Highrock Church

If you were to have a supernatural encounter with God, where do you imagine it might happen? Probably not at a campfire cook-out on the beach! Jesus uses this moment to continue the process of restoring and strengthening Peter and the rest of the disciples. Peter imagines that his failure is the end of the story for him but Jesus continues to show him that his failure, and ours, is only part of the picture!Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/For Reflection:The disciples arrive on the beach to find that Jesus has cooked breakfast for them.- Can you recall a time when God "showed up" for you in a mundane, everyday moment like breakfast on a beach with friends?- What might help you to keep your eyes open for God's presence in such moments?- Jesus uses this moment to acknowledge Peter's failure without making too much of it. What helps you to keep your spiritual failures in perspective?

Faith and doubt might seem like opposites, but what if they actually go hand in hand? This sermon explores how even our questions and uncertainties can lead us closer to Jesus—and why a little doubt doesn't mean you're doing it wrong. · · ·👉🏻 Sermons in the "Witness" series: https://tinyurl.com/3c8564ku👉🏻 Dive deeper into John: https://tinyurl.com/4vcwrfv8

What do you do when there seems to be no way forward? Quite often, we're tempted to go back to what we used to do. The disciples return to Galilee and begin fishing again. But Jesus is not finished with them. Have you ever felt that God was done with you -- that you had failed in some unforgivable way? We can learn through Peter even our worst failures cannot separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus!Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/For Reflection:Peter needs to hear and see, once again, that he still matters to Jesus.- Have you ever felt spiritually disqualified or that God was disappointed or even disgusted with you? How long and in how many ways did you need to experience God's gracious affirmation to feel restored? Or are you still waiting?- Quite often, there is a large gap of time between realizing who Jesus is and realizing who we are in Christ. What do you understand about your identity in Christ and how have you come to understand?

John's Gospel reaches a climax in this scene. Jesus appears to Thomas, a disciple who refuses to believe until he can see Jesus for himself. When he does, he believes Jesus and acknowledges him as "My Lord and my God!" We may not see Jesus in the flesh, but we have the opportunity to see Jesus through one another, the very body of Christ. Who has shown you the glimpse of Jesus?Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/For Reflection:These signs are recorded to strengthen our faith and lead to a Thomas-like moment when we too can believe Jesus and follow him as Lord.- Where have you seen glimpses of Jesus? How did Jesus make himself known to you in a way that led to your confession of faith?- Who has God given you to love? How might Jesus be inviting you to love others in the way that he has loved you? Who might you invite into community to see the love of Jesus displayed?

Sermon by Pastor Meghan DeJong in the series, "Witness: The Firsthand Faith of John"· · ·👉🏻 Sermons in the "Witness" series: https://tinyurl.com/3c8564ku👉🏻 Dive deeper into John: https://tinyurl.com/4vcwrfv8

-- Note: No devo tomorrow, April 30. We'll be at a staff overnight retreat --That Easter Sunday evening, Jesus appeared amongst the fearful disciples. Jesus' presence displaced their fear with joy and peace. But Jesus came to give them something even more -- a commission and the power to live out their calling. That power was the Spirit that Jesus breathed upon them, the same Spirit that God still breathes upon us today.Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/Pastor Meghan's 4/27 Sermon:https://youtu.be/9d2OiMN4kY0For Reflection:Jesus was passing his mission to the disciples. They would need power to do what Jesus was calling them to do -- the power of the Spirit! - There are some things that God calls us all to do and there are some things that are more individual. What is your sense of what God has called you to do? Whom has God called you to love in the name of Jesus?- What are some of the challenges you've experienced in loving and forgiving people? How has God's power, God's Spirit, shown up in those struggles?

Mary Magdalene searches for Jesus unsuccessfully until he calls her by name. He knows her and she knows him. But Jesus also reveals something new to her -- that she and the other disciples are now true children of God!Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/For Reflection:Mary Magdalene seems unable to find Jesus until he calls her by name.- What does it mean to you to know that through faith in Jesus, you are a true child of God? (John 1:12 "But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.")- God knows us better than we know ourselves. In many ways, God reveals to us who we are and who we were meant to be. In your walk with God, how have you come to know who you are?

