Why is faith so important? As we examine the conversation between Nicodemus and Jesus, we see what faith means to us.

We needed more than a teacher. We needed more than a model. We needed a champion who would live, obey, and die in our place so that his resurrection could be ours.

Transfiguration Day is the day in the church year when we celebrate glory. But there is a blunt reality to this day: we focus on a delayed glory. We don't expect God's glory to be on full display in our lives in the here and now. Instead, while we suffer under our crosses this side of heaven, we look forward to the day when we get to meet the glory of Jesus face to face.

God calls you salt and light. When he does that, he's doing 2 things. 1st, he is reminding who he has made you to be. You are already these things by the grace of Jesus. 2nd, he is reminding you of your calling. God has made YOU salt and light!

How does the way God speaks about us impact our self-talk? There might be times when God calls us to speak more kindly about ourselves. There might be other times in which we need to be reminded to speak more realistically about ourselves. Rule of thumb: Let's speak about ourselves the way God does!

God makes promises to his church. God does not lie. These are the two beautiful comforts we have going into Matthew 16:13-19. Why? Because Jesus makes 3 intensely important promises to his church as he speaks to his disciples.

Jesus' baptism is more than just a historical fact. It's more than a cool connection that you share with him. Jesus' baptism grants your baptism validity. It shows how our Savior placed himself under the expectations of God that he might meet all of them on your behalf. Now, when the Father looks at you, he calls you exactly what he called Jesus on the day he was baptized: "my beloved."

When the wise men visited Jesus, something unbelievable happened. God showed all of mankind that he didn't send his Son for a select few. He sent him for everyone. That means, through Jesus, God grants access to his limitless grace to everyone through his Word.

God sends his son so that he might expand his family. The work of Jesus makes you a child of God. Then, God sends his Holy Spirit to teach you, encourage you, equip you, and empower you to live as part of his family.

Why did God need to get so close to the human race? Why would he not have stayed in heaven on his throne where he belongs and hold to his perfect expectations? Why did God become flesh? To take away the sin of the world, God entered it and when he did so, he revealed his true glory.