Scripture Focus: Revelation 7:9-17

There are at least three life-changing promises from this text.

Scripture Focus: Revelation 5:11-14

Worship is falling down before our Creator and humbly recognizing all that we have and all that we are is a gift from God. Worship is giving Yahweh thanks and praise for the abundant life and eternal life we can have in Jesus Christ. Worship to God is our response that we can live every waking moment. Worship to God is our response that we can live in our homes. Worship to God is our response that we can gather as a community of believers to remember what Jesus Christ has done on the cross for each one of us. And worship will continue for all eternity around the throne of God because God is worthy of our praise.

• To Know: The Lamb of God is worthy of our worship in every moment of our lives.
• To Feel: The grateful response to God that results in our worship.
• To Do: Worship!

Scripture Focus: Revelation 1:1-8

The introduction of the book comes with a blessing. We will be blessed to read this book. While we may be unsure about our reading of Revelation, we are promised that it will be a blessing.

From the one who existed before time began and who will remain into eternity, we have grace and peace offered to us today. John wants victorious disciples to know that through Christ, God will provide enough grace and enough peace for each day.

Jesus Christ—the Alpha and Omega—is the beginning and the end. Jesus is the beginning of all our endings and the ending of all our beginnings. To say that Jesus is the end of all my beginnings is to joyfully acknowledge that apart from him I am nothing and that the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, the Christ and LORD of all loves us, knows us, and calls us by name; and because he is the beginning and the end, our past is redeemed, our present makes sense, and our future is secure! He is the Alpha and the Omega, the one who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

Sermon Text: Luke 24: 1-12

Easter means our faith isn't futile, our failures aren't fatal, and our death isn't final.

• Faith: Jesus is alive. Our faith isn't futile. If it's false, it's foolish. If it's true, it is the foundation for a life that is powerful and positive and productive forever.
• Failures: We are an Easter people. We follow a living Lord. We believe in the redeeming power of God. Our failures aren't fatal; they are opportunities to learn and grow into the likeness of Christ.
• Death: Easter means that our death isn't final. Jesus was not held by the prison of death, and in his resurrection, he paves the way for those who believe in him to inherit eternal life. Because he died and rose again, so can we.

To Know: Jesus death and resurrection gives us a powerful, positive, productive life forever.

To Feel: Our failures are overcome by Easter

To Do: When you trust that your faith isn't futile, that your failures aren't fatal, and that your death isn't final -- then you can have a passion for living.

Sermon Text: Luke 19:28-40

What is success? It is the end for which we strive. It is the affirmation toward which we live that we believe once attained, will finally make it all worthwhile. The success of God is revealed as our Lord rides into Jerusalem on a donkey. It is the agenda of life and peace, the agenda of redeeming love. All the success of that first Palm Sunday, the power and acclaim given to Jesus, was held accountable to the cross which was to follow. Jesus willingly sets aside the temporary exaltation of women, men, and even children for the sake of God's eternal agenda. The story could have turned out so differently. He could have seized the moment, struck while the iron was hot, and taken control of the city. There was so much good that could have been done that he didn't do�it was because the immediate was held accountable to the ultimate�the temporary to the eternal.

• To Know: Jesus gave up success (by the world's definition) in order that success would be about the changed lives of all who would know him through his death and resurrection.
• To Feel: The love of God through Jesus determination toward the cross.
• To Do: Seek the true and eternal success of a life of faith.