Let's Talk: Jesus And...YouJesus was dead. The upstart rabbi from Galilee was humiliated and crucified publicly on Friday. But something completely unexpected happened Sunday morning. Varied opinions exist today about who Jesus was and what he came to do. The resurrection proves Jesus was who he said—the Son of God sent to save the world. We’ll look at the resurrection from the perspective of two of his original followers and learn from their responses. Whether we already believe Jesus was resurrected, yet to believe, or have some doubts—we’ll see that the resurrection was for you. 

Let's Talk: Jesus And...The Widow's Second FuneralShe’d already lost her husband and now her only son is dead. No husband to care for her and no son to meet her future needs. She’s in an unbearable space. Jesus sees and feels the heaviness of this funeral procession and has compassion for the woman. This story tells us so much about Jesus. We learn how deeply he cares for those in life-altering, desperate situations. His nature and heart move toward the difficult spaces in our life. We also see Jesus’s work as a restorer, his true identity as God, and our role as the community of believers. STUDY GUIDE

Let's Talk: Jesus And... The Other NineJesus encounters a group of 10 men with leprosy. They were considered unclean and forced to separate themselves from everyone, including their families. Jesus heals all of them but only one thanks him and praises God for his healing. This short encounter teaches us a lot about Jesus and ourselves; how God views outsiders, how he meets us as we pursue him, and the difference between thanksgiving and gratitude. STUDY GUIDE

Let's Talk: Jesus And...Two Desperate PeopleWord of the healer’s arrival spreads quickly and a crowd gathers. Among the crowd are two individuals who are in need of Jesus healing power. One needs Jesus to hurry, the other would like him to slow down. Two individuals, two unique experiences, two healings. Jesus only does custom work which means when he doesn’t do for us what he did for “them” that doesn’t mean he doesn’t care, it’s an opportunity to trust him. STUDY GUIDE

If Only You Were Normal Like Me - Part 4: Spiritual TrainingPhysical training is a lot easier when you’re a spectator. But sitting on the sidelines guarantees you won’t win anything. In today’s passage, Paul uses athletic metaphors—images with which the people of Corinth were very familiar—to illustrate the commitment and intensity Jesus followers must put into spiritual training if they’re going to set aside their freedoms for the sake of those around them.STUDY GUIDE

If Only You Were Normal Like Me - Part 3: What are My Rights?Paul asks the church in Corinth to set aside their rights in order to honor their fellow Jesus-followers. To practice what he preached, he was willing to set aside his own rights for the benefit of others when he first arrived in Corinth. He teaches them a relational principle that goes against almost everything we’re taught as American’s: my rights end when another Jesus-follower is offended.  STUDY GUIDE

If Only You Were Normal Like Me - Part 2: To Eat Or Not To EatIt sounds weird to our ears but Paul had to spend considerable time teaching whether a devoted follower of Jesus shout eat meat from animals that had been sacrificed to false gods. This was no small deal, it could have ended the Jesus movement in Corinth before it even started. Instead of making a judgment on who is right and who is wrong, he trains them how to express love when opinions strongly differ. It’s a lesson we need to continue learning today. Study Guide

If Only You Were Normal Like Me - Part 2: To Eat Or Not To EatIt sounds weird to our ears but Paul had to spend considerable time teaching whether a devoted follower of Jesus shout eat meat from animals that had been sacrificed to false gods. This was no small deal, it could have ended the Jesus movement in Corinth before it even started. Instead of making a judgment on who is right and who is wrong, he trains them how to express love when opinions strongly differ. It’s a lesson we need to continue learning today. 

If Only You Were Normal Like Me - Part 1: This is CorinthGetting the Jesus movement up and going in Corinth was an absolute mess. So many different kinds of people, from different backgrounds, with different religions and philosophical ideas. In the weeks to come, we’ll focus on the letter Paul wrote to the church there but this week we’ll set the foundation for all that. Acts 18 tells the story of Paul’s first visit to the city and as we read we get a better idea of the characters, culture, and challenges Paul faced during his time of ministry there.STUDY GUIDE

TogetherPastor Marc reminds us that we were created to be in community with one another. Loneliness is as dangerous as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, and it's an epidemic in the United States. God knows our name and He desires that we know Him and His body.