Only After Judas left, did the Lord begin His farewell address to the 11 remaining apostles. In John 13:31-33 we have the profound expression of Christ’s love where He makes 3 statements regarding the glory, which He would soon resume:1. “Now the Son of Man is glorified” – This refers to His death on the cross the next day.2. “God is glorified in Him” – Through the cross, God’s glorious nature was supremely put on display. 3. “If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself” – This phrase looks beyond he cross to Jesus’ exaltation to the Father’s right hand. The Lord could say that the Father would “glorify Him immediately” because His resurrection and ascension would shortly follow the cross. But Jesus’ glorification meant that He would have to leave the disciples – a truth that they found difficult to understand and accept. Knowing that He would soon leave them was both painful and frightening for them. Yet Jesus’ death was both necessary and the most loving act Christ could perform on their behalf. It is this infinite expression of Love that undergirds the Lord’s subsequent command: There are times when we feel that … READ MORE

What Identifies us as followers of Jesus Christ? Is it the way we cut our hair? How about the way we dress? External displays of loyalty to Christ are not necessarily wrong, but they also do not guarantee that we are believers. The reality is that it is not an external mark that designates us as followers of Jesus Christ, it is the internal attitudes of the heart, that make us His followers! Love for God is most clearly demonstrated not through lip service, but through our obedience to what He asks of us. What makes false disciples so difficult to detect is that they often have outward trappings of genuine disciples, remember the rich young ruler of Matthew 19:16-21 was outwardly moral, but had no relationship with Christ. Beginning in John 13:31 and running through the end of chapter 16, Jesus gave a farewell address to the 11 disciples, and in John 13:31-38 the LORD highlights a premier mark of those who are His true disciples, namely, sincere, selfless, love. This passage emphasizes the supreme standard of that love by focusing on the person and work of Christ Himself. These verses illustrate the quality of love that is to … READ MORE

MESSAGE: “The Glory of Heaven”

Scripture Text:  1 John 3:2 

Introduction:

     Wednesday was the start of Passover Week, if you are Jewish …..  This was the most important day in the History of Israel.   On this day, the Israelites were set free from the Egyptian bondage, and began their journey to the promised land.  Passover was designed to remind the nation of Israel that they were set free from the bondage of Egyptian, and set them free to enjoy the glory of the promised land.  While the nation, had to make a stop at Sinai, to understand the plan and purpose of God, and how He desired them to live, God planned on them being salt and light to the nations around them.  Throughout the Old Testament the Israelites were given further information on what it means for them to be a follower of Yahweh.  And they are to be a testimony to the world of the goodness and grace of God.

     Then one day, in the dark of night, the Messiah came to a small town in Bethlehem.  The Announcement came to the Shepherds, the Messiah was born, the world would never be the same!  Jesus grew … READ MORE