VOUS Church

Acts of the Apostles: Lame Excuses

Have you ever tried to come up with an excuse for something you didn’t want to do? Or maybe you’ve made an excuse for something you didn’t think you could do. As Christians, we think we’re great at making excuses for why and how God can’t use us. But really, an excuse is just a cover-up to conceal the truth. Let's be honest, our excuses tend to be pretty lame. Luckily for us, God chooses to use us anyway. As we continue our collection of talks on the Acts of the Apostles, we see how God used ordinary men to do extraordinary things by the power of his Spirit.

Acts of the Apostles: Of The Spirit

As we start a new collection of talks on the acts of the Apostles, we take a deep dive into the book of Acts and look at life after Jesus. When Jesus resurrected and ascended into heaven, he assured us that we wouldn't be alone. He promised to send us a helper, a counselor, and friend to help us along our faith journey. The helper that Jesus promised us is the Holy Spirit, and through him we are empowered to do all things because he lives within us.

Jesus: The Resurrection and the Life

Culminating our seven-week collection of talks entitled, “Jesus”, we celebrated Easter in the promise that Jesus is the resurrection and the life. On our faith journey, it is important to lean not on our own timing but on Jesus’. Though we may be in a season of waiting on God’s promises, it doesn’t have to be a wasted season. His will is to work in us before working through us. If we understand that delayed does not mean denied, we put our faith in his plan and allow for him not to meet our expectations but to put his miracles in our life - no miracle bigger than our salvation.

Jesus: The Light of the World

As we conclude this collection of talks on the"I am" statements of Jesus, one thing that's been pretty evident is the fact that he makes some pretty audacious claims about his identity. 

 

John 8:12 says: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Just as light fills the void of the darkness, our hearts find contentment in discovering our purpose in Jesus. In his light, we have life, and he empowers us to be a light to all those who's paths we cross.

Jesus: The Vine

As we continue in our collection of talks about Jesus, we read in John 15, Jesus says "I am the true vine". Just as a branch cannot bear fruit without the vine, we cannot fully live our purpose without Jesus. He already has a spoken word over our lives. When we abide in him and obey his commands, we walk into the abundance he has for us.

Jesus: The Good Shepherd

The desire to know and grow with Jesus is fulfilled by allowing Him to steer our paths. As we continue our March to Easter with the collection of talks entitled, "Jesus," We learn more about Jesus, the Good Shepherd who guides, corrects and protects us along our journey. In John 10 Jesus declares that " I am the Good Shepherd", the good shepherd that lays down his life for us, the sheep. Unlike shepherds who are hired, He is a gatekeeper, our creator who knows each of us by name. It is by knowing this that we can fulfill everything we were called to do, believing that wherever we go, God goes with us.

Home Is Always A Journey

Pastor DawnCheré encourages the women of our community that no matter what comes our way, we can rest assured that Jesus is calling us onward to His great purpose every day of our lives. The journey of life is meant to be full of adventure and excitment, but sometimes it's easy to lose track of this when the seasons are tough. When we surrender it all to Jesus and keep our eyes toward heaven, we can find the true meaning of rest, responsibility, and relationship. 

Jesus: The Door

From the moment Jesus set foot on this earth, the world wondered who he was. As we continue our collection of talks entitled, Jesus, we learn more about his purpose on this earth and in our lives. In John 10, Jesus said, “I am the door”. Not a door that separates, but a door that opens our access point to heaven. God desired our presence so deeply that he removed the barriers and permanently opened the door when he sent his son Jesus.

Jesus: The Way, The Truth, and The Life

As we continue in our collection of talks entitled, "Jesus," Pastor Rich Wilkerson, Jr. expands on another facet of Jesus' identity - The Way, The Truth, & The Life. Three bold statements that frame a context for how we are to view God. Jesus is The Way: thank God we don't need to find our own way home, but that we can simply follow him home where we belong. Jesus is The Truth: you can know the truth and the truth will set you free. And finally, Jesus is The Life: apart from him we are dead in sin, yet he gave his life that we might live.  

Jesus: The Bread of Life

Knowing a person's name is a crucial starting point in developing any relationship. However, to truly know someone, you must dive much deeper past that initial starting point. As we begin our march towards Easter, Pastor Rich Wilkerson, Jr. starts a new collection of talks simply titled, Jesus.

Through these talks, we will develop a deeper understanding of who Jesus is. Jesus mentions 7 different names in the New Testament that describe who He is. We begin this relational journey with coming to know Jesus as the Bread of Life.