West Side Church of Christ - Elkton Ky

Do Not Grow Weary In Doing Good (From our 6-14-26 Worship)

Watch the video version here: https://youtu.be/OD7xofrBVCE [https://youtu.be/OD7xofrBVCE] Introduction: Chester Carlson and the Long Road to Xerox Chester Carlson worked in patent departments where paperwork consumed everything. Copies were slow, expensive, and miserable to make. Because of poor eyesight, arthritis, and frustration with constant copying, he began searching for a better way in 1934. For four years, he experimented with almost nothing to show for it. He even had failures, smoke, and fire along the way. In 1938, he finally made the first image using light and static electricity. But even after that breakthrough, companies rejected him for years. It took about 17 years from the idea to a practical copy machine. Carlson’s story illustrates grit, resolve, and endurance. The Christian life requires the same kind of determination. Paul’s message in Galatians 6 is simple: do not quit doing good. Main Thought Christians will grow weary if they are not careful, but God calls us to keep sowing good seed because the harvest belongs to Him. 1. Sin Can Make Us Weary Galatians 6:1 Helping people often means stepping into messy situations. Sin is not clean and simple; it is muddy, complicated, and draining. When we try to restore someone, we must do it with gentleness, but also with caution. Paul warns us to “keep watch” on ourselves. Their sin may tempt us directly, or the stress of helping may tempt us toward gossip, bitterness, sinful coping, or frustration. We cannot help someone else if we are spiritually sinking too. Restoration requires love, but it also requires spiritual stability. Application: Help others, but do not let their mess pull you into sin. 2. Ego Can Make Us Weary Galatians 6:2–3 When we help someone carry a burden, we may be tempted to think we are better than they are. Pride says, “I am up here, and you are down there.” But we must remember that we also were sinners who needed help. Pride causes us to forget grace. It can make us harsh, impatient, and unwilling to keep helping. Application: Bear burdens without getting “the big head.” Helping others should humble us, not inflate us. 3. Forgetting Your Value Can Make You Weary Galatians 6:4 Thinking too much of yourself is dangerous, but thinking too little of yourself is also dangerous. Some Christians constantly tear themselves down. They keep serving, giving, smiling, and showing up, but inwardly they are empty. No one else can out-encourage the discouragement you constantly give yourself. If you refuse to see any good in what you do, you become like a bucket with a hole in the bottom. God values you. He sent His Son for you. You are not perfect, but you are valuable to Him and useful in His work. Application: It is not prideful to recognize that you did something good for God. 4. Bad Boundaries Can Make Us Weary Galatians 6:5 We are called to bear one another’s burdens, but each person still has to bear his own load. God never asked us to drop our own responsibilities, family, health, and soul in order to carry someone else completely. We can help people, but we cannot make them choose what is right. Jesus fed people, taught people, loved people, and still let them walk away when they refused Him. If we tie our success to someone else’s outcome, we will burn out. Our job is to be faithful. Their response belongs to them. Application: Do not jump into someone else’s sinking boat. Help them, but do not let them sink you. 5. Wrong Measures of Success Can Make Us Weary Galatians 6:6–8 Paul reminds us that we reap what we sow. The issue is not just money, but what we value and where we invest. Stewardship is not merely collecting and preserving; it is executing the Master’s will. If we judge faithfulness only by visible results, numbers, or immediate responses, we will get discouraged. The parable of the sower shows that some seed falls on hard, shallow, or thorny soil. But the sower still sows. God is more concerned with faithful sowing than our ability to control the soil. Application: Do not define success only by visible results. Every seed sown for God matters. 6. The Promise: Do Not Give Up Galatians 6:9–10 Paul gives the encouragement: do not grow weary, because in due season we will reap if we do not give up. The harvest may not come when we expect it, or in the way we expect it, but God sees every act of service. We must keep doing good to everyone, especially the household of faith. Conclusion: God Values Every Seed Isaiah 49:1–10 Isaiah describes a servant who feels like he has labored in vain, yet God says his work is not wasted. God sees, strengthens, honors, and uses His servant. You may feel like asking, “What’s the use?” But every seed you cast for God is seen by Him. It is not wasted, worthless, or unnoticed. Closing Thought: You are not an Old Testament Jew, but you are still His. You are not the first weary servant, and you will not be the last. You may feel like, “What’s the use?” but God values every seed you sow for Him. Invitation: God loves you, and the church loves you. Whether you need to become a Christian, repent, ask for prayers, or simply receive help, do not carry the burden alone. Come, and let us help you.

