Book: Matthew

If Jesus really rose from the dead, than He is who He said He was—we must tell because everyone needs to know! We need to go to the ends of the earth to tell them JESUS LIVES, JESUS LOVES, & JESUS SAVES, even if it means that we risk some-thing to do it.

You carry the cross when you take the step of reaching out to someone, braving the awkwardness, of telling them about Jesus. … Are we willing to pick up the cross so that others can experience it?

Jesus never ever gives up on you—His grace to forgive is greater than you could ever imagine, and His power to restore the life that is ruined by sin is beyond your wildest hopes.

Jesus had to take the cup of God’s wrath. He didn’t come to wield the sword but to step under it for us: It was the only way! True salvation is not something we can achieve, but something we must receive.

You can tell if you are Judas or Mary by how you respond when life disappoints you. How you respond to suffering & pain is the measure of your understanding & embrace of the gospel. Judas represents a “religious” approach to God: I serve God to get things from God, & I expect to be rewarded for my behavior. Mary understood the Gospel: I deserve nothing, God has given me everything. Christ is a treasure worth losing everything for.

God’s ability to clean things up is infinitely greater than our ability to mess things up.

A disciple is a person who (1) Is following Christ (head); (2) Is being changed by Christ (heart); & (3) Is committed to the mission of Christ (hands).

Christmas is coming to understand because of what I’ve done, I’ll never get to God. So, God came to me. He died on the cross and what He asked in return is all of me, complete ownership.

Today you will make a decision. Either I accept this, that my sin has been dealt with or I’m going to choose to go and handle my own life one way or another.