Having been arrested, Jesus now faces interrogation from three officials. Annas, Caiaphas, and Pilate, all have the opportunity to question Him. And while it may appear the Jewish officials and the Roman government are in charge, the fact is Jesus is controlling every step on His path to the Cross. And along the way, we see the Savior as the Sovereign King, the Unapologetic Teacher, and the Courageous Shepherd.

Years ago, Becky Pippert wrote a book on evangelism entitled, “Out of the Salt Shaker and Into the World.” Now that’s an arresting title, and even a bit intimidating. As salt, we really like the salt shaker. It’s home. It’s comfortable because everyone is like us, and likes us. Outside, the world is just waiting to “a-salt” us, or so we think. Whatever the case, the whole idea is that our relationships are actually opportunities for the Savior, who means everything to us, to become everything to those around us. Well, too often, we just don’t realize the privilege that is ours in living the Gospel consistently and sharing the Gospel strategically. But, since that is the reason Jesus rescued and reformed us in the first place, let’s give it another try.

Once again, we ask the question: What child is this? In Isaiah 52 and 53, we find an answer: He is the Servant who suffers in our place and for our benefit. This text walks us through the career of the Servant, from exaltation to humiliation and then back to an exalted position once again. And we must ask: Who is the Servant serving? The answer is two-fold: First, the Servant is serving the Triune God in carrying out the plan of redemption. But He is also serving us. His humiliation, sacrifice, and present intercession serve up a salvation and eternal acceptance before the throne of God that we could never have gained ourselves.

This weekend, we continue our walk through John’s Gospel and encounter Peter, the leading disciple, as he denies any association with Jesus three times. This tough fisherman had boasted he would give his life to protect Jesus only hours before, yet, his bravado was no match for his deep seated commitment to self. This weekend, we learn the simple truth that there is a good amount of Peter in us all.

Everyone agrees. There is a big difference between a spectator and the person who is in the game. When it comes to church life according to the Bible, every Christ-follower is in the game with an essential part to play. In fact, the health and maturity of the Body of Christ depends on each of us giving our best to the team, engaging one another in life, truth, and service. We’re all in the game, and to win we’ll need what every member of the team contributes, to the glory of Christ.

As we bring our Advent series to an end, we rejoice that the child born at Christmas is God the Son, sent by God the Father, to be the Savior of the world!

Today we begin the season of Advent, which comes from the Latin for “coming.” We celebrate the coming of Messiah, the Promised One, whose coming brought the light of salvation to a dark world. This year, as we celebrate the birth of Jesus, we will spend 4 weeks answering the question, “what child is this?” The first of many correct answers is found in Isaiah 9: He is the Sovereign Son who alone will bring peace to our souls, and eventually to all creation.

As we prepare to re-enter our study of John’s Gospel next weekend, we spend this weekend reminding ourselves of where we’ve been, and what we’ve learned. Think of it as riding in a hot- air balloon that slowly travels over the landscape of John’s writings about Heaven’s King, Jesus the Christ, who is God the Son.

This weekend, we begin a new series meant to help us make the most of our partnership with Grace Baptist Church. Have you ever asked the question “Why should I go to church?” The Biblical answers may surprise you, but they are sure to make you think and, hopefully, remind you of the privilege that it is to be a beloved member of the Church, the Bride of Christ.

In the Ancient Near East at the time of the prophets, the label “shepherd” was combined with that of king to describe the actions that a good king took to rescue, restore, provide, and protect his people. Against the backdrop of the predatory leaders of Judah, the prophet Ezekiel declares God’s promise that one day, God Himself will arise and shepherd His people providing all they need perfectly and eternally.