A pitch black room. A dark alley. The first day at a new school. We fear these things because of the unknown. It has been said that what we do not understand we worship or fear. When this fear is aimed at people it is called "Xenophobia" fear of that which is foreign or strange. How wide to we draw our circle, and how would Jesus have us treat people outside of it?

No matter how much money we make or how much stuff we have it can seem like it’s never enough. But where does our anxiety about not having enough ultimately get us? Ultimately, Jesus tells us we should not worry, but is it that easy? How can we live a life with less fear about what we don't have?

A famous saying goes, "Father time is undefeated." How do we know what waits for us at the end of life? Is this all there is? Jesus promises us that we have hope, not because of what we have done but because of who he is.

It's hard to play electric guitar unplugged. We can't remain isolated from our source of strength and expect to succeed in any way that will last. Jesus uses the analogy of viticulture to show us how vital it is to stay connected to him.

This is a phrase people often quote using a capital THE. Jesus makes a strong declaration when he calls himself "the way, the truth, the life." But too often Christians "don't have near the amount of love we need to speak the truth we want to speak." It is crucial to remember we don't follow a list of rules, we follow the way of Jesus.

Sheep are definitely cute and provide some cozy warm wool, but they would rarely be described as smart animals. The thing about sheep is they need to be led. There are lots of competing voices vying for our attention, voices that beckon us to follow. Jesus showed us that his voice is the only one worthy to obey, and that we should follow his example.

We love exclusivity: VIP sections, box seats, luxury suites, and backstage passes. Sometimes the only thing we like more than being "in" is making sure other people are "out." Jesus wrecked the most religious' people's concepts of who would be "in" and "out" with God and he reminds us that he is the gatekeeper, not us.

It isn't hard to come up with reasons to be less than optimistic about the state of the world. Checking the news can be an exercise in despair. That is one option. The other is to be happy that we'll never run out of stuff to do! Jesus' entire mission was to enter our world as a light in a dark place and he passes on that mission to us.

Long before Jesus showed up, the people of Israel depended on bread falling from heaven to live. It was an experiment in trust- believing that the miracle would happen day after day. When Jesus says he is the bread of life, he shows us we can put our trust in him.

Long before Jesus showed up, the people of Israel depended on bread falling from heaven to live. It was an experiment in trust- believing that the miracle would happen day after day. When Jesus says he is the bread of life, he shows us we can put our trust in him.