Westview Church Podcast

Minnesotans are very familiar with the pastime of complaining about how bad roads are and how bad it is when they are being repaired. Even in the abundance of ease of transportation, we are prone to grumble in discontentment. But it isn't just roads. Listen to Toby's exhortation to be content in abundance for more.

Knock on the door of a top-ten YouTuber's HQ, and you will likely get no answer. If that person is inaccessible as famous as he is, does that mean God is just as inaccessible? Wonderfully, no. Rather, we seek God who is Creator, the Holy One, and the King of Glory. Listen to Dr. Joshua Greever's (Associate Professor of New Testament at Bethlehem College & Seminary) sermon on Psalm 24 for more.

If you are hiking up a mountain and get caught in a thunderstorm, it can be an unsettling experience. Do you press on up the mountain or turn back? If there is refuge to be found at the top, that is the place to run. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Psalm 91 for more.

Imagine a newlywed husband describing the beauty and sweetness of their fiftieth wedding anniversary to his bride. Over the years, she cherishes and thinks often of this thought. All the while, she has slipped in realizing she is presently married. She has her husband now. We do similarly when we walk like the dead. Listen to Michael's exhortation for more.

Psalm 36 draws attention to our need to recognize sin as sin. Our sin is rebellion against God that will be called to account and determine our eternal future. In our rebellion we have no fear of God, yet we behold God's unimpeachable character to deliver and save. Wickedness from without and within is confronted by the righteous LORD unto destruction or deliverance. And our only hope is by faith to flee to the LORD for refuge. For God—our God—is the dreadful, delightful, and delivering LORD. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Psalm 36 for more.

Here is an article titled, "The Door-Knocker's Premises," written and read by Pastor Brett. You can read this article at https://westviewchurchmn.com/blog.

God loves to teach adults through the example of children. A child overwhelmed with frustration finds relief when she cries out to her mother for help. That is the very pattern God summons us to follow. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation to cry to the Lord for more.

In light of the command to rejoice in the Lord (Psalm 97:12, Joel 2:23, Philippians 4:4) and the fruit of the Spirit who produces joy (Galatians 5:22), does that mean if we are pursuing happiness that Christians ought always be on an emotional high? No, this happiness is not a trivial, chipper demeanor. It is one that is an undercurrent of confidence even when we don't desire God. Listen to Pastor David's sermon on Psalm 42 for more.

One means of grace that we may take for granted is the confession of sin to one another. Each week in our public worship, we set aside time to confess our sin to the Lord. But James 5:16 commends us to "confess your sins to one another." Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation for more.

Pursuing joy is not optional because God's glory is not optional. But with all this talk about joy, what about the biblical call to self-denial? Such a call is patterned after Jesus, is never an end in itself, esteems eternity, and seeks the approval of Christ. Listen to Pastor David's sermon on Mark 8:34-38 for more.

As Westview marks its fifth anniversary as a church, listen to a few member testify of God's faithfulness and give attention to Pastor David's exhortation to adorn the doctrine of God through our own faithfulness.

You should be a hedonist. The God of the universe means for you to find unending pleasure in the only thing that can so satisfy: God himself. This is what the gospel is about. Do you make that connection between finding your satisfaction in God and the gospel? Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 1 Peter 3:18 at the outdoor service marking Westview's fifth anniversary as a church.

Is there ever a situation or context where it is good and right for you to say, "No," to the Lord? Consider that our God made humanity in a "garden of yes" or that the Lord Jesus always said, "Yes," to his Father's will. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation to never say, "No."

How is it that you decide to do what it is that you do? You could use a framework of comparative virtues and vices or one focused on adhering to stated rules. But could you make a decision from your own joy in doing the thing? Would such a motive undermine the inherent value or goodness of the deed? Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 2 Corinthians 8:1-7 and 9:6-8 to hear how we are encouraged to do good for others for our joy.

Titus 3:1-7 connects our conduct with one another to the saving work of Christ. Listen to that same connection and "heed the parable" that Pastor David shares in this exhortation.

There are two ways you can evaluate an idea or experience—you can look at it or you can look along it. In considering why we should seek happiness, we do well to do both as we are commanded, promised, and modeled to be most satisfied in God that he would be most glorified in us. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Philippians 1:20-23 for more.

Here is an article titled, "Finding Identity," written and read by Annie Chase. You can read this article at https://westviewchurchmn.com/blog.

