All this Christian and bible talk is great, Jesus says in Matthew 7:17-27. But what does it all mean? Where's the fruit? Does the talk reflect the reality of our Monday through Saturday when we're not at church? Jesus points out that gap between what we say and what we do, and gives us his suggestion for how that gap is filled.

When the Samaritan woman at the well runs back into town to tell the townspeople she's met the Messiah, we get a glimpse into how Jesus has restored the different parts of her life: her self, her relationships, and her life's purpose.

Continuing our series of Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well, we explore the idea of how God reveals Himself to man. How does He do this so we don't misinterpret His advances? So we understand His love and His desire for a relationship?

We're all thirsty for love. We all, like the woman at the well in John 4, have pursued some strategy to get love. And when we approach God with the same failed strategies, we really miss out on the living water he's offering to us: unconditional love.

When Jesus talks to the woman at the well and her dubious past is revealed, we wonder, "What kind of dreams did she have in her youth? Did she ever think her life would end up the way it did? What happened?" Join us as we think about these same questions in our own lives in this first part of our message series, Conversation, "Got Water?"

"Silver or gold I do not have," Peter says to the cripple who is begging at the gates of the temple. Likely, it wasn't what this beggar wanted to hear, and yet, it's an awesome declaration that upends our understanding of what we have and don't have, be it money, riches, or any number of things. In the end, Peter and John extend a hand and a word to this cripple, inviting him and empowering him to walk and experience a transformed life.

How we are supposed to live in light of the fact of Resurrection? Acts 1:1-11 makes it clear that God's business on earth is to send each Christ follower to be HIs witness to their communities and to the very ends of the earth. Without the Holy Spirit's presence, Jesus says, this task is impossible, and a moving sketch of missionary David Livingstone's life provides an inspirational example of why and how.

In Mark 16:1-8, when the women go look for the crucified Jesus, they encounter a man in white, sitting in the tomb. They are told, "He has risen," and the evidence given to them is the same given to us 2000 years later: an empty tomb. The resurrection changes everything, and in spite of the fear, trembling, and bewilderment we may experience in our own personal journeys, we are urged to obey, hope, and live with joy.

Jesus, though a good man, bore the pain and shame of the cross. Yet in his darkest moment in Mark 15:33-47, he inspires greater faith in God for those who are facing times in which God seems painfully absent. And on the cross he proclaims God's love as he makes possible a restored relationship between us and God.

Mark 15:16-32 shows humanity and the human heart at its worst. From the mockery of the soldiers to the religious leaders who ignored their personal guilt and culpability, the silence of Jesus and the silence of God too seems apathetic at best, powerless at worst. Explore with us what we can learn about our own hearts and the magnificence of God's love.

Going through Mark 15:1-15, we examine three characters and the phrases that define them: Jesus' silence in the face of false accusations, Pilate who crucified a man he knew to be innocent in order to satisfy the crowd, and the crowd which responded to questions by shouting all the louder.

Jesus' power, ironically, is demonstrated by his remarkable restraint and trust in God's plan. It is submission and not coercive force that reveals Jesus' power as he is arrested and brought before a mock tribunal of chief priests in Mark 14:43-72.

In his last message before departing for Austin, Pastor Manny shared from Jesus' Garden of Gethsemane struggle, exhorting us to submit our wills to God. We are also reminded of Jesus' kindness as we see him calling his sleeping disciples to rise with him and go to the cross.

Jesus' Last Supper gives us a chance to dwell on issues of obedience, human free will, and the magnitude of God's love for broken people.

The disciples ask, "Why this waste?" in Mark 14:1-11. What does the breaking of an alabaster jar have to do with us today? Why does Jesus call it something worthy of the gospel itself?

Dr. Jon Choi, who pastors Global Harvest Church in Dallas, spoke from 1 Peter 1:6-9. Sharing from his own life, Dr. Jon remarked that trials and suffering not only prove our faith more genuine, but also enable us to help others in their times of need.

Jesus' description of the end times isn't meant to spark mere theological discussions about eschatology. Jesus urges us through this description to live our lives with a sense of urgency, motivated by a hope for heaven.

Mark 12:41-13:2 teaches us poignant lessons on giving out of our poverty as we study the widow's paltry offering of two copper coins. What does God really value? Moreover, what does this tell us about the context in which we evaluate our lives?

Jesus' response to the Sadducees in Mark 12:18-27 gives us an opportunity to think about the afterlife, the idea of accountability in an ultimate sense for our lives, the reason for hell, and a consideration of what heaven might really be like.

Jesus' famous response in Mark 12 to the Pharisees, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's," is the beginning of today's message as we talk about loving God, being a source of blessing to others, and what it means that our entire lives must be made available to God.

