December 22, 2013 | Pastor John Bayles | The King and His Kingdom | John 6:1-15

December 15, 2013 | Joe Porter | Daniel 3:1-29

December 8, 2013 | Pastor John Bayles | The Third Discourse: Witnesses of the Divine Son | John 5:31-47

December 1, 2013 | Pastor John Bayles | The Third Discourse: Unity of Unities | John 5:16-30

In this third discourse, John returns to the content of his opening prologue: namely the nature of the Word, the Son of God. This is much more than a man claiming to be God in some independent way from the established revelation of Scripture. The Jewish authorities were hoping that Jesus would simply say that He was a new God. This would be a clear line to a charge of blasphemy.

November 24, 2013 | Pastor John Bayles | The Third Sign: The Healer at the Pool of Healing | John 5:1-15

What would be more wonderful than the healing of a man crippled for his whole lifetime? What would be more horrible than to accuse the person who performed the miracle of breaking the law? Here in this text Jesus momentarily steps from the crowd and heals a lame man, not only of his ailment, but of his sinfulness. These two healings: physical and spiritual continue to reveal the mission of the Lord: “to seek and to save that which was lost.”

November 17, 2013 | S. Molla | Idol Worship

November 10, 2013 | Pastor John Bayles | Awakened by Grace | John 4:43-54

November 3, 2013 | Pastor John Bayles | The Second Discourse: The Ready Harvest | John 4:27-42

The disciples went into the town and brought back bread. The woman of Samaria went into the same town and brought back a harvest of souls. What a magnificent teaching lies in the text of scripture today. We have been saved by an amazing grace, we are made alive by Christ, we are set apart as holy by Him to enjoy a relationship with Him, we are commissioned to carry His Gospel to the four winds of the earth, yet we so often forget or set aside these glorious realities and callings to grub from bread and to dig for water.

October 28, 2013 | Pastor Appreciation Sunday

Today, we will show and speak appreciation and encouragement to our Pastor, John Bayles. Following the service there will be extra “goodies”, so feel free to stay and partake.

October 13, 2013 | Pastor John Bayles | The Second Discourse: Satisfying the Soul's Thirst | John 4:27-42

"Jesus must go through Samaria." This phrase is filled with insight into the ministry and mission of Jesus Christ. The Scripture today is well known, at least in general understanding. But why did Jesus "have" to go through Samaria? Was it to avoid the popular prejudice of the Jews toward even walking on the real estate of Samaria? Was Jesus making a statement that He was open minded and without the classic hatred for these people held by His Jewish brethren? Or, was he just trying to take the historic short cut because He was in a hurry to get away from the Pharisees and their unexplained hostility to Jesus baptizing (though not Jesus Himself) more disciples than John the Baptist?

September 8, 2013 | John Bayles | The First Discourse: You Must Be Born Again (Part 1) | John 3:1-21

In this remarkable exchange, Jesus gently, but clearly outlines the elements of what it is to be born again. More than a simple personal decision, or embracing the religion of a parent or spouse as stated in the last chapter (1:13), Jesus tells an inquiring Pharisee, Nicodemus, that regeneration is the entry point to the Kingdom of God.

September 1, 2013 | John Bayles | The New Temple (John 2:12-25)

What did they see that day? That day in the temple when that huge display took place. Was it that crazy man going off in the temple? An insurrectionist, a militant, a fool? What a spectacle it was, whipping people and cattle, loosing birds from their cages, turning tables over, shouting threats, claiming that the temple was his own property and claiming to be God's son. Or was it a vivid mark of a new age beginning. An age in which a sacrificial system was being replaced for a sacrificed person. And age in which a place of worship, the temple, was being replaced with a person to be worshiped.

August 25, 2013 | John Bayles | The Beginning of the Advancing Kingdom (John 2:1-24)

What were the Jewish people of John’s time looking for? Some were not looking for anything, but Jesus appeared, worked some miracles and they followed him – these were the “crowd that was with Him” (Joh.11:17). Others, who had lost all hope of an independent Jewish homeland, passively hoped that perhaps, maybe, but most likely not, the old stories they had heard would perhaps come true one day – but they were not counting on them, and had adhered to the shoe of Rome in their lives – these were “the great crowds” (Joh.11:12). Others, were looking for something specific, signs of the coming of the New Age, particularly the signs of the One who would usher in the New Age, the Messiah foretold in the Scriptures – these were the “large crowd of Jews” (Joh.11:9). Finally, there were those who were Jesus family and those few men He had hand-picked as His disciples. John's goal is to fulfill his purpose in writing this Gospel.