If God needs nothing, ultimately acts for his own glory in all things, and eternally delights in himself, why should we worship? Listen to Pastor Zach's sermon on John 4:23-24 for more.

Here is an article titled, "Pursuing Joy in Generosity," written and read by Pastor Brett. You can read this article at https://westviewchurchmn.com/blog.

The wrath of God against sin was famously and rightly highlighted in Jonathan Edwards' sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” We do well to reflect on such truths. Listen to Toby Phillips' exhortation for more.

Why are certain men called “father”? It isn't a mere biological reality, nor is it a projection for us to refer to God as Father. Men are fathers because God is. And God is Father means he pursues happiness. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on John 17:24-26 and God's delight in God for more.

We have begun publishing articles on our website, westviewchurchmn.com/blog. To make these resources more broadly accessible to our members, equipping you in following Christ in all of life, here is “The Market Demand for Chaplains” written and read by Pastor Brett.

Are you walking according to the Spirit? How would you know? Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation for more.[Tag: Romans 8:1-8, Galatians 5:16-26]

"All men seek happiness." That is conclusion of 17th century philosopher Blaise Pascal. We experience happiness when we function according to our design. However, if we're going to do that, we need to know our Designer's purpose. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on Ephesians 1:3-6 in answering the question, "What is God's greatest purpose?"

The brief book of Jude exhorts us to keep ourselves in the love of God by building, praying, and waiting. Doing so moves us to overflow in evangelistic joy, "snatching them out of the fire." But we are not left to ourselves to attain this—God is the one who keeps us (v.24). Listen to Gabe Johnson's exhortation for more.

As we listen to the prophet Joel, we hear him speak of devastating judgment, redeeming restoration, and sharing in the blessing that comes through repentance that is inward, outward, and Godward. Listen to this reading of the book of Joel and Pastor David's sermon on the whole book.

The commendation for being a fellow laborer is invalid if we do not commit ourselves to any activity sanctioned by Jesus for his disciples. We must exert ourselves in the things Scripture exhorts us in with gospel sweat. Listen to Pastor David's exhortation to do the work for more.

Hell is real. Unity is hard. Christ is coming. In verses that can too easily be glossed over, we see the apostle brings 1 Corinthians to a close in a similar way to how he began it: giving attention the theological reality of God's blood-bought people and the preciousness of Christ himself. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 1 Corinthians 16:19-24 for more.

If you walk into a dirty room that is just utterly filthy, you will quickly recognize that the occupant needs to learn how to clean. The same is true in seeking and offering forgiveness. We can't just offer up a generic, "Sorry." We need to confess fully. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation for more.

In a passage like 1 Corinthians 16:10-18, we need to do the diligent work of moving from the original context, across the bridge of the universal principle, in order to land on application for our lives. In doing so, we see we ought to be subject to fellow workers and act like men. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon for more.

There is a place for godly ambition—doing great things, daring great things in the name of the Lord. But we must not, particularly moms, be discontent with the simple faithfulness of our place in life. Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation for more.

Robert Moffat spent fifty-four years laboring for the advance of the gospel among the Tswana people of South Africa. He saw little fruit of his labors. What could keep him at such work for so long? The perfect patience of Christ to save sinners. Listen to Connor Kennedy's sermon on 1 Timothy 1:15-17 for more.

We ought to be stirred up in our diligent labors by looking to the ant. It requires no parent, no supervisor, no authority, yet labors faithfully. Work is good, and no small work should be despised. Listen to Michael Urch's exhortation to not walk in idleness for more.

You give it away and try to get more every day. You have argued about it, but you don't talk about it with others. What is it? Money. The love of which is the root of all kinds of evils (1 Timothy 6:10). There are a number of ways to safeguard against such a danger, one of which is planned generosity for gospel partnership. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 1 Corinthians 16:1-9 for more.

Are you ready for the world to come? Are you ready to engage in that life that Christ has secured for eternity? There will be no one in Heaven who does not want to be there, so is there even now a growing desire for the Kingdom of God? Listen to Pastor David's exhortation for more.

"Preach the gospel, die, and be forgotten." Is that a motto you would ascribe to for your life? It comes from an 18th century German count who saw no disconnect between the resurrected Christ and the work to be done today. Neither does the Apostle Paul. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 1 Corinthians 15:58 to be challenged be steadfast in the hope of the resurrection by abounding in the work of the Lord knowing such work will not be in vain.

