Christ Fellowship Sermon: Recent Episodes
Bruce Miller
Many of us are looking for help with core issues in our lives – questions about our identity, our purpose, whether we can truly be loved, or if we’ll ever really belong. Jesus provides hope and the answer to these issues. Many people know about him, but life change begins when we choose to seek him and follow him.
At Christ Fellowship, we are people helping people find and follow Christ. We’re a community of people in McKinney, TX, who want to know him better and help others do the same, encouraging everyone to continually take their next steps toward life to the fullest in him.
Christians have been arguing with each other since Jesus ascended. What conversations are worth having, and which ones are a waste of time?
Nearly two thousand years ago, the Apostle Paul gave his younger associate, Timothy, wise leadership advice on this very issue: what conflicts to avoid and where to engage.
This week Jamie Gonzalez will teach from 2 Timothy on how to stay passionately connected to Jesus to victoriously endure to the end.
Paul wrote Timothy a letter to challenge him to guard the gospel courageously. Christianity was not cool in the Roman Empire. The cultural pressure was firmly against the gospel, intellectually, politically, and morally. If you wanted friends and respect, you would not be a Christian. Being a Christian could not only get you canceled and cost you business, but be beaten by the police of the day, thrown in jail, and even killed.
We’re starting a new series today focusing on a letter from the New Testament, 2nd Timothy. In some ways this particular letter functions a little bit like my husband’s letter to me in that Paul wrote it to encourage Timothy to trust in what he already knew to be true only this time, in the truth of the gospel.
Paul wrote First Corinthians chapter 15 to give people hope. It is the chapter on resurrection in the Bible. In 1 Corinthians chapter 15 Paul describes Christ’s resurrection, and how his resurrection can give you victory.
Why is this Sunday called Palm Sunday? What’s the deal with the palm branches? Back in the first century when the event that kicked off Palm Sunday happened, the crowd was fired up. It was an exciting day. Already it was the biggest festival of the year, Passover, when the city tripled in size. But most people did not really know what was going on, and what it meant.
Jaime and I share a favorite biblical passage that has guided each of our lives personally. Open your Bible to Philippians chapter 1, verse 18. Paul wrote this from a Roman prison, and yet he is filled with joy. In Philippians, Paul discloses some of his most personal thoughts and deepest desires. Paul’s passion for Jesus inspires us.
There are countless side effects of anxiety, but they add up to one significant outcome: giving up. As much as any weight we carry, the weight of anxiety can become so heavy that it feels impossible to keep going. It can be so crushing that even taking another step seems unbearable.
God’s Word brings us confidence and security in times of fear and anxiety. If Romans is a spectacular mountain range of truth, then chapter eight is its highest peak, and the last paragraph takes us to the inspirational pinnacle. Listen as Bruce unpacks the remainder of chapter 8.
In a past sermon, we learned that our Inheritance is all of creation. Now, the focus shifts to our hope of being co-glorified with Christ. This sounds wonderful until we remember that this honor comes with the caveat: suffering together with Christ is part of being glorified together with him. Listen as Rafe unpacks what this means for believers.
In a past sermon, we learned that our Inheritance is all of creation. Now, the focus shifts to our hope of being co-glorified with Christ. This sounds wonderful until we remember that this honor comes with the caveat: suffering together with Christ is part of being glorified together with him. Listen as Rafe unpacks what this means for believers.
Secure Permanent Relationships are Rare. In fact, No Human Relationship can ever provide Ultimate Security. But what our fellow humans can never supply, God does. God offers the most Secure Relationship imaginable: Adoption into his own Eternal Family.
Today I want you to hear Jesus say to you – let not your heart be troubled. When we are unsure about Jesus, fear can paralyze us and worry can torment us, taking away our sleep and diminishing our ability to love those around us. How can you calm your troubled heart and experience more of the Life that God offers in Christ? Imagine being at peace, sure of what you are supposed to be doing.
Jesus is The Gate to true life with a capital L. Our responsibility is to enter through the gate of Jesus Christ. The way we enter is to believe in Jesus Christ.
