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Jesus enters Jerusalem to crowds welcoming Him as King. While, His disciples aren’t putting together the timeline or what is happening, Jesus knows where things are headed. Some Greeks from out of town approach Jesus’ disciples with a request to see Him, and he responds with talk of wheat, death, service and glory. Remember John’s purpose in writing this gospel – that we would believe that Jesus is the Christ, and by believing have Life in His name.  Grow in understanding Jesus’ identity and what it means to follow him with us on Sunday as we study John 12:12-36  

Jesus’ last week is near. After raising Lazarus from the dead He had withdrawn to ‘a region near the desert, to a village called Ephraim, where He stayed with His disciples.’ (John 11:54). Now he arrives in Bethany and attends a dinner with Mary, Martha and Lazarus. The dinner is given to honor Jesus and Mary does so in a remarkably humble and extravagant way by pouring expensive perfume on Jesus’ feet and wiping His feet with her hair. In Luke 10:39, we see Mary sitting at Jesus’ feet to learn from Him. In John 11:32, we witness Mary falling at Jesus’ feet in grief and being led to surrender. Here we see Mary anointing Jesus’ feet to exalt Him.  Join us Sunday as we study this section of John that marks the beginning of Jesus’ last days before the cross. Prepare for this week’s message by reading John 12:1-10.

Jesus’ friend is sick, yet He waits to go and as a result arrives too late to save his life. Lazarus has died and been buried, and the family is grieving. These are close friends; they know what Jesus has done for strangers. He’s performed so many miracles at this point of his ministry, He’s healed many sick, restored sight to the blind and walking to the lame. Why does He delay? We like to tie this passage up in a bow with words of God’s perfect timing and bigger plan. That is absolutely true, but these friends are living in the present and their why is a poignant why.  Jesus’ response to both sisters and to Lazarus reveals a God who both weeps with compassion and is angry about death and the suffering it brings. He is a God who responds individually and personally. He is the resurrection and the life, whoever believes in Jesus will live, even though he dies.  Do you believe this? Take your why to Jesus – He comforts like no other. To prepare for this week’s message read and reflect upon John chapter 11

Jesus is in Jerusalem during Hanukkah walking in the temple when the Jews ask Him; “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”This begins another conversation with Jesus explaining that He has told them plainly and that those who are ‘His sheep’ listen, follow, and cannot ever be snatched away from His hand. The Jews understand Jesus’ direct claim to be God and determine to execute judgement upon Him for blasphemy. If Jesus wasn’t who He claimed to be, their judgement would be just. But Jesus is who He claims to be.  To prepare for this week’s message read and reflect upon John 10:22-42

 Having just pointed out their blindness, Jesus continues his conversation with the Pharisees using word-pictures to explain who He is and who they are.  They don’t understand what He’s telling them so He explains further. The religious leader’s treatment of the man born blind stands in stark contrast to Jesus’ demonstration of God’s care, His heart, and His expectations of those who have been given the job of helping people to know God.  Jesus’ words drive home the truth about what it means to be loved, protected, and cared for like a shepherd cares for his sheep.  To prepare for this week’s message, spend time pondering Jesus words found in John 10:1-21 

What does it take to see? The man who was born blind knew he couldn’t see and received the light that was given to him – both in physical healing and in seeing Jesus as Savior and Lord. In contrast, the pharisees did not admit their spiritual blindness. Although they were talking often with the Light of the world and witnessing evidence of Him as their Messiah, they refused to see.Let us open our hearts to the Light of the World this Sunday through our study of John’s gospel. Prepare for the message by reading John chapter 9.

In this next section of John, Jesus converses back and forth with the Pharisees about His identity. The conversation is bookended by these two statements:“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”The pharisees could not see Who was standing before them, not because the Light of Jesus had failed to shine but because they were blind. We too must determine how we will respond to who Jesus actually is rather than who we assume Him to be.  Join us this week as we study Jesus’ testimony recorded for us John 8:12-59.

There is no debate in this passage over what is sin, or necessarily who the sinners are. The debate is what Jesus has to say about it. His response is remarkable in that He is the only one present without sin and therefore the right to both judge and condemn. The Bible says this about sin, condemnation and Jesus;-There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.-But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord-Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you[a] free from the law of sin and death.  -For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save t

With all the presents opened and food eaten, are you finding yourself unsatisfied? Do you sense something missing, or empty? Even with the best of Christmas celebrations, there is still a joy that is only found in a relationship with Jesus. He promises to fill those who hunger and thirst with Himself – a quenching like no other! Join us Sunday as we pick back up in our study of the Gospel of John. We will hear Jesus’ teaching during the Feast of Tabernacles, one of the most popular festivals of the Jewish year. At this feast, the priests would pour out water in memory of the water that God brought out of the rock when the people were wandering through the desert on their way to the Promised Land. It is here at this feast that Jesus invites anyone who is thirsty to come to Him and drink. He is helping the people understand who He is as their promised Messiah so that they will believe in Him and receive from Him life and satisfaction!

