Welcome to Easter with Compassion! This reading plan is designed to partner with Compassion Christian Church’s sermon series of the same name, which you can find information about right here. This week of the Christian calendar is referred to as Passion Week. It is the last week of Jesus’ life. It began with His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, which we call Palm Sunday, and spoiler alert - it ends with His death on a cross, which we call Good Friday. From the disciples perspective, that Friday was anything but good. To them it was heavy, sorrowful, and filled with disappointment. Yet they do not stay there, because Easter comes. Jesus does not stay dead. Sunday morning comes and His body begins to breathe again. After darkness and grief, there is joy and celebration, because Jesus’ sacrificed Himself for us and our sins on a cross, then He defeated death and the grave, so we can have eternal life with Him.  Read More

Highlight If I want to experience God I must obey him, and when I obey him I can be used for His purposes. John summarizes his letter in this final chapter with some clear, simple directives. Following God doesn’t always look like accomplishing some great task in his name. Do you want to love God? Keep his commands. It won’t be easy, but it also won’t be burdensome…because an obedient life is an abundant, meaningful life that changes us and the world around us.  Read More

Highlight When we follow Jesus in obedience to love the world the way he did we should expect opposition the way did. We live in a time not all that much unlike the time of the early church. John is addressing the fact that there are people in the midst of these followers, some of whom were actually a part of the church at one time, that are denying the divinity of Christ. That sounds familiar. Our world is often telling us that it’s actually not loving to believe that Jesus is the only way to be reconciled to God.  Read More

Highlight Discerning God’s will and direction for our lives is not always as clear as we hope it will be. Most of us have a desire to obey Jesus, but may wonder how. John simplifies our expectations here. We may not always feel confident in knowing where God is leading us, but the roads of obedience will all lead to sacrifice and love for one another the way Jesus loved us.  Read More

Highlight In Henry Blackaby’s book Experiencing God he points out that obedience to God is a moment of truth where what we do aligns with what we believe about who God is. Here we see John affirming that obedience to Jesus and his teachings are the litmus test by which we can know whether someone is a true disciple. Jesus’ own words are likely echoing in John’s mind as he appeals to these followers: “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.” (John 14:23-24).  Read More

Highlight This week we are wrapping up our series on Experiencing God by digging deeper into the truth that: You come to know God by experience as you obey Him and He accomplishes His work through you. For the rest of this week we’re going to walk through the book of 1 John. For an overview, take some time to watch this video from the Bible Project: Books of 1-3 John Summary.  Read More