When we enter through the gate, the benefit is life with a capital L. In the metaphor, Jesus calls it finding pasture, using language that recalls the wonderful promises of Psalm 23
How can we “get” satisfaction? How can we find true satisfaction? How can we experience real life, not just mere existence, but a real satisfying life? The Bible gives us the answer. You can find true satisfaction, real life.
The Magi, the wise men, were ancient astronomers, well known for their intellect. They were not Jewish. Maybe you are like the Magi. You have your own views of life. You may not consider yourself Christian or Jewish. Perhaps you too have investigated various religions. You can identify with the Magi. Both the Magi and Herod want to find the child, but with different motives.
The King of glory comes to earth in a manger. He comes not to the capital city, Jerusalem or Rome, but to a rural village, Bethlehem. His coming is announced not to royalty or to priests, but to common shepherds.
Three people heard God’s call for each of them in three biblical Christmas stories. They had different homes. One was an older couple who could not have kids. One was an engaged young woman living with her family and the other was a young man likely living alone or with roommates.
To each one God’s angel said, “do not be afraid.” What were they afraid of? They were scared of the angel and the message God had for each of them. We can easily be scared of the message God has for us.
This season is often called “Advent.” Have you ever wondered what “advent” means? It comes from the Latin word adventus meaning “coming.” It refers to the arrival of a notable person, thing or event. A more specialized meaning of Advent is the first season of the Christian year, including the first four Sundays preceding Christmas. Traditionally, this is a time of waiting expectantly and joyfully for the coming of the Messiah, the Son of God, celebrating his first advent and anticipating his second advent.
Three central questions: Why should I forgive someone who hurts me? How can I forgive someone who hurts me? Should I reconcile with someone who hurt me? Watch as Lisa unpacks how the Bible answers each of these questions.
“All this church cares about is money.” If those thoughts are rising in your mind, set them aside. At Christ Fellowship we care about Jesus and what he taught. Jesus taught a lot about money. If the topic makes you tense, ask yourself why. Often people feel tense because they know they are not obeying God in their giving, so it’s uncomfortable to hear about it. It’s convicting.
Most of us are inundated with requests from charities and good causes. It can be confusing as to where you should give your money. How do you make wise choices? My hope is to give you biblical clarity about divine priorities for your giving. What does God say in his Word?
A robe, a newspaper, and a racquetball – images that picture for me people, people that God used to mark my life. As a little boy I’ll never forget seeing my mom early in the morning sitting on the couch in her robe, with her Bible in her lap. With the light from a lamp on the table beside her, she would read God’s Word, pray, do her Bible study, and write in her journal. Soon I began to join mom and thus formed a life-long habit of quiet times with God.
Since we finished a sermon series about sex, let’s follow up with another from the list of difficult subjects, ready……. Money! Cash, coin, cheddar, moolah. What does the Bible say about giving, specifically about our money?
I’m grieved for our children and grandchildren. They are growing up in a culture drifting from biblical truth. They are watching churches not show grace to certain groups of people. And they see Christians attacking each other over current cultural issues. How sad. How confusing.
Because we are so afraid or so confused, we leave our kids without spiritual guidance on current cultural issues around sexuality and gender. And yet, you can’t ignore it when your 6-year-old has a kid on their soccer team with two moms, when your 5th grader tells you that one of his friends says they are nonbinary, when your highschooler has good friends who identify in various ways other than straight, terms you may have never heard. And when you kid comes out to you as gay, bi-sexual, trans or nonbinary.
Sadly, I so often hear people tell me they are not happy. Single people wish they were married. Married people wish they could get out of their painful marriage. It’s hard to be married and it’s hard to be single. How sad to live resenting your situation, married or single. Married life can be joyful and so can single life. My prayer is for you to live joyfully content in Christ whether you are single or married.
Our culture is desperately confused about our bodies. We wildly swing from obsession over bodies to neglect of our bodies, from excessive dieting to obesity. Healthy appetites quickly degenerate into destructive addictions. Our bodily confusion leads to sexual distortion.
