This week, Jesus is at another dinner party, with a very different host. Tensions rise as an unexpected guest does unexpected things.
So many people struggle with feelings of unworthiness and disqualification. In part, that comes from the reality of what we know about ourselves, and in part it comes from our culture of achievement and earning our "lovability." But the Bible reminds us, it's not about us being worthy of God's love... it's about Jesus being worthy, and choosing to sacrifice Himself to bring us to God.
Jesus comes down from another mountain in Mark 9, and steps into an argument. When He enters the situation, a miracle happens, and there's a massive invitation to each of us as well.
We're looking at the moment when Jesus comes down the mountain and brings Kingdom life to the people, and specifically Matthew gives us two immediate stories of healing, of outsiders.
Still in the very beginning of Jesus' ministry, we see Him have a long and tedious conversation with the wrong person, in the wrong place, at the wrong time - a conversation that changed the course of her life.
OK so this is a bit of a sidestep, but if we're looking at interactions Jesus had in the gospels with others, we can't miss the fact that his first interaction upon launching his public ministry, was with the enemy. And in that interaction are huge keys for us as we face spiritual opposition as well.
Jesus will return, and although we won't know the time, we can keep ourselves ready and growing in love with Him and with others.
We're adding a bonus Parable in our Kingdom Vision study as we look at the parables of Jesus. This Father's Day we want to return to the heart of the Rejected Father in Luke 15.
Jesus talks about one of the amazing and challenging realities of His Kingdom in this week's parable: Forgiveness.
Jesus' parables have a way of getting under our skin, and pushing our buttons just like they pushed the buttons of those in His day. In this episode we look at the fairness (or unfairness) of God, and one particular parable of the Master.
We're diving into the Parables of Jesus where He gives us a vision of His Kingdom.
Pastor Ryan unpacks a familiar passage with an often-overlooked focus that holds a lot of encouragement and promise for Moms, and everyone!
Pastor Ryan talks to us about Marking this Moment, and continuing to Carry God's Presence forward.
After the Resurrection, Jesus comes and goes, and has a special encounter with two disciples who are headed away from Jerusalem.
In the early hours of Resurrection Sunday, Mary couldn't see Jesus through the lens of her tears, but then He called her by name and everything changed... she carries the good news for the first time - "I have Seen the Lord!" We celebrate the moment on which all history hangs in this episode - the Resurrection of Jesus. Remember with us and hear what it means for us today.
Standing before that vast crowd... the ones who had turned on Him, Jesus was brought out for all to see. Pilate called to them, "Behold the Man! Behold your King!" and they replied "He's not our King, Crucify Him!" Never do we see a more perfect picture of Jesus' Passion and Purpose... If you want to See Jesus, behold the man.
As Jesus enters the city to kick off Holy Week, there are back-to-back episodes with Jesus in Luke 19, and we investigate how each of the characters in the story react to Jesus in both.
We open our Easter journey this year with the moment that leads into it, in the Gospel of Luke. Jesus has an interaction with a man who is "the wrong guy," but this wrong guy made a couple right moves, to see Jesus. That's when everything changed.
Dr. David Welle joined us to unpack Jesus' interaction with the rich young ruler, and how God invites all of us to put Him first.
Pastor CJ jumps in this Sunday morning to talk through three wrong ways we look at God, and three ways that Jesus shows us something different.