Are you a priest? (From our 6-7-26 worship)

Watch the video version here: https://youtu.be/5_3tWku4EkM [https://youtu.be/5_3tWku4EkM] Are You a Priest? On March 6, 1987, the Herald of Free Enterprise ferry left port with its bow doors open. Within minutes, water flooded the vehicle deck, the ship capsized, and 193 people died. The tragedy did not happen because no one knew what to do. It happened because someone failed to do what they were supposed to do. That same kind of careless attitude appears in Malachi’s day. The priests knew what God required, but they treated worship like a burden. Malachi 1:13 shows their attitude: “What a weariness this is.” Their problem was not ignorance. It was a lack of reverence and care. But this lesson is not just about Old Testament priests. 1 Peter 2:9 says Christians are “a royal priesthood,” and 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 reminds us that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. If Christians are priests under the New Covenant, then we need to learn from the priests of the Old Covenant. 1. Priests Got Clean and Stayed Clean Old Testament priests washed before serving God. Exodus 30:18–21 shows Aaron and his sons washing before entering the tent of meeting or approaching the altar. New Testament priests must also be washed, but spiritually. Acts 22:16 connects baptism with sins being washed away. 1 Peter 3:21 explains that baptism is not about removing dirt from the body, but about an appeal to God through a good conscience. 1 Corinthians 6:11 reminds Christians that they were washed, sanctified, and justified. Priests also wore holy garments. Exodus 28:2 describes garments made for glory and beauty. Christians are also clothed, not with priestly robes, but with Christ. Galatians 3:27 says those baptized into Christ have “put on Christ.” Colossians 3:12 calls Christians to put on compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Priests also had to distinguish between clean and unclean. Leviticus 10:10 teaches that discernment mattered. Romans 12:2 and Hebrews 5:14 show that Christians must also learn to discern good from evil. 2. Priests Participated Leviticus 24:8–9 describes the priests partaking of the bread connected to tabernacle service. Christians also participate in a sacred memorial. 1 Corinthians 10:16–17 teaches that the cup is a participation in the blood of Christ and the bread is a participation in the body of Christ. Priests also kept the fire burning. Leviticus 6:12–13 commanded that the altar fire must not go out. Christians are not keeping a physical altar fire burning, but Romans 12:11 tells us not to be slothful in zeal, but fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. 3. Priests Brought Others Before God Priests burned incense before the Lord. Exodus 30:7–8 describes Aaron burning fragrant incense regularly. In the New Testament, incense is connected with the prayers of the saints in Revelation 5:8. Christians should be people of prayer. Acts 10 shows Cornelius’s prayers and alms ascending before God as a memorial. When we tell someone we will pray for them, we should take that seriously. The high priest also carried the names of Israel on his breastplate. Exodus 28:29 says Aaron bore their names over his heart before the Lord. Christians also carry others through prayer, concern, and service. Galatians 6:2 says to bear one another’s burdens, and James 5:16 tells Christians to confess sins and pray for one another. Priests also blessed the people. Numbers 6:23–26 gives the priestly blessing over Israel. Christians should be a blessing through words and actions. Ephesians 4:29 teaches us to speak words that build up and give grace. James 3:9–10 warns that blessing God and cursing people made in God’s image should not come from the same mouth. 4. Priests Were Precise With Holy Things Priests handled holy things and were expected to follow God’s pattern. Nadab and Abihu in Leviticus 10:1–3 offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, and God judged them. Their example reminds us that worship and service to God must not be treated carelessly. Christians also handle holy things. Our bodies belong to God. 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 teaches that we are not our own. We must follow the pattern God has given. Colossians 3:17 says everything we do in word or deed should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus. Hebrews 12:28 calls us to offer acceptable worship with reverence and awe. Luke 9:23 reminds us to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Christ. Conclusion Christians are priests. We may not serve in the temple at Jerusalem, wear Levitical garments, or offer animal sacrifices, but we still belong to God and serve Him. Romans 12:1–2 calls us to present our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God. We are not perfect, and we depend on God’s grace and mercy, but there is a difference between looking for loopholes and sincerely wanting to do what is right. The question is not merely, “Do I know what God wants?” The question is, “Do I care enough to do it?”

