Did you know God’s children also face enormous temptations? Jesus did. And the way he handled “the Test” is exactly how we must. Don’t let the enemy entice you away from your central vocation, but learn how to defeat the enemy’s seductions.

Strangely, there’s a story about Jesus’s appearance being “transfigured” (transformed) in the presence of three of his disciples, with his face shining like the sun and his clothes lighting up brightly. A couple dead saints show up—Moses and Elijah—to speak with him, and God’s voice declares Jesus to be His son. Most people feel this miracle reveals Jesus’ divinity, but what is on display is Jesus’ full humanity! We are made in God’s image and, like Jesus, we are created to shine His glory to the world. The Tim Tebow Foundation Night to Shine Prom held at Grace in February spotlighted hundreds who were shining brightly. Because we are meant to Shine!

We don't think about the foundation of a building until something goes wrong with it. This week we see that both the Apostle Paul and Jesus have some timely words regarding foundations. Many of us quickly claim that Jesus and his ways and teachings are the foundation of our life, but what do we do when His ways are drastically different than our natural inclinations?

There was recently a Direct TV commercial that featured a family of old fashioned Settlers who settle for the worst of everything. In week 4 of our This Is Us series, we will see Paul urging the believers in Corinth to aspire to a life led by the Spirit instead of settling to be "mere humans". Here we are 2000 years later and many of us still struggle with not settling for far less than God's best for us.

In these difficult times and hostile atmosphere when people are so opinionated, it seems impossible that we could meaningfully talk to others about Jesus. But the Bible reveals it is in our weakness that the power of God shows up and draws people to Christ. What’s more, God is giving us His wisdom and strength by lending us His Spirit, and the world does not operate with the insights we are granted. Since we see differently, we are in the best possible position of all to make a difference in this world.

Have you ever been completely sold on a product or service and found yourself telling everyone in your sphere of influence about it? Often times we find others that share our enthusiasm while others just can't seem to get on board. This week, the Apostle Paul does a great job of reminding the church in Corinth that the message of Jesus, his life, death, and resurrection will find a home with some while others will being rejected by others. It is a great reminder that we have a life-changing story to tell.

Join us as we begin a new teaching series, "This is us". For the next few weeks we are pulling back the curtain on the the ancient church in Corinth. As we look at their struggles, issues, and dysfunction we may be surprised to see that we still struggle in similar ways. This week we will see how they were a divided bunch because they were seeking the world's ways of defining themselves, something we are still tempted to do in 2017.

Guest Speaker John Riley joins us this Sunday. John is a Coach, Writer, and an “observer of life” who speaks about it with humor and inspiration. For more about John, visit his website at johnsriley.com

Some people mistakenly think turning over our lives to God in baptism is the goal, the end of the game. One look at the life and impact Jesus made after his baptism shows us just the opposite—coming to Christ is just the beginning. If we’re going to launch into a life that Loves God, Loves Others and Changes the World, we need to know who God says we are, bless the past but embrace his purpose going forward. It’s a New Day, a Fresh Start.

Often we awake from a dream disappointed to discover it was too good to be true—we were merely dreaming. But God’s dream of taking away the curse against us came true in Jesus—when Love Came Down. If we take time to ponder the meaning of this dream, we will find God can change the entire course of our lives.