Woodruff Road Christian Church Sermons

This may come as a surprise to some, but probably not: I’ve been told more often than I care to admit to “Act my age.” 99% of the time it is because I was doing something that was determined to be below my age-level. As more and more responsibility has come my way, the opportunities … The post Act Your Age/God is Seriously Serious about Saving Us. appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

Have you ever asked yourself about how far God’s grace really goes? What about how long eternity is? What about this question: “If I were the only person left on earth, would He still have died for me?” Well, if you haven’t asked yourself these questions, do so now and try and come up with … The post Is it ever enough?/ God is Blessing His People. appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

2 Peter 1:3 By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. Thats what it looks like – everything. We have been … The post Everything? Really? appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

In today’s sermon (02/16/2020) I mentioned that tripping can’t stop us on our journey. Just because we trip, or have a hiccup in the plan, or fall on our face does not mean the plan is a failure. Every step we take contains a risk for a fall. That applies to us as individuals AND … The post Have a nice trip? appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

I confess, I’ve been very negative about Esther’s story for a very long time. There are many details about the characters and their actions (reactions, really) that just rub me the wrong way. They are NOT examples or heroes, in the same way Samson is NOT a role-model. But there is something about the story … The post When things are darkest… appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

Ours is a different kind of narrative.  You might think that with all the setup for our sermon series on Esther (3 weeks now) we would 1) at least have made it out of chapter 1; and 2) that we would have actually talked about Esther.  We’ve done neither.  There is good reason, so let … The post A Different Kind of Story… appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

Ok – I spent an entire morning telling you all that Esther 4:11 was the key verse of the book… it’s 4:13. If you feel so moved – you can now respond to this message…… “Just as I am without one plea…….” We spent time today (01/19/20) looking at the Book of Esther, which despite … The post 4:13 (and Esther’s real name) appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

I still find it ironic that Jesus told His disciples that He had a NEW command for them…waiting until their ears perked up… then told them to “Love each other.” I imagine they would deflate a little having just heard again, literally, the one thing they ALWAYS heard and needed to learn most from Jesus … The post A New Commandment… (Christmas in One Word: Hope) appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

The Christmas narrative, as we discussed a little yesterday (12/16/19), can be taken away from by the sheer volume of distractions this time of year. Nativity Scenes focus on the unique nature of the physical birth of Christ. Christmas songs tell of all the Joy made available to all the world. And Christmas special upon … The post Tough Love appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

This is one of those topics that really should not have to be addressed in Church. But again and again, we’ve missed the point and continue to seek definition and identity through other means. I’m talking of course about the word “Blessing.”   This time of year holds many “blessings” whether you’re a Christ-follower or … The post We would have quit. appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

It is Christmas-time 2019. Our theme for this season’s sermons and worship services is “Christmas in One Word.” Yesterday was “Joy.” The upcoming week’s topic will be “Peace.” Those sound pretty easy to work through and talk about right? We have joy… we know what peace looks like. Right?…… Right? Maybe not. We’re too easily … The post You know what they say, “Context, Context, Context.” appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

Don’t say Christmas…. or Black Friday… or nausea. Ok, you’re probably all saying that because that’s where our minds go when asked that question. Children’s eyes are now FIRMLY fixed on the many benefits of Christmas. Our eyes… (assuming everyone reading this is mostly an adult), should be fixed on the truest benefit we’ve received … The post What comes after Thanksgiving? appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

when he sang: “One of God’s greatest gifts….. is unanswered prayers.” (click here if that reference isn’t understood) Ok, maybe that was a bit too dramatic and WAY too country to start a blog. But let’s explore the concept of God’s response to our prayers for a short moment today. There is a chasm-sized difference … The post I think Garth Brooks said it best… appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

There are a few lessons that we (adults) like to keep our distance from. Those lessons are: obedience and sharing. We like them……..for children and dogs. Adults traditionally do not like being told to follow the rules (just go to a little league game and watch the stands) or to share what they have. As … The post Sharing… a hard lesson for all appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

Let’s be real – we’ve made a mess of our (Church) own history. Do me a favor and check out this simplified Church History diagram, I’ll wait… (click here) Did you do it? Because what they show is a looooooong line of splits and disagreements and divides and…. you get the picture. What are those … The post Meanwhile, down in How’s-ville appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

What happened to Grace?  We happened to Grace.  Throughout history there have been those that assume they are the chosen, select, most-favored. Right now I’m pretty sure we think that. Along with that thinking comes the temptation and tendency to hoard the blessings that so obviously ours.  Let’s not get confused though – I’m not … The post Sharing the Popsicles appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

