Woodward First Assembly

Revealing The Mysteries Of The Kingdom-7-The Ten Virgins

It's mid week and Pastor Brad is back. He first gives a small testimony and then continues the mid-week series with a teaching on The Parable Of The Ten Virgins.

Pastor's Notes:

Matthew 25:1-13 NKJV "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. (2) Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. (3) Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, (4) but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. (5) But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. (6) "And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' (7) Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. (8) And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' (9) But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' (10) And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. (11) "Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!' (12) But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.' (13) "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
INTRODUCTION
This evening, I want to talk to you about the event of all events: The return of thParablee Lord! Friends, the Scripture tells us that no one knows the day, nor the hour, but that Jesus IS coming soon! Consider what Luke says:
Luke 12:35-40 NKJV "Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; (36) and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. (37) Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and servethem. (38) And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. (39) But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. (40) Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."

ILLUSTRATION
We might illustrate the need for readiness in a different way. Firemen are trained and equipped to fight fires. They know there will be fires, but they don’t know when. And so they are in a constant state of readiness, even when they sleep. Their clothing is all laid out so they can quickly dress and get to the fire. Sometimes I see the fire truck outside the grocery store where I shop. The firemen are in the store, buying food. But they also have their portable radios in hand, ready to rush out if word of a fire is received.
We, too, must be ready, Jesus tells us. We do not know the hour of His return, and more than this, the coming of the Son of Man will be at a time that we don’t expect. From the context of chapter 24, I am tempted to think that while His return will be preceded by very difficult days, the actual day of His return will appear to be trouble-free, much like the day Noah and his family entered the ark. (I’ll bet the sky was blue and clear all day long.) When Jesus returns, people will be going about their normal routines because there will be no sign of imminent danger. We therefore must be ready at all times. What we see here in this text is a parable. A parable is a story within a story.

APPLICATION

1. There's a wedding coming.
- These were waiting on the bridegroom.  
- Jesus is called the bridegroom.
- We are the bride of Christ.

2. There's a waiting period.
- Jesus told us He would return.
- There is a feast that takes place after the wedding.
- The bridegroom goes back to his father's house and makes preparation.
- John 14

3. A call will be made.
- There was a cry made at midnight.
- The Bible is clear that Christ's coming with be with a trumpet blast.
- It will be the sound of all sounds.

4. You must be prepared.
-The five were prepared.
-The other were not.
- Their readiness allowed them to come in.
- Their lack thereof kept them out.

CONCLUSION

Mythbusters-3-This Generation...

Today is Fathers Day And Pastor Seth continues our Mythbuters series. As he dose he bust a myth about This Generation...

His text is found in 2Kings 4:1-7

Revealing The Mysteries Of The Kingdom-6-Even Jesus Went To Small Groups

It's mid week and Pastor Sally Irvine fills in for Pastor Brad.  She continues the mid week series with a message she calls Even Jesus Went To Small Groups.

Mythbusters-2-Only God Can Judge Me

This morning we continue with our Mythbusters series. However Pastor Brad is on vacation so Pastor Seth (freshly back from Youth camp) steps up and delivers our message called "Only God Can Judge Me."

Pastor's Notes:

Matthew 7:1-3 NKJV
Matthew 7 Judge[a] not, that you be not judged.2 For with what [b]judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?
APPLICATION
1.      Judge not, that you be not judged

Jesus is not saying don’t judge. He would contradict himself.
He saying don’t judge if you can’t handle being judged.
Many Christians can dish it out but they can’t take it.
Don’t be a hypocrite. Example: Don’t point out homosexuality as a sin if you can’t handle somebody pointing out your heterosexual sin.

2.      Watch how you judge.

(Verse 2) The harshness that you judge is the harshness that you’ll receive when you mess up.
Example:
Judge the way you would want to be judged.

3.      Judge by connecting on level ground.

Even though you see the splinter in your brothers eye, recognized that there is also something in your eye.
Approach from a place of humility and understanding that we are all flawed but we can connect to a God that is not flawed and is able to help


Conclusion- Jesus is speaking to the heart. Don’t judge from a place of hypocrisy but a place of humility where we realize that we are all in need of Jesus. Then, we can help EACH OTHER get the planks and splinter out of our eyes.
I’m talking about accountability. We are our brother’s keeper. How can we sit by and let our brother walk around with a plank sticking out of his face? Be humble. Recognized that you to need Jesus and need help. THEN, help your brother.

Revealing The Mysteries Of The Kingdom-5-The Workers In The Vineyard

Pastor Brad continues his midweek series on “The Mysteries Of The Kingdom.” Tonight’s parable is The Workers In The Vineyard found in Mathew 20:1-16(NKJV)

Mythbusters-1-I Don't Have To Go To Church To Be A Christian

Today Pastor Brad starts his new summer series he calls Mythbusters.  During this series we will take a look about some popular myths concerning Christians. We start with a message about the myth "I Don't Have To Go To Church To Be A Christian."

