Dealing with Failure

Conrad Hilario

1 Peter 5:2-4

God is the God of second chances. We see this play out in the life of Peter. As Jesus approaches Peter, after the crucifixion, He meets Peter where he is at in his failure and offers him compassionate discipline. Peter goes on to be foundational to the growth of the early church. Like Peter, God wants to use our failures to grow us into maturity and use us powerfully.

John's Last Story

Dennis McCallum

John 21:1-25

Peter, an outspoken, prideful man became an important figurehead in the early church because he allowed himself to be broken of his self-will. Many of us can relate to Peter: we deny Christ and do not devote ourselves wholeheartedly to God. We have a choice, however. Will we remain that way in a state of self pity, or instead will we choose to deny self and trust God?

Worship

Jeff Gordon

Revelation 4:1-11

Worship is a recognition of God's power and holiness. It develops from a humility that is born of a recognition of our standing before God. John's description of the angels' worship in this passage displays that worship is meant to be continual and out of gratitude.

Features of a Transformed Community (Part 4)

Jim Leffel

1 Thessalonians 5:19-21

An important feature of a healthy spiritual community is zeal: the irrepressible desire for the things of God. We are called not to quench the Spirit and to avoid a critical attitude that is insensitive to God's Word or His Spirit. Developing zeal includes searching for a word from God, joining in with the praise of others, and taking risks.

The Sheep are Scattered

Scott Risley

2 Corinthians 7:10-11

Peter and Judas both betrayed Jesus before his death - one by denying that he had ever met Jesus, and the other by turning him over to the murderous authorities. Even though these two men performed the same despicable act, Peter became a leader in the early church and Judas committed suicide. These two outcomes can only be explained by one factor: their response to their failure. Peter chose to repent while Judas chose to stay in his regret, and we as Christians are also faced with the same choice when we make mistakes in our own lives.

The Vine and the Branches

Dennis McCallum

John 15:1-13

Jesus uses an analogy of a vine and branches to describe the type of relationship between him and his followers. Jesus is the life-giving source to which believers must have dependence on in order to really bear fruit for God. This is a love-trust relationship between Jesus and his followers where his followers are dependent on Jesus and as they receive from him, they are able to give out from what they have received (self-sacrificial love towards others). It is as we continually abide in Christ that we are able to love others the way Jesus did and have real character transformation and deep satisfaction in our lives. This passage is essential for Christians to understand how to deepen their relationship with God.

The Upper Room

Dennis McCallum

John 13:1-17

Jesus is with his disciples before the Passover and is awaiting the hour which he will go to the Cross and take on God's judgment, causing him great agony. While the disciples among him were arguing on who was the greatest, Jesus began to wash their feet, placing himself in the position of servant to serve the needs of the disciples. Jesus did this to serve as an example of radical self-sacrificial love that he wanted his followers to emulate. Today, Christians are called to love one another in the way Jesus did, as it shows the outside world that we are his followers and will lead to real satisfaction in our lives as we look to meet the needs of others. This takes real practice and isn't simply a theoretical, but must be accompanied by action.

Following Jesus' Example

Ryan Lowery

Philippians 1:27-2:13

Once we have received the gospel, we are called to live lives that reflect what God has done in our life. The apostle Paul advocates this to the church of Philippi. Paul highlights three aspects of understanding God's love: 1) Placing a high value on unity with other Christians; 2) God is sovereign; and 3) God's love includes letting us suffer. Rather than shy away from, God calls us to draw close to Him and one another as we try and emulate Jesus' love and humility in our lives.

The Key to Happiness

Scott Risley

John 13:1-35

During Jesus' final night on earth, he had dinner with his disciples and washed their feet. His shocking act of humility was a powerful example of sacrificial service. Once we come into a relationship with Jesus, he wants us to embrace a lifestyle of serving others. Although pain and sacrifice are often involved in serving, Jesus promises that this is the path to experiencing true joy and happiness in life.\r\n