Jesus' throne was disguised as a cross, and on that cross, it was finished- our sin, our pain, our sickness, our sorrow. It is finished by the blood of the Lamb, our Royal Redeemer! Jesus' last words were, "It is finished!" and then He bowed His head and gave up His spirit (Jn. 19:30). This is a sobering moment. It was at this moment that the dreams and hopes of the disciples seemed lost, as their conquering King's lifeless body now hung on a criminal's cross. At this moment, it seems the only thing to do is bury His body and try to move on. They were defeated, grieving, and beaten. That is the mood. However, that was not an ordinary man hanging on that cross; instead, it is our King, our Royal Redeemer, and He deserves to be buried in that same way. So, two unsuspecting men ensured His body was cared for immediately: Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. Up to this point, both men had been secret disciples of Jesus, but at that moment, they risked it all to worship their King the only way they knew how: by taking care of His body. These men were making a choice, a final stand. Before their eyes, they saw the fulfilled prophecies of Jesus' death, a testimony to His Kingship that demanded a response.
A King's Burial - 2/24/2024
February 25, 2024 • Pastor Steve & Jen • John 19:42
Whats it to You! - 4/27/2024
April 28, 2024 • Pastor Steve & Jen • John 21:18–22
Last week, we witnessed this beautiful moment as Jesus restored Peter from the damage he had done to himself through those three denials. Jesus loved Peter. So, in these following few verses, we see how Jesus assures Peter that he will never deny Him again. In fact, Jesus tells Peter that he would glorify God by dying a martyr's death in old age. Those words that assured him of his faithfulness as a follower of Jesus also brought a grim reality of the kind of death he would suffer. Jesus invited Peter to follow Him. By the time the gospel of John was written, Peter had already suffered a violent death. However, that day on the beach, while Peter walked and talked with Jesus, those prophetic words brought a bit of envy as he once again took his eyes off Jesus, but this time, he wasn't looking at the storm that nearly caused him to drown, this time he was looking back at the "beloved disciple" with envy and comparison. Jesus' path for Peter was uniquely his, and John's path was likewise. So, Jesus asked, "What is it to you." It was more of a statement than a question. Jesus calls each of us personally and uniquely to follow Him.
Do You Love Me? 4/20/2024
April 21, 2024 • Pastor Steve & Jen • John 21:15–17
Jesus’ meeting on the beach with His boys was profound in many ways. Not only did He provide for their needs (the miraculous catch of fish), giving them a promise for the future, and demonstrated His servant-heart by feeding the disciples breakfast, but it also included the restoration of Peter, whose courage had failed him when Jesus was arrested. Having boasted that he would never deny the Lord, even if the other disciples did (Mt 26:33, 35; Mk 14:29; Lk 22:33; Jn 13:37), Peter had done so three times (Mt 26:69-75; Mk 14:66-72; Lk 22:55-62; Jn 18:15-18, 22-27). Every one of the gospels reports those denials in detail, but John also tells us that Jesus restored Peter. On the day He was resurrected, Jesus met with him privately (Lk 24:34; 1Co 15:5), and during that meeting, He must have forgiven him. However, that morning, by the Sea of Galilee, Jesus took Peter aside after breakfast and went for a walk with him. During that walk, He carefully healed the damage that those denials had produced, one denial at a time, and He also reaffirmed Peter’s call to ministry. Peter must have felt disqualified from serving Jesus after his denials, but thankfully (for Peter and us), Jesus does not call the qualified. Instead, He qualifies the called.