Look For The Blessing (From our 5-24-26 Worship)

Watch the video version here: https://youtu.be/JLg7Zs1DfFI [https://youtu.be/JLg7Zs1DfFI] Sermon Show Notes Outline Title: Look for the Blessing Primary Text: Numbers 13–14 Theme: God’s blessings are often right in front of us, but fear, focus, negativity, and the desire to control outcomes can keep us from seeing them. Introduction: When You Can’t See the Shoreline The sermon opens with the story of Florence Chadwick, the endurance swimmer who attempted to swim the Catalina Channel. After nearly sixteen hours in the water, surrounded by fog and danger, she gave up—only to learn she had been about half a mile from shore. Her words afterward were powerful: if she could have seen the shoreline, she believed she could have made it. That becomes the picture for the Christian life. We often want God to show us the whole path, but Psalm 119:105 says God’s word is “a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” God gives us enough light for the next step. Main Idea In life, we cannot control everything around us, but we can choose where we look. We can focus on fear, failure, pain, and negativity—or we can look for the blessing. The Israelites in Numbers 13–14 had God’s blessing set before them in the promised land, yet they failed to receive it because they focused on the obstacles instead of God’s promise. I. Fear Can Keep Us from Receiving the Blessing Text: Numbers 13:1–3; Deuteronomy 1:19–23 God had already promised Israel the land, but the people wanted to send spies ahead. Deuteronomy shows that sending the spies was not originally God’s idea—it came from the people. They were afraid. Sometimes we are not only afraid of failure; we are afraid of success because success brings the unknown. God may open a door, but we hesitate because we do not know what life will look like on the other side. Key thought: Fear makes us ask, “What if?” instead of asking, “What could God do?” II. Fear Drives Our Focus Text: Numbers 13:25–29 The spies came back with proof that the land was good. It flowed with milk and honey. The fruit was abundant. But instead of focusing on the blessing, they focused on the fortified cities, strong people, and descendants of Anak. They saw the grapes, but they talked about the giants. This is often what fear does to us. It takes the good God has placed before us and pushes it into the background while making the problems seem larger than they are. Key thought: Christian endurance is deeply connected to perspective. Supporting idea: Romans 8:28 does not say all things are good, but that God works all things together for good for those who love Him. III. A Made-Up Mind Can Refuse the Evidence Text: Numbers 13:30–33 Caleb urged the people to go up and take the land, trusting that they were able to overcome it. But the other spies insisted, “We are not able.” Their fear had already decided the matter. The sermon points out the problem in their reasoning: they claimed the land devoured its inhabitants, yet they had walked through it, gathered fruit, and returned alive. Sometimes we cannot see the blessing because we have already made up our minds to see only the problem. Key thought: We get to choose our scale. If we compare the giants to ourselves, they look too big. If we compare the giants to God, they are nothing. IV. Sometimes We Talk Too Much Text: Numbers 14:1–4 The people cried, grumbled, complained, and began talking themselves into going back to Egypt. Fear spread through their words. There is a difference between seeking wise counsel and stirring one another into panic. Sometimes the wisest thing we can do is stop talking, step back, and think before we react. Key thought: There is a difference between acting and reacting. God’s people need to respond with faith, not be swept along by fear and crowd emotion. V. We Cannot Control People or Outcomes Text: Numbers 14:5–10 Moses, Aaron, Joshua, and Caleb pleaded with the people. Joshua and Caleb reminded them that the land was good, the Lord was with them, and they should not fear. But the people wanted to stone them. Joshua and Caleb could not control the people’s response. They could only remain faithful. This is especially hard in ministry and in relationships. We want to help people. We want to save people from bad decisions. But we cannot lose ourselves trying to save someone else. Key thought: If we cannot control what others do, we can still remain faithful and keep looking for the blessings God has placed around us. Conclusion: What Will You Look For? Because of fear and unbelief, Israel delayed the blessing for forty years. Deuteronomy 8 reminds us that God used the wilderness to test what was in their hearts. The same question comes to us today: Will we look for the negative, or will we look for the blessing? There is plenty of pain, evil, discouragement, and fear in the world. But there are also blessings from God all around us. The negative often comes easily, but seeing the blessing requires intention, faith, and spiritual focus. Invitation Maybe you need to become a Christian. Maybe you are hurting. Maybe you need help learning how to look for the blessing again. God loves you, and you are surrounded by people who love you. If you need help, reach out and let God’s people walk with you.

