Shows
Whispering Pines ChurchThe Parable of the Rich Fool - Luke 12:13-21What does it look like to trust God? Is it just saying the words?
I believe that one of the complicating factors to the act of trusting in God is that we hear of it so often, ourselves declare it so often, that we can believe it is actually happening when little evidence exists that it actually is. To trust God is a holistic act. It would be foolish to say that one entrusts God with their soul, but not their finances. But as ridiculous as that sounds, is it not commonplace?
In Luke 12, Jesus speaks out against greed and...2024-09-1529 min
Whispering Pines ChurchThe Parable of the Rich Man & Lazarus – Luke 16This week we turn to the only parable ever offered by Jesus that names any of its characters. We find in Luke 16, a named beggar – poor and desperate, and an unnamed (and therefore representative) rich man. This story is interesting, even captivating as Jesus does not tell another story quite like this one. This parable has been used to draw conclusions about the afterlife, and salvation itself. But as we’ll see, this parable mostly has things to tell us about God and what He desires.
So, what is this parable about? It defines compassion. It tells us what compassion ough...2024-09-0127 min
Whispering Pines ChurchStories for the Road: The Parables of Jesus. The Parables Concerning the Cost of Discipleship – Luke 14Most things have a cost to them – burgers, gym memberships, a new car. We know that salvation does not have a price tag attached to it. Romans 6:23 tells us that eternal life with Jesus Christ is “the gift of God.” But what is the cost, is there a cost, to follow Christ? What should our expectations be?
In Luke 14 – placed thoughtfully between a number of other parables that tell us of God’s kindness and compassion, is a section about the cost of discipleship. It’s here that we find two parables where Jesus is upfront with His disciples about the cost tha...2024-08-1830 min
Whispering Pines ChurchStories for the Road: The Parables of Jesus. The Parable of The Shrewd ManagerIf you’ve ever been to the zoo, then you’ve probably met a strange creature that I would call a “mopey zoo lion.” Mopey zoo lions are strange creatures because they are at the same time, the king of the jungle and a lazy and disinterested creature - an animal having an existential crisis.
Mopey Zoo Lion Christianity ™ - a term I’m attempting to coin and get into widespread use, is a very real concern – so concerning that Christ addressed it 2,000 years ago. The parable we’ll be looking at this week, is called the parable of the shrewd manager...2024-08-1129 min
Whispering Pines ChurchWhispering Pines Church Community Sunday – 2024 - RedemptionHave you ever wondered why Jesus does what He does? Join us this Sunday as we explore the common thread in all that Jesus does. Jesus’ intention in acts of kindness, in forgiveness, in his confrontations with various people, always seems to be the same. Come and join us as we look at passages from John 8, Luke 9, and Luke 19 to see the heart of Jesus and what it was that consistently led him to be “moved with compassion” toward people.
This Sunday is Community Sunday, so please remember to reach out to someone that would benefit from being a part of our...2024-08-0432 min
Whispering Pines ChurchStories for the Road: The Parables of Jesus. The Parable of The Workers in The Vineyard – Matthew 20This week we turn to another parable that at first glance seems to be a critique of you and I. In the parable of the workers in the vineyard, we find a grumbling and complaining workforce – representing us. They are upset about what is in their view, unfair treatment of the workers. Like the older brother in the parable of the prodigal son, they feel slighted – they’ve been working hard all day and deserve certain things from the landowner.
But the main thrust of this passage is not our attitudes or our doing. The main point is about the landow...2024-07-2828 min
Whispering Pines ChurchStories for the Road: The Parables of Jesus. The Parables of The Treasure & The Pearl – Matthew 13Many of Jesus’ parables are spoken out in the open air, to whatever crowd happened to be gathered there. This week’s parables are the first ones recorded of Jesus speaking only to His disciples, in a home. These two short parables are beautiful for their simplicity, but also because they teach us so clearly and directly about what we can expect from God.
Far from a transactional, workplace-like relationship with a cosmic employer, God is presented here as a joy to find. A treasure that once discovered, changes everything. Join us this Sunday as we shift the paradigm, and reme...2024-07-2131 min
Whispering Pines ChurchStories for the Road: The Parables of Jesus. The Parable of the Talents – Matthew 25This week we turn to one of the last parables that Jesus ever offers to us. When we think of the parable of the talents from Matthew chapter 25, we typically think that it is a parable about how we ought to do more – for God and for others. And while this parable is certainly about being productive rather than miserly or unambitious, it is about so much more!
This parable teaches us that what will determine what sort of servant we are (and we are all servants to something or someone) – is not necessarily our own ability, talent, or ambition. It a...2024-07-1429 min
Whispering Pines ChurchStories for the Road: The Parables of Jesus. The Parable of The Lost Sons – Luke 15A couple of weeks ago we looked at Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son. This is one of the most well-known and dearly loved parables of Jesus because it reminds us of the love of God the Father. The Father is so loving, so quick to forgive, and we cherish this about our God.
This week, we finish this parable, because the story doesn’t end with the return of the younger son. In fact, the main point of this parable is not the younger son, but the older son. We know this because of who Jesus is directing this para...2024-07-0729 min
Whispering Pines ChurchStories for the Road: The Parables of Jesus. The Parables of The Lost Sheep, Coin & SonThis Sunday, we’ll be looking at three parables that put on display the nature of God. These stories of Jesus fly in the face of what our world typically has to say about God. In these stories we see a God who is searching, looking, desperate to find that which has been lost. You may not see God in the way that He is described in these parables.
Our God is missional! He is on the move. And nothing will stop Him from pursuing what has been lost. Join us this Sunday as we continue to align our vision of...2024-06-2329 min
Whispering Pines ChurchStories for the Road: The Parables of Jesus. The Parable of The Sower – Luke 8One interesting thing to note as we make our way through the parables of Jesus, is that some of His parables will trouble us more than others. You and I may be troubled by different parables. This week we turn to a parable that may be troubling for some – may raise issues that need to be addressed. The Parable of the Sower is one of Jesus’ more well-known parables, but I’m not convinced that it is always well-understood.
This story gets into the messy idea of human beings receiving the gospel – as seeds fall upon various types of soil. But what...2024-06-0931 min
Whispering Pines ChurchStories for the Road: The Parables of Jesus. The Parable of the Good Samaritan“And who is my neighbor?” What does that question mean to you? It’s a question about limits. “How far outside of my bubble must I venture?” “How far am I required to go?” Jesus responds with one of His most famous parables. It’s a parable so-well known that it is well-received and shared far beyond Christian circles – the parable of the Good Samaritan.
In order to grasp the weight of this story, we will need to do a deep-dive into the historical background presented here – and we will. But for now, know that through the use of this story, Jesus is goin...2024-06-0228 min
Whispering Pines ChurchStories for the Road: The Parables of Jesus. The Parable of the Table & the Great BanquetThis week, in our new study of the Parables of Jesus, we turn to Luke’s gospel to find our next pair of parables. Where Jesus asks of us some deep questions on the issue of importance. How important are you? How much does that matter to you?
