Watch/Listen
Topic: Reconciliation
Making His-Story
Zachariah’s Song alludes to over 35 different Old Testament scriptures. With the use of phrases like “God of Israel,” “to his people,” “from our enemies,” “his servant David,” and “our father Abraham” the reader of this song should recognize how Zachariah is looking back. But he is not just looking back. He is looking back to look forward. He is using the actions of God recorded in the Old Testament as a backdrop for the even greater things God will do through Jesus Christ. With these allusions we can see how God makes His-Story, how the story of God’s dealings with Israel becomes the story of God redeeming the entire world. Read More
River of Life, Part 2
This week, Woodland Hills Church truly had a blessing! Rev. Dr. Brenda Salter-McNeil came back to preach the Word of God and finish up her two-part series “River of Life,” from her November 2004 visit. She opened up by singing “Spirit of the Living God” and reminding us that it’s only by God’s Holy Spirit that we can be empowered to do anything of Kingdom value. Read More
Living in the Big Story
In this sermon, Greg reinforces the message of the Kingdom of God by helping us see our lives not only in relationship to ourselves and those closest to us, but also in the “big picture” of what God is doing in the world. The Kingdom of God is like a mustard seed that is growing within the world to transform it. It is not only how it impacts our personal lives that matters, but also how our personal lives participate in the larger Kingdom efforts that God is calling us to. Read More
River of Life, Part 1
Greg and Brenda delivered a powerful tag-team message: Greg offered a short six point summary of the Biblical vision for reconciliation in the Kingdom of God, followed by Brenda’s inspiring message about the living water that is within us. If we are going to allow rivers of life, or “liquid love,” the whole Gospel to move through us, we need to consider the principles of reconciliation that Brenda lays before us. Read More
Deeper Passion for Jesus
Efrem was back in our pulpit this weekend with a powerful message of hope and vision for our body! Sometimes we need to look backward for a bit to be able to see where we are going, so Efrem used Christ’s geneology in Matthew 1 as his text. Knowing where we came from can help us understand the destiny God has for us. Read More
Mission Impossible
Brenda reissued the challenge of serving a radical savior. If we feel God has called us to do the impossible, then we are indeed following the radical God of the Bible! However, if our faith doesn’t inspire us, we need to take another look at Jesus to see how far from dull and boring he really is. Brenda helped us do this using Isaiah 6 and many vivid analogies. Read More
Reconciling Churches
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! Read More
What’s Really Real?
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. Read More
Why Reconcile?
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? Read More
Who? Me?
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! Read More
