Wesley Church Sermons

Traditional Worship 8.17.25

Week 3: Require  Micah 6:8- "He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."  The Book of Micah delivers a message of both judgment and hope. Micah confronts Israel and Judah for their injustice, idolatry, and exploitation of the vulnerable. He warns that their actions will lead to destruction, yet he also proclaims that God will not abandon His people forever. In the midst of this, Micah reveals what God truly requires: not empty rituals, but a life of justice, mercy, and humility. Ultimately, the book points to a future where God will restore His people and reign in peace from Zion.  The thing to know: God doesn’t hand out prescriptions, but if we choose to live a life of returning to God, there are some requirements that make the return more rich.  The thing to do: Commit not to what you will get in return, but commit to God all that you will put in to the relationship 

Amos 9:11- "In that day I will restore David’s fallen shelter—I will repair its broken walls and restore its ruins—and will rebuild it as it used to be."  Amos, a shepherd turned prophet, warns Israel of impending judgment due to their social injustice, idolatry, and neglect of the poor. He proclaims that God will not overlook their corruption and exploitation, and that destruction will come upon both Israel and its neighbors. However, the book ends with a hopeful promise: God will restore the fallen house of David, rebuild the ruined cities, and bring prosperity and peace to His people. This restoration points to a future where justice and righteousness prevail, and God's covenant with His people is renewed. 

Have you experienced moments where you couldn't find the words to say - or pray?  Of course!  We all have!  In Luke 11, the disciples ask Jesus, “Lord, teach us to pray,” not because they needed a script, but because they wanted what they saw in Him: intimacy, honesty, and trust. From asking God for answers to learning to walk with His presence, this message invites us to move from “God, give me…” to “God, be with me.”

What does it take to make you shout? This week, Bishop Beard leads us through Acts 3. The same as Peter helps the man up, it is our job as the church to do the same for those outside our walls. We must remember that as children of God, we have something to shout about. 

Anything you do, when you give it to God, is better than when you do it by yourself. It is what He wants and what He has designed. 

This week, Pastor Greg preaches on the Parable of the Good Samaritan. In this story we see that no one is beyond the need of the love of God. 

What do a stolen trash can, a dangerous desert road, and student ministry mission trips have in common? In this week’s message from Luke 10, we explore how Jesus flips the question “Who is my neighbor?” into a call to costly, inconvenient, embodied love — the kind that crosses the road, breaks the rules, and reflects the mercy of the one true Good Samaritan. Sometimes, grace walks the bloody way… and calls us to go with it.

This week’s message is about good intentions, abandoned mandolins, untested soil kits, and the many “but firsts” that get in the way of truly following Jesus.  We’re looking at Luke 9:57–62, where Jesus meets a few fired-up followers who aren't quite ready to sign up for the cost of discipleship.  It’s a reminder that enthusiasm is easy — but commitment? That’s where faith gets real.

Who do you trust?  Whose voice do you listen to?  Do we cling to our own way?  Our own plan?  Our own understanding, or are we acknowledging God is all that we do so that our paths may be laid out better in front of us?  This is part 2 of our Summer Wisdom series this summer at Wesley!

Knowledge is good, but there is a vast difference between knowledge and wisdom  We might amass all the knowledge we can cram into our brains, but without wisdom, our knowledge is useless. Where does real wisdom come from?  Where can we find it?  How do we obtain it?

What challenges our integrity?   What threatens our humbleness and our ability to remain true to good moral character and uprightness?  2nd Samuel Chapter 11 tells of how David, in a position of power and authority chose hubris over humility.  At just the moment when he thought he could no no wrong, everything went wrong.   **Also, Senior Recognition Sunday at Wesley. 

This week, Pastor Greg guides is through John 11 & 12 while reminding us of the scents that we encounter in this scripture. From Lazarus' body to Mary's fine perfume, we see that Jesus makes all things new. 

This week, Pastor Greg teaches about the parable of the prodigal son. 

If everything was gone tomorrow, what would matter most? The temptation of Jesus revealed His character. When we follow Jesus, we must know what we live for & what we are all about. 

The only one who can lead us to true righteousness, to being the salt of the earth, and the light of the world, is Jesus- and he does so not by status but by relationship- to God, to Jesus, to others. We are capable of so much because of who Jesus is. Jesus has made you “it” because you are valuable, because you add so much to this world, and because he knows you can do it.  You are the salt of the earth because of who Jesus is.  

This week, Pastor Greg teaches on the transfiguration of Jesus. In his teaching, he reminds us to look at the text a bit closer & notice what is and what is not there. 

What if there was a way to harness the power of a reaction (or an over reaction) for good?   What about for the good of the Upside Down Kingdom Jesus talk sabout in the Sermon on the Mount?   Tune in and see how doing more than what is expected can help point others toward a God who went the extra mile for us. 

For week one of "Upside Down," we venture into the upside down kingdom that Jesus describes in the beatitudes. 

This week, Pastor Greg teaches over Luke 6: 27-38.