The Tenth Commandment might not be climactic but it is different as it takes place in the heart. What happens in your heart when a friend receives something good? Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation to not covet for more.

When was the first time in your life you experienced death? How do you make sense of this world in light of the problem that is death? First Corinthians 15:51-57 not only provides the solution but provokes us to the boldness of confident hope that God is giving us the victory. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon for more.

Why is stealing wrong? Because when we take what we haven't worked for and what we don't deserve, we tarnish the image of God that we bear. And even if you've never shoplifted, you still might be a thief; stealing takes many forms, but it always robs God of something he has entrusted us or others to steward. Listen to this week's exhortation from Toby Phillips for more.

Wake up, and know your God! The reality of the resurrection of the dead transforms how God's people live: we are to proclaim the resurrection through a life of sacrifice, and we have hope and contentment now as we fix our eyes on Christ, our ultimate treasure. Listen to Pastor Zach's sermon on I Corinthians 15:29-34 to learn how to live in the knowledge of the resurrection.

The lifelong covenant of marriage is like a greenhouse that allows sexual expression to flourish and bear fruit. Meanwhile, adultery is a blight to the one-faith union, telling lies about the gospel. And lust is adultery in seed form. Listen to Pastor Zach's exhortation on the Seventh Commandment to learn why our sexual behavior matters to God.

As we grieve, lament, and question the pervasive presence of death in this world, our perspective is that of Mary and Martha: we wait between the promise of resurrection and its possession. But we do not wait in vain. Christ has in fact been raised from the dead, and his resurrection guarantees both the resurrection of all believers and the triumph of God's kingdom. Listen to Pastor David's sermon on I Corinthians 15:20-28 for more.

Jesus intensifies the Sixth Commandment when he says any who are angry are liable to judgment. Murder begins at the heart and overflows from there. Its root is the disease of anger that can only be remedied by One who was so filled with love there was no room for anger. Listen to Michael Urch's exhortation for more.

Omitting the resurrection from a presentation of the gospel is to leave the work of Christ without effect. There is no salvation if Christ is not raised. And that's the claim we make by believing—or functioning as though—we all will not be raised. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 1 Corinthians 15:11-19 for more. 

The command to honor your father and mother is one to be obeyed throughout your life, not just when you are a child. This is because this commandment serves as a training ground for honoring the LORD who is the one to grant the promise associated with the command. Have you maximally honored your parents? Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation for more.

Out of the frying pan and into the fire. One may think 1 Corinthians 15 marks a turn to a great exposition of the significance of the resurrection. It is, but Paul does so because the Corinthians do not merely have a church problem, they have a gospel problem. This gospel problem threatens to reveal that they believed in vain. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon on 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 for more.

The Sabbath command has caused no little disagreement over its present day observation. But at the heart, the command to remember the Sabbath is a command to remember who it is that we rely on for our provision. Who is it that you are really trusting in? Listen to Pastor Brett's exhortation to remember the Sabbath.

Whether addressing little children, middle schoolers, or a legislative body, rules are responses. The stem from a particular situation to not be repeated or are a proactive attempt to steer the desired direction. The Apostle Paul provides gracious guidelines in 1 Corinthians 14:26-40 to direct churches to walk according to God's design of gatherings being decent and orderly. Listen to Pastor Brett's sermon for more.

Who gathers to talk about death—your own death? In contemporary culture, death has been pushed to the margin. Meanwhile, 150,000 people die every single day. Psalm 90:12 says we gain heart of wisdom when we learn to number our days. Listen to Pastor Zach's homily from the Memento Mori service.

A family will exhibit characteristics that give shape and definition to what it means to be a member of that family. The clearest example of this is a common last name. When a child is adopted, the last name is taken on. And this is what the Lord calls us to in bearing his name. Listen to Toby Phillips' exhortation to bear the name not in vain for more.

Tools have a clear design and purpose. You can use a tool for an undesigned purpose, but using the right tool for the right job works far better. The same is true in our zeal and desire for spiritual things. Rather than fixate on all receiving the same gift all the time—like how some Christians have regarded the gift of tongues—we ought to desire any gift that the Spirit deems best for the building up of the common good. Listen to Pastor Brett's second sermon on 1 Corinthians 14:1-25 for more on this gift of tongues.