WestGate Church Teaching

For more than two thousand years, God's been writing his story in the world through the local church. In fact, each of us gets to play a small part in this big story in our church community, right here in our little corner of the world. This week we’ll examine the story of WestGate Church - its humble beginnings and how God moved to bring together a group of strangers and turned them into the family of God. We’ll also be turning pages in that story together as we celebrate God's faithfulness throughout years past and lean into that same faithfulness for the years to come.

As we venture into the New Year, we have an opportunity to look back with perspective and look forward with hope. As we look back, we see much exhaustion and loss. Truth is, we all feel a little burnt out, weary, and beaten down. But God offers us a way forward, an accessible and transformative path leading to vitality, strength, and renewed purpose. In this teaching, we'll explore practical ways to move from burnout to wholeness and consider God's invitation to "be still and carry on."

This special end-of-year service is a time where we gather to consider the year that has been and look forward with hope toward the year to come, and all the the good that God has in store. We'll sing and respond and recenter our hearts and minds on the great gift of life Christ came to offer each and every one of us.

The Christmas Story is so familiar that it runs the danger of being “Hallmark-ized” - with a Precious Moments™ Baby Jesus (no crying He makes!), cute donkeys and sheep, angels singing lullabyes and Mary and Joseph staring pensively and silently at the 8 pound 6 ounce Baby Jesus in the golden fleece diaper. But the actual Biblical story that Matthew gives us is far more terrifying. Jay and David talk about the dark side of this part of the Christmas story, and how it confronts the idea that “life with God automatically means life on easy street.” And how it’s good news the actual Christmas story is so tragic and terrifying because it means God can bring good anywhere. David also introduces Jay to one of his favorite Christmas songs (hint: it may or may not be from the 90s boy band NSYNC) to bring something joyful and upbeat.

Upon learning about the existence of Jesus, King Herod - desperate to retain power - flies into a murderous, genocidal rage. Joseph and Mary must flee for their lives with the new child to Egypt. Life doesn’t get easier when God interrupts their lives. It gets harder. Much harder. And in the middle of that, there’s a temptation to wonder “Where is God in all this?” Matthew understands this question, and this part of his Gospel gives a clear answer to those wondering. Expertly weaving in references to the Old Testament to show God’s bigger story, Matthew tells is that the answer is “right in the middle of it. Just like He’s always been.”

In Matthew 2, we meet one of the great villains of the Bible - King Herod. Dave dives into some fun extra-Biblical history that colors Matthew’s story and makes Herod even more villainous. And Steve explains why the mere presence of the Magi in this scene is shocking good news.

In the beginning of Matthew’s story, we meet one of the great villains of the Bible - a power-crazed, politically serpentine megalomaniac named Herod. He has been installed by Rome as the “king of the Jews.” But. He’s not. He’s not the proper king. There is another. And in a shocking turn, some non-Jewish, pagan astrologers - some learned men from a nation very far away in the East - travel a great distance to tell Herod this truth. And in the process, we learn that God is up to something, and that the people who we’d think *should* see Jesus clearly don’t, and the people we’d never expect it do. And in the end, the story is a mirror, asking us a tough question. Are we more like Herod - busy building our own kingdoms - or are we like the Magi, willing to forego a great deal of comfort to respond to the incredible invitation of God to worship this baby, the King of All Kings.

Merry Christmas to us! We get an early Christmas present with a new podcast studio. Steve and Jay are our first guests as we talk about the name “Immanuel” - which means “God with us.” We talk about three important implications of that reality, including how it is the reversal of traditional religious ideas about mankind “climbing” to God AND how it shows the relational nature of God. Finally, Steve shares powerfully about how the reality of “Immanuel” helped him through his moments of deepest grief after the death of his son - and how “God with us” can provide hope and healing for those grieving during the holiday season. Also, Steve reveals *his* favorite Christmas song right now.

Merry Christmas to us! We get an early Christmas present with a new podcast studio. Steve and Jay are our first guests as we talk about the name “Immanuel” - which means “God with us.” We talk about three important implications of that reality, including how it is the reversal of traditional religious ideas about mankind “climbing” to God AND how it shows the relational nature of God. Finally, Steve shares powerfully about how the reality of “Immanuel” helped him through his moments of deepest grief after the death of his son - and how “God with us” can provide hope and healing for those grieving during the holiday season. Also, Steve reveals *his* favorite Christmas song right now.

More than 700 years before Jesus was born a man named Isaiah - a prophet who spoke God’s words to God’s people - proclaimed that one day, God would come to them, set things right and *be with* humanity. His name, Isaiah said, will be “Immanuel.” That name means “God is with us.” And the birth of Jesus shows - in astonishing ways - the lengths that God will go to be with us. But. Sometimes, though this is what we need, we don’t really want this. As author Joshua Ryan Butler wrote, “Our problem is not that we’re reaching out for God and he’s refusing to be found. It’s the opposite: God’s reaching out for us, and we’re scattering in other directions.” This message examines the importance and world-restoring power of this simple name “Immanuel” - and what it means for you and I.