Woodland Hills Church Sermons Audio Podcast

Greg questioned the slogan “Taking America Back for God” by discussing the differences between the kingdom of this world and the Kingdom of God. As Christians, we are to belong first and foremost to God's Kingdom, yet live under the governments of this world. How does that work?

This sermon challenged us to think about how our “story” ends. We long for justice, meaning, “happy ever afters.” As Christians, our story is found in Jesus, the reality to which all great mythology and story telling points. Compare your relationship with Christ to the greatest love stories ever told, and you won't find a more dramatic, sacrificial story...and it ends with a big “happy ever after"!

Though advances in technology, medicine, psychology, etc., are growing exponentially, and the “gyre” of our world is nearly out of control, we are called by God to live in it (though not be OF it). Greg gave practical advice about how to live within the “widening gyre” that he discussed last week: strengthen our center by prioritizing and simplifying. It sounds easier than it is.

Our lives are literally spinning out of control. Why is this and how are we supposed to live in it? Greg discussed exponential growth, J curves, and living inside the widening gyre.

The choices we make often result in more stressful lives, which, in turn, “stresses God out.” In our quest to have everything “just so” (from our cereal to our vehicles to our neighborhoods), the majority of churches do not reflect the diverse body of Christ.

Though often overlooked, Jesus took breaks, he slept, and he had fun! With our culture continuously pushing us to accumulate “stuff,” it's difficult to find the time to relax. However, if we follow Christ's example, we learn that as humans we have limits that we must learn to live within.

Americans are busier than ever -- many would say their lives are out of control. Is this how God intended us to live? Greg introduces this topic through numerous real-life examples, including the perfect example: Jesus' life. And guess what...he rested!

Greg briefly contrasted learning “about” a relationship with God while listening to a sermon to “doing” your relationship with God through worship. The first is a passive task, while the latter is active and requires us to involve our heart, soul, mind, body and strength. Because both sermons and worship play an important role in spiritual development, one should not be neglected in favor of the other.

Both Sandra and Paul spoke about the many ways that the Church has failed in its health as a body. Much of the history of the Church reveals the tragedy of its inner conflicts. However, if a church or denomination claims Christ as its center, then we had better be prepared to be united with them!

The Bible speaks more about greed and injustice against those who are poor than any other particular sin. We are the richest country in the world, and we are fooling ourselves if we do not think that the words “to whom much is given much is required” apply to us. Greg was concerned that we not be trapped in guilt; at the same time, we must evaluate our habits and priorities in light of the war zone in which we live.

Our being unconscious of something does not necessarily mean that it is not real. It could just as well be that we are simply ignorant of that reality for any number of reasons. Reconciliation as described in the Bible is very real, but it must be made known and manifested in our midst if people are going to believe in it and in the One who accomplished it.

There is bad news, and we need to hear it if we are to make any sense of the good news. The bad news is we are broken. Broken in our own lives, in our lives with each other as human beings, and broken in our spiritual lives. How did we end up so broken, and what are we to do about it?

The life of faith is not really about information. It is about a dynamic relationship with the living God! We need to “set apart” our imaginations for God so that God can shape us at the level of our dreams and aspirations. God uses our imaginations as a place for us to meet Christ in a very real way so that we can understand who Christ is, and what God is calling us to.

Brenda talked about the nature of leadership and asked whether it is something we are born with or if it is something that we can cultivate. She then added a third possibility: timing. She told us about an African expression: “What called you forth?” In other words, “Why are you here, and why now?” God has an ideal plan for you, and you are here “for such a time as this.” She challenged us all to respond to the calling on our lives!

It takes discipline and self-sacrifice on the part of individuals for us as a whole to become “a community of spiritually empowered people” as stated in our church vision. As spiritual people, we are called to think more about the eternal consequences of our words and deeds.