Hear weekly sermons and interviews with community leaders - From Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church (High Point, NC)
If you seek to live for God, how well could you handle resistance or persecution? A prevailing theme of 1 Peter is suffering for the sake of Jesus. He is writing to a deeply persecuted people. Many of his readers have lost mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters. Everyone had someone they had lost to religious violence, largely precipitated by Rome or Jewish religious leaders. We are able to worship freely because others paid the price so we could stand here today and proclaim freely the Gospel of Jesus Christ, here and around the world. Spiritual freedom precedes civic freedom. What do you think brought down that Berlin Wall? Or that a revival was happening in tandem with the American revolution? During WWII, families that lost a family member would get a letter from General Eisenhower or Harry Truman. The letter would accompany a gold star for their lapel to signify that they were a gold star family. As sobering and painful as that must have been, imagine getting a letter from the apostle Peter. But instead of condolences, Peter also encourages his reader: maintain focus. Every person dies, but not every person truly lives. Those who die for Jesus have truly lived. How so? Arm yourself with the same attitude Jesus had. When I arm myself with something, I strap it to my body. To arm means it becomes part of you
Everyone does theology. Even if you say, God does not exist, you have a theology or an anti theology that impacts your worldview. Because everyone has theological beliefs,Theology gives us context for meaning. What you believe about God or the Bible, or what you don't believe, is the most important thing about you, because those beliefs translate into how we view human relationships and our place in the world. If you have a false belief about God, it will impact every other area of your life. The converse is also true. We all approach scripture or theology with a filter. Dispense your filter. If we think rightly we can believe rightly and can live rightly. Transformation begins in the mind. Do not be conformed to the patterns of this world, but Be transformed by the renewal of your mind. Romans 12:2. Theology gives us context for meaning. This is applicable to Mother's Day. What is the biblical approach to motherhood, to husbands and wives,?
On good shepherd Sunday, we remember that Jesus Christ is our good shepherd. As He has led us here on earth, He will also lead us to life eternal.
when we show forgiveness, meekness, humility in the face of oppression, we are exhibiting the ultimate form of human weakness, and conversely exhibiting the highest form of behavior as a citizen of heaven. When you show forgiveness in the face of oppression, you are putting your life in the hands of God and essentially saying to your enemy, “The Lord rebuke you. Its in His hands, not mine any longer.”
Sometimes the best course of action is counterintuitive of what you would expect.
Being stuck is the worst. FEELING stuck in life is also the worst. When you're stuck, the worst thing to do is push the accelerator and dig the hold deeper. Maybe try something different. Life can be hard or hard, so you might as well do the hard thing for God rather than yourself.
In this passage, two themes are present: Salvation inheritance by faith; Faith and joy purified through trials.
Apart from knowing the light of Christ, humanity is in the darkness of the tomb
The same spirit that breathed life into the universe, that created the hosts of heaven, can live within you. The same spirit of power that rose Christ from the dead can live within you.
If there was one passage of Scripture I would take on a desert island, it would be Romans 8. Its message is that important. Welcome to Wesley Memorial Church! We are a grace-filled, loving and warm-hearted congregation that is firmly rooted in the classic and orthodox Wesleyan stream of Christianity. Click SUBSCRIBE above! LIke and comment on this video. subscribe to our podcast on iTunes - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wesley-memorial-church-high-point-nc-sermons-podcast/id1473843839 For prayer request, to learn more or to make your own decision for Jesus Christ, visit wesleymemorial.org Follow us on: facebook.com/wesleymemhp instagram.com/wesleymemhp x.com/wesleymemhp Enable our Alexa skill. Just say, "Alexa, enable Wesley Memorial Church." To play the latest sermon, just say "Alexa, play Wesley Memorial Church." #church #churchonline #watchchurchonline #christianity #biblestudy #sermons #inspriationalmessages
What does it mean to be saved by faith in Christ alone? How are we justified in the sight of God?
Your hope is only as powerful as its object. All people need hope. In Christ your hope is never misplaced.
We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone
February 25, 2026
February 23, 2026
One man's sin (Adam) brought death. Another man's death (Jesus Christ) brought abundant life.
Why is there death? How did Jesus' death on the cross actually defeat death? These are important questions to ponder, especially during Lent, and the good news is that Bible gives us answers.
February 16, 2026
February 9, 2026
The cross of Christ is the most important event in all of human history. It is a stumbling block to the proud, and salvation to the humble of heart. There are many malevolent forces that seek to obfuscate the message of the cross. 1 Corinthians 1:18 tells us that "The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God." You can't be middle of the road with the Cross of Christ. God wants you to live. Where do you stand with the message of the Cross?
