Uncategorized Archives - Walled Lake Church of Christ

An Innocent Distraction?

Posted on 4Dec posted by Caleb Smith CATEGORIES: Uncategorized 00

This is the time of year the whole world focuses on Jesus—but not Jesus the radical intenerate preacher who made his family, friends and Jewish authorities uncomfortable. That Jesus doesn’t even come to mind for many. No, most focus on the baby Jesus laying in the manger and ignore the very real-life implications his birth had for folks like Mary and Joseph—the innocents of Bethlehem. We like the baby Jesus, the manger, the wise men, the shepherds—but please don’t bother us with the other details!

You could write this off as an innocent distraction—you could—if it weren’t so serious. In the movie Talladega Nights. Ricky Bobby is leading the prayer for the
family meal. He addresses his prayer to “Lord, baby Jesus” and “tiny, infant Jesus” and “8 pound- 6 ounce- newborn infant Jesus.” He can’t even finish his
prayer before his wife chimes in— “Hey, you know, sweetie, Jesus did grow up.” Ricky quips back, “I like the Christmas Jesus best and I’m saying grace. When you say grace, you can say it to grown up Jesus or teen-age Jesus or to bearded Jesus or whoever you want.”

Yes, this character’s understanding about Jesus is ridiculous—even idolatrous—but it’s also not far from what many believe. Yes, we should celebrate Jesus’ miraculous birth during Christmastime, but here’s the problem: Ricky Bobby’s wife was right! Jesus did grow up. He grew to be our Savior—to do the work for which he was born. We can’t pick and choose the Jesus we want based upon how convenient he is to our life and preferences. That is idolatry in raw form.

So, should we celebrate Christmas? By all means, yes! Celebrate the coming of our Lord in human form. It is today what it was then, “…good news to you— wonderful, joyous news for all people.” (Luke 2:10) However, just as Paul reminded the church in Philippi, let us not forget who he is, why he came, where he is now and what that means for us all.

[Jesus] Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped; but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

(Phil. 2:6-11 NIV 1984)

“That’s why we praise him; that’s why we sing. That’s why we give him our everything. That’s why we bow down and worship this King …” (Tommy Walker, 1999)

Your brother,
Roger Woods

Restore My Spirit

Posted on 20Nov posted by Caleb Smith CATEGORIES: Uncategorized 00

When I get tired, it’s dangerous. It’s not because I’m grumpy or short with anyone, or because I’m more likely to make mistakes or forget something… it’s because for some reason, I get hyper-emotional. For example, I was tired when I saw the 2020 Hobby Lobby Christmas commercial; it wasn’t sad or negative or pandering in any way, but rather it was about an adorable older couple helping to set up a younger couple. Absolutely nothing to cry about. But I confess that I was moved to absolute tears, for no apparent reason…and boy was it annoying. I was also tired for a Geico commercial, every single one of those “arms of the angels” animal rescue commercials, and also the entire month of January. Now with the holiday season coming up, with every emotionally pandering idea and all those images of the stupid beautifully inspiring Christmas and Thanksgiving moments, I’m going to need to be on guard and fully rested, or else it’s saltwater season for me, and I do NOT like getting emotional like that.

If I’m going to be honest with myself, however, maybe there’s not so much wrong with being moved. When I think about the world in which we live, and how we are surrounded by things that somehow have become normal images that we now see every day, how in the world could we not eventually get tired? Images of wars abroad, pain and suffering and division within, anxiety and concern for those we love, fear of what comes next – any single one of those has the power to cement us in our places after wearing us down. We get tired of seeing the injustice, we get tired of seeing the pain and suffering, and we get tired to the point of not wanting to move.

Despite all those images, despite our exhaustion, and despite ourselves, may we never forget that while there are times we feel we can’t be moved, the Spirit himself begs to differ. The same Spirit that hovered above the waters at creation, the same Spirit that shook the earth at Pentecost, the same Spirit that descended on the Messiah as the heavens opened, and the same Spirit that raised Him from the dead begs to differ. Our spirits can easily be down and out, and our tiredness can easily get in the way of what we are called to do, but His Spirit cannot. May we be spurred on by THAT Spirit. May we never forget the goodness, the fire, the justice, and the movement that God inspires through His Spirit, and may we be willing to be moved, whether to action, to repentance, to remembrance, and yes, even to tears, by His Spirit. With that Spirit in tow, may we be bold enough to say “Restore, my spirit Lord, it needs restored.” May we be bold enough to say, “Light the fire in my soul.” May we even be bold enough to say…“bring on the commercials.”

