![Warsaw Evangelical Presbyterian Church](https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/anchor-generated-image-bank/production/podcast_uploaded400/15482041/15482041-1655914041136-c109f19262fb7.jpg)
Warsaw Evangelical Presbyterian Church
By WEPC
Our 175-year history reminds us that we are part of something much bigger than ourselves. We who are part of this historic congregation today are indebted in countless ways to the faith of those who have gone before us. As recipients of this godly heritage and stewards of the gospel, we tirelessly proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ so that the generations that come after us will experience the joy of knowing, loving, and serving
![Currently playing episode](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/production/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1659444874162-ce08de8c59e9f.jpg)
Warsaw Evangelical Presbyterian ChurchOct 05, 2021
![A Legacy That Lasts](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1715008951211-d6cb139c13576.jpg)
A Legacy That Lasts
In our health-conscious world, we often look for labels that say, “Reduced Sodium.” But let's be honest; how many of us truly get excited when we see a bag of chips or a box of crackers that contains those words?
Most likely not too many of us! That’s because salt is delicious. It’s why chips, crackers, French fries, pizza, and many other things taste good. Salt exists to make food better. That is one of its God-given purposes.
In this passage we’ll be studying together this week, Jesus says we are “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world.” He doesn’t say we “can be” or “should be” these things. He says we already are based on our identity in Him. Jesus calls us to bless people, to build them up, and to do what we can to help meet their needs. He calls us to use our words and our actions to stick out in this dark world, pointing people to the kingdom of God.
By the way, this isn’t limited to the church. The way in which we treat our spouses, talk to our coworkers, use our resources, or engage with social media are all examples of how we are called to be salt and light. Every sphere of life presents us with salt and light opportunities. So let’s continue to walk in step with Christ, seasoning the world with salt and shining light in the darkness.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
![The Hero's Heart (Part 2)](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1714402684239-e826ca4c77b5b.jpg)
The Hero's Heart (Part 2)
Last week in church, we started to look at the Beatitudes. However, we didn’t finish them, meaning that we get to take a look at the second four. In where we left off, we were just beginning to talk about what it means to hunger and thirst for righteousness: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” (Matthew 5:6)
Many of us are hungry for approval. We want our parents to tell us they are proud of us. We want our employer’s stamp of approval on our work. We want our friends to think we are good enough for them. Deep down, we long for (and are hungry for) acceptance and approval.
Sadly, we often try to satisfy our hunger by gorging on junk food. What does that look like? We want approval from others so badly that we’re willing to compromise our convictions. We want to prove ourselves through our job so badly that we burn out on our career, sacrificing our family and our health. We want so badly to be morally acceptable that we build our lives on a system of rules, looking down on others and sinking into despair when even we don’t measure up. These foods cannot satisfy our hunger for true righteousness.
This is why we need to hunger and thirst for the righteousness that only Jesus Christ can bring. That’s why we need to ask Christ to change our hearts and desires, and to have a desire to obey God and to see God’s will be done here on earth. As we continue in our sermon series this week called The Master’s Guide to Greatness, we will learn about what it means to hunger and thirst for the things of God, and to be a people who participate in the mission of God in this world.
I look forward to seeing you in person or online. And keep up the good work of inviting friends & neighbors. As we welcome 17 new members this week, they consistently have commented on how welcoming and friendly we are as a church. Praise God!
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
![The Hero's Heart](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1713809005893-eb5b5155ae348.jpg)
The Hero's Heart
There have been many times over the years where we have gone out for a nice meal, but where I haven’t been able to finish it all. When that happens, I come home with a box of leftovers ready to be taken to church with me for lunch the next day. Yet on countless occasions, I open up the fridge the next morning only to discover that someone has eaten my lunch! When that happens, 9 times out of 10, I call out, “Nathaniel!!!!”
But I’ve noticed that even when we’re down to 2 kiddos in the house, there is still a well-worn spot in front of our refrigerator because of all the foot traffic! I’m exaggerating, but it certainly seems like trips to the grocery store have not decreased! If anything, our food budget is just as high (we’re all complaining about that now, right?!).
However, I’ve also been in places and countries where hunger is a daily problem. I have seen desperate parents begging for food, starving themselves so that they can feed their children, or feeding them with whatever scraps they can pull together. While not to that same extreme, perhaps you have had moments where you question if you will have enough to satisfy the grumbling in your stomach.
When Jesus sat on a hillside and began teaching the crowds around him, the people were also hungry. Though they may not have been hungry for physical food, they did have a spiritual hunger (whether they realized it or not). Jesus reminded them (and us) that true hunger for God would make them full. When we search for God, the righteousness of God will fill our hearts.
Are you hungry? Do you need to be filled? Are there others in your life who need to be filled that you need to invite? Then, I look forward to seeing you, either in person or online, as we learn where we find our true satisfaction.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
![Pursuing A Kingdom Lifestyle](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1713210661751-69e65afbfb003.jpg)
Pursuing A Kingdom Lifestyle
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven... Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” - Matthew 5:3,10
The Sermon on the Mount begins with a series of “blessing” statements. These are often called the Beatitudes. Each statement begins with the Greek word macarios, which can be translated as “blessed” or “happy.”
Some people wear #blessed t-Shirts. Some of us might say we are #blessed because we got a bonus or because we didn’t have to stop for a red light on the way to work. But being blessed is about more than just feeling good or making a gain on our bank account. True blessing is about living in line with God’s will, the way we are created to live. In the Bible, one who is blessed is described as whole and flourishing through a strong connection with God. Living in tune with God, or in step with the Spirit, may not bring us more money or an easier life, but it will lead to peace and wholeness as we walk with God.
As we begin a new sermon series together this week, we will see what a kingdom lifestyle looks like; one that is truly “blessed.” However, what we will also see is how difficult this lifestyle pursuit is. Jesus makes some puzzling and provocative statements, and we may not always feel so happy about putting His commands into practice. Yet what we will also see is that the Sermon on the Mount is a picture of what it means to flourish in relationship with God and our relationships on earth. As we await the coming kingdom, we can seek to be kingdom builders here.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
![An Unfading Glory](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1712588036530-af297d957d5dd.jpg)
An Unfading Glory
For a couple of hours on Monday, April 8th, we will be transfixed by the movement of heavenly bodies as much of North America is plunged into blackness. A dark celestial glory will be on display as the moon blocks the sun’s rays from reaching the earth. During that brief window, we will be impressed, gobsmacked, mesmerized, and in awe. Perhaps we will marvel at how little we control in our own lives and in the world at large. Nevertheless, at some point following this glorious display, we will recover and return to our daily routines.
The Apostle Paul recognized that glory comes in many forms. His reference to the mystery of bodily resurrection testifies to this diversity: “There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another” (1 Cor. 15:40).
In 2 Cor. 3, Paul contrasts the fading glory of the covenant administered by Moses with the unfading glory of the covenant administered by Christ. The Sinai covenant could be thought of as our pending solar eclipse; both feature an overwhelming glory that reigns for a time but ultimately fades. Meanwhile, the covenant anchored in Christ’s redemptive work is altogether set apart; its glory is heavenly, spiritual, and unfading.
Equally marvelous, Paul reminds the Corinthian believers that they have been made competent ministers of this greater covenant. Yes, the very same of whom he would observe “…not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth” (1 Cor 1:26). How about you? Do you identify as a minister of this covenant of unfading glory? Join us as we explore the biblical concept of glory and this highest of callings together.
Grace and peace,
Matthew Liethen
![Chainbreaker: WEPC Easter 2024](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1711987615693-51d9e88b4965a.jpg)
Chainbreaker: WEPC Easter 2024
On the first Easter Sunday morning, a couple of women were in for the surprise of their lives. Instead of finding a closed tomb, they found an open grave, and an angel greeting them with the words, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.” For them and for every follower of the Lord Jesus, life would never be the same. The resurrection of Jesus from the dead changed the course of history.
