One of the most troubling ideas Christians wrestle with is what happens to non-Christians after death. The idea that God would send all non-Christians to hell is difficult to reconcile with the words and actions of Jesus. In this sermon, Pastor Mark explores what the Bible says and how we can trust in God’s goodness and mercy.
Everyone has doubts, but doubt isn’t something we have to be afraid or ashamed of. Doubt and questioning are not the enemies of faith, but can be a path to a deeper and more authentic faith.
On the day Jesus rose from the dead, everything changed. God has launched a new world, and because of Easter, the transformation that makes all things new has already begun!
Following Jesus has a cost. But choosing not to follow him has an even greater cost. If we choose to take up our cross alongside Jesus, he promises a life of beauty and possibility.
A transformed life is possible, but it doesn’t just happen. To become like Jesus and do the kinds of things he did, we can’t just try hard and leave it to chance. We need a plan.
The idea of doing as Jesus did can seem daunting, but that is exactly what Jesus’ apprentices are trained to do—the kinds of things that Jesus did. Find out how.
Becoming like Jesus isn’t something just for exceptionally religious people; it’s for everyone! But it doesn’t just happen. It takes a dependable, intentional process to be formed into a person who is more and more like Jesus.
The people we spend the most time with have an immense influence on who we are becoming. If we want to look more like Jesus, we have to spend time with him. When we spend time with the one who loves us more than we can imagine, we are formed by God’s love into people of love.
Whether we realize it or not, we are all being formed by something. For people who identify as Christians, the goal is to be formed by Jesus. But this isn’t something that happens automatically. It takes practice as we follow Jesus’ way and become his apprentices.
Our lives are moving so fast, it’s difficult to live intentionally, and when the way we spend our time is out of alignment with what matters most, things start to break down. The ancient practice of sabbath can help us to step back from the chaos and begin to live differently.
