Ever felt like your prayers never made it past the ceiling above you?  Ever wonder if they fell on deaf ears?  If prayer really is direct communication with God, doesn’t it make sense to figure out a way to do it well?  Maybe if we looked carefully at the specific details Jesus gave us about prayer, we can pick up a thing or two that will give us a breakthrough in our prayers. This weekend we will see how Luke’s version of Jesus’ prayer lesson can give us direction in this very important part of our spiritual lives.

Let’s be real about this.  Go ahead and ask out loud what you may have wondered in your mind many times.  What’s the big deal about Easter?  Really!  When it comes right down to it, why do we make such a big deal over this one day?  It’s okay to pose the question because there is a very clear answer.  Every follower of Jesus needs to understand it with clarity.  The resurrection of Jesus will be your resurrection.  That’s right.  Your body will come alive after you die.  And get this, we’re talking a new and improved body.  Perfect body.

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At Eastside Christian Church every member is exhorted to give personal service to the work of our mission.  All are needed. All have been gifted by God’s Spirit to make a difference.  The church family suffers deeply if even one person fails to serve. The Corinthians, however, failed to see all of that.  Some thought they had nothing to offer.  Others thought they were the most important and no one else was needed.  Paul refuted their thinking to remind them we are a beautiful family, molded together to make a difference in each other’s lives.

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The church is the reflection of Jesus.  His heart, his focus, his purpose – all of him is to be lived out among the people who call themselves his children.  In no area is that more true than a selfless life.  The Bible tells us when Jesus died on the cross he emptied himself; poured out all of himself for the benefit of others.  But when that character trait is reversed in his family, it is the worst of reflections.  Selfishness gives the wrong impression to the world and that which we must constantly guard against.

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In this week's message, we see Paul address a serious issue of sin within the church at Corinth—sexual immorality that even non-believers would find shocking. Paul is clear: the church cannot ignore or tolerate open, unrepentant sin. Instead, believers are called to lovingly correct one another and maintain the purity of the church.

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One of the greatest signs that we love Jesus is when we love each other in the family of Jesus.  You can feel it when you walk into a church and it’s there.  You can also feel when it’s not!  The church in Corinth had a hard time with this.  Camps were divided.  Sometimes those camps became divisive.  It’s no mistake that the apostle Paul said this issue had to be addressed first.  Coming together in beautiful relationships of unity is at the very heart of God’s love for the world.

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As we have learned through this teaching series, very few events are covered by all four gospel writers.  But that all changes as we arrive at Friday of Holy Week.  From the arrest in the garden all the way through the resurrection there is a consistency in the gospel accounts.  The ultimate purpose of each author was to share the good news, that Jesus died for the world and rose from the dead to prove who he was.  Each writer passionately covered this main point of the story of Jesus’ life. 

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The days leading up to Friday of Holy Week must have been emotionally draining for Jesus.  He knows what is coming soon – He knows the reason behind it all (the love of the Father) – but He has to face the people who just don’t get it.  And they are among the closest to him, the ones who should have known better.  But Jesus presses on, because his love for us supersedes our failures.

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As Jesus enters his last week on this earth, pre-resurrection, things start to get intense.  He encounters the highest of praise and lowest of opposition.  He comes face-to-face with friends and enemies.  Without question, he is intent on accomplishing the purpose to which His Father sent him.  There is a strong life lesson: stay focused on what is most important even though you might encounter many distractions.

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This week we're talking about faith in action, the power of community, and the impact of giving in our modern world, where often we feel overwhelmed by the magnitude of global issues. The disciples remind us that miracles of kindness, generosity, and faith can still happen today.

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