Who is Jesus?

Dennis McCallum

Mark 1:21-2:12

At the beginning of his ministry, Jesus performs many miracles. He interacts with a man with an unclean spirit, a man with leprosy, and a paralyzed man. These interactions communicate Jesus' authority over evil spirits, that he is deeply compassionate towards those who are outcasts, has the power to forgive sins, and can sense deep spiritual hunger of people who don't know him. These miracles are signs to point to Jesus' greater work seen through dying on the cross for humanity.

Entering God's Rest

Gary DeLashmutt

Hebrews 4:1-16

Responding to God and trusting Him leads to being able to partake in His rest. This rest lifts burdens from His people, but it can seem difficult to understand at first. Entering into God's rest involves ceasing from works, while making every effort to depend on God. This can only be understood and applied through grace and mercy, which are available through Christ.

God's Heart For People

Dennis McCallum

Jonah 1-4

Jonah was a prophet who initially ran from what God called him to do. After some discipline and repentance, God uses Jonah to show characteristics of His heart: 1) His love goes out to needy and confused people, and 2) God has a lot more compassion than we do. This book can lead the readers to consider if they have answered the call to reconcile the world to Him that God has given all believers.

The God of Mercy

Jim Leffel

Exodus 11:1-13:16

Through the Passover, and those after, the Lord foreshadows the sacrifice that Jesus would make on the cross on behalf of humanity. The blood of the lamb during Passover represents the blood that Jesus would pour out on the cross. Just like Pharaoh, the Egyptians, and the Israelites', we also need to decide whether or not to accept God's mercy.

The God of Compassion

Jim Leffel

Exodus 2:23-25

Exodus gives two examples of God's compassion. First, in our suffering. God is moved by human suffering because He hears people and God is an emotional being. Secondly, God is not only moved by our suffering but His compassion produces action. An example of how God takes action is seen in His forgiveness and redemption for the people of Israel. This message of redemption is the Bible's central message.

Who is my Neighbor?

Jim Leffel

Proverbs 14:20

At this point in history, Xenos was asking its members to join in a new vision of serving the neighbors around them, especially the poor. To address this question of ?Who is my neighbor?? we reflect on the parable of the good Samaritan. Alongside this parable, Jesus expounds on the two greatest commandments: the high standard that God has for us to love Him and our neighbor. According to Jesus, our neighbor is anyone who is in need, specifically the poor. In order to serve the poor compassion, sensitivity to suffering, and calculated action needs to be taken. At the time of this teaching, one such action was to encourage Xenos members to support creating Harambee Christian School and other key urban centers. Jeffrey Sach's book The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities of Our Time is referenced to understand modern poverty.

Mephibosheth

Dennis McCallum

Ephesians 2:8-9

When David finally became king, he sought out the last known living relative of Saul in order to show him God's kindness (chesed) for Jonathan's sake. He went to Mephibosheth, Jonathan's son, and promised to show him kindness, restore to him the land that belonged to Saul, and take care of him. This is a perfect picture of God's grace (chesed) toward us, from Mephibosheth's awe of David's kindness to the life-changing impact it had on him. Grace is an important character trait of God and the only way anyone can come to Him. Just as God shows us grace, we should learn to show it to others the way David did.

Focus of Faith (Part 1)

Jim Leffel

Hebrews 13:1-4

The author of Hebrews affirms the idea that love is the main focus of the Christian life, extending to insiders, outsiders, and even to the oppressed. Another crucial component of healthy spiritual love is striving for marriage and sexuality according to God's design. This teaching includes a video testimony from Brian Gardner about overcoming hidden sin in his marriage.

The Birth of Christ

Gary DeLashmutt

Luke 2:1-14

The birth of the savior occurs in an unspectacular fashion. Christ voluntarily gave up his perfect position for a life of humiliation, misunderstanding, and rejection. He takes this low standing to show people how desperate their situation is, wholly displaying that God loves us with an amazing love.