Western Hills Church, Temple, TX

INTERRUPTED #8

Scripture:  Mark 8:22-38

Speaker:  Scott Meyer

Summary: The message explores the concept of life's interruptions and their profound impact on our perspectives and actions. Drawing from personal experiences and biblical narratives, Scott highlights how unexpected events, like the assassination of JFK or the Challenger explosion, leave lasting marks on individuals. The focus then shifts to Mark 8, where Jesus heals a blind man in two stages, illustrating a deeper lesson on spiritual perception and understanding. Peter's reaction to Jesus' prediction of his suffering and death is examined, emphasizing the difficulty of aligning personal expectations with divine purposes. Ultimately, the message calls for a committed discipleship that embraces sacrifice and service, encapsulated in the story of William Borden, who lived by the principles of "No Reserve, No Retreat, No Regret."

INTERRUPTED #7

Scripture:  Mark 5:21-34

Speaker:  Grant Perkins

Summary:

This message highlights Jesus’ deliberate action to see and acknowledge the unseen, drawing a parallel to the need for individuals to do the same in their communities. Grant encourages the congregation to make intentional efforts to see and acknowledge those who feel invisible, whether at work, school, church, or other places. Following Jesus example, we must be willing to welcome interruptions in our routines to make others feel seen and valued.

The call to action is  to identify someone in your life who feels unseen and to make a deliberate effort to acknowledge and connect with them. This will require prayer to have boldness and awareness to carry this out, but the reward of seeing the transformative impact of making others feel seen is truly a blessing for your life.

INTERRUPTED #6

Scripture:  Mark 6:30-44

Speaker:  Grant Perkins, Preaching Intern

Summary:

The sermon begins with Grant reflecting on his experience as a fraternity chaplain, highlighting the challenge of fulfilling promises due to various constraints like time and resources. The central theme is the tendency to use "I don't have enough" as an excuse to avoid stepping into needs and ministry opportunities. The message draws a parallel with the story from Mark 6:30-44, where Jesus feeds 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish, emphasizing that Jesus's provision redefines what's possible. The disciples' initial doubt is contrasted with Jesus's ability to provide abundantly. The message encourages believers to trust in Jesus's provision and not let perceived shortages hinder their willingness to serve and meet needs, urging them to embrace ministry opportunities boldly and rely on Jesus to provide.

 

 

INTERRUPTED #5

Scripture:  Mark 5:1-20

Speaker:  Scott Meyer

Summary: The "Interrupted" series continues, focusing on how Jesus handles interruptions by going to places others avoid. Using the story from Mark 5, where Jesus heals a demon-possessed man in a graveyard, the sermon illustrates how Jesus willingly enters dark and scary places to bring redemption and renewal. Note that Jesus redeems our past, renews our strength and mind, and restores our identity, even when we feel overwhelmed by our sins and failures. The story demonstrates that no matter how dire our circumstances, Jesus has the power to transform our lives.  The application for us is to let Jesus interrupt our lives and make all things new, with the hope and renewal that Jesus offers.

INTERRUPTED #4

Scripture:  Mark 4:35-41

Speaker:  Grant Perkins

Summary: Grant shares a personal story about his family's experience with fostering a child named David, who was eventually moved to an unsafe placement despite their prayers. This event led him to grapple with the notion of unanswered prayers and feeling abandoned by God. He relates this to the biblical story of Jesus calming the storm in Mark 4, where the disciples, in their fear, doubted Jesus' care and ability. The sermon emphasizes that fear often interrupts faith, leading us to believe that Jesus either doesn't care or isn't able to help. However, the true lesson is that Jesus cares and is able, regardless of whether every storm is calmed. Grant concludes by encouraging the congregation to remain faithful and obedient, using their past experiences and the reality of eternity to strengthen their faith amidst fear.

INTERRUPTED #3

Scripture:  Mark 3:20-35

Speaker:  Scott Meyer

Summary:

 

In this message, the theme of interruptions in life continues, emphasizing how Jesus’ ministry often faced unexpected disruptions. Using the Gospel of Mark, the message explores how Jesus was misunderstood by both his family and religious leaders, who labeled him as insane and demonic. These labels are seen as attempts to fit Jesus into preconceived notions of who God is and how He should act.  Notice how Jesus redefined relationships, calling those who do God's will his true family, thus challenging societal norms and labels. This redefinition calls followers to embrace a broader, inclusive concept of family and to wear the label of Jesus as Lord, which transcends all other social and cultural divisions. Our call as followers of Jesus is to answer the call to embody Jesus’ radical love and acceptance in everyday interactions.

INTERRUPTED #2

Scripture: Mark 2:1-12

Speaker:  Leland Sawyer, Missionary to Uganda

Summary: This message focuses on Mark 2, highlighting three key elements: the friends, Jesus, and the paralyzed man. It begins by noting Mark's direct approach, quickly establishing Jesus' authority over spiritual and physical realms. The friends' unwavering commitment to bringing their paralyzed friend to Jesus, even breaking through a roof, demonstrates their faith. Jesus, recognizing their faith, forgives the man's sins, emphasizing the importance of spiritual healing before physical healing. The text challenges us to consider our own roles in leading others to Jesus, emphasizing the importance of faith, commitment, and discipleship in bringing people closer to Christ.

INTERRUPTED #1

Scripture: Mark 1:35-39

Speaker:  Grant Perkins

Summary: 

This message is the first in the series, INTERRUPTED, using texts in Mark about the interruptions Jesus experienced during his ministry.  How Jesus deals with these interruptions offers us an example of how we can go about dealing the interruptions in our lives.  Defining the difference in distractions and interruptions is the beginning point to understanding how to follow Jesus example of interactions with those people and those events that interrupt us. Jesus embraces the interruption in this text, demonstrating the importance of prioritizing people and their needs over personal plans.  There is a great need for us to adopt practices in our day to day lives that make us more interruptible, like Jesus, to better serve and love others​.

AWAKE #13

Scripture:  Ephesians 6:10-20

Speaker:  Scott Meyer

Summary:

This message emphasizes that while we often try to fight our own battles, it is God who truly fights for us. As the series on  Ephesians concludes, the encouragement is  to understand and live out the truth that the enemy is not people but the spiritual powers of evil. Paul instructs believers to put on the whole armor of God, emphasizing the importance of standing firm in truth, righteousness, and the gospel of peace. He warns against the extremes of "truthless grace" and "graceless truth," advocating for a balanced approach that loves and serves others without compromising on truth. The sermon calls for an awakening to these principles, urging the church to be a force of peace and righteousness in a divided world.

 

 

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Awake #12

Scripture:  Ephesians 6:1-9

Speaker:  Scott Meyer

Summary: The apostle Paul's teachings on household codes are revolutionary, as they call for mutual submission within families, countering traditional hierarchical norms.  Scott encourages children to obey their parents not just as a cultural norm but as an act of honoring God. Moreover, he challenges parents (or guardians) to nurture their children without provoking anger, emphasizing the importance of leading with love, transparency, and forgiveness.

Applying these principles in everyday life, both in family dynamics and professional relationships, fosters a community centered on mutual respect and service in Christ.