Warsaw Evangelical Presbyterian Church

Over the years, the show Law & Order has been something that I’ve enjoyed. In my opinion, the original show is still the best. Whenever you watch a program like this, or whenever you hear about law and politics, you sometimes hear the phrase  quid pro quo.  It basically means, “I will do something for you that equals the value of what you do for me.” It’s a way of trying to gain...

Good soil makes a huge difference in the harvest a farmer can expect. In Luke 8:4-15, Jesus told a story that reflected the farming practices in his time. A farmer would sow by hand, scattering seed in the field as he walked along. Now we might be tempted to think that a lot of seed was wasted as the farmer spread it wide. After all, a portion of the seed fell in places too poor to produce a crop....

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”   -Luke 6:46 Have you ever seen a video of a house falling into the sea after the waters washed away its foundation? I can’t imagine what it would be like to watch the house I call home be ruined by the rushing waters. It must be devastating and make you feel so helpless. This week we will begin a new sermon series called Parable,...

“I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection…” Philippians 3:10 In one of his books, Max Lucado tells a story about the late champion boxer Muhammad Ali taking someone to his barn where he stored his trophies and awards. Standing in the doorway, he pointed to his many trophies and said, “It ain’t nothing.” He had come to the conclusion that when all is said and done, his accom...

In some ways, a new year brings certain changes. We put the old calendar away and hang a new one on the wall. We spend the next ten days writing the wrong year on everything, crossing it off, and then writing the correct one. We often approach the new year as a time to start new habits or try to break old ones. The sensation of beginning a new year can evoke a hopeful sense of having a fresh start...

That’s not a passage that many of us read often, nor is it a verse that we hear at Christmas. But maybe it should be! As we approach this weekend, gifts will be opened and received, others will be proclaimed the best Christmas gift ever, and still others will be returned for refunds.  However, Christmas reveals to us the life-altering richness of God’s greatest gift that He gave to...

Have you ever had a song stuck in your head where the tune is playing over and over in your mind? Sometimes you can’t help singing or humming the tune all day long. If you look at the Gospel of Luke, there is much singing as we reach the story of Christ’s birth. Those songs are sung by elderly men like Zechariah and Simeon, and there’s even the song of the angels at Christ’s birth. In Luke 1:...

“Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”  - Matthew 2:2 Stars? Magi? Lavishly expensive gifts? What does this strange story mean? The wise men (or Magi) come from the East (most likely Persia) in search of a king. They had studied the Scriptures and stars; and when they saw this particular star, they left their own kings...

“Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him.”  -Luke 2:25 Expecting parents wait nine months for the arrival of their newborn baby. When the child finally comes, there is a sense of relief and excitement. Nine months is a long time to wait. Now imagine you are waiting for the b...

Grumbling seems to be a favorite pastime of humanity, and Jesus-followers are not exempt. We see it in the way God rescued His people from slavery in Egypt and provided for them in the desert, yet they complained! We see it in the New Testament when God’s people grumbled regularly enough that the apostle Peter had to say, “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling” (1 Peter 4:9). And...

“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 When we think about the “big” questions in life, what are some that come to mind? “What does God want from me?” Or, “What does God want for me?” Those are some big-picture questions. What about the ones that are a bit smaller? “What career shou...

This sermon wraps up our "Foundations" sermon series. Over the past several weeks, we have surveyed a variety of foundational beliefs, teachings, and practices of Christianity, including the Apostles' Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the importance of a relationship with Jesus. This week, we will turn our attention to another foundation of the Christian life, the task and calling of shepherding...

Growing up in the south suburbs of the city of Chicago, we always talked about the congestion, the traffic jams, and the aggressive drivers. It was an inconvenience and a frustration. There is a certain level of attraction to the big city, but I never realized how much it bothered me until I lived in a place like Warsaw and have to go home to visit family.  Throughout high school and college,...

As we continue in our “Foundations” series this week, we’ll be looking at the difference between religion and relationship, between works of the law and grace in Jesus Christ. What I hope we discover is that we stand on the foundation of the finished work of Christ on the cross and His grace alone. If you know of anyone else who needs to be reminded of this good news, then make sure to reach out t...

“Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.” (NLT) “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” (ESV) I love the way both of those translations talk about Hebrews 10:23…Holding fast to what we affirm - to our confession - and to do it without wavering. In what we discovered together las...

What do you believe? This question can apply to any number of things: What do you believe about the weather? What do you believe about the Chicago Bears this year? What do you believe about politics? What do you believe about what so-and-so is doing? What do you believe about __________________? You get the picture.        Why is that important? It’s important because you and I...

This week we come to the end of our series that has seen us journey through the letter to the Ephesians. In a way, we are bidding “farewell” to an old friend who we’ve come to love so well. Hopefully, we keep the truths of Ephesians deep within, and we wear them well like a coat of armor.        Speaking of armor, because so much of our time will be spent Sunday on The Armor of...

We all work for somebody. You may be a 9-5 hourly employee. You may be a CEO who reports to a board. You may be a board that is concerned about your investors. However, no matter what your state of employment is, Ephesians 6 reminds us that we are all working for God!        Yet there’s more. Many of us have people who are responsible to us: we may be district managers, bu...

“Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.” Colossians 3:20-21        At some point along the way, nearly every family experiences a conversation that goes something like this: A student is having a chat with a parent about some disagreement, and the parent says, “So long as you...

One of the things I often say is that “what we believe needs to affect how we behave.” It’s the idea that the “vertical” relationship we have with Christ should affect the “horizontal.” Over the past few weeks, our series has taken us from beautiful theology to practical living. The theme tying it all together is found in Ephesians 5:21.        Submission. Love. Reverence. &nbs...

The more we come to know Jesus, the more we become like Jesus. One of the marks of a person whose identity is rooted in Christ is that he or she will increasingly live in a way that displays the beauty of Christ to others. As we continue our sermon series on identity, we will look at the first half of Ephesians 5. Building on some of the themes that Robby unpacked for us last week, we will conside...

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. — Ephesians 4:22-24        Oftentimes when we come to a new year, many people resolve to live differently. We pro...

In many ways, the book of Philippians can be described as a long and amazing thank-you letter. The apostle Paul wanted to express his gratitude and joy to the believers in the city of Philippi for the gift they had sent after learning of his imprisonment. Led by the Spirit, Paul also sought to encourage them to stand firm in persecution and to rejoice, ­regardless of their circumstances. I’d say t...

Paul uses the image of a body to describe Jesus Christ as the head of the church. It is Jesus Christ who provides the direction and the coordination of His body. What is most beautiful about this imagery, though, is how it relates to Christ's authority over His church.        The image of the head and the body vividly shows that, just as our flesh and bone is joined togeth...

“I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.”   Ephesians 4:1        How many of us have ever asked, “What should I do with my life?” We probably all have. Of course, behind this question is a bigger and deeper one: “What is the purpose of my life?” Those questions are ones that we never stop asking because we’re always entering different seasons in...