Expect Opposition

Jeff Gordon
John 15:18-16:4

At the last supper that Jesus had with his disciples, he prepares them with this warning that they are going to be hated by some. Jesus is warning them about this because he does not want his followers to abandon their faith because of the hostility they will endure. The reason they will be hated is because they hated the message that Jesus preached and who he was. In the midst of persecution he reminds his disciples that they are not alone and to continue testifying the God's truth to a lost world.

God Changes Lives!

Dennis McCallum
2 Peter 1:1-9

Peter begins his letter by speaking about how God wants to change the lives of believers; He wants to make us more like Jesus, and He has supplied the power for that change. God wants us to partake in the promises that He has given us, and through: having a position in Christ, believing and focusing on that position, and with faith, God will change us.

Christ's Commandment: Love One Another

Jeff Gordon
John 13:1-35

Love, as described by the Bible, is not just a a feeling. Instead it is a commitment to give someone what they need. To prepare for the last meal he would ever eat, Jesus demonstrated this definition of love by washing his disciples' feet-- the task of a slave. This demonstrated the lengths he was about to go to in order to wash their sins away. Some were uncomfortable allowing him to serve them this way, just as we are in our hearts when it comes to letting God address our sin. Once Jesus has cleansed us of our sin, he asks us to selflessly love others with the love we've been shown.

Spiritual Lifestyle in a Rugged World

Dennis McCallum
1 Peter 4:7-19

What uniquely marks Christians is the way that we love one another deeply from the heart. God has individually given believers spiritual gifts to be able to serve others in love, which comes from His power and Holy Spirit. Although, believers should not be surprised when suffering and trials are brought into their lives. Peter gives several ways that we can brace our minds to be victorious sufferers in light of hardship. Includes reading from Watchman Nee's book "The Normal Christian Worker".\r\n

Patriarchy or Serving Love

Dennis McCallum
1 Peter 3:1-9

Throughout God's Word, God makes it clear that all people have equality and should live a life that is characterized by love for one another. Peter addresses a patriarchal society's view on marriage and instructs husbands and wives specifically within the culture's perspective. God displays high value of women in his Word and He calls for a different approach to marriage. A marriage centered around God will be able to stand out to others. Includes reading from Karen Jobes' book, 1 Peter and personal testimony from Amanda.

Marriage Evangelism

Scott Risley
1 Peter 3:1-9

In many different religions and cultures, women are not respected and have no rights. The Bible, however, has a high view of women. Peter is speaking to Christian wives who have non-Christian husbands. He explains how to live as Christians while loving and submitting to their husbands. Peter advises these women to a silent witness in order to win their husbands over by their behavior: respecting their husbands, avoiding casting suspicion, and not focusing on the world's view of beauty. Peter also calls on husbands to honor their wives by being faithful, gentle, and considering their needs.

Being Different

Dennis McCallum
1 John 4:18

Peter urges his audience to love one another deeply from the heart. This love that believers in Christ are able to give out to others is based on what God has given through his Son. Understanding God's self-giving love allows us to be different and not conform to the world's self-serving lifestyle. \r\n

Living the Good Life: Loving Others (Part 2)

Scott Risley
Exodus 20:14-26

The 10 commandments define what love is. We can see what loving God and others actually looks like, and how breaking these laws is selfish and harmful to us. The last four of the 10 commandments reveal how to love other people, and we can see how ignoring them damages our relationships.

Living the Good Life: Loving Others (Part 1)

Scott Risley
Exodus 20:12-13

The 10 commandments can be summarized as two principles: love God, and love others. In the fifth and sixth commandments, we see that we are called to value humans as created in God's image, and we are called to honor our parents regardless of the past. Our relationship with our father and mother is more central to our dealings with other areas than we may think. We learn what honoring does and does not look like, as well as practical steps to repairing relationships with our parents.