This week we begin a new series on the book of James. Trials come our way frequently. Have you ever taken the time to consider that our attitudes about those trials are under our control? In James 1, we learn that God can use those trials to develop our perseverance.

After learning about the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5, we see what the fruit is like at work. As we do life together as a church, a big part of our job is to do good.

In Galatians 5, Paul writes about the freedom we have in Christ. Even though we have been set free, we often return to the things that made us slaves. In the case of the church at Galatia, it was traditions that they tried to bind on each other. What keeps us from truly being free?

Between his resurrection and ascension, Jesus made several appearances to individuals and groups. As we close our series on the life of Jesus this week, we will talk about some of those appearances, the reasons they may have happened and the job he left for us to do.

Twelve apostles would follow Jesus for three years of ministry. Near the end, one would betray him and another would deny him. In those watershed moments, they each had to decide what to do next. The paths Judas and Peter chose could not be more different. In the aftermath of our greatest mistakes, we have the opportunity to choose the direction our stories will turn.

In John 13, Jesus and his disciples are at a table preparing for a meal, when he begins to make his way around the table and washes each of their feet. He gives them and us an incredible example of what it means to be a servant.

These three stories from Mark 11 and 12 might seem unrelated on the surface, but they share a common thread. If we are to bear the fruit of being Christians in our lives, what should that look like? How will it affect the way we treat others and can it even change the way we spend our money and time? When Jesus runs across a fig tree, these questions begin to be answered.

When people come to meet the King making his way into Jerusalem, they do not find the grand ceremony they expect. Instead they find Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a young donkey as he continues to challenge their idea of an earthly kingdom.

In Luke 18, a rich man approaches Jesus with a very important question, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" Maybe he was looking for assurance; maybe he was looking for a checklist. The answer he received came as a surprise though, and he reacted out of sadness. This week we talk about how wealth can affect us and the things we hold on to. Most importantly, we are reminded that God can do what does not seem possible.

The story of Lazarus is a good reminder that sometimes God does his best work in what seems like the most impossible situations. While Mary and Martha struggled with the fact that Jesus was not there when they needed him the most, they found out that he was about to come through for them in a way they had never imagined. Spend a few minute reliving this incredible story with us.

"Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." (John 8:7) Aside from "Don't judge," it might be one of the most quoted scriptures in our culture today. It is in the middle of an incredible story. A woman who faced sure death found mercy from Jesus, but the story does not end there. God meets us where we are, but he is not content to leave us there.

As much as we try to live in harmony and show love, sometimes we mess up. What should we do when a brother or sister sins against us? Jesus explains the process in Matthew 18, and it's something we should all put into practice.