Finishing the Course

Jim Leffel

Acts 20:24

As Paul's life comes to a close, he reflects on his past, present, and future in his last letter to Timothy. \r\nPaul's past demonstrated faithfulness to what God entrusted to him, and in the present Paul continued to live a life characterized by sacrifice for God. Lastly, Paul looked forward to the crown of righteousness that God promised him in eternity. All of these reflections enabled Paul to fulfill his ministry, and modern Christians can likewise have the same hope and motivation to be faithful to Christ in their own lives.

Managing Expectations in Following Christ

Jim Leffel

John 15:20

Is following Christ worth the suffering involved? Confident expectation and hope in eternal life is what empowers believers to willingly give all so that more might experience the grace of God. We can prepare to suffer by living with spiritual integrity - looking to grow to become more like Christ.

The Way to True Happiness

Gary DeLashmutt

Matthew 5:1-12

Jesus delivers the Sermon on the Mount to a large crowd, explaining the way to find true happiness. The key lies in knowing about the life that comes after this one, and the Kingdom of God. In verses 1-12 he makes a series of eight surprising statements about the traits of those who attain this happiness.