None of you need me to explain the extent of sexual immorality in our world today. It affects our children at younger and younger ages. This topic exposes guilt and shame. Thankfully, God’s grace is amazing. Later, I will lead us in a time of confession and receiving all over again the healing grace of God that washes us clean.
God made sexuality, and everything he made is good. But we humans have made a mess of everything God gave us.
I’m concerned for my gay and trans friends. In the last few years, two of them were kicked out of a church in the Dallas area, told they are not allowed back on church property nor in the home of any church member for a Bible study. Gay people are told you cannot be gay and Christian. How will LGBTQ people find and follow Christ if they are rejected or resisted by Christian people? I’m concerned for people I love.
Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible (176 verses). Furthermore, this chapter focuses entirely on the word of God. The author refers to the word of God 178 times in these 176 verses. We are going to look at just one paragraph out of 22 paragraphs.
So, How do we Love One Another? How do we Love someone else without getting in trouble with our spouse, the H.R. department, or the school principal? How can Love be practically explained and demonstrated? When Jesus says, “Love One Another,” what are we to do?
Don’t neglect worship in a gathering because God is at work when we gather, what we do together matters when we gather, and we edify one another when we gather. The weekly worship gathering represents less than one percent of your week, but those minutes may be the most critical time you spend.
Every believer should be connected with others in a group where we can care for each other, encourage each other to grow in Christ and together make a difference for Christ.
The lack of a positive model in our past can often block us from engaging God or having those meaningful conversations, and our own failures can block us from engaging God or having those meaningful conversations with others.
My friends, we need to wake up. People are desperate right now. Marriages are breaking apart, and families are shattering. This year we believe God is calling us to Bring the Vision Home. How can we address loneliness, anxiety and addiction in our homes, with our spouses, kids, and roommates?
When should you confront the other person and when should you overlook the offense? I’m going to tell you a few quick stories. At the end of each story, yell out either “overlook” or “confront.” Let me warn you, there are not enough details for an obvious answer.
What’s one of the most quoted and most misused phrases in the Bible? “Do not judge.” Our culture uses that quote from Jesus to prevent people from criticizing their choices and actions. When you are in a conversation about almost any topic and start sharing your opinion, you have probably been slammed with the modern-day showstopper: “Who are you to judge?” And yet does not God want us to make moral judgments about right and wrong
Those of you who are parents know about having big dreams for your kids. We want them to be successful, but we also want them to be good people. We try to nurture and guide them into reaching their potential. We want what’s best for them. We’re not always prepared when they grow up and make poor choices. It’s incredibly difficult to watch a child you love take a wrong turn and end up in a dark place. No matter what their age, it’s hard when they get lost.
The father in the Parable of the Prodigal Son can certainly relate. Although, that may not be the best title, because as we’ll see, there are two sons in this story, and both of them take wrong turns and end up lost. We’ll see a loving father who wants nothing more than to see his boys return to him..
The day of the lord has ended, and the new age has dawned. Christ is seated before us in all his transcendent glory and it’s your turn to step up to the bema seat of judgment. You’re hoping and praying you hear, well done good and faithful servant.
But will you? I know that’s what i want to hear. Will you be found faithful on that day? What does the faithful life look like? How would we know if we’re achieving it? Is there a formula for it?
In "Wake Up," Jake unveils the startling truth that Christ's coming will be delayed longer than many anticipate. It's time to open our eyes, ears, and hearts to the signs and wonders surrounding us, realizing that time is of the essence. Jake passionately ignites a spark within us, compelling us to heed the urgency of the hour.
So often, we zero in on what we’re building with our lives (families, careers, an education, friendships, all of those being wonderful things), but Jesus reminds us that what we’re building doesn’t really matter if we’ve never considered where we’re building.
Have you ever had the experience of having something which was of great value to you come up missing? Likely, because it was of great value to you, you searched for it until you found it.
