When you face difficult things, how do you respond? Sometimes we run, sometimes we blame others, sometimes... we fight, sometimes we look for distractions. We do these things because we are afraid—afraid of what is to come, of dealing with our guilt, of facing God’s call, of life not working out. In this sermon on John 18:1–11, in which Jesus is betrayed and arrested in the garden of Gethsemane, Pastor Luke Herche shows us that while our own temptation is to hide and blame and save ourselves, Jesus stepped up to protect his people by giving his life, which means we don’t have to be afraid. We can rest secure in Jesus, own our sin, and be bold to face hard things in life.

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Want to go deeper? Take some time to reflect on the sermon with the following questions:

How does Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane compare to Adam in the garden of Eden? What is similar? What is different? What feels ironic?

What do you/people tend to do when faced with hard things? Why do you/people respond in that way?

How does Jesus’ work in the cross and resurrection free us and encourage us to face hard things (whether those hard things have to do with dealing with our own sin, facing trials, or stepping out into God’s call on our lives)?

Who do you know who needs to hear about Jesus’ work in facing the cross for us that we might be able to face the hard things that come our way? Take some time to pray that God would give you an opportunity to speak to that person about Jesus and his work.

Fear is one of the most primal emotions known to man. Emotions, in general, can be perplexing, and we sometimes don’t know... what to do with them. Do we seek to master them or to bow down to them? Or is there another option? And so we turn to Scripture to help us understand our very hearts. In this sermon on Psalm 56, written by David as he fled from Saul who was pursuing him to kill him, Pastor Josué Pernillo examines the internal wrestlings of David and poses five questions: What is fear? What does fear show? How does fear become disordered? What are sinful responses to fear? And how do we pray through our fear?

What does Jesus want for his disciples? Nothing less than for us to share in the divine life of the Trinity: to... know and experience the life and love that God has shared as Father, Son, and Spirit from all eternity, something we can experience if we are in him and he in us. Listen as RUF Campus Minister Ethan Brown preaches on John 17:20–26, showing us the union we can have with God, the communion we can have with his people, and the commission given to us as we go out into the world.

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Want to go deeper? Take some time to reflect on the sermon with the following questions:

What role does mystery and wonder play in your understanding of God? What is one way you want to pursue adoring the incomprehensible God this week?

Growing as a Christian means growing in loving what Jesus loves, and Jesus loves God, the Church, and the lost. Which of these loves of Christ do you see strong evidence of in your life? Which of these loves do you want to see grow in the coming weeks?

Jesus prays for you. Spend some time reflecting on this beautiful truth – and then spend some time praying for someone in your life that you want to know the superabundant life of God.

“Finding your own place in the world” is something everyone pursues, consciously or unconsciously. But it is really... knowing where you are and whose you are and why you are that gives you the freedom to be who you are in the world. Listen as Pastor Luke Herche preaches on John 17:6–19, helping us to better understand our place in the world by answering four questions:
Where are we? In the world.
Who/se are we? Treasured by God.
How are we? Kept and consecrated.
Why are we? Commissioned by Christ.

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Want to go deeper? Take some time to reflect on the sermon with the following questions:

Describe the relation between the disciples and “the world.” How does that need to be nuanced?

How does it feel to know that you are part of God’s treasured possession (Ex. 19:5–6; 1 Pt. 2:5)? What are some ways that can be misunderstood? What should it engender in us as God’s people?

How is being chosen, kept, and consecrated sometimes pitted against being commissioned? How do they actually go hand in hand?

What are some specific ways that you can be salt and light where you live, study, work, and play? Take some time to pray to that end and for particular people who need to see and know the glory of God’s grace in Jesus.

Do you know what glory tastes like? Everything has glory, and all the glory of created things is really a reflection of the glory of... the Creator. Whatever is marvelous in the world comes from the hand of God. When we taste, see, smell, touch, hear something beautiful we taste glory. But what glory are you pursuing? And how is it shaping your life? Pastor Luke Herche preaches on John 17:1–5, exhorting us to pursue God’s glory as we see through the text that God pursues his own glory, Jesus displays God’s glory, and life is knowing God’s glory.

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Want to go deeper? Take some time to reflect on the sermon with the following questions:

What is glory in general? How do you think about it? Where do you see it in general?

How do you feel about the phrase, "God pursues his own glory?" What might feel off about it? How do you resolve that in your thinking?

How does it change things to know that the greatest display of God’s glory is the display of his love in the cross?

What are the different things it might mean that life is knowing God’s glory? How have you tasted/do you taste God’s glory? What might you do if you don’t?