On several occasions, the Son of God, Himself, was “accused” of being a friend of sinners. For the religious leaders of the time, this label was considered a disgrace. Yet, the designation was well-deserved. Jesus was a friend of sinners.
How we think of ourselves will often determine the sort of company we kee...2024-05-2628 min
Whispering Pines ChurchStories for the Road: The Parables of Jesus. The Parable of the Tenants – Matt. 21This week we launch our new sermon series on the parables of Jesus. In the gospels are recorded 46 parables that Jesus told to His disciples and anyone who was there to listen. He most likely told many more. This is how He communicated much of the truth that He came to share with the world.
These parables were spoken to the ordinary, using everyday situations that anyone could understand. Jesus shared them along the highways and byways of life. He told stories that surprised, with unexpected heroes and villains. He told of characters that defied expectations. Masters and fathers that...2024-05-1932 min
Whispering Pines ChurchRomans: In View of God’s Mercy, Romans 16:1-27Join us this Mother’s Day as we celebrate mothers! As a community of believers, we are so grateful for the mothers in our lives who have led a life of faith, inspired us, motivated us, and have demonstrated passionate loving kindness to each of us. Join us as we pause to acknowledge and appreciate mothers in our community!
This week we will also be wrapping up our journey through the book of Romans, which will tie in very nicely with our Mother’s Day celebration! Romans 16 is a collection of Paul’s final greetings to individuals in the Roman church...2024-05-1230 minWhispering Pines ChurchRomans: In View of God’s Mercy, Romans 15:1-33In Romans 15, Paul concludes his commands for the weak and the strong in the Roman church. Paul urges us to be inclusive and to edify one another with our actions. He strengthens his argument by appealing to the attitude of Christ. The Christians of Rome could not glorify or love God without finding unity and love for one another. Paul refers again to the promises made to the patriarchs, connecting to Romans 4. Paul also connects back to Romans 5 by encouraging the Christians in Rome with the hope given to them by God. Paul says that God has given him the...2024-05-0531 minWhispering Pines ChurchRomans: In View of God’s Mercy, Romans 14:1-23Romans 14 begins the longest single discourse in all of the Pauline letters. It is Paul’s final instruction to the Roman church. Here Paul speaks of the weak and the strong. Paul identifies himself among the “strong”, which means that the “strong” are not exclusively Gentile believers. Paul is being subtle in his language as a way to encourage both the weak and strong to welcome each other without identifying them by their ethnicity. In this way, he undermines the hierarchy shrewdly. The strong are to welcome and keep from quarreling with the weak, making sure to keep them from stumbling...2024-04-2831 minWhispering Pines ChurchRomans: In View of God’s Mercy, Romans 13:1-14This week we come to Romans 13, where Paul continues his instruction on how Christians ought to live out a faith in Christ. Here, Paul writes the most lengthy passage in Scripture on how Christians should be involved with their secular government. Throughout this chapter, and into chapter 14 and 15, Paul makes it abundantly clear that his primary desire is for followers of Christ to have a strong witness in the world.
Paul speaks of submitting to authority, living at peace with others, giving to others what is owed, and being known for love. He gives this message to churches in Rome...2024-04-2138 minWhispering Pines ChurchRomans: In View of God’s Mercy 4:1-25Romans: In View of God’s Mercy
4:1-25
One of the great mysteries of the Christian faith is this: we are at the same time in the eyes of God, sinful and righteous. We are both worthy and unworthy. Both need to be held in tension. Without remembering that Christ has made us worthy, we will sulk in our sin and live in despair. Without remembering that we are unworthy, we will become arrogant and proud.
In chapter 4, Paul uses as example two men who are heroes of the Jewish faith, Abraham and David. Their faith, Paul says, was credited to...2023-10-0831 minWhispering Pines ChurchRomans: In View of God’s Mercy 3:21-31Romans: In View of God’s Mercy
3:21-31
God is not fickle. He doesn’t change his mind. In the time leading up to Christ, He made His desires for His people clear – they should live with faithful obedience. This hasn’t changed. The requirements are still the same.
The problem is, we could never meet the standards, the requirements that God desired. But Christ did. It is the work of Christ – His perfect obedience, submission, death and resurrection that saves. Faith is the vehicle by which we cling to Christ’s work. It is “received by faith” (Romans 3:25). We should see this...2023-10-0130 minWhispering Pines ChurchRomans: In View of God’s Mercy 3:1-20Romans: In View of God’s Mercy
3:1-20
It is a shame that we are not all asked more often, “Where do you place your hope?” If only to give us the opportunity to affirm that our hope is not in who we are, what our title is, the things we have done, or what other people say about us. So, let me ask you, dear friend, “Where do you place your hope?”
For the Jewish Christians living in first-century Rome, their hope was found in Christ… and in their Jewishness. Their possession of the law and their circumcision were marks that t...2023-09-2429 minWhispering Pines ChurchRomans: In View of God’s Mercy 2:17-29Romans: In View of God’s Mercy
2:17-29
Growing up it was easy to think that Scripture was mainly written for other people. As I read the stories of the lepers Jesus touched and healed, prostitutes He sat with and forgave of their sins, and the thief hanging next to Him on the cross, I thought my main takeaway was that I ought to be compassionate toward the same.
While this is certainly true, and an important aspect of the narrative that we must apply to ourselves, Romans reminds us that we must apply Scripture one step further. I am th...2023-09-1729 minWhispering Pines ChurchRomans: In View of God’s Mercy 1:18-32Romans: In View of God’s Mercy
1:18-32
In this second half of Romans 1, Paul sounds like the psalmist, wondering why there is such evil and sin in the world. We look for God to make right what has been so wrong. Paul is honest about sin, holding nothing back. God’s punishment for people who crave what is so self-destructive? He gives it to them. He allows them to have what will ultimately destroy them. God is fair in this way.
Like any good exposition on the gospel, the story must begin with our sin. In order to have a fu...2023-09-0344 minWhispering Pines ChurchRomans: In View of God’s Mercy 1:1-17Romans: In View of God’s Mercy
1:1-17
Join us this Sunday as we begin a new series in the book of Romans. The letter to the
Romans was written by Paul in AD 57. Here, Paul writes to churches that he has never
met, never visited. Christians in Rome face many of the same challenges and
opportunities that we presently face. They lived in a world that made many promises
and gloried in itself. Paul writes to instruct them on a proper theology of Christ and of
salvation, critical issues they will need to understand as they live in a wor...2023-08-2751 minWhispering Pines ChurchWords to Live by: EnduranceWords to Live by:
Endurance
We all want to endure, to be truly resilient. Paul spoke of running the race so
as to win, “to get the prize” (1 Cor. 9). But our hope is to not merely find a
way to sneak across the finish line, to “survive” this life, but to live whole
lives of meaning and purpose. To not lose sight of the mission over the
course of our lives.