The resurrection is God's way of announcing that our life does not have to be a one-way journey to the cemetery. God is saying we don't have to be stuck in our past. The risen Savior broke the chains that bind us, that cause us to live in fear, and that cause us to question what is ahead. Because Jesus is alive, “Nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:39).
It is the greatest news in all of human history; and so as we gather together this weekend, may we join in celebration. May we sing aloud, “Christ the Lord is risen today! Alleluia!” And may we be able to believe and profess that Jesus breaks the chains of sin and death. “Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!”
I look forward to seeing you either in person or online. And let’s not forget, this is the time of year when people are open to invitations. Let’s be thinking and praying for the people we can invite to join us this Easter Sunday! And then let’s make those invitations!
He is risen! He is risen, indeed! Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
![From Prince To Pauper](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1711381421489-12a39642122b.jpg)
From Prince To Pauper
How should we view Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem? Was it an event to celebrate, or a day of sadness?
For many who saw Jesus riding into the city, it was a day of rejoicing. They lined the streets, shouting, “Hosanna!” (a shout of praise), expecting Jesus to restore Israel to its former glory. With excitement and religious fervor, the people shouted, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” (Mark 11:9)
Today we look differently on Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. We know that the people shouting “Hosanna” had false expectations. They expected Jesus to set up an earthly kingdom, with them at the top. But that wasn’t his mission, and they were soon disappointed. In fact, just a few days later, the mood became ugly. A disciple of Jesus betrayed him; religious leaders called for his execution; soldiers mocked him, flogged him, and spat on him; and the Roman governor had him crucified.
Why, then, do Christians still call it a “triumphal entry”? Because we’ve learned from the Scriptures the purpose of Jesus’ suffering and death. Though innocent, he suffered for the guilt of our sins. What’s more, he did not remain dead but arose triumphantly from the grave—and that’s something to celebrate!
For us, Christ’s entry is truly a sign of glory to come!
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
![Intervention Misinterpreted](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1710790790302-7a9a4a97b2737.jpg)
Intervention Misinterpreted
“And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?” - Jonah 4:11
Though Nineveh was a great city, its people had wandered far from God. Jonah didn’t care much about that, though, because Nineveh’s people were enemies of his own people. Still, God was concerned about Nineveh’s people. So he sent Jonah to teach about him, and they “turned from their evil ways” (Jonah 3:10).
Contrast that many years later with another great city of God’s people - Jerusalem. That city had wandered as well; and as Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes.’” (Luke 19:41-42). Jerusalem’s leaders had rejected many of God’s prophets, and they soon would reject Jesus as the Son of God who could bring them peace with God.
Jonah missed out on the heart of God. Jerusalem missed out on the heart of God. We miss out on the heart of God. For Jonah, Nineveh was full of “those people.” Immoral, sinful, rebellious people—people who certainly didn’t deserve God’s grace. Jerusalem did not deserve it, either. And neither do we.
But that’s the odd thing about grace. By its very definition, grace is for undeserving people. Grace is compassion for people who don’t deserve mercy. The Ninivites didn’t deserve it. The people of Jerusalem didn’t deserve it. And we don’t deserve it.
As we come to the conclusion of Jonah, God asks the question, “Should I not have concern for the great city…?” This is a question for all of us. We all know some of “those people”—people who have made a mess of their lives, people who don’t deserve God’s love. Just like us. Should we not be concerned about them?
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
![Intervention In Repentance](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1710181353205-029eef379cc8c.jpg)
Intervention In Repentance
“Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.” Jonah 3:9
As we left off last Sunday, after three days in the sour belly of a fish, Jonah is vomited onto dry land. God gave him a second chance. Then God calls Jonah to preach to the people of Nineveh about a second chance. This time, however, Jonah obeys and he begins to preach.
But did you ever stop to think that this seems like an odd sermon? “Judgment!” We don’t find words of hope, no offer of forgiveness, no call for repentance. Isn’t it odd that the same Jonah who has tasted God’s grace now has no grace to offer Nineveh?
Still, in spite of Jonah’s lack of effort, God was moving and the entire city repents! Everyone, from the children playing in the streets to the king in the palace, repents of their sin and pleads for God’s mercy. And just as God relented with Jonah, God relented with the people of Nineveh. The Word of God and His compassion shone through.
As we will see together this week, our God is a God of second chances! God intervened for us through Jesus Christ! And when we ask for forgiveness, repent and put our trust in Jesus, and turn to God; God withholds the judgment that is rightfully ours. That is unmerited grace; and that good news should both bring us joy as well as change our attitude towards others.
I look forward to seeing you in person or online as we unpack and reflect on these beautiful truths.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
![Intervention In Despair](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1709566238557-f3368eb124d08.jpg)
Intervention In Despair
Have you ever been in a precarious position? What is the posture you assumed in those moments? Triumph?! Hopefulness?! Despair?! Have you ever viewed that precarious position as a picture of God’s grace?
Probably not! If we’re anything like Jonah, we cried out in despair: “In my distress, I called to the Lord, and he answered me. From the deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and you listened to my cry.” (vs. 2)
As Jonah sank into the depths of the earth, he felt cut off from life and separated from God. From a human perspective, his life was over as he sank in the storm. Yet as the seaweed wrapped around him, God saw him and did the “impossible.” God delivered Jonah from the grip of death. Salvation comes from the Lord!
Jonah didn’t dive voluntarily into the sea expecting a huge fish to save him, nor did he expect to be vomited from the beast onto the beach. But God used Jonah to point to His grace, and He also used Jonah to point to the grace we have in Jesus Christ. In fact, that is something that we will be seeing together this week in our Sunday morning services and as we receive the Lord’s Supper.
Though we may be born in the belly of the beast called sin, and although we may live in that sin and run away from God, Jesus frees us for eternal life! He pulls us up out of the depths - out of the pit - and He sets us high on a rock! As we gather together this week, either in person or online, may we be able to say along with Jonah, “Salvation comes from the Lord!”
Grace & Peace
Pastor Aaron
![Intervention On The Run](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1708963815557-44361347f62ab.jpg)
Intervention On The Run
We love the story of a good hero; so much so that it’s spawned comics and, TV shows, and movies. For the past decade, the DC and Marvel empires have risen on the backs of many of these superhero blockbusters. Of course, as I once heard someone quip, “The problem with these movies is that everything is at stake, and nothing is at stake.” In other words, the whole world seems to be in peril, but the reality is that everything will be OK because the hero always wins in the end.
Even the Bible is filled with heroic figures who stood for God, who did what is right, and whose names are well-remembered. However, not everyone stands out as a hero. The Bible is filled with just as many stories of the people who did not finish well and whose stories should serve as a warning.
One such story is that of Jonah. Each time I read it, I see too much of myself in this obstinate prophet. He knew God was sovereign and would have His way, and yet he ran. He heard God’s call to “go,” yet he went in the opposite direction. He saw God’s hand of grace time and again, and yet he complained. Jonah is no hero.
But the story of Jonah points us to a greater hero - one who always does the will of the Father. One who intervened when we were on the run. One who always preaches grace and truth. One who extends that grace and truth to those who don’t deserve it.
Jesus Christ is the hero of the story, and he desires to be the hero of our story.
This week, we are starting a new series on the story of Jonah, and we will see a stark contrast to the story of Ruth. While Ruth saw the hand of God intervening and chose to step into that plan willingly, Jonah saw the hand of God intervening and fought it the entire way. What we see is that while Ruth, an outsider, finished well, Jonah, the insider, did not.
Yet God intervened, and His desire is to do the same for us. If you’ve been on the run, or you know someone who has been on the run, then this is the series for you. I look forward to seeing you in person or online!
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
![Redeemed!](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1708359533012-e342b93045c5d.jpg)
Redeemed!
