Are we ready for Jesus to return at any moment? Jesus calls us to be faithful and wise, though it might be very uncomfortable, as we wait for his return at any moment.

We sometimes live as though life is going to carry on forever just the same way it always has. Jesus reminds his disciples, and us, that God is directing the whole world towards a definite end, with Christ at the centre. The question is, are we ready for it? This sermon was presented by Mark Porter, one of our Grace Community Group leaders.

Human beings have always found themselves at times feeling like we’re drowning in a sea of confusion, grief and bad advice. Thousands of years ago, a man called Job realised that he needed a ‘someone’ — a godly go-between, a heavenly mediator — to appeal to God on his behalf. What Job is telling us is that, ultimately, Jesus is the answer. To whom will you make your appeal?

Greed is worshipping as god that which isn’t God. And it’s fatal.

Ezekiel’s vision reminds us that God is a god who restores and brings life.

It’s not just our fear and anxiety about other people that affects our wholehearted discipleship. Our relationship with our wealth can also create fear and anxiety. Jesus says the solution is fearing loss is to embrace it for the sake of the Kingdom, trusting in our generous Father who provides for our needs.

Being a disciple of Jesus in the world brings with it all kinds of trouble, fear and anxiety. Jesus says the remedy for our anxiety is in our relationship with the Father, who will provide for what we need.

Being a wholehearted disciple of the Lord Jesus can be a very anxious experience. We will be faced with loss of all kinds. But Jesus says that the rememdy to this anxiety and fear is the relationship we have with the Father in him.

The evidence about Jesus speaks for itself. Why don’t people face the facts and believe in Jesus? The problem isn’t Jesus, it’s not the evidence, it’s actually just sin.

We live in constant danger of frantic discipleship: more concerned for the things, even the good things, we do for Jesus, rather than we has done for us. Jesus says one thing is necessary - resting in our relationship with God in Christ, through reading our Bibles and responding in prayer.