Jesus Subverts the Status Quo

Dennis McCallum
Mark 2:13-17

The religious consensus in Jesus' day called God's followers to avoid "sinful" people. Jesus decisively rejected this false teaching and replaced it with humility and love for all people.

True Freedom

Gary DeLashmutt
John 8:36

True freedom ? where can we find it? A comparison and contrast of the secular and Biblical views of freedom. Whichever view we embrace will have tremendous consequences for ourselves, our children, and our society.\r\n

Fervent Love

Ben Foust
1 Peter 4:7-11

Peter writes to the early church, which is feeling pressure from the surrounding culture of the Roman Empire. He urges the believers to prioritize love for one another, a fervent love that is rooted in community, sincere, and gracious. This is an important message for today, a time in which people are less connected and more lonely than ever and longing for this kind of community.

Triumph!

Jim Leffel
Romans 8:31-39

Paul draws a conclusion to the incredible truths he has laid out in Romans 1-8--that God has provided victory over the penalty for sin and the power of sin. He declares that God is "for us," having given us His son as a sacrifice, and continuing to give to us generously and freely. He is full of goodness and, if we have received His forgiveness, full of approval for us, which should challenge our thoughts that God's plans are not good or that our sin and failure is greater or more significant than our justification through Christ. Paul concludes that God's love triumphs over all things, including any risks we might face in life. This allows us to live boldly, with love for others and optimism.

Excellent Behavior

Ben Foust
1 Peter 2:11-25

Peter advises the church how to respond when being slandered. Rather than retaliate, he tells them to live such good lives that their critics' accusations fall flat and people may come to faith in Christ. Likewise, believers today can show Jesus' love to the world by what we do.

Three Aspects of Biblical Love

Ryan Lowery
Hebrews 13:1-25

The author of Hebrews concludes by issuing a series of imperatives, urging believers to continue to love one another. A healthy church must love those outside the community of believers, love other one another, and, in marriages, love their spouse, especially when times are difficult.

Living in Unity

Chris Hearty
Romans 15:1-13

Living in unity requires the encouragement of Scripture in order to have the endurance needed to place our hope in God's promises. God's plan has always been for those who believe in him to demonstrate outwardly what is true about them inwardly. The world is going to judge the validity of Christianity by what they observe in the behavior of Christians.

A Vision of Serving Love

Dennis McCallum
Romans 15:1-16:5

So many people today are seeking professional counseling for multiple reasons. God has set up a community of Christian believers to be able to give and seek counsel. This teaching covers the idea of counseling in the Bible and a final wrap up of the book of Romans.

Understanding Real Love

Chris Hearty
Romans 13:8-12

Biblical love is a commitment to give of yourself in all ways for the benefit of another. It is sacrificial, forgiving, emotional, and confrontational. We can know what real love is because God is love. We can know real love if we know God. By receiving His love, we can know love and in turn, give real love to others.