BridgePointe Christian Church

<p>Sometimes, God does supernatural things that prove His existence and demonstrate His goodness. Historically and globally, these miraculous events have caused people to take big steps toward. That can still be true today. We need God to do what only He can do to turn people back to Himself. Why doesn't it happen much here and now? It probably isn't a lack of willingness on God's part, but a lack of faith on ours.</p>

<p>When you know someone well, you trust what they say. Their words impact how you think and what you're willing to try. Within our relationships, our words can help people to take steps toward Jesus. Sometimes this happens in really significant ways when we have an opportunity to tell our story or share our faith. But most often, it happens in subtle ways when our words demonstrate the kindness, truth, and love of Jesus.</p>

<p>When helping people move toward Jesus, our actions make a world of difference. What we do and how we live are often the first thing people notice about us. When we show hospitality, kindness, service, and generosity to people in the name of Jesus, it moves them closer to Him.</p>

<p>Disciples of Jesus bring others to Jesus. We should want nothing more for the people close to us. But it can feel so intimidating or overwhelming to get them to Jesus. Leading people to Jesus can feel a lot more manageable when it happens one small step at a time. When you think of it like this, just about everything you do can move someone just a little closer to Jesus.</p>

<p>John's Gospel tells very personal stories of people who were changed when they met Jesus. These men and women came from very different backgrounds but were all changed in powerful ways when they met Jesus. Every disciple has uniquely encountered Jesus and been changed by Him. Every disciple has a story to tell. <br><br>Jesus has a special relationship with the family of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. He learns that Lazarus is sick. From Jesus' perspective, there's no reason to hurry or worry. But from the sisters' perspective, there is great reason for fear and grief. Each sister comes out to Jesus in their grief, and Jesus responds differently to each sister according to what He knows she needs. Their grief becomes an opportunity for them to encounter Jesus in a powerful way. This message teaches that overwhelming grief that finds comfort in Jesus changes a life forever. <br><br>Reflection questions: <br>When have you experienced sorrow and grief in your life? <br>How did God work to bring you closer to Him through that?</p>

<p>John's Gospel tells very personal stories of people who were changed when they met Jesus. These men and women came from very different backgrounds but were all changed in powerful ways when they met Jesus. This message is about a man who has been blind from birth. Jesus came into his life unexpectedly and is made the center of a debate about the curse of sin. Jesus heals the man. Jesus performs this miracle as a lesson about his power to overcome spiritual darknes--Jesus came into the world to bring light into the darkness and to bring sight to the (spiritually) blind. The theme of this message is anyone can turn from spiritual darkness to Jesus.<br><br>Reflection questions: <br>How have you experienced spiritual darkness apart from Jesus? <br>How did Jesus work to bring light to your darkness?</p>

<p>John's Gospel tells very personal stories of people who were changed when they met Jesus. These men and women came from very different backgrounds but were all changed in powerful ways when they met Jesus. Every disciple has a story to tell and this story talks about how this broken world had left this woman thirsty in more than one way. Her circumstances are almost certainly a result of the sin of others against her. Searching for security, identity, and love, she bounced from one broken relationship to another, always coming up empty. Jesus bipasses barriers of gender, race, and religion to tell this woman that He alone has what she's searching for. When her thirst is satisfied by Jesus, she tells others to come to find what they need in Him. The theme from this message and the testimony is an empty search for satisfaction that leads someone to Jesus changes a life forever. <br><br><br><br>Reflection questions: <br>What were you searching for before you encountered Jesus? <br>How has He satisfied that thirst?</p>

<p>John's Gospel tells very personal stories of people who were changed when they met Jesus. These men and women came from very different backgrounds but were all changed in powerful ways when they met Jesus. Nicodemus, a religious expert, becomes curious about Jesus. It is risky for him to pursue faith in Jesus, so he comes at night with questions. He is searching for truth and believes Jesus might be the source of it. While Nicodemus doesn't become a disciple at this point, John's Gospel indicates that he kept coming around Jesus and expressed loyalty in the end. <br><br>Reflection questions: <br>When did curiosity drive you to Jesus?<br>What did you discover about Him that caused you to believe?</p>

