We are looking again this week at John 15:9-17 as we continue with the series, Who is Jesus?. Pastor Dustin Clegg offers 4 observations from the text as look upon Jesus as the Lover of Love:
1) Our ability to love flows from our understanding of how we have been loved.
2) Our joy can't be affected by outside circumstances, but it can be affected by our disobedience.
3) Jesus chooses us, but we must learn to choose Him.
4) Love is extremely simple and extremely deep and extremely risky.

How  do we apply this in our lives?
1) Do not move away from the cross of Jesus.
2) If your joy is low, look inward.
3) Be genuine.

Continuing in our study of the book of John, we are in John 15:9-17 but we had to detour to 1 Corinthians 13 to see how Jesus defines "love". In this passage we see that love is better (1Cor 13:1-3), love is practical (1Cor 13:4-7), and love is eternal (1Cor 13:8-13). In response we should all confess with humility that we cannot do what He has told us to do, but we want to. Ask Him to change us deeply from the inside out. (Abide).

Continuing with the study of the book of John and the series, Who is Jesus?, Pastor Dustin Clegg walks us through John 15:5-11 and has 3 observations:
1) Intimacy with Jesus is the point of following Him. Everything else is either sin, a means to be more intimate with Him, or a fruit from intimacy with Him.
2) The Gospel is a person, a message, and a life.
3) The fruit Jesus produces in us is for His glory, the good of others, and our joy.

Pastor Dustin Clegg continues with the study of the book of John as we look again at chapter 15. We celebrated a baptism, high school and college graduates, and we observed the Lord's Supper. It was a great day!

Chase Worley delivers a message from Exodus 5.

Pastor Dustin Clegg continues with our study of the book of John and the series, Who is Jesus?, as we look at John 15:1-11. In the passage we see the following:
(1) Jesus steps into our failure;
(2) We will either be cut back or cut off;
(3) We are only clean because of Jesus; and
(4) We are only branches.
The main point is that whatever or whoever we attach ourselves to will produce fruit in our life.
How do we apply this? Keep a working knowledge of those things that stir our affections for Jesus and those things that slow our affections for Jesus.

Elder Derek Wood continues with the series, Who is Jesus?, as we look at John 14:16-31. John 14:18 says No, I will not abandon you as orphans - I will come to you. We aren't just left to figure it out. We are given a helper, an Advocate, to walk alongside us in everything we do.

Continuing with the study of the book of John and the series, Who is Jesus?, Pastor Dustin Clegg walks us through John 14:6-17 and points us to three observations from the text:
(1) Familiarity with the things of God cause us to miss Him completely. (John 14:6-11)
(2) Jesus believed we would do greater things. (John 14:12-14)
(3) Lovers of Jesus desire to know and keep His commands. (John 14:15-17)

How can apply this?
(1) Strive for intimacy, not familiarity.
(2) Remember forward, not backward.
(3) Love Jesus by obeying, not only knowing.

Happy Easter! Today we continue with our study of the book of John and talk about the peace we have in our grave-robbing Savior, Jesus Christ. As we look at John 13:31 - 14:6, Pastor Dustin Clegg has 3 observations:
(1) Jesus is the only way we can have peace when we blow it.
(2) It is entirely possible to die before you're dead.
(3) Abundant and eternal life is exclusively and only for those who surrender to Jesus.
How do we apply these things?
(1) Remind yourself of whose you are, what He has done, and His good plans for you.
(2) Remind yourself who you are not. Stop allowing fear and anxiety to define you.
(3) Recognize the possibility of being sincerely wrong.

Pastor Dustin Clegg has three observations from John 13:21-35 as we continue with the Who is Jesus? series:
(1) Following Jesus can be faked to a troubling extent;
(2) The cross and resurrection of Jesus changes our identity to the core;
(3) Our love for each other can and should be evangelistic.
Applications
(1) When facing confronting words from God, as first, "Is it I?".
(2) If you are a believer remind yourself constantly you are the one He loves.
(3) Pray for the ones in the church you cannot love.