Jesus tells the parable of the tenants, teaching us to faithfully (and passionately) steward the life He's given us.

How can we understand the singular event of Jesus cleansing the temple, overturning tables and scattering all the coins and animals? This passage has much to tell us about the worldview and values of the marketplace versus the temple, as God envisioned it, to be a house of prayer and blessing to all the nations.

When Jesus enters Jerusalem, he is greeted by shouts of Hosanna amid great excitement and enthusiasm. But this is the same crowd that yells, "Crucify!", a mere week later. What can we learn from this tragedy concerning our expectations and desires, and the ways they become disappointment, bitterness, and even hatred?

Reading through the rest of Mark 10, Jesus paints a picture of God who desires our thriving and flourishing (hence, rules for how our lives are to be lived), a God whose notions of importance and value are radically different from our own, and God's compassionate love for each of us, "What do you want me to do for you?"

Jesus teaches his disciples to treat sin drastically in Mark 9:43-50 in his very vivid and unforgettable rabbinic way. However, the main message here is deeper, grappling with the difference and value of earthly life and eternal life.

The disciples were caught arguing among themselves, "Who's the greatest?" Fear, self-protectiveness, and a whole host of other reasons caused them to miss the real drama that was unfolding: the servanthood of Jesus who lay down his life for the powerless.

On Easter Sunday, "We had hoped...," the disciples uttered as they headed down that road to Emmaus, sets the stage of our human hearts for the remarkable reversal God accomplished in Jesus--reversing the downward spiral of nature, reversing the condemnation and accusation of sin, and reversing the hearts of people from despair to unbounded new hope.

The Mount of Transfiguration tells us who it is that will be on the cross: one who will satisfy all the demands of the Law and the promises of the Prophets, who will show us that salvation is accomplished wholly by God alone.

Jesus invites us in Mark 8:34-9:1 to take up our cross and follow him. He isn't merely inviting us to a "way of life," he describes life as it is and tells us the profound truth that to lose our lives is to gain it, and to hold onto our lives is to truly lose it.

In Mark 8:27-9:1, Jesus asks his disciples a question we must all answer for ourselves, "Who do you say I am?" The answer has implications on our lives, whether we call him teacher, crazy, or Lord. We also study Jesus' staunch refusal to accept any alternate voices that might dissuade him from going to the cross.

The disciples neither see nor hear, and do not understand in our text today, Mark 8:1-26. Ultimately, they bring to Jesus' words their own issues and insecurities, and end up missing what he has to say.

A discussion on ceremonial cleansing brings to light an entire teaching of the external vs. internal lives. What are we focused on? Mere impression management, or do we really know what's going on inside our hearts? Jesus's confrontation with the Pharisees, contrasted with the following encounter, the Syrian Phoenician woman, provides a compelling picture of coming to God with the right posture and heart.

In Mark 6:1-29, we encounter prejudice that refuses to listen or learn, which ultimately prevents growth. We also examine Herod's relationship with John the Baptist, and get a picture of how not to respond to God's voice.

Jairus and his beloved daughter and the bleeding woman seem an unlikely cast of characters occupying the stage together in Mark 5. However, despite their different social situations, they share kinship in their desperate need for Jesus' intervention in their lives.

The ordination of 3 new pastors is a first for Gracepoint and a momentous occasion. As William, Manny, and Timothy receive their pastoral charge and we celebrate together God's faithfulness, our entire congregation is reminded by Paul's example in Ephesus that we are all called to be ministers of the gospel.

In Mark 4:35-5:20, Jesus takes his disciples along on a journey that will see him silencing a raging, out-of-control storm and restoring a violent, out-of-control man. Through it all, we can learn how to grow in our faith when we must weather storms in our lives from without and within.

Jesus' parable of the sower teaches us four responses to the word of God: the path, the rocky soil, the thorny soil, and the good soil.

Every year we ring in the new year together with a time of reflection, prayer, worship, testimony sharing, and communion. Moreover, our congregation receives the key verse for the new year together.

In today's text (Mark 3:7-35), Jesus withdrew from the spiritual establishment and ministered to the people, drawing huge crowds from all over the countryside. Appointing the twelve apostles and relating to his family, Jesus teaches us what it means to be a disciple, and gives us a new definition of family. ( notes)

Matthew 1:21 gives us the true picture of that first Christmas many years ago. Why did Jesus come? What problem of humanity did his coming solve? Why not make some decrees from on high and save himself the trouble of coming to be with us? Perhaps, it was the coming to be with us that Christmas is really about.

