May 5, 2015
Born again hearts and transformed minds required. Man-made worship will not do. Only the blood of the Lamb applied can prepare us for acceptable worship. Not time nor place. Not the style of music nor clothes you wear. No, to please God, we must worship in the way He prescribes– in spirit and in truth. God is seeking true worshipers.
May 4, 2015
When John’s followers worried that more people were going to follow Jesus than to John, he rebuked them. He recognized that God determined spiritual results. And he also understood that his ministry was to prepare the way for Christ’s ministry. As John said, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). To be jealous of another’s ministry or blessing, is to accuse God of wrong. Having a competitive spirit towards other churches and ministries is to misunderstand God’s work in our cities and world. Instead, rejoice that God is blessing His work through whomever He will. Because after all, it is His work to bless, not yours.
May 3, 2015
The message concerning Jesus is the good news that God loves us and desires to save us through His Son. He was not sent to “condemn the world.” For the world has been under condemnation ever since Adam’s sin. Jesus came to rescue us from the condemnation that is already present upon us. Not everyone will recognize this. Some will prefer the darkness, blindly stumbling in sin’s chains towards judgment. However, a few will cry out to Jesus, finding themselves not only pardoned, but adopted into God’s family.
May 2, 2015
This is the first of seven “signs” that the apostle John recorded in his gospel. John calls them signs and not miracles because signs point to something other than themselves. On a recent trip to see the Grand Canyon I noticed “Grand Canyon” road signs all along the way as we drove up from Phoenix. Yet, we didn’t fly from NC to AZ to see these signs. We didn’t stop driving until we stood before the Canyon itself! Many during Jesus’ day were attracted to his miracles, but his true disciples saw them as signs that pointed to Him. Jesus turned the water into wine at a wedding in Cana. The master of the feast and the wedding guests were enthralled with the taste of the new wine that Jesus had made, but the disciples were focused on the wine’s Maker. The whole creation is a miraculous sign pointing to the Creator, yet many worship the former without recognizing the latter (Rom. 1:19-25).
May 1, 2015
John the Baptist proclaimed Jesus to be the “Lamb of God,” a fulfillment long anticipated by God’s people. Every Paschal lamb that was slain with its blood spread over the doorway, not only brought to their remembrance God’s deliverance from Egypt, but pointed to a future promise of their ultimate rescue from sin and death. As Abraham told his son, Isaac, “God will provide a lamb.” And so, He did. There is no more need for sacrifice. Christ’s sacrifice was the deposit that made all the previous ones good. We are now able to place our faith into the One who paid it all. Jesus is the Lamb of God, the One who delivers those who believe from sin and death.
December 21, 2014 | John 1:29-37 |
Pastor Gary Combs concludes the three-part sermon series, “The Three Gifts,” with this message on the gift of myrrh. In this message, based on the book of John, Jesus was presented as the one who came as a perfect sacrifice to pay for all our sins, John the Baptist called him the “Lamb of God.” When the disciples of John heard John’s declaration they decided to follow Jesus. We can decide to follow Jesus too. We can give Jesus the gift of myrrh by recognizing him as the Lamb of God—God’s perfect sacrifice for our sin.
October 26, 2014 | John 17:2-17 |
In this conclusion to our 7 Habits of Growing Christians sermon series, Pastor Jonathan Combs helps us understand why and how to build the habit of selfless service in our lives. Christ gave us the perfect example of selfless service, and it is through his power that we can serve others in this way.
June 2, 2014
After Jesus’ resurrection he appeared to his disciples many times. On his third appearance he asked Peter three times whether he loved him. Certainly this must be connected to Peter’s denying Jesus three times before his crucifixion. In this manner Jesus helped restore their relationship, giving Peter the opportunity to renew his pledge of love, even reminding him of his earlier promise that he was willing to die for Jesus. Our pledge to love Jesus even unto death is of no value without Jesus helping us to keep our relationship. When we make a commitment to Jesus, as Peter learned, he helps us to keep it. Jesus loves us and it is the power of his love that enables us to love him back. Coincidently, this OYB reading falls on June 2nd, my anniversary. On this day 35 years ago, Robin and I committed to love one another until death do us part. We have kept that promise so far and we give Jesus all the credit for empowering us to not only keep loving, but to love one another more and more deeply as the years roll on. Jesus asks, “Do you love me?” Perhaps the most important question we will ever answer.
June 1, 2014
Jesus encouraged his disciple Thomas to stop being “faithless” and to see and believe. Thomas saw the risen Lord and believed. Early church history indicates that Thomas carried the gospel to India and was martyred there. Thomas saw the words of Jesus come to pass as three thousand believed in Jerusalem at Pentecost and many more thousands across the Roman empire and even to the East in India believed without seeing the risen Savior. Today, those of us who believe are among those who are blessed, for we have believed without seeing. At least not yet. For Thomas, seeing preceded believing. For us, believing came first, but seeing will soon follow.
May 28, 2014
Jesus prayed for those that would believe in him both present and future. That includes us! The prayer found in Matthew 6 that begins “Our Father” is referred to as “The Lord’s Prayer,” but really it is the Lord’s model prayer, for he gave the prayer as an example of how to pray. The prayer found here in John 17 is the best insight into the Lord Jesus actually praying. This is how he poured out his heart to the Father. He prayed specifically for us that we would be one with one another and with God. He prayed for our protection from the evil one. He prayed for us to experience his glory. And we know that the Lord Jesus isn’t finished praying for us. He sits at the right of the Father continually interceding for those who belong to him (Romans 8:34, Hebrews 7:25, 1 John 2:1).