Sufficiency of the Gospel

Jim Leffel
John 6:26-35

When Jesus feeds 5,000 men and their families, he teaches those around him about his answer to the real limits and real demands of people. He also teaches them three truths about discipleship: 1) it's not about you; 2) the energizing effect of participation; and 3) the abundant life that Jesus gives. He is able to abundantly meet the real spiritual hunger of anyone who believes in him.

Fear of What People Can Do to You

Gary DeLashmutt
1 Peter 3:11-22

Paul reminds that good deeds usually promote good will but that Christians should not expect to avoid all mistreatment. He addresses fear of mistreatment by encouraging them to sanctify God as Lord in their hearts rather than fearing what people can do or say. This inevitably leads to Christians sharing their faith boldly and clearly.\r\n

The Reliability of Scripture

Ryan Lowery
2 Timothy 3:13-4:5

The Bible claims to be the owner's manual to the human soul, and a claim like that deserves to be scrutinized. Paul uses two different lines of reasoning to affirm this claim: 1) the Bible comes from God, and 2) it's effective when we follow it. We can be confident that the Bible comes from God because of the person of Jesus Christ. Second, we see that when we follow scripture, we realize that it makes sense; our experiences validate our confidence in the Bible as well.

The Gospel of Jesus

Jim Leffel
Mark 6:1-6

Jesus was a scandalous figure who subverted the expectations of people, demonstrated his power, and refused to fit their mold. As people today encounter Jesus, their expectations present unique barriers to belief.

Power of the Gospel (Part 2): Defeating Sickness and Death

Jim Leffel
Mark 5:21-53

Mark records Jesus healing two different people: the famous synagogue leader named Jairus and a bleeding woman. While Jairus was famous, esteemed, and spoke to Jesus directly, the woman was anonymous, rejected, and sneaky. In their desperation, both had the same faith in the person of Jesus. Jairus and the woman both received more healing and grace than they were expecting.

The Attraction of the Gospel

Jim Leffel
Mark 1:14-28

When Jesus calls Simon and Andrew, he points to his unique authority as he calls them to a relationship and a life of purpose. Their response shows that discipleship involves surrender, that experience follows action, and that Jesus calls people as a community. Jesus' authoritative teaching and spiritual power also drew people to follow him.

Elijah Gets Ready

Dennis McCallum
Matthew 6:33

God's followers are being persecuted and killed in the northern tribes of Israel. Elijah is called upon to go down to a secluded area where he meets a woman and her child. He stays with them and all three are provided for by God. Elijah is called upon to take a step in his faith greater than any other he had been through before. God demonstrates to the woman that He is the one true "living God". Elijah sees that through perseverance and faith God can do extensive work through us as well.

Fracture!

Dennis McCallum
1 Kings 11:26-14:26

The fracture of Israel comes from the sin of Jeroboam which is referenced again throughout Kings. Jeroboams' anxiety and doubt in God lead him to place idols in Israel to foreign gods because he didn't have faith that God could meet his needs and protect his position as King. We are not immune to this heart attitude. We too have our idols that we turn to when we think God is not sufficient enough to meet our needs. This leads to a weak church and leads to leaders who compromise their morals in order to retain their followers.

A Heart of Wisdom

Jim Leffel
Psalms 1:2-3

This passage is a proverb or wisdom section of Jeremiah. It asks what is the heart and what is God's vision for transforming the heart. Jeremiah begins describing and contrasting two different ways of living: the cursed way (a desert plant) and the way of the Lord (a well-watered tree). The cursed way is relying on self as well as actively turning away from the Lord and results in deprivation, purposelessness, and isolation. The other way of living is choosing to trust in the Lord. In this lifestyle, the trusting flourish like a well-watered tree and are able to endure suffering because of their hope. The human heart has a disposition towards deceit and is naturally drawn towards the self-focused way of living. The way to save our hearts is to ask God in prayer to examine us as well as seek him out by reading his Word. \r\n