Mary Magdalene returns to the tomb on Sunday morning and find it empty. She rushes to inform Peter and John, who run to the tomb to find it empty, just as Mary had said. It was only then that John finally believed. John had followed Jesus all along but it wasn't until that moment that he finally understood. What did John finally understand, and what are we to take away as well? Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/For Reflection:Entering into the empty tomb, John finally believed what Jesus had said.- Imagine being with John as he entered the tomb. What details would have caught your eye? What questions might you have had at that moment?- John could have believed the many times when Jesus said that he must rise from the dead. John could have believed later when seeing Jesus alive, like many of the other disciples. What do you imagine it was about the empty tomb that allowed John to believe at that moment?

Joseph of Arimathea went to Pilate to request the body of Jesus. Joseph was a member of Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council, but he was a secret disciple out of fear of the other religious leaders. He was much like Nicodemus, another secret disciple, who joined him in burying Jesus. Like Joseph and Nicodemus, does fear make us secret disciples as well?Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/For Reflection:Joseph and Nicodemus had power and position but their privilege made them fearful of what they might lose.- Have you ever lost anything for following Jesus? Friendships, status, opportunities? What do you fear that you might lose if you were more bold and open about your faith?- Non-Christians often resist when someone shares their faith in a way that is argumentative. Those same people are often receptive when faith is expressed as love and joy. Is there a way in which God might want you to be more openly loving and celebratory with others?

The soldiers saw that Jesus was clearly already dead. Just to be sure, a soldier pierced Jesus' side with a spear. Such detail might seem unnecessary but both then and now, there have been those who have doubted Jesus' death. In addition to these details, John testifies that he saw it with his own eyes. The clarity of Jesus' death is a kindness for those whose hope is in the ensuing resurrection!Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/For Reflection:On that Good Friday, John likely did not imagine that there would be people who would doubt the death of Jesus. But by the time he wrote the Gospel of John, numerous groups had raised that very question.- What people or groups of people do you imagine might doubt the death of Jesus? It might seem easier to doubt that Jesus came back from the dead than to doubt his death in the first place, so why doubt his death?- What does Jesus' death mean to you?

As Jesus died upon the cross, he declared, "It is finished!" His work was complete. Everything that the Father had given him to do, Jesus brought to fullness and completion. But is there another meaning, a further implication to what Jesus declared? What does it mean for us to hear Jesus say, "It is finished!"?Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/For Reflection:As Jesus breathed his last, he declared, "tetelestai!" -- "It is finished" or "Pail in full".- What are some of the debts that you currently carry that weigh upon you, whether financial, relational, spiritual or otherwise? What is the expectation of repayment? What would be the consequences for failing to replay?- What does it mean for you to hear Jesus say, "Paid in full!"? How have you understood this phrase in the past? How do you understand it now? How might believing this truth affect how you live today?

The Jewish people had been waiting for the Messiah, a promised king, for centuries. They knew that he would be a descendant of King David, which Jesus was, but how could a crucified Jesus possible be the king they were expecting? But as the Gospel of John shows us, the crucifixion was not a mark against Jesus being the long-expected savior. Instead, the crucifixion was precisely how he would save us, and indeed, long-foretold by King David himself!Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/For Reflection:The charge written above Jesus' head, "King of the Jews", was likely intended to be an ironic jab at the religious leaders rather than a declaration of faith.- Many people wondered how a crucified criminal could possibly be the promised Messiah. How do you see today's text addressing those concerns?- Jesus' victory and God's plan was accomplished through what appeared to be a total defeat. How might you be able to take this moment with you so that you can trust God in dark moments in your own story?

Sermon by Pastor Taylor Burgoyne in the series, "Witness: The Firsthand Faith of John"· · ·👉🏻 Sermons in the "Witness" series: https://tinyurl.com/3c8564ku👉🏻 Dive deeper into John: https://tinyurl.com/4vcwrfv8

Sermon by Pastor John Mury in the series, "Witness: The Firsthand Faith of John"· · ·👉🏻 Sermons in the "Witness" series: https://tinyurl.com/3c8564ku👉🏻 Dive deeper into John: https://tinyurl.com/4vcwrfv8

