Parables of Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth was a master storyteller, and many of his most well-known teachings were told as parables. But these stories were designed to do much more than simply “teach.”
Jesus
Jesus Died So We Can Live
1 Thessalonians 5:9-11 – Jesus absorbed the wrath of God so that we need not fear its consequences for our lives. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, we can truly come to life.
Take and Eat
On the night before Jesus died, He gathered His disciples to prepare them for His sacrifice. While the first temptation was an opportunity to take and eat what was forbidden, Jesus set another table so that we could be forgiven.
The Work of Christ
The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ provide the path for us to experience true life. In Christ’s work, we find our salvation and purpose.
The Person of Christ
Jesus Christ changed everything. Through His person and His work, God brought about the only way to salvation.
The Passion
As Jesus’ ministry swelled to a climax, his opponents grew in hatred toward him, and yet Jesus seemed focused on one task and one task alone. He was going to the cross, but the story would not end at the cross or even at the tomb.
The Teacher
Jesus taught in a time when there was no shortage of religious rabbis and spiritual sermons, but what set him apart from all the rest was his ability to teach with authority. When Jesus taught, people listened and followed.
The Messiah
Within the concluding pages of the Old Testament, the people look for the long-awaited Messiah. As the New Testament opens, we are introduced to Jesus the Christ, and the world has yet to recover from his invasion for redemption.
What Jesus Really Came to Save You From
When it comes to Christmas, we have a lot of ways that we wish Jesus would help. But what did Jesus really come to save us from? The answer may surprise you.
Drop the Blanket
Fearful people often have something that helps ground them when life gets challenging or anxious. For Linus, it really is a security blanket. So what causes him to drop his should encourage us to drop ours as well.
How Should We Interpret the Gospels?
The four Gospels all tell the story of Jesus but are delivered to different audiences from different perspectives. To understand the truth contained fully within them, we must understand the context in which they were written.
The Crucifixion of Jesus
Remember the sacrifice of Jesus. Check out this great video from the Bible Project to portray Luke 19-23 to help visualize the events leading up to the cross.
Christmas Eve at Home
When Jesus was born, Joseph and Mary desired to perform what was required of them, but they didn’t have enough resources. Even though they couldn’t do what they should, they committed to do what they could.
Bible Readings for Christmas
If you are wanting to keep the focus on Christ this Christmas, prioritize reading the Bible together as a family. Here’s where to start.
The Birth of Jesus
Prepare your heart for Christmas. Check out this helpful video by the Bible Project that will help you and your family visualize the Christmas story from the Gospel of Luke.
Concentrating on Christ at Christmas
Christmas as it is celebrated today is badly in need of a radical reformation. What was at first a spontaneous expression of an innocent pleasure has been carried to inordinate excess.
When God Delays
Have you ever struggled when God appears to delay what you feel like needs to be done? You want to trust His plan, but the situation makes you question His timing.
Lead Like Jesus (7 Essential Characteristics)
Are you a leader? Have you always wanted to be a leader? If so, you should learn from the greatest leader this world ever witnessed. Here are 7 essential leadership characteristics from the life of Jesus.
Jesus Chose to Die for Me
In Matthew 26:36-46, we read of Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane before his crucifixion. Even though he knew the great cost for our salvation, he was willing to take our place.
Jesus Chose to Love Me
In Matthew 9:9-13, Jesus chose to call Matthew as his disciple. It also tells us about Matthew choosing to introduce his friends to Jesus because Matthew loved his friends and wanted to introduce them to Jesus.
Crucifixion
While Jesus’ death seemed like a shocking defeat to his followers, the crucifixion of Christ was God’s plan all along. By studying the context of the event, we can understand what Jesus truly accomplished.
What Jesus Taught Us as a Middle Schooler
God often provides examples for us to follow. He does things not because they are necessary for him, but because he knows they will be essential for us. When God rested on the seventh day of Creation (Gen. 2:2-3), he was not exhausted (Isa. 40:28) but knew that we would be. He rested as an example so that we would …
Knowing Christ Is Better Than Anything Else
Paul had plenty of room to boast in religious, familial, and personal accomplishments, but it was nothing compared to knowing Jesus. The opportunity to know the resurrected Christ is greater than anything else this world offers. Philippians 3:1-11 3 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you. …
My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Christ?