To learn about enduring, we turn to Jesus. He did not merely eke out an
existence, but lived a life of intention. How did He do this? How did He keep
fr...2023-08-2038 minWhispering Pines ChurchWords to Live by: SurrenderWords to Live by:
Surrender
All that matters is…
How we finish that sentence will tell us much about who we are and what
we value. What comes to mind for you? This week in our ongoing series of
words to live by, we look at the word surrender. What role does surrender
have in the life of a follower of Christ? What does it mean to surrender
your life to God?
In the book of Genesis, God creates for Himself a people. He hand-picks a
man named Abram from which to build a people. What does God ask of
Abram...2023-08-0632 minWhispering Pines ChurchWords to Live by: ForgivenessWords to Live by:
Forgiveness
“Forgiving” may be one of the sweetest ways to describe Jesus Christ.
As Christians, we stand forgiven because of what Christ has done for
us. To be forgiven is an incredible thing, a life-giving reality. We praise
God because He is both holy and loving, a God who forgives and relents
from sending calamity. He is known for His mercy.
We prefer for God to be in the role of “forgiver.” Yet we are called to
forgive as He has forgiven us. We don’t like this. To forgive another
person can feel like letting a guilty per...2023-07-3041 minWhispering Pines ChurchWords to Live by: VulnerabilityWords to Live by:
Vulnerability
This Sunday we’re going to begin a new series of study that I'm calling, “Words to Live By,” about the difficult practices that Christ calls us to. Each week we will explore transformative words like: Forgiveness, Reconciliation, Sacrifice, and Surrender. We don’t like these words because they push us, challenge us, demand more from us.
This week, we will begin with an introduction to the series and take a look at our first word to live by, Vulnerability. In the natural world, vulnerability is almost always an accident, a flaw, a mistake. But Christ h...2023-07-2338 minWhispering Pines ChurchDavid: A Life with God/2 Samuel 23-24David: A Life with God
2 Samuel 23-24
This week we come to the end of the story of David and his life with God. David has been found to be complex and relatable, a man after God’s own heart, and a man who still made terrible and selfish decisions. But this story has been about so much more than a man. God is on every page. It was God who raised him up. God who gave him victory over Goliath. God who made him king. God who forgave his monumental sins. David is on every page, but this story is...2023-07-1630 minWhispering Pines ChurchDavid: A Life with God 2 Samuel 13-18David: A Life with God
2 Samuel 13-18
Sin has its effect. Last week we looked at the horrible sins that David commits in 2 Samuel 11 – adultery and murder. God is a forgiving God. God keeps His commitments to David, and spares his life and his lineage. But that is not to say that his sin goes
without effect.
At a critical moment in David’s life, when David’s own son commits a similar, terrible sin, David’s sin rears its ugly head and drives David to… passivity. David is silent in the face of his son’s sin. Why does this happen...2023-07-0929 minWhispering Pines ChurchDavid: A Life With God/2 Samuel 11-12David: A Life With God
2 Samuel 11-12
Sin is death. It is not like death. It does not merely have the potential for death. It’s not like a weather forecast for death. Sin is death.
It would be easy to think that sin only comes creeping out of the shadows, from obviously evil persons. But as we turn the page into 2 Samuel 11, we find grievous sin coming from the one we never wanted to see defiled – David, the man after God’s own heart. It ought not be. But it is.
Join us this Sunday as we take a hard l...2023-07-0231 minWhispering Pines ChurchDavid: A Life with God/1 Samuel 6-9David: A Life with God
1 Samuel 6-9
After spending approximately 20 years from his anointing to his coronation as king of a united Israel, David takes his first actions as king. We’ve already seen in the life of Saul the sort of power that authority has to corrupt a person – how will David respond to
being given the reigns?
David’s first moves as king are noteworthy because they model for the Jewish community what it looks like to put God first. David directs the Ark of the covenant to be brought into the heart of the Jewish state, Jerusalem. Join u...2023-06-1831 minWhispering Pines ChurchDavid: A Life With God/2 Samuel 1At the end of 1 Samuel, King Saul and his three sons die in a battle with the Philistines. Their death is a tragic end to the reign of the first king of Israel. But the story here is what David does, how David responds to the death of the man who has been after him for years. We might expect rejoicing. David is free, David is safe! But we didn’t find rejoicing. This week, as we take a look at Saul’s death, and David’s transition to king, we will see more of why David is called “a man afte...2023-06-1129 minWhispering Pines ChurchDavid: A Life With God 1 Samuel 30David: A Life With God
1 Samuel 30
Matthew 25:37-40
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
There are many places that are sacred and special among the people o...2023-06-0429 minWhispering Pines ChurchDavid: A Life With God/1 Samuel 19-24David: A Life With God
1 Samuel 19-24
On the run from a jealous and murderous King Saul, David flees to the wilderness. Times are bleak for the nation of Israel. Their King is attempting to hunt down a man who has not once wronged him, not once raised a hand against him. Sin is messy. Good people are forced into positions of lying and disobeying in order to protect David’s life.
How do we respond as followers of Christ when we’re opposed for doing good? What comes out of us when we spend time in the wilderness? Do we b...2023-05-2833 minWhispering Pines ChurchDavid: A Life With God 1 Samuel 18-23David: A Life With God
1 Samuel 18-23
From humble shepherd boy to giant-slayer, we see David grow in stature and confidence. This would only continue. This next passage of scripture on the life of David shows him rising to meet challenges and opportunities. His fame grows and the women of Israel sing in the streets: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.”
Nothing is ever recorded depicting David show any disloyalty to King Saul, in fact, quite the opposite is true. David fully respects Saul’s authority as the anointed king over Israel. But we see jealou...2023-05-2131 minWhispering Pines ChurchDavid: A Life With God 1 Samuel 16-17, Psalm 9David: A Life With God
1 Samuel 16-17, Psalm 9
I'm sure that we’ve all heard the most famous underdog story ever told. The story of David and Goliath is an easy and encouraging story to tell children. We usually tell this story and explain that with God’s help, we all can “fight our own goliaths.” But this explanation misses out on so much of the richness and wonder of this story.
