Wildwood Chapel

Jesus models a life of ministry by caring for individuals, serving the needs of many, and prioritizing time with God. His example shows that effective ministry flows from a close relationship with the Father and expresses itself in loving, faithful service to others.

This sermon explores the most important question anyone can answer: Who is Jesus? Looking at John 12 and Matthew 16, we examine common views of Jesus, the reality of our sin, and the truth of the gospel. Far more than a good teacher or prophet, Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God—who came to die and rise again so that sinners might have life in His name.

In this message from Philippians 1:6, we explore the powerful promise that God always finishes what He starts. Paul reminds us that our salvation is not dependent on our strength, but on God’s faithfulness—from beginning to end. We’ll look at the assurance believers have in Christ, the relationship between God’s sovereignty and our responsibility, and the danger of drifting into spiritual complacency. This sermon offers both deep encouragement and a clear call to action: rest confidently in God’s work, and actively pursue a life of Spirit-empowered obedience. Be strengthened in your faith, challenged in your walk, and reminded to fix your eyes on Jesus—the author and perfecter of our faith.

This was our Easter Sermon for 2026 at 10:00 AM. A powerful reminder from Ephesians 1 that our identity, security, and hope are found entirely “in Christ.” Because of Him, we are chosen, forgiven, sealed, and guaranteed an eternal inheritance—giving us every reason to celebrate and live with joy.

This was our Sunrise Easter Morning Service for 2026 at 7:30 AM.A compelling Easter message centered on three powerful symbols—the empty cross, empty tomb, and empty burial cloths—revealing God’s promises of forgiveness, eternal life, and a personal relationship through the risen Christ.

A sermon on Luke 4:31–37 (with Mark parallels) exploring Jesus’ unique authority—both in his teaching and over the demonic realm—highlighted by the synagogue exorcism in Capernaum. It contrasts the crowd’s amazed but incomplete recognition of Jesus with the demon’s confession, urging listeners to rediscover Christ through the Gospels and to boldly proclaim the full gospel.

A brief explanation of why Wildwood Chapel is adopting a plurality of elders, showing biblical precedent and practical benefits for spiritual oversight and church health.

This sermon on Philippians 1:2–5 explains that true, lasting peace and joy come from God’s grace and a Christ‑centered devotion, not from changing circumstances. Using Paul’s example—joyful, thankful prayer even in chains—the message urges believers to preach the gospel to themselves daily, prioritize personal devotion over merely busy ministry, and let gratitude and joy shape their prayers. Practical applications include keeping a devotional rhythm, recording answered prayers, and directing praise to God first when encouraging others, so that knowing Christ produces the peace and strength to endure trials.

This sermon on Luke 3:21-38 highlights Jesus' baptism and genealogy as the divine announcement of Him as the promised Messiah.Jesus humbly submits to baptism to "fulfill all righteousness" (Matthew 3:15), identifying with sinners though sinless. As He prays, the heavens open, the Holy Spirit descends like a dove, and the Father declares, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased"—a Trinitarian fulfillment of prophecy that launches His ministry and models constant prayerful communion with God.The genealogy traces Jesus back through David, Abraham, Noah, to Adam "the son of God," proving His royal Davidic claim and universal role as Savior who reverses Adam's curse, affirming God's faithful plan through history.The call: Fix eyes on Christ, pray without ceasing, and boldly proclaim the gospel, knowing many still reject the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world.

In “The Judgment Seat of Christ,” Chip Farnsworth teaches from 2 Corinthians 5:9–11 that every believer will stand before Jesus (the bēma) after the rapture—not for salvation (already secure by grace), but to receive rewards for faithful service done in this life. Works are tested by fire (1 Corinthians 3:10–15): Christ-honoring deeds (gold, silver, stones) earn reward; selfish or worthless ones (wood, hay, straw) burn up, yet the believer is saved. He urges intentional living now—through service, family faithfulness, witnessing—to lay up eternal treasures, knowing God examines motives and every Christian receives at least some praise from Him

In this powerful message from Luke 3:15-20, Pastor Steve explores John the Baptist's humble and bold ministry as a model for every believer. John deflects personal praise, declaring himself unworthy even to untie the Messiah's sandal, and redirects all attention to the coming One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit and fire. Through vivid imagery of the winnowing fork separating wheat from chaff, he warns of coming judgment while calling people to genuine repentance—turning from sin to trust in Christ. The sermon challenges listeners to live with intentional purpose: magnifying Jesus in daily life, proclaiming truth courageously even when unpopular (as John did before Herod), and embracing our role in pointing others to the Savior who offers eternal security amid the reality of unquenchable fire.

