Depression

Peter said that he loved Jesus. Peter said that he’d die for Jesus. But on the night of Christ’s betrayal, Peter denied Him three times. So, what do we make of Peter’s failure? What do we make of his weakness? And how did Christ respond? That will be the focus of today’s study in John … Read More Read More

Lanterns, torches and weapons. The men who sought Jesus were heavily armed! That’s what rebels do – they arm themselves for battle. Meanwhile, Jesus waited patiently. In a sense, the events of John 18 are a microcosm of mankind’s history. Specifically, our ‘armed rebellion’ against a loving and patient God. We’ll consider that rebellion (and … Read More Read More

You are not alone. You have a divine ‘intercessor.’ And when life gets hard, the Son pleads your case to His Father. But what does He say? What does He ask for? That will be the focus of today’s study in John 17.

Jesus, 1. The World, 0. It wasn’t even close. Herod, Pilate, the devil, and all the Pharisees could not stop Christ’s victory. They didn’t even delay it. In John 16, Jesus said He had overcome the world – but what does that mean for you and I as believers? That will be the focus of … Read More Read More

Some believe the world is a ‘neutral’ place. But they’re wrong. The world is filled with light and shadow; good and evil, angels and demons. The world is not neutral. It is spiritually polarized. And that’s just what Jesus told His disciples in John 15.

Picture a branch. If that branch is on the ground, it’s dead. A severed branch bears no fruit. However, if that same branch is connected to a tree or vine, it’s alive. In John 15, Jesus says that the same is true of us. Specifically, He tells us to ‘abide’ in Him (as a branch … Read More Read More

Who is the Holy Spirit, and what does He do? In John 14, Jesus promised that the ‘Holy Spirit’ would appear after His departure. “I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever — the Spirit of truth.” – John 14:16 Jesus also said that … Read More Read More

Fear overwhelmed the disciples. Huddled in the Upper Room, Jesus had talked about His coming death, the presence of a betrayer, and of the dark days to follow. The men were shaken. But, sensing their anxiety, Jesus gathered them close, saying “let not your heart be troubled.” Dark days would soon give way to hope … Read More Read More

Unthinkable. In John 13, the Creator washed the feet of people that He created. And moments later, one went out to betray Him. The Lord Supper was filled with several shocking moments like these. We’ll consider two of them in today’s study of John 13:1-17.

God’s voice boomed from Heaven. Did the people listen and obey? No. They dismissed it as ‘thunder.’ Many say they’re waiting for proof of God and His plan, asking for a clearer revelation from on high. Yet when He answers, guess what? They ignore Him. What about you? This will be the focus of today’s … Read More Read More

Jesus wept on Palm Sunday. While others shouted ‘Hosanna’ and laid down palm branches, Jesus wept. But why? Because He knew something the others did not. In today’s study, we’ll consider what that was.   Speaker: Rev. Dr. Toby Holt Text: John 12:12-19

Motives matter. For example, some people pursued Christ with good, positive intentions. But others (like Judas Iscariot) had selfish or wicked motives. What are your own motives in coming to Christ? Is it for His glory and interests, or for yours? That will be the focus of today’s study in John 12.

He let him die. That’s what the people were thinking. Jesus heard that Lazarus was sick, and rather than go to him, He let him die. But that’s not what happened, was it? Instead, Jesus permitted a difficult situation in order to bring about a miraculous outcome. We will consider that outcome in today’s study … Read More Read More

What makes a ‘good’ shepherd? He doesn’t run when the wolves come. In John 10, Jesus faced all sorts of ‘wolves.’ From Pharisees, to Romans, to the Devil himself, Jesus was always in grave danger.But so were His sheep! And so, instead of running, Jesus faced the evils of this world on their behalf. Then, … Read More Read More

She was guilty. No doubt about it. As the woman stood before Jesus, no one defended her actions – not even her. She was guilty. So what would Jesus do? That’s what they all wondered. The Pharisees had set this whole encounter up to trap Jesus. How would He deal with her sin and her … Read More Read More

Some things are hard to believe. Others are hard to accept. At the start of John 6, thousands pursued Jesus. By the end, few remained. What happened to the rest? The short answer: they heard Jesus talk, and they didn’t like what He said. They could not accept His difficult teachings, and so they left. … Read More Read More

It was late. The people were hungry. Thousands had followed Jesus out of desperation. They were sick, hurting, and now starving. And as Jesus looked out at the crowds, He had compassion. In today’s study, we’ll see how He responded. Questions That We’ll Answer: A) Why did the people follow Jesus? B) Why didn’t they … Read More Read More

“Do you want to be made well?” That was Christ’s question of the sick man. It is also Christ’s question of you. Do you want to be made well? And what do you want to be made well from?This will be the focus of today’s sermon from John 5. Questions That We’ll Answer: A) What … Read More Read More

Surprising. Shocking. Scandalous. Jews and Samaritans were NOT supposed to interact. Their mutual hatred went back generations. And yet, here Jesus was, not only talking with this woman in John 4 – but asking her for water. What was this encounter all about? Questions That We’ll Answer: A) What was the history of the Samaritans? … Read More Read More

To Nicodemus, it seemed like crazy talk. But to Jesus, this was serious business. If God’s people are to be saved, we must first be ‘born again.’ So what does that term mean? And how does it happen? In today’s study, we’ll dive into the critical topic of regeneration. Questions That We’ll Answer: A) Who … Read More Read More