Caleb Smith | Pulpit Minister

Learn more about how the Holy Spirit works in us as believers 👆

Remember the Magic

Posted on 16Nov posted by Caleb Smith CATEGORIES: Uncategorized 00

I couldn’t imagine growing up as a kid in today’s world. That’s a sentiment shared by everyone I’m sure, but I really, REALLY couldn’t imagine it. Things are so far beyond where they were even when I was younger! For example, as a kid if we wanted to visit a webpage or hop online, we had to listen to the sacred sound of:

“boopbeepbeepboopbeepboopbeep….beeedordrdrdrdrdrd EEEEEEEEE (kdosijoiesoiahohdsocihef)eeeeeeeee E doingY doingY. kshkshkshkshkshKSHKSHKSHKSHKSH BrrrrrrrrrrrrRRRRRRRRRsshhhhhhhhhhhh” (Look up the sound of dial-up if you’re confused.)

Today, you touch one button and you’re online. I remember having to go to the library if I wanted to rent a specific book, or walk down to the local movie rental place if I wanted to watch a specific movie. Today, you touch one button and you have whatever you want! Cellphones are borderline sentient, cars are almost transformers, and kids seem to have to learn much more about the world much earlier. While you’d think that in such a world kids at that early stage would act differently than we did, the truth is, they are still kids.

They still pick up a stick and pretend it’s a sword. They still build forts and go on adventures. They still stumble into their parents wardrobe and dress up or draw on the walls and run around until they can’t run anymore, because just for maybe a few shining years, the world still holds a magic to it. They learn their lessons humbly, they don’t have to fully grasp the consequences of evil to know something is bad or off, and through that, I contend we get to see a dash of God’s goodness. Imagine a mindset where despite the pain, evil, wickedness, confusion, and heinousness of the world, if you just go on one small adventure you could save it. Imagine seeing a world full of people in pain or sadness, but not having a single pre-conceived notion about them. Imagine the humility and wonder, when you are told that God is good, and he created the heavens and the earth, and on that alone there isn’t a doubt in your mind that it’s true.

I pray that maybe every now and then we remember what it was like to be that way. To see magic and awe and wonder in God’s creation and see one another as fellow friends. Despite the future advancements of the world, or the tragedies waiting, or whatever happens next, may we find that from generation to generation, it’s possible to imagine a wonderful world. “Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from Him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in ones youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.” Psalm 127:3-5

Caleb Smith | Pulpit Minister

Smack Down or Tag Team?

Posted on 9Nov posted by Caleb Smith CATEGORIES: Uncategorized 00

As a kid I was a “professional wrestling” fanatic. My friends and I would practice body slams and back breaker moves on each other. It was great fun! Wrestlers like Gorgeous George and Andre the Giant were my heroes. I would beg my folks to take me to see a match. I liked the “Smack-down” one-on-one bouts, but my favorite was the tag-team matches. My friends and I would scream at the TV when a tag should be made (They never listened!) and we would moan when our team lost!

Today our society has begun to look a lot like professional wrestling. This is seen especially in the supposed inter-generational conflict that is amplified across our society—from news rooms to living rooms and from school houses to houses of worship. Boomer verses Builder! Millennial verses Gen X! Gen Alpha verses Gen Z! Though there is some merit to these groupings, in my opinion they have become a marketing ploy used to exaggerate differences to boost sales.

In society today there are 6 active generations—more on average than at any time in history. As Christians we need to decide which model we will follow. To borrow the wrestling analogy will it be the “Smack-down” model where one generation tries to dominate the other? Or the biblical “Tag-team” model of the Family of God? “Smack-down” or “Tag-team” which will it be? The answer to this question is critical. Will we “bite and devour” (Galatians 5:15) and destroy each other in an inter-generational smack-down, or will we “tag-team” to build one another up (Ephesians 4:12) so that we can be more effective for the Lord?

We must take seriously Peter’s warning in 1 Peter 1:8 to be on the lookout for the devil. In verse 9 he advises us to resist him—yet he notes we don’t do this alone. We resist evil in the company of the family of believers. Our tag-team mates are all around us, from 3-92 (Happy Birthday Dixie J.), if we will only reach out and tag them in. Our failure in this must frustrate God. I can picture God watching us struggle alone with sin, screaming at us to tag out! Will we listen? Will we see one another as supportive team mates or as rivals who devour each other for Satan’s delight?