All at once prayer seems to be the easiest and most difficult spiritual practice. It’s simply talking to God. And yet, we have questions. Does prayer work? Does it make a difference whether you pray or not? Do you have to pray in Jesus’ name? Does the level of your faith matter? In other words, if you believe stronger is your prayer more likely to be answered the way you hope? Does your level of righteousness impact your prayers? If you live a righteous, good life, does that make your prayers more effective?
In this earthly life full of pain and difficulty, how do you wait well? We all must wait. We all must endure. How can you patiently wait? James tells us how to wait well.
You may have heard of Noah, Abraham or Moses, but you may have missed Elkanah. He was not well-known then or now, not a king, priest or prophet but an ordinary man.
While he faithfully went to worship God on Jewish festival days, he had also married two women. He was polygamous and it created problems. One of his wives, Peninnah, had children, but his other wife, Hannah had none. She struggled with infertility, which was even a bigger issue back then than it is today. A woman was measured by how many children she had
How many pairs of shoes do you own? How many cars? How new are they? How much stuff do you buy that you don’t need or use?
Most Americans vastly underestimate how rich they are. Compared to the rest of the world, we are wealthy. You are wealthy. I realize a few of you are living in poverty with very limited incomes, but most of you are living on more than $100,000 per year, and some on far more than that.
Why can’t we get along in our churches? Christians attack each other over minor differences of opinion. Why can’t we get along in our country? People on opposite sides of an issue vilify each other. Protests get physically violent. Why can’t we get along in our world? There has not been one year in the last 100 years without war.
This week James talks about wisdom. This might seem like a significant shift, but it isn’t. Think about how many Proverbs talk about the words that come from our mouths.
If you think about wise people, you will know they are wise by how they live and speak. There is a vast difference between the way a wise person uses words and a foolish person.
In the book of James, God reveals one of the most difficult beasts to tame. Our tongue. Our tongues are dangerous and powerful.
James counters the common false saying, “sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Words often hurt worse than sticks and stones, and the wounds last longer.
The days leading up to Easter carry growing anticipation. Through the days of Holy Week, we anticipate Sunday morning when we celebrate Christ’s resurrection. But do you really see what his resurrection means for you personally? Have you opened your eyes?
“Saving faith is faith that not only knows and comprehends the facts about the gospel of
Jesus Christ but also trusts in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone for salvation.”
Cf. The Gospel Coalition.
James addresses the church and reminds them of the importance of not showing partiality or favoritism, which involves making judgments based on externals and can lead to discrimination and evil thoughts. James emphasizes that believers should focus on the glory of God, not people's glory, to eliminate favoritism. He also emphasizes the grace of God and how those who are poor in the world's eyes can be rich in faith and inherit the kingdom promised to those who love God. James' message is to pay attention to what matters most when following Jesus and not be deceived in our hearts when interacting with our brothers and sisters in the church.
Today, we take a fresh look at Jesus Christ, the Supreme One. We tend to see Christ as a wonderful supplement to our lives, but miss that he is supreme over our own lives. Since he is supreme in the universe, he should be supreme in our lives so that we are all about Jesus.
Two thousand years ago, long before Nike trademarked, “Just do it,” the biblical author James wrote, Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. James 1:22. He was talking about something far more important than physical fitness.
Life in a fallen world brings all kinds of trials. How do we face them well? Trials bring the temptation to get angry at God, to blame him. When your company terminates you, when you are served a divorce decree, when someone hits your car in the parking and does not leave a note, it’s normal to get angry. You might be angry at your boss, your spouse or the person who damaged your car, and then that anger can shift to God. “God, why did you let this happen? God, why did you do this to me?”
I want you to imagine that you are among James’ original audience. A letter comes from James, the leader of the Jerusalem church, and you are all gathered together to hear it read. Right out of the gate, James starts with “Consider it pure joy my brothers and sisters whenever you face trials of many kinds… what kind of trials were these early Christians facing? Well, Bruce just told you that they had been scattered due to persecution. So many had lost their homes and been forced to abandon their way of life. We don’t have to go too much further into the letter to know that there were some deep divisions in the early churches. Not only was there poverty, but rich people were exploiting those who had little. There was conflict and in fighting in these assemblies. So yes, these people were experiencing “trials of many kinds”
There is an epidemic of loneliness happing in our country. Cigna found that in 2019, before the pandemic, 61% of Americans reported feeling lonely consistently. That number has only been exacerbated post-pandemic. The 2021 Cigna report states that young adults aged 18-24 are twice as likely to be lonely than seniors aged 66 and older. The data also showed that 65% of parents and guardians are classified as lonely and report a strong sense of feeling left out.
