Illuminate Community Church

There's a verse in Romans for which I'm especially thankful. It's given by the apostle Paul as he expresses his vulnerability and I think you can probably relate as well... For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Romans 7:15 Paul makes this statement more than twenty years after he first met Jesus on the Damascus road. 20 years! And this...

This week we are back in our study of John's gospel and our passage focuses on Jesus' arrest. He knows all that will transpire and yet Jesus asks the soldiers, "Who are you looking for?" He understands they are looking for him but he wants to protect his followers. "Jesus of Nazareth!" they proclaim. "I am he," says Jesus. This simple response is loaded. Once again Jesus claims the name of God for...

The account of the first Christmas seems backwards in logic, but God was sending a message.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 This is the most popular verse in the Bible. It tells us we will have eternal life through Jesus Christ. It also reveals the heart of God. What motivated God to send his only son? It was his love for the world. Seven hundred years before John wrote his famous vers...

As of the late 20th century, "Joy to the World" was the most-published Christmas hymn in North America. But it might surprise you to know that when Isaac Watts wrote it he didn’t intend for it to be this way. It’s not really about the birth of Jesus. It’s not about His first coming, it’s about His second coming. The song is filled with the language of Jesus reigning and ruling over the earth and i...

If you ask people to tell you the meaning of Christmas you're going to hear a common response: "Peace on earth!" That announcement was made by an angel to shepherds over 2000 years ago and what has changed? In the history of the world there has been more bloodshed in the last 100 years than all previous years combined. The optimists among us who believe in the inevitable progress of man either for...

The Christmas season has arrived. This year a local radio station was playing Christmas music just after Halloween! The images of shepherds and wise men suddenly appear in front yards and in the mall. But before there were shepherds traveling to see Jesus and before wise men began to seek him, there was another. Close your eyes and picture an old man waiting to die but not before he experiences th...

Jesus makes His final request for the church as He prays to the Father for our unity, testimony, and security in His love. CHRISTIAN LOVE IS VISIBLE BECAUSE IT IS COSTLY. CHRISTIAN LOVE BRINGS UNITY BECAUSE IT SHOWS NO PARTIALITY. CHRISTIAN LOVE IS HEALING BECAUSE IT FORGIVES.

Elite athletes understand the importance of setting themselves apart from others. To win Olympic gold you must have laser focus and total dedication to your sport. Everything else is secondary. In John 17:19 Jesus reveals the dedication of His life and death. "And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth." The word "consecrate" means, "to dedicate for the purpo...

After giving His disciples final instruction and just before He is arrested and crucified, Jesus turns to the Father in prayer. John 17 contains the longest prayer from Jesus recorded in the Gospels. Of all the things Jesus could begin to pray for, He prays for himself. “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, If it seems selfish for Jesus to pray for Himself noti...

I think it's safe to assume that most everyone on the planet wants more peace in his or her life. The question is - Where do you find it? The internet is filled with information about how you can gain "inner peace." Relaxation techniques, meditation and boundaries are some of the more popular answers. The solution for most is to find peace from within. In John chapter 16 Jesus finishes a long conv...

You are probably not familiar with the name Tracey Crouch. She is the answer to an epidemic recently identified in the U.K. – Crouch is the official “Minister for Loneliness.” There has been a general decline in happiness amongst Brits for some time – especially amongst the elderly. There is a relationship void for millions of people and it’s not only happening across the pond. The CDC reported th...

It may seem odd to hear Jesus tell His followers they will be hated by the world. After all, Christians have brought the world some pretty amazing things such as education, hospitals, homeless shelters, help for the poor and the list goes on and on. So why would they be hated? Jesus says it's because the world hated Him first. The world hates Jesus because it does not want to be told what to do an...

One of the challenges of following Jesus is that we cannot see His physical presence. Imagine being one of the disciples when they hear Jesus say to them, "I am going to be with you just a little longer and then I must go to the Father." It's been three transformative years alongside their leader. They have given up everything to follow Him. The road ahead is tough. Peter will deny Jesus three tim...

"Let not your hearts be troubled." Few words in the Bible are more often quoted than these. To understand their significance we must step into the context in which they were spoken. Jesus has been telling his disciples that his time with them is coming to an end. The cross lies ahead. These are words the disciples don't want to hear. Their leader is leaving them. It's a dark time sure to be filled...

If I could go back in time and observe one major historical event it would be the death (followed by the resurrection) of Jesus. A close second would be the last supper he shared with his disciples. In that upper room Jesus gives his final sermon. It’s a powerful message about servanthood because it comes with a personal example. To recline at a table is to be in close proximity to others. Dinner...

Defining God’s glory is like trying to describe water to someone who has never experienced it. How would you begin? What would you use to compare? God’s glory is even more complex. It’s in a class of its own. I like to talk with my hands (you’ve probably noticed this). There are no hand gestures, no forms that can adequately describe God’s infinite worth and greatness…until you look at Jesus. He i...

The beginning verses of John 12 contain what is perhaps the most devoted, loyal, and affectionate act ever done by an individual for Jesus. The woman's name is Martha. She gets it. She sees what others don't. She recognizes the man in front of her will die for her. So she demonstrates his worthiness by killing her pride and giving her best. WOW! What an example. To follow Jesus is to be like Marth...

Last Saturday I received news of a childhood friend who was suddenly and unexpectedly killed. For many, permanence is the bothersome thing about death. "I will never hold them, touch them, speak to them again." These words are commonly spoken by those who view death as the grand exit. However, the believer sees death in a different light. I think of the words of the great preacher Dwight Moody who...

I have never witnessed a live mob killing someone and I hope I never do. I have however seen videos from Syria and Iraq. It feels unnatural. You can sense and feel the horror from the one who knows death is only seconds away. Jesus certainly knew the hatred. As you read John 10 you can picture Jesus surrounded by men holding large rocks ready to throw with deadly intent. What will the co-creator o...

"The Lord is my shepherd." These words have brought countless people peace and comfort in the midst of difficult and trying times. For good reason. God is the ultimate caretaker of our souls. However, this phrase also reveals something about us. We are sheep. In the ancient world if you called someone a sheep they would not be happy with you. Why? Because sheep are dimwitted creatures. Wouldn't yo...

What Jesus does in our passage this Sunday is awesome - and also pretty strange. If you’ve payed attention to the life of Jesus, He often times does things that no one expects. We’ve seen Him walk across water, tell a storm to be quiet, have dinner parties with the city’s worst enemy, on and on we could go. However untimely and unexpected, these moments in The Lord’s ministry have eternal purposes...

Last year Jill and I were invited to a small gathering with a celebrity chef. People stood in line to get a free, signed copy of one of his books. That's when it happened. A case of mistaken identity. When Jill approached the table he asked her name. "Jill" she replied. He responded, "Oh you're Jill, I've heard so much about you! It's so great to finally meet you!" Now believe me, I'll be the firs...

In Dependence Day John 8:31 -47 This week Americans will celebrate their independence. It’s the day when we declared our freedom. It’s been said that no other country values its freedom quite like Americans because against all odds, we gained it over one of the most powerful countries in the world at that time. Ever since then it seems that American's right to rule themselves has been extended to...