The story of Ruth is one of the Bible’s great love stories. It overflows with kindness and compassion, and it highlights how God’s people experience His sovereignty and tender mercy as He works through the lives of His people. Just think about what we have seen:
As Ruth had shown kindness to her mother-in-law Naomi, (Ruth 1:16-17), so Boaz - a close relative of Naomi - showed kindness to Ruth. Boaz’s kindness is not only personal but also flows from the kindness of God as he acts to provide Ruth and Naomi a home because they are his relatives (Ruth 2:20). Boaz acts as the guardian-redeemer for Ruth and Naomi and the people of Bethlehem bless Boaz by saying, “May you…be famous in Bethlehem.”
We might never have given Bethlehem a second thought if not for the fact that Ruth and Boaz, with their son Obed, became ancestors of David there (Matthew 1:5). And many years later, Jesus, a descendant of David, was also born in Bethlehem. Out of “the house of bread” came the “Bread of Life.”
This week, we thank God for the redemption that we have through Jesus Christ, who saves us from our sin through his birth as the Son of God and through his death on the cross. Why? Because of love. In fact, it’s the greatest love story ever! “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
May each of us experience that this week as we come together in worship!
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
![The Risk & The Provision Of Love](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1707754631312-aab390beae391.jpg)
The Risk & The Provision Of Love
The word redeem means “to buy back.” For Boaz, this meant using his money to buy back a relative’s land and having a child with Ruth to preserve the family name of that relative.
Like Ruth, Boaz is a person of noble character. As Ruth clung to Naomi out of respect for her mother-in-law and for the Lord, Boaz clung to the Word of God, recognizing that all honor and praise belong to the Lord. As this story reveals, Boaz is a man who seeks after a heart that loves God and loves others. But he is also a man who does what is right.
When Ruth takes a risk by asking to be redeemed, Boaz could have passed up this opportunity because there was another redeemer. But he didn’t. He went out of his way to make his intentions clear with a vow: “As surely as the Lord lives, I will do it.” Someone who loves the Word of God does not make a vow lightly (Deuteronomy 23:21-23).
But Boaz is a picture of the ultimate promise maker and promise keeper; for just as God promised, He sent us “one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens” (Hebrews 7:26). And Jesus Christ lived a life of perfect purity. But even more than that, this same Jesus also redeemed us from the poverty of sin by purchasing us for God.
As we continue in our series on Ruth, I hope that you are able to discover the provision, the security, and the purity that we have because of Jesus Christ. I look forward to seeing you either in person or online. Have a wonderful and blessed week!
Grace & Peace,
Aaron Kelin
![The Hand Of Heaven](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1707149654673-99cf2e62a704d.jpg)
The Hand Of Heaven
As it turned out, she was working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelek. Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, “The Lord be with you!” Ruth 2:3-4
Have you ever had one of those times when you worked hard for something? Or when you had to ask someone else for help? It’s not always easy to ask for what we need, and hard work is, well, hard. And even though we might be tempted to give ourselves the credit for working diligently (or asking someone else for assistance), have we ever stepped back and marveled at how God is the one who has provided for us? Whether through our work, or the asking of others, or the generosity of the people around us, God’s hand is ultimately the one who is at work.
As we continue in our sermon series on the book of Ruth this week, what we will discover is all of these “as it turned out” moments. “It just so happened” or “just then” can often be chalked up to coincidences, but as believers, do we really believe that there are any coincidences? Or is it a matter that it is the providential hand of heaven moving?
The Westminster Larger Catechism asks: “What are God’s works of providence?” The answer says, “God’s works of providence are his most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures; ordering them, and all their actions, to his own glory.
If there ever were a story that fit this more beautifully than the story of Ruth, we would be hard-pressed to find it. I hope that you are able to tune in either in person or online as we unpack these beautiful truths together. And don’t forget to invite your friends and neighbors who need to hear about God’s hand of provision and help.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
![When Life Gets Bitter](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1706542806882-044c9515b537c.jpg)
When Life Gets Bitter
Have you ever had a famine in your life? Maybe not an actual famine, but a spiritual, emotional, physical, or relational one? Have you ever felt bitter? Have you ever felt so much sorrow that you just want to be alone? Or, have you ever seen people who believe that they would be better off if they were not around? Isolation can be a tool of Satan that leads to even more trouble and sorrow.
Yet, can a person in trouble still be a blessing to others? Absolutely. I have seen people in times of trouble deepen their faith by aiming to continue to help others. I have seen people’s faith strengthened when they moved from focusing on their own concerns to giving of themselves to others, for Jesus’ sake.
And that is what we will find this week as we begin a new sermon series on the book of Ruth. If our bitterness is dealt with in a healthy way, it can actually lead to healing for us (and others). In the midst of her bitterness, Naiomi said, “May the Lord show you kindness, as you have shown kindness to your dead husbands and to me.” (Ruth 1:8). In the midst of her troubles, Naomi still found the faith to wrestle with God and ask him to bless her daughters-in-law.
Today, you may find yourself questioning God and even wrestling with Him. In this kind of struggle, I invite you to hear Naomi’s trust in God and her blessing of others. She knew that her daughters-in-law had suffered as well, yet she did not add to their suffering. In the midst of a tearful separation, she prayed for them. Naomi was on a journey of faith—one in which her tears accompanied her walk with God.
May God use us in our journey of faith, and may He bring healing to our hearts and lives. If you (or anyone you know) could use this healing, this new series would be a great one to invite someone to. I look forward to seeing you this weekend.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
![Can My Destiny Be Secure?](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1705950617529-c4e2c50b4033b.jpg)
Can My Destiny Be Secure?
“All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me, I will never drive away.” John 6:37
Physical hunger is very real in our world today. It is estimated that up to a billion people in the world struggle with food insecurity (about 1 in 7 people). That is a terrible statistic to behold, especially since we have been blessed with so much.
However, there is another kind of hunger that is even more prevalent: spiritual emptiness and insecurity, and this emptiness extends from the poor to the rich and from the young to the old. Sadly, those with stomachs that are full are the very same ones where spiritual insecurity is even more pronounced. Jesus understands this, and he points his listeners to move beyond the full stomachs they had just received from feeding the 5,000. Instead, he invites them to feast on himself as the “bread of life.”
They came to Jesus for a second helping, but Jesus tells them that they missed out on the main course! The good news is that when we come to Jesus to satisfy all of our spiritual needs, we need not worry that He is going to spit us out or that He is going to throw us up. We belong to Him forever! The evidence of this is our fruit. And as we grow in grace, we increasingly hate sin and its effects on our lives. This is the process of sanctification, and the more we lean into the “I am” statements of Jesus and live for him, the less we need to worry about our salvation.
In fact, Jesus would say, “You needn't worry about it at all. Your heart belongs to me, and I will not let it go!” As we spend time talking about our eternal security this week, my prayer is that your hunger will be satisfied in Jesus, and that you would not live in fear. I look forward to seeing you either in person or online.
![Living With Certainty in an Uncertain World](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1705334112535-6a7e51f89f26a.jpg)
Living With Certainty in an Uncertain World
Over the years, I have had many conversations with people who experience doubt. For some, it is the suffering they see in the world. For others, it is the feeling that science has refuted everything religion offers, and so the Bible is nothing but fairy tales. And still, for others, it is a personal tragedy that leaves them with the nagging question: Is all of this true?
Maybe you have the same doubts from time to time (or all the time). Like Thomas, you are a realist. We just celebrated Christmas, and you know that there is no such thing as a “virgin” birth. You’ve never seen someone rise from the dead, so how is that even possible? How could a person pay for all my sins?
It’s easy to criticize Thomas for his doubts, but the truth is that many of us live with similar hesitations. After all, Jesus is no longer on earth for us to see and touch. We cannot have the same experience as the first disciples who walked with him after his resurrection. So, we need Jesus to prepare us for the challenges of skepticism and doubt in our own lives.
And that is what we hope to unpack this week as we come together in worship. Though we may not have the opportunity to feel the wounds of the cross with our own hands or to see and feel the hands of Jesus, we still have the testimony of those whose lives were changed by the Lord’s power. We still have their witness. We still have their willingness to give their lives for their faith. Surely, that says something to us!
