Grace City Denver

Life is filled with fearful situations and seasons. We encounter opportunities for anxiety at nearly every turn. How do we acknowledge those things that make us afraid, yet live courageously anyway? This psalm has a simple secret to share.

How is a life of integrity related to trusting God? How can one confidently ask God to examine their life and declare them innocent? How can we live stable, fearless lives in a world of sin? This psalm shows us that there's safety in a life of faith-filled integrity.

When trouble comes into our lives, it's natural to assume it's the result of either sin or just plain missing the will of God. In this Psalm, David shares a wise and godly response. Whether you know the cause of your problems or not, you can always focus on and trust the Lord, wait on him, and petition him for your needs.

This Psalm recounts the praise of a victory procession, celebrating the victory of the King of glory. What battle is this referring to? And how do others share in the King's victory and salvation?

From the beginning, God's plan was to redeem a multiethnic people from every nation, tribe, and tongue. This is at the heart of the Gospel and the eternal purpose of God. Because the Gospel announces and creates this kind of reconciled community, we must actively live at peace with one another.

In what’s widely regarded as one of the most shocking, offensive things Jesus said, he told the crowds to eat his flesh and drink his blood. Surely he didn’t mean to violate the Mosaic Law and consume his literal flesh and blood, but what did he mean? How was he connecting himself to the imagery of the Passover lamb? And how can you identify with and “feed on” Jesus today, so that he lives his life in and through yours?

The day after Jesus fed the 5,000 (men, plus women and children), the crowds tracked him down and wanted him to continue to meet their physical demands. Jesus took the opportunity to share “the Bread of Life discourse” instead. Drawing a parallel to the manna that fed their ancestors in the wilderness, Jesus said he was the true and living bread that came down from heaven to satisfy the deepest longings of the human soul.

After feeding the 5,000 (men, plus women and children), Jesus sent his disciples ahead of him across the Sea of Galilee while he remained behind to pray. They encountered a violent storm; so Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. This miracle reveals more about the identity and authority of Jesus and how he shows up in the midst of our “storms” of life.

Thousands followed Jesus to the far side of the Sea of Galilee to hear him teach and to seek his healing. As the day drew to a close, Jesus urged his disciples to feed the masses. How? One boy had five barley loaves and two fish. Jesus took them, miraculously multiplied them, and satisfied the hunger of all who were there. Seeing that he was the Prophet like Moses, the people tried to make him their Messiah-King by force, but Jesus withdrew. His true mission would not be hijacked by others' wishes and demands.

The key to understanding this text is that the Jews have functionally put Jesus on trial, and he’s defending his identity and integrity by calling a series of witnesses. In the end, Jesus warns them that they are not the final judge – he is! So they must either repent and believe, and know him as the Savior who gives eternal life, or they will face eternal judgment.