When Pilate considers that Jesus might be more than human, it strikes him with fear. Even so, he is even more afraid of Caesar. The religious leaders are no different, saying to Pilate, "We have no king but Caesar!" Who determines what is right in our lives? Who sets the priorities? Do we bend our will for the approval of the crowds, to satisfy the demands of those in power or the demands of our own comfort, pleasure, or security? Or does God alone sit on the throne?Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/Holy Week at Highrock:Maundy Thursday Dinners:https://www.highrock.org/calendar/maundy-thursday-2025Good Friday Services:https://www.highrock.org/calendar/good-friday-2025Easter Sunday Celebrations:https://www.highrock.org/calendar/easter-sunday-2025For Reflection:Jesus confidently declared that all authority, even Pilate's, rested in God alone (v11).- Try to imagine the fears that motivated each of the involved parties: Pilate, the priests, and the crowds that were manipulated by the priests. In each case, what or whom did they fear? In what or whom did they place their faith?- Who do you identify with most throughout this trial at the governor's palace? What choice or choices do you face in which God is inviting you to lean into faith rather than fear?

How do we respond to those who oppose and betray us? The Roman guards took delight in their cruelty to Jesus. Pilate simply wanted to wash his hands of it all. But Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, though they would soon abandon him. He also washed the feet of Judas, who would soon betray him. And Jesus then told them to love one another as Jesus had loved. We can and should oppose those who practice dehumanization and cruelty, but always out of love -- including love for the offender.Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/Holy Week at Highrock:Maundy Thursday Dinners:https://www.highrock.org/calendar/maundy-thursday-2025Good Friday Services:https://www.highrock.org/calendar/good-friday-2025Easter Sunday Celebrations:https://www.highrock.org/calendar/easter-sunday-2025For Reflection:Jesus opposes evil throughout his ministry yet he never participates in mockery or violence. He loved even Judas to the end, and taught us to love one another in the same way.- In what ways is it tempting to be like the soldiers, to take delight in mocking those we believe to be on the wrong side?- In what ways is it tempting to be like the priests, with a moral vision that is clouded by self-interest, a moral vision that acts as if the ends justify the means?- In what ways is it tempting to be like Pilate, attempting to escape any responsibility?

Daily Devo | What is Truth? (John 18:33-40)The Roman governor Pilate takes Jesus inside for a private conversation. Pilate asks Jesus two questions: "What have you done?" and "What is truth?" Pilate is looking for a way to get himself and Jesus out of this situation but Jesus' isn't helping. In the end, he offers Jesus of Nazareth to the crowds, but they call for Jesus Barabbas instead -- someone who was much more willing to use political force and violence.Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/Holy Week at Highrock:Maundy Thursday Dinners:https://www.highrock.org/calendar/maundy-thursday-2025Good Friday Services:https://www.highrock.org/calendar/good-friday-2025Easter Sunday Celebrations:https://www.highrock.org/calendar/easter-sunday-2025For Reflection:Today's questions are implicit in the passage:- What is truth? Like in Pilate's world, is truth a weapon -- an idea to be used to attain political goals? Or is truth a call to live more faithfully and sacrificially? How has truth formed and changed you in Christ?- Which Jesus do you want? If you had been in the crowd that day, chafing under a Roman emperor, would you have wanted the Jesus whose kingdom was not of this world or would you have wanted Jesus Barabbas, the one ready to bring the fight to your enemies? What implications might there be for today?

The Jewish leaders know they are not in charge as they do not have the legal power to execute Jesus. They go to the Roman governor, Pilate, who alone has the power to have Jesus killed. But is Pilate truly in charge? He is in a weaker position than most realized. In the end, they are all moving according to the plan of God, the only one who is truly in control of these events.Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/Holy Week at Highrock:Maundy Thursday Dinners:https://www.highrock.org/calendar/maundy-thursday-2025Good Friday Services:https://www.highrock.org/calendar/good-friday-2025Easter Sunday Celebrations:https://www.highrock.org/calendar/easter-sunday-2025For Reflection:All the parties are confronted by the limits of their own power as they seek to advance their goals.- People often convince themselves that God is on their side. How might the religious leaders have justified their plans to eliminate Jesus? How might Pilate have justified his attempt to wash his hands of this matter?- Rather than assume that God is on our side, we are challenged to ask if we are on God's side. How might this question have challenged the players in this drama? How might that question challenge you in your life today?