The Celebration of Christmas refocuses us on real joy which is found in our experience of God’s grace. This Joy comes from a settled assurance that God loves me, is with me, and has forgiven me. Knowing that He is in control of all the details of my life and is working in everything for my good and His glory gives our hearts peace. No matter what lies in the days ahead - God with us - can be our constant Joy, enabling us to have ourselves a "Merry Little Christmas!" Prepare for this week’s message by reading Luke 2:8-14 with Psalm 16:11, John 15:9-17, 1 Peter 3-9

Celebrating Christmas is significant because it refocuses our hearts and minds on what is most important—loving people like Jesus loved us. While Christmas trees, lights, presents, fun, food, gifts, etc. make something a celebration or festival, and can enhance our Christmas celebration—they are not essential for celebrating Jesus. The true Christmas Spirit is being rooted in the sacrifice of Jesus coming to earth and becoming human—for us—and living/loving out of that truth. The attitude of love, self-sacrifice, and self-giving mirror Emmanuel—God with us. As we focus on the simple parts of Christ’s coming; the little town, the stable, Almighty God taking on flesh, remember that God did all of those things with intention and purpose. He is showing us what Love looks like and how far Love is willing to go for the sake of another. No matter how your December has been or what lies ahead for you, in all things the truth of God’s love for you is secure. To Him be all glory and praise through Jesus Christ our Lord

Christmas reminds us of the peace we have through our relationship with Jesus. There are 2 types of peace and both are offered to us; the absence of conflict (in Christ, we are no longer enemies of God) and the deep contentment of soul that comes from knowing Christ and being known by Him. 

In our culture, we celebrate events and people that are important to us-birthdays, sporting events, holidays, etc. The Jewish feasts in the Bible were reminders of Who God Is and What He Had Done. Passover celebrated God’s deliverance from slavery in Egypt, The Feast of Tabernacles celebrated God’s faithful provision during the desert wanderings. Hanukkah is a celebration of God’s miraculous provision to keep the temple Menorah lit for 8 days with only 1 days provision of oil. Christmas is our reminder of God’s loving and giving character– celebrating Jesus coming to earth as a baby to usher in God’s plan of salvation! Celebrating who God is and what He has done helps to tune and re-tune our hearts to who we are, whose we are, and what is truly important!Join us this advent season as we learn what it means to have ourselves a “Merry Little Christmas” We'll begin our Advent Series this Sunday November, 26th, focusing on The Reason for the Season!

Jesus goes in secret to the Jewish celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles. This was a celebration of God’s provision of food and protection during their 40 years of wandering in the desert on their way from Egypt to the Promised Land. He goes in secret because He knows that the Jewish leaders are angry and wanting to kill Him for healing on the Sabbath and claiming to be God. Once there, Jesus teaches in the temple courts and the people are amazed. Jesus continues to invite all He encounters to believe the truth about themselves and the truth about who He is and why He came. 

“Jesus already had in mind what He was going to do.”Jesus sees the crowds, He knows what they are after, and because of His great love and mercy intentionally leads them beyond the temporal and into the eternal. The feeding of the 5,000 with a small boys lunch is only a small portion of the bigger picture John is walking us through. Just as we’ve seen in the previous passages, step by step, with actions and then with words, Jesus leads the people to see who He is – God in the flesh, the promised Messiah, here to do His Father’s will. As He speaks to the heart of things, many find His teachings to be too hard and walk away. It is true, Jesus teachings are hard, and we too face the choice to follow or turn away. Let us believe and confidently trust Him as who He really is – the Holy One of God, our Savior, our Lord. He alone has the words of eternal life. He is our only hope. He is worthy of our allegiance.

He’d been disabled for 38 years. “Do you want to get well?” Jesus asked him. Upon Jesus’ word – immediately the man is healed! The problem was, Jesus performed this miracle on the Sabbath-a day set apart for worship and rest, a day to refrain from work, so the Jews were angry with him for breaking God’s law. Here we see God in the flesh revealing a lot to us about who He is with both His actions and His words. Let’s seek to rightly handle God’s word, the Bible and take to heart the warnings and the encouragements given so that we experience life as God intended.  “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” - Jesus- John 5:39 Prepare for this week’s message by taking in the whole scene of the event recorded in John 5:1-46

Jesus, the One who spoke the universe into existence, confined Himself to time and space when He walked upon the earth. So many details in this week’s reading reveal poignant things about our Savior! He rests his body. He spends His precious time talking one-on-one. And while remarkable in and of itself, this is even more so because of the low cultural status of the woman who met Him at the well. And then there are the words He spoke – words of truth and of comfort. Words that brought life! This woman Jesus’ encountered, as He rested on the way to Galilee, would forever be changed! 

John the Baptist’s disciples were jealous for him. He had been preparing the way for Jesus, calling on people to repent and be baptized – and now Jesus was baptizing too and many were following Him instead of John. This was not a problem for John, instead he was overjoyed – for his purpose was always to point people to Jesus! Now that Jesus was here, John knew that he was meant to decrease in prominence allowing Jesus to increase in importance. 

Nicodemus was an educated man and as a member of the Jewish ruling council he was a man of authority in Jerusalem. He seeks Jesus out at night to talk with Him. Their discourse contains one of the most well-known verses of scripture – John 3:16 – as Jesus privately instructs Nicodemus in the great mystery of the Gospel, its implications, and Nicodemus’ need to respond personally.