Disciple: Following Jesus in All of Life
Jesus’ core ministry was to call 12 individuals into a close, intimate, and life-changing relationship. Jesus' disciples were called to follow him in His prayer life, character, witness and service. Throughout this series we’ll hear Jesus’ voice calling us to follow him in the here and now, in the midst of all of our lives and responsibilities. The call to follow Jesus doesn’t just lead to the cross but to a glorious life of resurrection.
Sermon : The Cross | Mark 15:16-32
Summary: The crucifixion of Jesus stands as the centerpiece of the Christian story. The cross exposes the cruelty of humanity but exalts the grace and unfathomable love of God. The cross subverts the values and logic of the world and shows us the hidden beauty of God’s kingdom.
Sermon : The Arrest | Mark 14:32-42
Summary: Sometimes, when you want to love people like Jesus does, you have to let them betray you with a kiss. Loving those who betray will be impossible unless you become so filled with a purpose that the harshest trials can't take away.
Sermon : The Dark Night | Mark 14:32-42
Summary: In the Garden of Gethsemane we see Jesus as we’ve never seen him before: panicked, anxious and sorrowful. What made Jesus unravel before He goes to the cross? At the Garden we also see the continued failure of the disciples to support Jesus in His greatest hour of need. This final evening represents a test that shows Jesus’ spirit and the spirit of all of His followers. The Garden shows us the heights and depths of God’s love for His weary people.
Sermon : The Meal | Mark 14:10-31
Summary: Jesus loved eating and drinking with the most broken people in society. The ultimate final meal Jesus shares is with HIs disciples shows us the heights and depths of Jesus’ love for broken people. Communion is a meal that draws us into the life and love of Jesus and connects us as a community of grace.
Sermon Title: Following Jesus’ Passion | Passage: Mark 11:16-19
Summary: After Jesus enters Jerusalem, His first action is to cleanse the temple that had turned into a marketplace. Jesus warns us about the temptation to turn church into a corporation and worship into an outward ritual. God is calling a diverse group of people from all nations into a genuine community filled with heartfelt praise.
Sermon Title: Following Jesus’ Life of Service | Passage: Mark 10:17-31
Summary: Jesus counters our power obsessed world with a philosophy of life that is centered on a life of service. Jesus shows us that the true way to significance and happiness is found through a life of selfless service to others. The pathway to glory comes through the cross.
Sermon Title: Following Jesus’ Life of Simplicity | Passage: Mark 10:17-31
Summary: Whether it’s wealth or poverty, God’s salvation promises that your greatest fulfillment is found nowhere else except in the gospel. Only through the gospel can we find a security that doesn’t go up or down based on our performance or the market.
Sermon Title: Following Jesus’ Witness | Passage: Mark 6:1-13
Summary: Jesus calls his disciples not just to believe His message but also to become fellow witnesses of God’s grace and power. Jesus’ powerful witness was a result of His revolutionary message but also a life of compassion and grace. The church is God’s ‘sent’ people who live as God’s sign of the kingdom, shining as His lights in the city through our words, compassion and community.
Sermon Title: Learning to Rest with Jesus | Passage: Mark 4:30-41
Summary: Following Jesus doesn’t just mean intellectually understanding the teachings of the Bible but being able to rest in Jesus through the uncertainties of life. Jesus doesn’t just call his disciples to know him intellectually but also trust him through the storms of life. Jesus calls His people to a deep life of rest that finds “shalom” in all the perplexities of life.
Sermon Title: Jesus Outside the Lines | Passage: Mark 2:13-17
Summary: The power of the gospel rebukes and compels us to see those whom we think as adversaries or castoffs as those worthy of God’s affection and grace. Following Jesus means that we relinquish all ideas of self-righteousness for the far greater joy of an imputed righteousness.
Sermon Title: Prayer | Passage: Mark 1:29-39
Summary: Jesus’ life was filled with the constant pressure of crowds of people who wanted healing. Prayer was Jesus’ secret source of strength that gave him the ability to fearlessly minister in midst of the crowds and pressures of His life. Prayer can feel like a waste of time and resources but Jesus shows us the counter-cultural practice of prayer and how it can enliven our everyday lives.
Sermon: The Call to Discipleship | Mark 1:14-20
Summary: Jesus doesn’t just call people to believe in him but to follow Him into a beautiful and powerful Kingdom. Jesus’ first call to Peter and Andrew represents how Jesus fundamentally shifts our purpose and ultimate allegiance in life. When we follow Jesus we leave behind our former selves and embark on a new journey into His eternal kingdom.
