After all of the planning and scheming, Jesus found himself in the custody of the Jewish authorities. It was time for them to present their case against him. There was just one problem: There was no case. In his Gospel, John does not tell us about how Jesus went before the Sanhedrin and was accused of claiming to be God. John gives us a conversation between Jesus and one man, Annas, the power behind the High priest. The conversation does not go as Annas planned.

Jesus was experiencing the longest two days of his life. He had spent all evening in a room with his closest friends, trying to prepare them for his coming death. When Jesus had said all he could, he and his disciples went to a garden, where a group of Jewish authorities and Roman soldiers would soon arrive to arrest him. They were going to show Jesus who was really in charge of God's people, but things did not go as planned. Join us as we take a look at the arrest of Jesus and learn a valuable lesson about the world we live in today.

Anyone who knows the story of the arrest, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus knows what happened in the garden to kick this cycle off. Jesus went by himself to pray that God would come up with a different plan. He didn't want to go through the suffering of the cross, but he would if God willed it. His sweat turned to drops of blood. An angel appeared to give him comfort and strength. This is an impactful story that speak to all that Jesus had to endure. That is why it is in all of the gospels...except for John. John gives us a completely different account of Jesus' prayer before his arrest. In his account, Jesus does not pray for an alternative ending, he instead prays that God would be glorified, that the disciples would be blessed, and that future believers would be one. It could not be more different than it is. Why did John give us this account? Why did Jesus pray these prayers? Join us as we explore Jesus' final moments with his disciples before his arrest.

Joy and sorrow are two emotions that don't seem like they can exist in the same space. Sorrow surely takes away the power of joy; joy must cancel our sorrow. And yet, Jesus said this is not the case. The lives of the disciples were about to be wrecked by the cross. Sorrow does not begin to cover what they will feel when Jesus is led off to die. They will mourn. They will despair. But this sorrow, despair, mourning and pain will not last because the cross is not the end, but rather a bridge to a new life. Join us as we explore the place where joy and sorrow meet.

The Long night of Jesus' arrest continues in John 16. Things were going to be rough for the disciples in the coming days. Even post-resurrection things were not going to be easy. Jesus had already promised the Spirit, but he was not done telling them about all that the Spirit would do. Join us as we continue to explore why the Spirit is such a crucial part of God's plan.

On the night of Jesus' arrest, he told his disciples things they needed to know. He encouraged them, reminded them what it means to follow him, told them to love each other, and promised the Holy Spirit as a helper and guide. He also told them that they would be hated. Join us as we explore how the world sees God, and how God sees them in return.

Jesus knew that he would be leaving the disciples. The cross, his resurrection and ascension were just around the corner and his followers were not ready. What would they do when Jesus was no longer there to guide them? How would these followers, who have struggled to understand what was going on, be the mouthpiece for Christianity. God had a plan. He gave his disciples something that would be just like the presence of Jesus in their lives. This tool would tell the truth, teaching, reminding the disciples of all that Jesus had said and done. It was made just for them. Join us as we explore the most under appreciated part of God's plan to save the world: the Holy Spirit.

It is Thursday of the last week, and Jesus had just had dinner with his disciples. He knows that the cross is just around the corner, but the disciples do not. Jesus wants them to stay strong in spite of the chaos that is on their way so he told them some important things that could be an anchor for them in the storm. Join us as we listen in on what Jesus really wanted his disciples to know.

Every four years we have a presidential election. Every four years we collective decide that people can say, do, accuse and insinuate to their heart's content. Friendships have been broken, families have hurt one another, neighbors have fought agains one another. It is an ugly time. What concerns me the most is that Jesus has been put into the middle of this mess. We have spoken for him, declared his intentions, and determined who he approves of and who he doesn't. How would Jesus respond to our use of his name? What would he tell us to do when we disagree with those around us? The answer is not surprising.

Is betrayal, denial and failure a necessary part of the gospel story? Join us as we look at encounters between Jesus and two very different disciples: Judas and Peter.