Daily Devo | Getting Back Up Again (John 18:15-27)Jesus predicted Judas' betrayal and he also predicted Peter's as well. One of the biggest differences was that Peter wanted to be restored while Judas ran and took matters into his own hands. We will all fall. The question is whether we will trust that Jesus is ready to restore us. Yes, we all fall, but will we trust Jesus enough to get back up again?Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/Holy Week at Highrock:Maundy Thursday Dinners:https://www.highrock.org/calendar/maundy-thursday-2025Good Friday Services:https://www.highrock.org/calendar/good-friday-2025Easter Sunday Celebrations:https://www.highrock.org/calendar/easter-sunday-2025For Reflection:Despite his earlier promise, Peter failed Jesus.- Picture Jesus inside, being questioned by the authorities while Peter is outside, being questioned by the servants. Have you ever felt like Peter? Too fearful to stand with Jesus? What was that scene like in your life?- Jesus predicted that all the disciples would abandon him, but he told them so they wouldn't be shocked but have peace (John 16:32-33). How do you imagine Jesus responding to you and your sins, betrayals, and failures?

As Judas arrives with the soldiers to arrest Jesus, Jesus comes forward asking who they are looking for. When the soldiers say that Jesus is the one they're looking for, Jesus answers, "I am he" -- I am the one. In some sense we're all looking for Jesus -- tne one who will bring us true freedom and life, even if we do not recognize who he is or why we're ultimately looking.Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/For Reflection:When people came looking for Jesus, he responded, "I am he." There was power in Jesus' words and fear in their response, but Jesus asked again, "Who is it you want?"- The people in this scene all had different reasons they were looking for Jesus. When you first began to consider Jesus, when you first came looking, what were you looking for? Why were you searching for Jesus?- How have you changed since then? Why do you look for Jesus today? Who or what do you seek from Jesus?

At the end of his prayer, Jesus moves beyond himself and his closest disciples to all those who will believe because of their message. In other words, he prays for us! He prays that we would be one, just as he and the Father are one. Apparently, even Jesus must be patient in prayer! In the meantime, are we taking seriously this earnest desire of Jesus?Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/For Reflection:Jesus desired that we would be one just as he and the Father are one.- Can you recall a time when you experienced a taste of this kind of unity in Christian community? What was it like? What was it that helped that unity transcend all the differences that so often divide us? If it was temporary, why was it so?- Who do you find it difficult to love in the church, or in your church, today? What help might you need to give you the necessary curiosity, courage, and compassion?

In the second part of his extended prayer, Jesus prays for those closest to him, referring to them as those whom God had given him. He prays for their unity and their protection. Who has God given you to love? How might God want you to care for them and protect them from the forces that threaten to tear us apart?Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/For Reflection:Jesus prayed to the unity and protection of those closest to him. - Who has God given you to love? We touched on this question yesterday. How might God desire you to love them?- Jesus would soon leave the disciples and they (and we) would become Christ's body in the world. "You may be the only Jesus some people will ever see." What will others see of Jesus in you? Is there any specific way in which God might be inviting you to grow to give a clearer picture of God to others?

This chapter is one of the rare insights we have into how Jesus prayed. That insight is also an invitation for us to join Jesus and make his prayer our own. Like Jesus, we can bring glory to God by completing the work that God gives us to do and also to give others a clearer picture of God by how we live and love. Jesus gave glory to God in these ways and we can play our part as well!Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/For Reflection:Jesus' prayer is an invitation to pray and live like Jesus!- Jesus prayed for glory so that he might glorify God all the more. And one of the ways he glorified God was to complete the work that God gave him to do (v4). What is your understanding of the work that God has given you to do? What is the part that you believe God has given you to play?- Another way that Jesus glorified God was to reveal God to those God had given him to love (v6). Who has God given you to love? How might you give them a clearer picture of God by how you live and love?

Building on his desire that his disciples would not lose their faith or their joy, Jesus reveals an even greater truth to them. He declares that after he returns, they will be able to ask the Father anything in Jesus' name, and the Father will hear them! There is a shocking revelation hidden in this promise, one that we will explore today!Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/For Reflection:Jesus shares his final teaching with his disciples.- Jesus says that they may ask for anything "in his name" (vv. 23, 24, 26). How do you understand that limitation? What makes a prayer "in his name"?- Jesus shows the disciples that he knows what they are thinking (v.30) and even how they will desert him (v.32). He demonstrates this knowledge so they will know that all their failures will never stop him from loving them (v.33). What do you learn about Jesus' love for you? How might you be inspired to love others in your life?

