Woodland Friends Church

Sermon originally preached March 12, 2017. If you’re looking for black or white answer to politics here, I don’t think you will find it. If you’re looking for peace with politics, I think you WILL find it.


The Lord does receive our Thanksgiving. Was David at fault to want to build God a house? I wouldn’t say at fault. I would point out there were prescribed ways of thanking God through the fellowship offerings. For God, His heart towards David? “It’s not about what you do for Me. It’s about what I’m doing for you!”

The Lord does receive our Thanksgiving. Was David at fault to want to build God a house? I wouldn’t say at fault. I would point out there were prescribed ways of thanking God through the fellowship offerings. For God, His heart towards David? “It’s not about what you do for Me. It’s about what I’m doing for you!”

I like when this Promise comes. It comes not in or after chapter 11, when David’s stealing a wife and murdering her husband. And God has not been consistently with David through battle, and toil, and delivering those enemies into his hands, and delivering David out of these enemies, and giving him Jerusalem wondering, thinking the whole time, “When is payday?!" That’s not God’s heart!

I like when this Promise comes. It comes not in or after chapter 11, when David’s stealing a wife and murdering her husband. And God has not been consistently with David through battle, and toil, and delivering those enemies into his hands, and delivering David out of these enemies, and giving him Jerusalem wondering, thinking the whole time, “When is payday?!" That’s not God’s heart!

“When I’m stuck in sermon prep, have I asked the question?” The question being, “How does this remind me of Jesus?” I couldn’t get over the image of a procession into Jerusalem. Where have I seen that before? Jesus’ Triumphal Entry of course. The biggest difference about David’s Triumphal entry into Jerusalem, and Jesus’ so many years later…? Is What David accomplishes when he comes to the taberna...

“When I’m stuck in sermon prep, have I asked the question?” The question being, “How does this remind me of Jesus?” I couldn’t get over the image of a procession into Jerusalem. Where have I seen that before? Jesus’ Triumphal Entry of course. The biggest difference about David’s Triumphal entry into Jerusalem, and Jesus’ so many years later…? Is What David accomplishes when he comes to the taberna...

We see over and over that "the LORD with with David!" And you say, “He’s David! King David! God had a plan for his life, he’s the king after God’s own heart, it was set in stone! It was meant to be! But not me. The Lord’s not with me.” And yes it’s God’s Word, it’s history, it’s come to pass, but the story was being written as David walked this earth. And the pages weren’t set in ink yet. And the...

We see over and over that "the LORD with with David!" And you say, “He’s David! King David! God had a plan for his life, he’s the king after God’s own heart, it was set in stone! It was meant to be! But not me. The Lord’s not with me.” And yes it’s God’s Word, it’s history, it’s come to pass, but the story was being written as David walked this earth. And the pages weren’t set in ink yet. And the...

This isn’t how David operates. Here’s why he doesn’t operate that way. I feel like some Christians want to distill our faith down to mere mysticism, and not reality. Some Christians want to stress human agency so much to the point of denying God any practical insertions into life. Don’t let God’s providence and omnipotence make you lazy, but don’t let man’s responsibility make you ignorant or begr...

This isn’t how David operates. Here’s why he doesn’t operate that way. I feel like some Christians want to distill our faith down to mere mysticism, and not reality. Some Christians want to stress human agency so much to the point of denying God any practical insertions into life. Don’t let God’s providence and omnipotence make you lazy, but don’t let man’s responsibility make you ignorant or begr...

Violence. Power. Force. “This is how I’m respected.” It makes no sense to some when David catches Saul in a cave relieving himself, and David has the ability right then and there to put an end to Saul. It makes no sense to Abishai when the entire army is sleeping, and Saul’s just lying there right next to his spear… and in both instances David does not fight the way Saul has fought. He chooses mer...

