WestGate Church Teaching

Title: THE AFTERWORD | The Greatest : Love Your Neighbor

Description:

A while ago, we polled folks at WestGate Church and asked them which of the three loves was the most challenging to them. The winner, by a clear margin, was “love your neighbor.” This makes sense in light of our current cultural climate, where people who believe a lot differently from you are seen not as strangers, but enemies. Jay stops by to talk about practical ways to love our neighbor, and shares some tips and tricks. We talk about how this value is inviolable for those who want to follow Jesus. We also try to define “neighbor” and “love” in ways that help. Also! We delve into the neuroscience of human connection, and why this matters as we interact with people who aren’t followers of Jesus. Finally, David does a deep dive into the 1985 song “We Are the World” - an incredibly influential song that not only sold 20 million copies, but has spiritually resonant themes about responsibility toward sacrifice of one’s neighbor. Okay, he does in WAY too deep, but you know how Dave gets.

Speakers: David Tieche + Jay Kim

In one of the most famous passages of the Bible, Jesus tells people that the most important thing in life is to love God with “all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind.” But Jesus, famously, doesn’t stop there. He adds to it, commanding His followers to “love your neighbor as yourself.” A tall order. In today’s world, it seems we tolerate our neighbors, or neglect them, or judge them, or even are suspicious of them. But if love means “seeking the good of the other” and “seeking connection” then we ask ourselves: what would it mean to “seek connection” with my neighbor and truly seek their good?

Title: THE AFTERWORD | The Greatest : Love One Another

Description:

In John 13, Jesus tells His followers that He wants them to “love one another” as “He has loved them.” Jesus’ model of presence, connection and self-sacrifice are a TALL ORDER - especially in a busy Bay Area world. David Kim and Lisa Averill stop by to share thoughts about why community breaks down, and what makes community work. Also, is Christian community a…discipline, like working out? Also, is there a difference between Christian community and Christian friendship? Are they the same? We talk about all of it.

Speakers: David Tieche + David Kim + Lisa Averill

Sermon Description:

In John 13, Jesus says that He wants his followers to love one another as He loved them. He then says these loving communities will be a powerful testimony to a world that’s often filled with loneliness, isolation and conditional love. This isn’t always easy - it’s tough to love other people when our lives are filled with so many demands that we can barely take care of ourselves and those in our immediate vicinity. But perhaps that’s the point: in a world that desperately needs it, Jesus is telling His followers to forge these kind of communities. Not just for the sake of others, but for our own sake, as well.

Bible Passages):

1 Cor 13

SPEAKERS:

Lisa Averill (Saratoga), David Kim (South Hills)

Title: THE AFTERWORD | The Greatest : Love God

Description:

The problem with the phrase “love God” is that you have to do a lot of work to explain what you mean by “love” and what you mean by “God.” Those words are pretty mushy, semantically. We use the same word to say I “love” my mom and I also “love” tacos? What? Jay and David share a proper definition of love that’s not only helpful, but actionable. Also, if love is partially about working for the good of another, then how in the world can we “work” for God’s good? He’s got everything. Right? We dive into the Biblical truth that humans - you and I - can actually bring God joy and delight. Finally, Jay shares his personal picks for “best love song” of all time. And if you’re a fan of 90s R&B, his selections *will not* disappoint.

Speakers: David Tieche + Jay Kim

Every Fall at WestGate Church, we take a few weeks to re-calibrate our lives and talk about the “three loves.” Love God, love your neighbor, love one another. But “love” is a pliable, somewhat mushy word, and often how we define what love determines how we live it out. Steve CLifford stops by to talk about a proper definition for love, some bad definitions of love, and how we can grow in love. He and Dave also debate the Greatest NFL team of all-time and Steve has some nominations for his favorite all-time songs about love. And Huey Lewis makes a cameo.

Speakers: David Tieche + Steve Clifford

If you’ve been around WestGate Church for any amount of time at all, you’ve heard us talk about the three loves that are central to who we are as a church family (love God, love your neighbor, love one another). And the central goal of our community is to become disciples of Jesus as we learn and live the way of Jesus together. And, summarized in a word, the way of Jesus is LOVE. In 1 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul outlines and defines this word “love” anchoring it not in feelings, or popular conceptions which often change, but in the unchanging nature of God, who He is, and His unchanging posture toward us. And Paul is convinced, if we truly grasp this, it will change the way we live and move in this world.

SPEAKERS:

Jay Kim (Saratoga), Steve Clifford (South Hills)

Bible Passages):

1 Cor 13

Title: THE AFTERWORD | Matthew (Season 7) Week 6 - Take Up Your Cross

Description:

In Matthew 16, Jesus introduces a clear definition of what it means to follow Him, and it’s one of the more famous sayings of Jesus - and one of the least “attractive” offers in human history. Jesus says to be His disciple, you must deny yourself (refuse to center your life around you) take up your cross (an instrument of Roman torture) and follow Him (give control over your life to Jesus)

At first glance, this seems like the most un-American thing ever. But as we’ll find, Jesus’ highest ethic is love, and He wants us to become people of love, and this is the only way too really do that.

Speakers: David Tieche + David Kim

Sermon Description:

In the second part of Matthew 16, Jesus begins to reveal to His disciples a very difficult truth: His life’s mission is going to cost Him His life. Jesus is going to be killed. Obviously, the disciples, and Peter particularly, don’t have categories for this. Being the Messiah means Jesus will be a conquering King, right? But as Jesus explains, we discover that allegiance to Him will cost us. But in the end, we find that by following Jesus, we get two things that are worth it. First, it’s the path of Jesus Himself and He’ll be with us. And second, by denying ourselves and putting Jesus first, we actually will find life – true life, not some shallow substitute – and life everlasting.

SPEAKERS:

David Kim (Saratoga), David Tieche (South Hills)

Bible Passages):

Matthew 16

In the Gospels, Jesus asks a number of questions to people, and it’s never because He needs information. Jesus’ questions are pointed and often force people to dig deep, take stock of their lives and (usually) make a clarifying decision about their lives. In Matthew 16, Jesus does this with Peter, one of his closest disciples, and says to him, “What are people saying about me?” And then, Jesus turns it on Peter. “Who do you say that I am.” This is the first time Jesus has asked *this* question to anyone, and Peter’s simple but profound answer “You are the Messiah” reveals much. Andy Gridley and Jay Kim stop by to talk about what Matthew is trying to get us - the reader - to see (and do) in light of Peter’s grand announcement, and why the setting matters. Also, David and Andy share various food-related stories from their family vacations in Europe.

Speakers: David Tieche + Andy Gridley + Jay Kim