Wellington Street » Messages

A Stuck Life

Kitty — Sun, 20 May 2012 20:50:04 +0000

Many of us get caught up in the idea that sin is a list of all the mistakes we make. God’s Word tells us that sin is more than what we do or don’t do … it’s a power that can control our lives, and if left unchecked, we’ll find ourselves “stuck” where we don’t want to be.

We all get stuck in sin sometimes, but Jesus never leaves us in that place. If we follow the guidelines He’s provided in His Word, we can prevent ourselves from falling into the trap of disobedience. Jesus wants to transform us! All it takes is a little effort on our part.

Download audio file (052012.mp3)

Scriptures we read:

Genesis 4:1-7
Romans 6:15-19
Hebrews 12:1-3

Video we watched on being “stuck”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=go43XeW6Wg4

“Missing” (Luke 15:1-10)

Kitty — Mon, 14 May 2012 14:38:53 +0000

This week, our guest speaker, Rev. Eldon Wright from Master’s College, challenged us with a message regarding the lost … or as he likes to say … those who are “missing”.

The story of the lost sheep in Luke 15 tells us that Jesus was not side tracked by what others thought, and He believed that those who were missing, were worth finding. We are reminded that Jesus rejoices when the one missing is found and will desperately search for those who have lost their way.

Are we an accurate representation of Christ and do we look for opportunities to lead others to Him?

Download audio file (051312.mp3)

Scriptures we read:

Luke 15:1-10
Matthew 21:1-11

“For Which … Are You Going to Stone Me?”

Kitty — Sun, 06 May 2012 21:32:57 +0000

Our Salvation is not tied to our works, however, our deeds are important, as illustrated in this week’s message in John 10:22-42.

Jesus is confronted by those who oppose Him, asking Him to clearly state whether or not He is the Christ. He answers by reminding them that they have already witnessed all the miracles He has done in His Father’s name and tells them, “I and the Father are one.” They’re ready to stone Jesus for blasphemy, and once again, He tries to explain himself. Jesus’ actions proved who He was … He did what His Father did. Jesus’ works were an example of who God was.

It’s true that we are saved by faith. We can’t do anything to make God love us more, but sometimes we become so focused on that truth, we forget how important works are.

we are told to let our light shine so that our lives will point to Jesus (Matthew 5:14-16)
we will be known as Jesus’ disciples if we show love to one another (John 13:35)
we need to persist in doing good and be faithful so we can see fruit in our lives (Galatians 6:7-10)
don’t neglect doing what you know is right (James 4:17)
we do good works to set an example and be a model of Jesus (Titus 2:7)
we are asked to encourage and motivate others to do good (Hebrews 10:24)

How closely do our actions resemble our Heavenly Father … are we worthy of stoning? Our actions should prove that we know who God is and what He does. Do our deeds exemplify our special relationship with our Father, as Jesus’ did?

Watch this unique version of The Good Samaritan:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3GJCK4Wy-0

I Am The Good Shepherd (John 10:1-21)

Kitty — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:38:09 +0000

For many centuries, Israel had been subjected to bad rulers or “shepherds.” God promised them that He himself would be their shepherd and put an end to their struggles. It’s no wonder that about six centuries later, Jesus causes controversy by announcing that He is the one who has come to save them.

Jesus is more than our spiritual leader. He is our King, yet He knows us as intimately as a shepherd knows his sheep. God’s ancient promise was fulfilled in Jesus. Are we willing to follow Him? Are we willing to do it now?

Download audio file (042912.mp3)

Scriptures we read:

John 10:1-21
Ezekiel 34:1-16
Luke 12:6-7
Proverbs 14:12
Psalm 23:1-6
Luke 10:59-60

God’s Power – Wow!

Kitty — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 14:39:44 +0000

This week, Pastor Wendy Payne brings us a message about the early church in the book of Acts. This church was devoted to God and to each other, sharing their possessions, their food, their struggles, and their passion for Jesus. Because of this incredible unity, they became a spirit filled community others were drawn to. They witnessed miracles and their numbers increased daily due to the Holy Spirit working in and through their lives.

People are watching us to see if we really do live out our beliefs. Do others see Jesus in us and are they drawn to the church body? Are we known by our love?

Download audio file (042212.mp3)

Scriptures we read:

Acts 2:1-16
Acts 2:42-47
Genesis 11:5-7

One Thing I Know (John 9:1-41)

Kitty — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:37:57 +0000

This week, we look at a man, blind from birth, whose sight is restored. Jesus heals him in a miraculous way, giving him the ability to see both physically and spiritually.