Violence. Power. Force. “This is how I’m respected.” It makes no sense to some when David catches Saul in a cave relieving himself, and David has the ability right then and there to put an end to Saul. It makes no sense to Abishai when the entire army is sleeping, and Saul’s just lying there right next to his spear… and in both instances David does not fight the way Saul has fought. He chooses mer...

David’s supposed to be assuming the Throne! He’s been on this path for years! Anointed as a teenager! Chased by Saul! He was always nice to Saul! Never sought to kill him when he could, when had opportunity! And now that Saul has died, and now that Israel is open for a new leader, he’s facing THIS. More Saul-followers. Scheming commanders. Civil war. Two kingdoms. But he was promised! Yahweh throu...

David’s supposed to be assuming the Throne! He’s been on this path for years! Anointed as a teenager! Chased by Saul! He was always nice to Saul! Never sought to kill him when he could, when had opportunity! And now that Saul has died, and now that Israel is open for a new leader, he’s facing THIS. More Saul-followers. Scheming commanders. Civil war. Two kingdoms. But he was promised! Yahweh throu...

The saying goes in farmland, being in the barn doesn't make you a cow. So maybe you were raised in the church, maybe you said a sinner's prayer, maybe you were baptized? But are you saved as the Bible lays out?

The saying goes in farmland, being in the barn doesn't make you a cow. So maybe you were raised in the church, maybe you said a sinner's prayer, maybe you were baptized? But are you saved as the Bible lays out?

CHRISTMAS KIDS PROGRAM HAPPENING AT WFC for 12/24/23. Here is recorded Friday (Dec 22)'s communion service sermon. What the Angels say that first Christmas twilight, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” To you. He, Christ, was born unto You, to the Shepherds, "to His own," John says, and to all, to the world – John would say over and over in his go...

CHRISTMAS KIDS PROGRAM HAPPENING AT WFC for 12/24/23. Here is recorded Friday (Dec 22)'s communion service sermon. What the Angels say that first Christmas twilight, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” To you. He, Christ, was born unto You, to the Shepherds, "to His own," John says, and to all, to the world – John would say over and over in his go...

"During the time of King Herod," is how Matthew frames the Nativity story. Knowing my Advent Scriptures very well, I knew Luke 2 began naming off some other names. Caesar Augustus. Quirinius. My clever preacher’s mind clicked, knowing especially that the Three Kings we sing of, have been pretty much proven through historical research, they were never really kings. Yes, they had an audience with Ki...

"During the time of King Herod," is how Matthew frames the Nativity story. Knowing my Advent Scriptures very well, I knew Luke 2 began naming off some other names. Caesar Augustus. Quirinius. My clever preacher’s mind clicked, knowing especially that the Three Kings we sing of, have been pretty much proven through historical research, they were never really kings. Yes, they had an audience with Ki...

I guess my hope, and my desire this Christmas, and what I see as the Need for Christmas, is belief and rest. Belief in Christ is who He says He is. He has provided all the hope, redemption, grace, and satisfaction a soul will ever need, and He is our place of constant rest. His yoke is easy, and His burden is light.

I guess my hope, and my desire this Christmas, and what I see as the Need for Christmas, is belief and rest. Belief in Christ is who He says He is. He has provided all the hope, redemption, grace, and satisfaction a soul will ever need, and He is our place of constant rest. His yoke is easy, and His burden is light.

To you. I want us to hear this. An angel shows up. Doesn’t happen everyday. The glory of the Lord shines about him. The angel declares in no uncertain terms, “Prophecy is being fulfilled! Words spoken by the prophets are finding their culmination!” The One, True, and Only God of the Universe, Star-breather, world creator, the One who made the deepest ocean trenches, and highest mountain-peaks, THA...

To you. I want us to hear this. An angel shows up. Doesn’t happen everyday. The glory of the Lord shines about him. The angel declares in no uncertain terms, “Prophecy is being fulfilled! Words spoken by the prophets are finding their culmination!” The One, True, and Only God of the Universe, Star-breather, world creator, the One who made the deepest ocean trenches, and highest mountain-peaks, THA...