In each step of this story, we’ll see how David acknowledges God and embodies his faith in the God who “saved him from the paw of the bear and the...2023-05-0730 minWhispering Pines ChurchDavid: A Life With God/1 Samuel 1-16, Psalm 1David: A Life With God
Join us this coming Sunday at Whispering Pines Church as we begin a new series on the stories and psalms of David! In the life of David, we have the unique opportunity to not only read what is a truly fascinating narrative, but also to get behind the curtains to see how David thought about what he was experiencing. In the biblical accounts for most of the well-known men and women in scripture, we only ever read about the narrative itself, the events of their lives, what they do or say. With David, we are...2023-04-3036 minWhispering Pines ChurchDavid: A Life With GodDavid: A Life With God
Join us this coming Sunday at Whispering Pines Church as we begin a new series on the stories and psalms of David! In the life of David, we have the unique opportunity to not only read what is a truly fascinating narrative, but also to get behind the curtains to see how David thought about what he was experiencing. In the biblical accounts for most of the well-known men and women in scripture, we only ever read about the narrative itself, the events of their lives, what they do or say. With David, we are...2023-04-2427 minWhispering Pines Church2nd and 3rd John …Walk in Love2nd and 3rd John
…Walk in Love
John wrote two more letters. The first is addressed to “the lady chosen by God and to her children.” The second was written to a dear friend named Gaius. The troubles of and challenges to John’s beloved church did not end, they have never ended. What has remained a constant is the way in which John instructs followers of Jesus to live. In 2nd John, he instructs us to continue in obedience and to “walk in love.” In his third letter, we’re told, “do not imitate what is evil but what is good.”
John...2023-04-1636 minWhispering Pines ChurchPassion Week/Reconciled to GodPassion Week
Reconciled to God
Join us this Passion Week as we gather to remember the incredible price Christ paid that we could be reconciled with God. This week we will acknowledge with reverence the greatness of God, displayed in His willingness to die for us, an act necessitated by our own sin and rebellion. On Good Friday, we remember the bleakness of that day, the pain of His sacrifice, and the passion that led Him there with joy. And on Easter Sunday, we remember the power of the resurrection and the love of God that reaches to the least...2023-04-0926 minWhispering Pines ChurchPalm Sunday/What Did We ExpectPalm Sunday
What Did We Expect?
This Palm Sunday as we reflect on Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem, we reflect on the expectations of the people who received him there that day. We see their excitement, their jubilation as they prepare the way for the One they expect to change their lives! But what exactly were they expecting? Today, we have similar questions to address. What do we expect of Jesus in our lives?
Easter season is the anniversary of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection, but it is so much more than an anniversary. It is an answer to humanity’s fall...2023-04-0228 minWhispering Pines ChurchLove, Perfected/The Letters of John/1 John 5Love, Perfected
The Letters of John
1 John 5
In this final chapter of John’s first letter, John does not coast to a stop. Chapter 5 is packed with practical and important teachings on Christian living:
The commands of God should not be understood as burdensome.
Christianity cannot be separated from the sacrifice of Christ.
Followers of Jesus can have confidence in approaching God.
Sin leads to death, but Jesus Christ has overcome.
In all of these things, John offers assurance and hope. His love for the audience of his letter is tangible, and we should be encouraged to keep going! Join us...2023-03-2632 minWhispering Pines ChurchLove, Perfected /The Letters of John /4:7-12Love, Perfected
The Letters of John
1 John 4:7-21
Throughout this first letter of John, the author’s primary focus has been on convincing us as Christians to love. Here, in the remainder of chapter four, John is concerned that we fully understand what inspires our love for one another. What is our reason for loving others?
John has famously declared that God is light (1:5) and that God is Spirit (John 4:24), and now John declares that God is love (4:8). By this, John is expressing that all of God’s activity is loving! Join us this Sunday as we explore our motives for...2023-03-1928 minWhispering Pines ChurchLove, Perfected/The Letters of John/1 John 4:7-21Love, Perfected
The Letters of John
1 John 4:7-21
Throughout this first letter of John, the author’s primary focus has been on convincing us as Christians to love. Here, in the remainder of chapter four, John is concerned that we fully understand what inspires our love for one another. What is our reason for loving others?
John has famously declared that God is light (1:5) and that God is Spirit (John 4:24), and now John declares that God is love (4:8). By this, John is expressing that all of God’s activity is loving! Join us this Sunday as we explore our motives for...2023-03-1234 minWhispering Pines ChurchLove, Perfected/The Letters of John 1 John 3Love, Perfected
The Letters of John
1 John 3:1-10
1 John 3:1a
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!
1 John 3 begins with the bold exclamation that many bible translations don’t include: Behold! Then, to further declare the bold and wonderful truth that God loves us, John uses the Greek term potapen (translated as “what” in the NIV), which means “of what country?” God’s love is so unusual, so unearthly, so unique that it leads John to exclaim, “Behold this love! Of what country is this?”
Th...2023-02-1229 minWhispering Pines ChurchLove, Perfected/The Letters of John 1 John 2:15-29Love, Perfected
The Letters of John
1 John 2:15-29
“Continue in Him...” In the remainder of chapter two, John plainly lays out the true nature of sin, and the many dangers faced by his fledgling churches. We’re encouraged by John to hold true to Christ in spite of the many challenges presented to us. We’re told to remain in the Lord, abide in Him, and to continue in Him. What does it mean to abide in the Lord? How do we grow in our ability to remain confident and unshaken in our faith through a world with many pitfalls and temp...2023-02-0524 minWhispering Pines ChurchLove, Perfected/The Letters of John 1 John 2Love, Perfected
The Letters of John
1 John 2
In this second chapter of John’s letter, John makes demands on Christians to live out a radical faith. He begins the chapter by telling his audience that he has written this in order that “you will not sin.” An authentic Christian testimony is critical in order for the gospel to spread. Christians are to be honest about our failures, but there is also an expectation that we are moving forward, that we are growing and maturing in our faith.
“We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands...2023-01-2929 minWhispering Pines ChurchLove, Perfected/The Letters of John 1 John 1:5-10Love, Perfected
The Letters of John
1 John 1:5-10
To begin his letter, John builds on a metaphor that is used over 200 times in Scripture, that of light. This example may have been used so extensively because it is easy to understand and relatable for both young and old. I also believe that it is commonly misunderstood.
God is light – John tells us. In Him there is no darkness whatsoever. This is followed by a command for us to also walk in that light. Join us for a conversation about the humility and integrity that we need to embody in our li...2023-01-2228 minWhispering Pines ChurchLove Perfected/The Letters of JohnLove, Perfected
The Letters of John
1 John 1:5-10
To begin his letter, John builds on a metaphor that is used over 200 times in Scripture, that of light. This example may have been used so extensively because it is easy to understand and relatable for both young and old. I also believe that it is commonly misunderstood.
God is light – John tells us. In Him there is no darkness whatsoever. This is followed by a command for us to also walk in that light. Join us for a conversation about the humility and integrity that we need to embody in our li...2023-01-1537 minWhispering Pines ChurchThe Practice of Prayer/Part 2The Practice of Prayer: Part II
Psalm 66, Matthew 6
In this miniseries on prayer, we began by looking at the “why” of prayer. We pray because it connects us and grows our relationship with God our Father. This week, we look at the “how” of prayer.
