Wisconsin Avenue Baptist Church of Washington DC

The Cry of Hope

In this message Pastor Jim preaches on Psalms 42 and 43, related psalms which express the pslamist's deeply felt grief and his determination to hope in God. These are psalms of lament. A type of prayer that directly addresses God, describes a problem, requests help and places all hope in God. Throughout these two psalms the psalmist puts his trust and hope in God even as he feels isolated from God, and God seems absent from him. As you listen to this message, consider for yourself, "What's my heart's desire? What do I thirst for? Where do I place my hope?"

Still Climbing the Hill

Before turning to 1 Peter 2:9-10,  Min. Leslie reflects on recent events and the nation's history.  She reminds us that Peter's letter was written to persecuted Christians across Asia Minor to offer hope and reassurance in the midst of severe suffering. He reminds his readers that the real enemy is not political or cultural, but the dark, evil spiritual forces working among people to inspire hatred and to incite acts of violence. Like Israel wandering in the wilderness, we can rely on God to demonstrate his faithfulness as we endure our own experiences of desolation and disorientation. We can emerge from our desert as a new kingdom of priests ready to serve God as his representatives to all nations. We can become a people with a new confidence in God.  And when the time comes, we will leave the desert knowing God is mighty to save. 

Living God's Light and Hope in a Dark World

In this message Pastor Lynn reflects on how Christians should be living as God's light and hope in a dark world, as attested to in 2 Corinthians 4:1-7 and Matthew 5:3-16. The truth of the gospel is that "we are blessed when our lives reflect the values related to humility, righteousness, mercy, making peace, responding non-violently to the abuse of others. Even though we are jars of clay, our lives contain this treasure from God that shines out into the darkness of the world." 

Here I Am. Send Me!

In this message, Pastor Lynn preaches on Isaiah 6:1-13 and applies it to the recent events in the nation's capital. It was due to a vision of God seated on his eternal throne that the prophet Isaiah humbly responded to God's holiness and glory by repenting of his sin. Then God told Isaiah to go and declare the Word of God to the people. The prophet was sent to speak the Word of God knowing the people would not hear it or perceive it. They would become calloused to it. Until the day came when God acted on their behalf by restoring the nation through a stump which remained in the land (Isa 6:13). Listen to this message of hope in God and how it applies to the turbulent times we live in.   

Putting First Things First

On the first Sunday of the new year, Pastor Jim preaches a message on the importance of putting first things first. For a Christian and God's church, love is essential. Loving God is directly connected to loving your neighbor. One goes with the the other. Love God, love people. To help envision this way of love, Pastor Jim considers two New Testament passages: Revelation 2:1-7 and 1 Corinthians 13. 
After listening to the message, you may want to watch the lyric video of Twila Paris' song, "How Beautiful," on YouTube. Here's the link: https://youtu.be/kJM0hFvz_64

Remember God

In this short 5 minute message, Pastor Jim shares a New Year's Eve reflection as part of WABC's Watchnight Service. He reflects on the gift of remembering. How believers have long-followed the biblical tradition of remembering the words and works of God (2 Peter 3:2, Deuteronomy 5:15). And more particularly, how this practice of looking backwards in time is to remember God Himself. May God bless you in this new year, and may you know the God who remembers you. 

The Coming of the Light . . . Sharing the Light

In this Christmas Sunday message, Pastor Lynn first reflects on "The Coming of the Light," followed by WABC's worship team singing, "O Holy Night," and then he concludes by briefly reflecting on "Sharing the Light." He reminds us, "It is so amazing that the Creator of the universe would choose to enter His creation as a baby, in order to become a part of our lives in a way we could understand. . . The Son of God left the glory of heaven, the throne of heaven, so we could find our Savior in a stable where no person would feel afraid to come into his presence." Indeed, the Christmas story tells us that "the humility of God becoming a human being only magnifies the love and greatness of our Lord." 

Do You See What I See?

For the Fourth Sunday of Advent, Pastor Jim preaches on John 9:1-38 when Jesus speaks of himself as the Light of World. The Messiah who reveals the truth of God to those who seek it. As in the Christmas story when the Magi traveled from the East to the city of Jerusalem. These Persian astrologers had seen a new star, and they set out to follow where it might lead them. Which they did until they met the child Jesus, the Light of the World, and they bowed down and worshipped him (Matt 2:1-11).

More Light

For the Third Sunday of Advent, Pastor Lynn directs us to the Word of God, which is the light of life. The essence of God's Word brings light and truth. It is pure. It gives life and brings order out of emptiness and chaos. There are no mixed messages, no darkness or confusion in the Word of God. What's more, God's Kingdom of Light is governed by love rather than hate, humility rather than pride, truth rather than lies, compassion rather than cruelty, generosity rather than greed. What our world needs is MORE LIGHT. Listen to this message and consider how you can be a little light that goes into our world to shine the light of Christ upon someone living in darkness.

Peace in the Midst of Conflict

For the Second Sunday of Advent, Pastor Jim preached on Luke 2:22-40, the story of Simeon receiving the child Jesus into his arms and beholding God's perfect peace. Then he prophesied how this child was destined to face hostilities later in life. The Prince of Peace would experience conflict and evoke division between people. How can this be? How can Jesus both embody God's peace and bring about division among people? Listen as Pastor Jim explains how this is not a contradiction, but rather, the reality of what happens when God's light shines in the darkness.