The purpose of the signs of Jesus in the book of John is that we might believe, that we might have life. Not that we might raise from the dead, but that we might have life in the name of Jesus. 

There are two reasons this is important to remember. 1) If resurrection is our hope then we have to wait until after we die to experience it, but the hope of life in Jesus begins now. 2) Resurrection isn’t always even good news. According to this passage some will be resurrected not to life, but to judgment. For those, the prospect of resurrection is not a hopeful or comforting thought. Those who die without following Jesus will resurrect to an eternity of separation from Jesus an eternity utterly separated from love and goodness. All that to say, resurrection isn’t our hope, life is.

As we examine the story of Jesus' healing at the Pool of Bethesda, we consider the parallel in our own life. while Jesus surely offers physical healing, there is a far better thing that he offers as well, forgiveness of sins.

What does it mean to believe? What is faith? As we come to understand what faith is through our passage this morning, we are prompted to consider how we might grow in our faith, by taking steps of obedience to follow God into the unknown.  

So as we consider a story about a miracle today, we are reminded that our faith should not be primarily in the miraculous, but in the character and promises of God.

When Jesus is approached by a prestigious, learned, and noble teacher of Israel, his response is not to say that he needs mild correction, but that he must be born again. This is the call in each of our lives, we are not simply spiritually sick, but spiritually dead and in need of rebirth. Today we look at one of the most famous passages of Scripture and find that each of us must be born again, of the Spirit of God, through the love of God, into the life of God, by believing in God. 

In our passage today, we see Jesus inviting us to come and follow him. If you are wondering if you should then remember whatever you’re looking for, Jesus has it! But it is found when you follow him.

Pastor Dave Castle shares with us from the story of Jesus' first miracle at the wedding at Cana. And challenges us to consider how we might do whatever Jesus says and find ourselves filled with the wine of gladness that only he provides.

On Christmas Day we consider that Jesus didn't just come to give us a nice Holiday, but he came to change everything in our lives. 

John the Baptist was a self-proclaimed nobody, who was telling everybody, that somebody was coming to forgive their sins. We look today at the testimony of John, and consider how we might join him in the work of making much of Jesus. 

The Glorious Mystery of Christmas is not a baby in a manger it is God in human flesh. We follow the story of John 1 on three movements. The Son (Jesus) was in eternal perfect relationship with God, He experienced complete separation from God, So that we could have eternal perfect relationship with God.

We begin our new series through the book of John, not at the beginning of the book, but at the end, where John tells us his purpose in writing, that we might believe and that we might find life in Jesus.  We discuss that the life in Jesus is eternal and abundant, but it is also radically different the life this world would offer and celebrate.  So how will we each respond to the claims and calls of Jesus?