Encounters with Jesus: The Woman at the Well (Randy)

Through Jesus's amazing encounter with the Woman at the Well, we see how God seeks the least and lost (including us), how we tend to misunderstand him and his offer, and how our lives can be transformed when we finally “get it.” Based on how most Christians behave, myself included, it is clear that most of us tend to miss out on the eternal blessings that Jesus promises. Come and see what Jesus has to offer us this Sunday!

Listen to the Woman at the Well

Encounters with Jesus: Living Fully in God's Love (Chris)

This Sunday, Chris leads us into our next Encounter with Jesus. Specifically, the encounter between Jesus and Jewish leader Nicodemus produced the most famous verse in the Bible.  You likely can quote John 3:16 by heart: "For God so loved the world...."

This week, we will explore how the conviction and conflict experienced by Nicodemus parallels our own opportunities and challenges as Christ's disciples.  What does Jesus ask of us, and how should we respond?

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Encounters with Jesus: Easter Transformations (Chris)

Last week in "Encounters with Jesus," we recognized Mary Magdalen as "The First Christian" based on her meeting with the risen Christ on the original Easter morning.  Continuing the theme, this week we will review other eyewitnesses to the resurrected Jesus.  Each person had a different experience based on their individual needs and circumstances.  Likewise, each of us has a unique connection to Jesus.  What can we learn from the first disciples as we prepare for our own Easter witness?

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Encounters with Jesus: The First Christian (Chris)

Continuing our series "Encounters with Jesus," this week we will explore the hinge of history: Christ's resurrection.  More specifically, we will see how Mary Magdalen meeting the risen Christ in John chapter 20 demonstrates what Christian faith is and how it transforms us.  We will see that the first Christians were just like us and will consider how their testimony in the Gospels is a foundation for our own faith in Jesus.

Listen to The First Christian
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Encounters with Jesus: Atonement and Celebration (Chris)

This week, we will explore the Jesus' first miracle of turning water into wine at the wedding in John 2:1-11.  As in the other "Encounters with Jesus" there is a rich and important depth of meaning for us in the story.

In these few verses, Jesus reveals his glory as the Messiah, his purpose in coming into the world on our behalf, the nature of sin and salvation, and the amazing, incomprehensible joy that awaits us now and forever as restored sons and daughters of Almighty God.   

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Whose Land Is It? Part 2 (Bob Daffer)

The week we cover Part 2 of Bob Daffer's lesson on the history of Israel.

 With all the turmoil in Israel today, the question arises: Whose land is it, and what can scripture tell us about it?” Join us for the next two weeks as we discover God's plan for Israel which will reveal not only scripture, but history, miracles, and mysteries addressing an issue that has the world on fire.

Listen to Whose Land Is It? (Part 2)

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The Oracle by Jonathan Cahn - This is the book Bob based much of his lesson on.

Whose Land Is It? Part 1 (Bob Daffer)

The week and next, we will take a slight detour from our Encounters with Jesus theme and explore the region where people encountered Jesus in the first place. You may remember a few weeks ago when I mistakenly said, “Jesus walked the dusty streets of Palestine” Bob Daffer correctly shared that Palestine didn’t exist back then. It was just Israel!
 
With all the turmoil in Israel today, the question arises: Whose land is it, and what can scripture tell us about it?” Join us for the next two weeks as we discover God's plan for Israel which will reveal not only scripture, but history , miracles, and mysteries addressing an issue that has the world on fire. Bob Daffer will lead us through this exploration.

Listen to Whose Land Is It? (Part 1)

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Encounters with Jesus: Christ's Identity and Resurrection (Chris)

The week further explores Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead in Chapter 11 of John's Gospel.  Two essential aspects of our faith are revealed in this passage: the identity of Jesus and the reality of the Resurrection.
 
How Jesus engages with Lazarus's sisters Martha and Mary unveils his nature as 100% God and 100% human.  How he approaches Lazarus reveals the full extent of his position and power.  The whole episode then sets up the ultimate victory over death Christ achieved for us on the cross.  That victory and later encounters with Jesus after he was raised empowered the entire Christian movement.
 
These two elements of discipleship -- the identity of Jesus and the reality of the Resurrection -- are stumbling blocks for nonbelievers and can be difficult for us as well.  Through the eyewitness encounters of the early Christians and the power of the Holy Spirit, we can know that our Redeemer lives.

Listen to Christ's Identity and Resurrection
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Encounters with Jesus: The Grieving Sisters (Randy)

This week, we continue our Encounters with Jesus series with a lesson called The Grieving Sisters. As things escalated with the Pharisees and other religious leaders, Jesus’s dear friend Lazarus died. Against the warnings of his disciples who didn’t want him to go anywhere near Jerusalem for fear for his life, Jesus made his way to Bethany where he encountered Lazarus’s sisters, Mary and Martha, who were distraught over their brother’s death. Both asked why he hadn’t gotten there sooner, not fully realizing what Jesus was about to do. Then, in one of the most dramatic episodes in the Bible, Jesus calls Lazarus out from his tomb.  The exchanges point to the fallen state of our world and what God has done about it, and how we, too, can be much like Mary and Martha without fully comprehending what Jesus can do in our lives.

Listen to the Grieving Sisters

Encounters with Jesus: The Insider and Outsider (Chris)

This week, we continue our series, "Encounters with Jesus."  The eyewitness writers of the Gospels record powerful accounts of how Christ engaged the people with whom he came into contact.  Each episode reveals something important about Jesus and something instructive for us.

Chris leads us as we look at two powerful conversations from the Gospel of John.  In a short span of time, Jesus spoke with a powerful male insider (John 3) and a distressed female outcast (John 4).  These mirrored exchanges reveal answers to two fundamental questions: what is wrong with the world, and what should we do about it?

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Encounters with Jesus: Skeptical of Jesus (Randy)

We will kick off our new series called Encounters with Jesus, inspired by Tim Keller’s book by the same name. This first lesson, “Skeptical of Jesus,” is based on Nathanael’s reaction when he first heard about Jesus. Our scripture will be John 1:1-5,14, 43-51.  What gets in the way of seeing Jesus for who he really is? How does that impact our faith and our lives? How can we overcome it? As Philip responded to Nathanael at the time, “Come and see!”

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