With lives hanging in the balance, the young Hebrew exile Daniel entered the throne room of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Following a terrifying dream, the king had threatened to execute all his counselors if they couldn’t do the impossible; tell him his dream and also its interpretation.
Unity is difficult. Our differences divide us. We live in a fractured world. Few of us get along well with our spouses and children, much less with our neighbors and our “friends” on social media. I’m pretty sure you and your spouse do not see the world the same way. And your adult children do not see the world the way you do, which of course, is the right way. Our country reels with harsh divisions into red and blue, Republic and Democrat. We rage against each other over vaccines and so much else.
I have often felt weak in evangelism. I felt like I was not doing well enough in sharing my faith with those who do not know Jesus. It’s easier for me to study the Bible. As a pastor-theologian. I love teaching serious believers who want to go deep, and I love mentoring leaders. Talking about Jesus with those who are not Christians has been more challenging for me.
How about you?
I struggle with sin. I wish I did not sin at all, which I know is not possible this side of eternity, but I wish I sinned less. Do you struggle with sin, with temptation? Do you occasionally do something you wish you had not done? Don’t you wish we could just quit sinning? Sin hurts us and hurts other people. In this sermon, Pastor Bruce will teach how the Holy Spirit gives us the power for a Godly Life.
Most people say that they don’t feel close to God. They feel spiritually weak. God seems far away. And yet, nothing is more important than a close relationship with the living God. Only the Holy Spirit can empower us to know God.
In the story of Spiderman, the alien symbiote takes control of him, and him being set free of its control, but he still struggles with the lasting effects of being under evil’s control.
As Christians, we once were all under the control of sin but can now put on the new self.
Marvel at the Word made flesh. While Christmas calls us to wonder and marvel, I find it hard to slow down. It’s hard to marvel at traffic on the highway, trying to merge into the next lane while getting cut off by a big truck. It’s hard to wonder at Christ while you are dealing with customer service on the phone, talking to a person you can barely understand.
Like John, we are witnesses to the Light. God sent John. Furthermore, we are sent by Jesus with the courage to face any situation confidently since we have God's power to enable us. Listen as Leroy Armstrong teaches about the mission of John the Baptist.
This Christmas at Christ Fellowship we are slowing down to really ponder who Jesus is and what he has done. To do that, we are unpacking the remarkable prologue to John’s Gospel.
We would love to hear what you are thankful for this year. I invite you to thank God for what he has done in your life through our church, perhaps one of the ministries you are involved in.
I confess I sometimes daydream that one of my books will be a best seller. Do you ever want to be rich? I think about what I would do with millions. What would you do? I’d pay off any debts. Buy a nicer car, do a large remodeling project, and buy a cabin in Red River, New Mexico. I would bless my kids and grandkids. And give lots of money to the church and other solid ministries. What would you do if you were rich? How could you honor God as a rich person?
When you got Jesus, you got generous!
Sometimes God will ask you to give it back (time/talent/treasure) so He can unwrap it for you. (remember opening candy for my littles).
Don’t hoard the candy. Don’t eat it all on Halloween. Transfer some to the candy jar where your Father has your rewards.
If God is out there, can I connect with him? If I talk to him, does he listen? Does he talk back? It seems wild to think we could have a relationship with God, doesn’t it? Especially when you consider the idea in light of our human relationships. We can’t see God or hug God or shake God’s hand. We’re humans and God is . . . well, God.
Many condemn the Bible as racist, misogynist, violent, close-minded, irrelevant, inconsistent, contradictory, and untrustworthy.
And yet here we are. The Bible has carried tremendous influence around the world for millennia.
