John

I Call You Friends - Part 2

How do we cultivate and maintain friendships in the Church? We need to care for others, just as Jesus perfectly modeled for us in His ministry and in His relationship with His disciples. We need to take a genuine interest in others, cultivating the art of listening well and sharing our lives with one another. There are many practical ways to build friendships with each other in the Church, and these include praying with and for each other, doing things together, sharing in each other's needs, and more. That being said, we do need to remember that no earthly horizontal friendship can fulfill all our needs. We ought to thank God for the gift of friendship, but ultimately, we can only find full satisfaction in our vertical relationship with Jesus.

I Call You Friends

God wants you to have friendships. And the key to friendship is love. The bedrock of our Christian friendships must be love for one another. It's not easy to do this; there is sin in the world. But Christ loved us even when we were enemies, and the Gospel is the glue that sticks us together. Through the cross, the wall of separation has been torn down. We are brothers and sisters, and Christ desires us to be friends with one another because He has made us His friends!

"I Have Other Sheep"

There is a great need for the Gospel to be taken to the ends of the world, and this verse gives us the foundation, the method, and the hope of missions. Christ, the Good Shepherd, came to earth to gather His sheep from lostness and darkness. And He MUST bring them into His fold. These lost sheep hear the voice of their Savior through the lips of human messengers proclaiming the good news of the Gospel. And it is guaranteed to be a success; they WILL be brought into the one pasture of Christ's Church, where He Himself will be their one Pastor. We need to bring the Gospel to others, starting with our own families and neighbors, but always with an outward momentum. Jesus wants to seek and save the lost sheep!

The Scribes & Pharisees Caught in the Act of Adultery

Throughout the ages, evil people have conspired against Christ (Psalm 2). Here the Pharisees attempt to ensnare the Son of God Himself, Who reacted in calm meekness; but they are outmaneuvered and forced to leave the scene, convicted of their spiritual adultery and unfaithfulness to Jehovah. Without a legal court proceeding against the woman whom they brought to Jesus, He alone had the legitimate right to sentence her; but He had not come to earth at this time to be a civil or ecclesiastical judge and hand down condemnations. He is the same One Who kept His strength under control even on the cross as He suffered the Father's wrath, so that we who were justly guilty might not be condemned.

The Fact of the Resurrection

The Resurrection Gives Hope

Last Moments with the Risen Jesus

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Peace through the Risen Jesus

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Comfort from the Risen Jesus

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Joy and Hope in the Risen Jesus

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Intro and Overview of the Resurrection

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Look for Love of God

In the Gospel of John, Jesus declares Himself to be the Good Shepherd Who gave His own life for His sheep. And He has appointed elders to be caretakers and overseers to watch over His flock. We tend to view the lists of elder qualifications in the Epistles as a "checklist" to identify elders in the Church. But if a man is not imitating Christ and living like Him, he is not qualified for the office. He must be like Christ – feeding and leading His sheep. He must feed them on a good diet of God's Word and promises, and he must lead them as he himself follows Jesus. True elders are shepherds, not business boardmembers. Out of their love for God, they will love and care for His people. As they follow Christ, they will be examples for the flock. And when the Lord Jesus returns, they will receive an incorruptible crown of glory to take and lay at the Savior's feet!