Description:January 24, 2021Genesis 39:1-15When you do what’s right, God’s supposed to bless you. Isn’t that how it’s supposed to work? And it did work that way for Joseph – for a while – until someone accused him falsely out of spite. Before he knew it, he was convicted and imprisoned. His dreams of great things were gone. But never say it’s over if God is still in the picture.

Description:Genesis 37:14c-20, 25-28Has it ever seemed that your life has taken a detour and there was no way to get it back on track? Joseph believed he was chosen by God for great things, and maybe he imagined this greatness was just around the corner. Poor Joseph had no idea what strange turns his life would take. Still a teenager, he found himself far from home, a slave in a foreign land. Could God’s hand be still be guiding him?

Description:Genesis 37:1-11Have you ever been right but handled it poorly? Usually it’s worse than being wrong and handling it well. That’s what happened to a 17-year-old from Canaan. God gave Joseph a glimpse of his future through some mysterious dreams. Unfortunately, Joseph didn’t handle it well when he shared these dreams with his family, and as a result, his brothers “hated him all the more.” Still, despite the family’s dysfunction, God’s purpose moved forward.

Description:Psalm 1452020 has been one heck of a year – and as with any year, it’s appropriate to look back and reflect. But this year, such reflection and remembering might be difficult due to the suffering, illness, and loss experienced by many of us. While this is our reality, the truth of who God is still remains – God is good; God is for you; God is with you. Let’s spend time together praising God for his goodness and his presence.

Description:Christmas Eve 2020 ServiceLuke 2:1-14• Gifts carefully selected and beautifully wrapped are opened in seconds -- then comes the chore of picking up all the paper and packaging.• A meal that takes hours to prepare can be consumed in minutes. Then the leftovers must be sealed and refrigerated and the dishes dutifully done.• It all goes by so fast – except for the cleanup.Christmas is about God coming to pick up the pieces of our world. It’s about a Son sent undercover (wrapped in cloths) to renew our hearts and restore our lives to their intended beauty.For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

Description:John 1:1-14Light is not always welcome -- sometimes we’d rather hide in darkness. For some, this describes their reaction to Jesus and his message. John’s gospel says, “people loved darkness instead of light.” Yet the light continues to shine upon us in even our darkness, gently yet persistently loving us into the light.Key verse: The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. John 1:9

Description:Isaiah 61:1-4The year 2020 has been extraordinarily challenging. Our lives have been uprooted by a pandemic. We’ve heard peaceful protests of the oppressed, and we’ve witnessed anger for those unjustly killed. We’ve seen looting and violence on our streets. We’ve endured a brutal election campaign year, too. And yet God promises that the ruins will be rebuilt, that a Leader will reign in peace. Let us live in His peace!

Description:Luke 1:39-56What’s got you beaten down? Could it be financial troubles? A lifetime of hurts? Is it dealing with injustice? Maybe it’s the effects of isolation and loneliness? At Advent we remember the promise of God -- that there will be joy. At the sound of our Rescuer’s voice, we will rejoice!

Description:Luke 1:5-25Have you heard someone say, “I’ve learned to not get my hopes up; that way I’m never disappointed”? Maybe you’ve said it once or twice too. Has a string of disappointments left you jaded, hanging onto a rope of hope that’s become worn and frayed? But then out of the blue, God surprises you with a word of encouragement. Will hope pull you through?

Description:2 Corinthians 12:19-21; 13:5-10It’s easy to accuse others and ”set them straight.”. But deep, daring, daily disciples do the harder work -- they examine themselves first. Jesus teaches us to address the log in our own eye before pointing out the speck in someone else’s. When you are in Christ, self-examination becomes a regular practice.

