Sunday, June 9, 2024 John 20:30–31 Learning to Trust in God My oldest son is learning to drive right now—a challenging journey for me in learning to trust! It has nothing to do with him. He’s an intelligent, safe, and responsible young man. Rather, it’s about me learning to see him as a young adult […]
Sunday, June 2, 2024 Glory – John 13:34–35, 15:12–13, Galatians 6:1–2 Believers Fellowship is focusing on discipleship this year. At every level in every ministry, we want to encourage one another to grow in their walk with God. This comes from the pulpit as well! Before leaving the Gospel of John, we want to look […]
Sunday, May 26, 2024 John 15 Abiding in Christ I love meeting new people at church. I love to hear their stories—where they came from, how they found God, what is happening in their lives now. When you first meet someone, there is a lot to say and a lot to talk about. But, as […]
Sunday, April 28, 2024 Glory – John 21:19–25 This week we are wrapping up the book of John and as we learned last week, chapter 21 is more of an epilogue to this wonderful story. Last week we left off with Peter and Jesus having this conversation filled with forgiveness and assurance. This week’s passage […]
Sunday, April 21, 2024 John 21:1–19 Last week, we talked about John’s purpose for writing the Fourth Gospel. “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples,” John wrote in 20:30–31 (ESV), “which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the […]
Sunday, April 14, 2024 John 20:30–31 The Gospel of John has some incredible reminders for us. Jesus has the power to turn water into wine. He has the power to heal with merely a word. He creates—when he is invited to the table, five loaves and two fish can feed a multitude. He opens our […]
Sunday, April 7, 2023 John 20:19–29 We live in a cancel culture. If a public figure says the wrong thing at the wrong time…forget about any future in that field. In the final chapters of our Glory series we see a similar “rush to conclusions and labels” as we do today. This week in John 20, […]
Sunday, March 31: Easter Historically speaking, the rise of Christianity was extremely unlikely. Sure, Jesus had a reputation as a wonder worker. Sure, he was able to draw big crowds during his earthly ministry. But by his trial, he had been abandoned by both the crowds and most of his closest followers. Only a handful […]
Sunday, March 24, 2023 John 19:17–30 This Sunday marks the beginning of Passion Week, when we give special attention to the cross. It culminates on Easter, on which we celebrate Christ’s resurrection in glory! We’re all excited for Easter, but let’s not rush there. Crucifixion comes before resurrection. Throughout the first 18 chapters of John, […]
Sunday, March 17, 2023 John 19:1–16 In 1 John 2:17 (ESV), the apostle tells us, “the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” We have to remind ourselves of this truth daily, lest we take our eyes off Jesus! We are in a sermon series […]
Sunday, March 10, 2023 John 18:28–40 Jesus’ path to Glory is filled with curves and U-turns. Jesus is in a trial for his life, and he is getting bounced around from one leader to another. From the former high priest to the current high priest. From one Roman authority to another (Pilate is in charge […]
Sunday, March 3, 2023 John 18:12–27 In the Upper Room Discourse, Jesus taught his disciples about the importance of abiding in him. “Abide in me,” he said, “and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am […]
Sunday, February 25, 2023 John 18:1–11 Early February is a great month for sports fans. For football fans, it’s a time to bask in the glory of the Super Bowl. The Kansas City Chiefs successfully repeated their run and now get to celebrate to fanfare and applause. Motivated by these Super Bowl celebrations, basketball and […]
Sunday, February 18, 2023 John 17:20–26 If you have been with us the past couple of weeks you know we are on the last lap of our study series in the Gospel of John. This final section, called Glory, will take us to Easter and beyond. At this point Jesus has wrapped up his final instructions to the disciples in what we […]
Sunday, February 11, 2023 John 17:6–19 We have the privilege of seeing how and what Jesus prayed for the night he was arrested. And guess what? He prayed for us! When Jesus prays for his disciples, and the ones that come after them, we see his desire for us. His desire for us is to […]
