Wesley Word – March 1, 2023

Carolyn Lemaster   -   March 1, 2023

To go along with service on Sunday, March 5, 2023

Experiencing Grace

Exploring Truth – Conversations With Jesus: Conversation With Nicodemus

John 3:1-17

Our Lenten sermon series this year is Conversations With Jesus. Last week, we looked at Jesus’ conversation with the Devil during his temptation in the wilderness. For the remainder of the series, we will be looking at the one-on-one encounters Jesus has with people in the Gospel of John. This week, we look at Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus.

I will get into who Nicodemus is and what Jesus means by being born again in the sermon on Sunday. For the Wesley Word this week, I want to spend some time talking about the end of the passage and the most famous verse in the Bible: John 3:16.

John 3:16 is the Gospel in one verse. It is a summary, really, of the whole Bible.

Before cell phones, if a family went on an outing, they would often designate a place to meet up if someone ever got lost. So, if you ever find yourself lost all you would have to do is find your way back to the meeting place. When we read the Bible, particularly the Old Testament, it is easy to get lost or become confused. John 3:16 can be that place we go back to get our bearings on what the Bible is all about.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” It is really just that simple. That is Good News!

 

New Testament in a Year: https://wesleyonline.org/biblereading/

  • March 1               Mark 10:13-3 1
  • March 2               Mark 10:32-52
  • March 3               Mark 11:1-26
  • March 4               Mark 11:27-12:17
  • March 5               Mark 12:18-37
  • March 6               Mark 12:38-13:13
  • March 7               Mark 13:14-37
  • March 8               Mark 14:1-21

 

Expressing Love: Family/Mission Activity

Being lost is no fun, it can be extremely frustrating actually! You pick a destination and plan your route, sometimes you miss your exit or there is construction that you didn’t know about. For my family’s last big trip, I bought a road atlas and we sat at the table and highlighted our route. I still used google maps but I thought it was important to teach the kids how to use a physical map, just in case they are ever in a situation where their phones/GPS is not working. How would they know how to go? My eldest child did one whole week of what is called land navigation, dropped in the middle of the woods with only a map and a compass. The Corps taught them how to use a map and compass, the Corps knows the importance of having these skills, again just in case they are lost and need to find their way back. This skill is slowly dying out little by little. Being able to find your way physically is always a good skill to have but what happens when one is lost emotionally or spiritually? The only way to find our way when this happens is to turn to the scripture! The Bible is our map, and the Holy Spirit is our guide, talking to us like google maps does. Scripture will guide us back to where we need to be. It may not take long, or it may take a little bit but one will get there through scripture. Praying for guidance is like asking for a map, it will give us the direction we need to go and the small or big steps we need to take to get there. With scripture we are never truly lost.

Challenge this week: Draw a simple map showing the way that little red riding hood can take to Grandmother’s house. Don’t forget to put landmarks for her to find her way, that way she can find her way back.

Not until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves. – Henry David Thoreau

 

Announcements

  • WOW (Wesley on Wednesdays) 6:00 pm.
  • CAT Survey – Wesley is participating in the CAT (Congregational Assessment Tool) provided by the Iowa Annual Conference. The CAT is an extensive survey for the whole congregation that will help us better understand the needs of our church. All who are interested and able are invited to complete the survey. Go to www.wesleyonline.org/cat and click on “Take Survey.” BE SURE TO TAKE THE SURVEY ON OR BEFORE SUNDAY, MARCH 5TH.
  • Meet Bishop Kennetha – For those of you who would like to meet Bishop Kennetha, there will be a Meet & Greet on Saturday, March 4th beginning at 4:00pm at North Liberty UMC (85 N Jones BLVD, North Liberty, IA)
  • Men’s Lenten Breakfast – United Methodist Churches in the area are hosting a series of breakfasts for Men during Lent each Saturday at 8am.
    • March 4th @ New Hope UMC
    • March 11th @ Sweetland UMC
    • March 18th @ Wesley UMC
    • March 25 @ Spangler Chapel UMC
    • April 1 TBD
  • Lenten Taizé Services – Sunday evenings during Lent at 5:15pm in the chapel March 5, 12, 19, 26, and April 2.
  • Jackson Concert Series—Opera Iowa presents “Beauty and the Beast”, Friday, March 3, 7:30 pm.
  • Children’s program– Join us on March 26th at 10 for a Lenten play presented by the children of Wesley!