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Wednesday, June 30 2021
What is the most important thing to know or to do in order to live a meaningful life? What is the one thing I have to get right? What is the one thing I cannot get wrong? If I were to fail at everything else, what one thing would make my life a success? What one failure would erase every other success? This is not the language of the Pharisee who asks about the greatest commandment. But it is the question behind his question. Jesus’ answer, though perhaps familiar to us, demands deeper meditation. Notice, Jesus quotes from the Old Testament books Deuteronomy and Leviticus. The first serves as an important Hebrew prayer and focuses on the priority of our relationship with God. The second refers to human relationships. Together they summarize God’s Law and ultimately God’s will for us. Jesus’ answer reveals God’s design and desire for our lives – a life is worth living. Jesus teaches us all of life is ‘spiritual’ – i.e. related to our relationship with God. Spiritual health and emotional maturity look like this: our emotions, desires, thoughts, and energies directed toward loving God. Social health follows – the increasing ability to love other people well in accordance with God’s will. All flows from a response to God’s love for us in Jesus who will demonstrate His love for us in His death and resurrection. One important way to love God and learn to love others is by knowing and practicing God’s Word. Wherever you are on your spiritual journey, we invite you to take a deeper dive into the Word of God starting this fall. The Journey will begin in August of 2021 with the goal of encouraging and equipping one another to engage with Jesus through Scripture in a life-transforming way. Our journey will travel along 4 different tracks.
We encourage all of our covenant partners and visitors to participate in Track 1 – our Sunday Sermons. We urge everyone to prayerfully consider Tracks 2-4 as they look ahead to the fall. Imagine the difference a deeper relationship with Jesus and a greater understanding His Word would make in your life, your family, our church, and our world. Your friend, Steve Wise Thursday, June 24 2021
Am I building a solid foundation that will stand against the adverse weather of life? If my life were a house, would it be standing on a foundation of stone or sand? Are my responses to the relationships, events, and circumstances rooted in the hearing and practicing of Jesus’ teaching? Do I want them to be? Do I wonder how I can do that? The first step in Jesus’ instructions about building a foundation is to hear or listen to His words. The second step is to practice them. Jesus teaches us that the Scriptures of the Old Testament all point to Him and that He fulfills those Scriptures. His temptation, His teaching, His words from the cross, and His words to His disciples after His resurrection show a life that internalized Scripture by hearing and practicing them. Perhaps you are a newer believer (or even seeker) who is looking for a deeper understanding of Jesus and the Bible. Maybe you are an old saint who has studied for years and is looking for an even greater understanding. Wherever you might be, we invite you to join Westminster in The Journey – a year-long engagement with the Grand Narrative of Scripture. The Journey will begin in August of 2021 with the goal of encouraging and equipping one another to engage with Jesus through Scripture in a life-transforming way. Our journey will travel along 4 different tracks.
We encourage all of our covenant partners and visitors to participate in Track 1 – our Sunday Sermons. We urge everyone to prayerfully consider Tracks 2-4 as they look ahead to the fall. Imagine the difference a deeper relationship with Jesus and a greater understanding His Word would make in your life, your family, and our world. Your friend, Steve Wise Wednesday, June 16 2021
Who or what do you assume to be true? The original “Bad News Bears” movie introduced me to the danger of making assumptions – what happens to “u” and “me” when we assume. It’s funny in a movie, not so much in real life. If we operate on false assumptions and with misguided beliefs we will trust in things that are not true. Ultimately this takes away our freedom, makes us vulnerable and risks hurting others. Soon after Jesus so kindly and courageously defended the woman caught in adultery, the religious leaders assault Him with challenging words and questions. Jesus tells those who trust in Him that if they listen to and practice His Word then they will know the truth and the truth will set them free. We learn here that spiritual growth, maturity, and true freedom prove to be the direct result of knowing and practicing the teachings (Word) of Jesus. Jesus’ words both reflect and fulfill the teaching of the rest of what we call the Bible. The Scriptures of the Old Testament point forward to Jesus and the New Testament points back to Him. Jesus quoted the Old and the New quotes Jesus. Thus, spiritual maturity, growth and freedom follow our knowledge and practice of the Word. Starting in the Fall of 2021, Westminster will embark on a Journey through the Christian Bible - the most printed, most sold, most censored, most impactful, and often most misunderstood (if not misused) book in the world. Our goal is to encourage and equip one another to engage with Jesus through Scripture in a life-transforming way. We invite you to join us on this Journey along several different tracks:
These different tracks are not mutually exclusive and will travel at different paces. We hope you will make weekly worship a priority in your life but also add these other spiritual practices to enhance your spiritual growth personally and our spiritual growth as a community of faith. Please prayerfully consider the journey you will take with us this coming year. As you do, imagine the difference a deeper understanding of God and His Word would make in your life, the life of your family, our community of faith, and our world. Your friend, Steve Wise |
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