Joy Must Be Chosen( From our 5-17-26 Worship)

Watch the video version here: https://youtu.be/vDWtyApU4Dc [https://youtu.be/vDWtyApU4Dc] Joy Must Be Chosen Introduction: Two Drivers on I-24 Two commuters were driving to Nashville on I-24 when traffic backed up. One became angry, frustrated, and bitter. The other chose to be thankful: “At least I have a car. At least I have a job to go to.” When they arrived at work, one was still angry, and the other was humming and joyful. When asked how he could be joyful after that drive, he said, “I chose to be.” Happiness often depends on what happens to us. Joy is deeper. Joy is something we choose because of God. Main Text: Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.” Paul did not write those words while sitting on a beach in comfort. He likely wrote them while chained in prison. Yet he still said, “Rejoice.” Joy is not the absence of trouble. Joy is choosing to trust God in the middle of trouble. I. Joy Is a Choice, Not Just a Feeling Joy is not simply something we feel when life is easy. Joy is something we choose because God is still good. Paul commands Christians to rejoice. That means joy is not optional for God’s people. We may not be able to choose every circumstance, but we can choose where we place our focus. Ask:  Where do I get my joy?  Do I get it from circumstances, or from the Lord? II. Joy Can Be Strength in Our Struggles Nehemiah 8:10 — “Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” The people in Nehemiah’s day had faced brokenness and grief, but God reminded them that His joy could strengthen them. We all face hard moments: flat tires, broken hearts, sickness, disappointment, grief, and stress. But the joy of the Lord gives strength when life is heavy. Joy does not mean pretending everything is fine. Joy means remembering that God is still in control. III. Joy Grows When We Stay Connected God did not design Christians to live isolated lives. Jesus chose twelve disciples to walk with Him. The early church lived, worshiped, served, and endured together. Christianity is not meant to be done alone. There is strength in togetherness. One twig breaks easily, but a bundle is much harder to break. Sometimes simply being together with God’s people helps restore joy. Seeing someone return after sickness, worshiping together, praying together, and encouraging one another can bring joy back into the heart. Do not try to carry your burdens alone. IV. Joy Prepares Us to Endure Trials James 1:2–3 — “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” This is hard to do. James does not say trials are enjoyable. He says we can count them as joy because God can use them to strengthen our faith. God never promised that becoming a Christian would mean life would be rainbows and roses. There will be thorns and thistles. But through it all, God remains in control. Paul endured suffering. Jesus endured the cross. They endured because of love for the Father and because of the joy set before them. V. Joy Comes From Looking at God’s Blessings We often lose joy because we focus more on the negative than the positive. If we made a ledger of our lives, writing down what God has given us on one side and our troubles on the other, we would see that God’s blessings far outweigh our burdens. Be joyful for simple blessings:  food to eat, clothes to wear, transportation, a place to worship, family, church family, salvation, prayer, Scripture, and hope in Christ. Many people around the world worship with far less than we have. We should not overlook the blessings God has placed in front of us. Conclusion: Joy Is Found in Christ John 15:11 — “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” True joy comes through Christ. It comes through knowing Him, trusting Him, praying to Him, studying His word, and staying connected with His people. Look for joy. Grab hold of it. Choose it. When life is hard, remember: joy is not found in perfect circumstances. Joy is found in the Lord. Invitation Maybe you need help finding joy again. Maybe you need prayers, encouragement, or to come to Christ. The church is here to help. Come as we stand and sing.