We tend to do things because they “work.” We educate our children because we believe it’s important for their development. We work because it pays the bills. We cook food that we hope will be delicious. If we’re going to spend time doing something, it needs to “work”, that it actually accomplishes something. We will not pray if...2023-01-0828 minWhispering Pines ChurchThe Practice of Prayer/Part 1The Practice of Prayer
The start of a new year is a natural opportunity to turn the page into something new and fresh. I look forward to beginning our new series going through John’s letters, but before we do that, I’d like to begin the year with a topic fundamental to our faith and essential to the life of our church: prayer. What is prayer? What makes for a successful prayer?
I’m sure that you’ve seen a number of models and acrostics for prayers. They can be tools to help us understand the purpose of prayer, and they...2023-01-0129 minWhispering Pines ChurchChristmas Eve Service 2022Christmas: The Story We Step Into
It’s an old, old story, read in churches by candlelight and by families gathered together in their homes. “In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world…” The words travel to us from two thousand years ago, telling the story we’ve heard all our lives. Like an old nativity set handed down generations, the story itself can remain set up, bathed in warm yellow light - a story that happened, but so very long ago.
Join us this Saturday, Christmas Eve at 6 p.m., and...2022-12-2446 minWhispering Pines ChurchThe Sound of Christmas: Come Thou Long Expected JesusThe Sound of Christmas:
Come Thou Long Expected Jesus
Christmas was the advent of a Savior. The light of God entered into the world in the person of Jesus Christ. Light is needed in darkness. A Savior is needed by all those who cannot save themselves. The necessity of Jesus’ birth should not be difficult to understand from this side of the cross. But what kind of heart was ready to receive this Savior?
In its first stanza, Joy to the World famously declares, “Let every heart prepare Him room!” The song we’ll be looking at this week, Come Thou Lon...2022-12-1830 minWhispering Pines ChurchThe Sound of Christmas: O Holy NightThe Sound of Christmas:
O Holy Night
This week in our advent series on the songs of Christmas, we take a look at O Holy Night. Written in Roquemaure, France in 1847, this song has a rich theology, and reflects the depth of the people and the time in which it was written. It is a song, I would argue, that is primarily about deliverance.
The great deliverance of Christmas is from the sin that entangled, corrupts, and destroys. But some of the beauty of O Holy Night is that it also invites us in, as recipients of God’s deliverance, to...2022-12-1128 minWhispering Pines ChurchThe Sound of Christmas: O Come O Come EmmanuelThe Sound of Christmas:
O Come O Come Emmanuel
As someone who grew up in the Christian Church, the thought that God is Emmanuel (God with us) has always seemed so obvious, so normative, that I often forget its uniqueness. The concept of “God with us” is incredibly unique within the religious world. Other gods are not “with” their people; they are remote, preoccupied, unattainable, unreachable, and so “other” that one would hardly know what to do if they had contact with them.
For as unique a word as Emmanuel is, one might expect it to be used commonly in Scripture, b...2022-12-0431 minWhispering Pines ChurchThe Sound of Christmas: Let All Mortal Flesh Keep SilenceThe Sound of Christmas:
Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence
Each week of this Season of Advent, we’ll be looking at a song of Christmas to see where it finds its roots in Scripture. This week, we’ll look at the song Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence, which has its foundations in the book of Habakkuk. In a world that seemed to be darkening and the wicked seemed to be prospering, God spoke His plan of hope through the prophets. Habakkuk is refreshingly honest, as he shares a dialogue between God and himself. The prophet shares his concerns, his...2022-11-2739 minWhispering Pines ChurchChristian GratitudeCommunity Thanksgiving Service
Sunday, November 13th 2022
"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
We are called to live in gratitude, to give thanks in all circumstances. All people give thanks for good food, for their friends and family, the beauty of the world and whatever good things come their way. God does not reward us with a gold star for being happy about the good things in life, for all people enjoy good things and love those who love them (Matt. 5:46-47). Followers of Jesus Ch...2022-11-1323 minWhispering Pines ChurchPsalms of Ascent: Psalm 131 & 132/Humility and ObediencePsalms of Ascent:
Psalm 131 & 132
Humility & Obedience
A weaned child with its mother – the picture painted for us by Psalm 131. For all the many things we go to the Lord for, and all the prayers we submit to Him for answers, do we often come to Him simply to be in His presence? This psalm or song of humility presents us with our deepest need, to just be with our Creator and Lord. Join us this coming Sunday as we discuss humility and a deeper trust in the Lord.
-Pastor Nate Roschen2022-11-0631 minWhispering Pines ChurchPsalms of Ascent: Psalm 131/HopePsalms of Ascent:
Psalm 130
Hope
Psalm 130 addresses the reality of the human condition. Humanity does not speak to God as equals on even footing. It is out of the depths that humanity cries out to God. From birth we are in trouble. We are predisposed to selfishness. By nature and by choice we reject the Living God. We owe Him full allegiance yet our allegiance is divided. No one can stand before God blameless, not one.
But the pivot in this psalm comes in the waiting and the hoping. There is a desire to see God show up, more than...2022-10-3028 minWhispering Pines ChurchPsalms of Ascent: Psalm 129/PerseverancePsalms of Ascent:
Psalm 129
Perseverance
Psalm 129 speaks to perseverance and how a person grows in this virtue. We may think that perseverance grows naturally, either a person perseveres or they don’t survive. But for the believer, perseverance grows not merely through surviving difficult situations and suffering. Perseverance is grown through the acquisition of trust in and the gain in knowledge of our great God.
Psalm 129 tells us of the oppression that the author has experienced. He’s been kicked around, oppressed since his youth. He and his people have taken lashings. But his perseverance does not come from his call...2022-10-0930 minWhispering Pines ChurchPsalms of Ascent: Psalm 128/BlessingPsalms of Ascent:
Psalm 128
Blessing
What is "the good life"? And where is it found? An assumption can be made that for followers of God to find happiness, we must work harder to attain the good life than someone who can find it their own way. We can believe that the world offers a number of low-hanging fruits, ripe for the plucking, that we must refuse. So, we’ll need to find our own fruits.
But the Christian life is not one of bushwhacking a path through the undergrowth, searching out a life that is meaningful and fruitful. It is on...2022-10-0233 minWhispering Pines ChurchPsalms of Ascent: Psalm 127/WorkPsalms of Ascent:
Psalm 127
Work
Psalm 127 is a picture of work. It asks us some very hard questions about human effort. What role do we play in God’s grand narrative? To what extent is your effort required? We ought to approach this psalm humbly, asking how we may have overstepped our bounds and committed what Hilary of Poitiers called “irreligiosa solicitudo pro Deo” – a blasphemous anxiety to do God’s work for Him. In this psalm, we find ourselves asking again, “what does God require of me?” Join us as we explore meaningful God-honoring work, and examine our hearts together.