In the midst of your trouble and confusion, you don’t have to hide. Jesus knows your... questions. In the midst of your trouble and confusion, God is at work. Your sorrow will turn to joy. In the midst of your trouble and confusion, your Father hears your cries. You can go to him. In the midst of your trouble and confusion, don’t think you’ve got it all figured out. Rest in the victory of Jesus. Learn more in this sermon from Pastor Luke Herche on John 16:16–33.

Why do we often feel distant from God? One big reason is that we don’t know how to draw near. So what does... it look like to draw near and how do we do it? Pastor Luke Herche addresses these questions in a sermon on Psalm 1. Listen as he answers the “how”, “what”, and “why” of meditation, teaching us about the act of meditation, the object of meditation, and the blessing of meditation.

Listen as Pastor Josué Pernillo preaches on John 16:4b–15, showing that Jesus sent the... Holy Spirit for our advantage because the Spirit takes what is of Christ and applies it to us to the glory of God.

Why is there so much fighting in the world? Why so much animosity? And where did it come from? Listen as... Pastor Luke Herche preaches from John chapter 15, addressing two questions: First, must there be animosity? And second, what should be our response?

Despite present darkness, God’s glory-presence will fill the earth. Listen as Pastor... Luke Herche preaches on Revelation 21:22–27, exhorting us to open our eyes, walk in the light of Christ, and rejoice in the hope of his coming.

Church elder Daniel Thies preaches on Ephesians 5:8–14, focusing on two points: You... are light in Christ; so walk as children of the light.

Listen as Pastor Luke Herche preaches on 2 Corinthians 4:1–7, teaching... about the light of the gospel via four questions: How does it shine? Why do some not see it? Who is this light? And through whom does it come?

You were made for God’s glory. You were made to know God’s glory, to taste God’s glory, to behold and be changed by... God’s glory. In the New Testament, the Greek word used for glory, dóxa, connotes light that is shining, and in the context of John 1, it is clear that the light that is shining in darkness, the true light that is coming into the world, is not an abstract principle but a person: Jesus Christ. But what does it mean that Jesus is the true light? And how do we take in God’s glory? Listen as Pastor Ethan Brown preaches on John 1:5, 9, showing that Jesus as the light is the glory of God on full display, and that we are changed by his glory as we look and behold Jesus and find him to be beautiful.

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Something is wrong. And our culture has a hard time pinpointing what it is. Different people at different times have their own explanations... and their own solutions, but none of them work. So what is the problem? Listen as Pastor Josué Pernillo begins a new Advent sermon series aimed at helping us better understand what darkness is, what light is, how they interplay in Scripture, and how a people living in darkness, on them the light of Christ has shone. In this sermon on Isaiah 9:2, Pastor Josué shows us how people living in darkness have seen a great light.

Christ invites us into a community of love. Listen as Pastor Luke Herche preaches... on John 15:9–17, teaching us to abide in Christ’s love as we know his love, imitate his love, depend on his love, and delight in his love.

God wants you to be fruitful. This is no minor theme, but is fundamental to God’s purposes for creation. God wants... his creation to reflect something of his own vitality, his abundance, his fruitfulness. But do you feel fruitful? Or do you feel dry? Parched? Barren? In John 15, we find Jesus teaching on the true vine and the branches, setting up his disciples for a lifetime of fruitfulness. Listen as Pastor Luke Herche preaches on John 15:1–8, addressing three questions: What does it mean to bear fruit? How do we bear fruit? And why should we bear fruit?

Whoever might have won this past week’s election, it does not change the truth of what God says nor does... it change the reality that Christ is on the throne. Our hope, ultimately, must never be in an election. Our hope is that Christ is on the throne. Concluding a three-sermon mini-series, Pastor Luke Herche has previously been teaching, first, that we are to obey governing authorities and, second, that we are to obey God rather than men. In this final sermon of the series, focusing on Psalm 2, Pastor Luke shows that we are to know that Christ is on the throne, in four points:

    · Though the nations rage, Christ is on the throne!
    · God has set him there; Christ is on the throne!
    · Serve the Lord or face his wrath; Christ is on the throne!
    · Blessed are all who take refuge in him; Christ is on the throne!

Where do your fears take you? Fear and worry are part of our daily lives. Everybody has fears. And everybody... responds to fears in different ways. Some sweat, others get quiet or make jokes. But where do your fears drive you to? And how do they play out in your day-to-day? In John 14:27–31, we find Jesus teaching his disciples for the last time before his crucifixion, and here he begins to strike at their fear and anxiety, telling them, “Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” Listen as Pastor Josué Pernillo preaches on this passage, showing that in the midst of his counsel to his fearful disciples, Jesus gives them his peace and instills them with confidence because he loves the Father.

Quotation from the ESV.