What is the first thing most of us think when we hear the alarm clock go off in the morning? “I wish I had more time to sleep.”  What is the thought most of us have when the weekend comes to a close and we look back on all the things we wish we could’ve … The post Eternity is a Long Time. appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

That is a great question. If you’re following along at home, our sermon series has been all about Big Thinking – adjusting how we think about the churchy stuff we talk about a lot but never seem to get a solid grasp of. Yesterday’s (10/13/19) Big Thinking moment was on Discipleship. That is most definitely … The post “What should we do?” appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

There are a few words in the English language that don’t seem to belong together – most of the time we call those “oxymorons.” And most of the time, the pairing of those two words creates a humorous, disjointed connection. (i.e. jumbo-shrimp). Let me throw the two words we spent time with yesterday (10/06/19) back … The post Two words that just don’t belong together. appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

Small thinking is a BIG problem. If there are problems with the stability of a home, small thinking looks at the roof joists and not the foundation. If there is a problem with a relationship, small thinking looks at only the most recent interaction and not the history of the relationship. Small thinking looks at … The post Small Thinking appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

Psalm 119:16 – I will delight in your decrees… Psalm 119: 27 – Help me understand the meaning of your commandments, and I will meditate on your wonderful deeds. Psalm 119: 31 – I cling to your laws… Psalm 119: 32 – I will pursue your commands Psalm 119: 72 – Your instructions are more … The post If you can’t say it this way… appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

Have you ever had to watch one of those policy and procedure videos for a job? You know the ones that over-dramatize the basic elements of work and safety to “equip” you to handle yourself properly no matter the emergency or circumstance? Yeah – think about those right now. How do you approach your time … The post My heart wasn’t in it… appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

Talk about a loaded statement… Those guys in Mission Impossible ALWAYS chose to accept the mission. Always. How about us? Seriously, if I was given the option to choose NOT to fight terrorists and jump out of airplanes and get beat up……. I’d pass. I choose chips and salsa. Love God, Share Jesus, Serve Humbly… … The post Your Mission – should you choose to accept it. appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

We’re walking through our mission statement in this mini-series of sermons. Steps one and two are vital to understand before we get to our final piece. 1. Love God. Step one is the foundational relationship we have with our Creator. Do we know Him intimately? Do we even WANT to know Him that well? I … The post Love God, Share Jesus… appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

We are looking ahead right now at WRCC – that includes vision, mission, and purpose. The good news is that we do not need to come up with anything new – it’s already there. “Love God, Share Jesus, Serve Man.” The bad news is that this has been mostly overlooked and kept at a distance. … The post Speed Dating appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

I read a post this week that has stuck with me a bit – and I wanted to lay them at your feet now, hopefully to do the same:  1. Knowing the Bible is not the same as knowing Christ.2. Preaching sermons is not the same as loving people.3. Teaching godliness is not the same … The post More. appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

Yesterday (July 28) the sermon took a turn into inconclusive territory: trying to grasp the full character of God. I say inconclusive because we are so limited in our perspective and are so quick to judge the whole being of God based on limited evidence. Here’s the crux of the issue we looked at: The … The post Selfless appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

In Christ Alone. My favorite hymn, of which we sang this most recent Sunday morning (July 21). Here is my post and question for anyone reading this today: Is Christ Enough? The premise of the song and statement we make is that “Indeed, Christ alone is enough for me.” Is He though? If this is … The post In Chris Alone (yes that is an intentional typo). appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

If you’ve never worn glasses, you may not understand what I’m about to talk about…  If you have though, I’m expecting you may join me in one of my most desired wishes: Boundary-less vision. Without glasses, I can see blurry blobs. With my glasses I can see clearly……within the limits of the frames of my … The post Looking through a new keyhole… appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

“Your mission, should you choose to accept it…” Really, did anyone in Mission Impossible ever not accept the mission? It seems like all we were being set up with was: “This is going to be very hard and the fate of the world hangs in the balance, so here’s what this movie needs to accomplish…” … The post Trust and Confidence in the Mission (should you choose to accept it) appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

Remember that scene in Dead Poet’s Society when the teacher has the entire class stand on their desks to get a different point of view? I’m not saying we should try that right now – but the concept is certainly worth looking at. For too long the only perspective many in Church have had on religion … The post A Change of View… appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