What does John say in John 20:30-31? “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God and that by believing you may have life in his name.” As we will see this week, we live in an uncertain world, and God welcomes the questions and the people with the questions. But the hope and prayer is that we will come to the same beautiful, certain confession as Thomas: “My Lord and my God!”
![Galatians: A Fresh Start](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1704729306078-7433560b37d52.jpg)
Galatians: A Fresh Start
A new year often means a fresh start, hitting the ‘reset’ button, goal setting, and new possibilities followed by the realization that we’re a long way from Spring and it’s too cold to get out of bed. Ah, yes, the January doldrums. Know the feeling?
Well, to start 2024, we’re going back to the basics and revisiting one of Paul’s earliest writings—his letter to the Galatians. By all counts, these believers had started well in the faith only to find themselves mired in a long ‘to-do’ list of religious obligations. They needed to hear from God as they wavered between complete adequacy in Christ and their belief that their own efforts would boost their spiritual standing and bring about lasting results. Sounds a bit like our new year resolutions, doesn’t it? Paul addresses this very conundrum as only he could: Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? (Galatians 3:3).
Galatians is a message featuring many contrasts: law and grace, bondage and freedom, the Spirit and the flesh, faith and works, Hagar and Sarah. Wait. What? Yes, we will explore each of these themes as we witness the Apostle Paul’s emotional appeal to his Galatian converts. We will see that by placing their confidence in a hybrid of faith and legal observation, the believers risked forfeiting their true identity and privileges for a return to a life of bondage.
Grace, mercy, and peace,
Matthew Liethen
![It Takes A Church To Make A Pastor](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1704215344564-9d1a50e7c8d5a.jpg)
It Takes A Church To Make A Pastor
I hope you had a blessed Christmas celebration and are enjoying these final days of 2023. We pause at the threshold of a new year, knowing that 2024 will usher in new chapters for WEPC. Although there will be some obvious changes, much will remain unchanged. No matter what the coming months may bring, WEPC's mission to display the majesty of Christ, proclaim the hope of the gospel, and bring the joy of Jesus to our city and world will remain the same. Even more so, Our Lord's faithfulness and commitment to His people will remain firm and unshaken. I believe that God will do tremendous things here at WEPC in 2024 and beyond; I can't wait to see what He will do next!
This Sunday, I have the privilege of proclaiming God's Word to you one last time as one of your pastors. For this occasion, I have chosen Philippians 1:3-11. In these verses, Paul writes to a church that he loves dearly, celebrating what God has done in the past, praising God for their faithfulness in the present, and praying for their continued fruitfulness for Christ in the future. As you prepare for Sunday, I invite you to read these verses, reflect on what God has done in your life and in this congregation, and ask Him to continue to bring about abundant gospel fruit in your life and in this congregation. In all things--both in 2024 and beyond--to God be the glory and praise!
![Prince Of Peace](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1703694017637-d9eefd7b68e3.jpg)
Prince Of Peace
Are you familiar with the story of “The Christmas Truce”? It took place during the week of Christmas in 1914 as World War I raged in Europe. In various parts of the Western front, as soldiers were dug into their trenches (in some places just 30 yards apart), they could hear one another singing Christmas hymns. Amidst the shouts back and forth, an informal ceasefire was eventually decided upon, with reports of numerous British and German troops participating. On Christmas Day, soldiers gathered together in “no man’s land,” where they lit candles, sang hymns, exchanged gifts, and played soccer. For a few short hours, those soldiers experienced peace.
Tragically, that peace would not last. Shortly after the holiday celebrations ended, the hostilities resumed. The resulting fighting continued for four more years, killing and maiming millions.
As we reflect on that backdrop, we are reminded that peace is more than the absence of conflict. It is more than warm feelings or sentimentality. God’s peace - His shalom - is much richer and points to a sense of harmony and wholeness. It leads to a flourishing that can only come from the true Prince of Peace.
When the angels appeared, they proclaimed, “Peace on earth, goodwill to men.” This was not some sort of brief truce. Because of Jesus Christ, he made a way for us to be at peace with God, and he also made a way for us to experience peace with one another. While we may have to work for it, it also looks forward with hope to this promise: “Of his government and peace, there will be no end.”
As we prepare for this Christmas Eve/Day, may we be a people seeking peace - peace with God through Christ, and peace with others. May we give thanks that our “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” has come, and may we live in anticipation of the lasting peace we will experience when he comes again.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
![Everlasting Father](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1703002449859-bca0547b3e43c.jpg)
Everlasting Father
“As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.” Psalm 103:13
I thank God that I grew up in a home with a father who loved me, provided for me, corrected me, and taught me God’s will in Jesus. Not everyone has that, so when the statement of Jesus being our “Everlasting Father” arises, I understand why people may bristle. We recognize that earthly fathers fail (even my own father isn’t perfect), but we can rest assured that our God and Father never fails.
This is why we need to remember how wonderful it is to hear Isaiah’s prophecy that Jesus is the picture of a perfect father forever. Even though he did not have children of his own, he calls us his children and promises his unending, eternal care. There is nothing temporary or passing about his steadfast love and abiding faithfulness.
As we continue with our sermon series called Christmas Unwrapped, our hope is that we will unwrap this incredible gift of Jesus Christ and untangle the various reservations and complications people have in their minds. Jesus is coequal, coeternal, and consubstantial with God, yet he is also “Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing.” What an amazing, yet incomprehensible thought! May the depth and security of the good news of Jesus embrace you this Christmas season.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
![Mighty God](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1702313676763-d839569d13cec.jpg)
Mighty God
What’s in a name? This Sunday, we’ll explore the second title bestowed on the One whose advent was greatly anticipated: Mighty God.
The spiritual atmosphere of first-century Israel was thick with messianic expectation. Change was afoot, but how was God working? Would he finally deliver his people from foreign oppressors and restore the glorious Davidic kingdom? Not exactly. Instead, onto this scene strode a humble carpenter who did the ‘impossible’ routinely: He changed water into wine, restored the lame and blind, fed the multitudes, and raised the dead.
John’s gospel declares that these ‘signs’ authenticated Jesus as Israel’s long-sought Messiah, the Mighty God of Isaiah 9:6. These snapshots from his earthly ministry should lead everyone to ponder, “Who but God could display such power over the natural order?”
In this advent season, let us rediscover and celebrate anew our Lord’s multifaceted glory. As we approach the manger to behold the helpless babe, may our hearts know that we worship the promised Mighty God.
Grace and peace,
Matthew Liethen
![Wonderful Counselor](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1701709063480-cee0cff7d965c.jpg)
Wonderful Counselor
When you speak with counselors, they will often tell you that they are a guide and that a guide cannot lead someone where they do not want to go. If a person does not want to seek health and wholeness, then the counselor’s words and advice will only fall on deaf ears. As people say, “You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make them drink.”
As parents and friends, we experience the same thing. When our children experience pain, they often turn to us. As a friend to others, people may come to us seeking advice. In those moments, we seek to listen and offer words of wisdom. We attempt to offer a helpful perspective and guide their thinking.
Yet what do we realize? A counselor's wisdom is limited, and they may not always be available! As parents and as friends, we know that we do not know all the answers, nor can we always see and understand the whole situation. We may not listen as well as we should, and we can let our own opinions cloud our judgment.
This is why we need a “Wonderful Counselor” like Jesus. In His divinity, He is all knowing. In his humanity, He understands. Colossians 2:2-3 says, “...In order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
As we begin a new sermon series together this week that looks at Isaiah 9:6-7, what we hope to remind ourselves of is that fact that Jesus is the Wonderful Counselor. We can come to Him for direction and counsel. We can talk to him honestly, and humbly seek His guidance. However, we must desire to listen to His Word, knowing that all the treasures of divine wisdom and knowledge are found in Him.