August 18, 2013 | John Bayles | Come and See (John 1:35-50)

In this text today, Jesus calls His first disciples. He is sure of them; they are unsure of Him. And, even when they seemed sure of who He was, they had only began to scratch the surface of the life and mission of the One who had come into their lives. This dynamic is the same today as then.

August 11, 2013 | John Bayles | Stepping onto the Stage of History (John 1:19-34)

Behold the Lamb of God! These remarkable words by John the Baptist announced the beginning of a new age. "Are you the one?" Imagine how tempting it must have been to follow his fallen nature as it spoke within him - "say yes." But John demonstrated two things in these words. First that he was a man who had embraced his humanity in the clearest of terms. The fallen nature reasons that we are the center of the universe and that our lives are the core feature of what makes up reality.

August 4, 2013 | John Bayles | The Prologue of John: Jesus Christ - God? Man? God-man? (John 1:1-18)

When we look at Jesus we must remember that His nature cannot be divided. The relationship of the second member of the triune God (the Word) and the man (Jesus of Nazareth) are indivisible. The one is in perfect unity with the other. John's purpose, and ours is not to show that God is not man or that man is not God, but that God has uniquely come to dwell in man in the person of Jesus Christ. He is the God-man.

July 28, 2013 | John Bayles | The Prologue of John: The God-Man of Grace and Truth (John 1:15-18)

I am so amazed by the precision the Apostle John has used in presenting the nature and mission of Jesus Christ in this prologue. What can we conclude? The Word: existed from before the creation of the world. The Word: is in the presence of God, is the essential composition of God, and yet is distinct in God. The Word: is God. The Word: has a masculine gender. The Word: created all things and gives life to all things, including mankind and us.

July 21, 2013 | John Bayles | Piercing The Darkness (John 1:3-14)

Step-by-step, this is John's method. Thus far we have learned that there is some person, place or thing called the Word. And, the Word was already in existence when the world was created. And that the Word is God. Today John continues the revelation: we discover that the Word has gender, a unique role in creation, and is the source of life and light, not only to those who are redeemed, but to all mankind. Piece by piece, John reveals the Word in a progression from heaven to earth. And not just into the earth, but into a unique relationship with a man, Jesus of Nazareth.

July 14, 2013 | John Bayles | The Prologue of John: The Divine Son(John 1:3-4)

As we etch our way through the Prologue of the Gospel of John, it is our intention to take the needed time to understand John's teaching. Many years ago, as I watched the first lunar landing with my family (in black and white TV), a detail was repeated again and again by the commentators: "The precision of a lunar flight is critical. If the target (the moon) is missed by even a small fraction at the first, then the ship could miss the moon by thousands of miles." The same is true in our study of the scriptures. If we miss the foundational essence of the nature of Jesus Christ at the beginning, we will likely find ourselves either in a cult or confronting one that has missed this critical understanding.

July 7, 2013 | John Bayles | The Prologue of John: Before the Earth Declared His Glory (John 1:1-5)

In this prologue of the Gospel of John we find a very similar use of language to that of Genesis 1:1 and following. As in Genesis 1:1 (and in all of the scriptures), there is no explanation or treatise on the existence of God - it is a presupposition, it is assumed to be true already. However, unlike the Genesis narrative in which Moses launches into the account of the creation of the earth and its surrounding universe, here John touches the same point of time, yet launches backward into the timeless existence of the Godhead before the creation of the earth.

June 30, 2013 | John Bayles | A Present and Future Hope (Hosea 14:1-9)

In this final plea to the nation of Israel, we see the passion of the prophet and the God Who has sent him. Very reflective of the heart of the Lord in the ministry of Joel, as He holds out one more time the hand of forgiveness, are the words, “Even now....” (Joel 2:14). So too, here Hosea extends the mercy of God to this vile and backslidden people, not with the hope of their repentance, but as an assurance to Himself and to all the hosts of history, that though they are covenant breakers, He has not wavered in faithfully keeping His word to His people, Israel.

June 23, 2013 | John Bayles | The Terrible, Swift Sword (Hosea 13:4-16)

Giving thanks is a gift God has given to us. It could be argued that it is also an exclusive gift, in that there is no other example in all of creation that any other creature gives thanks for anything. But, in order for us to give thanks we must first acknowledge that there is something to give thanks for. This acknowledgement is also a gift of grace, especially for the people of God.

June 16, 2013 | John Bayles | Experiencing the Love of God (Ephesians 3:17-19)

We have all experienced God’s love, we can see it in the grace He has extended to us in creation, in general providence, and in our personal testimonies. But Paul is praying for us today. He is praying that we will come to know the love of God even more fully. He is praying that we might see the love of God as it is expanded through the lens of our corporate experience.

