Jesus prayed for us to be holy. We often think of holiness in ways that aren’t helpful or really central to what holiness truly means. Jesus prayed that we would be a people that are set apart and devoted to a life lived unto God. How are we to think about being holy and what does that look like corporately as God’s people?

The unity of the early church in the book of Acts is incredible. In this passage we see what Spirit-filled unity looks like as the people of God are united on mission. They held everything in common with one another and gave the outside world a glimpse of the radical type of community that God creates. It’s a community that exhibits the love and kindness of God in Jesus Christ.

Jesus prayed and asked that the Father would make us one. What is the oneness that Jesus prayed for among his people? Why is our unity something that was on his mind in prayer the night before he died on the cross? Unity is central to who we are as Christians in the family of God.

The Church was born out of prayer. After Jesus ascended into heaven they disciples waited as he told them, but they waited in prayer. And then as they were gathered in corporate prayer in the upper room, the Spirit of God comes down at Pentecost, and the final age of history dawns.

As we enter into a season of prayer, we are going to learn to pray by praying what Jesus prayed. And the first thing we see him pray in this passage, is to be glorified. In his High Priestly Prayer, Jesus prayed and asked to be glorified in his crucifixion. What exactly is glory and how was the crucifixion actually glorifying of Jesus?

This begins a new series this fall that we have entitled "Pray God Down." We begin with hearing God's invitation in times of plague and pestilence to recognize his sovereignty and his purposes in Jesus Christ.

In one of the most well-known psalms in the Bible, the psalmist sees God as a gentle shepherd that is leading him to life and blessing. Yet in the midst of life, the psalmist faces troubles and challenges that threaten his life, but the Lord is with him. How do we find comfort in life by allowing the Lord to lead us?

Jesus’s letter to Laodicea was written to a dying church. They were lukewarm in their faith because their wealth had smothered the spark they once had. In their wealth and comfort they had grown stagnant in their faith and no longer did the good works they did at the beginning. Jesus offers them the opportunity to come and store up true wealth and riches in his kingdom.

Jesus’s letter to Philadelphia was written to a struggling church. They were struggling with the persecution they faced, yet they remained faithful. Jesus reassures them of their safety in him and that they will be saved in the judgment that is coming upon the world. Suffering purifies our faith and roots us in Christ.

Jesus’s letter to Sardis was to a dead church. Something went wrong and the church had fallen into the deadness of nominal Christianity. How does this happen to us? What can we learn from Jesus’s letter about he we fall into nominalism and be restored to a vibrant faith?

Jesus’s letter to Thyatira was to a tolerant church. They had allowed Jezebel to operate among them and lead people within the church to sexual immorality. No one addressed her and cast her out. This letter perhaps more than any other, shows how deeply just knows his churches, their struggles, and their sins.

Jesus’s letter to Pergamum was to a church that had compromised. They held fast to the name of Jesus yet they were lax in rooting out false teaching and religion. Jesus calls them to repent and clear pagan rituals from among them and putting a stumbling block before the people.

Jesus’s letter to Smyrna was to a suffering church. They were being persecuted for bearing witness to Jesus Christ and they are commended for their faithfulness in the face of suffering. They certainly weren’t perfect, yet suffering brings about a purity of faith in which Jesus delights.

Jesus’s letter to Ephesus is to a church that had lost its first love, or better yet, the love they had at first. They were adept at theology and knowledge, but they no longer exhibited an evangelistic love they once did. Why is love so central to who we are called to be? Why is knowledge by itself insufficient?

In John’s vision in Revelation the first thing he sees is the glorified Christ arrayed in splendor. The description of Jesus is a powerful statement of who he is and points back to Old Testament promises. Then Jesus begins to speak with John to show him the end of all things. What does this vision teach us about Jesus and who he is?

The resurrection is the story of all stories. Without the resurrection our faith amounts to nothing, because it would mean that death had not been conquered and sin still reigned in this world. In this sermon we take a closer look at the resurrection and what it means for us today.

The trial of Jesus is a brutal scene. Jesus stood before the mob as they demanded his death at his trial. Why didn’t Jesus defend himself against the false and erroneous charges? What does this teach us about the sin in our heart and the price that must be paid for it?

Jesus is commonly referred to as the shepherd of his people. This teaches us something about Jesus’s Lordship over us, but it also teaches us about who we are. We are sheep led by a gentle Master for our good.

The night before his death Jesus gave his people a perpetual feast. At the Last Supper he founded a meal to remember his death and sacrifice for his people. What does this meal teach us about Jesus and his place in our lives? What is the significance of the Lord’s Supper?

In this sermon on Mark 13 we consider Jesus’s teaching about the destruction of Jerusalem and end of all things. What does this passage teach us about readiness and how do we look to establish our own kingdoms rather than the kingdom of God?