents provided for me during my formative years, and thank God for them and that church daily. That said, when (after studying the relevant Scripture passages) my conviction regarding baptism shifted to the “believe and then be baptized” understanding, I knew I needed to obey my understanding of Jesus’ call and be baptized. So I reached out to my parents and thanked them for their spiritual investment in my life, but also shared with them my desire to be baptized based on my understanding of Scripture. If this experience connects for you, I would consider praying about talking with your parents or family about your shifting understanding of what the Bible teaches regarding baptism, and then be baptized.

“I am an adult. Most of the time I see baptism experienced by young people – children or students. I guess I missed my chance!” If this describes you, I totally get it. The majority of baptisms are from young people … but you know why? Because “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” All enter this world in need of trusting in Christ, so young people are the largest demographic of people in the world in need of the Gospel. By God’s grace, many young people place their faith in Christ and are baptized. But this doesn’t mean that only children and students are baptized! At Wildwood over the years it has been our privilege to celebrate baptism with both men AND women, young AND old. Don’t let your age stop you from following Jesus into baptism.

“I have been following Jesus for decades. Wouldn’t it be confusing to be baptized so long since trusting in Christ?” If this describes you, I also get you. It might seem strange … but really it isn’t. As a matter of fact, part of the reason we give people the chance to share their testimonies (via video) before their baptisms is to clarify their spiritual story … both how they came to faith in Christ AND why they are being baptized. We do not believe the water of baptism saves anyone … only Jesus can save, and that at the moment of belief. So baptism is a celebration of salvation, not the creation of salvation … and it is never too late to celebrate what God has done. There is also a chance in the testimony to honor any who God used to lead you to faith in Him – including parents, mentors, disciplers, etc. So, you can help clarify your reasons for being baptized to clear up any confusion that some might have.

“I am a new believer and my parents and friends don’t know Christ. Two questions … 1) shouldn’t I wait until I know everything about God and have ‘cleaned up my life’ to be baptized? … and 2) my family and friends might react poorly to me doing something so religious?” If this is you, I can understand your hesitance. However, Jesus came for us “while we were still sinners” and we are saved “by grace through faith” … “not our works”- so baptism is appropriate for all who are trusting in Jesus as soon as you are able after coming to faith in Christ. And, as for your family and friends, perhaps your baptism will be a catalyst for you to share Christ with those who don’t know Him in your extended network.

So, what’s next? If you are interested in being baptized or have more questions about baptism, go to wildwoodchurch.org/baptism and fill out the form. We will follow up. Also make plans to attend our next baptism class. We actually have those classes this Sunday, January 28, 2024 at Wildwood – at 11AM in the Lodge room of the Children’s Building for those under 12 and at noon in Room 2 for those aged – middle school, high schoool, college, or adults.

Our next baptism services are March 10, 2024, and we would love to have you be a part of it. Follow the process above to be included in this special day!

Whys of Worship (part 3) Sermon Audio, Video, & Questions

On Sunday, January 21, 2024, at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Romans 6:1-4. This message was part 3 in the “Whys of Worship” sermon series. 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:

Pray
Read Romans 6:1-4
What questions did you have about baptism coming into this morning’s message?
What is your personal baptism story? Baptized as an infant? Baptized as a teen or young adult? Never baptized? Never baptized since trusting in Christ?
In our message today we surveyed the Gospels and Acts to see the place of baptism among followers of Christ. Anything in particular stand out to you by these verses?
Are you interested in being baptized on March 10 at Wildwood? If so, visit wildwoodchurch.org/baptism and fill out the form and we will follow up! Also know there are baptism classes to explore these issues more on January 28 (a children’s class for those under 12 in the Lodge of the Children’s building at 11AM and a class for adults/students at noon in Room 2 downstairs).
What questions do you still have regarding baptism after our study today?
What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?