Even relatively minor pains that lack purpose and predictability can cause intense suffering -- chronic headaches, for instance. In contrast, much greater pains can actually lead to joy. Jesus uses the example of childbirth. Thought very intense, it is only for a time and it leads to something wonderful! In the same way, Jesus wants his disciples to know that their pain will end and lead to even greater joy.Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/For Reflection:Like childbirth, Jesus tells his disciples that there is purpose and predictability in their pain. Their pain will end and something better awaits them on the other side. - How might keeping these truths in mind help you to keep hold of faith and joy during the hard times in your life? - Pastor Dave spoke of three traditions in the church -- the Word, the Spirit, and the Incarnation. Like with Mary, the Spirit enters into us to form Christ within us. How have you seen Christ formed in you? In what ways do you still long to see Christ more fully formed in you?

Jesus continues to warn his disciples that bad times are coming. This warning is not meant to help them avoid the danger -- that would be impossible. Instead, they might remember that God is in control even in the darkest times. In fact, it is better that Jesus should leave because it is the only way for us to receive God's Spirit. That promise sounds very important, but what does it truly mean?Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/For Reflection:Jesus gives his disciples a warning and a promise, and both are intended to help them (and us) through the darkest of times.- Why do you imagine that Jesus gives a warning if that warning cannot help us to avoid the danger? Why do you think Jesus warns us about difficult times ahead?- Jesus said that it is better for us that he leaves because only then can we receive the Advocate, the Spirit. If someone were to ask you to explain how we are better off in Jesus' absence, how might you answer?

Jesus warns his disciples that they will face persecution. The same world that persecutes Jesus will also persecute his followers. This prediction of persecution might sound paranoid, but history has demonstrated its truth. More importantly, paranoia would be an excuse to retreat from the world but Jesus encourages us to continue loving others and bearing witness to the loving faithfulness of Jesus our Lord.Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/You can learn about, pray for, and support persecuted Christian sisters and brothers around the world at http://www.opendoors.org/ -- click on the map to learn more!For Reflection:Jesus warns us that those who hate Jesus will also hate those who follow Jesus.- Have you faced persecution from friends, co-workers, or family for following Jesus? Has it changed over time? Have you changed over time? Has your response changed?- What helps to give you courage to speak about and follow Jesus in visible and loving ways today?- Spend some time praying for Christians who are actively persecuted today. You can read personal stories by clicking on various nations on the map at opendoors.org

Feeling stuck in a season of spiritual winter? When life feels overwhelming, and hope seems distant, what does it mean to stay connected to the Vine? In this sermon, Pastor Meghan DeJong unpacks John 15:1-8, exploring how true growth sometimes requires dormancy, pruning, and trust in the Gardener. If you’re longing for renewal but struggling to see the fruit, this conversation is for you.· · ·👉🏻 Sermons in the "Witness" series: https://tinyurl.com/3c8564ku👉🏻 Dive deeper into John: https://tinyurl.com/4vcwrfv8

As Jesus continues to share with the disciples after the last supper, he shares his deepest desire is that they remain in his love (v9). They don't have to enter his love or earn his favor -- they already have it! Jesus chose them, and chooses us, long before we ever choose him. Our task is to stay connected and to allow his love to change us and everything we do and desire.Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/For Reflection:Jesus tells us that obedience does not earn his love. We are already loved. Obedience allows us to stay connected to that love.- Have you ever had the experience of distancing yourself from God or even walking away for a time? What helped to bring you back? How might your experience have been different if you were convinced that you never had to earn God's favor or forgiveness?- How has your experience of Jesus' love changed the way you love others? If possible, think of a specific example.

Jesus proclaims to his disciples that he is the true vine, we are the branches, and God the Father is the gardener who tends the vine. Some branches fail to produce fruit and are cut away. Some branches produce fruit and are pruned to produce even more. Either way, you're going to get cut! But connection to the life found in Jesus determines the outcome of that pruning.Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/For Reflection:All the branches get cut, but the result is determined by whether the branch remains connected to the vine.- How have you experienced pruning in the past, where God used painful loss to increase your ability to love (i.e. the fruit)?- Has loss ever led you to disconnect from Jesus, even for a time? What happened and what helped to bring you back?- What helps to deepen and strengthen your connection to Jesus, the vine? How might God be inviting you to connect more deeply even now?

