This sermon is the first in a new series looking at the Ten Commandments. As Christians living under "the covenant of grace," how are we to approach these ten rules that God gave to Moses? We start, of course, with the first - you must not have any other god but me. Our challenge is to understand this command through a Gospel lens.

Psalm 103 is one of the many praise Psalms. A close look at this Psalm reveals to us that praise doesn't happen in a vacuum. To praise God with all our heart is a response to our experience of His grace personally, and His love persistently. We will be encouraged to join with the Psalmist in reflecting on our experience with God and letting this fuel our praise!

What does it mean to ‘experience' God? Are there rules to meeting with God? Is there a time, or a place? What does it feel like to be in the presence of the Creator of the Universe? Thankfully, we don’t need to guess! The book of Psalms is like a journal that give us insight into both who God is, and what it is like to be with Him. This week, we look at Psalm 63 - a psalm that is especially helpful for unpacking the reality of what it really means to experience God.

How do we live a fruitful life in service to the Lord? Answer: remain connected to Jesus - or as the older translations say, Abide in Him. When Jesus described His followers as branches and Himself as the vine, He was speaking of the power of relationship. Disconnected from Christ, we are powerless and fruitless.

How can we know what is true? Jesus said that He is the truth, and so if we know Jesus, then we know the truth. He also said He was the way, and the life. If you know the truth of the Gospel, then you know the way to the Father, and you will have eternal life.

As Jesus makes His fifth “I AM …” claim, He once again displays the power to back up the bold statement He is making. Jesus claims to be the Resurrection and the Life right before bringing Lazarus back to life. Even though this statement is tied to that amazing moment in time, in what ways does it resonate through to us as modern day believers? What does it mean for us to follow Jesus as the Resurrection and the Life?

John's Gospel contains no parables, but it is awash with illustrations! This Sunday we will look at Jesus' description of Himself as the "gate for the sheep" and also the "shepherd of the sheep." What did Jesus mean by these illustrations?

"Why are the nations so angry?" - so begins Psalm 2. It seems nothing much has changed since the Psalmist first penned those words. And it all points to a futility in rejecting the Lord and His rule over the world. But not all is lost. There is refuge for those who submit to God's royal son, Jesus!

What happens when light enters a darkened space? The darkness is driven back and extinguished wherever the light reaches. When Jesus reveals Himself as the light of the world, He is claiming to be the one from whom darkness flees. He drives back the darkness in the world, but also each of our lives. What are the effects of exposure to the light of Christ upon those who follow Him? This week, we’ll press into this theme in the hope of gaining greater insight.

Most of us love to eat. Just the basics will do, but a flavour filled meal will bring us enjoyment. Food brings about physical satisfaction. The hungrier you are, the greater the satisfaction eating brings.

What about when it comes to spiritual hunger and satisfaction?

Jesus’ first I AM statement, “I AM The bread of life”, makes a bold claim on this topic. What does He mean by this? And how does this claim influence the way we relate to Jesus?