When a film director wants the audience to focus on the magnitude of what’s happening in a scene, they will often bring the shot in close and slow everything down. That’s kind of what John is doing for us in chapters 13-17. Jesus is in the upper room with His disciples just hours before … [Read More…] The Troubled
In this passage from John 13:1-17, we see a profound demonstration of Jesus’ servant heart. This scene takes place during Jesus’ last meal with the disciples. It’s Thursday evening of Holy Week, just hours before his crucifixion the following day. As the story unfolds, Jesus washes the disciple’s feet. It’s moving and touching to us … [Read More…] The Servant
On Easter we traditionally look at one of the Gospel accounts of that glorious morning when the disciples discovered the empty tomb and realized that Jesus had risen from the dead. But this Easter we break with tradition. In this sermon we explore at an event that took place just a couple weeks prior … [Read More…] The Resurrection
The resurrection of Jesus Christ changes our hope for the future. In this passage, we look at three results of the resurrection for our present perspective. Transformative Change: In heaven, we will experience an instantaneous change, from the perishable to the imperishable. Only Jesus can give us the resurrection change that we need. … [Read More…] When Death Is Defeated
As we begin Holy Week, this passage in John gives us four vivid portraits of Jesus. The last moments of Jesus’ public ministry recorded for us in the Gospel of John. These four portraits are unmistakably vivid so that everyone may know just who this Jesus really is. The King of Israel: Our 1st … [Read More…] The Hour
What will heaven be like? Because we sense that what we are now is not fit for heaven, it can be hard to imagine what is to come. There are particularly prevalent misconceptions about what our future experience in heaven will be like. In this passage, we explore three characteristics of our resurrection bodies: … [Read More…] Our Heavenly Bodies
One of the scariest realities in the Gospels is how close you can be to Jesus and miss him entirely. Chapter after chapter, we see that Jesus was right there with the Pharisees, but they missed Him. He was calling, but they didn’t hear Him. He was shining in glory, but they didn’t see Him. … [Read More…] The Anointed
The resurrection of Jesus is critical to the theology of the Christian faith. If the resurrection isn’t true, we lose so much. In this passage, Paul plays theological dominoes by asking: What do we lose if there is no resurrection? We have no hope We have no future We have no purpose May … [Read More…] Our Only Hope
This passage is one of the most gripping and glorious scenes in the Bible as Jesus raises his friend Lazarus from the dead. This story ends in glorious clarity of Jesus’ powerful love, but it begins with cloudy gloom and disorienting confusion. This story opens and Lazarus is gravely ill, and so they call … [Read More…] The Life
Why is the Resurrection so pivotal to our Christian faith? In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul makes it crystal clear that there is no good news if there is no Resurrection. The gospel loses all its power if Jesus did not rise from the dead, for then our faith would be in vain. What we believe … [Read More…] Resurrection: Is It Essential?