As the "ruler of this world approaches" (v30), Jesus tells his disciples to not be troubled or afraid. How could they overcome their fear in such a moment? Jesus promises them peace, a kind of peace that only he can give. What is this peace and how can we find it when darkness approaches?Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/For Reflection:Jesus offers his disciples a peace that the world cannot give -- peace with God and one another!- In your own words, what is so special about the peace that Jesus offers? Why is it a peace that the world cannot give, and when is a time when you experienced this peace?- What things tend to disturb your experience of the peace that Jesus gives? For the disciples it was confusion, fear, oppression by those in power, and the "ruler of this world". What robs you of peace and how might Jesus be inviting you to reconnect with the peace of mind and heart he offers?

As Jesus prepares to leave his disciples, he makes several promises of what will happen in his absence. First, his disciples will do even greater things than Jesus. How is that possible? Second, he promises to answer any prayer in his name. Really, any prayer? Third, he promises to send us the Holy Spirit, through whom he will be with us always. How do we understand and live into these incredible promises?Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/For Reflection:Jesus makes several promises of what his disciples can expect in his absence.- With so many promises given in such a small space, which of them seems most important to you at this time in your life? The promise to do greater things (v12), the promise about prayer (v13-14), the promise of the Holy Spirit (v16-17), or the promise to reveal himself to anyone who obeys his command out of love (v21)?- Why might that particular promise appeal to you in this moment? Pray about that promise throughout the day.

Jesus has already said that he is the "resurrection and the life" (John 11:26). Here he claims also to be "the way" -- the only way to the Father. But what does it mean that he is "the truth"? A listener today might also find Jesus' claim to be the only way to be offensive and close-minded. Is Jesus' declaration meant to be divisive, or invitational? Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/For Reflection:"I am the way, the truth, and the life." Even Jesus' closest disciples had difficulty with what Jesus said.- Suppose a child asked you what this statement meant, perhaps in Sunday school. How might you answer?- Even if Jesus intended to be invitational, Christians have often not been good bearers of this message. What are some ways that we might follow what Jesus did (e.g. humbly washing feet, forgiving enemies, laying down his life, etc.) that might help people more receptive to Jesus' claim to be "the way"?

Jesus gives his disciples a new command -- to love one another as he has loved them. They had already known God's command to love one another. What was new about the command was Jesus' example. They were not only to love one another, but love one another in the way that Jesus was loving them. It is a command to love, but one that proceeds out of first receiving the life-transforming love of Jesus.Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/For Reflection:What might seem like the darkest moment becomes the very moment when Jesus most clearly reveals who he is and what he has come to do -- to love us and have us follow his example.- You cannot give away what you have not received. How has Jesus loved you? When and how have you come to experience that love?- The way that Jesus' disciples were to change the world was by loving one another. How might God be inviting you to participate in changing the world by loving someone today?

John's portrayal of the Last Supper began with the declaration that Jesus loved his disciples to the very end (v1). These final moments of love are embodied in Jesus washing their feet, but perhaps even more in his extension of grace and friendship to the one who would soon betray him! We may be tempted to feel that we are beyond hope but Jesus continues to extend grace and friendship to us as well.Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/For Reflection:With John to his right and Judas presumably to his left, Jesus loves his disciples to the very end.- Have you ever felt like a John, close and intimate with Jesus? Describe that moment or time in your life.- Have you ever felt like a Judas, turning or running away from Jesus "into the night" (v30)? What happened, and what helped to bring you back?- How might Jesus' offer of love and grace right up to the very end challenge how you love others in your life?

If Jesus offered a hidden antidote to all your fears and worries, would you pay attention? What if the key wasn’t found in understanding your present struggles, but in seeing heaven more clearly? In this sermon, Pastor Dave invites us to shift our perspective and embrace a life transformed by eternity.· · ·👉🏻 Sermons in the "Witness" series: https://tinyurl.com/3c8564ku👉🏻 Dive deeper into John: https://tinyurl.com/4vcwrfv8

Jesus is our teacher and lord -- that is true. But Jesus is also our servant, which he proves by washing the feet of the disciples. Every good thing finds its fullness in Jesus and he wants us to share in this ultimate blessing, which is why he calls us to do likewise. Jesus calls us to humbly serve one another, which is the path to both closeness with Jesus and blessing from the Father (v17).Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/For Reflection:Jesus is a servant. If we are to follow him, we must be servants as well.- The disciples were shocked by the way Jesus served them, doing the most humble (or humiliating!) of tasks. Almost as shocking, he called them to do the same for one another. What are some of the ways that others have served you in the name of Jesus?- Is there a way that Jesus may be calling you to serve with him? Perhaps a way that seems almost too radical or humbling to consider?

"Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table... and began to wash the disciples' feet." Jesus knew who he was, whose he was, where he had come from, and where he was going. This significance and security enabled him to serve. What is the foundation of our significance and security? Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/For Reflection:Jesus knew who and whose he was, and this foundation allowed him to love and serve fully to the end.- As you think about your own significance and security, what do you look to in your own life? Who are the people and what are the positions that give you a sense of who you are?- What helps you to grow stronger in your identity as a child of God and your confidence about your future? How might security in those areas give you the security to serve others as Jesus does?

Many did not believe. Some did believe but remained hidden for fear of what others might think. Jesus addresses them all by reminding them that he is the light sent into the world to lead people out of darkness. They must choose. Will they remain in darkness? Or will they trust Jesus enough to lead them to light and life? That choice is ours as well.Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/For Reflection:Jesus offered the crowd (and us) a choice -- we can remain as we are, without hope, or we can follow him from darkness into the light.- What is one way you have experience Jesus and his teachings leading you into better places? What helped you to trust Jesus enough to follow him in that way?- Spend a moment in thoughtful prayer and ask whether there is some way in which Jesus might be inviting you to trust him enough to take another step of faith today.

Despite all that people had seen, despite the seven signs by which Jesus had demonstrated his identity and power, most of the people still did not believe. Seven hundred years before Jesus, the prophet Isaiah had predicted this very outcome in the beginning of Isaiah 53. What or who had hardened their hearts against Jesus? Isaiah gives us both a clue and a warning.Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/For Reflection:The costs that come with faith were too high for many, both then and now.- One painful cost is the cost of submission. If Jesus is Lord, then we are not. This cost was the reason for Pharaoh's hardness of heart. How has Jesus' lordship challenged the way you might otherwise direct your time, your treasure, and your talents?- Another cost is the social. Have you or others you know paid a social price for following Jesus?- Have these costs been worth it for you? Why?

Jesus is deeply troubled by the dark path ahead. This path comes to a fork and he must choose. One path is to pray, "Father, save me from this hour" (v27), that is, do not let me suffer. The other path is to pray, "Father, bring glory to your name!" (v28), even if it means suffering. Jesus chooses the second path and invites us to follow him.Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/For Reflection:Jesus invites us to pray with him, "Father, bring glory to your name!"- "Glory" refers to weight, gravity, substance, and reality. Think back to a time when you experienced God's glory. What happened? How did it affect you?- "Name" refers to a person's reputation and the deepest essence of what makes them who they are. When have you experienced someone (including you) bringing glory to God's name? How might your life and your choices bring glory to God's name even now?

When trust feels risky and control feels safer, how do we take the leap of faith? In this sermon, we explore what it really means to follow the Good Shepherd - and why letting go might be the key to a fuller life.· · ·👉🏻 Sermons in the "Witness" series: https://tinyurl.com/3c8564ku👉🏻 Dive deeper into John: https://tinyurl.com/4vcwrfv8

When outsiders begin to seek out Jesus, he knows that the time has come for him to give his life. The world is ready and Jesus is ready. But the path forward is not one we might expect. Like a seed, Jesus must be buried in order to give new life. The path to a full life is the same for us. We must lay down our lives for Jesus in the service of others. That death is the only way to life! Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/For Reflection:Instead of being the conqueror that the crowds wanted, Jesus announces that he must die in order to bring life to many (v24).- A new believer asks you about Jesus' promise of a "life to the full" when we follow Jesus by serving others. Specifically, this person wants to know how you have experienced this fuller life. What might you share?- How might God be inviting you today to lay down your life for others in perhaps new ways? What might you need (support, courage, training?) in order to say "yes" to God?

As Jesus enters into the city, the crowds rush out with palm branches, singing songs of victory and welcoming Jesus as a king. But Jesus is not the kind of king they are expecting, and more than that, he knows that these same crowds will turn on him in just a few days when he fails to meet their misguided expectations.Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/For Reflection:God is faithful even when we are fickle.- God is faithful to keep promises, even when we don't recognize it at the time (e.g. v16). Have you ever experienced God's faithfulness only in hindsight? What happened? How has that experience changed you?- The people are fickle rather than faithful. Jesus doesn't trust the crowds and neither should we. What helps you to seek Jesus' approval rather than the crowd's? Is there some way in which God might be inviting you to change your focus today?