Description:2 Corinthians 11:21b-30; 12:1-10As a job-seeker, your path begins with your strengths. You carefully polish your resume -- including glowing references that speak to your character and accomplishments -- before printing it on high-quality, cotton paper. But as followers of Jesus, our resume is quite different. Instead of presenting it on special paper with perfect formatting, we sing it imperfectly and from the heart in our favorite hymns: “I once was lost, but now am found.” “They are weak, but he is strong.” “Yes, Jesus loves me.” As a Christ-seeker, our path to strength begins with weakness.

Description:2 Corinthians 10:1-5; 11:5-11Violence is not the way of Jesus. He was bold, yes -- but with humility and gentleness. As his deep, daring, daily disciples, we fight a battle, but we do not use the weapons of this world. Our only weapon is truth, and our every thought belongs to Christ.

Description:2 Corinthians 9:1-8Many of you at FaithWestwood give sacrificially, but as a church, we don’t want that sacrifice to be motivated by guilt. We don’t want anyone to feel pushed or cajoled. God’s plan for us is that we would discover great satisfaction when we give – from the heart, with humility, and with joy. And we rejoice, knowing we can trust God for all our needs.

Description:2 Corinthians 8:6-12Money is a challenging topic, especially in church. The Apostle Paul didn’t seem all that comfortable with it either. But famine was hitting Jerusalem, and the Corinthians Christ-followers had already promised to help. Now was their opportunity, but it had to be given willingly.

Description:2 Corinthians 5:16-21; 6:1-2Who’s been your biggest influence in coming to faith? Think of someone who helped you know Jesus and learn what it means to belong to him. That person was an ambassador for Christ – they represented Jesus to you. How did you respond? How will you respond? Thank God for those ambassadors of Christ.

Description:2 Corinthians 4:7-12It’s totally human to try to impress others. We want to appear successful and beautiful and talented so we’ll get noticed. We want to be admired and respected. But there’s something refreshing – and freeing -- about being comfortable with our ordinary selves. In Christ, we can be at peace, because we’re all carrying a hidden treasure.

Description:2 Corinthians 4:1-6The next time you visit a new church, ask yourself some questions as you walk away. Did you come away more impressed, more in love, with Christ – or with the technology? Did the message point to the day’s speaker or to the Savior? Did the people expect their needs to be catered to -- or did they lean into their Christian role as servants of the community? It’s all about how we understand the gospel.

Description:2 Corinthians 2:14-17; 3:1-6There’s nothing like the smell test -- that informal way we use our own perceptions to determine whether something is reliable or trustworthy. When you hang out someplace, you can quickly tell if it’s the real thing or not. What about our church family? Is it real? Is it healthy? Is it honest? Is it true to the gospel? What does this church ‘smell’ like to you?

Description:2 Corinthians 2:5-11; 7:5-11How do you deal with uncomfortable feedback? Maybe you avoid it. Perhaps you deny its usefulness or shrug it off completely. But what if you choose to learn and grow from it? Facing difficult news about ourselves and resolving to change is what the Bible calls “godly sorrow.”

Description:When we’re hungry, we often turn to our favorite comfort foods. When we’re ready to relax, we enjoy the cozy feel of comfortable clothes. And when we’re hurting, we welcome a comforting hug. In our suffering God is ready to comfort us -- it’s a gift we then pass on to others. It starts a chain reaction of comfort during life’s most stressful times.This week read 2 Corinthians 1:1-14.

Description:August 6, 2020Did you know “neighbor” can be a verb? When we associate with our neighbors, we are neighboring. We can neighbor with people at work, in organizations, or at school. Because of the Holy Spirit, the life-changing gospel travels from person to person when we neighbor. But how can we neighbor during a pandemic?

Description:Hebrews 10:19-25In the first century, some followers decided to quit gathering with their sisters and brothers in Christ. They didn’t see the need. Sometimes, you may feel that way too. But what happened to those early solo disciples? The writer of the letter to the Hebrews says they became weak in love and action. Without others to spur them on, their encouragement tanks ran dry.

