Lake Wildwood Baptist Church

And Peter

Mark is the only gospel writer to add 'and Peter' to the message, "go the the disciples...".  Why single Peter out?  The resurrection was a game changer for this fallen failure of the fisherman.  But God was just getting started.  He wasn't done with Peter and he's not done with you either.

The birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus means that one day everything sad will come untrue. - J.R.R. Tolkien 

Last Call

Levi or Matthew (same man) was the least likely of candidates to round out what would eventually become the 12 disciples.  A wealthy sell out of a Jew hated by his fellow Israelites including the disciples who were extorted by him in Capernaum.  We've much to learn and apply today from this 'Last Call'.

Friends, Faith & Forgiveness

November 22, 1963, is a date remembered by most people as the day John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Students of history will remember that two renowned authors passed away just about an hour before Kennedy and within minutes of each other: C. S. Lewis and Aldous Huxley (Brave New World - 1032). All three deaths were noteworthy, but one attracted far more publicity than the others.

 

In our reading today, we find three miraculous works by Jesus that happened at this house in Capernaum. Usually only one of these gets the most attention, so we will try to examine all three today and see how they are connected

The Sin Eating Servant

A sin eater was a person who would eat bread from a corpse and thus consume their sin.  Jesus was our sin eater.  In today's text, Jesus encounters an unclean leper and cleanses him completely.  The analogies are all right there as low hanging fruit for us to pick and apply.

Christ the Captain of my Will

Who is in charge here?  Is it me or Christ?  Fool or Wise?  Join guest Preacher Rev. Eric Freel as He unfolds God's commands in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

Kingdom Authority Revealed

Mark is moving fast and gives us a fast report of the first few miracles in Jesus' ministry in Galilee.  Mark seems to be focusing on the Authority of the great Servant King.  He speaks and demons & sickness obey.

The Follow Me Gospel

"The Gospel you preach determines the disciple you get", Bill Hull.  We've amputated Sanctification from Salvation and created a new category of "Christian" - Carnal Christian.  There's plenty of them in our churches and American culture but you will not find any in the Bible.  Jesus clearly had "follow me" as part and parcel of his Kingdom good news.  If you're not fishing then are you really following?

Jesus’ First Sermon

I remember my first sermon though I'd prefer not to.  Jesus' first sermon sounded a lot like his cousin John's only sermon - Repent!  Jesus further expands on repent by including 'believe' in Him as Messiah - King.  

Our Suffering Servant King

John Mark is the Action Disciple.  Immediately is his favorite word.  He's not one for details either.  As this was the 1st written account of "Jesus Christ the Son of God", the 1st century Roman saints who read it would only have Mark's terse, reader's digest version of the life of the Servant King.  To that end, in this sermon, Pastor Paul has endeavored to stay true to the Author's information alone.  What is discovered is the possible reason that he leaves out the details of the the 40 day wilderness scene.  When you strip away the details...you're left with the unflinching obedience of the great servant King.

Here’s Jesus!

It is time.  Jesus will leave the carpenter shop for the last time.  He'll walk south along the Jordan river until he finds his cousin John.

He knows that what is ahead of him is the very reason he came.  It would all begin and end with utter unflinching obedience.  And was the Father ever proud of His Son!!