In John 10:27, Jesus says: ‘“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”’ This message is all about encouraging us to slow down to hear from God. 

The primary mark of discipleship, according to Jesus in this passage, is listening—not preaching, not attending church, and not going on mission trips. First and foremost, followers of Jesus are marked out by the way they listen and obey. And this doesn’t just mean knowing lots of Bible verses because the root Greek word used here for "listen" is akoustikos (ἀκουστικός) from which we get the word acoustic. Jesus is saying that his true followers are those who recognize the acoustics, the nuance, and the intimate, personal tone of his voice.

One of the oldest, simplest, and most powerful tools for hearing God’s voice in and through the Bible is through the ancient practices of reading, meditating, prayer, and contemplation.

John 10:17 NIV

27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

Psalm 46:10a NLT 

10 “Be still, and know that I am God!

Luke 5:16 NIV

16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. 

Be still and you will know

Many Christians have a narrow view of what evangelism is (preaching, debating, answering every question) or feel too intimidated to even try. This message is designed to encourage Christians to foster real personal relationships with those who have no faith or are of a different faith. Encourage us to cultivate our relationships with our neighbors, classmates, co-workers, and lost family and friends.

John 15:1 NIV

1 … my Father is the gardener.

Mark 4:1-9 NIV

The Parable of the Sower

4 Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. 2 He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: 3 “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”

9 Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

Cultivate R.I.C.H. soil in your relationships.

Be R.I.C.H.

Don’t be R.I.C.H.

John 15:1 NIV

1 … my Father is the gardener.

When Jesus died on the cross, He made a way for us to be one with Him again. But before He ever took that step, He taught about the vine and the branches and shared that we would be grafted into God’s family tree.

Jesus has called us once again to be fruitful and multiply, but differently than is commanded in Genesis. Here we’re told to remain in Christ so that we can bear good fruit. And we’re told to multiply by sharing the good news of Jesus so that others can be grafted into that same family tree.

Be fruitful and multiply

How can we activate it this week?

What do you need to start doing or keep doing to remain closely connected with your Creator and brothers and sisters in Christ?

Presented by Meghan Shaw

John 15:1 NIV

1 … my Father is the gardener.

John 3:14-17 CSB

14 “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. 16 For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Jesus is the new Tree of Life

If you’re not yet a follower of Jesus, He invites you to put your trust in Him today. If you are a follower of Jesus, then today is a chance to partake in Communion and remember His sacrifice and saving grace.

Presented by Chrystal Zidon

On Palm Sunday the King (Jesus) arrived in Jerusalem. He was met with a royal welcome of palm branches and cloaks as he rode into the city. The people recognized his authority and kingship.

But it was only a matter of days before the many people in the city were demanding that Jesus be crucified and his divine right to rule was met with mockery and pain. They were disappointed that Jesus was not the King that they had pictured in their minds.

John 15:1 NIV

1 … my Father is the gardener.

Lay down your palm branch daily

How will you lay down a palm branch by recognizing and humbly submitting to Jesus as the ultimate authority in your life?

Look inward and think about if you have a hurt or disappointment with God, what steps can you take to address those things?

This message is about the Garden and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Discuss how Adam and Eve chose to do what was right in their own eyes and humanity has been doing that ever since. What happened then is still happening now.

John 15:1 NIV

1 … my Father is the gardener.

When we do what is right in our own eyes, God does what is right.

It is the default of the human heart to pursue the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, deciding for ourselves what is right and wrong. Where is an area of your life that you need to submit to what is right in God’s eyes instead of your own?