Pas...2022-09-2527 minWhispering Pines ChurchPsalms of Ascent: Psalm 126/JoyPsalms of Ascent:
Psalm 126
Joy
The desire and pursuit of a fulfilling and joyful life must be one of the few ideals that our world can agree on nearly 100%. The path to joy, however, may be one of the most disagreed upon issues in our world. The paths to joy are numerous and vary greatly. Pleasure as a path to joy suffers from escalating costs and diminishing returns. Yet chasing after bright and fleeting moments of happiness remains an important pastime for many.
Like many other blessings described to us in scripture, we’re taught to seek first the kingdom of...2022-09-1831 minWhispering Pines ChurchPsalms of Ascent: Psalm 125/SecurityPsalms of Ascent:
Psalm 125
Security
Who wouldn’t want more security in their life? My mother has always worked in insurance, trying to sell me on any and every plan, so that I could be as secure as possible. She is a very cautious and calculated individual, and I appreciate that about her. I also like to tell her that if I take out a larger life insurance policy, I would need to start living “riskier”, you know, skydiving, bungee-jumping, the whole deal. I like to get my money's worth.
A life with God offers the sort of security and comfor...2022-09-1129 minWhispering Pines ChurchPsalms of Ascent: Psalm 124/HelpPsalms of Ascent:
Psalm 124
Help
“If God hadn’t been for us...” This phrase could well summarize our experience with God! Psalm 123 begins with this thought, that if not for God’s direct intervention, for His choosing to be with us, we would be swallowed alive. The notion that God’s great love expressed through His mercy, prevents us from being consumed, is a common one in the Old Testament.
This is what the author of Lamentations found as he witnessed the fall of Jerusalem – the people of God were not consumed! This is what Isaiah wrote of in Isaiah 43. There is no...2022-09-0423 minWhispering Pines ChurchPsalms of Ascent: Psalm 123/ServicePsalms of Ascent:
Psalm 123
Service
One of the most interesting observations we find in the Psalms of Ascent are unique perspectives of our relationship with God. In the 123rd psalm, we’re painted a picture of a servant looking to their master. This perspective may be a reason that many unbelievers hold against having faith in God, as they see it as restrictive, a limiting of options, a submitting of one's self to God’s rule and reign. But for the Christian, this relationship is the fullest of freedoms. Join us this Sunday as we explore this relationship.
Pastor Nate Rosc2022-08-2827 minWhispering Pines ChurchPsalms of Ascent: Psalm 122/WorshipPsalms of Ascent:
Psalm 122
Worship
What is worship? How does one approach God on a given Sunday morning? In Psalm 122, the Psalmist writes with excitement about entering the house of the Lord. He tells us that his heart “leapt for joy!” What is worship, that it is worthy of proclaiming about our God who guards us from “every evil” (Ps. 121:7)?
Worship is not merely an aspect of a good church service. It isn’t just a few songs with a good message. It is meant to frame our perspective, to change our minds, to remind us of who we are and where...2022-08-2128 minWhispering Pines ChurchPsalms of Ascent: Psalm 121/ProvidencePsalms of Ascent:
Psalm 121/Providence
Having grown fed up with the ways of the world, the psalmist now turns to seek help. Where does help come from? When you’re worried, or stressed, disappointed or discoursed, where do you turn? In Psalm 121, the psalmist first lifts his eyes to the mountains, is that where help can come from? Can help truly come from any created thing?
It is the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth, the Maker of those very mountains, He alone can guard and protect us... How can we trust Him more? How can we learn to go...2022-08-1424 minWhispering Pines ChurchPsalms of Ascent: Psalm 120/RepentancePsalms of Ascent:
Psalm 120
Repentance
What are the psalms of ascent? They are the fifteen psalms that the Hebrew people would read or sing as they ascended on their thrice-a-year pilgrimages to Jerusalem for their great worship festivals. The ascent to Jerusalem was both literal and metaphorical. Topographically, Jerusalem was the highest city in Palestine, and so all who visited spent much of their time ascending. But the trip also acted out a life lived upward toward God, developing in maturity – what Paul described as, “…The goal, where God is beckoning us onward – to Jesus” (Philippians 3:14).
In his book A Long Obedi...2022-08-0726 minWhispering Pines ChurchStudents of the Savior: The Kingdom of Heaven is LikeStudents of the Savior:
The Kingdom of Heaven is Like
Matthew 13:24-43
The next three parables of Jesus in Matthew thirteen describe for us what the kingdom of heaven is like. The phrase "kingdom of heaven" is a phrase used by Matthew over 30 times! The introduction of both John the Baptist's and Jesus' ministries begin with the proclamation "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matt. 3:2, 4:17).
The Jewish people were expecting a physical kingdom to be established by their Messiah, but Jesus made it clear that His kingdom was not of this world. "My kingdom is not of...2022-07-2422 minWhispering Pines ChurchStudents of the Savior: Parable of the SowerStudents of the Savior: Parable of the Sower
Matthew 13:1-23
This week, as we return to our study of Jesus' early ministry in the book of Matthew, we turn to chapter thirteen. Here we find a series of parables explaining what the Kingdom of Heaven is like. In this first parable, Jesus tells the story of a farmer who went out to plant seeds. He plants the same seed among all kinds of soils, and only the seeds that are planted in the good soil take root and grow. Join us this Sunday as we explore with compassion the perspective...2022-07-1729 minWhispering Pines ChurchStudents of the Savior: Lord of the Sabbath/Part 2Students of the Savior: Lord of the Sabbath: Part 2
Matthew 12:1-14
As we continue to explore the purpose and place of rest, we now turn to the New Testament. Jesus’ own practices often confused and confounded those who followed Him. In the midst of great success, He would pull away from the crowds for quiet time with the Father. And we know that Jesus kept the Sabbath, but according to God’s standards, and not human extrapolations and man-made rules.
As we look to Jesus’ words in Matthew 12, we’ll find that rest has a lot to do with mercy, and that...2022-06-2630 minWhispering Pines ChurchStudents of the Savior: Lord of the Sabbath/Part 1Students of the Savior: Lord of the Sabbath
Matthew 12:1-14
At long last, we have the opportunity to explore the God-given command to rest. Here in the first section of chapter twelve, Jesus is confronted for supposedly breaking sabbath laws. Jesus seems to address the command to rest in a unique way, saying that it is “lawful to do good on the sabbath.”
