Valley Life Church - Yakima

Walking with Jesus but missing His way  03/29/26 Pastor Jon Verwey Jesus leads the way in humility, opens the way through the cross, and is the only Way to real transformation. …Jesus [was] leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. — Mark 10:32a NIV …Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. — Luke 9:51 NIV Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore, I have set my face like a stone, determined to do his will. And I know that I will not be put to shame. — Isaiah 50:7 NLT  Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him.  “We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.”  vv. 32b-34 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. — Philippians 2:6–8 NLT  “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” v. 38b “…but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”v. 40 …You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. vv. 42b-44 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve… v. 45a  For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. v. 45  …he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. — Philippians 2:7 NLT His spilled blood, broken body and death became the ransom price that set us free from slavery to sin. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. — Philippians 2:9–11 NLT  Jesus leads the way in humility, opens the way through the cross, and is the only Way to real transformation. He has opened the way for you to step out of the exhausting cycle of trying harder but never changing — and into the life you were created to live.

God’s Design for Relationships and the Way to the Kingdom Pastor Jon Verwey “It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law…” “Anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 1 Jesus then left that place and went into the region of Judea and across the Jordan. Again crowds of people came to him, and as was his custom, he taught them. 2 Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” 3 “What did Moses command you?” he replied. 4 They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.” 5 “It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied. 6 “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ 7 ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, 8 and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” 10 When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. 11 He answered, “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. 12 And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.” 13 People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 16 And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them. —Mark 10:1–16 (NIV)  “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” v. 2b What did Moses command you?… v. 3 It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law… v. 5  “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” — Mark 10:6–9 NIV  God’s design cannot be rewritten by what we think is right or what we want to happen. When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. He answered, “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.” — Mark 10:10–12 NIV  When Jesus saw this, he was indignant… Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.  — Mark 10:14–15 NIV  God’s design cannot be rewritten by what we think is right or what we want — it must be received in humble faith. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts… See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. — Hebrews 3:7–8, 12 NIV  Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.— Proverbs 3:5–7 NLT