We live in such a mixed-up, messed-up, fallen world where we witness all kinds of tragedies on a daily basis. In today's text, Jesus teaches us a lesson that we should learn whenever we see others going through tragedies or we are going through them ourselves. It is so easy for us to think that people experience tragedies based on the level of their sinfulness. Many of the people in the crowd and even Jesus' disciples held this opinion, but Jesus corrects this mindset and then points the people to their need and us to our need to repent of our sins and turn to God; otherwise, they and we will face God's judgment and be eternally separated from God in hell.

In today's message, we will see the importance of baptism according to God's Word. There are those who will tell you that baptism is not necessary for salvation. When we are baptized, we reenact the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. Romans 6:4 tells us, “Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.” Of course, the symbolism God intended is lost if we are not buried. Many will tell you that sprinkling and pouring are acceptable forms of baptism even though the Greek word baptizo actually meant immersion or submersion. To say that sprinkling is an acceptable form of immersion is simply unscriptural. God commanded immersion and a person is either immersed or they are not.

In order to make a cake, one needs to follow the recipe using all the necessary ingredients. God has a recipe for salvation, and the Bible reveals the necessary ingredients: faith, repentance, confession, and baptism, resulting in living a new life in Christ by being faithful and obedient to God's Word and Will.

The apostle Peter lists five attitudes that demonstrate spiritual growth in the life of a Christian as they faithfully follow Christ even through suffering extreme persecution. These attitudes did not come naturally to Peter, but the Holy Spirit changed him from an impulsive, strong-willed personality to a submissive, tender-hearted, and humble follower of Christ. The Holy Spirit can change our lives, too, if we open our hearts to His working in our lives. We will then begin to notice the attitudes that demonstrate our growth spiritually as Christians. How has your spiritual growth progressed since you first started following Jesus?

Jesus uses two illustrations to teach the crowds to be able to interpret the signs of the present time. The Lord gives us signs that guide our faith. We pray for the ability to see, the wisdom to interpret, and the courage to live what is given to us. In our day, as in Jesus’ day, it is more attractive to live comfortable lives without trying to understand what is going on around us. Jesus uses harsh words to condemn our laziness and distraction. What are the signs of our times? How can we understand them? Where is God in the midst of what is going on around us? How are we called to respond as followers of Jesus in light of all the things that are happening? Jesus is calling us to discernment and action in the world we live in now. He is calling us to be even more in tune with spiritual matters than we are with worldly matters. He invites us to get things right with God before He returns and it is too late.

Jesus was passionate about the mission given to Him by His Father. There was a zeal for it and a drive to carry it out. His desire was harmonious with the Father's desire. He wanted to please His Father. Jesus has called us to continue in that mission of bringing the good news of salvation to a lost, divided, and dying world. May we desire to be brought into harmony with Him in living out our calling. The good news is inspirational and challenging and like all divine messages it gets a variety of responses. It is not that Jesus came to bring division, but His message would do so, as some would reject it. Peace was His desire and His gift to all His followers, but separation and judgment will be the punishment for those who reject Him.

Do you ever wonder what people think about you? Do you even care? To some extent, most of us do care what others think of us. Have you ever wondered what God thinks of you? In today's text, Paul instructs a young minister to remind the people of what God thinks about them. Today's message is the second of two parts in which we examine what God thinks of us from Titus 3:1-8. Is it possible to know what God thinks about us? Do we want to know what He thinks about us? Well, our passage this morning reveals exactly what God thinks about us.

Do you ever wonder what people think about you? Do you even care? To some extent, most of us do care what others think of us. Have you ever wondered what God thinks of you? In today's text, Paul instructs a young minister to remind the people of what God thinks about them. Today's message is the first of two parts in which we examine what God thinks of us from Titus 3:1-8. Is it possible to know what God thinks about us? Do we want to know what He thinks about us? Well, our passage this morning reveals exactly what God thinks about us.

Jeremiah tells the exiled Israelites they would live in Babylon for at least 70 years. Therefore, they should settle down, build houses, marry and even pray for the peace and prosperity of the city in which they now found themselves (Jeremiah 29:4-10).

The words of Jeremiah 29:11 were spoken to people in the midst of hardship and suffering; people who were likely desiring an immediate rescue. However, God’s response is not to provide immediate escape from the difficult situation. Rather, God promises that He has a plan to prosper them in the midst of their current situation.

Christians facing difficult situations today can take comfort in the Good News of Jeremiah 29:11 knowing that it is not a promise to immediately rescue us from hardship or suffering, but rather a promise that God has a plan for our lives and regardless of our current situation, He can work through it to prosper us and give us a hope and a future.

On July 4, 2022, Americans will celebrate 246 years of independence as a nation. Countless lives have been sacrificed to gain and ensure our national and personal freedoms. However, Jesus Christ offered His life as an atoning sacrifice freeing us from the bondage of sin and death. Paul distinguishes between freedom to sin and freedom to serve. Freedom or license to sin is no freedom at all, because it enslaves you to Satan, others, and your own sinful nature. As Christians, we should not be slaves to sin, because we have been freed to do what is right and to glorify God through loving service to others. In Christ, you have been called to freedom.

While the disciples argue over who is the greatest, Jesus tells them to take interest in the most vulnerable who can do nothing for them. When He says that whoever receives a child receives Him, He is saying that He—God—arranges such circumstances as opportunities for us to act in faith and obedience. Jesus reveals the secret of true greatness in the Kingdom of God. It is not the person with the most power, the most skill, the most achievements, or the most money or possessions who is greatest, rather the one who is a humble servant of others is the greatest among you.

Following Jesus to the top of a mountain where they experienced the Transfiguration of Jesus, Peter, James, and John have to come back down the mountain the next day to encounter an ugly, frightening crisis in the valley. Jesus calls us to the spiritual mountain tops to experience the glory and presence of God as we worship Him, but also to return to the valley to carry out our God-given purpose and mission.

Luke has been gradually revealing to us the identity of Jesus Christ. People had different views—He is John the Baptist, Elijah, or one of the prophets come back to life. But by the revelation of God, Peter proclaimed that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God (Luke 9:20; Matt. 16:17). Immediately after Peter’s confession, Jesus told the disciples of His impending death and resurrection, which shocked them and they did not understand what He was talking about, in spite of His repeated references to it. They understood Christ as King, but they did not yet understand that He first must suffer and then enter into His glory.
Jesus also has made it plain that those who follow Him must follow in the way of the cross (Luke 9:23-26). Jesus did not come to please Himself, but to do the will of the Father, which ultimately included the cross. Those who are His disciples must also deny themselves, take up their cross daily, and follow Him, even if it means persecution or death. In today's text, Jesus takes three of His closest disciples (Peter, James, and John) with Him up the mountain for prayer and have an experience of a lifetime.

Jesus calls us to "follow Him," however, the Christian life is not an easy one as it requires us to deny ourselves and carry our cross daily and devote our loyalty to Him. In today's message, we will notice the difference between the modern demands for becoming a follower of Christ and Jesus' commands. Are you a nominal Christian or a committed follower of Christ?

Happy New Year! 2021 is gone and 2022 is here!
David wrote Psalm 31 during a distressing time in his life when he was being unjustly troubled by family, friends, neighbors, and enemies, and he turned to God to ask for help from his distress. In today's message, we will look at David's prayer and see how we can get through the distress in our lives through God's help.