Buddhism (Session 2)
The goal of Buddhism is to achieve enlightenment in order to address the problem of suffering. While the path may look different for every Buddhist, there are some common concepts that unite them.
John
Jesus Didn’t Flinch
Jesus’ sacrifice would be amazing if He had gone through it while unprepared, but the amazing thing is that He knew about it and didn’t run from it. Jesus didn’t flinch when it came to securing our redemption.
The True Vine
John 15:1-8 – We cannot settle for a human intermediary to regulate our relationship with God. Jesus has invited us to know Him and to abide with HIm closely.
The Way, the Truth, and the Life
John 14:1-11 – Life is short, eternity is long, and each of us will spend somewhere forever. We can confidently trust Jesus because He has prepared a place in heaven for His followers.
The Door
John 10:1-10 – Jesus is aware of the dangers of untrustworthy spiritual figures. He watches over our souls and protects us from those whose only interest in our spiritual conditions is themselves.
Jesus Knows Me This I Know
I grew up singing the line, “Jesus loves me, this I know,” but what makes His love so incredible is His complete knowledge of me. He knows us, and He invites us to know Him.
The Light of the World
John 8:12-20 – In a world full of darkness, Jesus claimed to be the light that each of us needs. His illumination provides insight into who He is and clarity about where we should go.
Why We Need a Shepherd
When you consider the lack of formidable qualities of sheep, you might feel offended that Scripture regularly compares us to such creatures. But with such a helpless designation, we realize how reliable our Shepherd is.
The Bread of Life
John 6:22-40 – For people who desired another heavenly handout, Jesus offered Himself as the only thing to sustain us. Only through Christ can you be truly satisfied.
The Resurrection and the Life
John 11:17-44 – Outside of Lazarus’ tomb, it appeared as if death had claimed another victim. Jesus proved His power over death through resurrection and now invites us to come alive.
The Good Shepherd
John 10:11-18 – Jesus refused to flee when our endangered souls were in dire need. We marvel at the Good Shepherd who laid His life down for us on the cross to save us from our sinful wanderings.
The Thief That Comes to Steal, Kill, and Destroy (It’s Not Who You Think It Is)
Many Christians speak about Satan as the thief who comes to steal, kill, and destroy. While he is successful at all of those actions, Jesus was speaking about a different thief in that context, and it is one that you need to be mindful of today.
Methods of Evangelism, Part 3
We can only know which method of sharing the gospel is most comfortable to us by practice and repetition. Once we have a preferred method, we can start to learn the best way to call for a response.
Leading with Humility
The world characterizes leaders as those who have achieved so much that others serve them; the Word surprisingly teaches that the best leaders are the humblest of servants. Humility distinguishes authentic leadership.
Inviting Someone to Church
We often pray that God would use people to reach our family and friends, but what God wants to answer that prayer request by sending us? You have a relationship with people who need to have a relationship with Jesus. Starting is not as difficult as you think.
Crucifixion
John 1:9-14 – Since we could not make it to heaven, heaven came to us. The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus would change everything.
Why Should I Read the Bible?
With the growing exposure to bite-sized social media updates and quick exposure to news, we are losing our ability to read long and read well. While there is a great danger to this for many facets of life, none is as dangerous as what it means for our ability to handle Scripture.
How Can I Diversify My Prayers?
If you pray about the same things in the same ways, day after day, you shouldn’t be surprised that your prayers are boring. To get out of a prayer rut, you have to change your strategy. What if one simple change could enliven your prayer life?
Incapable Saviors and Wannabe Lords
John 21:1-25 – After Jesus’ resurrection, He regathered His disciples to reinstate and redirect them. We must remove substitutes from our lives to ensure we are following after the truly Matchless One.
The Tomb Is Still Empty
John 20:1-21 – You cannot follow a risen Savior and simply go back to a normal life. If the tomb is still empty, then everything has changed.
Matchless One
John 4:4-30 – Jesus encountered a woman with inaccurate beliefs and immoral behavior, He sought to help her find peace in both areas. Jesus is not afraid to address the critical areas until His role in our lives is unmatched.
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.
Kingdom Kindness
Within the Church, we have made doctrine and kindness enemies to each other. To the disservice of all, we cause complementary elements to seem confrontational.
Spiritual Resurrection
Salvation is more than mental affirmation — it is a life transformation. It is as significant as a dead person rising from the grave. Because that is what happened spiritually.
Putting on Your Spiritual Oxygen Mask First
No amount of compassion will make you invincible to the needs of your own soul. Your unwillingness to care for yourself will actually deprive you the opportunity to minister to more in the long run.
The Power of Humility
When it comes to governmental leadership, we often believe that most is accomplished through some type of conquering force. Jesus was a different type of King and setup a different kind of Kingdom.
The American Need for Both Compassion and Conviction
With every passing year, American citizens become more polarized on an ever-increasing list of divisive issues. Is there a way back toward unity?
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.
Jesus Isn’t Hindered By Your Past
If you open your Bible to John 4, you will read a story that tells us much about the ministry and method of Jesus. In this narrative, we read how Jesus intentionally encountered a woman at a well with a scandalous past. As you read, notice the different ways Jesus interacted with her. If you have time, read John 4:1-30. …
The 4 Gospels
As we study the New Testament, we must unpack the reasoning, audience, and direction of the 4 Gospels. Download Handout – 05 – The 4 Gospels Video Audio
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 …
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 …
Dependence: Acknowledging Your Desperate Need
In our discipleship efforts, we never reach the point where we can depend upon our own strength. Apart from Jesus, we can do nothing.
I Fail to Believe Jesus on This Issue
I am banking everything on Jesus. The way I do life, finances, marriage, kids, work, and play, I seek to do things his way. If he says it, I am changed by it. That is not saying that I always do it, but I am at the place in life where I believe his ways are always better than mine …
How Jesus Prayed for Us
Did you know that you have a prayer partner? His name is Jesus. Therefore, He is always able to save those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them. -Heb. 7:25 Part of your progress has been due to the diligent prayers that he has prayed on your behalf. And, guess what? I have …
Praying the Bible
Here is the 7th week of our prayer course. In this session, it’s time to unpack what it means to be strategic in our prayers. A foundational game changer is if you can learn to pray the Bible. The key passage is John 15:1-7. Audio Key Points The best words to use in counseling are God’s Words. The best words …
To Whom Else Shall We Go?
This weekend, I get the privilege to speaking at a DNOW event for a group of churches. We are doing a study called “Follower.” They gathered together and asked me to do an intro video for the time together. In this mini-sermon, I preached from John 6 on that wonderful statement of Peter, “To Whom Else Shall We Go?”
Praying God’s Word
One of the best ways to pray is to pray using God’s Word. Follow me on this journey through Scripture for a moment. When Moses encountered the burning bush in the wilderness, he turned aside to behold this spectacle. When the bush called his name and began talking to him is when things really got interesting (Ex. 3:4). As God …
If You Love Me, You Will…
In the area of purity, I have often hear of a couple who say that they messed up physically. Things got out of hand and they went further sexually than they say they intended. Their standard was not holiness, and they went too far, and a lot of those encounters are based upon a boyfriend or girlfriend saying, “If you …
Why Are There 4 Gospels?
The New Testament begins with Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These four books, commonly called “the Gospels” serve as biographies on the life and ministry of Jesus. In New Testament study, the word “gospel” is used frequently. It means “good news.” When speaking of the message of the gospel, it will most often be written with a lowercase “g.” When …
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