By the world’s standards, the life of many believers may look grim. The world says to live for self. It says to put your needs and wants first above others. You deserve that car, or that house. You should have the right clothes. You should be comfortable. It’s all about serving self, yet, so many are depressed and unhappy. As Pastor Ray reminds us in today’s message, the life of a believer, while focused on serving God and others, is one of joy that surpasses understanding.

It sometimes feels like we’re on our own in this life. Like we’re on an island waiting for our rescuer to come. We are right to wait expectantly for Jesus second coming, but we are wrong to think we are alone. When Jesus ascended into Heaven, He sent a comforter and guide in the Holy Spirit. As Pastor Ray reminds us, Christ Himself walks among us in spiritual form. As we dwell in the midst of a massive, unseen spiritual battle, He surrounds us and protects us from the attacks of the enemy.

Our world is full of lonely people. Without Jesus, we give ourselves to all kinds of things: careers, relationships, possessions, experiences, and the list goes on… Just as the woman in today’s passage looked to her many husbands for love and acceptance, we all look to these things to fulfill us, both emotionally and spiritually. As Pastor Ray reminds us in today’s message, Jesus sees us in our emptiness and loneliness and He alone can fill us up.

The Gospel of John What will be your legacy? When people think about you, what do you want to come to mind? John was known by the early church as the “disciple whom Jesus loved”. What an amazing legacy! As Pastor Ray challenges us in today’s message, we need to examine ourselves and test our motives and passions. Are we resting our head on our money, talents, or relationships? Those things can be great blessings in our lives, but we need to rest our head on Jesus’ heart and pursue His love above all else.

As Pastor Ray explains in today’s message, there’s a big difference between happiness and joy. Happiness is largely based on external factors, and fluctuates by the day. Joy resonates deep down and is a state of being. The things of this world can bring us happiness that lasts for moments, but quickly wear off in the face of hardship or loss. When we place our faith in Jesus and trust in Him to guide and provide for us, we find joy that transcends the peaks and valleys we walk through.

As Pastor Ray will point out in today’s message, Jesus made a point of attending the various Jewish holidays and feasts. They would have held a different meaning for Him than they did for other Jews, but He used them as opportunities to reveal Himself and the truth of God. Could we do the same in our culture? Many of our holidays have taken on a much different meaning then they were initially intended, but at the least they present an opportunity to interact with our culture in a meaningful way.

As we encounter the story of Jesus’ first recorded miracle in Scripture, the turning of water into wine, we are reminded that Jesus is ready for every situation that we are confronted with. Running out of drinks for a party may seem petty, but as Pastor Ray will illustrate in today’s message, there is much significance to the context of this miracle. Regardless of the circumstance, Jesus can and will meet our needs and fulfill the desires of our hearts as we seek His will for our lives and our world.

What was it that brought Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea out of their secret discipleship into a public expression of their devotion to Christ? They didn’t have the resurrection yet to prove that Jesus was who He said. Yet, they had a faith and love that we simply can’t grasp post-resurrection. As Pastor Ray will express in today’s message, their actions didn’t make any sense. But still, they boldly stepped out and their role in the Gospel still bears an impact on believers to this day.

This mortal life is like a vapor. Some linger for longer than others, while some are tragically short, but in the scope of eternity, they’re all a mere blink of an eye. As Pastor Ray illustrates in today’s message, the temporary things we cling to and strive for in this life are not important. They are worth losing for the sake of the “zoe” life that we find when we give our all for Christ. The life we find in Him is everlasting and full of joy. Nothing this world offers can compare.

When we accept Christ’s gift of salvation, it is not simply the end of our sinful existence. It is the start of a brand new story. As Pastor Ray joyfully recounts the resurrection of Jesus, we are reminded that it was the beginning of a new era. The empty tomb was not the end of a story; it was the beginning of freedom for all who would accept Christ’s offer to break the chains of spiritual oppression that all of us are born into. It is the start of a journey to being make more and more like Him.