We don't talk about the Spirit enough, and yet he is the most vital to our daily spiritual lives, for it is the Spirit who empowers these gifts in everyone for the common good, Paul says. “Gifted hands. Gifted eyes. Gifted ears.” No hand our eyes or ears do anything. It is the brain that makes it happen. If I go brain dead, my hands fall limp. If my brain goes, so goes the sermon from my mouth. I can look through binoculars but the binoculars do not see. They are the instrument through which I see. That the brain works through the organs. And that if the brain is not there, or if it stops functioning, then all the organs stop functioning too. In the same way, Christ is the Head of the Church. His Spirit works through our gifts, which is why its important to know your giftedness and act on it. The Spirit helps us have meaning and gifts to use.
In Christ's presence we find true meaning
We make resolutions for parts of our lives that we feel are deficient and in need of improvement. Here's a winning resolution: discover the meaning of life, and then go do that. We need meaning in life. A reason. I were to ask to meet with you, you would want a reason. But when it comes to your life, some may run from seeking an answer. What is the meaning of life? Why are we here? What is the reason I'm doing anything? What's my reason for life? The great thinkers have challenged us to stand back and answer that question, “what am I living for?” And of course they have arrived at many different perspectives, but as they drilled down deeper, they arrived at the inevitable conclusion: without God, life is meaningless. But in Jesus Christ, you can have true meaning and true freedom.
Obedience is hard because it is the absence of control. All obedience is driven by faith. You're trusting someone or something that is bigger than yourself. Every day in this next year is going to be impacted by people and events that you can't always control. This is life. Most of the best things in my life I didn't orchestrate, and the bad things I didn't anticipate. So many today are frustrated because they can't make life work the way they want it to work. Some things are uncontrollable so we overcompensate: Some men are workaholics because it's about control: if I can just gather enough stuff the future can't touch me. Some men or women have a bad temper, the fear that he might explode lets him get his way. Some teenagers unfortunately bully others because it makes them feel in control of a life that often feels out of control. Time and chance happen to everyone. A wise person realizes that life is uncontrollable at times. We have the choice to be obedient to a higher way or attempt to sit on the throne of our lives and pretend to be God. We are creatures, not the creator. We're all recovering control freaks in some ways, which is why obedience can be a challenge, and control freaks live with a constant irritation: people. “If only all these people would just get out of my way. You people are constantly doing what we don't want you to do.” Already during this holiday season, over the span of 24 hours I saw more illegal and dangerous driving maneuvers than I witnessed in all of this past year. It's one thing to be obedient to God in a casual way, in a manner that fits your timing or your schedule. It's quite another to be obedient to God when life is hard, to be obedient in the moment of tension or despair or when it isn't easy. To be obedient in the moments you cannot control. It's the difference, between a “yes” and an “obedient yes” or to put it another way, an “inconvenient yes”. When you talk about an obedient yes, you have to include Mary in the conversation. Mary was placed in a situation where she was not in control and had to be obedient. Mary is given earth-shattering news: an angel visits her! And speaks! And tells her she is going to be pregnant with God's son! She hears all of this and doesn't lose her mind, but responds with beautiful obedience. Would this be inconvenient for her? Yes. Would people gossip and assume the worst of her pregnancy? Undoubtedly. People in the Bible are just like you and me and they often get it wrong. It's nice to hear a story when a regular person gets it right and gives an obedient yes.
The Bible says that parents should "Train them up in the way they should go." Notice it doesn't say that “in the way they WILL go”. This is perhaps the hardest part of parenting: your children are their own people. Parenting is perhaps the most challenging and yet potentially the most rewarding role you will ever take in your life. Families are like a garden. Great families create a culture of growth. The parents' role is to teach them in love and leave the results up to God. Along with faith, there are five things kids must learn in your family as a child that affects us as adults, per Rick Warren. What to do with your feelings “keep it to yourself” stop crying. Why? Nothing to be ashamed of. How to handle conflict: most become mute, martyr or a maniac. Or a skunk or a turtle. How parents handle conflict teaches kids the same. How to handle loss - nobody wins all the time, a loss is not the end of your life. Losses can teach us many lessons. 1980s - 1st, 2nd or 3rd. Now - ribbons for all. Cat died: my dad buried, had a funeral. They didn't say “move on, we'll get another one”. It taught me its ok to be sad and how to process it. Prov 24;16 - even if good people fall, they get back up again. Resilience is the most important aspect of life in order to be successful, to keep on getting back up. Successful people don't quit. Learn what values matter most - the world teaches that everything is about sex. Its not. Getting praise makes you happy. Not true. Values are being communicated: sex, status and power. Good habits: habits determine your character. We grow through example. Jesus - since I have washed your feet, I have given you an example to follow. Kids don't want to hear a sermon, they want to see it. We grow through conversation. Most of our conversations center around practice or homework. Deut 6:7 - you must teach God's words to your children. Talk about the Bible. Prayer habits.
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