Last week we talked about whether Christianity is too narrow, and arrived at the conclusion that Christianity is inclusive, but truth itself is exclusive. Christianity is wide open to everyone without exceptions, but truth is narrow. This conclusion begs the question, is Christianity true? Since Jesus is at the heart of Christianity, we can refine the question, Is Jesus God?
Have you ever heard the standard advice not to discuss religion or politics at the dinner table? This sentiment stems from the natural human inclination to avoid discomfort. Conversations around both subjects can be tense, awkward, and downright confrontational. This is especially true when someone tells you that their way of thinking is the only right way—particularly if you don’t agree with their beliefs! This kind of claim can be annoying, frustrating, and offensive.
Why does God allow evil to exist? And why doesn’t God stop it? In pain we ask, “Why me?” that soon gives way to “Why are you punishing me?” And that is only a whisper from far darker thoughts: maybe God is not loving. Maybe God is cruel. And if so, you say to God, “God, if you are there, I want nothing to do with you.” Why, why, why? I’ve asked those very questions.
Let’s be honest; it’s scary to consider we might be wrong about something, especially when it’s an issue of such gravity as God’s existence. It takes courage to reconsider what you think and open your mind to possibilities other than what you currently believe. On what grounds will we consider the claim for God? Do we just take a blind leap of faith? That would be intellectually irresponsible. I invite you to embrace your doubts, and pursue your questions.
For most of us, there are times when we lie awake at night and worry that life has no real meaning. Everyone wants their life to have meaning. But wanting something doesn’t make it real. So, the question remains: Does life have a purpose?
Spiritually speaking we believers can suffer from not seeing clearly or being blinded. We can miss who we are in Christ, our mission, who Christ is, and our identity in Him. This can be a serious problem, a dangerous problem, scary, and even deadly for our faith. This is what we see Paul address with the believers in the book of Colossians.
Most of us want to become the people God calls us to be. You do not have to be the person who yells at her kids, blows up in anger, is crippled by anxiety, is addicted and lonely. By the power of his Spirit, God transforms us to be full of love, joy, peace, and spiritual power.
God invites you to be part of a world-changing movement. There are many good causes out there that you could contribute to, but there is only one that is sure to succeed, only one that is sure to make a real difference. It starts with one conversation, one cup of coffee, one relationship at a time. This is life, the joy of helping others experience Christ.
Today we wrap up 2 Peter, where much of chapter 3 revolves around the Second Coming of Christ, the Day of the Lord, and the Final Judgment.
Watch out! That’s Peter’s warning in 2 Peter chapter 2. Open your Bible to 2 Peter chapter 3 for a heavy message warning you of spiritual danger. The danger does not come from the world or demons. This danger comes from religious leaders from insiders who claim to be Christians.
Spiritually, when we forget God’s truth, we get disoriented, confused, and lost. We forget who we are in Christ, our identity. We forget where we are and where we are going. We get scared. When you forget God’s truth, it’s common to doubt, to doubt that the Bible is true, to doubt that Jesus is coming back or is even real.
How could God ever use you? You can’t be a Christian. You can’t serve God. It’s impossible. I wonder if those thoughts tormented Peter.
Be reconciled to one another so that we might partner together as co-laborers in advancing Christ’s Kingdom.
In the final section, we see Christ, crucified, forsaken, buried, and risen. He was crucified by the Romans, forsaken by his Father, buried by Joseph of Arimathea, and risen by God.
In each chapter of his Gospel, Mark asks us to answer two questions: who is Jesus, and how should we follow him. Two themes fill the book: Christology and discipleship. In chapter 15 we learn more about Jesus’ identity and see four ways to follow him.
In Mark chapter 14. In chapter 14 we feel the darkness, betrayal by a close friend, desertion by all Jesus’ disciples, and denial by one of his closest followers. His own religious leaders plot to kill him. We feel the dread as Jesus’ arrest and death come near. And yet underneath it all Jesus maintains control. While he grieves and feels deep distress, he is not surprised nor overcome.