Sunday, February 4, 2023 John 17:1–5 As a church, we should be excited to get back into John! We are going to finish the Gospel of John over the next few months, and will celebrate together through Easter and beyond! As we turn the page on vision, hopefully you know our mission as a church. […]
Sunday, November 5, 2023 John 16:16–33 Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” It can be easy to forget that we have extremely small imaginations in the scope of what God considers possible. […]
Sunday, October 29, 2023 John 15:26–16:15 In Acts 6–8, we read about Stephen, the first Christian martyr. Stephen preached in the streets and at the temple that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. He performed signs and wonders and a great number of people came to faith through his ministry. But not everyone […]
Sunday, October 22, 2023 Remain – John 15:18–25 It can be a hard thing to be associated with someone who isn’t that popular, or worse, who is outright hated. Growing up in a 49ers household, it was made incredibly clear to me that we were the good guys, and the Dallas Cowboys were the worst […]
Sunday, October 15, 2023 John 15:1–17 Pruning is an act that requires knowledge of the plant, a vision for the future, and an understanding of what it takes to get there. From the outside, a gardener at work can look more like someone attacking a plant than a strategist with an intimate knowledge of their […]
Sunday, October 8, 2023 John 14:15–31 In Exodus 33, God commands Moses to lead the people of Israel away from Mount Sinai and toward the Promised Land. Moses was overwhelmed by the task before him: leading over a million former slaves into combat would be no small feat! Moses was willing to follow God in […]
Sunday, October 1, 2023 John 14:1–14 On our way back from visiting my parents in Virginia this past summer, my family got off the plane at SeaTac and one of my kids said, “I love the way Washington smells.” I agree. I had thought it, too. I don’t know if it’s the evergreen trees or […]
Sunday, September 24, 2023 John 13:31–38 This Sunday we finish out John chapter 13. Judas has left the dinner to betray his Lord. Immediately, Jesus shows us that He understands his assignment. The clock is now ticking. He is going to Glorify God by being lifted up in Glory. It’s something only He can do. […]
Sunday, September 17, 2023 John 13:18–30 Judas’ story is so scandalous that he has become a by-word, for betrayal even outside of the church. He’s the insider who sits at the foot of Jesus, who has access to God in the flesh, and chooses to give him over to be killed. He’s the perpetual villain, […]
Sunday, September 10, 2023 John 13:1–17 With summer in the rear-view mirror, we look ahead to the fall. We are picking back up in the Book of John for part two of three. Together, we studied the first 12 chapters of John, we called Signs. We saw how all of what Jesus did and said […]
Sunday, May 14, 2023 John 19:26 This Sunday is Mother’s Day! I am grateful for all the things my mom taught me about life and faith. I am also grateful for my wife—especially for the way she loves our children and for all the time she puts into teaching them. I am looking forward to […]
Sunday, April 23, 2023 John 12:27–36 If you had one chance to share a message with the entire world, what would you say? What if you were chosen to be a colonist on Mars—sent off on a one-way trip with no future contact with earth. Before boarding the rocket, with television cameras and microphones in […]
Sunday, April 16, 2023 John 12:20–26 New Year’s resolutions in January generally seem like a great idea, but there’s a big difference between agreeing to something and actually doing it. Of the people who make resolutions, 55% last less than a year. It turns out signing up for the gym is a lot easier than […]
Easter Sunday April 9, 2023 I am so excited for this weekend! The cross is the central symbol of the Christian faith and the turning point in human history. Paul tells us that without Jesus’s death and resurrection, we are still in our sins and our faith is futile (1 Corinthians 15:17). But, in fact, […]
Sunday, April 2: Signs John 12:12–19 A very real danger that the people of God have historically struggled with is the slow, and often well-intentioned, transformation of God. From the self-revelation of God, we leave out a bit here and a bit there, emphasize a bit here and a bit there, until the “god” we […]
Sunday, March 26: Signs John 11:45–12:11 Imagine for a moment you received an insider stock tip (don’t worry, you won’t go to jail for this exercise!). A small pharmaceutical company has recently discovered a cure for a debilitating disease, and your insider tip is that this drug will receive FDA approval and the value of […]
