Early Church of Christ

Expectations. They can be exciting, and they can be the root of great disappointment and heartache. When Jesus revealed himself as the Son of God and the promised Messiah, he was rejected by some on the grounds that he wasn't the Messiah that they'd expected. Sure, he raised the dead, healed the sick, and caused the blind to see, but sometimes he did on the Sabbath, and that was just too wild and...

After a crowd chases him down looking for a free lunch, Jesus calls them to strive after something more real, more lasting, more eternal—life-transforming faith in Jesus the Messiah.

The feeding of the 5,000 was about so much more than loaves and fish. It was yet another revelation of the character, divinity, and heart of the Messiah—and what it reveals will speak blessing and grace to your life.

In John 5, Jesus makes three very bold claims: 1) that he was equal to God the Father, 2) that he has the power to give life, and 3) that he will be mankind's final judge. Claims like these demand serious proof to back them up, and Jesus makes his case for why they--and you--can accept them as truth, no matter how audacious that may seem.

Sometimes we can get so out of rhythm with God that we can actually miss the powerful opportunity for healing staring us in the face. Jesus invites us back into the rhythm of God's work in the world in this entry in the apostle John's account of the life of Christ (John 5:1-17).

She had gone to the well at the time to avoid people, but found Jesus, and in finding Jesus found acceptance, grace, and a new joy in life that had been full of disappointment. What will you find? #IfYouOnlyKnew #John4 #FaithHopeLove

As we look at the ministry of John the Baptist, his courage, faith, boldness, and even a little eccentricity immediately stand out. But in the encounter we see in John 3:30, one trait rises to the top: his great humility as he served the Lord.

In life, as in laptops and smartphones, sometimes the only fix is a reboot with a fresh OS installation. In John 3, Jesus tells Nicodemus how a life can be rebooted...or as Jesus put it, by being "born again".

"For if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you truly execute justice one with another, if you do not oppress the sojourner, the fatherless, or the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own harm, then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your fathers forever." (Jeremiah 7:5-7, ESV)

Have you ever wondered *why* Jesus bothered turning water to wine? It wasn't to show off. He even objected at first. So what drove him to do it, and what does that say about his concern for you?

Three of the most life-changing sentences ever spoken to disciples of Jesus: 1. "Behold, the Lamb of God!" 2. "Come and see." 3. "Come, follow me."