College Wesleyan Church Sermons

Steve DeNeff: “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” What would Jesus notice if he came to Church, to His people, and looked at their heart? For some it would be an unnerving visit from a familiar stranger, someone they knew who knows everything about them. The seven letters of Revelation are descriptions of seven different souls. Which one describes us? Which describes you? And what would Jesus tell us to do?

Steve DeNeff: “Don’t be afraid. I am the First and the Last… I am alive forever and I have the keys.” Revelation is the last word on Jesus and what makes it so relevant is that it’s spoken in a time when everything is coming apart. It’s a commentary on all that’s happening in John’s day and in ours. It’s a manifesto of sorts to the faithful, calling us to resist the pull of empire and to follow the Lamb no matter what.

Nathan Metz: Relax. Have you ever started a project, a mission or a new year with relaxation in mind? It seems oxymoronic. Yet, when asked to describe Jesus in a word, Dallas Willard responded “relaxed”. Surely he isn’t implying something negative, tired, lethargic or detached. Perhaps there’s something worth considering in this idea! Let’s explore the imagery of the vine in John 15 and chariots in 2 Kings as we envision a Christ-centered life.

Andrea Summers: Two very different responses meet the birth of Jesus. Herod responds with fear, suspicion, and self-preservation; while the Magi respond with curiosity, humility, and sacrifice. Matthew invites us to see that it was not who they were or how much they knew that mattered most, but their willingness to worship. The Magi teach us that when we worship Jesus, even imperfectly, God is often doing more than we know.

Steve DeNeff: “Glory to God in heaven, and peace for the people on earth,” (Lk 2:14, Fitzmyer). This song of salvation, begun on Christmas, continues to the end of time. The world’s alternative to this salvation is optimism, a vague and tenuous feeling that everything will be alright. But in Revelation it’s crystal clear: God has invaded, invited and wooed all of creation into a multitude that sings like thunder: “Salvation and glory and power belong to our God … for the Lord our God Almighty reigns,” (19:1,7). The Child, the Lamb, the Faithful and True is King and the government is on his shoulders. Let heaven and nature sing!