Betrayal and Denial

Dennis McCallum

Matthew 27:3-4

As Jesus's death draws ever nearer, he experiences the denial of his disciple Peter, and finally the betrayal of his disciple Judas. When looked at closely, these two instances are unexpectedly similar. The difference between Judas and Peter can be found in their responses to their sin. We learn the difference between remorse and repentance. Remorse leads to spiritual death and distance from God, while repentance involves a change in mind and action, resulting in restoration and closeness with God.

What God Really Wants From Us

Jim Leffel

Mark 7:1-19

The Pharisees question Jesus about why his followers are not following rituals as they eat. Jesus explains it is not external things that make someone impure. This comes from the inner life-the heart. Jesus exposes three problems about the Pharisees' misguided zeal: 1) hypocrites; 2) vain worship; and 3) illegitimate authority. He explains that God desires our hearts and not our external obedience. Only Jesus can fix our hearts and make us right with God. The way God's followers live impacts how others view who God is and what He wants from us.\r\n

Sexual Purity

Gary DeLashmutt

1 Thessalonians 4:1-10

Paul speaks about God's design for sexual purity. The Bible defines sexual immorality as all sexual relations outside heterosexual marriage. Common rationalizations to this truth include: 1) Paul's instruction is personal opinion or cultural, and therefore not authoritative; 2) suppression of sexual desire is unnatural and harmful; 3) sexual relations between consenting partners is not harmful; and 4) sexual purity is unconnected to spiritual vitality. God's provision for restoration in this area includes forgiving our guilt and healing our wounds.\r\n

Keeping it Together in a World Falling Apart (Part 1)

Jim Leffel

Hebrews 4:12

Towards the end of human history, humanity will turn towards selfishness and a growing coldness towards other people. This trend will produce religion that is centered around meeting people's felt needs rather than the truth, but unfortunately this type of religion will not relieve the legitimate guilt that people feel or meet people's true relational needs. Authentic Christianity, however, features direct revelation from God through the Bible, and this revelation is both powerful and accessible. All Christians are capable of learning the truths of the Bible and becoming convinced of its validity and usefulness through personal interaction with God and study. A video testimony from Kyle Hanser is included.

Cleansing from a Guilty Conscience

Gary DeLashmutt

Psalms 51

The Psalms often provide empathy and instruction, and in this case David writes about cleansing oneself of a guilty conscience. When he took Bathsheba and had her husband killed, his sin was called out by the prophet Nathan. In response to his crime and its revelation, David cried out to the Lord. Through his Psalms we learn that the only way to cleanse a guilty conscience is to sincerely seek out God's grace.

The Last Night of Christ's Life

Dennis McCallum

2 Corinthians 7:10

Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss and Peter denied Jesus to His face. Each failure brought about a response that teaches us God's way to deal with failure. Peter's failure led him to Godly sorrow, resulting in repentance and God's forgiveness. Judas' failure led him to worldly sorrow, resulting in self-pity and condemnation.