This story shows us that we are all blind at birth. We are all sinners. Jesus reaches out to us in compassion giving us spiritual eyes to “see” Him and helps us to make the right choices based on faith. Simply changing our behavior or being moral doesn’t ensure our salvation. Knowing Jesus personally, is the key.

Download audio file (041512.mp3)

Scriptures we read:

John 9:1-41
Psalm 51:5
Jeremiah 17:7-10
James 3:2
1 John 1:8-10
John 6:44
Philippians 2:12-13

The video we watched: “Look at Jesus”

http://vimeo.com/25406333

A Whole New World (John 20:1-12)

Kitty — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 19:15:05 +0000

The resurrection story reminds us that everything is made new because of Jesus’ work on the cross. He was the first to conquer death, giving us a path to follow … through death and out the other side to eternal life.

Easter is the time to celebrate that we are made in God’s image and He has a purpose for us. Our world is broken and dark, but because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we are not bound by that darkness. Jesus rose from the dead, transformed darkness into light and made all things new … and that means us!

Download audio file (040812.mp3)

Scriptures we read:

John 20:1-12
1 Corinthians 15:17-23
Hebrews 12:1-2
2 Corinthians 5:17

The Truth Will Set You Free (John 8:31-59)

Kitty — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 15:35:05 +0000

Many of us are familiar with the scripture that says, “the truth will set you free,” but we often overlook the condition that precedes it. Jesus teaches that IF we abide in the Word and are truly His disciples, we will have freedom. This week’s message takes a look at who and what the Word is and what it means to be a true disciple.

A true disciple abides in the WORD. We will discuss three versions of God’s Word: the written Word, the given Word and the daily Word.

1) God’s written word, the Bible, is a spirit inspired book written by many different people over 1000s of years. Everything in scripture points to Jesus, the Word incarnate, and is the account of how God has interacted with humanity.

2) God’s given Word is the person of Jesus who became human about 2000 years ago, but has always existed. When Jesus said, “Before Abram was, I am,” he was echoing Exodus 3:14. The people wanted to kill him, and no wonder! He was identifying himself with God.

3) God’s daily Word, or the Holy Spirit, is the inspiration for the Bible, our guide and the One who will teach us the other two versions of the WORD.

To become true disciples, we need to immerse ourselves in the WORD. Scripture reading, spending time in prayer with Jesus and making a habit of being obedient will help us to develop a relationship that is a permanent part of our lives. A true disciple knows the truth. Knowing the scriptures and allowing the Holy Spirit to show us right from wrong makes us strong in our beliefs. Jesus is the source of truth and if we soak ourselves in the Word, we will know the kind of freedom He wants for all of us!

Do you aspire to be a true disciple? Fill yourself completely in the written, given and daily Word of God. Learn from your time spent in Jesus’ presence and you will enjoy freedom!

We are unable to provide audio for this week’s sermon.

Additional scriptures:

Exodus 3:14
Romans 8:14
John 14:25-26
Genesis 3:1

I Am the Light of the World (John 8:12-30)

Pastor Steve — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 14:13:12 +0000

God has always been about light. His first words were, “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3). Israel sang that the Lord was their light (Psalm 27:1). In the future when God will take his rightful place as King of the World, the sun and moon will be redundant in the light of God’s glory (Isaiah 60:19-22).

Now Jesus enters the seen and declares with great boldness, “I am the light of the world.”

Download audio file (031812.mp3)

Here are the scriptures we looked at:

John 8:12-30
Genesis 1:3
Exodus 13:21
Exodus 14:19-20
Psalm 27:1
Psalm 119:105
Isaiah 49:6
Isaiah 60:19-22
Zechariah 14:6-9
Hebrews 1:3
James 4:6
Proverbs 3:34
Matthew 5:14-16

(phew, we surveyed a lot of scripture!)

Go and Sin No More (John 8:1-11)

Pastor Steve — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 18:01:59 +0000

It’s one of the most compelling stories in the Gospels. The religious leaders drag a woman caught “in the act” of adultery and publicly humiliate her before Jesus and his disciples. Jesus diffused the situation with truth and grace.

If you think about it, we fit the shoes of each of the people in this story at different times:

Sometimes we’re like the woman who needs to hear, “Go and sin no more.”
Sometimes we’re like the religious leaders who need to confess their judgmental attitudes.
We should always seek to be like Jesus, proclaiming his forgiveness to those we would rather judge.

Download audio file (031112.mp3)

Here are the scriptures we looked at:

John 8:1-11
Romans 8:1
Isaiah 53:5
Matthew 7:1-5
1 Samuel 16:7
John 20:19-22

The two books I referenced are:

Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels by Kenneth E. Bailey
Paul: A Novel by Walter Wangerin Jr.

Here’s the video clip: