What does extravagant generosity to Jesus look like in our day? In John 12:1-11, Mary dumped $70K worth of perfume on Jesus’ feet. While Jesus doesn’t expect us to do precisely what Mary did, he does expect us to be extravagantly generous. Why doesn’t he expect us to do what Mary did? Mary lived, forContinue reading “What Jesus meant when he said, “You will always have the poor among you” – John 11:46-12:11, Part 4″
Tag Archives: worship
Why we set up four essential oil diffusers in our worship service – John 11:46-12:11, Part 3
What will Jesus say when Mary love bombs by dumping $70K of perfume on his feet, and his disciple Judas Iscariot is angry, saying that perfume could have been sold to help the poor? Will Jesus agree with Mary or Judas? Here’s how Jesus responds to Judas in John 12, verses 7-8, “’Leave her alone,’Continue reading “Why we set up four essential oil diffusers in our worship service – John 11:46-12:11, Part 3”
Why it is important to view communion as so much more than remembering – John 6:52-71, Part 3
If you’ve been to a Protestant church the picture above is probably familiar. A table with an open Bible, and the inscription, “This Do In Remembrance Of Me.” What does it mean? Read the Bible to remember Jesus? No. The inscription is referring to a phrase Jesus’ said to his disciples at their Last Supper,Continue reading “Why it is important to view communion as so much more than remembering – John 6:52-71, Part 3”
Selfish Christian views about Jesus, worship and church – John 6:22-51, Part 3
Would you be surprised to learn that some people weren’t buying what Jesus was selling? I’m not talking about the religious leaders who often confronted him. I’m talking about the crowds of people who followed him. As we continue studying John 6, the people who just the day before wanted to make him king, nowContinue reading “Selfish Christian views about Jesus, worship and church – John 6:22-51, Part 3”
When it’s wrong to want more of Jesus – John 6:22-51, Part 1
If you attend church worship services, why do you go to them? Whether you wake up on a Sunday morning in time to participate, or whether you give up valuable free time on Saturday night, or any time you attend a worship service, why do you go? I suspect that there are a variety ofContinue reading “When it’s wrong to want more of Jesus – John 6:22-51, Part 1”
How supernatural does our faith need to be? – John 6:1-21, Preview
Over a decade ago, Faith Church sent a mission team to work with sister churches in another country, during which time we attended worship services in a couple local churches. In the middle of the first worship service, the entire congregation was vigorously singing praise to God, and a worshiper one row in front ofContinue reading “How supernatural does our faith need to be? – John 6:1-21, Preview”
What is the Sabbath? – John 5:16-30, Part 2
What is the Sabbath? It goes back to Genesis chapter 2, verses 1-3. Page #2 of your pew Bibles, so you know this is going back to the beginning. Well, almost. Actually, we’re going back to the story of creation, and we read it described like a week. God creates the universe on the firstContinue reading “What is the Sabbath? – John 5:16-30, Part 2”
The food that gives Jesus life – John 4:27-42, Part 3
What gives you life? Being with friends or family? Your job? Perhaps a hobby? Serving as a volunteer? Reading? Exercise? Art? Music? As we continue studying John 4:27-42, we learn what gives Jesus life. Earlier in the chapter, Jesus had a thought-provoking conversation with a Samaritan woman. They had a chance meeting around a wellContinue reading “The food that gives Jesus life – John 4:27-42, Part 3”
What to do when you meet Jesus – John 4:27-42, Part 2
In John 4:1-42, there are two major themes running side-by-side. The first we talked about last week: Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman about worship. Now this week, we’re looking at Jesus’ interaction with his disciples during this episode. They travel with Jesus from Judea, heading north to Galilee. When they arrive in the SamaritanContinue reading “What to do when you meet Jesus – John 4:27-42, Part 2”
Jesus’ description of true worship – John 4:1-26, Part 5
In the previous post, we learned that Jesus taught the Samaritan woman at the well that God is not interested in his people worshiping in a geographical location or building. God is looking for people who worship him in spirit and in truth. So that previous post talked about what it means to worship inContinue reading “Jesus’ description of true worship – John 4:1-26, Part 5”
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