![Going In Love](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1701099605497-506c723ee592.jpg)
Going In Love
This week, we reach the conclusion of our sermon series on “The Abundant Life” of discipleship. Each week, we have seen what it means to be people who “Gather,” who “Grow,” who “Give,” and who “Go.” This past week, we talked about how we can give thanks for the time, talents, and treasure that God has given to each of us. We also spoke about how we are to use those gifts to bless others.
It seems appropriate, then, that we would talk this week about “Going” into our community and world to share those gifts. I give thanks that WEPC is a church that seeks to “go,” and we do it both locally and globally. This has been on display through our giving towards Operation Christmas Child, through our Wednesday night ministry, and through our local and global mission partners. However, I am also reminded of our desire to “go” when I hear the stories of you answering the challenge to bless others with gift cards, prayer, and random acts of kindness. In fact, in this week’s service, we’re going to hear many stories and testimonies of how God is blessing us to bless others!
![Giving In Love](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1700496227320-dfb8d1ae87936.jpg)
Giving In Love
In the world, we sometimes hear the phrase, “How to win friends and influence people.” This statement seems to be the main point of this passage at first glance. In what might be considered the most confounding words Jesus ever utters, he says, “I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.” (Luke 16:9)
What?! Is that the model? Give somebody else’s wealth away in order to win friends and get into heaven?! Is Jesus really making a dishonest person the hero of the story?
There is far too much to unpack in a quick newsletter article (which is a great teaser to say, “Don't forget to come on out or tune in Sunday morning.”); however, there is a principle that we can learn: We need to be wise with the wealth with which we are entrusted. When we bless others for the sake of God’s kingdom, we store up treasures in heaven.
That doesn't mean God loves dishonest gain in order to give that away. Rather, we are reminded that giving makes us wise and pleases God, who holds all wealth in his hands. Afterall, the pursuit of earthly riches and the values of the things of this world cannot last; they eventually rot and come to nothing. Jesus reminds us, “You cannot serve both God and money."
Which one are you serving?
![Growing In Love](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1699889224004-b06ab637f0437.jpg)
Growing In Love
“Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:7 (NLT)
During this fall season, our minds often turn to harvest, to bounty, and to Thanksgiving. It is not a season where we think of putting down roots that grow; we save that for spring. Yet Paul reminds us that when we allow our roots to be grounded in Christ and grow in the things we have been taught, we will grow up with lives of overflow and thankfulness.
Though Paul doesn’t refer specifically to trees as he writes to the Colossians, the imagery of being rooted in Christ points to the stability and nourishment that comes from having a life like a tree or a plant. The roots lead to living a life that is being built up, that is strong, and overflowing with the fruit of gratitude.
As we learned last week, our worship “gatherings” function as a wonderful place to receive rich nutrients. However, that is just one place where we grow. As we will see this week, we also “grow” when we invest in missional communities, small groups, and growth groups. Those may be different names for the same thing, but they remind us that our lives are to be deeply rooted in Christ so that we may stand firm and bear much fruit. It's the roots that allow us to build!
As we look to the future, may God continue to grow good things in and through us.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
![Gathering In Love](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1699291345823-1c01c6d90f5b7.jpg)
Gathering In Love
Last Sunday, Pastor Aaron challenged us to live as God's people on mission for Him in our daily lives. But how do we get there? What does it mean to be a community on mission together as we seek to gather, grow, give, and go forth in the love of Christ?
During November, our services will be oriented around the theme of "The Abundant Life," which is found as we live together as God's family. Each Sunday, we will look at a particular aspect of our Kingdom life. We will begin this week by focusing on God's call for us to gather together in love. As we will see, this is foundational to our other callings to grow, give, and go as followers of Jesus.
I invite you to read Acts 2:42-47. How does this passage describe the gatherings of these early believers? What is similar to our gatherings today? What is different? I encourage you to reflect on this text and ask the Lord to give you a greater longing and deeper delight in gathering with the family of God.
![Affirming Our Allegiance](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1698680215563-504517c29845d.jpg)
Affirming Our Allegiance
“Truly, I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:40
The life of following Christ is not just about “me, me, me.” The gospels challenge us repeatedly to devote our lives to living for others. Jesus equates serving others with serving God.
All too often, though, our lives become consumed by our own plans. Our schedules may be filled with important, honorable things to do. Yet, we often risk focusing only on our own plans and missing out on the opportunities God gives us to make room for others in life.
Matthew repeatedly stresses that if we love God, we will inevitably love others. In fact, if we don’t love others, our love for God is in question. Love in action is not just for the people closest to us but also for people who are marginalized, suffering, and in need. When we care for such people, we are showing our love for Jesus.
For many of us, the thought of showing hospitality tends toward shared time with friends and family. But do we consider hospitality as an active expression of our faith? The Bible calls us to “welcome the stranger” and “practice hospitality.” More than making room, hospitality calls for Christians to be ready even for the unexpected. While our deeds of compassion and mercy are not how we enter God’s kingdom, they show that we are part of God’s family.
![Making The Most Of Every Opportunity](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1698159928214-1034692651772.jpg)
Making The Most Of Every Opportunity
…But now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.” Ephesians 5:8-9
As we start a new two-week sermon series on the invitation to live our life on mission, we are going to see this consistent call to live as light in a world full of darkness. While we once lived in darkness; now that we are children of light, we are called to be light and to serve as a witness to the living Christ.
Sometimes we mistakenly think that witnessing to our faith means only knocking on doors or traveling to faraway lands to talk about the love of Jesus. In reality, shining the light of Christ’s love can happen in our everyday lives all of the time. It happens when we recognize we are new creations in Christ. Centered in gratitude for what Christ has done for us, we are empowered to love and respect the great variety of people God brings into contact with us.
I can remember a number of years ago being in a church consistory/session meeting where the Senior Pastor verbally belittled and berated the Associate Pastor, even though he wasn’t there to speak for himself. I remember the room feeling uncomfortable, and saying later to that pastor, “I felt uneasy that we were talking about a coworker in this way without him being present to defend himself.” I only received a lot of excuses for why he did so.
However, I still believe that living as children of light means that we must live differently. I also believe that it means we must shine light whenever darkness presses in. Since we are called to make the most of every opportunity, every day is ripe with new opportunities to show and share Christ’s love through our lives. May we do so in thought, word, and deed.
![Heaven Must've Needed Another Angel](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1697469263976-3c383cc857d9b.jpg)
Heaven Must've Needed Another Angel
Actually... Did you know that our current sermon series will be coming to a close this Sunday? This week, we will consider one final teaching not found in the Bible: the notion that when a person passes away, it is because "Heaven must have needed another angel." Most of us have probably encountered this idea before. During times of mourning or loss, it is comforting to think of our loved ones as being joyful and radiant in the presence of God. For understandable reasons, many have taken this a step further and envisioned their loved ones becoming the most glorious kind of created being we can imagine, an angel. While this thought process is understandable, it is not biblical. Scripture consistently presents angels and humans as two distinctly different creatures; nowhere in the Bible do the lines blur. Moreover, as we will discover on Sunday, the Bible offers us an even greater hope. Those who die in the Lord enjoy His presence now, and at His return, we will be raised with glorious, imperishable bodies. We will be (for the first time) truly human, set free from the shackles of sin to glorify and enjoy God forever in a new creation. I invite you to read Revelation 21:1-5 and prayerfully allow your imagination to revel in these words.
![Cleanliness Is Next to Godliness](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1696882002676-dd26ccdb45cf5.jpg)
Cleanliness Is Next to Godliness
"It is what comes out of a person that defiles them.” Mark 7:15
After a day of playing outside, my parents always reminded me when it was time to come inside for dinner, “Don’t forget to wash your hands before you sit down. And use soap!” they would say. The desire for cleanliness has stuck with me, and I still squirm when I see someone in the public restroom bypass washing their hands after using the facilities.
Germs are a thing!
