Wesley Church | Springfield, MO

God's perfect love originates from His very nature and is revealed through Jesus Christ, who dealt with our sins not because we earned it, but because God loved us first. This love doesn't leave us unchanged - it transforms us through prevenient, justifying, and sanctifying grace, making us more Christ-like. Perfect love drives out fear by building tables instead of walls, seeing every per...

Our culture thrives on division, constantly creating "us vs. them" mentalities that destroy community and relationships. This divisive thinking stems from ancient survival instincts that once helped humans identify threats but now create harmful stereotypes and prevent genuine dialogue. Jesus modeled a different way by seeing individuals rather than categories, treating women as equals a...

Jesus revealed that the greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. When we fulfill these two commands, we automatically fulfill all of God's requirements. The apostle Peter taught that love covers a multitude of sins in three ways: when we love others, they extend more grace to us; our love helps us overlook others' fault...

Jesus uses the metaphor of a vine and branches to teach His disciples about spiritual connection and fruitfulness. He declares Himself as the true vine, emphasizing that we cannot produce spiritual fruit on our own but must remain connected to Him. The key insight is that we don't obey God to earn His love - rather, God already loves us completely, and our obedience flows naturally from that r...

In a world filled with division and brokenness, we desperately need God's perfect love to heal what seems irreparable. Paul's letter to the fractured Roman church reveals that God's love isn't earned through moral performance or correct beliefs - it meets us exactly where we are, while we're still weak and imperfect. This divine love offers peace with God that defies our circum...

Many people struggle to accept God's unconditional love because our culture teaches us that everything must be earned. We look at our failures and think we need to fix ourselves before approaching God. However, the revolutionary truth is that you are valuable because God loves you, not the other way around. Romans 5:8 reveals that God demonstrated His love by sending Christ to die for us while...

Philippians 4:13 has become a popular verse for personal motivation, but we've misunderstood its true meaning. Paul wasn't talking about achieving personal dreams or ambitions when he wrote about doing everything through Christ. He was writing from prison, facing possible execution, and speaking about endurance rather than achievement. The verse is about God giving us strength to remain fa...

Pastor Chad explores the often misunderstood verse 'an eye for an eye' from Exodus 21:23-25, revealing that this wasn't divine permission for revenge but rather God's way of limiting violence and preventing escalation in the newly formed community of freed Israelites. The sermon emphasizes the importance of understanding biblical context rather than cherry-picking verses to support...

This sermon explores the often misunderstood passage 'an eye for an eye' from Exodus 21, explaining that it was not meant to encourage revenge but to limit and restrain violence. The pastor uses his own genealogy, including ancestors involved in the Hatfield-McCoy feud, to illustrate how unchecked retaliation can spiral into generational cycles of violence. The law was given to judges to e...

Many people misread Jeremiah 29:11 as a personal promise for immediate prosperity and success. However, this verse was written to Jewish exiles in Babylon who would wait 70 years to see God's promise fulfilled. The passage reveals the difference between our desire for instant gratification and God's long-term redemptive plan. True transformation comes not from seeking quick spiritual fixes...

Many Christians approach the Bible like a spiritual first-aid kit, pulling out comforting verses without understanding their deeper context. This practice, called eisegesis, makes us read our own assumptions into Scripture rather than letting it speak for itself. When we examine Jeremiah 29:11 in its full context, we discover it wasn't a promise of quick relief but a declaration of God's f...

God used a star to guide foreign priests to Jesus, showing He meets people exactly where they are. If God makes every effort to reach every person on earth, shouldn't we do the same? Who in your life feels like an outsider that could use God's love today?

The same light that guided foreign astrologers thousands of years ago is the same grace available to you today. What darkness in your life needs God's light to shine into it? The magi traveled for years to worship a king they barely understood - sometimes the most profound encounters with God happen when we respond with open hearts rather than perfect knowledge.

Wesley United Methodist Church - Springfield, MO www.wesleymethodist.com (CCLI streaming license 2009194)

Wesley United Methodist Church - Springfield, MO www.wesleymethodist.com (CCLI streaming license 2009194)

Wesley United Methodist Church - Springfield, MO www.wesleymethodist.com (CCLI streaming license 2009194)

In this week’s message, we continue  The Lyrics of Christmas  by letting the beloved hymn  “In the Bleak Midwinter”  guide us into the hope of Scripture. Through the life and words of poet Christina Rossetti—who knew her own seasons of sorrow—we explore how Advent invites us to face the “winter” of life with honesty, but not with despair. Drawing from Isaiah 9, we discover the promise spoken into...

Christmas can be especially difficult for those carrying heavy hearts and dealing with loss. The prophet Isaiah promised that God would bring light to those walking in darkness, specifically mentioning the forgotten tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali. Jesus fulfilled this prophecy by spending most of His life and ministry in Galilee, the very region these tribes inhabited. He brought hope and healing...

The season of Advent invites us to prepare our hearts for Christ's coming, but sometimes the joy of Christmas can feel threatening when we're carrying grief, stress, or disappointment. King Herod's fearful response to the newborn King contrasts sharply with the Magi's joyful worship, showing us two different ways to respond to Jesus' arrival. While Herod felt threatened because accepting Jesus as...

Many people fear Christmas not because of commercialization or early decorations, but because of what the nativity story truly represents. Like King Herod, they're threatened by the idea of surrendering control to Jesus as King. The Christmas story challenges everyone to make a choice: either worship Jesus as Lord or reject him entirely - there's no middle ground. However, those who fear C...

Wesley United Methodist Church - Springfield, MO www.wesleymethodist.com (CCLI streaming license 2009194)

Wesley United Methodist Church - Springfield, MO www.wesleymethodist.com (CCLI streaming license 2009194)

True thankfulness goes beyond gratitude journals and positive attitudes—it moves us to action. God gives us gifts not for our own benefit alone, but to serve others and build His kingdom. We are stewards, not owners, of our abilities and resources. Every gift matters, regardless of size, as demonstrated by the widow's offering in Luke 21. Don't let comparison discourage you; your unique gi...

Wesley United Methodist Church - Springfield, MO www.wesleymethodist.com (CCLI streaming license 2009194)

True gratitude isn't just a holiday feeling—it's a lifestyle choice that transforms our perspective and well-being. Research shows that people who practice daily gratitude experience better physical health, stronger relationships, and greater joy. The apostle Paul demonstrated this when he chose to rejoice while imprisoned, proving that our joy depends on our attitude, not our circumstance...