Sermons from 2024
A Necessary Betrayal
Betrayal is always one of the most painful feelings a person can experience, and it can be hard to see how this could ever be part of some bigger plan. Yet scripture reminds us that “for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose”. In John 18:1-9, Jesus is betrayed by one of his closest friends. Yet we are…
Unity: Jesus Prayer for You
In John 17:20-27, Jesus personally prays for the believers that will follow on account of his message, and his disciples who shared it — that’s us! And what he prays for is our unity! But right now, to the outside world, the church really doesn’t look very united. So what is happening? Did Jesus prayer fail? Or are we missing something about what true unity…
The Lord’s Other Prayer
In John 17, Jesus prays what is probably his most powerful prayer in all of scripture. While perhaps less known than the model prayer He teaches his disciples when they ask him — the prayer we often call the “Lord’s Prayer” — the prayer he prays here is far more personal, and powerful even than that! This morning, we look at John 17:1-5,…
Joy from Sorrow
Sometimes what looks like defeat can actually be victory, and what appears to be a victory may be a defeat. But how do we respond when we don’t see the full picture, and can we always see the difference? Jesus was “a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief”. In John 16:16-22, we look at how he prepared his disciples for the grief and sorrow that they would experience…
Haters Gonna Hate
In the gospels, Jesus makes many good promises to his people. The promise that we will be hated and persecuted is perhaps one we’d prefer wasn’t there! In John 15:18-6:4, Jesus reminds his disciples that following him will set them at odds with the world. But why does he tell them this, and what can we learn from it? Is there really any value or benefit in…
The Vine and the Branches
Jesus used many agricultural parables and pictures to help people understand his message. In John 15:1-11, John records for us one of these parables — the picture of the vine, and the branches. But in a world increasingly disconnected from the land, do we understand this picture? Do we recognize the powerful significance of this image? We look at this teaching, and think…
The Promised Comforter
In John 14:15-31 Jesus promises that his people will receive the Holy Spirit in detail for the first time. When he does, the things he says about who the Holy Spirit is, and what He will do in their lives that may surprise us, given our assumptions and preconceptions many may have about this, What does that mean for us as believers, and how do we live in the light of…
Greater Works Than Jesus: The Power Source
The desire for power and significance is a near universal human trait, Many people seek to find a source of power and influence, but power can also easily corrupt. In John 14:8-14, Jesus describes power in a very different way, and tells his disciples something that can be hard for us to eve wrap our minds around — that not only do his followers have access to the…
Lost and Found: The Way, The Truth, and The Life
As Jesus continues to teach his disciples during their last days together on earth, he continues to prepare them for his imminent death, and the trials that are to come.In doing so, he proclaims to be The Way, The Truth, and The Life — making an exclusive claim for all who are lost. He claims to be…
The Betrayer and the Beloved
How do we respond to betrayal? Where do we turn when people turn on us? In John 13:21-30 Jesus is confronted with his imminant betrayal by his friend Judas. How did Jesus walk with Judas for so long knowing he was going to turn on him? How did he respond when the hour came? Why didn’t the other disciples realize he was never truly one of them? We look at this passage, and…