Chiangmai Christian Fellowship

Big Idea - Jesus continues to answer the question about how to be ready for his return. Waiting well means expecting His return at any time, and being prepared for it by making certain of our salvation. So, does that mean we can just rest in the confidence of salvation, and go about our daily lives with the hope that Jesus is coming again and leave it at that? Or does Jesus expect us to be living...

Big Idea - Jesus continues to answer the question about how to be ready for his return. Waiting well means expecting His return at any time, and being prepared for it by making certain of our salvation. So, does that mean we can just rest in the confidence of salvation, and go about our daily lives with the hope that Jesus is coming again and leave it at that? Or does Jesus expect us to be living...

Big Idea - As Jesus teaches His disciples, and us, about His return, He uses a series of parables to explain that we cannot know the time of His return and, therefore, do not need to spend our energy trying to figure it out. Instead, we need to be ready, and be watching for His return, since it could be at any time. But, what does it mean to be ready? How are we to be watching and waiting? Each pa...

Big Idea - As Jesus teaches His disciples, and us, about His return, He uses a series of parables to explain that we cannot know the time of His return and, therefore, do not need to spend our energy trying to figure it out. Instead, we need to be ready, and be watching for His return, since it could be at any time. But, what does it mean to be ready? How are we to be watching and waiting? Each pa...

Big Idea - Most of us would love to know what the future holds. We would at least like to know when the Covid crisis will end! So, we can relate with the disciples who wanted to know when the Temple would be destroyed and when the end of the age would come. So, what are the signs of Jesus' return and the end of the age? Does the Bible reveal to us what the future holds? More importantly, does our...

Big Idea - Most of us would love to know what the future holds. We would at least like to know when the Covid crisis will end! So, we can relate with the disciples who wanted to know when the Temple would be destroyed and when the end of the age would come. So, what are the signs of Jesus' return and the end of the age? Does the Bible reveal to us what the future holds? More importantly, does our...

Big Idea - This is one of the most perplexing passages in Matthew and, like all passages that speak of the end times, it can be very challenging to understand exactly what Jesus is talking about. The disciples have asked Jesus two important questions: 1) when will the Temple be destroyed, and 2) what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age? They understand all of this as being on...

Big Idea - This is one of the most perplexing passages in Matthew and, like all passages that speak of the end times, it can be very challenging to understand exactly what Jesus is talking about. The disciples have asked Jesus two important questions: 1) when will the Temple be destroyed, and 2) what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age? They understand all of this as being on...

Big Idea - When things are hard, the question we want to be answered is "when will it end?" That is certainly the question I am asking now about the pandemic. We are all so done with this! For Jews in Israel during Jesus day, the big question was when they would finally get out from under oppressive Roman rule. Their hope for a Messiah was the hope of the end of their current troubles. But Jesus h...

Big Idea - When things are hard, the question we want to be answered is "when will it end?" That is certainly the question I am asking now about the pandemic. We are all so done with this! For Jews in Israel during Jesus day, the big question was when they would finally get out from under oppressive Roman rule. Their hope for a Messiah was the hope of the end of their current troubles. But Jesus h...

Big Idea - Do we understand fully all that is expressed in the idea of Messiah? The Pharisees were diligent students of the Word, the expert interpreters of the Bible, but Jesus’ question reveals that they do not really grasp all that is meant by this title. If they do not really understand what the nature and origin of the Messiah are, then it is no wonder they cannot see the Messiah when he is s...

Big Idea - Do we understand fully all that is expressed in the idea of Messiah? The Pharisees were diligent students of the Word, the expert interpreters of the Bible, but Jesus’ question reveals that they do not really grasp all that is meant by this title. If they do not really understand what the nature and origin of the Messiah are, then it is no wonder they cannot see the Messiah when he is s...

Big Idea - Any human relationship requires rules and guidelines to work. Imagine a task as simple as driving, if there were no clear rules to govern which side of the road we drive on! Without rules, any interaction with others will soon become a collision with others. This is even more true when it comes to people being in a relationship with a Holy God. It could be argued that the only rule we n...

