CityReach Marion

When life leaves you powerless, Jesus is still enough. Luke Watts shows how the official came to Jesus wanting his circumstances changed, but he was led to something deeper: taking Jesus at His word before he could see the outcome. That is where this account presses us too, because Jesus offers more than help in a crisis; He offers Himself. So when you come to Him, do you want Jesus for who He is, or only what He can give you?

No matter your background, God can use you to share the good news of Jesus. Scott Beeson looks at the Samaritan woman in John 4. Jesus crossed barriers to speak with her and reveal Himself to her, and she went back to tell her community about Jesus. Will you share Jesus with others, even with those you might normally avoid?

There is joy in knowing that Jesus is the One who matters most. Luke Watts reflects on John the Baptist’s words, “He must increase, but I must decrease,” calling us to see Jesus as central rather than ourselves. Jesus is above all, and the Father has given all things into His hands. The call is to believe in the Son, live under His authority, and point others towards Him.

 

Is Jesus truly central in the way you live?

God loves you, and He has shown His love by giving His Son. Luke Watts reminds us from John 3 that we cannot make ourselves new or work our way into God's kingdom - new life comes from God. Jesus calls us to look to Him, believe in Him, and find life in His name. If there is life in Jesus, what will you love first and most?

Darren Western leads us through the last section of John 2, when Jesus cleanses the temple. 

Peter Budimir leads us in looking at the first sign Jesus performed at the wedding in Cana - turning water to wine. We see in this sign another reason to behold Jesus and believe in him. He is always working, always turning water to wine, either in seasons or in marvelous moments. Will we believe and trust he cares for us and see his glory? Or will we just dismiss his glory?

Luke Watts shares from the end of John's first chapter that the first disciples were invited, but then became inviters, that Jesus truly sees & knows those who he calls to follow him, and those who follow him are changed & expectant.

Luke Watts continues our new series in John's Gospel, considering the testimony of John the Baptist. John's purpose was that of preparing the way for Jesus and proclaiming him clearly - the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Those who believe in Jesus now have much the same purpose, that of preparing others to meet him and inviting them to behold him - who can deal with our greatest problem, sin and death. 

Luke Watts, Lead Pastor at CityReach Marion, begins our new sermon series in John's Gospel. John the Apostle had a clear purpose in his account of Jesus' life - to provide example, witness, and opportunity for people to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that believing, they might have life in his name (John 20:31). His introduction to this purpose is to who Jesus really is, and that it really matters - he is the only way to become a child of God.

Will Hall from Compassion Australia shares with us about the 3 spaces of mission. It begins where God's people gather - today, that's the church, to prepare us to go into the marketplace where we demonstrate and proclaim Jesus, and then also erquips us then to be ready when we are invited into spaces where God is not known.