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In a time where anxiety, weariness and frustration has gripped so many there is a voice that resonates from Heaven that calls us and says “ Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy burdened and I will give you rest “ . The Sabbath that the Spirit of God calls us to is one in which we will encounter Peace , regeneration of the mind and above all the one who loves us with a love that is beyond words.

 Our sinful nature doesn't like being held accountable. We tend to have this attitude that shows itself differently: You can't tell me what to do! Don't judge me! He/she made me do it. I received a letter from the IRS that I am being audited! Teachers/professors should not use grades when evaluating tests. Public school teachers should refrain from using red pencil or ink when they correct a paper or test. That offends me and makes me uncomfortable. There are many more examples. In the parable of the sheep and the goats, Jesus taught the disciples that when He returns, there will be a day of accounting and judgment. Some great lessons in this parable will help us in theology about the end times and practical theology to help us live our daily lives.

 Since the church's inception at Pentecost, Christ's followers have always been curious about the Second Coming of Christ. Sometimes, we tend to let this question distract us from a more critical question. Are we ready for Christ's Second Coming? In Matthew 24, the disciples raise this question of Jesus' Second coming, and Jesus answered them with a sermon to refocus their thinking on the more important question. "Are you ready?"

One can sense something supernatural when a Christ follower worships in Spirit and truth. We sense once again the deep love of the Father and the Son. Our response is to worship and serve Christ because of our love relationship. When you and I worship Christ in Spirit and truth, we sense an intimate communion so special that the atmosphere around us becomes beautiful. Listen to Revelation 1:9-20. This beautiful passage in John 12:1-11 gives us some excellent and practical insights into what it means to worship Christ in Spirit and truth.

 You have heard me say that a dysfunctional system will always try to find a way to sustain its dysfunction at any cost. Here is an example: The Sanhedrin included the Pharisees and Sadducees. The Pharisees were not meant to be a political party. Their function was to live according to the letter of the law. All that was important for them was to live up to the letter of the law no matter who was in the political power. The Sadducees were a prominent political party of wealthy and influential people. They were willing to cooperate with the Roman authorities as long as they were allowed to keep their wealth,  comfort, and power. To further complicate the dysfunction, all priests were Sadducees. Therefore, the priests controlled most of the talking in these meetings. After Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, many Jews who came for the funeral believed in Christ as the Messiah. Therefore, Jesus was a growing threat to this dysfunctional system's power, greed, pride, and authority.

Can anyone tell me if there is a difference in meaning between a house and a home? A house is a structure, while a home is or ought to be a place of peace and rest. Therefore, you may have a mortgage on a house or rent a house, apartment, or trailer house; they all could be home if Christ is the centerpiece. If you recall, Jesus had no house, tent, or dwelling for the last three to three and one-half years of His ministry. Jesus had close friends who provided Him a place To rest and find understanding and peace during His ministry's good and rough portions. We meet this family again in John 11. There were two sisters, Martha and Mary, and their brother, Lazarus. In this beautiful narrative, we find out that Lazarus is ill with a terminal illness.  Lazarus' two sisters sent word to Jesus that His friend was sick. This is a story of love and grace and great theology that has application to us today. Let's dive into this passage and see God's great truths today.

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What are some theories or principles which we are asked to believe in this day and age? Let me list some: the big bang theory, evolution theory, woke theory, the flat earth theory, the Bible is an antiquated document written solely by men, science will come to a point where we will not need God, life doesn't start at conception, and there are 74 genders. Despite what the Scriptures tell us and significant evidence, many people tend to believe the lies of this world rather than the truth. In this passage, we will see how easily people dismissed and rejected the truth of who Jesus is.  Even with the living truth speaking to them, they refused to believe Jesus. Most things have stayed the same in 2000 years. Jesus still says plainly to people, and many still choose to reject him. Let's dig into this passage in which Jesus makes a fantastic claim with a promise.

Intro: A shepherd's job is less prominent today than in Jesus' time. Being a shepherd was essential in both the Old and New Testaments. Shepherds ensured their flock was fed, led, nurtured, and appropriately protected. Even though shepherds were important, they were looked upon by their fellow Jews, and the religious establishment believed they were nothing but low-class people. Historians have recorded that when a shepherd came into town, one could smell him before they saw him. People in the city would go out of their way to avoid a shepherd. God has used shepherds to do remarkable things to advance God's kingdom. Allow me to give you a few examples; Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David, and Amos, to name a few. David gave us a beautiful example of what a good shepherd does. If you remember, he wrote the 23rd Psalm. We will take a look at that. Also, David protected his flock with his own life. In this pericope in John 10, Jesus introduced Himself to the Pharisees and the religious leaders as the Good Shepherd. We can take great comfort in Jesus being the Good Shepherd. Let's look at the great insights in this passage and apply them to our lives today.

ntro: Have you ever met a superstitious person? Let me give you some examples: If you break a mirror, you will have seven years of bad luck. You will have bad luck if you see a black cat on Friday the 13th. If you throw salt over your left shoulder, that will bring you good luck. If you pass on this chain letter, you will get money. You will receive money if you get Pastor So and So's miracle water. If you buy this holy handkerchief, you will be healed. There are many more. This same type of thinking of religious leaders who are superficial and legalistic always results in bad theology, which causes grief and false guilt when people are going through circumstances beyond their control. In this pericope, Jesus graciously heals a man who was blind from birth. When Jesus healed this man, He taught His disciples a wonderful lesson about bad theology. At the same time, Jesus infuriated the Pharisees by exposing their bad theology, inhumanity, and self-righteousness. Let's take a deep look at this passage.

Intro: Have you ever met a superstitious person? Let me give you some examples: If you break a mirror, you will have seven years of bad luck. You will have bad luck if you see a black cat on Friday the 13th. If you throw salt over your left shoulder, that will bring you good luck. If you pass on this chain letter, you will get money. You will receive money if you get Pastor So and So's water. If you buy this holy handkerchief, you will be healed. There are many more. This same type of thinking of religious leaders who are superficial and legalistic always results in bad theology, which causes grief and false guilt when people are going through circumstances beyond their control. In this pericope, Jesus graciously heals a man who was blind from birth. When Jesus healed this man, He taught His disciples a wonderful lesson about bad theology. At the same time, Jesus infuriated the Pharisees by exposing their bad theology, inhumanity, and self-righteousness.

Last week, we talked about some of the consequences of original sin. Original sin makes us more prone to believe lies than God's truth. Let me illustrate this concept with some examples: If the internet says it, it must be true. If the View, CNN. Fox, Hollywood, and the politicians say it is true; it must be true. It must be true if they say the Bible is antiquated and full of errors. It must be true if they say Jesus was just a good man. If the professors and teachers say, there is no absolute truth, that must be true. Recognize the contradiction in this statement. If religious leaders claim to be the final authority rather than the Bible, they must be telling the truth. Review the dangers in trends and traditions to be the final authority; that must be true. Jesus addressed this issue head-on in the pericope today.