Living Faith Christian Church: Messages, Studies, & Stories

The people of the Hmar tribe of northeast India were once fierce headhunters known for their vicious slayings. But in 1910, Welsh missionary Watkin Roberts shared the Gospel with them and within two generations the entire tribe was evangelized. Mr. Roberts was saved by grace, and so he reached out with grace. Jesus showed him mercy, and so he wanted to spread the mercy of Christ. Watkin Roberts is a good example for us, and he followed the best example…Jesus. John 9:35-41 contains three descriptions of how Jesus reached out.

Life can be quite a challenge. Following Jesus more closely involves toughing out the tough stuff that comes our way as a result of being a Christian. The harder life gets, the greater the opportunity to draw close to God. John 9:24-34 describes three discouragements that all Christians experience at one time or another. We have all been there with these three. If we haven’t yet, we will be. So, it’s good to name them and lean into the Lord’s strength to persevere through them.

To testify means to give evidence about what you experienced. Following Jesus more closely involves doing just that–telling others about our experience with him. The more we tell others about him, the more we realize how good it is to know him, and the more we draw close to him. Think about it this way. How close are you to someone if you are unwilling to talk about your relationship with that person? When you love somebody, you let the whole world know! Well, John 9:8-23 has four ways how Jesus wants us to testify about him.

Have you ever watched a stream of ants stretching between their anthill and a food source? The whole process is very organized and precise. Why are ants so good in their task? The reason is that each ant follows the other so closely. In this way, they provide an excellent lesson for us as Christians in our relationship with Jesus. As Christians, we are followers of Jesus. We are saved by faith in him to follow him closely in faith. That involves serving–doing his work, the work he wants us to do. John 9:1-7 has three ways that he wants us to serve him.

An application process whether for a college, a mortgage, a job, or similar can be a nerve-racking thing. Do I have what it takes to be accepted? With all of my history, will I be accepted? In John 3, the chapter closes calling attention to the deity and power of Jesus. John the Baptist exalts Christ as superior to himself because Jesus is the true Son of God. The glorious news is that through this knowledge, the one that puts their faith in Jesus can be assured of their salvation. We will learn in John 3:31-36 how the authority and majesty of Christ is something we can rest in, knowing we are accepted and called his own, sealed for eternity.

A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. He understood that his ministry, though impactful, was not about personal fame or success, but about preparing the way for the Messiah. John's humility shines through as he recognizes that every blessing, every opportunity, stems from God's sovereignty. His role as the friend of the bridegroom, joyfully awaiting and supporting Jesus, exemplifies his deep faith and trust in God's divine plan.

Today’s message explores Jesus' rescue mission as read in John 3:16-21, emphasizing his role in revealing God's profound love for humanity. This presents us with a challenge. How do you take something so familiar that people have heard time and time again and revive it so it can be heard in a fresh way? The conversation with Nicodemus continues and unveils deeper insights, structured around four main points to illuminate the transformative power of Jesus' message.

In each of the 4 gospels, we find Jesus encountering several people during his ministry. In each of these encounters we are offered an opportunity to see how Jesus spoke to the person and answered their different needs and questions. We will focus this message on a unique encounter between Jesus and a devoutly religious man named Nicodemus. Jesus uses this encounter to share the key to entering heaven, being born again.

When Star Wars: The Force Awakens was released in 2015, fans took note of how Kyle Ren being Han Solo’s son reminded them of the iconic plot twist in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. It ushered many movie goers back to the moment when Luke Skywalker told Darth Vader that he killed his father and Darth Vader said, “No, I am your father.” Talk about an astounding plot twist! In Titus 3:1-15, there’s an even more astounding plot twist in the story of God and humanity, and it serves as a catalyst for us to prioritize four specific good works.

A pot of water at a rolling boil is a great picture for what God wants in our life. Like a pot of boiling water, the Lord wants us to be so on fire for Jesus that we boil over with the Holy Spirit, and then do the kinds of virtuous acts that Jesus did. He doesn’t want any of his people to be spiritually lazy, but rather to be zealous to do good works. How can we be those kinds of people, especially when we are tired, tempted to give up, or conflicted in our soul? Titus 2:11-15 has four ways the message of Jesus fires us up to be zealous for good works.