Wildwood Church Sermons

What happens when God’s people begin fighting one another? In 2 Samuel 2:12–32, Abner’s resistance to God’s will erupts into civil war—and brothers become enemies. This passage warns us about the destructive power of pride, bitterness, and “borrowed offense,” while pointing us to the reconciliation Christ purchased by His blood. The church has a mission. We have disciples to make and a gospel to proclaim. How much kingdom energy do we waste fighting one another?

The world offers us daily opportunities to find our identity in anything else other than Christ. And far more often than not, we look for that identity in what we can see, feel, and touch right in front of us rather than the Author and Perfecter of our faith. In Colossians 3, Paul calls our attention back to our identity in Christ alone and lays out the logical response of someone who is raised with Christ.

Division has always been one of Satan's most effective weapons.

In 2 Samuel 2, David is finally anointed king—but instead of rallying around God's chosen leader, selfish ambition and foolish presumption divide the kingdom. Brothers turn against brothers, and God's people suffer.

Two thousand years later, the enemy hasn't changed his strategy.

Churches divide over personalities, preferences, offenses, and pride. But Jesus prayed that His people would be one, and He shed His blood to make us one.

What would happen if Christians fought as hard for unity as we often fight wi...

In this message from 2 Samuel 1, we explore David's lament over Saul and Jonathan and discover the biblical practice of lament: a prayer of pain that leads to trust. You'll learn four practical steps for processing grief, disappointment, betrayal, suffering, and loss in a way that deepens your faith rather than weakens it. If you've been carrying pain you don't know what to do with, this message is for you.

David's lament over Saul and Jonathan is far more than a funeral song—it is a lesson in remembrance, gratitude, and biblical grief. In this message from 2 Samuel 1, we explore why God calls His people to lament, how remembering shapes our faith, and how the cross and resurrection of Jesus transform sorrow into enduring hope. Christian lament is never hopeless because our King lives.

Pastor Matt Winquist leads us through an insightful exploration of discipleship in 'Matt Winquist - 6 12 26.' Discover how Acts chapters 1 and 2 illuminate what it truly means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Are you living as a disciple in your faith journey? Let's delve into the heart of biblical teaching and uncover the foundational elements of Christian discipleship.

In this sermon, Pastor Matt challenges us to reflect on our commitment to following Jesus. By examining Acts, we learn that a true disciple is filled with the Holy Spirit, bears witness to Christ's resurrection and teachings, and...

Can appearances be deceiving—even in matters of faith? In this message from 2 Samuel 1:1–16, we examine the striking contrast between David and the Amalekite who brought him Saul's crown. One sought to gain reward through deception, while the other patiently waited for God to fulfill His promises. Along the way, we discover that the God who sees every hidden motive is also the God who offers abundant grace to all who step into the light through Jesus Christ.

As 1 Samuel comes to a close, we witness the tragic fall of King Saul and the devastating consequences of a leader who refuses to submit to the Lord. Through Saul's death on Mount Gilboa, we are reminded that spiritual leadership matters, God's judgment is certain, and His glory must be our highest concern. Yet even in Israel's darkest moment, God was preparing a better king—pointing us ultimately to Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd who was struck for His sheep and rose again in victory.

When David's world collapsed in 1 Samuel 30, everything changed when he "strengthened himself in the LORD his God." From that moment flowed compassion and wisdom, tenacity and protection, humility and grace. This message explores the true measure of a man and reveals what God can do through those who learn to depend upon Him.

In this message, Bob Brueggen walks through the words of Psalm 128 as a spiritual narrative of his life since his early days in Christ. This Psalm has been for him a defining passage for an abundant life as a follower of Jesus, and as a "public domain" passage of Scripture extends an invitation to a life abundant to all who hear and heed its wisdom.

The world is full of advice on how we should live our lives. So much advice competes for our attention. Jeremiah tells us how to be selective about what or whom we listen to. The choice has not only immediate, but also eternal significance! To whom will you listen? To what will you give your attention?

Just when you think things can’t get any worse, boom! That must have been how David felt in this episode of his life. He’s lost everything in his world – identity, purpose, family, possessions. Where did he turn? Where we all need to turn – he strengthened himself in the Lord his God.

In this sermon from 1 Samuel 29, we explore how God’s mercy pursues His people even in their foolishness, how compromise gradually hardens the heart, and how the Lord sometimes rescues us from disasters we don’t even realize we’re heading toward. No matter how far you’ve drifted, God’s mercies are still new every morning.