A Mother's Faith (From our 5-10-26 Worship)

Watch the video version here: https://youtu.be/KxDJouNcx1E [https://youtu.be/KxDJouNcx1E] Introduction: Faith Acts When There Is No Time to Prepare Use the story of the Henryville, Indiana tornado. Rebecca Deckard had almost no time to prepare. She put her children in the bathtub, covered them with her own body, and protected them as the house collapsed around them. Her children survived without a scratch, though she was badly injured. This illustrates something powerful about motherhood: sometimes there is no time for a perfect plan. Love acts. Faith acts. Acknowledge that Mother’s Day is joyful for many but painful for some. Some miss their mother. Some have complicated memories. But Moses’ mother gives an example that applies to every Christian. I. A Mother’s Faith Acts Text: Exodus 2:1–10 Hebrews 11:23 says, “By faith Moses…” but Moses was only a baby. This verse is really showing the faith of his parents. Moses’ mother hid him for three months. That could not have been easy. Babies cry. Babies make noise. But she did what she could for as long as she could. When she could hide him no longer, she made a basket, waterproofed it, placed Moses in it, and set him among the reeds by the river. That was not giving up. That was faith doing everything it could do, then trusting God with what it could not control. Application Mothers cannot control everything. They cannot control the world, every danger, every influence, or every future decision their children will make. But faith does not quit because it cannot control everything. Faith says, “I will do what I can, and I will trust God with what I cannot do.” God then worked in a way Moses’ mother could not have planned. Pharaoh’s daughter found the child, and Moses’ own mother was paid to nurse him. Key Line A mother’s faith does everything it can until it cannot do anymore — then it trusts God to do what only God can do. II. A Mother’s Faith Sees Beauty and Potential Texts: Hebrews 11:23; Acts 7:20–21 Moses’ parents hid him because they saw that he was beautiful. Acts 7 says Moses was “beautiful in God’s sight.” This was more than thinking he was a cute baby. They saw life. They saw value. They saw what God had made. They saw someone worth protecting. Mothers often see potential before anyone else does. They look at a child and see what that child may become. Application What kind of world would this be if nobody saw potential in anyone else? Christians must learn to see people the way God sees them. We should see souls, possibilities, and people who can be shaped by God’s grace and truth. Key Line Faith sees more than the danger. Faith sees the life God has placed in front of it. III. A Mother’s Faith Does Not Let Fear Override Faith Text: Exodus 1:15–22 Pharaoh commanded that every Hebrew baby boy be thrown into the Nile. Moses was born under a death sentence. His mother had every reason to be afraid: afraid of Pharaoh, afraid of being caught, afraid for her baby, afraid for her family. But Hebrews 11:23 says Moses’ parents “were not afraid of the king’s edict.” That does not mean they felt no fear. It means fear did not control them. Application Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is doing what is right even when fear is present. Faith does not pretend danger is unreal. Faith obeys God even when danger is real. Parents today fear many things: the world their children will grow up in, future choices, culture, failure, and things outside their control. But fear cannot become our master. Key Line A mother’s faith does not mean she is never afraid. It means fear does not stop her from doing what faith requires. IV. A Mother’s Faith Can Shape Generations Text: Hebrews 11:24–28 When Moses grew up, he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose mistreatment with God’s people over the pleasures and treasures of Egypt. Where did Moses learn who he really was? Every person is responsible for his own faith, but surely Moses’ mother and father helped shape him. His mother had a window of time to care for him, love him, and teach him. Application A mother’s faith may begin in small hidden acts, but God can use that faith to shape generations. Parents, grandparents, and the church all have a role in helping the next generation know God, love God, and fulfill God’s will. Key Line Behind Moses the man of faith, Hebrews first shows us parents who acted by faith. Conclusion: Faith Does What Love Demands Moses’ mother could not control Pharaoh, Egypt, the river, or the future. But she had faith. Her faith acted.  Her faith saw beauty.  Her faith overcame fear.  Her faith helped shape a deliverer. That is not only a lesson for mothers. It is a lesson for every Christian. When we cannot control the outcome, we still act by faith.  When fear is real, we still obey God.  When the future is uncertain, we trust God to do what only He can do. Invitation Maybe you need faith for the first time. Maybe you need to become a Christian. Maybe this day is hard and you need prayer or encouragement. Whatever the need is, God loves you, and His people love you. Come while we stand and sing.