Big Idea - Any human relationship requires rules and guidelines to work. Imagine a task as simple as driving, if there were no clear rules to govern which side of the road we drive on! Without rules, any interaction with others will soon become a collision with others. This is even more true when it comes to people being in a relationship with a Holy God. It could be argued that the only rule we n...

Big Idea - S - The resurrection is the one thing that makes Christianity unique from every other religion. Many believe in the afterlife, reincarnation, and even in the resurrection of the dead, but only Christianity celebrates the resurrection of our savior as an event that has already happened! All of Christianity depends on this one great event, but how do we know it’s true? Paul said that if J...

Big Idea - S - The resurrection is the one thing that makes Christianity unique from every other religion. Many believe in the afterlife, reincarnation, and even in the resurrection of the dead, but only Christianity celebrates the resurrection of our savior as an event that has already happened! All of Christianity depends on this one great event, but how do we know it’s true? Paul said that if J...

Big Idea - When do you stop being a product of the teachers and influencers who shaped you? Our thinking and worldview are not a matter of our own making - it is shaped in us by others. How do we know it is correct or true? The world is in turmoil in many places because of drastically opposing world views. We all think our view must be the correct view, but how can we be certain? The only way to s...

Big Idea - When do you stop being a product of the teachers and influencers who shaped you? Our thinking and worldview are not a matter of our own making - it is shaped in us by others. How do we know it is correct or true? The world is in turmoil in many places because of drastically opposing world views. We all think our view must be the correct view, but how can we be certain? The only way to s...

Big Idea - What is to be our relationship to rulers and governments? Many rulers are corrupt or even evil and many government regulations are opposed to Christian values (abortion, anti-conversion laws, same-sex marriage). Some governments actively persecute and harm Christians. In a world where most leaders are elected by democratic process, those places where rulers have seized power by force, i...

Big Idea - What is to be our relationship to rulers and governments? Many rulers are corrupt or even evil and many government regulations are opposed to Christian values (abortion, anti-conversion laws, same-sex marriage). Some governments actively persecute and harm Christians. In a world where most leaders are elected by democratic process, those places where rulers have seized power by force, i...

Big Idea - What is the Kingdom of God like? It seems like a lot of rules - God wants to take control of our lives and tell us how to live. Following Jesus can also lead to suffering and persecution. So, why would anyone want to follow Him? Jesus tells us that the Kingdom of heaven is like the joyous celebration of a wedding. God invites us to share in His joy. He is gracious and patient in extendi...

Big Idea - What is the Kingdom of God like? It seems like a lot of rules - God wants to take control of our lives and tell us how to live. Following Jesus can also lead to suffering and persecution. So, why would anyone want to follow Him? Jesus tells us that the Kingdom of heaven is like the joyous celebration of a wedding. God invites us to share in His joy. He is gracious and patient in extendi...

Big Idea - Jesus is going to the cross, and the Gospel makes it so clear that it is by His own doing. Jesus will lay down His life for us. In this parable, Jesus tells the leaders indirectly, that they have rejected Him and will put Him to death. Jesus knows their plan better than they do. Killing Jesus is no small thing - it is the ultimate rejection of God Himself. We know how we would respond t...

Big Idea - Jesus is going to the cross, and the Gospel makes it so clear that it is by His own doing. Jesus will lay down His life for us. In this parable, Jesus tells the leaders indirectly, that they have rejected Him and will put Him to death. Jesus knows their plan better than they do. Killing Jesus is no small thing - it is the ultimate rejection of God Himself. We know how we would respond t...

Big Idea - Jesus has come to Jerusalem in a very visible way, and taking action in ways that are very Messianic - entering Jerusalem as King coming in peace, and chasing the merchants out of the Temple, and receiving praise that belongs to God. Those in charge of the Temple, the Chief Priests and the Elders, are threatened by Jesus’ claim of authority. They are in charge of the Temple and the peop...