In Psalm 22, David wrote a worship song that also served as a remarkably comprehensive prophecy of Jesus’ death upon the cross. While the precision to detail is astounding, God’s commitment to our salvation is even more remarkable. Psalm 22 22 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?2 O …
The Timeline of Holy Week
Maybe you know about Jesus, but have you ever studied what the Bible says about the week leading up to his death and resurrection? Holy Week is remembered as the days when Jesus changed the world. Spanning from Palm Sunday to Resurrection Sunday, here are the events and passages describing the days leading up to Jesus’ death and the moments …
Ask Pastor Trav [Episode 3]
This week’s edition of Ask Pastor Trav prepares us to answer questions regarding Jesus’ death and resurrection. 5 Questions 1. Did Jesus have a substitute on the cross?2. Did Jesus actually die?3. Do the Gospels agree about the resurrection details?4. Is the tomb really empty?5. Did the disciples lie about the resurrection? And if Christ has not been raised, then …
Have We Idolized Easter?
God often uses unexpected situations to teach us needed truths. As the world continues to adapt to the ever-changing landscape of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are all adjusting daily to make sense of it all, protect our neighbors, and grasp the new normal. Until it changes again in another 5 minutes. As a pastor, I want to provide care, direction, …
God Has Not Retired
And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can!’ All things are possible for one who believes” (Mark 9:23). Do you really believe that God can fix that broken situation in your life? You know that one that you have tried everything and still run up against the wall? You believe that God used to do those types of miraculous things but …
Jesus Has Never Been Surprised by a Storm
I’m often surprised by storms. Whether they are unexpected turns in the weather or unanticipated changes in life, I am often taken aback and unprepared. Jesus has never been surprised by a storm. In fact, he always knows about them and sometimes leads us through them anyway. In Mark 4:35-41, Jesus encourages his disciples to get in a boat after …
Everlasting Father
Due to the frailties of earthly fathers, many people struggle to embrace God as a Heavenly Father. If you have ever wanted to know what God the Father is like, look no further than His Son. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name …
Mighty God
Since we could not make it to God, God came for us. Jesus was more than a godly man, but the God-Man who provided redemption. Many people believe Jesus was good but struggle to accept Him as God. John 8:31-59 31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and …
4 Stages of Discipleship
While there are many examples of how Jesus trained his disciples, we are limited in our level of knowledge. With them spending three years with him, they experienced countless lessons and experiences of which we are unfortunately unaware. Jesus did so much in his life that the world is unable to contain all the volumes that they could have written …
It’s News Too Good to Keep to Ourselves
In the concluding comments of Mark’s Gospel, Jesus commissioned the disciples to take the gospel into all the world. If we continue to follow Jesus, He will lead us to people and places that need to hear the gospel. Options for Mark’s Ending Why is the ending of Mark so uncommon from the rest of his book and missing in …
The Tomb Is [Still] Empty
As the women came on Sunday morning to anoint the deceased body of Jesus, they were shocked to realize that the tomb was empty. All of our faith and purpose in life is wrapped up in the belief that the tomb is still empty today. Our lives will be determined based upon what we believe about the resurrection of Jesus. …
Why Jesus Died
When followers of Jesus sought to care for the body of Jesus, Pilate was surprised to hear that Jesus died so early in the process. Scripture teaches us not only why He died so early but also why He died so willingly. Mark 15:40-47 40 There were also women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary …
Grace and Justice Meet at the Cross
Every wrong committed will be wholly punished. God doesn’t play with sin. There are no cute or playful sins in his book. “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it” (James 2:10). The wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23), and the destination for sinners is hell. No one can …
Christ Went the Second Mile
I started this podcast up with the intention of helping people go over and beyond in their walk with Jesus. Within myself, I see the tendency to do the bare minimum. Among the people that I interact with, I see the same drift as well. Instead of doing all that we can, we want to do only that which is …
The One Jesus Didn’t Save
As Jesus hung upon the sinner’s cross, people ridiculed His inability to perform one more miracle and escape His death. The greatest miracle of Jesus’ ministry was His commitment to forsake salvation from the cross so that we could experience salvation by the cross. Mark 15:21-39 21 And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the …
I Am Barabbas [Spoken Word]
As part of the sermon’s conclusion on Jesus and Barabbas, I wanted to summarize the powerful concept of substitution. Early on that Sunday morning, I started writing this as an element to conclude the sermon. I Am Barabbas I am Barabbas The true son of my father, Adam if you care to bother I was born into original sin Steeped …
I Am Barabbas
Intending to rid himself of the responsibility of Jesus’ death, Pilate assumed the people would choose Jesus over Barabbas to be the one prisoner released at that year’s Passover. Instead, the people chose to free a sinful criminal and condemn the sinless Messiah. Mark 15:1-20 15 And as soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the …
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