In the Bible, the Pharisees also carefully washed their hands before eating. However, in those days, the focus wasn’t as much about germs; their handwashing laws had to do with spiritual holiness. So when they asked why Jesus’ disciples didn’t wash, it wasn’t about hygiene; they were looking for a way to criticize Jesus as if to say He and his disciples were not spiritually holy.
Jesus used that opportunity to teach them that spiritual impurity isn’t about what is on our hands or what goes through our digestive system. He reminded them that spiritual impurity comes from our sinful hearts. Handwashing could not remove greed, deceit, sexual immorality, hatred, etc.
We can try to obey all the regulations, cultural values, and expected behaviors in our society—most of which are for the good of everyone. In addition, we can believe all the right doctrines and try to live pure lives—which is even more important. But none of that will cleanse our hearts. Only the renovating, cleansing work of Jesus in our hearts can bring about true cleanliness!
![Money Is The Root Of All Evil](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1696340840615-b3765d00676c1.jpg)
Money Is The Root Of All Evil
“But godliness with contentment is great gain…For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” (1 Timothy 6:6, 10)
Have you ever sat back after a good meal with a groan and a sigh? The meal was so good - and you are so full - that you cannot possibly eat any more. You might even say that you’re stuffed or cannot possibly eat another thing. Yet we know that even after a full meal, we will soon get hungry again. Other times, even if our stomach is full, our eyes may desire more.
The same is true with our finances. Some people think that financial fullness is where we should rest. Other people think God will always bless you physically if God loves you. Others live with a scarcity mindset, thinking that that is how to honor God. And still others have a covetous heart towards people with financial means.
These various views will often lead people to quote from the Bible by saying, “Money is the root of evil.” However, as we will discover this week, that is a misquote on multiple levels. First of all, Paul states that “the love of money…” This is the starting place of trouble. Jesus said the greatest commandment is to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” It’s only when we return the love of the One who first loved us that we are satisfied.
But second, Paul also says that “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” Money isn’t the root, but it is a root. A desire for power and sex can also be roots that lead to evil. In addition, the love of it can lead to all kinds of evil. Money is a medium of exchange, and it can lead to good things and bad things.
The issue is that though we may love money, money cannot love us back. Money cannot satisfy us. And money cannot buy God’s love for us or satisfy our desires. Only God can! By keeping money in its proper place and learning the spirit of contentment, we can find true satisfaction.
![This World Is Not My Home](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1695666584344-9f714af423e9.jpg)
This World Is Not My Home
Have you ever heard the phrase, “Don’t be so earthly-minded that you’re no heavenly good?” How about the reverse? “Don’t be so heavenly-minded that you’re no earthly good?” Or, have you ever heard people use phrases like, “This world is not my home; I’m just passing through” or, “Be in the world, not of the world?”
The reality is that Christians are described in a number of ways and instructed to live in a number of ways. We are to live differently from the world, yet we are also called to be salt and light amongst the world. We look forward to the kingdom that is coming, but we are also called to grow God’s kingdom here on earth. We are called forgiven sinners, adopted sons and daughters, and beloved members of the body of Christ. All of these are key aspects of who we are in Christ.
But according to Jesus’ prayer in John 17, one of our most important identities is as “sent people.” Just as Jesus was sent into the world to show God’s love, He now sends us to do the same. Jesus often spoke of heaven, but He also spoke of God’s kingdom in our world. The mission He entrusted to His followers was not about pining for heaven but about making disciples and growing God’s kingdom.
So how are we to live? As a sent people! In John 17:18, Jesus said, “As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.” The good news is that He prays for us as Jesus sends us into the world! We don’t go alone!
![Just Be True To Yourself](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1695049803198-b1930c1ca7e54.jpg)
Just Be True To Yourself
“Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.” -Colossians 3:9-10 I just love when you put fresh sheets or a new set of sheets on the bed. There is something about having everything be tight and tidy as you put your feet in for the first time. There’s also the fresh smell. And for some of us, perhaps there’s the sense that “I should really do this more often.” That sense of looking and feeling new is exactly what this verse is talking about. It starts in a rather ordinary way. “Don’t lie to one another.” That’s plain enough. We taught this to our children when they said, “I didn’t do it,” but it’s clear they did when chocolate was on their mouths and the cookie jar lid was halfway off. We know it’s wrong to lie, but we do it anyway. But look closer at why we’re not supposed to lie to one another. It’s because we’ve “put off the old self” and “put on the new self.” In Christ, we’ve got a new look; we’re new people. We’ve got fresh sheets, and we get to start all over. What’s the key? Is it just being true to our old selves? Is it just wearing our old clothes? Is it just sleeping in the same sheets forever? No, we are told that the most important thing is to be “renewed” in the “image of our Creator.” As we grow to know him better, we become more and more like our truest self, the person we were always meant to be, fresh and clean.
![God Loves You Just The Way You Are](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1694455305180-ed62099cb5208.jpg)
God Loves You Just The Way You Are
How many of us have ever been in a discussion where we have heard someone say something along the lines of, “Sure, I'm not perfect, but God loves and accepts me just the way I am”? Or, “God will never love you less than He does right now”? Ironically, variations of those themes might be something we have shared with others as a form of comfort.
Taken at face value, they are true statements. John 3:16 and 1 John 4:7-12 remind us, “God so loved us,” and “God is love.” Of course, if that were the whole story, that would fall drastically short. If we were to read the rest of the verses, we’d find that “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) Or “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” (1 John 4:9-10)
If all we do is take the first part of those verses, all we hear is, "Because God is love, He loves us just the way we are.” However, in doing so, we miss the second part, which is equally as important (if not moreso). God’s love extends to us as sinners in need of a Savior. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8). That is true love!
For any of us (or anyone we know) who is like the Prodigal son, all of our running and rejecting doesn’t stop our Father from loving us. When we come to our senses and come back, our loving Father is scanning the horizon and running to us. Why? Because God loves us!
![Pursue Wise Counsel](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1693931773866-5a67f2be4a628.jpg)
Pursue Wise Counsel
Have you ever experienced analysis paralysis? I usually find myself in this situation when I play a board game, especially when facing a tough opponent who will exploit any mistake I make. Out of a well-intentioned desire to avoid committing blunders of colossal proportions, I attempt to consider any possible outcome of every possible move I could make. However, this usually means that I overanalyze the situation and take too long to complete my turn.
Most of us, at one time or another, have probably felt overwhelmed by decisions we need to make or by challenging situations that we face in our lives. In those moments--especially when there is more at stake than just winning or losing a board game--we can feel tremendous pressure to succeed...or at least to avoid making a total mess of the situation. This is probably how King Solomon felt when he succeeded his father, David, as king of Israel. Yet, as Scripture tells us, God met Solomon in his time of need and provided him abundantly more than he asked for or imagined.
I invite you to read 1 Kings 3:1-15. In what areas have you, like Solomon, perceived a need for greater wisdom? How might God grant you the wisdom and strength to handle difficult situations faithfully?
We serve a generous God who delights in wisdom and is eager to lead us to greater depths of wisdom and delight as we follow Him. Even when we feel stuck by decisions or challenges in front of us, He stands ready to guide us and walk with us as we take each new step of faith.
![Wisdom That Is Not Our Own](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1693234689789-31042b03a8c03.jpg)
Wisdom That Is Not Our Own
Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me.” John 7:16
Over the years, I have experimented with different kinds of diets. The most recent one was Keto. The idea is that you cut out all sugar and carbs, making your body burn fat instead of storing it.
This diet (and others like it) has been endorsed by a number of celebrities, bloggers, and social media influencers who have found success losing weight or improving their athletic performance. And initially, when I tried the diet, I also found success. However, I developed a known side-effect - an irregular heartbeat.
Now, since I already have an occasionally irregular heartbeat, I thought it might just be that, so I stopped the diet. What happened? The irregular heartbeat stopped. In fact, a few months later, I tried the diet again just to be sure, and the same thing happened. Lesson learned? As much as it was working, it wasn’t for me.
