I may not know WHY, but I can choose to TRUST Him.

John 11—The Story of Lazarus’s Death

See also John 16:33; 1 Peter 5:10; James 1:2; Romans 8:17

1. Jesus experienced suffering like us.

• Mark 15:34; John 3:16

2. Jesus mourns with us.

3. Jesus will make everything right some day.

> Believers are “at home with the Lord" in Paradise (Luke 23:43)

> Unbelievers are in a place of torment (Hades) (Luke 16)

5 | One God or Three?

From our limited perspective, the Trinity is impossible to fully comprehend.

Deuteronomy 6:4; Genesis 1:1; Genesis 1:26-27

• There is one God, plural persons.

• We describe this as the Trinity.

1 Corinthians 8:4; 1 Timothy 2:5; Galatians 1:1; John 20:28; Acts 5:3-4

• TRINITY: One God, Three Persons

• Each person in the trinity plays important and distinct

roles.

We are created by relationship for relationship.

The Story of Stephen—Acts 6

Stephen was a hero in both life and death!

BIG IDEA: Be a hero.

1. Stephen was full of faith.

2. Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit.

• Acts 6:8; Hebrews 2:4; Acts 5:12; Acts 14:3

• Men and women who are full of the Holy Spirit can always expect the miraculous to show up in their ministries.

What did Stephen do with all that faith and power?

Stephen SERVED!

QUESTION ONE: How do we explain that homosexual behavior is sinful?

• The Old Covenant is not our covenant.

> Compare Leviticus 18 to Leviticus 19.

• Jesus raised the bar on morality.

> Matthew 5:27-28 (see context as well)

• The apostles identified behaviors that are sinful.

> 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

• The goal is transformation, not condemnation.

> John 8:11; 2 Corinthians 5:17

QUESTION TWO: Why do we need to change?

• Everyone IS created in God’s image. But the image was broken.

> Romans 3:23

• Jesus changes us.

> 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

• Jesus calls us to agape love.

> John 13:34;

> 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Here’s how we can change the tone:

• Stop calling names.

• Stop using zingers.

• Invite LGBTQ people into your life.