Chandler Bible Church

Session 2 of the 2016 CBC Women's Retreat "Enter In" Guest Speaker: Tess Eddy

Session 1 of the 2016 CBC Women's Retreat "Enter In" Guest speaker - Tess Eddy

When Jesus Christ calls Himself the "true vine", He causes His hearer (reader) to wonder about previous "vines" that did not prove true to God's design. Yet, since Jesus is True, He is also ultimate. Are you connected to Jesus Christ in a saving faith relationship? If so, it will be as you are living His life through yours that you will bear much fruit.

How are followers of Jesus Christ even able to follow the instructions that Jesus gave? And why would they want to in the first place? I'm glad that you asked. Let me introduce you to the Holy Spirit.

Have you ever been following the directions/map/road signs/GPS and still gotten lost? This can happen in life too. If you want to know how to get to heaven, follow Jesus. If you want to know what God is like, look to Jesus. If you want to understand how to live a life of faith, listen to Jesus. If you want to do the work of God, trust Jesus. Jesus is the Way.

Chandler Bible Church

"Jesus wept." (John 11:35) Perhaps the most simple verse in the Bible. Yet filled with incredible depth of human emotion, honesty and supernatural agonizing. And behind those tears, Jesus is preparing for His greatest miracle to that point. Proclaiming the coming victory over sin and death, as would be ultimately accomplished through His own death and resurrection, Jesus cries out with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" (John 11:43)

Jesus is not IN the way; He IS the Way. Are you able to hear His voice? Are you even listening to Him? When He gives guidance, are you obeying? The Good Shepherd still seeks to lead His followers today.

Just as there is physical sight and physical blindness, there is also spiritual sight and spiritual blindness. When Jesus comes into a person's life, He brings spiritual sight. And sometimes He brings physical sight. Do you see the Light of the World?

Free from sin. Free from the devil's works. Free from death. These three truths describe the life of the genuine disciple of Jesus Christ. Are you a follower or a spectator of Jesus? The results are open for others to see.

"Any group that does not worship Jesus as God is not worshiping the same God as the God of the Bible." This statement has the potential for great controversy and conflict. And this is not a new phenomenon. In the time of Jesus Christ, the ability to understand and discern these ideas was just as critical. Do you know God as your Heavenly Father? Do you know Jesus His Son? Come into the light of biblical Truth and "see" in new ways.

Jesus Christ has been glorified. The Holy Spirit is being given to those who trust Christ by faith. Are you living in the "Get To" of God's love as you are refreshed by Christ through your faith in Him?

There are as many unique ways that people respond to Jesus as there are people. But they all really boil down to just two: Believing that He is the Christ, the Son of God, and living that out by faith in one's life in joyful "Get To" obedience, or going your own way. (Spoiler Alert: Only one of these options has a good ending.)

"What they wanted, he would not give; what he offered, they would not receive." ~F.F. Bruce, "The Gospel of John", 164 Whose words are you listening to in your life? Are you willing to stake your future - even your eternity - on the truth of those words? Have you listened to what Jesus Christ has to say lately?

"I am the Bread of Life." With these words, Jesus makes it very clear that if one wishes to have nourishment - real, spiritual nourishment - he or she must take Jesus into his or her life. Around here at CBC, we call this the "Get To" of Christian faith. We "Get To" come to Jesus Christ, take Him into our lives by faith, trusting in Him as God's Promised One, and live for the Father's glory in the power of the Spirit. Now that is what I call a feast!

As Jesus said, "If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead." (Luke 16:31) There are many witnesses to the authority and identity of Jesus as the Son of God. Which witness will you believe?

The "dress code" has changed in our day, and we are not talking about clothing fabrics and styles. Instead, our character, our words, our actions, even our thought life; all of these are the "clothes" we wear that show others what we believe and what we believe is important. "Hey Christian! Are you dressing for the Kingdom?"

The Lord Jesus Christ, "...was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him and by His wounds we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5) Is this the hope that you are trusting in - having faith in Jesus Christ as the Lord of Creation and the Lord of Life - in the midst of the circumstances of life?

The Gospel Impulse is the intentional reaching out to someone else with the Good News about Jesus Christ. It is usually responded to in steps, over time. These can take a couple of minutes, a couple of days - as in John 4 with the Samaritans - or longer. What matters is the faith and faithfulness of the one spreading the Gospel.

When those who seek become those who guide, and the Holy Spirit is moving inside, that's when the darkness gives way to the light. When followers become those who are sent, and nourishment takes on a spiritual bent, that's when the church together is filled with delight. Are you praying for your part in God's harvest work?