Crossing Community Church

When Jesus rose from the grave, why did He linger here on Earth instead of going straight to be with the Father? This week, Pastor Tim suggests that one thing Jesus was doing in that time between his resurrection and his ascension was dealing with the doubts and fears of his followers. His appearances to Peter, Thomas and the others were intended to remove doubt and to assure them of His love and purpose for them even though they fled in His hour of need. Many of us today still struggle with doubts and fears. God is not offended or angry at us when that is true. Instead he desires to reconcile those doubts and fears through His Word, His Spirit and His people. 

On the day of the resurrection, two followers of Christ were walking home to Emmaus, discouraged and disillusioned about the events of the past few days. All that they thought was going to happen seemed lost, their hope destroyed. But as a third traveler joins them, he begins to explain from the Scriptures what was to happen to the Messiah. Soon enough, the two discouraged travelers discover their new companion is Jesus himself. Jesus adjusted their expectations, He realigned them with biblical reality and that changed their total perspective. Are you discouraged? Pastor Tim has some suggestions for you today if you are!

As early as 5 B.C., mankind has been searching for a way to retain youth or even to gain immortality. Why? Because we fear death. There are many reasons why people might fear death, but when Christ came back from the dead, He made it possible to not be afraid of death ever again, but instead, to see death as the door to an eternity with God and life everlasting!

Today Jarred Cain, our Youth & Worship Director, shared his testimony with us. If you come from a family that was impacted by divorce, you might relate to Jarred's story. Even through the hardships of broken relationships, God had people in his life that Jarred trusted who challenged and encouraged him along the way. Ultimately, after rejecting God's grace for many years, Jarred gave up the struggle to find purpose and freedom in Christ.

When Jesus reaches the Garden of Gethsemane and begins to cry out to his Father, perhaps there is no more fuller portrayal of his human nature. This scene in his life has much to teach us, from his relationship with the disciples to his relationship with his father and his absolute obedience that wins us our freedom!

From the very beginning of Jesus' public ministry at the wedding in Cana, he spoke of "his hour" and most often said 'that it had not come.' But when you read the Upper Room Discourse and get to chapter 17, things change. Jesus now says, "His hour has come." Those two words equate to the purpose of his earthly life -- to die for the sins of mankind. 

As Jesus shares his final thoughts before his arrest with the disciples, he warns them of coming persecution. In John 15, the Lord gives them 6 reasons the world will hate his followers. Today, Pastor Tim challenges us to understand that Jesus was not just speaking to the eleven that night, he was speaking to us as well. 

As we continue to study John 13-17, Jesus explains that he must leave so that His Father can send the Helper. Jesus gives some insight into who the Helper is and what He will do and as the Lord explains this, the trait that He mentions most is that the Helper will reveal truth. Pastor Tim talks about why revealing truth might the most important aspect of the Helper's ministry at that time -- and why it's equally important for our time as well. 

On the last night with his disciples, Jesus pulls his disciples aside and spends the evening sharing with them a sort of 'last will and testament' giving them encouragement and instruction for the difficult and confusing days to come. 
In our study of the Upper Room Discourse (John 13-17), Pastor Tim studies the six times the Lord said, "These things I have spoken."

John 13:35 makes an amazing statement, "By this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another.” At a day and time when the messages about the church and from the church are confusing, Jesus gives us a way to communicate with the watching world -- by our love for one another.