Description: When God feels distant, where do you turn? In this shocking story from Saul’s life, we’re warned of the dangers of rejecting God’s Word.

What you do when you’re spiritually exhausted and fear wants to take over matters more than you realize. Learn from David’s life – when faithful men live by fear, people pay the price.

Throughout Scripture, God reveals His heart for the nations—that His name would be known and glorified among all peoples. He has blessed His people not simply to receive, but to go. Yet many around the world still have little to no access to the message of Jesus or the Bible in their own language. This message invites us to see God’s global purpose and consider our role in making Him known.

When faced with the opportunity to get even, what you choose to do often reveals what you believe about God - about His care for you, His justice, and His mercy. David was presented with just such an opportunity in this chapter. Because he knew his life was precious in God’s sight, he trusted the Lord to take care of his enemies.

We get out theology from scripture, not hymns or worship songs. But we treasure hymns and worship songs that bring our theology to life and make it memorable. That’s exactly what the hymn Because He Lives does for us! Join us as we explore the scriptural foundation upon which this hymn was written and why we have good reason to believe we can face tomorrow because He lives!

What happens when leaders disappoint us? What happens when those we follow fail? We’re reminded that what we’ve always needed was not a better king, but a perfect one…one who will never fail us.

The two could not be more different, Nabal and David. One was a fool, the other a man after God’s own heart. Both imperfect and flawed, but one died in God’s judgment and the other declared “Blessed be the Lord.” As you read, watch, or listen to this sermon, consider which of these two men more closely resembles your own life? Nabal is a warning, David an example. Choose wisely.

What does it mean for us to be partners in the gospel? In the opening chapter of Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he emphasizes his thankfulness and prayerful longing for his friends. Paul’s encouragement highlights two things: growing in love to embrace others and having joy in the midst of suffering.

To be a disciple of Jesus one must be firmly rooted in His Word. The result of being rooted in Him is a life that produces disciples of Jesus for His honor and glory.

David was moments away from bloodshed when God intervened — through Abigail. In this message from 1 Samuel 25, we explore how God used a discerning, humble woman to restrain an impulsive leader and preserve His purposes. This passage highlights the beauty of complementarian design, the power of respect and blessing, and the importance of a clear conscience. Abigail reminds us that godly leadership is not weakened by wise counsel — it is strengthened by it.

Every David needs an Abigail discerning enough to intervene. And every Abigail needs a David humble enough to listen.

David had the perfect opportunity to eliminate his greatest enemy. Saul was alone, vulnerable, and within reach. No one would have blamed him for taking the throne by force. But David refused. In this message from 1 Samuel 24, we explore what it means to trust God’s promises without grasping for control. When opportunity looks like permission, how do we know whether it’s providence…or temptation? The will of God must be accomplished in the way of God.

In 1 Samuel 23:15–29, David is hunted, surrounded, betrayed, and nearly captured. Yet in the wilderness, God provides unexpected oases—through a faithful friend, steadfast promises, and providential refuge. This sermon explores how Jonathan strengthened David in the Lord, how God’s promises anchored him in present danger, and how the Lord delivered him to the “Rock of Escape.” Ultimately, the passage points to Jesus—the greater Friend, the true Promise, and our everlasting Refuge in every wilderness.

In 1 Samuel 23:1–14, David shows us a different way to lead and live. Before he moves, he inquires of the Lord—and God guides him, protects him, and uses him to rescue others. This passage reminds us that usefulness in God’s kingdom doesn’t begin with strength or strategy, but with humble dependence on the Lord.

1 Samuel 22 reveals two contrasting kings in one of Scripture's darkest chapters. Amid paranoia, betrayal, and bloodshed, God shows us what true leadership looks like. Saul uses power to protect himself. David uses strength to protect others.

David wasn’t always fearless. In 1 Samuel 22, the future king hits rock bottom—hiding in a cave, surrounded by distressed and desperate men, learning the hard way what happens when we rely on ourselves instead of the Lord. Yet even there, God meets him, restores his trust, and guides him forward. This sermon explores how God leads His people not by removing danger, but by walking with us through it.

In this message, we introduce and explain Wildwood Church’s new mission statement:

Magnify Christ. Multiply Disciples. Wherever we go.