Sometimes, we are tempted to treat Jesus’ voice like just another voice in the world advising us about options for our diet, finances, or productivity. But in this passage in John 7, we are reminded that Jesus actually speaks for God because his teaching is from God. That means that Jesus’ instructions are not something we can pick and choose from. Every instruction He gave aligns with how you and I were created to live. If we want to experience life as it was meant to be lived, we will find it by listening to Jesus and doing what He asks us to do.
I hope we will see both why we need a wisdom that is not our own and where that wisdom comes from. So, if you have been (or are) stuck in the decision-making process, I look forward to exploring this with you.
![Breaking Barriers](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1692632179066-2c4fae066b63d.jpg)
Breaking Barriers
The more we grow in our faith, the more we can expect to encounter obstacles along the way. At times, we may even face major barriers that threaten to block our spiritual progress and cause us to feel stuck in difficult or frustrating situations. This Sunday, we will spend the second week of our new sermon series looking at a time where being stuck was both a present and a potential reality. As we open up God's Word together, we shall encounter a barrier-breaking God whose heart for His people propels Him to dislodge the obstacles in our hearts and lives that keep us away from Him.
I encourage you to read Acts 8:26-40. How do you see the Lord leading Philip and the Ethiopian official in this passage? How do each of them respond to the Lord with faith and obedience? What can this passage teach us about following Jesus today? How will you pray for the Lord to break through a specific barrier, and how can you align your actions and attitudes accordingly?
![Attune Your Heart To God](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1692040407913-e52c0ec90ee4c.jpg)
Attune Your Heart To God
Have you ever had a moment when you’ve gotten stuck when it comes to making decisions? For some of us we’re so ready to plow ahead that we never bother to ask God for direction. For others, we are so desperate in our desire to please God that we are afraid the decisions we are making might not be in His will. For others, we have felt the crash and burn after a poor decision. In every case, these things keep us from being able to make decisions and move forward.
We live in a world that is seeking to have us make decisions based on self-fulfillment, pleasing others, and what is socially acceptable. (How’s that working out for us?!) Instead, the purpose of this new series called “Stuck” is to help us get unstuck by showing us that the best way to make wise decisions is to base it on a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, through Scripture, and through relationships with otherwise, Godly people. But how do we do that if the decision isn’t black and white or even answered specifically in Scripture?
The key is wisdom! While some decisions are simple, everyday ones with little impact on our lives, other decisions are more important. Where do we turn to help us make wise decisions? How do we tune ourselves to the heart of God?
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1:7). This is a great lens by which we can begin this discussion and will influence where we go.
![The Greater Blessing](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1691420228388-8eb196ac9601a.jpg)
The Greater Blessing
“Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” Hebrews 13:20-21
When we conclude our worship services, we offer a benediction (word of blessing) and a sending greeting. We do not simply say, “Have a nice week.” We go from our service of worship to our everyday life of worship. In order to do that, we need God’s blessing and equipping.
What a powerful way to wrap up the book of Hebrews! In giving God’s blessing, the writer of Hebrews is also sending us out with a reminder of who is going with us.
The writer summarizes almost the entire sermon in these two short verses (though a run-on sentence for sure). “The God of peace…” (not a God of wrath and anger). “Through the blood of the eternal covenant…”(not a covenant that is passing and in need of a new one; it is eternal). “Brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus…” (death could not hold any power over the Son of God). His sacrifice was once and for all. This is the God who is sending us and equipping us.
We do not do the good that we do on our own. We need God’s help and His equipping so that what we do is pleasing to Him. We need God to equip us with “everything good for doing his will.”
By God’s grace, we do everything for God’s glory forever and ever.
![A Greater Way To Live](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1690817689377-c0d5ce019db65.jpg)
A Greater Way To Live
It’s hard to believe that we are quickly coming to the end of our study of Hebrews; what we started back in February will now be finishing in August. While we have spent 24 weeks on it (so far), the reality is that we could spend many, many more. In fact, as we turn our attention to Hebrews 13 this week, the reality is that we could easily break this up into four or five more Sundays.
The reason for this is because the author turns his attention from deep theology to practical living, and in these verses, we see example after example of how what we believe should be reflected in how we behave:
It should lead to loving one another.
It should lead to greater levels of hospitality.
It should lead to an outpouring of care and concern for those who are in prison.
It should lead to a greater sexual purity. It should lead to a greater level of contentment and not having a love for money.
It should lead to greater respect for our church leaders.
It should lead to a strengthened faith that can discern truth from error.
It should lead to greater perseverance in our faith.
It should lead to greater praise.
It should lead to greater prayer.
But, alas, since we won’t be doing that, we’ll bundle them together under the umbrella of a greater way to live. Perhaps verses 15-16 sum it up best: “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” May these words come alive in our hearts and church this week!
![The Greater Mountain](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1690226637759-954c0910408d9.jpg)
The Greater Mountain
In the Old Testament, it was not unusual for people to be terrified and in awe of God’s presence. For example, in Exodus 20:18-19 it says, “When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.” The people were afraid because they knew they were sinful and God is holy and awesome, with power beyond imagining.
The book of Hebrews reminds us that the old covenant was built on the law, on following rules, and on fear. However, since God has established a new and eternal covenant of grace with us in Jesus Christ, we can confidently approach God's throne. As we near the end of Hebrews and study Hebrews 12, we are once again shown the difference between law and grace. We are reminded where we are running and what the destination is - not Sinai, but Zion! Not trembling, but joy! Not death, but life!
Hebrews 12:22-23 says, “But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven.” Because of Jesus Christ, we have been given access to God in a way never thought possible during the time of Moses. May each of us run with joy towards that final destination, knowing that we are finishing our race well!
![The Pursuit Of Peace & Holiness](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1689713157825-796fdf4f0a9a.jpg)
The Pursuit Of Peace & Holiness
“Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy…” - Hebrews 12:14
As Kreuger says, a common reaction to the discipline we learned about last week is to give up - to stop running the race. In a long race, sometimes you’ll notice that a runner's gait has flattened. Instead of feet that form a more rounded elliptical motion, their feet fall closer to an oval shuffle. Other times you’ll notice as they start to tire that their arms drop.
We might not think anything of it, but these things are signs of fatigue. It’s said that the position and motion of the arms are extremely important in running in order to maintain proper body coordination and rhythm. Your arms actually help you pull through your stride, and so they are the first parts of the body to show weariness.
This is no different in the Christian walk. Sometimes we get tired. Sometimes we get weary. Sometimes we get tired and weary of each other. This is why the pursuit of personal holiness is hard work, and which is why we need to be strengthened daily. The temptation is always there to trade the spiritual things for the earthly things, but if we do so, we will end up sharing in the tears of Esau. A lack of holiness leads to sin that separates us from God & one another, and makes us poor witnesses and a stumbling block to others.
This means that the call to the pursuit of peace and holiness is also a call to commitment. People who are at peace with God are responsible to pursue peace in their relationships with others. When we do so by loving others and seeking peace, others will see a reflection of God’s glory. May we be a people who live in His peace and put aside bitterness and hate.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
![The Greatness Of Discipline](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1689627907208-7c93920200431.jpg)
The Greatness Of Discipline
“They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness.” - Hebrews 12:10 I can remember times when our children were young when we had to steer them away from disaster. Our first house (parsonage) was on a busy 4-lane road with dangerous traffic, and when they played in the yard or rode their bikes, we had to give them strict instructions about where they needed to stop. Most of the time, they listened well and paid attention; but sometimes, they did not. In those moments, we sprung into action to save them from harm. In the following moments, things were said, assurances made, and punishments administered. Perhaps there were even times when what I said sounded severe, even if I was not angry or vindictive. In the end, the prayer is that our children would understand that we were trying to protect them and they would grow into wise young men and women. It is hard to be disciplined, even when we know we deserve it. Discipline is embarrassing and humiliating. None of us like to admit wrong—even when we know we are. But discipline is intended to make us better people. Parents discipline children; employers exert discipline on employees; coaches require discipline to win; and God demands discipline to shape people into his disciples. Our verse says, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” It is not fun to be set in the corner, sent to the principal’s office, put in jail, reprimanded by a superior at work, scolded by the coach, or, most of all, chastised by God. The Bible is right: discipline is painful. But, thanks be to God, discipline also brings righteousness and peace. It makes us seek the Savior, Jesus. May we seek that Savior as we gather together for worship this week.
