Jesus used these cute little stories often. Truth be told, there's nothing cute about them. In fact, they are a veiled confrontation with the truth. The crowds He spoke to were not ready for a naked discourse. Are you and I? 

If we want to understand the visible world and get the highest good out of the things we can see, we’re gonna have to bring into our field of vision, ‘the things we cannot see.’ All of this is only made possible by a window, a door, named Jesus.

Our God, God the father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit has spoken to His creation, and continues to speak, and is speaking to His church, "ascribe to Him the Glory due His name”.

On that day, the church was born and gospel Christianity began. It would be as distinct as life is from death because it involved the ministry of the Holy Spirit…bringing life, light, and the love of Christ into the dead spirits of men. And where the Spirit is not the life of the church, our outward form is like the carcass left behind by a departed soul. 

Ascension Day is that mysterious departure of Christ's physical presence from the earth. The life that began with a supernatural birth ends in a supernatural departure. In one sense, Christ’s work on earth was finished on the cross. But in another sense, that finished work is nothing but the beginning, the starting-point of Christ’s heavenly activity. And actor Leslie Nielsen may have been at the Ascension. 

Moses spoke to God "as a man speaks to his friend.” But every one of Christ’ friends stands nearer to God than Moses did at the door of the Tabernacle. Hard to believe? Listen how as Pastor Joe breaks down what it means to be Christ’s friends through the indwelling of the Spirit.

We tend to misdirect and hoard power and life through the mechanisms of fear, hate, and indifference. But it is through the True Vine, who is Jesus, The Christ, that God’s atonting long-suffering love and life is available to all humanity.

Is it enough to say, “The Lord is my Shepherd; I have all that I need” (Psalm 23:1)? The answer is “yes!” and best understood as we follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in understanding 1 John 3:16 "We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us”. We are thus empowered to embrace Jesus’ LOVE as our Good Shepherd and not as a hired hand (John 10:11-14).  We, in turn, can tell others about this wonderful love, offering hope for the broken and rest for the weary.

We may never understand the Gospel or the greater part of the New Testament if we don’t understand the Forgotten Beatitude first. Where is it and why didn’t it make the cut in Matthew 5? Listen in as Pastor Joe explains, reminding us that believing is not credence only. Believing is trusting. 

The Greeks wanted to see Jesus so they could learn more about him. But in order to really see Jesus, you have to follow him. Pastor Joe asks the question: "Do you want to be a learner of Jesus Christ or a follower of Jesus Christ? The difference...is the gospel."