Church, we have a choice. “Smack-down” or “Tag-team” —which will we be?

Your Brother,

Roger Woods

Tag-team sermon between WLCOC ministers Caleb Smith and Roger Woods

Generation Next

Posted on 2Nov posted by Caleb Smith CATEGORIES: Uncategorized 00

Did you know that when Paul McCartney was a boy, he tried out for the church choir? He was turned down because the director didn’t think much of his voice. Did you know that John Lennon’s aunt Mimi told him he’d “never make a living by” playing his guitar? When Lennon made his first million, he gave her a silver plaque with her words inscribed on it. Two boys that changed our culture yet the adults in their life failed to see their potential.

We see this in the Bible too. When Samuel came to the house of Jesse to anoint the next King of Israel, Jesse paraded his seven strong sons before him, but God rejected them. Then Jesse said, “There is still the youngest, he’s tending the sheep.” David become the next king because God looks at the heart of a person rather than their physical appearance or place in society. The apostle Paul tells Timothy to not let anyone look down on his youth. Why? Because someone was doing just that to him. This discounting and discouraging of the younger generations is nothing new—but is this what God desires?

How we deal with this issue as the Church is critical. In 1st John 2:12-14 the apostle paints a word picture of the inter-generational make-up of the Church: children, fathers, young men. Each older generation is responsible to teach, encourage and guide the younger. The younger likewise is to respect and help the older. But as the older generation we must take care that we do not stifle our youth. Instead we must nurture them to become leaders—and be ready to follow their lead.

Think about it, how many young people in your family, church, or community are the leaders of tomorrow? Are they future preachers, artists, politicians, teachers, or social workers who, with God’s help might be used to shape your community and make disciples for Christ? Let’s not hesitate to encourage and strengthen them. Let’s look for ways to help them and invest in their lives. They are Generation Next and are vital to the present as well as the future of fulfilling our commission to make disciples of Christ who know, love, serve and share God.

Your Brother,

Roger Woods

Some of our WLCOC teen leaders get made into mummies at last week’s halloween party!

Grab a Mop

Posted on 25Oct posted by Caleb Smith CATEGORIES: Uncategorized 00

Friday, October 6th was one of my first “official” special elder’s meetings with David, Brian and Roger. The plan was to meet together at 3:00, lay out some ideas and discussion, and then eventually after we had talked up an appetite, retire to Red Robin (yummm) for some grub. There was one small bump in the plan however, as all that morning and during the previous evening, the lands were blessed with rain. So much so, that the bounty of rain not only wanted to shower our outside grounds with moisture, but it also wanted to share the blessing and cover the inside too; with pools of water in the church basement. First on scene of course was Glenn, who constantly serves this church with tenacity (shout out to you Glenn) armed with a shop-vac, and fully prepped for war. Following that, was Brian armed with a mop. Then David arrived, slightly wounded from a battle with a car, but without even asking, he grabbed another mop and went to town. Then Roger appeared with a cart to start hauling away the soaked and wounded rugs to let them dry. The five of us at the church won a great victory that day, and rain thought twice before entering our basement again.

In my opinion, there couldn’t have been a better way to start an elder’s meeting. Even though we had “official” business to do, these men grabbed mops, and helped take care of one of the most basic needs of this church. It may not seem like that big of a deal, but for all of the things that could have happened or the ways in which it could have been dealt with, starting with no questions or frustration but a very simple act of service was the right foot.

With that in mind, I pray we are a people ready to pick up a mop; not only for the church, but for one another. There are plenty of spills, messes, accidents, mistakes, pains, that very well may spill over from the things that we try to keep private or keep in their “proper place” outside of church, but in all reality, a mop-armed church is the perfect place to let that stuff go. A church is where spills and messes happen, because we are a spill-y and messy people. But when all are willing to help, pray, support, encourage, and clean, then we will finally be like the one that we recognize as our Savior. Who in the best way, despite the things that could have happened or the ways in which it could have been dealt with, wrapped a towel around his waist, stooped down, and washed feet. May we be willing to do the same, and get ourselves some good mops.

After that work is done and our floors are finally clean, just imagine the feast that will be waiting for us…unimaginably beyond Red Robin (yummm.)

Caleb Smith | Pulpit Minister

Our elders and ministers serving at trunk or treat, october 2023