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The Lord of Mercy (John 5:1-9)

Series: Believe 6/2/14
As we look at the third of seven miracles recorded in John’s Gospel, the healing of the paralyzed man at the pool of Bethesda, it tells us that it was believed that God at times sent an angel to trouble the waters, and the first person who stepped in would be healed. Verse 3 says that a great multitude of sick people were there—blind, crippled, paralyzed. Some commentators estimate that it was upwards of 3000 people who surrounded that small pool daily waiting on the slim hope that this could be the day that the angel troubled the waters, and that they would be first into the water to receive their healing. Although thousands were gathered waiting on their healing, John tells us the story of one man. That does not necessarily mean that Jesus did not heal others that day, because the gospels often tell of Jesus healing multitudes of those who were sick and oppressed. But John was led of the Spirit to record this one miracle because of what it reveals to us about Jesus.

Lord Over Disease and Distance (John 4:43-54)

BELIEVE SERIES
As you read through the gospel of John, every time he mentions a SIGN, it points to the belief of some and the unbelief of others.
This particular sign or miracle involves a nobleman, a high ranking public official, associated with a wicked king, he is not the likeliest candidate in which to find faith. Yet, in him we find a sincere faith. His faith stands in stark contrast to the crowds in Galilee who gather to welcome Jesus as he returns from Jerusalem, but in them we find a superficial faith.

As we look carefully at this miracle, it makes a sharp distinction between superficial faith and sincere faith, and we need to allow it to speak to our lives, that it might expose what kind of faith we have, and that it might take us deeper in our faith as it reveals Jesus to us in a greater way.

THE LORD OF CREATION, CIRCUMSTANCE & CHANGE (John 2:1-11; 20:30-31)

SERIES: BELIEVE
During his earthly ministry, Jesus performed countless miracles. Interestingly, John recorded only seven of Jesus’ miracles. Under the inspiration of the Spirit, John understood the miracles of Jesus to be signs (v. 30). Someone has said that a sign is “a miracle with a message.” It is not about the event itself, but the event points beyond itself to a greater truth. Each of the 7 miracles that John recorded, points to, or reveals a greater truth about Jesus.

We are going to look at Jesus' first miracle today, which John alone records, the turning of water into wine, and see what it reveals about Jesus, and what that means for us.

TRAITS OF A GREAT MOTHER (Ex 2:1-10)

It has been said that the quality of children reflect the quality of their home, and we see that in the life of a woman named Jochobed. All three of her children ended up in ministry, and impacted a nation and the world: Miriam was a prophetess, Aaron the first High Priest of Israel, and Moses became the deliver and leader of Israel. This certainly was a mother who did her job well.

As we look at her life this morning, it speaks to all of us to recognize and honor the influence our mother’s had in our life, and it speaks to mothers, mother’s to be, grandmothers, and spiritual mothers of the incredible influence that we can have on the lives of our children.

I BELIEVE IN MIRACLES (John 20:30-31)

SERIES: BELIEVE
I BELIEVE IN MIRACLES (John 20:30-31)
I believe in miracles, and I believe in a miracle working God who is active in the world today. Take the miraculous out of our faith and you are left with nothing but a set of ethical instructions on how to be a good person, but void of power to make a difference in our lives. Subtract the miracles and Christianity becomes just another empty and lifeless religion.

The miraculous is at the core of the good news that we share with the world, that Jesus came to earth born of a virgin, healed the sick, cast out demons, multiplied the loaves and fishes, walked on water, and rose again from the dead. His life is miraculous from beginning to end, and He is till a miracle working God. This message explores the reason why why we should still believe in and expect miracles today.

A Heart of Grace & Truth

Series: The Heart of Jesus
John 1:14
Although Jesus has many virtuous qualities, John identifies grace and truth as the two primary qualities that embody the person of Jesus. This is a very important combination. These two attributes are critical to understanding who God is, but these two attributes seem contradictory.

Much misunderstanding in the Christian life results from a failure to grasp the paradox of grace and truth. Problems arise when we apply one at the expense of the other. As followers of Christ, if we emphasize truth above grace, it can make us self-righteous, and judgmental. Similarly, if we emphasize grace alone it can lead to a license to sin, and tolerance towards immorality.

Jesus was full of both grace and truth, and today we want to see how that balance was demonstrated in His life, as we ask God to shape His heart in us.

Good News From an Empty Grave (Matthew 27:57-28:7)

Easter is a celebration of the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. This is the core of the gospel message. The word ‘gospel’ simply means ‘good news.’ The good news of the gospel is that Jesus died, was buried, and rose again the third day.

But you have to ask: how is His death, burial and resurrection good news? What does it mean for us? What difference does it make today? The good news is found in an empty cross, the empty tomb, and the empty place.

FROM TRIUMPH TO TEARS (Luke 19:29-44)

Jesus’ final entrance into Jerusalem has been called the Triumphal Entry, because the celebration had all the marks of a Triumphant King entering the gates of the city to the cheers and praises of the crowd. But although this parade started with cheers, it would end with Jesus in tears. It was a day of mixed emotions – there was joy and sorrow, triumph and tribulation.

On this day the crowds were waving palm branches and singing praises, but by the end of the week they would be pumping their fists and shouting “crucify him.” It was a time of mixed emotions, and each of those emotions reveals a lot about our own heart, and the heart of Jesus.

A Compassionate Heart (Matt. 9:35-36)

SERIES: THE HEART OF JESUS
Matt 9:36 says of Jesus, that "He was moved with compassion." The famed preacher Charles Spurgeon declares that this one sentence sums up the whole character of Christ. Several times throughout the New Testament it says that Jesus was moved with compassion.

The Greek word used in Matt 9:36 is a very vivid one, expressing a strong emotion of love and pity felt in the depths of a person’s inner being. It is as though, when Jesus saw certain sights, that his heart was ready to burst with pain and sorrow. He was moved in the depths of His innermost being, with love and care. It caused such a profound agitation within Him, that He was moved to act.

Compassion feels deeply. It stirs us. It troubles us. We cannot walk on unchanged. Compassion moves us to act. Compassion costs us.

As we look at what moved Jesus with compassion, let us pray that He would form His heart of compassion in us, that we would be moved with compassion to feel and to act by what moves Jesus.

A HUMBLE HEART (Phil. 2:3-11)

THE HEART OF JESUS
You can learn English, science, mathematics, medicine, business, and a host of other subjects in school, but you won’t learn humility. In fact, the opposite is often encouraged, as students are taught to be self-assertive, to sell themselves, to promote themselves and to make themselves stand out from the crowd to be successful.
There is only one place that true humility can be learned, and that is in relationship with Christ.  And humility is a very difficult lesson for us to learn. Even the disciples who had lived with Jesus for three years had a difficult time learning the lesson of humility. So that as Jesus faces the cross, we find them arguing over who would be the greatest in the kingdom of God. How His heart must have been broken by their prideful display of selfish ambition?

Today we want to carefully consider the humility of Christ, that His heart may be formed in us.