As we enter the Christmas season, were going to take a few weeks off from our series in the book of Mark to answer a question that you may have never thought of before What does God want for Christmas? Of course we know that God doesnt need anything, but the truth is, God wants YOU for Christmas. Just exactly what that should look like in our lives is what Pastor Clay is going to be exploring over the next few weeks. We start today with taking a look at Mary, the mother of Jesus, and a life of surrender.

We're in a study of the book of Mark entitled ''Jesus, The Real Action Hero.'' As we move toward the last part of Mark chapter 12, Jesus offers three important teaching moments. Last week, Pastor Clay covered the first teaching dealing with who the Christ is. This week, our study picks up with verses 38-44 as Jesus makes an observation to show us the danger and a commendation to help us live by faith.

If you were with us last week you may remember that Jesus was asked three different questions. As Pastor Clay explained, those questions were really intended to trip Jesus up and to try to get Him into trouble with either the Roman authorities or with the people. As we've seen throughout this study in the book of Mark, the religious leaders didn't like Jesus and they were desperate to stop Him. Today in Mark chapter 12 verses 35 to 37 were going to see Jesus ask a question intended to help the people understand a very important truth.

In school, do you remember having pop quizzes? It was a way for teachers to make sure their students had studied the material. But imagine having a pop quiz intended to cause you to fail. Pastor Clays back with us today and continuing our series, ''Jesus - The Real Action Hero.'' Today in Mark chapter 12, we come to a section where Jesus faced a pop quiz from people looking to trip Him up but Jesus was more than ready for their questions. And His answers teach us much about how to be a fully-devoted follower of Jesus in this world.

When bad things happen, the wheels fall off, life stinks, the dog dies and your mother-in-law moves in, where do you go? What do you do when stuff like that happens? Guest Pastor Steve Pierce offers some answers found in the Old Old Testament book of Habakkuk.

Authority.'' Its a word that seems to have fallen on hard times in our current culture. These days, almost anyone or anything that is considered to be authoritative is questioned. Sadly, for many that even includes rejecting or ignoring Gods authority. Today in our series ''Jesus - The Real Action Hero,'' the religious leaders are becoming increasingly antagonistic toward Jesus and demand that Jesus tell them on what basis He is doing these things. Jesus response was more than they bargained for and can teach us a thing or two about authority.

Today we come to the account of Jesus cleansing the temple in the last week of His life. As Pastor Clay is going to show us today, when Jesus came into the temple area and saw what the people were doing, He was not happy. His righteous anger called for action and Jesus took it. He also took the opportunity to teach His disciples some important lessons that would do all of us good to learn.

Today were continuing our series in the book of Mark as Pastor Clay takes us to Mark chapter 11 and a very curious account of Jesus cursing a fig tree. Jesus was on His way back to Jerusalem in the last week of His life, but along the way He walks over to a fig tree, finds no fruit on it, and curses it. Why would Jesus do that? Is there more to the story than we can initially realize? Probably! Lets dig into Gods word today as Pastor Clay explores the biblical concept of Gods expectations for those who claim His name.

Today Pastor Clay returns to our series: ''Jesus - The Real Action Hero,'' a study through the book of Mark. Pastor Clay started on Chapter 10 two months ago before his accident. Jesus was teaching on the subject of divorce and this week, Pastor Clay is coming back to this very important passage in which Jesus gives His followers a clear understanding of the priority of lasting marriages and the guidelines for divorce. Today it seems that people divorce for almost any reason, but as well hear today, Jesus has a very different idea about divorce.

Pastor Clay was involved in a serious accident almost two months ago and has been unable to be with us since then and were excited that he is back preaching today. Today we're taking a week away from our ''Jesus - The Real Action Hero'' series as Pastor Clay felt that this first week back, he needed to deal with the question of pain and adversity in the lives of believers, since it has been such a significant part of his life for the last two months.