"The Virtue of Vigilance" - The Lord & Rings, Part 2

Today we are talked about the "Mother of Methodism," Susanna Wesley. But Susanna is far more than the mother of John and Charles, she was a strong, independent, godly woman who broke stained glass ceilings centuries before women in ministry was commonplace. To explore Susanna's story, we looked at 1 Corinthians 3:9-11, in which Paul offers guidance about being "co-workers" with God.

Bottom line: Christ is the one foundation, not optional decoration.

On May 14, 2023, High Point University Professor of History Dr. Frederick Schneid was our special guest following worship to discuss how J.R.R. Tolkien's experiences in World War 1 impacted the writing of his Rings trilogy. Dr. Schneid is a military historian and a Tolkien aficionado. This was part of the small group connected to our series The Lord & The Rings. We are grateful to Dr. Schneid for sharing his time and expertise with us!

(This is not a sermon, but many folks could not be present due to Mother's Day obligations and requested a recording.)

Even in a cynical and skeptical age, we are still drawn to the idea of eternity. It pops up in our movies, TV, music, and art. It is certainly a major theme in Tolkien. What is the truth behind this trope? How does the gospel answer this longing? Today we are looking at life after life after death as we explore 1 Corinthians 15:12-19! We'll also make some stops in Middle Earth along the way...

Today we continued our series The Lord & The Rings by looking at the theme of atonement in both Scripture in Tolkien's works. In particular, we will explore 1 John 1-2 while we look at the arc of Boromir, who dies a redemptive death saving his friends. Why does atonement matter? What does it mean for our lives?

Join us as we continue our journey with Jesus into Middle Earth!

Bottom line:

Sin makes forgiveness possible; sacrifice makes forgiveness possible.

(Note: the audio was cut out for the Scripture reading, we apologize for that issue.)

Why do friends matter for the life of faith? What does Jesus own teaching and ministry tell us about the value of relationships? We will look today at Jesus calling the first disciples in Matthew 4, and connect that to the theme of fellowship and friendship in Tolkien's world.

Bottom line:

What Jesus begins by calling friends, we carry on in community.

How do God's people respond when evil is on the rise? This week we looked at Esther's pivotal choice in Esther 4:12-17 as we continued our series on Tolkien's connections to Biblical truth. Just like Frodo deciding to take the Ring to Mordor, Esther faces a choice that will determine the fate of the people that she loves. 

Bottom line:

Evil thrives in silence but dies in daylight.

Today we began a new series looking at echoes of the gospel in J.R.R. Tolkien's literary world. We looked at Psalm 8:1-9, as we explored connections between the biblical view of creation and Tolkien's idealized world of the Shire. What does the lifestyle of the Hobbits tell us about our lives as followers of Jesus? Join us as we begin the journey today!

Bottom line:

God's glory shines in the small and the simple.

Easter is our biggest day of the year! Today we looked at the account of Easter from John 20:1-18, comparing the response of Peter and John to Mary Magdalene.

What will Jesus say to you when he calls your name?

Bottom line:

Jesus calls us to believe and go out, not believe and stay put.

How many of the 613 commandments in the Bible are we supposed to follow?

Our Lent series on the Sermon on the Mount continues with a word about obedience, rebellion, and the gospel that goes beyond both. This sermon focuses on Matthew 5:17-20, and what Jesus means by righteousness that exceeds the "scribes and pharisees."

Bottom line: Jesus teaches that the inner person should match our outer presentation.

That person that you can't stand, the one who just gets under your skin, or those people you despise and would do everything in your power to avoid...Jesus loves them.

That is the surprising message at the heart of Jesus' healing of 10 men with leprosy.

Bottom line:

We are often farthest from the people that Jesus is closet to.