In the Gospel of Mark chapter 13, Jesus calls us to live ready, to be vigilant, and on guard. What do we need to watch for, to be ready for? Hint, it’s more than a raccoon.
This passage says, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. Jesus made clear the critical thing we must get right. To miss it is eternal disaster.
Have you had a moment where God turns everything upside down in your life? This week, guest speaker, Jon Ewton, teaches us who is the BOSS!
In Mark chapter 10, Jesus tells us why we should serve others. He ends the chapter with healing a blind man. His healing symbolizes spiritual blindness and spiritual sight. What blinds us to a great life? What distorts our vision? And conversely, what enables us to see what makes a great life?
Empty. Usually, that’s a bad feeling. Perhaps you have felt the pain of an empty account, an empty tank, loneliness, anxiety, an empty heart. There’s been too much of that this last year. No one likes feeling empty. Ironically, it’s an empty tomb that fills your empty heart. If you could experience Jesus’ resurrection for yourself, God will fill your emptiness with his fullness.
Through Mark’s Gospel two major questions keep appearing, who is Jesus? And how should we respond to him? These two themes, Christology and discipleship, fill Mark’s Gospel. Each of us must answer these two questions. Your answers will direct the course of your life: Who is Jesus? And how will you respond to him?
Each of us must answer these two questions. Your answers direct the course of your life: who is Jesus? And how will you respond to him? In Mark 8 Jesus identifies himself clearly and issues a high challenge of what it means to follow him. Today, pray that you can see Jesus clearly and follow him courageously.
Listen as Leroy teaches how faith grows through hearing about Jesus, faith is gauged by proximity to Jesus, and faith is evidenced by its posture towards Jesus.
Two themes stand out in Mark: Christology and discipleship, so in each chapter we ask ourselves, who is Jesus? And how should we respond to him? Ask yourself those two questions today, as you look at stories from Mark chapter 6. Who is Jesus? How will you respond to him?
Direct your faith towards Jesus because he is more powerful than demons, disease, and death.
Remember the Nature of Storms, they are inevitable, they are unpredictable, they are impartial, they are swift, they are tempestuous, they are temporary. Remember to Invite Jesus on Your Journey because He cares about you and your storms.
Jesus challenges your neutrality. He challenges your superficial Christianity. Jesus presses for a decision, a commitment. In Mark 3 we will see six different responses to Jesus. Only one makes sense. Listen for which response is closest to yours.
Mark chapter two shares four connected stories about the paralyzed man, Levi, fasting, and the Sabbath. Each story contains conflict that intensifies. In each Jesus is questioned. In each Jesus gives a saying. And in each story, we learn an important truth about Jesus. Four stories, four questions, four sayings, four declarations about Jesus’ identity that show his authority
Supernatural power. Does that scare you or excite you? It probably should do both. In the Gospel of Mark Jesus demonstrates his supernatural power over diseases. He miraculously heals many. Jesus demonstrates his superior power over supernatural evil by casting our many demons. Today we face diseases and demons. And today Jesus heals and delivers. His Kingdom has arrived in power.
Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 6, verse 15, 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? 1 Corinthians 6:15. The emphasis here is each individual believer’s union with Christ. Specifically, our bodies are parts of Christ’s body. Your new life is not just to follow Christ’s example, but for him to live his life through you.
When you trust in Jesus Christ you join a new team. You become a new person by being united with Christ. Baptism symbolizes this union with Christ. Baptism depicts our union with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. When you go underwater you symbolize participation with Christ in his death and burial, and then when you come out of the water you symbolize your participation with Christ in his resurrection and new life.
In John 15, Jesus gives us a powerful image of a vine and branches to teach us union with him, an intimacy that leads to effectiveness, to bear much fruit. That result happens as we experience Christ more fully.
There’s a truth that’s been missing for many Christians, even those in church for decades: union with Christ. Union with Christ is the truth that Christ is in you, and you are in Christ. Through the New Testament, you read over and over that we are “in Christ” and “with Christ.” Many have skipped over these simple phrases, but they form the heart of our relationship with God.