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?

Listen to Living Fully in God's Love
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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?

Listen to Easter Transformations
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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.   

Listen to Atonement and Celebration
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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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