This weekend, we will dig into 1 John 2:1-2. As you read these verses to prepare for worship, consider this: God traded places with us when He sent His only Son to die on a cross for our sins. God turned his wrath in punishment toward himself so he could turn his mercy in forgiveness toward us! This is amazing love!

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We are sinners. Every one of us.

Join your GCC family as we continue to celebrate the truth that JESUS IS LORD! We will begin a new sermon series this weekend that will take us into the riches of 1, 2, and 3 John. These New Testament letters were written to a group of churches grappling with the fall-out from false teaching and ungodly behavior. These letters were written to bring assurance and certainty to Christians – the assurance that the Christian faith is absolutely true and Jesus is truly the one and only Savior of the world. And the assurance that we can have a new and eternal life in Jesus Christ!

HE IS RISEN! Jesus Christ is alive! He is the Savior of the World! He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords! Join your GCC family this weekend as we gather in five services to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. John 20:1-18 will come alive in our minds and hearts as we see the resurrection through the eyes of Mary Magdalene, and discover the power of His resurrection over sin, death and the powers of darkness in our world. Then, we’ll be inspired to go and tell others the Good News!

According to John 19:28-30, at the end of Jesus’ life, he says, “It is finished”—a single word in Greek, but not a single word in meaning. Jesus didn’t say, “I am finished,” “You are finished,” or “We are finished.” Rather, he roared like a lion, “It is finished.”

What was crucifixion and why did Jesus have to endure this brutal form of execution? This Weekend, we'll unpack the physical and spiritual realities of the cross. What happened to Jesus? What happened because of Jesus? Get ready for a powerful look at the unconditional love that led Christ to the cross, as we continue the unconditional! sermon series on the road to Easter. Reread John 19 as you prepare for this message.

The cross is the most enduring symbol of Christianity. Peter, one of Jesus’ most devoted followers, wrote that Jesus himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, “so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24). The cross of Jesus Christ is that pivotal point in history, the center of time and eternity, when unconditional love met indescribable suffering, which opened the way for the salvation of all mankind. “By his wounds you have been healed.” What are those wounds? Join us this weekend as we begin to look closely at the events leading up to that pivotal moment captured in John 19:16 when, “Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.” To prepare well for our study, read John 18 and 19.

This weekend, we’ll meet up with one of Jesus’ best known followers. His name is Peter and we will meet him in one of the most painfully real, yet powerfully life-changing experiences of his life. It’s an experience you may have had, or may yet have, as you follow Jesus. It’s an experience that someone you know and love is having even now.

When you discover how Jesus ultimately responded to Peter in this painful experience, you can’t help but say, “What a Savior!” Without a doubt, Jesus’ unconditional love and grace is on display in Peter’s life. It is the same love and grace that Jesus has for every one of us!

His is a tragic story, and the lessons from his life are sobering. His betrayal of Jesus in the 24 hours leading up to the cross was not an isolated incident. It followed in a long line of sinful choices made by Judas that gave the devil full access to his life. It is indeed a dark tragedy, yet through the darkness, the light of Christ shines brightly. We see the light of Jesus’ unconditional love and grace. To fully appreciate this light, you need to fully experience the darkness of Judas’ betrayal.

This weekend we begin a series of messages that focus on the 24 hours leading up to Jesus’ death on the cross. We will follow Him to the cross and, as we do, we will learn the true meaning of UNCONDITIONAL. Unconditional care. Unconditional compassion. Unconditional service. Unconditional giving. Unconditional kindness. Unconditional forgiveness. Unconditional obedience. Unconditional surrender. UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. Join your GCC family this weekend as we look at what Jesus meant when, in John 13:1-17, he called on his followers to wash one another’s feet. You may be surprised by the powerful truth that flows out of this simple command! I look forward to growing with you this weekend.