June 2, 2013 | John Bayles | When Worldviews Collide (Hosea 12:7-14)

As we draw near to our conclusion of the book of Hosea, we continue to hear the same drum beat of judgement against the nation. It is not a new message, for from the time of the first king, Israel began to turn from their God. When it comes to a view of money, we will find a very clear distinction of what money is for, who money belongs to, what money can buy, and who owns the power, position, and distinction of money. Using this very common illustration and a knowledge of the trade practices of this time frame, Hosea shows that Israel has moved wholesale into a man-centered worldview. And this man-centered worldview is in direct conflict with God.

May 26, 2013 | John Bayles | When Darkness is Your Light (Hosea 11:12 - 12:14)

Jesus said that if the light that is in you is darkness, then how great is that darkness. If we use the word revelation in the place of darkness it magnifies the meaning. As we look at Hosea's indictment against Israel he draws upon the patriarch Jacob as one who was deceived himself and deceived others.

April 28, 2013 | John Bayles | Lost in Self-indulgence (Hosea 10:1-8)

This passage today carries with it an amazing historic fact. Where on the earth are the false altars of Baal, the sacred idols, and people who practice the vile sacrifices of the cult? They are in museums, covered either by yards of dirt, or broken down in remote places on the earth. Why? Because of a self-indulgent people carried off by the lust of their self-interest, self-love, and self-worship.

April 21, 2013 | John Bayles | Give Me Thirty Minutes

"If God is good, then how could this happen?" This is a very common phrase often aimed at Christians when suffering, death, or calamity springs up in our lives. The recent terrorist activities in Boston have once again stirred up this question.

March 24, 2013 | John Bayles | Setting the Stage for a Victorious Death (John 12:1-11)

The anointing at Bethany is one of the most beautiful narratives found in the Gospels. In this message we will sit among the disciples and guests at a dinner organized in honor of Jesus' recent magnificent introduction of his messianic life and mission. At this dinner aimed to present him as the geopolitical leader of Israel, Jesus is anointed for his death, as the suffering, dying servant of Isaiah's vision.

March 3, 2013 | John Bayles | Repent, Lest You Too Perish (Hosea 5:8-7:1)

In today's message we will hear again the awful judgement of God against Israel. They are called a nation of prostitution and worshippers of vile gods. Even the honored priesthood of Israel has turned away from the Lord and is leading people into the depths of depravity for personal profit. The message, though understandable, may seem quite remote and irrelevant to us who live in the new covenant of grace, covered by the blood of Jesus Christ, and living at peace with God or sins forgiven.

February 24, 2013 | John Bayles | The Message of Foolishness and Power (1 Corinthians 1:18)

The default condition of humanity is sin. Every human person is born into the environment of sin, because humanity is fallen - from the time of Adam and Eve until today. We can ignore it, deny it, or scorn it as foolishness, but it continues to be our plight. We live in a world of self-consciousness, self-protection, self-preservation, and self-love. We are lost in the blindness and darkness of self. As Jesus said, “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness” (Matthew 6:22,23).

February 17, 2013 | John Bayles | Before the Judgement Seat (Hosea 5:1-7)

In the midst of judgement against the nation of Israel, Hosea again turns his attention to the people of God, but not his contemporary audience. Hosea sets the scene as that of a judgement seat and before the bar comes sinful Israel: priests, people and kings to make their plea, bear their shame, and receive their due recompense. It is horrifying scene as God's wrath is poised to fall upon Israel.

February 3, 2013 | John Bayles | Hosea 4

January 27, 2013 | John Bayles | Purchased by Love (Hosea 3:1-5)

In this passage today, Hosea moves away from the immediate proclamations of dread and judgement upon the nation of Israel and reflects upon another people, in another time frame. As we have seen already in this book there is a present application, a word to the nation in its historical context. And there is a word coming forth of a new nation, a new time, and a new relationship between God and his people.

January 20, 2013 | John Bayles | The Old and The New (Hosea 2:1-23)

God is a God of mercy and love. He is also a God of Justice. How do these attributes balance themselves? How can God show mercy and love, and at the same time, be just? In this text today, we will discover that God’s only remedy for having a relationship to His creation/man is to Himself, intercede. He, Himself must provide a means to satisfy His holy justice and, at the same time, extend his merciful and loving hand.

January 13, 2013 | John Bayles | The Only View That Matters (Hosea 1:1-11)

“If you don’t like the view, then look at something else.” Or better, “That’s your opinion.” Either one of these statements drives the car of objectivity over the cliff. The deceptive thing about deception is that the person deceived does not realize he/she is being deceived. As so artfully portrayed in C.S. Lewis’ "Skrewtape Letters", the first rule of deception is to convince the person firmly controlled by demons to firmly believe that demons don't exist.