Judge Not

Ryan Weingartner

Matthew 5:48

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus addresses the issue of judging others and offers three practical steps for overcoming a critical spirit in relationships. First, notice the log, or sin, in your own life. Second, remove the log in your own life by admitting sin and seeking forgiveness from the person you wronged. Third, remove the speck, or sin, from the other persons' life by overlooking their offense, or gently pointing out their fault.

The Greatest Event In History

Conrad Hilario

Luke 23:1-46

Jesus chooses to commit the greatest act in history. He dies on the cross to pay the debt for our sin that we owe God. Through this payment, Jesus offers us eternal forgiveness for our sin. We have to choose whether or not to accept this free payment for our sin. We also need to ask ourselves if we have grown in our appreciation of His forgiveness or if we have begun to take it for granted.

The Death of the Son of God

Scott Risley

Luke 23:1-43

Jesus stood on trial before Pilate and Herod. He then faced excruciating torture and death by crucifixion. This fulfilled the prophecy about the Messiah who was also called the Son of Man. This solved humanity's biggest problem of sin which separates us from God. Jesus died in our place to make us right with God.

The Last Supper

Scott Risley

Exodus 12:1-14

Jesus teaches his disciples about taking Passover at the Last Supper. He shares this meal and reminds them about the foreshadowing of the Passover lamb in the Old Testament and that he is their Passover lamb that will be sacrificed for them. Both Passover lambs highlight two events: 1) the unrepeatable day God's people were saved from slavery; and 2) the time believers look back in gratitude remembering that day. As believers we can also look forward in anticipation of the first Passover we will eat with Jesus.

Joseph

Jim Leffel

Romans 8:28

When we face hardships and unjust situations we often focus on the horizontal perspective: how these things affect our lives, goals, and desires. God wants us to have a vertical perspective: to focus on what He is doing and how He is working in our lives, even through times of suffering. These two perspectives are illustrated in life of Joseph. Joseph faced many hardships and encountered unjust trials that were outside of his control. However, God still worked through them. God put Joseph in situations where he became a powerful man who ultimately was able to save and preserve the nation of Israel.\r\n

Patience (Part 2) - Patience with Sin

Ajith Fernando

Romans 13:1

Patience is an often sought-after virtue, but it is not achieved in the Christian life without trials. As we encounter sin, we are faced with an opportunity to be refined. Even in times when we have been greatly hurt by others, we can forgive by the power of Christ and learn to endure patiently, without having to take vengeance on our own shoulders. This fruit of patience brings relief and freedom into our lives.

Forgiveness - God's Key to Unlocking Love

John Cleary

Ephesians 4:32

Forgiveness is the most crucial act of love that we can experience in this life. To understand how forgiveness can play out in our life we must understand the problem of unforgiveness, explore the biblical understanding of forgiveness, seek biblical examples of forgiveness, and learn how to extend forgiveness. \r\n

Five Things

Dennis McCallum

Luke 17:1-19

In this passage, we focus on 4 of Jesus's interactions with His disciples and end with a miracle. First, Jesus warns His disciples against false teaching and then explains the basis for corrective discipline and forgiveness. When the disciples ask Jesus to increase their faith, He replies that they should focus on the object of their faith rather than the amount of faith. Jesus then tells a parable of a faithful, dutiful servant and rejects the attitude of entitlement. Finally, Jesus heals 10 lepers, but only one returns to say thanks, which illustrates how a lack of gratitude causes spiritual blindness.

Five Memorable Lessons

Scott Risley

Luke 17:1-19

Five lessons from Jesus on how to have successful relationships with others and with God are: 1) Don't be a stumbling block; 2) Rebuke and forgive; 3) Faith; 4) Have a servant's attitude; and 5) Gratitude.