![Running With Endurance](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1688418630461-f716d504ea0e4.jpg)
Running With Endurance
Dear Presby Family,
After last week's survey of the Hebrews 11 Hall of Faith, this Sunday we will look at the well-known opening verses of Hebrews 12. How should the lives of past heroes of the faith inform our lives today? According to the author of Hebrews, their examples can motivate us to persevere as we run the race of faith. To run this race well, we need to cast off the things that slow us down and fix our eyes on Jesus. Because He has triumphed in His race, He gives us strength to endure as we follow in His ways.
I invite you to read Hebrews 12:1-3 and reflect on these verses. When you think of the "great cloud of witnesses" who have gone before you, who comes to your mind as someone God has used to encourage you in your faith? How would you describe the race God has called you to run? What might you need to cast off in order to persevere in the race? Ask Jesus to help you fix your eyes upon Him as you keep running the race He has marked out for you.
Pastor Andrew
![Jesus Christ: Our Better Hope](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1687810114370-6b4b62a9d911c.jpg)
Jesus Christ: Our Better Hope
Last week in Hebrews chapter 10, we learned the importance of encouraging one another to persevere and hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering and with confidence. Near the end of chapter 10, the author of Hebrews quotes Habakkuk, saying, “my righteous one will live by faith.” This week we will be considering what it means to live by faith.
Hebrews chapter 11 has been called the “Hall of Faith” and “God’s Hall of Fame.” We read about numerous people from the Old Testament, most of whom we are familiar with, who are commended for living by their faith. But this chapter is about the object of our faith and what we do because of our faith. It shows us what it looks like to trust in God.
You’ve probably heard someone say that what is important isn’t so much how much faith you have as it is who or what you’re placing your trust in. The people presented in Hebrews 11 trusted, or hoped, in God, even though they were experiencing all kinds of struggles and trials.
I encourage you to read Hebrews chapter 11. Ask God to show you the characteristics and actions that are being commended in these people. You may want to return to the Old Testament to read more about their lives. Ask God to help you assess your faith in Him and in His Word.
What might be said about you? By faith . . .
![Greater In Order To Persevere](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1687205031901-0cf4fbb5878a9.jpg)
Greater In Order To Persevere
Hebrews 10:19-39 is a section of scripture filled with numerous twists and turns, so much so that you wonder where to place the focus. Should it be the familiar verses of 19-25? Should it be the call to live differently now that we know who Christ is in verses 26-31? Or should it be the call to persevere in verses 32-39? On the one hand, we could take each section on its own and extend our sermon series out even further. On the other hand, we could take them all together and connect them to the cleansing work of Jesus’ blood that we learned about last week.
What happens when believers gather together in worship and “draw near to God?” We hear the call to live differently, to turn from our sins, and to persevere. This is why worshiping together is so important and why we should encourage each other by doing it regularly.
Assurance leads to perseverance. Since we know that Christ is the victor over all that is wrong with the world, we can boldly follow His invitation to follow him. That same assurance also leads us to persevere when we face hardship or temptation, lean on others when we do, and still find joy in the midst of difficulty.
Again, this is why we need one another. This is why Christians aren’t meant to live in isolation. We need one another for encouragement. We need one another for perseverance. We need one another to help us run from the sin that so easily entangles us. And we need one another to remind us of the assurance we have in Jesus Christ. May God grant us strength to press into these things this week and to not shrink back. Why? Because we have faith and a blessed assurance in Christ.
![Christ Is The Better Sacrifice](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1686601163542-2f5f8a236a79e.jpg)
Christ Is The Better Sacrifice
“We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” - Hebrews 10:10
The Bible tells us that Jesus drew his final breath at three o’clock in the afternoon (Luke 23:44-46). While this may not seem significant to us, it would have been an important time in Jerusalem. Why? Because it was the time of the afternoon sacrifice. AND because it was during Passover week, Passover lambs would have been sacrificed at the Temple at that time.
It was customary also for the priest to blow a shofar at the time of the sacrifice, which was a ram’s horn. So picture that scene: Around the same time that Jesus took his last breath, the shofar could be heard. At the sound of the horn, people would stop what they were doing and fall silent for a few moments. And in that time of silence, Jesus died.
As the Passover lambs were sacrificed in the Temple, the Lamb of God was sacrificed on the cross. In God’s plan, never again would an afternoon sacrifice be needed. This was just as John the Baptist had prophesied: “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Through Jesus’ one sacrifice, all who believe are forgiven and made holy forever.
To make sure Jesus was dead, a soldier jammed his spear into Jesus’ side, “bringing a sudden flow of blood and water” (John 19:34). That blood was the blood of forgiveness for you and me—and for all who trust in Christ alone for their salvation. What was a shadow before had now been revealed.
This section of scripture is both the exclamation point and the bridge. It is the exclamation point to everything we have covered with this incredibly deep theology, and it is the bridge to how we are to live as a result (the practical side that we will begin talking about next week). My prayer is that God will grant us the strength to press into these things. Why? Because Christ’s sacrifice is better, it moves us to worship and live differently.
![What Can Wash Away My Sin?](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1685996640522-ed43f4d21d44a.jpg)
What Can Wash Away My Sin?
“How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!” - Hebrews 9:14 Now that the weather has become warmer and we’re working outside, it’s easy to get sweaty. We have lots of memories of saying to our kids, “Why don’t you jump in the shower and quickly rinse off.” But most of the time, after having been outside running or working for hours, they (we) need much more than just a quick rinse…We need a deep-cleaning shower! As we continue in our study of Hebrews 9 this week, we will discover that the old covenant laws of cleansing after a time of getting spiritually dirty provided just a quick rinse; it wasn’t a deep-down cleaning. Our passage will remind us that people needed to be fully cleansed from lives of sin, something which the blood of bulls and goats could never do. The Old Testament law included ceremonial practices of washing to be clean. But the cleaning was never complete. People would get dirty again. What the old laws pointed to was someone who could provide a full, deep cleaning, someone who lived a life that was unblemished by sin. That someone is Jesus Christ, whose death for our sake provided purification once and for all. He is the mediator of a new and better covenant. May we experience the life-changing, life-giving work of Jesus Christ, who cleanses us and makes atonement for our sins. May that knowledge move us to become “living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God.” And may it cause us to live in anticipation of his second return, “Not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.” (Heb. 9:28)
![The Perfect Tabernacle](https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode400/15482041/15482041-1685545860227-017fdc1d49623.jpg)
The Perfect Tabernacle
We are definitely in the thick of the message of Hebrews now. For the last several weeks, we have been working our way deeper and deeper into its mysteries, uncovering the rich truth that Jesus is our great High Priest. There's a good chance you have read or heard the name "Melchizedek" more in the last month than in the rest of your life combined! Just in case we're tempted to think that we have exhausted all that the author of Hebrews has to say about how Jesus fulfills and surpasses the Old Testament priesthood, the author goes even further in chapter 9. As we will discover on Sunday, Jesus is not only the perfect priest but the perfect Tabernacle. Jesus, through His finished work on the cross, has become the crossroads where a holy God and unholy people are brought together. I encourage you to read Hebrews 9:1-14. As you pray and reflect on these verses, ask God to give you a greater awareness of His holiness and your need for Him. Thank Him for His cleansing and renewing power in your life. Ask Him to continue to make you more like His Son, Jesus Christ.