Messages by Wayne Cook

Messages by Wayne Cook

Benediction

*** A Sermon for Pastor Wayne’s last Sunday in the pulpit following his retirement after six years at McFarland United Methodist Church and eighteen years in the Holston Conference. The sermon is based upon 2 Corinthians 13:11-13.*** Saying goodbye is a daily part of life, but when it involves someone who deeply impacts us, it becomes much harder. Pastor Wayne’s sermon draws on the Apostle Paul’s farewell to the Corinthians, a community he cherished and nurtured despite their conflicts and…

Family Matters

Sermon for June 9, 2024. In Pastor Wayne’s latest sermon, he explores how Jesus consistently pushed boundaries and challenged the status quo, as depicted in the Gospel of Mark. From the outset of his ministry, Jesus performed miracles, called disciples, and healed the sick, drawing both widespread attention and the ire of religious leaders who saw him as a threat to their power and the stability with Rome. Mark’s Gospel is succinct and direct, highlighting the extraordinary nature of Jesus.…

A Big Table

Due to some technical issues there will not be a recording of today’s sermon available. However, a pdf copy is available for you to read.

Trinity Sunday 2024

Our Scriptures for today are: Isaiah 6:1-8; Psalm 29; Romans 8:12-17; and John 3:1-17 In today’s sermon, Pastor Wayne addressed a common misconception held by some ministers who claim they do not preach doctrinal sermons, deeming them boring and irrelevant. This preacher insists he only preaches Christ crucified, focusing on practical issues rather than theology. However, Pastor Wayne points out several flaws in this approach. Firstly, everyone, to some extent, is a theologian. Theology is simply what we think about…

Catch the Spirit

On this day of Pentecost, our lessons were from Ezekiel 37:1-14, Psalm 105: Romans 8:22-27 and Acts 2:1-21 Pastor Wayne’s sermon reflects on Jesus’ final words to His disciples at the ascension, emphasizing the Great Commission to preach repentance and forgiveness to all nations. It recounts the Pentecost event, where the Holy Spirit empowered the disciples to speak in various languages, symbolizing the inclusivity of the Gospel. The early Christian community’s devotion to teaching, fellowship, and prayer is highlighted as…

Our Mission: Make Disciples

This Sunday we celebrate the Ascension of Jesus to heaven 40 days after the Resurrection. Our Scriptures are Acts 1:1-11; Psalm 1; Ephesians 1:15-23; and Luke 24:44-53. Pastor Wayne’s sermon reflects on the significance of Ascension Sunday and the message conveyed through the Apostle’s Creed, emphasizing the physicality of Jesus’s existence and his ascension into heaven. It highlights the Great Commission as a call to action for all Christians, emphasizing the responsibilities of discipleship and the importance of loving and…

We Love One Another

We continue our look at how we are to live following the resurrection in this sermon from May 5, 2024. The scriptures are:Acts 10:44-48Psalm 981 John 5:1-6John 15:9-17

Viniculture for Dummies

Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5, NRSVUE).  Join us as we explore this “I AM” saying of Jesus. Acts 8:26-40Psalm 22:25-311 John 4:7-21John 15:1-8

Gentle Shepherd

On this 4th Sunday of Easter, we look at the image of the Good Shepherd. Our readings are: Acts 4:5-12Psalm 231 John 3:16-24John 10:11-18

Eating with a Ghost

Scriptures this week are:Acts 3:12-19Psalm 41 John 3:1-7Luke 24:36-48 In this sermon delivered by Pastor Wayne, he reflects on a post-resurrection appearance of Jesus as recounted in Luke’s Gospel. The disciples, filled with fear, grief, and shame after Jesus’ crucifixion, find themselves huddled together, trying to make sense of their world turned upside down. Suddenly, Jesus appears among them, dispelling their terror with words of peace. He invites them to touch him, grounding them in the reality of his resurrection.…