The inaugural sign of Jesus’ ministry reminds us that the old has passed away and the new has come.
SCRIPTURE: JOHN 2:1-12
Tag: Faith
God-Given Belief
The Gospel of John shows us a unique moment in time—when heaven and earth collide in an extraordinary way. Where God the Father begins recreating His world through the life, death and resurrection of His Son. Where we, His people, are restored to our God and our humanity. It is the story of great hope—foreshadowing the day heaven and earth will reunite for good, and we will spend eternity dwelling with our God.
The Gospel of John shows us that we are dependent upon God to help us believe in the name of Jesus and become His children.
SCRIPTURE: JOHN 1:6-13
Righteousness and Rewards
In this section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches His disciples how to pray and warns them about the dangers of giving and fasting with the wrong motive.
The Kingdom Made And Lost
The kingdom of God is as multifaceted and mysterious as our Creator, a kingdom we only see now through a glass darkly.
From Matt Chandler we look at the story of God’s kingdom, focusing on the themes of dwelling, dominion and dynasty.
SCRIPTURE: GENESIS 1:28-3:24
Nic At Night
The more discerning among them sensed something else was going on. Jesus spoke with authority but refused to take charge. He wielded extraordinary power, but never for himself. What was he up to?
MOVING FORWARD
God loved. God gave. We believe. We receive. Does that sound too simple? If so, it’s because Jesus de es our expectations. “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:17).
WEEKLY READING
Spend some time this week reading and reflecting on Luke 20.
Fix Your Eyes
Tough As Nails
What if our faith was characterized by fearlessness, humility, confidence in Jesus, and love of others? Imagine how that would change the world around us.
The New Testament records that early Christians didn’t fear loss. They were selfless and confident. They weren’t arrogant or self-confident. They were humble because their confidence wasn’t in themselves; it was in Jesus. That faith in who Jesus was and what he had done for them freed them to boldly love others. Does our faith look like that? How would it change our world if it did?
View the second of three sermons in this series, Fix Your Eyes.
Discussion questions and other helpful resources are available at Tough Series online.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. – Hebrews 12:1–2
In the Beginning
Tough As Nails
We see daily news reports about violence and unrest everywhere. The world can feel like a dangerous place. Surrounded by uncertainty, it’s difficult not to be afraid. But Jesus offers us another option.
This week’s sermon from North Point church in Atlanta reminded us that uncertainty is certain, but fear is optional.
Here’s the link for In the Beginning
Andy posed three essential questions for Jesus followers to meditate on in the week ahead:
- Is my version of Christianity worth all that?
- Is my version of Christianity worth dying for?
- Is the way we live worth the price Jesus paid?
More questions and information can be found at the Tough Series online.
The God of Jesus
This week’s message from the series “Who Needs God?” Out of Northpoint Church in Atlanta. Here’s the link:
Here are some of the notes:
For those who have stepped away from your childhood faith: you are being invited to step back and explore again the claims of Christ.
There were no Jesus followers when Christ was crucified. But when the resurrection happened, a great many began to follow.
Isaiah 53 was a direct prophetic reference to Jesus and the Christians had the audacity to take the Jewish scriptures and combine them with the historical records of the New Testament
So if you walked away from faith because of something that you found in the Bible that you couldn’t reconcile with science or something else, you probably left your faith for the wrong reason.
We take the OT seriously because Jesus did!
Christianity does not rise and fall on the viability of the OT scriptures.
People followed Jesus after the resurrection because of the resurrection
If Christianity was as fragile as all that it would never have survived the first century
Just as what Jesus said about Himself was trustworthy and reliable, so too was what He said about God.
John who was there when Jesus said, “If you want to know what God says, listen to me. If you want to know what God does, watch me.” John 14:7-10 paraphrased
What did Jesus say about God?
God is Spirit
See the woman at the well
You could say the first cause was supranatural.
God is Father
Jesus taught, “When you pray, say Father…”
This is the best relational picture that exists.
God is Love 1 John 4:16
God for other people reflected the nature of God
Shade requires the sun. You can have sun without shade. You cannot have evil without good, but you can have good without evil.
Love must necessarily pre-exist unlove
Whenever you do and seek good and justice you declare the glory of God
Love pre-existed everything less than God
Why do you know there is evil in the world?
How do you know what you ought to do?
Why do we excise it with, “Nobody’s perfect.”
GOD
Spirit
Father
Love
Homework:
Pray to the Father when you go to bed tonight.
Read the book of John this week – what do you learn about the Father from the Son?
The Crossing at Cornerstone 