Description:August 23, 2020Romans 8:31-39When we’re attacked by enemies and feeling low, does it mean that God has abandoned us? Is our suffering a sign of God’s displeasure? When someone we love dies way too young, does it mean God doesn’t care? No. No. No. These are the times when we hang on to the promise that nothing can separate us from God’s love.

Description:Romans 8:28-30We don’t believe that everything that happens to us is caused by God or that everything that happens to us is even God’s will. But we do believe this promise -- that God always works for good. And that promise is enough to raise us up each morning with confidence and faith in the new day to come.

Description:August 9, 2020When it comes to prayer, every one of us is a beginner. What a surprise, then, when we discover that God is not disappointed by our weak attempts to pray! God’s promise is that he cherishes each prayer -- even the ones where we can’t find any words at all.Verse of Promise: “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.” Romans 8:26

Description:When we’re hurting, it’s no use pretending that we’re not. And it doesn’t help much to think of others who have it worse. But during hard times, one way we hang on is to keep looking forward and believing in the promise that God’s best is yet to come. We are promised that one day all our earthly pain, loss, and suffering will be like a dream from which we’ve awakened.Verse of Promise: “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Romans 8:18

Description:Have you ever been blessed just by someone’s smile? Maybe you were expecting their anger and instead you got a grin that said they were glad to see you. That loving welcome is exactly what we get from God. And we’re promised that the inner voice of the Holy Spirit will speak to our hearts, telling us we are God’s children.

Description:July 19, 2020By our sinful, rebellious actions we bring condemnation on ourselves. But our sin is no match for God’s grace, brought to us through his son Jesus. When we belong to him we receive the promise that condemnation is no more.Verse of Promise: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1

Description:As members of both a church community and the community at large, we disagree on which precautions are necessary in a pandemic. There’s no surprise there -- when have we completely agreed on anything? In the first century, Jesus’s people in Rome were advised to not quarrel over “disputable matters.” And they learned what was more important than being right.

Description:July 5, 2020After the fireworks have silenced and the smoke had cleared, we'll pray for this nation just as Jesus's people always have. On July 5, we'll witness an amazing conversation among a few of the FaithWestwood faithful, and we'll learn how to pray for this nation. We'll pray that God's kingdom may come and all people may prosper.

Description:June 28, 2020Jesus tells stories that captivate our imagination. In one verse he encapsulates an illustration of the kingdom of heaven as the yeast that permeates the dough: a small verse with a big message. That's the nature of faith; a tiny bit makes a huge impact. This parable permits us to find God working in our lives -- not relegated to mythical platitudes or a proverbial ticket to heaven, but completely involved and integrated.

Description:Fatherhood is complicated role for any man to take on – and a complex subject to discuss too. So this Father’s Day we’ll take a look at positive and negative choices made by dads in the Bible. You might hear a few dad jokes along the way too!

Description:If someone was looking for ammo to shoot down the Christian faith, it’s not hard for them to find. Usually, they just start with the Crusades and move on to the Spanish Inquisition. Maybe you have a friend who rants, “The Bible’s full of anti-scientific, homophobic, eccentric, idiotic nonsense for people who don’t know how to think for themselves! It only perpetuates racist, sexist oppression.” What will you say to that? This Sunday, we’ll address several of these objections and obstacles to faith.

Description:Why are things the way they are? And why do we wish they were different? It’s not easy to reconcile what we see in the world with a belief in an all-powerful, all-caring God. This Sunday we’ll look at a range of tough questions by simply filling in the blanks in this one: “If God is so ______, why doesn’t he _____?”

Description:Some of our most profound and life-changing spiritual experiences may not happen in a church building. At least that’s what a Roman centurion named Cornelius might tell us. Along with his family and friends, Cornelius was in his own home when he first learned about Jesus. Then something happened they would never forget — they were wondrously filled with the Holy Spirit. Who knows what Spirit-filled experiences God may have for us when we worship him at home?