In a Christian culture that often promotes busy-ness as a virtue, particularly within the church, how do we balance rest and work? How do we ensure that we’re not falling prey to the tyranny of the urgent...2022-06-1929 minWhispering Pines ChurchStudents of the Savior: Hidden Things RevealedStudents of the Savior:
Hidden Things Revealed
Matthew 11
Matthew chapter eleven helps us to answer the question, “To whom is Christ revealed?” When John the Baptist was preaching a message of repentance in the wilderness, people did not come to him because he wore fine clothes, but because he was a prophet that spoke a truth they couldn’t deny. Jesus’ message did not come through the wise and the wealthy, but through ordinary people transformed by the gospel! Jesus actually tells us that the hidden things came to the “little children” (vs. 25). He invites all of us to come to Him, espe...2022-06-1233 minWhispering Pines ChurchStudents of the Savior: Sent OutStudents of the Savior: Sent Out
Matthew 10
Having witnessed many miracles and having seen the tender compassion of the Lord firsthand, Jesus now sends the disciples out. They are told to take nothing extra with them, for God would provide for them. Jesus’ command for them is for all who follow Him to be “like” Him.
In this chapter we will find a number of very challenging teachings, as Christ demands allegiance to Him above all else. But that allegiance goes beyond a mere political or strategic alliance. The allegiance Christ demands is one of the heart. In all we do, we...2022-05-2940 minWhispering Pines ChurchStudents of the Savior: Mercy, not SacrificeStudents of the Savior: Mercy, not Sacrifice
Matthew 9:9-38
In Matthew nine, we find Jesus showing kindness after kindness. He raises a girl from the dead, heals a woman who had suffered for twelve years, and restores the blind and the mute. As Jesus sees the brokenness of humanity He is moved to compassion.
With people far from God who declare their need, Jesus consistently shows mercy. We all ought to consider our approach to people today in similar circumstances. Our Lord is a friend of sinners, welcoming a tax collector, a young man named Matthew, to follow Him.
Come...2022-05-2229 minWhispering Pines ChurchStudents of the Savior: CommittedStudents of the Savior: Committed
Matthew 8:18-34
As we continue to follow Christ’s early ministry and teachings, we come to a challenging section in the second half of Matthew 8. We find Jesus essentially turning away two potential disciples who come to Him, we see Him in the midst of a storm, and watch Him as He restores two violent, demon-possessed men. Following Jesus leads us places we may not want to go, certainly to places and to people we would not choose on our own. We find Jesus' disciples following Him, not because they are so courageous, but because Je...2022-05-1532 minWhispering Pines ChurchStudents of the Savior: Not Just WordsStudents of the Savior: Not Just Words
Matthew 8:1-17
Join us this Sunday at Whispering Pines Church as we celebrate Mother’s Day, and continue on in our study of Christ’s teachings in Matthew 8.
After preaching the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus applies His teaching by showing compassion on members of the most marginalized groups of His culture; lepers, gentiles, and women. Compassion for marginalized groups is to live on as a Christian distinctive. Christ challenges us to open our eyes to the needs of our world and apply our beliefs to our everyday lives.
- Pastor Nate Roschen2022-05-0842 minWhispering Pines ChurchStudents of the Savior: The Narrow RoadStudents of the Savior: The Narrow Road
Matthew 7:13-29
When hiking in the woods you may come to a fork in your path. As you consider which trail to take, you may consider a number of factors. Does one trail seem to be more difficult? Where will each trail lead? It may take a great deal of time to decide, but to move forward, a choice must be made. Jesus concludes His sermon on the mount by contrasting a narrow and a wide gate, true and false disciples, and wise and foolish builders.
Join us this week as Jesus teaches...2022-05-0130 minWhispering Pines ChurchStudents of the Savior: The Cost of CompassionStudents of the Savior: The Cost of Compassion
Matthew 7:1-12
I’m sure that all of us have had a splinter at one time or another. I hated splinters as a child. They were painful, and even though I knew a splinter would have to be removed or it would become infected, I often resisted. At the same time, if my younger sister got a splinter I would be the first to encourage its removal. We can be the same way with our sin. Our sin is painful to remove, we can make excuses, or hide it in dark corners, al...2022-04-2456 minWhispering Pines ChurchStudents of the Savior: TrustStudents of the Savior
Matthew 6:19-34
Trust
For the remainder of Matthew 6, Jesus turns to address our personal interior lives. Jesus raises the issue of greed and hoarding wealth among the people of God. These are not new issues, but in our modern world, they are often viewed as virtuous. Christ is bold and clear on this point, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth” (Matt. 6:24).
By utilizing imagery that was present there on t...2022-04-0333 minWhispering Pines ChurchStudents of the Savior: Giving, Fasting and PrayerStudents of the Savior
Matthew 6:1-18
Giving, Fasting, and Prayer
In Matthew 6:1-18, Jesus questions our motivation for three common expressions of our faith: giving to the poor, prayer, and fasting. These response to God can become stale, mundane and ordinary. Christ directs us to love God with these essential practices in a way that is rewarding and personal.
Come and join us at Whispering Pines Church this Sunday as we study the words of Christ together!
Blessings - Pastor Nate Roschen2022-03-2033 minWhispering Pines ChurchStudents of the Savior: Loving EnemiesStudents of the Savior:
Matthew 5:38-48
Loving Enemies
In the final eleven verses of Matthew chapter five, Jesus presents His most countercultural commands. Here He speaks of not resisting an evil person (v. 39), and of loving our enemies (v. 44). Jesus' heart, even for enemies and those far from the truth is revealed in these passages. This missional, uncompromising, love-until-the-end attitude is so desperately needed in our world today.
While examining our heart for anger or lust may be at least somewhat agreeable to us, Jesus calls us to loving enemies with seemingly no limits. We have seen this sort of...2022-03-1335 minWhispering Pines ChurchStudents of the Savior: Jesus - Fulfillment of the LawAs we continue to make our way through Christ's Sermon on the Mount, we come next to a challenging passage where Christ affirms that He has not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. Through the rest of Matthew 5, we do not find Jesus lowering the moral bar for humanity, but raising it. There will be no prize for abstaining from murder, now Jesus will question the hate in our hearts. Keeping from adultery is expected, but what about the lust in your eyes?
Jesus alone has perfectly kept the law. It is Jesus we are to emulate...2022-03-0629 minWhispering Pines ChurchStudents of the Savior: Salt and LightMatthew 5:13-16
It would be hard to imagine a lightless and tasteless world. Thankfully God gave us all we needed to enjoy good food and the beauty of His creation. We call those elements salt and light.
For difficult times when the world seems broken, dark and flavorless, God gives the world what it needs. We call those elements, Christians.
Come join us at Whispering Pines Church this Sunday as we explore Jesus' declaration that we are salt and light in this world.
Pastor Nate Roschen2022-02-2731 minWhispering Pines ChurchStudents of the Savior: The BeatitudesStudents of the Savior: The Beatitudes
Jesus’ first public address was not to kings or dignitaries, but to ordinary people like you and I. He delivered good news to all the people, that there was hope for the left out and left behind. The poor, the mourning, the broken, were being beckoned by God. The message Jesus brought in this first talk was countercultural, introduced radical elements of the faith that continue to inspire, and declared that Christ alone fulfilled the requirements to bring peace with God.
