The rest of John 15 and on into John 16!

Text: John 9:1-41 In our gospel reading this week Jesus has a conversation with a man who had been born blind and heals him, but that blind man also has a number of his own conversations with other people about Jesus. Talking about Jesus with others can be a little frightening, especially if we don't know whether or not other people will be wiling to hear what we have to say about Jesus. In this reading, however, we learn that Jesus Himself is the confidence and the courage that we need to talk to others about Him. He will never leave us or forsake us!

John chapter 15. Jesus says, "I am the vine, you are the branches..."

We covered a bit more of John 14 today, lot's of really amazing stuff about the entire Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) living and dwelling in us. We have not been left as orphans!

Text: John 3:1-17 A man named Nicodemus comes to talk to Jesus at night. He's a smart man, an intelligent man, but he struggles to understand what Jesus is talking about when He says "You must be born again." Nicodemus' lack of understanding teaches us that faith is not just a matter of being smart or knowing the right answers, but a gift that only the Holy Spirit can give.

We began a series looking at the book of Daniel and the Babylonian exile of the people of Judah by considering the historical background and by thinking about how our own lives are, in a sense, lives of exile. With this in mind, we can learn from Daniel and the exiles way back then about what it means to "conduct yourselves with fear" throughout the time of our exile. Above all, we remember that even as exiles, we have been ransomed with the precious blood of Christ!

Text: Matthew 4:1-11 Jesus talks with the devil and sends him away. While we may marvel at the fact the devil simply leaves when Christ commands him to do so, the truth is that we too can send the devil packing. This is not the result of any strength or power in ourselves, but the result of Christ who dwells in us. Therefore, we confidently resist the devil sure, in Christ, that he will flee from us!

John 14, Jesus is the way and the truth and the life who shows us the Father!