Description:Ephesians 6:13-18Superheroes are strong, brave, and always win in the end. Sometimes we feel like we could never be superheroes and complete great feats -- or can we? With Christ by our side, our dreams of being superheroes are not light-years away.

Description:We all have a wish list in the back of our mind, don’t we – the car we’d like to drive, the new cookware we’ve always wanted, that pair of shoes we’ve had our eye on? But what if we had another list we were even more excited about? One that kept track of all the opportunities we have to be a generous friend? Jesus tells us that everyone is happy to see a generous friend.

Description:Miracles streak through our lives like a rare meteor. But a miracle without love, however dazzling, would not be from God. A miracle that came without caring would leave us dry and empty. But, if you’ve ever been part of a community of love, you know it’s one of the most life-giving, healing places in the world.

Description:Does it take faith to receive healing? And whose faith does it take? Jesus told a woman with bleeding and a man with blindness, “Your faith has healed you.” When a paralyzed man was lowered through a roof, Jesus was amazed at the faith of the man’s friends. And at other times it seems Jesus was the only one with faith in the healing. What is the role of faith in healing – and in waiting for a healing?

Description:Jesus did not come to give you half a life. He came to give you a full life – life to the max. He promises to give you all you need, so you can become all you were meant to be. And we discover along the way that holy choices are also healthy choices.

Description:Luke 13:10-17When we get sick, we might think that the illness comes from God. What do you believe about that? And more importantly, what did Jesus believe? What did he say about the source of disease and disability? Let’s look to him as we start our series, In Sickness and in Health.

Description:The resurrection of Jesus wasn't just for his sake. It was for you! Jesus's resurrection proves that his death wasn't a defeat. It was a victory for all who trust in him. And Easter is a promise of our own resurrection to come -- the day when God will remake the world by bringing heaven and earth together. It's a promise that's already beginning to come true, through the hearts and actions of every one of us.

Description:Who was more misunderstood than Jesus?Who was more despised?He was a threat to those in power.He disappointed those who wanted power.He confused those who had no power.The punishment he received seemed so tragic, so unfair.No one knew it was God’s plan to bring us peace.

Description:Just after Jesus predicts that one disciple will betray him, and just before he predicts that the rest will fall away from him, Jesus does something extraordinary. He gives them bread and says, “This is my body.” He hands them the cup and says, “This is my blood.” It was a gift not based on their qualifications but on his grace. As flawed followers, we receive this same gift today.

Description:What kind of leader do you want? What kind of leader do we need? in 332 BC, the conquering Alexander the Great rode into Jerusalem on his huge white stallion. More than three centuries later, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a borrowed donkey -- very different beasts for very different kings. Today only one is still hailed as a king, the one who taught the way of humility.

Description:Psalm 37:1-11Some people break rules, cross ethical lines, take advantage of others, and are rewarded with success. We say, “It’s not fair!” Then we hear a new word. Devious people may prosper for now, but their days are numbered. Ultimately, it’s those who “trust in the Lord and do good” who will receive God’s greatest reward. Do you believe that?

Description:Psalm 32Sin carries consequences. It’s in every page of the Bible. We may deny our sins -- we can try to hide them. But as Numbers 32:23 says, “Your sin will find you out.” And yet we also see over and over that God forgives those who acknowledge their faults, failures, and flaws. What better reason could there be to sing to the Lord than this, “You forgave the guilt of my sin”?

Description:Psalm 30Imagine writing a simple song, thanking God for all he’s done in your life. Each verse could tell of a hard time you faced. Then the chorus rings out how God brought you through each challenge. You might sing, “My happiness was gone. My life had little chance. You brought me through my grief and taught me how to dance.”

Description:Psalm 27If you focus on how bad your problems are, they will run your life. But if you focus on knowing God and worshiping God and doing God’s will, then your problems will not win. They may still be there, but they will not define you. Remember, better days are ahead. In the meantime, wait. Wait confidently.