Jesus is dying the death of a condemned criminal. It’s humiliating. It’s offensive. It’s heart-breaking. He’s supposed to be the Messiah, God’s chosen one, and yet, here he is: dying the death of a worthless criminal. Jesus, even while dying on the cross, changes the lives of those near him, the criminals on the cross.

He was short…He was a rich tax collector, a notorious sinner…and he had no friends. His name was Zacchaues. Then Jesus met him—and he was forever changed.

This week we look at the transformation story of Paul and the truth that no matter how bad you think you are, Jesus can save you.

This week, we are going to take a look at a couple stories from the Bible about Mary of Bethany and how her devotion to Jesus led to some awkward social moments where others felt secondhand embarrassment for her, born out of her extravagant expression over how Jesus dramatically changed her life forever.

In this series we’re going to look at how a simple encounter with Jesus forever changed the lives of people like Peter, Thomas, Martha, Zaccheus and Mary Magdalene and how the death and resurrection of Jesus addressed our biggest need.

Through this series we have talked about a bunch of ways that we can make a difference. This week Mark shares how Jesus makes a difference for us all in unexpected and world changing ways.

What is it that breaks the endless cycle of action and reaction? What can possibly make a difference in a world caught up in it’s own lust for retribution? Forgiveness. Let's talk about Jesus’ message about forgiveness and how it can really make a difference.

The story of Daniel is an amazing example of courage making a difference. Not only did he choose to continue saying “yes” to God, but his courage permeated his life so that those around him knew he would do the hard thing, stick to his faith and live a reputable lifestyle. Let’s look at this story and talk through how we can follow Daniel’s example.

In our daily lives encouragement is a rarity, while bad manners and behaviors are celebrated and haters are a part of our everyday lives. Authentic encouragement stirs up courage where it’s most needed. That kind of encouragement makes a lasting difference. Let’s take a look at how we can practice encouraging those around us.

Friendship is hard and it takes courage to make yourself vulnerable. As a result, a lot of people opt out, they settle for something less. People everywhere need strength, community and friends who encourage them. Jonathan was that kind of friend to David. Through the rough stuff and good, he was there for David. What about you? How can your friendship make a difference?