In Luke 3:7–14, John the Baptist boldly confronts crowds, Pharisees, and Sadducees at the Jordan River, calling them a "brood of vipers" and warning against false repentance based on Abrahamic heritage or religious works. He demands they "bear fruits in keeping with repentance," emphasizing that genuine faith in God produces visible change, or face judgment like trees cut down and thrown into the fire. When asked "What should we do?", John gives practical examples: share clothing and food with the needy, collect only required taxes honestly, and soldiers should avoid extortion while being content with their wages. True repentance, the flip side of saving faith, begins with recognizing sin's ugliness, grasping Christ's mercy, and pursuing radical holiness that transforms daily life.

In this introductory sermon on Philippians, Pastor Kevin explains his prayerful decision to teach through Paul's joyful letter, highlighting its unique tone of affection and rejoicing compared to the rebukes in Corinthians and Galatians. Drawing from Acts 16, he recounts the dramatic founding of the Philippian church—a diverse group including Lydia, a former demon-possessed slave girl, and the jailer—established as Europe's first Christian community in a proud Roman colony. The message unpacks Philippians 1:1, emphasizing Paul's humble self-identification as a "slave" of Christ alongside Timothy, and addressing the mature church as "saints in Christ Jesus" with overseers and deacons. Ultimately, it challenges believers to live fully "in Christ" as voluntary bondservants, weaving theology into every aspect of life like the exemplary Philippians.

In this expository sermon on Luke 3:1–6, Pastor Steve examines John the Baptist’s ministry amid a corrupt political and religious landscape, focusing on his proclamation of a “baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” Emphasizing genuine repentance as a God-enabled turning from sin to Him—marked by sorrow, changed direction, and transformed desires—the message highlights John’s role in fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy, preparing the way for the Messiah’s salvation, and issues a heartfelt call for both initial faith in Christ and ongoing rejection of sin among believers.

This sermon summary explores Luke 2:21–38, highlighting God's provision of three credible witnesses to confirm the infant Jesus as the promised Messiah, contrasting with the socially untrustworthy shepherds from earlier in the chapter. The first witness is the Law of Moses, fulfilled through Mary and Joseph's righteous obedience in circumcision, naming, purification, and presentation rites, underscoring Jesus' birth under the Law and the family's poverty. The second and third witnesses are Simeon, a devout Spirit-led man who praises Jesus as salvation for Jews and Gentiles, and Anna, an elderly prophetess who devotedly proclaims Him as Israel's redemption. The sermon applies this by urging believers to patiently wait on God's promises, like Christ's return, while boldly sharing the gospel with others.

In Luke 2:8–20, God announces Jesus’ birth first to humble shepherds—lowly and often distrusted—showing His love for all people. An angel brings “good news of great joy for all the people”: a Savior, Christ the Lord, born in Bethlehem. A heavenly host praises God, proclaiming glory and peace on earth. The shepherds find the baby as described, share the news, and return glorifying God. Mary treasures these events, while the passage highlights the gospel’s universal reach, the call to worship, and transformed lives through encountering Jesus.

In this sermon on Luke 2:1–7, Pastor Steve highlights God’s sovereign control in orchestrating the birth of Jesus through Caesar Augustus’s census decree, which compelled Joseph and Mary to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem—fulfilling Micah 5:2’s prophecy that the Messiah would be born there. Amid the contrast between Roman imperial power and divine humility, Mary gives birth in a lowly stable setting, laying the newborn Savior in a manger due to no room in the guest quarters. The message encourages listeners to trust God’s precise faithfulness in history and in their own lives, focusing on the true significance of Christ’s birth rather than seasonal distractions.

Matthew 2:1–11 contrasts knowledge without love with faith-filled worship through the responses to Christ’s birth. While King Herod and the Jewish religious leaders possessed accurate scriptural knowledge about the Messiah, they responded with fear, indifference, or hostility, revealing hearts unchanged by truth. In contrast, the Magi, guided by God’s light, traveled far in joyful obedience to worship Jesus, rejoicing even before seeing Him. Their response shows that true worship flows from humble submission, loving obedience, and surrender, not merely information. The sermon challenges believers to grow in both knowledge and love, to find strength and joy in Christ, and to follow the light of God’s Word daily, offering their lives as worship to Him.