This week begin our new series, beginning in the Sermon on the Mount, an...2022-02-2035 minWhispering Pines ChurchEkklesia ~ The Lord, Part 2Ekklesia: The Lord - Part 2
Matthew 13, John 16
In our last week of our study of expectations, we’ll look at what Jesus Christ, the Son of God, expects of us. Obviously, this is once again a topic that could be nearly endless is scope. Indeed, Christ has great hopes and plans for us. We’ll focus this week on what Jesus has to say in Matthew 13 and John 16, concerning allegiance to Him and living lives apart from fear.
What does it mean to you to put your trust in Jesus? As Christians, we believe that our eternal future is certain beca...2022-02-1328 minWhispering Pines ChurchEkklesia ~ The Lord, Part 1Join us this week as we continue to explore our expectations by looking at the very heart of Christ. Throughout the four gospels, there is only one place where Christ explicitly speaks of His own heart, Matthew 11. How we understand Christ will determine what we believe it looks like to follow Him. Is Christ a warrior or a rabbi? Quiet or loud? Join us as we examine our expectations, and see where Scripture leads us. - Pastor Nate Roschen
Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke up...2022-01-3032 minWhispering Pines ChurchEkklesia ~ The Church, Part 2Ekklesia: The Church: Part 2
This week in our continued look at the church and our expectations, we’ll explore what the church expects of us. We won’t find a demand to be busy, or perfect. What we will discover is a call to honesty and vulnerability, and a church that expects us to live as God has created us to be. As we look forward to gathering again this coming Sunday, I encourage you to reflect on Paul’s letter to the church in Colossae. Paul’s encouragement is to live as they are, to speak about the God that the...2022-01-1631 minWhispering Pines ChurchEkklesia ~ The ChurchEkklesia: The Church
In our continued study of our own expectations, this week we turn to address the church itself. What are your beliefs about the church? What is the church supposed to accomplish? What role are you to play?
We know, from the Greek word Ekklesia, that the church is not a building, but a people, a people who have been “called out.” Paul writes in Ephesians chapter 2 that we are no longer foreigners and strangers, but members of God’s household. We are “being built together to become the dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit.” Join us as we e...2022-01-0942 minWhispering Pines ChurchEkklesia ~ The Pastor, Part 2Ekklesia: The Pastor - Part 2
This week, in our continued discussion of the role of pastors as shepherds after God’s own heart, we’ll look to our Good Shepherd in John 10. The analogy of a shepherd caring for sheep is a powerful one, and draws all of us to encounter the heart of Christ.
We’ll also explore what a pastor ought to expect of us. How can we bless our shepherds? More than that, what role do we all play in our own spiritual growth, our sanctification, and as ministers of God ourselves?
-Pastor Nate Roschen2022-01-0234 minWhispering Pines ChurchEkklesia ~ The PastorEkklesia - Part 1 - The Pastor
We are launching into our new sermon series together! In this series we’re going to be talking about expectations within the church. What is a pastor? What is a church? What ought we to expect of Christ as we journey together, and what does He expect of us?
In this 6-part series, we’ll explore our calling as the people of God to live as ambassadors for Jesus Christ. We’ll explore the roles we play, the ways we ought to encourage one another, and the goals we should share. I hope that you’ll...2021-12-2633 minWhispering Pines ChurchLove Came Down at Christmas: Christmas EveChristmas Eve 2021
We celebrate Christ’s birth! It was a love that came down to us all at Christmas, a Lord and Savior to rescue us from evil and ignorance. The way God provided through Jesus is incredible, because instead of coming to earth in power, Christ came as a vulnerable infant. God chose this, intentionally, willfully, with His creation in mind. Join us as we celebrate our great God, and the grace given to us in Jesus Christ!
-Pastor Nate Roschen2021-12-2414 minWhispering Pines ChurchLove Came Down at Christmas: The Only SalvationLove Came Down at Christmas:
The Only Salvation
Greetings! I hope that your celebration of Christmas this year allows you room to consider how great of a gift Christ’s coming truly was! Christ’s birth changed the lives of all those who were there to see it. Shepherds watching their flock by night became “rejoicers”, who also happened to tend sheep. Mary and Joseph became the caretakers of the infant Son of God, who also happened to be a teenage couple, betrothed to be married. So too, Christmas ought to change us. We all, on this side of Christmas, are defi...2021-12-1926 minWhispering Pines ChurchLove Came Down at Christmas: Mary & the Shepherds - Seeking to BelieveLove Came Down at Christmas:
Mary & the Shepherds - Seeking to Believe
Up until this point in this season of advent, we’ve looked at what God has done at Christmas. We see the angels declaring the good news, the greatest news, that God has come to earth, born as a child, Immanuel! God’s holiness and goodness demanded that something be done to make a way for His creation to be restored to Himself. This week, we’ll see the angels declare this news to Mary and a group of shepherds. Their responses inform our actions today.
- Pastor Nate R2021-12-1225 minWhispering Pines ChurchLove Came Down at Christmas: Jesus Christ, ImmanuelLove Came Down at Christmas: Jesus Christ, Immanuel
Immanuel - What an amazingly descriptive word to communicate the uniqueness of Jesus Christ! That word, Immanuel, communicates three distinctive qualities to us: Jesus is God, He is human, and He is with us. The all-powerful Lord and Creator of all became flesh, able to be known, and to be loved by those who followed Him! But this Immanuel could also be hurt, betrayed, and killed. Jesus experienced the fullness of all that we know, and feel, and do. He did this missionally, for a purpose. How will we encounter Jesus Christ...2021-12-0528 minWhispering Pines ChurchA Light Has DawnedLove Came Down at Christmas:
A Light Has Dawned
From the moments after Adam and Eve first took a sinful bite from the forbidden fruit, humanity has sought a way to hide its shame, alleviate its pain, and redeem itself. Isaiah 9 tells us that people were living in darkness. Isaiah 8 tells us why… They were “looking toward the earth.” It is to that world that the light of Christmas comes, a people looking to solve their own problems, to fix, medicate, or escape from their sins. God had always promised to send this light, promising, in Genesis 3:15 that He would “crush th...2021-11-2826 minWhispering Pines ChurchThe Most Excellent WayThe Most Excellent Way
As Christians we ought to desire what our God desires. We defend what God has made sacred. We hope for good things, and stand against evil. We are to be people who care a great deal about issues. Jesus spoke regularly and consistently about such things. One danger, however, is to concern ourselves so intently on the goal, that we lose sight of the means by which we achieve our goals.
1 Corinthians 13, often called “The Love Chapter” is all about the means. Without love, all that we do, work for, and accomplish is nothing. So, let us d...2021-11-2137 minWhispering Pines ChurchThe Relationship Between Church Leadership and God's PeopleCommissioning Service for Pastor Nate Roschen and affirmation of his calling to pastor the Whispering Pines Church Family2021-11-1435 min