Sermons from 2024 (Page 2)
The Servant King
In John 13:1-17, Jesus has just been welcomed in to Jerusalem as King. And yet, instead of basking in the glory of the people, he withdraws to be woth those closest to him.And one of his first acts is to wash their feet.What does this mean? For them, and for us, what do we learn from this powerful example of servanthood and humble loving care for his people?
The Theology of Unbelief
What do we put our faith in? What is the cause of both belief, and unbelief? How much patience can we have with someone who fails to see what seems so clear and obvious to us? In John 12:36-43, Jesus addresses the heart and root cause of unbelief, explaining why some will not believe, in spite of all of the compelling evidence they have given us, and in doing so, helps us…
The Messiah We Want: The Messiah We Need
Throughout his ministry, Jesus has made his identity abundantly clear — he is the promised Messiah. But as he continues the journey in John 12, that leads to the cross, the question is — Is the messiah the people want actually the messiah they need? Often people imagine they can rewrite their script, according to the own preferences, and when this happens, when it comes…
Devotion Drives Priorities
In John 12:1-12, Mary responds to her encounter with her messiah, following the resurrection of her brother Lazarus in the previous chapter. After understanding who she is, here she responds in worship, anointing Jesus feet with expensive perfume. We compare and contrast her reaction, the reaction of Judas, and the things the other disciples pick up on, and the lessons…
Hope and Heartache
Hope can be a powerful thing. In John 11, Jesus receives news that his friend, Lazarus is sick, and yet, instead of rushing seems to delay, so long, in fact, that Lazarus dies. Did Jesus go out of his way to deliberately destroy the hope they had, or could it be that his purpose was to allow them to understand hope in a much deeper way? When all hope seems lost, where do…
Jesus Demands a Response: Mockery or Messiah
In John 10:22-39 the people ask a simple question — will you tell us who you really are? Jesus response is simple — I’ve given you all you need to know, but you still need to choose what to do with it. When presnted with the truth about Jesus identity, we cannot sit on the fence, we are forced to make a decision. His sheep hear and recognize his voice and follow him, and…
The Good Shepherd
In John 10:1-18 Jesus calls himself the good shepherd, and the door. It’s easy to overlook the significance of these words, and the deep meaning of what it means about him, and us! Domestic sheep have been called the most ill equipped animals for survival without a shepherd to lead and guide them, care for them, and protect them. We unpack this picture and think about…
Who’s to Blame
When bad things happen, it’s human nature to ask ourselves who is responsible, who’s at fault, or who’s to blame.As Christians, we wrestle with those same questions. In John 9, the Jesus and the disciples meet a man born blind, and ask the question, why did that happen, was it his sin, or the sin of his parents? Jesus answer challenges our assumptions, demonstrating God’s…
Before Abraham Was… I AM
Christians affirm that Jesus is God, but some question — did Jesus ever claim that himself? And if he did, could we show people where? We look at John 8:51-59, and explore at one of Jesus most significant and powerful claims about his identity — Before Abraham was, I Am, and learn how this claim demonstrates, above all doubt, that Jesus truly was God, the eternal second…
Who Is Your Father?
This Father’s Day, we look at John 8:13-19 where Jesus introduces us to His Father, the ultimate father — our Heavenly Father, God. We look at how Jesus reveals the Father for us. We think about the preconceptions and assumptions we bring to the table about fathers from our human experience. We think about how Jesus tells us that to know Him is to know the…