The Way Church The Way Church

In this episode, we talk to Nathan Golisch, who is a seminary student at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. He will be joining us in Fredericksburg to be our Pastoral Assistant this summer. We talk about the path to become a pastor, why he wanted to come to Fredericksburg, and what it was like having Pastor Matt as a Teacher and Tutor in high school.

The Reality of Friendship: A Sermon on John 15:9-17

The entirety of God’s Word can be summed up in one word: love. God’s Law is all about love. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart...” and “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37,39). The gospel is all about love: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son...” (John 3:16). From his compassion for the sick and broken, to his sacrificial death on the cross, to the peace he provided after his resurrection, Jesus was the perfect embodiment of love. Love is his business. Therefore, love is our business too. But do you see how he expresses his love? It’s as the best kind of friend… who lays down his life! The resurrection reality is that with the same supernatural power by which God raised Jesus from the dead, God now enables us to live a new life—one marked by radically selfless love and one in which friendships are completely redeemed! The motivation and ability to do this comes from seeing the love of our best friend, Jesus. We love only because he first loved us.

Visit TheWayChurchVA.com to learn more about The Way Church in Fredericksburg, VA!

https://thewaychurchva.com/

The Reality of an Active Faith: A Sermon on John 15:1-8

Generally, our actions are shaped by our beliefs. People who eat low-carb diets do so, probably not because they hate pasta, but because they believe it healthiest. If a man buys stock in a company, it probably is because he believes in their business plan. Our beliefs shape our behavior. This is true of Christians’ belief in the resurrection. We believe that Christ’s resurrection means our resurrection to a glorious eternal life is guaranteed. That inevitably shapes how we will act now.

However, it is not simply the facts of the resurrection that shape our behavior. It is the person of the resurrection. Jesus is not some wise, dead sage whose advice is contained in dusty books. Jesus lives! Therefore, through his Word, he is able to work on our minds and hearts, molding them to his perfect will. Here is a resurrection reality. Jesus fills us with his Spirit, not only so that we have faith, but also so that we produce the fruits of faith he seeks.


Visit TheWayChurchVA.com to learn more about The Way Church in Fredericksburg, VA!

https://thewaychurchva.com/

The Risen Savior Provides Good Shepherding: A Sermon on John 10:11-18

Scripture frequently pictures spiritual care in terms of a shepherd watching over sheep. Even folks unfamiliar with shepherding are able to grasp the meaning. Sheep are helpless animals—an easy meal for predators. For sheep to survive they needed a shepherd who not only leads them to sources of food, but who also is willing to tangle with a pack of wolves. Jesus is such a shepherd. He proved he is willing to lay down his life for his sheep.
The word “pastor” comes from the Latin word for “shepherd.” Today, there are plenty of people— pastors, religious leaders, etc.—who claim they can provide healing for your soul. Yet, Scripture warns that “many” of these are “false prophets” (1 John 4:1) who “distort the truth” (Acts 20:30). Many! But the resurrection reality is that our Good Shepherd is faithful. He will raise up true sub-shepherds who know Christ and proclaim the truth of his gospel.

Visit TheWayChurchVA.com to learn more about The Way Church in Fredericksburg, VA!

https://thewaychurchva.com/

You Have Something to Say: A Sermon on 1 John 1:5-22

A platitude is a statement aimed at helping sooth some sort of emotional unease. “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Or “Life is a mystery.” Or “Good things come to those who wait.” While platitudes may be well-intentioned, at best they come off as trite. And since platitudes provide no real help, they can actually make a situation worse. Tell the one whose heart is shattering, “Life is a mystery.” They won’t appreciate your platitude or you.
The resurrection gives believers the ability to offer more than platitudes. We have a meaningful message to share—of repentance, of forgiveness, of peace, of power. The reality is we have something important to say to every single person that God brings into our sphere of influence. And our risen Savior gives us the courage and power to share that meaningful message.


Visit TheWayChurchVA.com to learn more about The Way Church in Fredericksburg, VA!

https://thewaychurchva.com/

The Lord Lives to Give Real Peace: A Sermon on John 20:19-31

In the Great Resurrection Chapter (1 Corinthians 15), St. Paul writes an entire paragraph listing all the people to whom Jesus appeared after he rose, including a group of over five hundred at one time. It is like St. Paul is telling skeptics, “You don’t need to take my word for it. Hundreds of us saw Jesus back from the dead.” The proof of Jesus’ resurrection brought peace and strength to those early believers. They knew there was more to their existence than just their time on earth. They knew the reality that eternal life was theirs, a gift from their living Lord. It gave them incredible joy and courage. May the resurrection reality give us the same.

Visit TheWayChurchVA.com to learn more about The Way Church in Fredericksburg, VA!

https://thewaychurchva.com/