Dennis R. Wiles

January 12, 2020

Communal Love

January 2020

January 5 – February 1, 2020

Love at Work in a Community

Acts 4:23-37

LOVE

What our world needs now is . . . Love!

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

-Jesus

The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”

-Galatians 5:6

Love at Work in a Community

Acts 4:23-37

On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:

“‘Why do the nations rage

    and the peoples plot in vain?

The kings of the earth rise up

    and the rulers band together

against the Lord

    and against his anointed one.’

Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.

Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.

God loves us, we love Him, we love each other, and we love His world!

PEOPLE OF GOD – God’s people need each other!

PRAYER – Through prayer and reflection, we gain the perspective we need for life!

POWER – God’s power is real and available!

POSSESSIONS – We are mere stewards of what we possess. God has called us to life of generosity and grace!

PSALM 1 CHURCH – We have been called to live together in a spiritually transformative community!

Page Break

Psalm 1 Church: A Spiritually Transformative Community

ImpactEngagement

What is happening through us?

Growth

What is happening to us?

Public

that which is seen and enjoyed

______________________________________________________

Identity Enrichment

Who are we?

Private

that which is unseen and essential

Dennis R. Wiles

January 5, 2020

Communal Love

January 2020

January 5 – February 1, 2020

The Love of God is Greater Far

Exodus 34:4-7

LOVE

What our world needs now is . . . Love!

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

-Jesus

January 2020:Communal Love

February 2020:Love Is . . .

Easter 2020:A Love Story

Spring 2020:Family Matters

Summer 2020:One Another

August 2020:As Ourselves

Fall 2020:The Love of God

Missions 2020:Loving Our Neighbor

Advent 2020:For God Still So Loves His World

Love is both easy to define and impossible to define!

This year will be given to theological reflection and practical application.

“The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”

-Galatians 5:6

“Love is the golden thread that ties the doctrine of God, the Trinity, the cross, the story of redemption, the work of the Spirit, holiness, the calling and mission of the church, the goal of the Christian life and believers’ eschatological hope together.”

-Patrick Mitchel, The Message of Love

The Love of God is Greater Far

Exodus 34:4-7

So Moses chiseled out two stone tablets like the first ones and went up Mount Sinai early in the morning, as the Lord had commanded him; and he carried the two stone tablets in his hands. Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord. And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”

God is love --- but love is not God!

“We live in, and are deeply shaped by, Western culture. There is therefore, I believe, no greater need for the renewal of the church than to grasp afresh the breadth, depth, scope and radically countercultural nature of the Bible’s teaching on love. If we do not get our theology of love right, we will end up with a distorted view of God, his relationship with his people, the nature of the cross, the motivation for, and source of, the Christian life, the work of the Spirit, the dynamics of Christian worship, the purpose of the church and the nature of Christian hope! The message of love is crucial to the Christian faith.”

-Patrick Mitchel, The Message of Love

Hesed – God’s covenantal love

God’s love is personal.

God’s love is redemptive.

God’s love is sacrificial.

God’s love is righteous.

Dennis R. Wiles

December 29, 2019

The Hope of the Ages

Advent 2019

December 1, 2019 – January 3, 2020

Hearts on Fire

Luke 24:13-35

LOVE: What our world needs now is . . . Love!

HOPE: discover it, experience it, proclaim it!

Hearts on Fire!

Luke 24:13-35

Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him.

He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”

They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

“What things?” he asked.

“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”

He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.

When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.

The Emmaus Experience

The Personal Presence of Jesus Christ

The Proclamation of the Word of God

The Power of the Resurrection of Jesus

ON FIRE!

Dennis R. Wiles

December 22, 2019

The Hope of the Ages

Advent 2019

December 1, 2019 – January 3, 2020

The Hope of the Ages

Luke 2:1-20

HOPE: discover it, experience it, proclaim it!

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him so that you may overflow with hope by the Power of the Holy Spirit.

-Romans 15:13

HOPE – Certainty in the present and firm expectation for the future

The Hope of the Ages

Luke 2:1-20

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,

    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Historical Humility

Heavenly Pageantry

Earthly Reality

Theological Particularity

Dennis R. Wiles

December 15, 2019

The Hope of the Ages

Advent 2019

December 1, 2019 – January 3, 2020

The Thrill of Hope

Luke 8:40-56

The Thrill of Hope

Luke 8:40-56

Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him. Then a man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying.

As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.

“Who touched me?” Jesus asked.

When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.”

But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.”

Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”

While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” he said. “Don’t bother the teacher anymore.”

Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.”

When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child’s father and mother. Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. “Stop wailing,” Jesus said. “She is not dead but asleep.”

They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But he took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.

HOPE: discover it, experience it, proclaim it!

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him so that you may overflow with hope by the Power of the Holy Spirit.

-Romans 15:13

HOPE – Certainty in the present and firm expectation for the future

ADVENT 2019:The Hope of the Ages

The fears of hopelessness

The farce of false hope

The force of true hope

Dennis R. Wiles

December 8, 2019

The Hope of the Ages

Advent 2019

December 1, 2019 – January 3, 2020

Lost on Purpose

Luke 19:1-10

The Hope of the Ages

Lost on Purpose

Luke 19:1-10

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”

But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Purposefully Lost

Profoundly Curious

Powerfully Saved