The fruit of genuine forgiveness is genuine love. When we encounter Jesus—without resisting God’s presence and his grace—we encounter total forgiveness.

As we discover in John 5v1-16, it is never too late for Jesus to make you whole. What is true about encounters with Jesus in the Bible is still true for us today.

Fear and doubt fade in the presence of Jesus. When was the last time you were aware Jesus was with you?

What do you need Jesus to do in your life? He stands ready to meet your needs.

Jesus is loving, gentle, and inviting—even if it feels like your faith is small, you can encounter Jesus right where you are.

(Please note: There are no sermon slides for this talk.)

What happens when you encounter Jesus? He interrupts your agenda, he humbles you, he transforms you, and he redefines your life’s purpose.

Depending on Jesus’ love—just like a child—is how we follow him and step into the kingdom of God.

If you’ve truly encountered Jesus, your life can never remain the same—it’s a life-altering and life-shifting experience, as a guy named Zacchaeus discovered.

Followers of Jesus seek to make peace with everyone at every opportunity. Extending an invitation to a peacemaker conversation involves humility, acknowledging reflection, and making the ask.

God calls followers of Jesus to navigate relational tension wisely as they make every effort to work for peace—and as they choose to not settle for false peace.