Highland Christian Church

In an upper room, at Passover, in Jerusalem – Jesus gave the disciples the key to seeing the Gospel reach to every corner of the world. He defined for them a love that is not of this world. The disciples were to get really good at loving each other (AS JESUS LOVED THEM – life laid down), and obedience to this command. BUT – Jesus also defined this love, “AS I HAVE LOVED YOU.” Jesus isn’t giving us a freedom to define love as we would like to define it, but He’s actually speaking and showing it to us. You and I need to ask ourselves, “Does my love look like Jesus, or does it look like something else?”

So much about Jerusalem has to do with location worship: “We must worship here or there. We go to ___________ to worship, you go to ___________.” So much of the fighting is about a location. A location to “prove my loyalty” or a location to “display my devotion.” Jesus promised that I time was coming when that wasn’t going to be the case. Location worship would come to an end. God was going to make it possible for people from all over the Earth to express their love for God and it wasn’t going to be about a place, but a life of worship. Worshiping with believers on the other side of the planet is a glorious reminder that we are united, not because of proximity, but by God’s spirit & God’s truth. A life surrendered to these things is the kind of worship God is looking for. He’s not looking for folks who will get excited about walking where Jesus walked, He’s seeking those who will walk AS Jesus walked. A surrendered will, a humble heart, and an obedient life.

Boats were not common in Galilee because much of the wood needed to make fishermen’s boats was imported wood. It would have been expensive. Peter and his family lived in Capernaum and what we know about him is that he could have been a wealthy man, based on his fishing company. Based on Peter’s personality through the Gospels, we see a leader, we see a high-impact “get it done” kind of man, but it was for this man that Jesus brought the new call – run after people, not stuff. Jesus’ invitation to the disciples was twofold – FOLLOW HIM & LEARN FROM HIM. We are called to the same life. We are called to FIRST, stop following whatever it is we are letting lead us in exchange for following Jesus. AND at the same time, our following is meant to be expressed in a LEARNING! Jesus made fishing for people primary, not secondary in the disciples’ lives. “What are you fishing for?”

Qumran is in the Judean Wilderness. It is hot. It is dry. There is nothing that communicates – “Hey, I want to be here!” It’s not the place most of us would choose to be. YET, it is in this location that a shepherd boy was throwing rocks and happened to unearth vases full of scrolls that had been hidden away by groups entrusted to hand down the Scriptures to the next generation. It was in the desert that God’s voice was heard loud and clear. It was in the place we would often choose to avoid that God’s voice could be heard. God chose to make Himself known in the wilderness. Jesus’ baptism is the moment we often long for… the celebration, the commission, the joy. Jesus was affirmed at His baptism, but what happens next, we don’t often consider. This 4 second win was followed by 40 days of wilderness. And it was in the wilderness that God’s voice carries Jesus. In Jesus’ temptations, it was God’s Word, that was spoken, heard, and understood – more clearly than in our winning moments. Jesus was tempted and exhau

Standing at the entrance to the supposed birthplace of Jesus, being herded down into a concrete funnel – only one entrance in – to see this place preserved by a church, so many were coming as tourists. “I’ll take a look from the outside in.” “I’ll go visit, but I’m not FROM here.” “I do as they do there, but when I get home, back to normal.” Many are more than willing to VISIT the things of Jesus, but will we LIVE Jesus? Much of my time in Israel was seeing WHERE Jesus walked, but God has not invited us to live as tourists, observing His role and work in the world, He’s actually invited us into that story – walking as Jesus walked. The Christian’s journey is not one of looking outside in, but participating, LIVING IN this one grand story that THE Author chose to write Himself into!

Isolated - What grows when we are alone?A series that looks at the traits that develop when we go it alone and avoid community.

Isolated - What grows when we are alone?A series that looks at the traits that develop when we go it alone and avoid community.

Isolated - What grows when we are alone?A series that looks at the traits that develop when we go it alone and avoid community.

Isolated - What grows when we are alone?A series that looks at the traits that develop when we go it alone and avoid community.

Man of Action (The Gospel of Mark)

Man of Action (The Gospel of Mark)

Man of Action (The Gospel of Mark)

Man of Action (The Gospel of Mark)

Man of Action (The Gospel of Mark)

Man of Action (The Gospel of Mark)

Man of Action (The Gospel of Mark)

Man of Action (The Gospel of Mark)

Treasure

Treasure

Treasure