Rooted in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18–20), this sermon clarifies how Scripture shapes the mission of the Church and the role every believer plays in Christ’s work. We explore Christ’s authority, the advance of the gospel through ordinary faithfulness, and what it looks like to live on mission—locally and globally—under the lordship of Jesus.

You’ll hear:

Why the glory of Christ among all peoples is our driving vision

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In this message, we declare the vision of Wildwood Church: the glory of Christ among all peoples. From Old Testament to New, Scripture reveals that God’s driving purpose in history is to make His glory known through His Son to every nation. This sermon invites our church family to unite around a vision that has compelled God’s people for millennia and will culminate in the worship of Christ by all peoples.

Shortly before sending them into Babylonian exile, the Lord rebuked the people of Judah for having eyes to see but refusing to see. The following are five petitions of the heart. In Lord, Help Me To See, we ask the Lord for eyes to see five important things that will empower us to live godlier, more empowered, faithful lives.

On Christmas Eve, we celebrate a God whose Word never returns empty. Drawing from Isaiah and John, this sermon traces how God’s Word comes like gentle rain—bringing life where there was death, light where there was darkness. What was once cursed ground marked by thorns is transformed into fruitful soil, all because the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. This is the quiet, powerful story of Christmas: light has entered the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it.

What does it really mean for husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church? From Ephesians 5:25, this message presses past sentiment into substance, calling men to consider what sacrificial, Christlike love actually looks like in everyday life. A needed word for husbands, fathers, and future leaders.

What does God’s love look like when His people are shamed, barren, and under judgment? In Isaiah 54, the Lord commands the desolate to sing before restoration comes, grounding hope not in circumstances but in covenant promise. This sermon traces God’s everlasting love from exile to Bethlehem, showing how divine wrath and mercy meet in Christ. Discover how the Redeemer’s unshakable love turns shame into song and fear into confident faith.

Isaiah 53:1-12 shows us the Suffering Servant who steps into our griefs, carries our sorrows, and willingly takes the punishment our sins deserve. In this message we see how the cross is not just a tragic event, but the planned, willing, and effective sacrifice that brings us peace with God. This sermon calls wandering, weary sinners to look to Christ alone for forgiveness, healing, and everlasting peace.

Isaiah speaks into Judah’s darkness with a breathtaking promise: God Himself will send a messenger carrying good news of happiness, peace, and salvation. Joy does not rise from within us—it comes to us from God. Judah’s return from exile under Cyrus was the immediate fulfillment, but the ultimate fulfillment came when Jesus arrived bringing good news of great joy for all people. Because of Christ’s redeeming work—purchased not with money, but with His own blood—joy is both certain and accessible to every believer. Our task now is to be the “beautiful feet” who carry this joy t...

Isaiah 51:1–8 calls God’s people to remember their origins, lift their eyes above their circumstances, and anchor their hope in His unfailing righteousness. Through Abraham, through the promise of restoration, and through the global reach of God’s salvation, the Lord proves that nothing can stop His redemptive purposes. In a world that is passing away, those who hope in the Lord will endure forever.

David’s flight to Gath in 1 Samuel 21:10–15 shows what happens when fear takes the wheel and God’s anointed begins to act in the flesh instead of in faith. The giant-slayer who once stood boldly “in the name of the LORD” now scratches at doors with drool running down his beard—a vivid picture of how sin and self-reliance can humiliate and harm us and others. Yet even there, at David’s lowest, God’s mercy breaks in, rescuing him and inviting us to bring our own fear-driven messes to the Lord who delivers His children and restores those who call on His

This passage shows David at one of his lowest moments—God’s anointed king leaning on fear and deception instead of trusting the Lord. It set in motion consequences that would devastate an entire city. What seemed like a harmless lie for a loaf of bread opened the door for Doeg, reminding us that when leaders stop trusting God and start trusting themselves, innocent people often pay the price. Yet even David’s failure points us to a greater King—Jesus—who never walked by fear or deceit, and who bore our consequences on the cross so that we might walk...

At Saul’s royal table, two kingdoms collide—the kingdom of self and the kingdom of God. Consumed with paranoia and self-preservation, Saul clings to his throne and hurls his spear at anyone who threatens his control, even his own son. Jonathan, however, models a different way—the way of surrender, covenant loyalty, and trust in God’s sovereign plan. This message exposes our own temptation to protect “you and your kingdom” and invites us to lay it down for something far greater. In Christ, we find the freedom, peace, and abundance that only come when we stop building our own king...