Sunday, March 19: Signs John 11:1–44 John 11 is one of the most memorable stories in the whole Bible. In it, Jesus finds out that one of his dear friends (Lazarus) is sick and on the brink of death, but John tells us: “when [Jesus] heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer […]
Sunday, March 12: Signs John 10:34–42 Sometimes helping someone understand the truth is as important as telling them the truth in the first place. Jesus has spent more than a little bit of time in the book of John trying to explain clearly that he is the Son of God. Results have varied. Last week […]
Sunday, March 5: Signs John 10:22–33 As Jesus continues to preach and teach in the temple, our passage this week finds him talking with some very direct folks. They ask him point blank, “Are you the Messiah?” Jesus responds with a reminder, as well as a response; “I already told you, and the answer is […]
Sunday, February 26: Signs John 10:1–31 How do you keep your faith when you have been hurt by a church? How do you regain trust? How do you keep your eyes on Jesus when you are hurt or discouraged? I’ve heard countless stories of people encountering Jesus, getting excited about their faith, plugging into a […]
Sunday, February 19: Signs John 9:1–41 In John 9, we are introduced to a man born blind. Presumably, he has been begging by the temple for a long time. Everyone in Jerusalem seems to know his story, and a theological debate has arisen at his expense: Who sinned that he was born blind, him or […]
Sunday, February 12: Signs John 8:48–59 I was in my twenties when I attended my first real debate. A professor of mine was invited by the University of Indiana to debate on the existence of God. My impressionable young Moody mind was intrigued by my current philosophy professor taking on the anthropology professor of a […]
Sunday, February 5: Signs John 8:37–47 If you’ve ever heard the phrase, “He’s a chip off the old block” or “He’s his daddy’s son” you know that context is important. Just accomplished something incredible? Compliment. Just fell-tripped over your own two feet? Probably not a compliment. In either case, the idea is “You’re just like […]
Sunday, January 29: Signs John 8:31–36 Freedom is a concept that’s near and dear to the heart of America. We’re proud to dump that tea in the harbor, and just as proud to exercise our freedom to drink tea every day, should we so desire. We value the freedom to choose our elected officials, to choose […]
Sunday, January 15: Signs John 7:53–8:11 In The Knowledge of the Holy, A. W. Tozer wrote, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” Tozer was right. What comes into our minds when we think about God colors everything about us. If we think that God […]
Sunday, January 8: Signs John 7:40–53 Following Jesus’ explosive announcement in John 7:37 and 38 that he is the source of life that the people are celebrating, an announcement which was made at the height of the festival and in the middle of the temple itself, there is some division about who he is. The […]
Sunday, January 1: Signs John 7:28–39 Sometimes the best way to teach something new is to build off an existing idea. You set a foundation, and brick by brick, work with people to build up something new. Whether it’s mathematics, writing out letters, or growing our crops, we start simple and move into the profound. […]
Sunday, December 18: Christmas John 3:16, 1 John 4:19 This Sunday is our Christmas service at Believers Fellowship! We worship as a family, meaning we have 1st grade and up in for the whole service! We celebrate the 4th week of advent together as we focus on LOVE. We have mentioned peace, joy, and hope…and […]
Sunday, December 11: Signs John 7:1–36 In chapter 7 of John, we read through a bit of a pause in the action part of Jesus’ ministry. People have an opportunity to consider all the things that they’ve seen this Jesus person do, and even potentially come to some conclusions as to how it affects their lives. […]
Sunday, December 4: Signs John 6:22–71 What do you want for Christmas? Have you made your list yet? It is so fun to give and receive gifts on Christmas. I love to see my children’s faces light up as they open their presents on Christmas morning. But it is also important to remember that not […]