Martha, Mary, and Lazarus host a dinner to honor Jesus and to express their love and gratitude. Mary's gratitude is almost embarrassing -- she pours a fortune in perfume over Jesus' feet and mops it up with her hair! Judas questions her extravagance but his practicality is actually a cover for his own selfishness. How do we show our gratitude to God? How much is enough? How much is too much?Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/For Reflection:Judas and Mary are presented as two very different ways to respond to the invitation to love God.- Mary expressed her love for Jesus with incredible extravagance! Judas questioned the practicality but Jesus told him to "Leave her alone!" (v7). Had Judas not been a thief, would his question have been fair? Are there practical limits to expressing gratitude to God?- Judas tried to appear generous while hiding his own selfishness. Perhaps we don't steal like Judas, but how are we tempted to appear more generous than we truly are?

Hearing about the raising of Lazarus, the high council of Pharisees and priests fears that they must act soon or risk Jesus soaring to heights of dangerous popularity. Caiaphas, the high priest, chooses this moment to reveal a word from God -- that Jesus must die for the nation, and for the world. Better that one man should die to save many from perishing. Caiaphas was unaware both of how right and how wrong he was.Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/For Reflection:"Fear not!" is the most frequent command in the Bible. Even a direct word from God can lead us in the wrong direction when we act out of fear, as it does for the high priest Caiaphas.- Have you ever been misled by fear in your decisions or relationships? Perhaps, like Caiaphas, your fear led you to misapply God's truth? What happened? What might have been different had you been more honest about your fear?- What helps you to "fear not" in anxious times? How might you be able to help others with their fears?

When Jesus calls for the stone to be rolled away, Martha protests, "The smell will be terrible!" She had earlier confessed that Jesus could do even the "impossible" yet in the moment of truth, that confidence quickly fades. Like Martha, our faith so often fades in the moment of truth, but that is precisely the point. What Jesus does for Lazarus is really for all of us, that we might trust Jesus with our very lives!Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/For Reflection:Jesus' power over death is meant to strengthen our faith and give us the courage to truly live. Martha's and the other disciples' faith would be strengthened for the moment to come. - How might you live differently, what decisions might you make differently, if you no longer feared death?- Rather than faith, some reacted in fear and informed the Pharisees. Faith is not automatic, even in the face of miracles. What part can you play in the growth of your faith? What helps to grow your faith and diminish your fear?

What if the very things we believe to be true are actually blinding us to deeper realities? Chances are, we all have moments of certainty that may turn out to be false. Are we willing to challenge our assumptions and embrace the transformative power of humility and curiosity? Tune in to this compelling story of Jesus healing a man born blind and discover how opening our eyes to the truth can lead to profound change in ourselves and our world.· · ·👉🏻 Sermons in the "Witness" series: https://tinyurl.com/3c8564ku👉🏻 Dive deeper into John: https://tinyurl.com/4vcwrfv8

Perhaps the shortest verse in the entire Bible, John 11:35 records that Jesus wept. Many in the crowd imagined that he loved Lazarus deeply but if that's the case, then why did he not save Lazarus in the first place? The gospel leaves us to wrestle with these questions even as we wonder how to grieve in the light of our hope in Jesus.Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/For Reflection:Jesus weeps. Jesus is angered. Like the crowd, we are left to wonder why.- Why do you think that Jesus was angered (v33)?- Why do you imagine that Jesus wept (v35)?- How was grieving and loss addressed by adults around you while growing up?- How do you handle grief and loss today? What influence has the Bible and Christian community had on your experience and expression of grief?

After receiving news of Lazarus' illness, Jesus delayed two days before leaving. By the time arrives, Lazarus had been in the grave for four days. Martha is the first of Lazarus' sisters to greet Jesus. Her greeting seems like an expression of grief but it contains both an impossible request and an incredible faith in Jesus.Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/For Reflection:Like all prayer, Martha asks for something that will be true in the blessed future to be present today. - If God's full and future blessing can invade our present, what is it that you long to experience right now? Peace? Healing in a relationship? Security of some kind? How might your prayers be expressed as a desire for a taste of God's ultimate promise today?- Martha was ready to believe in and ask for, but not demand, the "impossible". How might your prayers display more of that kind of hope?