In Matthew’s telling of the Christmas story, the spotlight falls on Joseph—a heartbroken yet righteous man who discovers his betrothed is pregnant and chooses mercy over public shame. An angel’s midnight message transforms confusion into awe: the child is conceived by the Holy Spirit, fulfills ancient prophecy, and will be named Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins. Through Joseph’s quiet courage and instant obedience, we see God’s providence, faithfulness, and the staggering truth of the Incarnation: the holy God of the universe has become “God with us” to rescue us Himself.

In Colossians 1:3-8, Paul celebrates how the gospel reached Colossae through an ordinary believer named Epaphras and is now bearing fruit all over the world. Using powerful real-life stories from Chile — a dying bomb-maker, a defiant atheist, a dirt-poor woman with bone cancer, and others — the preacher shows that the gospel is always good news, God-breathed truth, global in reach, fruit-producing, and rooted in amazing grace. The urgent takeaway: this same life-changing message has been entrusted to every believer, not just missionaries, and silence is deadly — so every one of us must ask, “What will I do with the gospel of Christ?”

Sound biblical doctrine is indispensable for living a faithful Christian life and fulfilling the church’s purpose—to glorify God, edify believers, and evangelize the lost. Paul’s letters consistently teach deep theology first, then show how it shapes daily conduct: love must abound in knowledge and discernment (Phil 1:9-10), believers must “walk worthy” of their calling (Eph 4:1), and walking in the Spirit is letting the Word of Christ dwell richly within (Gal 5:16; Col 3:16). Without diligent Scripture study, feelings and culture lead to sinful choices; but when truth fills the heart, the Holy Spirit guides every thought, word, and decision to magnify God.

Pastor Steve teaches that deep, accurate knowledge of Scripture is absolutely essential for knowing God’s holiness, fulfilling the church’s purpose (exalting God, edifying believers, evangelizing the lost), and living a mature Christian life. Without it, believers remain vulnerable children easily deceived and destroyed by ignorance (Prov 1:7; Hos 4:6; Eph 4:14; Rom 12:2). This knowledge comes only through desiring God’s truth, relying on the Holy Spirit, and diligent study of the Word, producing transformed minds, joyful obedience, and a walk worthy of the Lord.

Description: What is the church? Where is the church? You are the church—God’s called-out ones, gathered by divine design to exalt His name in everything you do, to pour truth and encouragement into one another, and to take the true gospel to lost neighbors just miles away. Don’t settle for Sunday-only faith; be consumed with His glory, devour His Word, speak it boldly, and live as everyday missionaries right where you are. Jesus is building His church through you—step up, link arms, and let’s glorify God together!

In Mark 13:33–37, Jesus uses the Parable of the Absent Householder to command all believers to “stay awake” (grēgoreō)—maintaining constant spiritual vigilance for His unexpected return, likened to a thief in the night (1 Thess 5:2). With no one knowing the day or hour (Mark 13:32), every deed carries eternal weight before Christ’s judgment seat (2 Cor 5:10), warning against complacency, self-sufficiency, and the American tendency to let physical independence erode devotion, fellowship, and holiness (Rev 3:15–17). Like the disciples who slept in Gethsemane despite Jesus’ plea (Matt 26:36–41), believers today must reject spiritual slumber, fix their eyes on Jesus (Heb 12:1–2), stimulate one another to love and good deeds (Heb 10:24–25), and live each day as if Christ returns tonight—running the race to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matt 25:21).

This sermon explores three biblical covenants—Priestly (Numbers 25:10-13), Davidic (2 Samuel 7:8-16), and New (Jeremiah 31:31-34)—as part of God’s plan to reveal Himself and restore humanity, building on the Noahic, Abrahamic, and Mosaic covenants discussed previously. It emphasizes Phineas’s zeal for securing a perpetual priesthood, David’s line promising an eternal kingdom, and the New Covenant’s fulfillment in Jesus Christ, who permanently addresses sin. These covenants, rooted in God’s faithfulness, point to Jesus as the ultimate priest and king, urging believers to watch, wait, and witness while trusting in God’s eternal plan, commemorated through the Lord’s Supper.

Covenants are explained in detail by Pastor Steve. This is part one of two.

Pastor Steve preaches this week on Luke 1:67-80.

Pastor Steve continues his series in the Gospel of Luke, highlighting Gods faithfulness, graciousness, and power.

Pastor Kevin preaches from Philemon concerning biblical fellowship.

Pastor Steve preaches on Luke 1:46-55, The Magnificat. 9/21/25.