Signs/Mission Sunday Happy Thanksgiving! We have an exciting Sunday planned for this week. Sunday is both the first Sunday of Advent (the church looks amazing!) and Missions Sunday. We are going to tie both to the Gospel of John and our Signs series. In John, many of Jesus’s signs and sermons happen on Jewish holidays. […]
Sunday, September 11: Signs John 6:1–21 In John 6, Jesus takes his disciples up on a mountain. He sits down (presumably to teach), but when he looks out over the crowd, he notices that they are weary from the journey. He turns to Philip and he asks him, “Where can we buy bread to feed […]
Sunday, November 13: Signs John 5:19–47 The conversation between Jesus and the people who want to follow rules for the sake of rules continues this week as Jesus takes the time to explain to them what is happening. Which, to be honest, we all need from time to time. Seeing something from a certain angle […]
Sunday, November 6: Signs John 5:1–18 This Sunday we’re reading a passage of scripture in which a man who has been an invalid for 38 years is asked a critical question: “Do you want to be healed?” That’s the sort of question we might assume is a ridiculous question, until we know that it’s Jesus […]
Sunday, October 30: Signs John 4:43–54 Sometimes, the life of faith feels like following Jesus through a corn maze. We see him turn the corner ahead, but we’re not told what lies beyond. We follow and we trust. How much easier would faith be if we had a map of the corn maze? If only […]
Sunday, October 23: Signs John 4:1–45 There is more to life than what is obvious to our senses. Deep in our bones, we sense that there is Someone out there; that we are not alone and that there is purpose and meaning to existence. Every Sunday, we gather to recognize the invisible reality. We acknowledge […]
Sunday, October 16: Signs John 3:22–36 The maps app on my phone is a lifesaver for me, because I (Jeremiah) have next to no sense of direction driving around town. I do ok wandering through the woods but cities are a blur for me. As my wife can attest, I go on a lot of […]
Sunday, October 9: Signs John 3:1–21 A Pharisee is probably not the nicest name to be called these days. For us, it has an almost exclusively negative connotation (if it’s used at all.) People who outwardly kept the rules while harboring inward corruption were the people that Jesus had some of the harshest rebuke for. […]
Sunday, October 2: Signs John 2:13-25 This week we peek into the past as Jesus enters the temple during Passover. When you read that sentence, where does your mind go? What are you picturing? Well, whatever you think of when you hear “enter the temple during Passover…” you need to make it bigger in your […]
Sunday, September 25: Signs John 2:1–12 Last week, we saw Jesus call his first disciples. Andrew and another unnamed disciple (I think it was probably John himself) were disciples of John the Baptist before they left to follow Jesus. Imagine what this transition must have been like for them. John was bold and eccentric. He […]
Sunday, September 18: Signs John 1:35–51 St. Augustine once said about the Gospel of John: “It is shallow enough for a child not to drown, yet deep enough for an elephant to swim in it.” This is certainly true of John 1:35–51! In the latter verses of John 1, the evangelist recounts the story of […]
Sunday, September 11: Signs John 1:19–34 We continue our series through the gospel of John this Sunday. In our passage, we get our first witness to the light of the world, John the Baptist. John lived a unique life, set apart from the world around him for a specific purpose. He had one job: To prepare […]
Sunday, September 4: Signs John 1:1–18 This week we’re beginning a new series in the first 12 chapters of John that we are calling “Signs.” In his gospel, John tells us, “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so […]
Sunday, July 24: Doctrine Jesus Christ Who is Jesus? What’s he like? Do you know him? The Lazarus narrative in John 11 is an emotionally-packed story that provides glimpses into the emotional life of our Lord as he reveals himself to us and accomplishes our salvation. Join us this Sunday as we fix our eyes […]
Sunday, August 30: Underdogs John 4:13–15 13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal […]
Sunday, September 2: Missions Recap “As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.” John 17:18 As the people of God, we are sent out into the world, just as Jesus himself was sent out into the world. We participate in acts of service, by visiting brother and sisters […]
