Wisconsin Avenue Baptist Church of Washington DC

Pentecost Continues (Phase 5?)

Pastor Lynn asks the question: Have you ever missed something because you weren't ready, you weren't prepared? In this sermon, he preaches about the "phases of experience" that took place in the Book of Acts at the time of Pentecost. 
Phase 1 - Being ready for the Holy Spirit
Phase 2 - The revolutionary intervention of God
Phase 3 - The personal responses of belief in Jesus, in the forgiveness of sins and in turning to God in repentance
Phase 4 - The people of God formed into a community and empowered together to serve one another 
Phase 5? In 2019, what is happening in your life right now? Which "phase of experience" is God, the Holy Spirit, speaking to you about today?

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

According to the Gospel of John, Jesus said he would not leave his disciples as orphans, but would ask God the Father to send them his Holy Spirit. A promise that is fulfilled on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit is poured out on all people. We too can experience the presence and empowerment of the Holy Spirit in our lives today. A supernatural life known for its abundant love as we also live in obedience to Jesus' commands. Pastor Lynn tells us how. 

Part 2: Can the Future Change the Past?

In Part 2 of his sermon, "Can the Future Change the Past?," Pastor Lynn explains that we do not have to wait until life is over on earth to experience resurrection. In the risen Christ, we have a living hope that is not based on circumstances or human strength. Instead, our hope is based on the Lord Jesus Christ whom God the Father raised to life from the dead. So, rather than living from past, let's live as part of a new creation by living into the future that is not determined by our past. 

Part 1: Can the Future Change the Past?

This week, Pastor Lynn asks the unusual question, can the future change the past? Stated another way, how might we view our lives and our world differently considering the future has become a present reality through the new creation. Listen to this sermon, which is filled with vivid imagery, to hear how through the power of Jesus' resurrection we might be the new creation where the old is gone and the new has come into our present life and world.  

The Bread of Life

Jesus proclaims, "I am the bread of life." A statement of truth that we can stake our lives on. In fact, Min. Leslie Harris preaches how Jesus is able to fulfill every appetite and satisfy every longing and need that we have in our lives. Whatever substitutes we may rely on will never be able to give us what we truly crave. This can only be found in the Bread of Life.

Is the Resurrection Real?

On Resurrection Sunday, Pastor Lynn asks and answers the question, "Is the Resurrection Real?" Yes, it is real. He goes on to preach that we share in Jesus' victory over sin and death and we can experience the risen Christ today. Resurrection life that has the power to transform our very lives here on earth now. With the future expectation that our resurrected lives will also be fully consummated when we enter God's glory sometime in the future. 

Who is this?

Palm Sunday marks the day in history when Jesus makes his triumphal entry into Jerusalem at the beginning of Holy Week. He is the central person who the crowds are both cheering and questioning. Using the rich and symbolic imagery of this story, Pastor Jim poses the same question to us today, "Who is this?"  

Following Jesus: No Dead-Ends

For the fifth Sunday of Lent, Pastor Lynn asks if we have come to a dead end. A situation where we see no way out, a problem that cannot be solved, a relationship that cannot be restored. Even when these things happen, we can rely upon the power of the Lord Jesus who is the resurrection and the life. The Savior who delivers us from death, despair, numbness and apathy. The One who brings new life and hope and healing. 

Repentance Through God's Grace

For the fourth Sunday of Lent, Techika encourages us to accept our need for repentance through God's grace. Unlike what we may have heard in the past, God is not condemning us or expecting complete perfection from us. But instead, God offers us loving and life-giving repentance out of God's great love for us. In this way, we are called by God to rethink how we live our lives, interact with others and view the problems of our world. 

Desiring New Life

Pastor Jim preaches on Hannah's desperate need for God and how Lent is a time to desire the wholeness of new life in every aspect of our lives. Hungering for God to be present with us in noticeable ways: as we follow Jesus by carrying our crosses, as we experience resurrection life and as we rely on the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit working within us and through us.