Waynesville Community Church

In Joshua 24:14-15, Joshua calls the people of Israel to wholehearted devotion to God. He challenges them to choose whom they will serve, either the false gods of their past or the one true God who delivered them. With bold conviction, Joshua declares, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” This passage reminds us that a good news family begins with a clear and faithful choice: to serve...

After a grueling trial and gruesome crucifixion, the beaten, lifeless body of Jesus hung on the cross. With Friday sundown and the approaching Sabbath, there was a rush to dispose of the deceased. Determined to honor their rabbi, some of Jesus' followers arranged for Jesus to receive a proper burial. But they didn’t know that the borrowed tomb would only be needed for a very short time. Jesus...

In Luke 23, only a handful of hours into His last day before death, Jesus had already been falsely accused and wrongly condemned to death. He was flogged by officials, forsaken by His followers, and left so weak that He could not even carry His cross as He marched to the place of His execution. Yet the emotional anguish and physical pain He bore could not keep Him from obediently fulfilling the Fa...

As Jesus and His disciples left the upper room, Jesus embarked on the final leg of His journey to the cross. He entered the garden of Gethsemane, knowing all His disciples would fail to stand and watch and pray. He knew Peter would deny Him three times. He was utterly alone, but He never wavered. In the garden, Jesus did what Adam could not do. He stood against the devil and bowed His will to the...

Matthew 26:6-13 tells the story of a woman anointing Jesus with expensive perfume, an act of deep love and honor. While others criticized her, Jesus praised her, saying she had done a beautiful thing, preparing Him for burial. This moment shows that true worship is discovering that the Lord is worthy to love and follow. Worship starts in the inner person, is often costly, and is honored by Him eve...

In Matthew 25, Jesus tells a parable about a master who entrusts his servants with different amounts of money before leaving on a journey. Two servants invest and multiply what they’re given and are rewarded, while one hides his talent out of fear and is rebuked. Jesus uses this story to show how He invests in us by giving us gifts and opportunities to use for His glory. He entrusts to us opportun...

Matthew 23:1-26 shows Jesus confronting the hypocrisy of religious leaders who burden people with rules but neglect justice, mercy, and faithfulness. he invites us to a genuine relationship with God, freeing us from empty religion and outward appearances.

After Jesus entered Jerusalem with the crowds cheering, Jesus had various encounters with the Pharisees and Sadducees throughout that week. Their goal was almost always to discredit Jesus; His goal was to teach about God and His kingdom. Jesus both answered and asked questions that showed that He had a mastery of the Word of God and that He also stood in authority over the Word of God. Jesus’s tea...

From His conception, Jesus’s life was a steady drumbeat of fulfillment in Old Testament prophecy. As He fulfilled prophecy, He also prophesied about His future. Jesus came to save the world from sin and death. The Jews were expecting a worldly military king, but what they got in Jesus was a humble servant who taught His people, healed His people, and raised them from the dead. Though Jesus continu...

In Romans 6:1–5, Paul teaches that when we are baptized into Christ, we are united with Him in His death, burial, and resurrection. Just as Christ was raised from the dead, we are raised to live a new life. Our old selves—bound by sin—are symbolically buried with Christ through baptism. This passage emphasizes that we don’t continue living in sin because our identity has changed; we have been “sub...

Jesus tells the Jews who believed in Him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” If you look back at John 14:6, Jesus says, “I am the way, the TRUTH, and the life'.” This shows that truth isn’t just an idea; it’s a person. Knowing Jesus is knowing the truth that brings true freedom: freedom from guilt, shame, fear...

Luke 13:22-35 reminds us that Jesus is the only way to salvation, and truly following God means walking in obedience to Him. He calls us to enter through the narrow door, staying faithful even when the path is difficult. Jesus longs to gather us close, but we must be willing to come to Him. Today, let’s reflect on whether we are actively following Jesus, seeking Him daily, and trusting Him as the...

In Luke 17:20-37, the Pharisees asked Jesus when God’s Kingdom would come, expecting a big, visible event. But Jesus told them, “The Kingdom of God is in your midst” (Luke 17:21). He was saying that God’s reign had already begun—through Him! Jesus then warned His disciples that His return would be sudden, like lightning flashing across the sky. People in Noah’s and Lot’s days went about life as us...

