Isaiah 9:2, 6-7

Most resumes list degrees earned and positions held. The best resumes also show how the person’s skills and experience could contribute to the success of the company. The applicant hopes to make an employer say, “This is just who we need!” And Jesus the Messiah is just who we need. Notice how his royal qualifications go beyond the merely human. “And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6b).

Isaiah 9:2, 6-7

Advent, the season of long-nights-getting-longer is here. The world’s problems seem so unfixable, sometimes we wonder if God has gone on vacation and left us to figure it out on our own. Then we hear some shockingly wonderful news, an announcement more beautiful than we could have imagined. A king is coming to renew the earth. He will be a gift from God, the hope of the world. “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders” (Isaiah 9:6a).

Matthew 28:16-20

Making disciples of Jesus Christ

We are Jesus’s people, and he gave us our mission. He announced our objective. He issued our orders. And it doesn’t matter how good or big a church is, if we miss this, we miss our calling. Jesus says to disciple people. That means introducing them to Jesus and walking with them on the journey. And by doing so, we will see God give them new life in this world and eternal life in the next. That’s our mission – our purpose and passion. And we pour everything into it. This will be another Sunday you won’t want to miss.

Ephesians 4:11-16

To become deep, daring, daily disciples

A vision is a picture of our future. It raises our sites above what we are to what we could become. A strong vision inspires us to passionately pursue that future. At the core of FaithWestwood’s vision is our statement “To become deep, daring, daily disciples.” On this Sunday, Pastor Steve Todd will fill out the bigger picture of what our future together could look like. If you call FaithWestwood home, this is a Sunday you won’t want to miss.

Matthew 11:28-30

A gifted person obsessed with one goal can accomplish seemingly super-human feats. But it often comes at great personal cost. We need not squeeze every drop of achievement out of every day. The wisdom of God’s Word teaches us a balance of activity and rest, sociality and solitude, loudness and quietness. God even built balance into the seven-day week. Are you ready to embrace this way of life?

1 Timothy 6:6-10

If we are to restore a healthy margin to our lives, we will need God to show us the path of contentment and simplicity. We cannot achieve these spiritual qualities on our own. They grow from the peace of Christ within. What if godly contentment became about desiring less rather than getting more? Could you live with that?

2 Corinthians 9:6-11

Fifty-nine percent of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, reported a well-known study in 2019. In other words, most people have no financial margin. For some it’s brought on by a low-paying job, or a healthcare crisis. But nearly all of us have impulsive habits that eat away at our financial margin. On the other extreme, Jesus warned us about the dangers of accumulating more and more wealth. What if Jesus was Lord of your money? What joy would this bring?

Luke 19:1-10

Time is precious. And discretionary time is most precious of all. Reclaiming margin in our schedules will require some difficult decisions. But it’s important that we make them, because a swamped schedule leaves no room for unforeseen opportunities God may send our way. That’s why Dr. Swenson says, “The clock and the Christ are not close friends.” What would happen if Jesus were Lord of your calendar? How would he help you make some margin?

Mark 4:35-41

Sir Isaac Newton famously said, “A body in motion stays in motion.” He was talking about physics, but it applies to our physical bodies, as well. If we keep them moving, they’ll keep us moving. Would you like the energy you need to live well? Here’s Dr. Swenson’s Rx: more sleep, less food, more movement. Throughout history, that’s what people normally did. What makes us think we can change that formula now? Let’s stop and ask, how did Jesus live?

Mark 6:30-34, 45-46

Has your car ever run out of gas? You feel a few halting chugs, and then it dies. You glance at your previously unnoticed fuel gauge and flashing dash light, as you coast to the shoulder. And what about our emotional tanks? Often, we’re not aware of our depleted emotional status until we feel desperate, or angry, or depressed. How do we follow Jesus’s example and wisely learn to replenish our reserves and maintain emotional margin?