As interest in Baptism has sort of decreased in our current church culture, it was a blessing to have 4 young men baptized at our church this past Sunday. What a wonderful opportunity for these young men to declare publicly their commitment to Christ, and desire to be a visual witness for Him. It is amazing how many people who proclaim Christ and confess Christ have never been properly baptized. May I be so bold as to suggest that failure to be obedient in the matter of baptism, is at the root of some of the immense problems in people’s lives and in the church in general? Because it allows the church to fill up with people who unfaithful to the simplest commands of the Lord and of His Word, and that is serious. When Jesus said, “Go unto all the world and make disciples, baptizing them . . .” Jesus was giving a command to us saying, as you go out there, evangelize, and make disciples, and hte mark of that is to baptize them, and teach them to observe the things I have commanded you. Even Peter speaking to those in Acts 2:38, said, Repent, and be baptized. … READ MORE

As Jesus clarifies his destination in John 14:6 He says to the disciples that not only is He “the Way” (drawing on His teaching found in John 10:1-30), and not only is He “the Truth” (drawing on his teaching found in John 8:12-36), but also, He says that He is “he Life”. Here He draws on the teaching found in John 6:22-59, where He shares that “He is the life of the world.” Without Christ in our life, we have no life. We are blind to the “Truth,” and have no clue the “Way.” Jesus was not “a” way to God, He is saying that His is the “only” means of access to the Father. This is exclusive language, there is no other access! This is what brought so much ire and wrath on Him from the religious leaders of His day and continues to bring the same response from those who do not understand this truth. The good news is that because it is exclusive, we know how to get to the Father. Jesus provides the hope and perspective for the life that we live as a follower of Christ. If you want to find peace in the midst … READ MORE

As Jesus responded to Thomas’ concern in that the disciples did not know where Jesus was going, Jesus responds with the rich response in John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except through Me.” Being “The Way” reminds us that Jesus is the direction by which we get to the Father, as he alludes to His teaching found in John 10:1-30. His statement that He is “the Truth” picks up on His teaching found in John 6:22-59, where He teaches that He is the “Light of the World”. Jesus came to share with us not only who God is, but how to get to Him. If we want to know the truth of a subject we need to attempt to go back to its source, and Jesus is that source. You want to know who the Father is, and how to approach Him you simply need to turn to the teaching that Is given to us in the Word of God to understand those truths. Jesus said to the religious leaders of the day, “If you do not believe me for what I say, believe me for what I do, … READ MORE