North Point Community Church

At Passover, Jesus gathered his followers and spelled out a new relational arrangement between God and mankind: “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” But Jesus wasn’t celebratory. He seemed troubled. Initiating this new covenant with God would require sacrifice. What came next would confuse his followers and send them scattering.

Jesus didn’t come to initiate Judaism 2.0. He came came to offer something entirely new to the world: a new covenant that would forever change humankind’s relationship to God. And with that new covenant came a new ethic—one that insisted the greatest choose the back of the line.

The words unlimited and unconditional make us suspicious. Whether those words describe an insurance policy, cellphone agreement, or meal plan for a college student, we assume unlimited is really limited and unconditional has some conditions. That suspicion extends to our relationship with God. Unconditional love? Unlimited forgiveness? There must be a catch. But what if there isn’t?

We all have a working definition of what it means to be great. It probably includes power, prosperity, or popularity. As we journey through the life of Jesus, we can't help but stop and look at how he redefined greatness. Don't miss this message!

Jesus claimed to be greater than the temple. He made the temple obsolete. Most of his followers assumed his end game was to declare himself king. The more discerning among them sensed something else was going on. Jesus spoke with authority but refused to take charge. He wielded extraordinary power, but never for himself. What was he up to?

We surround ourselves with people who like us. We surround ourselves with people who are like us. But Jesus calls us to maintain relationships with those who disagree with us. How do we do that?

We all have a natural tendency to surround ourselves with people who like us. Whether we’re geeks, jocks, hipsters, Democrats, or Republicans, we surround ourselves with people who are like us. But what is the cost of isolating ourselves from those who are different?

Something in us is tempted to believe God loves his Law more than his people. We’re tempted to prioritize rules over people. Maybe you left church because somebody prioritized the Bible over your divorced mother or gay brother. But Jesus came to offer us a life greater than keeping religious rules.

Something in us is tempted to believe God loves his Law more than his people. We’re tempted to prioritize rules over people. Maybe you left church because somebody prioritized the Bible over your divorced mother or gay brother. But Jesus came to offer us a life greater than keeping religious rules.

If you aren’t religious or you gave up religion, you probably had good reason to walk away or stay away. You’re a reasonable person, and there are plenty of good reasons to reject religion. But reconsider Jesus. He wasn’t an extension of the old religion. He came to introduce something brand new.