Pastor's Notes:

TEXT
Luke 4:14-21 NKJV
14 Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region. 15 And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.
16 So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. 17 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed MeTo preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me [i]to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind,To set at liberty those who are [j]oppressed;To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him.21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
INTRODUCTION
Good morning, everybody!
I hope you had a great Memorial Day weekend. Besides that, I pray you were blessed by the ministry of Christopher Alam. He actually called me this week and asked me to convey his gratitude for the generosity of our church family.
Today, I want to start a brand new series entitled “Mythbusters”.

ILLUSTRATION

I’m sure many of you saw the show years about called “Mythbusters”.
Each MythBusters episode focuses typically on two or more popular beliefs, Internet rumors, or other myths. The list of myths tested by the series is compiled from many sources, including the personal experiences of cast and crew, as well as fan suggestions, such as those posted on The Discovery Channel online MythBusters forums.
It was an interesting show to me because it taught us that you can’t just believe everything you hear. We should be diligent to get the facts and compile what is necessary to get the truth.

TRANSITION
That’s why in this series, we will be busting cultural myths that are impacting our present Christian culture. Many of our topics are hot topics and controversial issues both spiritually and politically. Therefore, from week to week, I won’t be sharing on social media the topics of my messages. This will be one of those series where you just have to show up to see what I will be preaching on. However, some of the myths we will be busting are:
“Only God Can Judge Me”“Abortion Isn’t Murder”“People Are Born Gay”“Marriage Is Just A Piece Of Paper”“God Will Never Give You More Than You Can Bear” “It Isn’t God’s Will To Heal Everyone”
....... along with several others.

Today however, I want to unload a myth that many people in today’s present culture have believed. You’ve probably heard it before: “I don’t have to go to church to be a Christian.”
GASP!
What if I tell you that statement is not true at all?
Now wait a minute, pastor!
You mean to tell me the little old ladies who can’t go to church aren’t Christian?
I didn’t say that.
Let me explain: This would not apply to shut in’s or those physically unable to go to church. That’s why when we know about these people, we and our staff do our best to reach out, stay connected, have communion with them, encourage them, etc.
Second, I’m also not preaching that coming to church saves you, or how many times a week you come. I’m no fool. I know that only faith in Christ and the blood of Jesus can save you. Besides that, we just learned Wednesday night in our teaching of the wheat and tares that just because you come to church doesn’t make you saved!
Yet, let’s examine the myth: “I don’t have to go to church to be a CHRISTIAN.” (My emphasis added)
The word Christian means “little Christ”, “Christ follower”, or “Christ like”.
So the question is not salvation, although I believe a truly saved person wants to belong to the body of Christ, but rather, “What are Jesus thought’s about attending a centralized gathering of believers?”

BACKGROUND
In our text, we see Jesus doing what He did best: Teaching. And Jesus ministry did involve open air teaching and preaching and in the streets, but one thing is for sure: He was regularly in the synagogue or the temple preaching.

APPLICATION
1. Jesus Thought It Was Important
- Our text says “and as His Custom was” Another way to say this is “it was His habit”
- I will say thing. Regular church attendance has to become one of those good habits in your life, sort of like bathing, brushing your teeth, etc.
- Much of the other places in the Gospel tell us that Jesus regularly was there.
2. It Was The Center Of Culture
- Temple Worship, the Synagogue, and Sabbath worship both was, and still is a way of life in Jerusalem today. The people’s lives were planned around the regular coming together of worshiping God.
- After the resurrection, more and more Jews were not accepting of Christianity, the early disciples worshiped in churches on the first day of the week.
- Jesus Was the beginner of the church.
- We too, like Christ and the disciples, should plan our lives intentionally around the corporate worship with believers.
3. It Has Purpose
- They came together for:
- Worship
- Prayer
- Instruction
- Fellowship
- Serving
- Encouragement
CONCLUSION
So in our current culture things are great like live streaming, podcasts, and tv programs. They can be a great way to supplement your spiritual life. What an even better tool for people who are physically unable to attend, or those who work off or are in the active military.
Yet, they should never be a substitute for the believer who is able.
When you give up on attending church, what's at stake?
Well, to put it in a nutshell: the unity of the body, your own spiritual growth, protection, and blessing are all at risk when you're disconnected from the body of Christ.

Mysteries Of The Kingdom-4-The Wheat And The Tares

Tonight we continue our mid week series “Mysteries Of The Kingdom”. 

Pastor Brad teaches about the Parable Of The Wheat And The Tares.

Fire Conference 3: Christopher Alam

This morning we finish our Fire Conference with Pastor Christopher Alam.

Fire Conference 2: Christopher Alam

Tonight we contiue our Fire Conference with Pastor Christopher Alam.

Fire Conference: Christopher Alam

Tonight we start our Fire Conference with Pastor Christopher Alam.