[/vc_column]

Jonathan Sprang - November 16, 2014

The Good Muslim

You Had to Be There

There are times when our beliefs don’t actually inform our behavior. While we may say and even think a certain “belief,” our behavior doesn’t always line up. But it works the other way flawlessly. Our behaviors give us a 100% accurate view of what we really believe. Jesus has a conversation with a teacher of the Law where he comes to the conclusion that the way you receive eternal life is through “loving God” and “loving your neighbor as yourself.” But that begs the question, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus responds with a story that we refer to as The Good Samaritan. The crazy thing about this story is that the one who is neighborly to the beaten man is the one who doesn’t have the right beliefs, a person Jesus’ listeners would’ve considered an enemy. Our enemies are surprising allies that give us a unique opportunity to put what we say we believe into practice.

From Series: "You Had to Be There"

The way Jesus taught attracted every kind of person, from the ultra-religious to the irreligious. What was it about his teaching? We miss how provocative his parables were because we're not first century Galilean peasants. In this series, we ask what it would be like if Jesus came today. What would his stories sound like? Just how good is this good news? Trust us... you had to be there.

Sermon Manuscript     Discussion Guide

More Messages From Jonathan Sprang...

Powered by Series Engine

Who is God?

The answers to this most basic human question can be found in the Scriptures. Over and over, God comes to humanity, interacts with us in ways we can understand, and we learn more of who God is. Often in these interactions, the people who met God would give God a name – a way to describe how God had worked in their lives.

As we explore these stories, we’ll learn that God is the same God for us today. God is our provider, our shepherd, our banner, our peace, our mother and more!

Related Works