The 4th of July, SCOTUS, and My Citizenship.

What a week it has been.  I saw a post on Facebook over the weekend that said it looks like the Confederacy has gone to war with skittles.  Our country is in a confusing time as we deal with our past and embark on a future that, for evangelicals, is uncertain.  I have seen a wide variety of responses to the Supreme Court decision, some reactions giving me hope and others giving me pause.  However, I am intentionally not going to parse out my feelings on the blog, because of how easily words on a blog can be misconstrued. 

I will say this, for my life I have been thankful to be an American.  I praise God that I can enjoy and benefit from what this country has to offer both my family and me.  I praise God for the freedom of religion that I enjoy, while also realizing that my beliefs are becoming increasingly unpopular by the culture around me.  I especially thank God that this is not my home. I am a visitor, a transient, a sojourner on my way home.  Paul tells us in Philippians 3:20 that “our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” I consider myself to be a patriotic American who respects the stars and stripes and prays for God’s hand to lead our country, and hopes to honor our government officials as well (Romans 13:1-7, I Peter 2:13-17).  However, I want to be much more patriotic to my true home, the Kingdom of God.  While here, on earth, my job is to do the bidding of my King.  The bidding of my King is to:

·      Love God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength

·      Love my neighbor as myself

·      Do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with my God

·      Make disciples, teaching them to obey everything Jesus commanded

This world grieves my heart in a lot of ways, I want to steward the gifts, abilities and resources God has me to do the bidding of my King.  My allegiance is ultimately not to a flag, but to a King and a Kingdom.

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Chuck Mullikin

About the Author:
Chuck serves on staff at Westchester as Associate Pastor of Adult Discipleship

Worship Round-Up (June 28, 2015)

a weekly review of Sunday worship to provide resource and further reflection from our Sunday service.

Sermon

"An Approved Worker"

Bob Schaus

2 Timothy 2:14-26

Listen to sermon audio here

The overall message of the service yesterday between the preaching from 2 Timothy and the music we sang together was being approved workers for God's kingdom. We sang songs of God's worth-- O for a thousand; Behold Our God. We also asked for God's work to be done through us- Give us clean hands; What Love Is. While remembering that we are not working for our own sake because our worth is found in Christ and not in our earthly work. We choose not to sing song's completely focused on our actions and what we are promising to do. We aim to focus on what Christ has already done and how that motivates us to do His will. This is very recognizable in "What Love Is". In a day when "love" is watered down and is only motivated by love itself, we see that we only know how to love and what love truly is because we've read how Jesus laid down his life. (See 1 John 4 for more) It is out of that great truth that we then continue on singing-- because we know what love is, let us lay down our own lives for others.

Music

O For a Thousand Tongues
by Charles Wesley

What Love Is
by Joel Lindsey 
Listen on Bandcamp

Give Us Clean Hands
by Charlie Hall


My Worth is Not in What I Own
by Graham Kendrick | Keith Getty | Kristyn Getty
Listen on YouTube

Behold Our God

by Jonathan Baird | Meghan Baird | Ryan Baird | Stephen Altrogge
Listen on YouTube

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Austin Hilmer

About the Author:
Austin serves on staff at Westchester as Associate Pastor of Corporate Worship

Worship Round-Up (June 21, 2015)

a weekly review of Sunday worship to provide resource and further reflection from our Sunday service.

Sermon

"Continue In the Gospel"

2 Timothy 2:8-13

Pastor Dave MacKinnon

Listen to the sermon here

In this week's service we focused in on the verses in 2 Timothy 2:8-13. Specifically in the music we talked about resurrection, kingship, and God's faithfulness. In the passage Paul writes "Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David." When Paul writes about King David here he is calling our attention to the covenant between David and God where God said, "Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever." (2 Samuel 7:16) Paul is reminding us of this because in our remembrance of Jesus we should remember that he is our King and is reigning currently. We also remember his resurrection, which is present for us every day (and not just on easter!) Let us praise God this week and as Pastor Dave reminded us yesterday-- let us remember Jesus.

Music

O Worship the King (Lift Up Your Voice)
by Johann Michael Haydn | Robert Grant | Austin Hilmer

All Our Praises

by Austin Hilmer

Christ is Risen
Matt Maher | Mia FieldesListen on YouTube


I Need You 
Eddie Kirkland | Kristian Stanfill



O Great God
Bob Kauflin
Listen on YouTube 

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Austin Hilmer

About the Author:
Austin serves on staff at Westchester as Associate Pastor of Corporate Worship

Reflect and Receive Insight

2 Timothy 2:1-7 ends with Paul’s instruction to “Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.” I want to spend a little time talking about how important it is that we do this. 

So often I will hear a good sermon or read a great passage and then as I am leaving the church it seems like the words decide to stay there.  It isn’t my intent but it’s as though my brain sometimes says that contemplative Christian thought belongs in the church and not outside of it.  In response to this many pastors will encourage their congregations to dwell on the words they read as they go about their normal week.

The idea of dwelling is the one that I want to look at a little closer today.  It means to “Live in a particular place” and that definitely works for how we should handle the scriptures we study.  We should be living in them.  And when I think of living, I think of being involved with and working on.  If I live in my house there is work that needs to be done throughout the week.  I spend time, cooking, cleaning, and right now, painting.  I don’t live in my house if I visit it or hear about it once a week. 

Paul tells Timothy the spend time dwelling on the words he has just said in verses 1-6.  Work at them, spend time with them, and in this case receive insight into them.  There is an exciting aspect of our relationship with the words in the Bible.  For one, the Bible itself is living and active, the written word of a very personal God.  It can be a conversation as we hear from God and answer back through prayer.  We also have the Holy Spirit to help guide us as we dwell on God’s words.  This makes our time so much more profitable as we not only read but also hear from Him. 

Dear God, please help me to spend time reflecting on your words throughout my week.  Holy Spirit please guide my thoughts as I study.  Thank you for promising to give insight into your truth.

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Josh Earhart

About the Author:
Josh serves on staff at Westchester as Associate Pastor of Student Ministries

Worship Round-Up (June 14, 2015)

a weekly review of Sunday worship to provide resource and further reflection from our Sunday service.

Sermon

"The Disciple"
Pastor Josh Earhart
2 Timothy 2:1-7
Listen to the sermon here.

Call to Worship: 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

The goal of the service this week was to have joy in our worship and giving glory to God our Father through our Lord Jesus Christ (as is the goal every week!). We enjoyed songs of praise. After beginning by being reminded of the finished work of Christ in making us new creations we sang of the great Grace in being made sons and daughters though we were once orphans. We asked the Lord to give us eyes and ears to see and hear his word as Pastor Josh taught us from 2 Timothy. We then ended with a new song of doxology when we sang O Great God. I pray the resources below provide joy throughout our week.

Music

His Name is Jesus (All Hail the Power)
Oliver Holden | Edward Perronet | John Rippon | Judah Groveman
Listen on YouTube



Grace Alone
Dustin Kensrue
Listen on YouTube 



Here is Love
William Rees | 3rd verse by Steve and Vikki Cook
Listen on YouTube

We Are Listening
Jeremy Quillo
Listen on Bandcamp



O Great God
Bob Kauflin
Listen on YouTube

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Austin Hilmer

About the Author:
Austin serves on staff at Westchester as Associate Pastor of Corporate Worship