Sunday, July 22: Questions of Jesus John 6:1–71 One of the many things I appreciate about Jesus is that he always told people the truth, even if it hurt.This week we come to a scene where Jesus needs to tell some folks the truth about themselves and it is not very pretty. In fact, rather […]
Sunday, July 8: Questions of Jesus John 11 The Jewish historian Josephus tells the story of a first-century shepherd who rose up to become king of the Jews. There was nothing remarkable about this shepherd. He wasn’t wealthy. He wasn’t educated. He wasn’t powerful. The shepherd was humble and unassuming, but he had passion for […]
Sunday, July 30: Who is This Man? John 17:9–23 Jesus the High Priest/New Aaron Do you pray for your children?If you do, what do you pray? Maybe you pray for their health or safety. Maybe you pray that they’ll make good decisions. Maybe you pray that they’ll make good friends or find a good spouse. […]
Sunday, July 2: Who is This Man? John 2:1–11 The Miracle Worker “Dearly beloved, we are gathered together in the presence of God to witness and bless the joining together of this man and this woman in holy matrimony. The bond and covenant of marriage was established by God at the time of creation for the […]
Sunday, July 2: Who is This Man? John 14:6 In our upcoming series, we’ll be taking a closer look at the person and work of Jesus, by echoing the question about him, “Who is this man?”To start things off, we’ll explore some of the ways we already see Jesus, the familiar patterns we have in […]
Why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?
Jesus has finished his sermon in the Upper Room and is now in the process of closing in prayer. So far he has prayed for himself. He has also prayed for his disciples, whom he will soon be leaving behind. But in John 17:20-26, at the end of his last public prayer before his death, he turns […]
It seems like there are two kinds of churches. First, there are small churches that care a lot about one another, but who are blind to those on the outside. Then, there are growing churches that reach out a lot to the world, but have little support for one another. Both of these kinds of […]
What do you think of when you hear the word “glory”? A high school football state championship? A standing ovation after a speech or a performance? The look of pride in your parents’ eyes after a great accomplishment? We all take glory in different things. What do you think it takes to receive glory from […]
Think about the last time you had to say goodbye to someone you really care about. Maybe it was at an airport with a close friend, or at the end of a family reunion, or perhaps the deathbed of someone you love. Dropping your child off at college for the first time isn’t a cakewalk either. […]
It’s election season. Oh boy. We’ve just emerged from the Iowa caucuses and the campaigns are heating up. The contenders are separating themselves from the rest of the pack, and the rhetoric is getting turned up to 11. Promises are being made. Visions are being cast. Mud is being slung. What does Jesus think about […]
Right now, I am writing a preview for this Sunday’s sermon. My email program is open in the background in case my office needs to contact me. I have a Facebook tab open in my browser in case someone messages me. My cell phone is in my shirt pocket so I can be reached by […]
As we come to John 14:15-31 we know something about the emotional state of Jesus’ disciples as they begin to absorb the announcement of his imminent departure. We know they are anxious, or soon will be, because Jesus tells them to “let not your hearts be troubled.” We know they are feeling abandoned and alone […]
By John 14:1-14, Jesus and his disciples have just finished what has come to be called “The Last Supper.” But the disciples didn’t know it was the “last supper” until the Lord dropped a bombshell into the conversation not long after he had washed their feet. Out of the clear blue he tells them that […]
In John 13:31-38, Jesus tells His disciples that He is leaving and that they can’t come with Him. As always, Peter speaks up first and insists that he is ready to die for Jesus. But Jesus won’t hear it. He warns Peter that he isn’t as committed as he thinks he is and that he […]
Imagine that you were one of Jesus’ disciples. You’ve traveled with Jesus for 3 years now and you’ve recently witnessed his most amazing work—raising his friend Lazarus from the dead. But just as Jesus’ ministry was starting to make sense and your excitement for the future was at its height, Jesus drops a bomb on […]