John 3:16 is without a doubt one of the most popular and well-known Bible verses in the world. This one simple verse presents God actively demonstrating His love for all mankind by offering salvation through His only Son, Jesus.In this world of sin, we have all failed at some point. This is what makes John 3:16 so amazing and precious - it describes the way God is acting to rescue us from our sinful ways. John 3:16 is a verse that can easily run through our brains without much thought, but I hope today we will stop and consider what this verse really means.

In a dark world filled with hurt and sadness, it can be difficult to see how Jesus could bring lasting peace and joy. Many things can bring temporary peace and joy: a new home, car or job, health, finances, and even our relationships. One day all these temporary things will pass away. There is only one source of eternal peace and joy - JESUS. He gives us peace that passes all understanding and He gives us joy that is everlasting.

Have you ever felt hopeless? We live in a world today that is full of false hope. People put their hope in many different things: their kids, their jobs, money, the government, doctors, alcohol, drugs, etc. Some may even attempt to put their hope in the local church. When feeling hopeless, it's easy to put our hope in something other than Jesus Christ. But in a life of hopelessness, we can be reminded that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, has come to give us a life full of hope.

This morning I want to look at 3 things scripture teaches us about our hope in Jesus Christ.

1. Jesus is our Living Hope (1 Peter 1:3-4

2. Jesus is our Unshakable Hope (Hebrews 6:17-20)

3. Jesus is our Eternal Hope (Romans 15:13)

PHILIPPIANS 1:1-11 - Have you ever thought what it looks like or what it means to be partners in the gospel? The fact is that, as Christians, we are all on mission together. The moment we accept Jesus Christ we become part of His mission to spread the gospel. As we read this passage, we can see Paul begins to pray and thank God for the partnership he has with the people in Philippi. Through this passage Paul identifies how gospel partnership impacts the body of Christ and how gospel partnership impacts the church.

Romans 5:1-6 - Have you ever tried to find a new job? Almost everyone at some point in their life has or will go through the process of searching for a job. When the interview process begins, most of us have questions like how much will I get paid, what are my work hours, and, most importantly, will I receive a benefits package? We hope for benefits like health and dental insurance, paid holidays, and paid vacation. In most cases a job with great benefits is a great job.

As we read Romans chapter 5, Paul reminds us that when we come to know Jesus Christ as our Savior, we will receive a benefits packages. No job we will ever have on this earth can compare to the benefits that Christ gives us.

Through justification, we have benefits:

Benefit #1 - Peace with God

Benefit #2 - Access to God

Benefit #3 - Future Hope

Benefit #4 - Christ-like Character

Benefit #5 - Holy Spirit

Today we celebrate through worship and prayer as we send out the Polson family to Everett, Massachusetts. Today we rejoice in our church becoming a sending church to the nations. My prayer is that we will continue to live sent lives from Cheraw to the ends of the earth.

EPHESIANS 4:1-6 - We live in a world today that is divided in so many ways - from our governments, our jobs, our schools, our families, and sadly, even our churches. Often it's easier to just stay divided than to work together, but God has called us as a body of believers to be united as one in Jesus Christ. In our passage today, Paul explains how we as the body of Christ can walk in unity. Paul shares with us how to become A BODY OF ONE.

Luke 9:57-62 - As Christians we have been given a great task. God has called us to help fulfill the growth of His Kingdom and we as Christians must answer the call of God. We’ve all heard the phrase “All In.” God has called us to be “all in” for His Kingdom. We have no time to look back, but instead we must look forward and press on towards Gods calling. It's not the easiest thing to do, but it is exactly what Jesus has called us to do. A life lived “all in” is a life fully surrendered to Jesus. Jesus Himself did not look back; He bet His life against sin and death and He won!

Our God is an “all in” God, and He has called and empowered us to be “all in” people. Today I not only encourage you but I challenge you to be an “all in” church.