Grace Community Church, Arlington, Va

substitute,shepherd,care,wander

This week we focus on Jesus' 4th I am statement: 'I am the Good Shepherd'. Jesus is unique because Jesus will take care of us when nobody else would dream of doing so. Here is the link to the video that is referenced during the sermon: http://www.wingclips.com/movie-clips/most/the-bridge

Why not Muhammad, or Buddha, or something else, or nothing at all? There are so many opinions about who Jesus is and so much confusion about who He claimed to be. This series, Why Jesus?, will investigate who Jesus said He was in His own words. This week: I am the door.

There are many lights that we follow in this life, but only one will never fail us and will lead us to true life. Which light are you following?

Why not Muhammad, or Buddha, or something else, or nothing at all?  There are so many opinions about who Jesus is and so much confusion about who He claimed to be.  This sermon series, Why Jesus?, will investigate who Jesus said He was in His own words.  Jesus made seven clear and bold statements about His identity: what are they and what do they mean to us?

Ever feel like even though you believe in Jesus, something's still missing? In John 8, Jesus gives us the key to true freedom and really living, not just existing.

In order to win God's way we cannot live like the world, we have to allow the Spirit to transform our thinking to the gospel way of living.

From this passage we see that God isn't interested in being popular with us; he's interested in us living the abundant life that he created us to have. For this to happen, we must be willing to let God mess with us, challenge and correct us, even when we don't fully understand His ways.

Jesus asks a man that has not walked in 38 years, "Do you want to get well?". What a question! It causes us to ask ourselves, "Do I really want to live?".

In this message we look at Jesus' third step toward really living.  John Chapter 4 contains an impassioned plea by Jesus inviting us to participate in a mission that will fill us so full of life that we will feel as if a river has opened up inside our soul.

John chapter 3 is the most comprehensive instruction by Jesus on how to be born again (to receive a new nature). We are born again when we believe. Problem. I have believed for many years but I have not always felt born again. Could it be that I have not always had a biblical understanding of what it means to believe?

Research on new years’ resolutions tells us that approximately half of us make them and almost every list includes one or all of these three very important items:
 
 1. I want to lose weight
 2. I want to get out of debt
 3. I want to REALLY start living 
In order to accomplish one or all of these we are going to have to do some very strategic quitting and here is where the Gospel of John can make a difference (not so much with the weight loss and debt, but definitely with life). The number 7 is a very important number in the Bible. It stands for completion. Jesus gives 7 teachings in the Gospel of John focusing on life. If we want to completely understand how to really live, these 7 sermons of Jesus are God's answer to our resolution.

What do you need to lay to rest in 2012 as you prepare for the new year?

Christmas message

Though it may seems strange to study Jesus' suffering and death in the middle of the Christmas season, it actually helps us keep Christmas in proper perspective.

I have heard many people say they believe in a God of love, not a God of wrath and judgement. But why? Why would we believe in a God who does not judge? Where is the evidence that we can base this opinion upon?  Mark 14 provides some very important answers to this question.

Are you willing to let Jesus change your life?

Jesus is always surprising us. Let’s look at 3 unlikely things he does in Mark 8 and 9.

We need to be touched repeatedly by God so we can be healed. Healing begins when you let your guard down.

in Mark 7 Jesus says that cleaning up the things we do does not lead to being clean before God. we have to start with cleaning our heart. Jesus is the heart cleaning specialist and in order for my heart to be clean I must be with Him.