In Matthew 13:31-50, Jesus shares several parables to illustrate the nature of the kingdom of heaven. He compares it to a tiny mustard seed that grows into a great tree and to yeast that spreads through dough, symbolizing its small beginnings and transformative power. He also likens it to a hidden treasure and a pearl of great value, showing that the kingdom is worth sacrificing everything to atta...

Thank you to our guest speaker Dr. Hutchinson from Cedarville! The trilogy of parables in Luke 15 illustrates God's deep love for wayward sinners and affirms the joy of the Heavenly Father when the lost are recovered. First and foremost, God forgives and restores. The tragedy of lostness is vividly portrayed but is always overshadowed by the joy of finding the precious object that has been los...

In Matthew 6:1-18, Jesus reminds us that true righteousness is not about impressing others but seeking God with a sincere heart. Whether in giving, praying, or fasting, our focus should be on pleasing Him,not gaining human approval. When we give in secret, God sees. When we pray with humility, He listens. When we fast with a pure heart, He rewards us. This passage challenges us to examine our moti...

Jesus’ sermon on the Mount begins with a radical idea: true blessing comes not from wealth or power but from humility, mercy, and a heart devoted to God. The Beatitudes remind us that God’s kingdom operates differently from the world’s standards. When we are poor in spirit, we recognize our need for Him. When we show mercy, we reflect His love. Even in persecution, we are not forgotten. God’s rewa...

In John 10:22-39 , Jesus is in the temple during the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah) when the Jews ask Him to state plainly whether He is the Messiah. Jesus responds that He has already shown who He is through His works, which testify that He is from the Father. He declares, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30), emphasizing His divine authority. The Jews attempt to stone Him for blasphemy, claim...

Mark 8:1-10 recounts Jesus’ miracle of feeding the four thousand. A large crowd had gathered to listen to Him, and after three days without food, Jesus had compassion on them. His disciples were unsure how to provide enough food in the wilderness, but Jesus took seven loaves of bread, gave thanks, broke them, and distributed them. He also blessed a few small fish, and everyone ate until they were...

In Matthew 9:18-31 , Jesus demonstrates His divine authority over sickness and death through miraculous healings. A synagogue leader seeks His help to revive his dead daughter. On the way, a woman suffering from chronic bleeding for twelve years touches His cloak in faith and is instantly healed. When Jesus reaches the leader’s house, He takes the girl’s hand, and she is restored to life. Later, t...

In Luke 5:17-26, Jesus forgives a paralyzed man’s sins before healing his body, showing His ultimate authority over sin. By addressing the man’s spiritual need first, Jesus reveals the deeper purpose of His mission: to restore our relationship with God. Jesus does not stop there; to demonstrate His divine authority, he heals the man physically as well. This story calls us to trust in Jesus, who al...

Mark 4:35-41 is a powerful reminder of Jesus’ presence and authority in the storms of life. As the disciples panic amidst the raging sea, Jesus sleeps peacefully, showing His trust in God’s sovereignty. When they cry out to Him, He rebukes the storm with a simple command, “Peace! Be still!” and calm returns. In this moment, Jesus demonstrates His divine power and challenges His followers to replac...

In John 17:14-26, Jesus concludes His High Priestly Prayer, expressing His deep love and concern for His disciples and future believers. He desires that believers be one, just as He and the Father are one, so their unity can reveal God’s love to the world. Jesus also prays for eternal fellowship, that His followers will one day see His glory and share in the love of God. This oneness reflects the...

In John 17:9-19, Jesus demonstrates that prayer is intimate communication with the Father. He speaks openly, asking God to protect, unify, and sanctify His disciples. This prayer reveals Jesus’ deep relationship with the Father and His desire for His followers to live in holiness and truth. It shows us that prayer is not just about asking for help but aligning our hearts with God’s will. Like Jesu...

In John 17:1-11, Jesus demonstrates His deep relationship with the Father through prayer. He seeks to be glorified so He can glorify the Father, emphasizing their eternal unity and shared mission. Jesus acknowledges His obedience in completing the work given to Him and expresses His desire for His followers to be protected and united, just as He and the Father are perfectly one. How can prayer hel...