There is a better question to ask when we, Christians – earth dwellers, cry out in lament or frustration about God’s apparent lack of attention on us. Too often we’re stuck yelling “Why Me?” or “Why God, Why?” What is unspoken in those questions is the concept that God is different NOW because of our … The post Who Moved? appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

I like change. Sometimes I like change simply to change. Change doesn’t scare me, it exhilarates me. For some, change is right up there with public speaking, horse flies, and mosquitoes in likability. Jesus was all about change. Sometimes He was methodical and formulaic in proposing change and growth. The Sermon on the Mount is … The post High ReDefinition appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

We’ve almost made it to the end of our Sermon on the Mount sermon series! This week’s entry (05/19/19) took us into what appears to be the harshest warning brought to us by Jesus in the entire section of text. But my question today is this: “Is it really that much worse than the rest … The post Is the Ending Really All that Much Worse? appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

Warning: This is not a happy post, but rather one that (Hopefully) raises some questions/concerns. Read on intrepid reader! In a moment of profound worship yesterday (05/12/19), two teenagers sang us a song that elicited one universal  response from most of us: “Wow.” The song? “Lead Me to the Cross.” Here’s where I’m camping this … The post Lead Me to the Couch……wait, I meant Cross. appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

So I really like Batman – from the old television series to the most recent film iterations. If it is Batman on screen, I like it. (Except Batman & Robin, that was horrible). Anyway – there’s a moment in the film Batman Begins that helps define who Bruce Wayne is to become and how it affects … The post Yeah…What Batman just Said. appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

I recall many a youth rally and church event growing up in which we sang “Seek Ye First.” This song was a staple of my younger years… The tune and vibrancy of the arrangement that is. The message of the song (a direct pull from the Sermon on the Mount and Jesus’ temptation in the … The post Seeking Everything BUT the Kingdom First… appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

The Triumphal Entry, Passion Week, Good Friday, and Resurrection Sunday have come and gone. So now what? Here is what I fear is going to happen (because it happens every year after every major religious event/holiday): We are back to business as usual, orderly worship services, and regularly scheduled programming. In other words, we’re back … The post He is Risen Indeed!……….so now what? appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

In lieu of a blog post this week, I want to provide a guide for walking toward Easter Sunday. Spend time each day in Scripture and prayer as the moment of ultimate victory over sin and death is approaching!! Monday: Luke 19:45 – 20:8 Questions to answer: 1). If Jesus were to enter your life in … The post Passion Week Readings and Devotionals appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

Whether it’s a poorly done tattoo, rap song, or finale to a lame argument, saying: “Only God Can Judge Me” is a falsehood. Literally EVERYONE can judge you………and probably already have. Now, I’m not going to say that God won’t judge you, because He most certainly will. Trying to limit the judgement to just God … The post “Only God Can Judge Me.” — “False, I have already judged you.” appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

I had an interesting thought a few years back when considering why someone would stick in a dying church. Why? Why stay? Why fight so hard when the ship has obviously sunk? Relationship. What I discovered was almost universally along the lines of “My family has gone here for generations;” Or “My great-grandfather started this … The post The Friends We Make Along the Way. appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

Without regret. Not even giving one THOUGHT to regret. How many moments do we look back upon with doubt about our choice of action? How many moments have passed us by in which we should have made the right choice? We are not looking backward now WRCC! We look forward, to the moments and opportunities coming … The post Unapologetic. appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

It’s fascinating just how much we can hide. Wait, let me rephrase that… It’s amazing how much we think we can hide. I’ve never hidden money under a mattress, but I’ve definitely heard of people doing as such. Personally, I think such an idea is risky at best. Here’s why: Matt 6: 19 – Don’t … The post Store in a Cool, Dry Place. appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

How many things have we done in our lives only because we’ve been promised a reward? Many things….. So many things. As a parent, there are times we only make it out the door on time because we’ve mortgaged the future in candy as leverage to  “just get you pants, shoes, and socks on!!!” How often … The post I did it all for the Mansion. appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

“I don’t speed unless I’m in a big hurry.” “I always tell the truth…..unless it doesn’t hurt someone.” “I don’t take shortcuts and skimp on work….unless the boss is not around and I can get out a few minutes early.” We consider these rather harmless exceptions. If no one gets hurt, or in the case … The post No Exceptions appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

In Matthew 5 Jesus includes two thoughts that bookend the chapter. When connected, there is a truth presented that remains very relevant to modern Christians: Who’s company will we strive to keep? Matt 5: 12b …And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way. Matt 5: 46 – 47 If you love only … The post The Company We Keep… appeared first on Woodruff Road Christian Church.

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