Jesus provoked controversy in his confrontations with the Pharisees and the Teachers of the Law. Jesus' answers to their questions often left them wondering, "Who does he think he is?" That's precisely the question we ask ourselves today in Mark 2:18-3:6 as Jesus teaches on the true meaning of fasting, the Sabbath, and this strange business of old and new wineskins.

Guest speaker, Pastor Joe Kim, joins us today, sharing from Ephesians 3, that true power does not come from the body, nor even the mind, but from Christ dwelling in the unchanging soul of each human person. He also gives a missions presentation on the nation of Japan, and shares his calling and his quickly-approaching future there as a missionary and school president in Nagoya.

As we cover Mark 2:1-17, we encounter two who are called by Jesus: the paralytic on the mat and Levi, the tax collector. Our attention is drawn to the similarity the two men share--their inner paralysis as identified, needy sinners. It is a deep issue we too must confront in our own lives as Jesus issues his invitation to us, "Get up," "Follow me."

Our annual Thanksgiving Celebration has always started with a time to remember all that God has done in our ministry the past year. It's our opportunity to thank God for all He has done, and to remember the role of gratitude in our own lives.

Healing in the synagogue, in the house of Peter, and late into the night: what do these tell us about Jesus? How is it that Jesus' compassion reaches out to touch a leper, and what message does this have for you and I today?

When Jesus uttered his famous words, "Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men," the disciples left it all--their fish, nets, boats, and even their own father--to respond. What were they leaving for? Was it worth it?

The Gospel of Mark begins not with the life of Jesus, but with John the Baptist. Who was he? What was his story? What did he do to "prepare the way for the Lord?" ( notes | Intro to Mark )

Core to the gospel is the message of extravagant, wasteful love. Jesus on the cross demonstrated this for us. The church too is called to demonstrate this for one another and for the world. ( notes | video)

The bible's primary understanding of the church is the "body of Christ," meant for good works as a vehicle of salvation for others. How does this happen? What role does authority and spiritual leadership have? What does the bible have to say about this? ( notes)

What is the church? In what ways is the church like a symphony, complete with orchestra, conductor, and score? (video) ( notes)

Now that we know what happiness isn't, what is happiness? Join us as we explore the ingredients and components to happiness. ( notes)

Since we live in a fallen world with broken people, we'll go through life collecting grudges, grievances, and all kinds of junk. What do we do with them? What does it look like to trust God with the grudges and grievances we've accumulated? ( notes)

Are you a hopeful person? Do you get discouraged easily? Do you get more depressed than you want to? Do you fail more than you think you should? What's the difference between "optimism" and "Christian hope?" ( notes)

What challenges are you experiencing in your life right now? What is your response? ( notes)

Our strategy to get happiness often focuses on changing our material circumstances. But experience tells us (and so do the social scientists!) that we're not very good at happiness forecasting. What to do then? ( notes)

Recent American life tells us having more stuff doesn't make us more happy. Is there a problem when we make happiness our goal in life? ( notes)

God's character ensures the fulfillment of His promises on Abraham's life, the twelve disciples, and on our own lives. Today, we look to God as the subject of our last Portrait of Faith. ( notes)

How does God lead us step by step to become a person of faith? Could God ever use someone like me? If so, what steps do I need to take? What would that kind of life look like? Join us as we look to the life of Gideon for some answers. ( notes)

How do ordinary people practice their faith and live a life of faith? Learn from the paralytic and his four friends how ordinary people demonstrated remarkable, praiseworthy faith. ( notes)

Peter, who walked on water to go to Jesus, took a step of faith and experienced God, leaving behind the safety of his boat and fears. ( notes)

What will be greater? God and the faith journey He has called us to, or the present reality, circumstances, and doubt? ( notes)

What is faith? Why does God want us to have faith? Why does God take so long to deliver on His promises? ( notes)

The majestic, creator God is also the God who invites us to have a personal relationship with Him. ( notes)

The God in the bible is holy, completely dedicated to what is right and good, and opposed to sin and evil. It is a holiness that inspires reverence and awe. ( notes)

At the core, David and his mighty men shared a deep fellowship of affection and loyalty. What lessons are offered here about our own relationships with others? What can we learn about our own relationship with Jesus, our Lord? ( notes)

David had many people in his life willing to speak truth to him even in the midst of great anger or terrible loss. It is from his response to people like Abigail and Joab that we learn how we too ought to listen and receive truth in our lives. ( notes)

This lesson on Saul is a grave warning as to what happens when we do not let go of our insecurities and clutch tightly onto our positions and status. ( notes)

Join us as we review Jonathan's relationship with David, and how Jonathan provides us all with an example of how to be a friend and relate to the people in our own lives. ( notes)