<p>John's Gospel tells very personal stories of people who were changed when they met Jesus. These men and women came from very different backgrounds but were all changed in powerful ways when they met Jesus. Every disciple has uniquely encountered Jesus and been changed by Him. Jesus responds to each disciple personally, giving them just what they need. Some were actively searching for the Messiah. For others, Jesus interrupted their lives unexpectedly. As soon as they were convinced about Jesus, people invited someone else to come meet Jesus too. This story introduces the series. The theme of the testimony is that meeting Jesus and choosing to follow Him changes a life forever. <br><br>Reflection questions: <br>When did you first come face to face with Jesus? <br>What happened to cause you to believe in and follow Him?</p>

<p>We spend more time working (or at-home parenting, in retirement, etc.) than doing any other single thing. It is essential to see this not as separate from our faith, but a critical part of it. In this passage, Paul urges master and slave, boss and employee, to honor Jesus in their roles. This requires humble, selfless sacfrifice that always puts the other first.<br><br>Reflection questions: <br>1.) How should your commitment to Jesus change the way you work?<br>2.) Who is in a position to see Jesus through you at work?</p>

<p>Fathers should lead toward Jesus in a way that looks like Jesus.</p>

<p>The best marriages will be a picture of the love between Jesus and His church.</p>

<p>Jesus has already won this battle. So, we fight from victory rather than for it. Even though the battle is won, Satan is going to do as much damage as he can with the little time he has left. It is so important for Christians to understand that we should keep fighting for our own freedom, for salvation for others, and for the eternal joy of heaven that awaits.</p>

<p>In the battle, we have armor to protect us. But that doesn't mean the church is intended to only withstand the enemy's attacks. There is ground to gain for the Kingdom and the Spirit has given us weapons to fight with. Scripture is a weapon that gives us God's truth in the battle. Prayer brings God's power into the fight. Both make the enemy flee and enable us to move forward to bring the Kingdom into our lives and into the world.</p>

<p>We are to stand firm in the battle against the invisible enemy. This means that we hold the ground that Jesus gained for us, despite Satan's attacks. God gives us an armor that is strong. It's what we believe about Jesus that protects us. The truth of the Gospel is our protection against the schemes of the enemy.</p>

<p>There is an invisible battle all around us. Whether we realize it or not, our enemy is the Devil and the spiritual forces of evil. We won't win this battle until we've rightly identified who we're fighting against and understanding how the enemy schemes against us. Only then can we fight back with the mighty power of God.</p>

<p>Before and without Jesus, our lives were characterized by sin. We are completely dependent on God, because we cannot change our hearts or forgive our own sin. God gives us grace and forgiveness through Jesus, through whom we have new life and new purpose.</p>

<p>As a result of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, all people have the opportunity to receive what we need from Jesus. Jews, who were chosen from the beginning, have the inheritance they've long awaited. And after the resurrection, all others are included in the inheritance of Jesus, which the Spirit guarantees.</p>

<p>Jesus has proven that He is King and then unexpectedly gave up his power and life in order to die as a ransom for sin. His resurrection proves the sufficiency of His payment and secures His place as the eternal King. A the end of Mark's account, the witnesses are bewildered which forces the question, "How will you respond to the Risen King?"</p>

<p>The events in Gethsemane show Jesus as being sovereign and surrendered at the same time. As He prays to the Father, Jesus commits to receiving the full wrath of God. And as Jesus surrenders to the mob, He initiates the events that will lead to His death. Jesus knew exactly what was coming and He chose it for us.</p>

<p>On the night before Jesus was crucified, He used the Jewish Passover meal as an object lesson for what He came to accomplish. Jesus Himself had become the Passover Lamb, the sacrifice that would deliver people from sin and death.</p>

<p>As Jesus' time on earth draws to a close, He wants His disciples to understand what will happen next. At an unknown time in the future, the King will come back to complete His Kingdom on earth. Much trouble will come before then, but Jesus will make all things right when He returns.</p>