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FOLLOWING THE WAY

OF JESUS

"And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News."  2 Timothy 1:10

At Calvary Church, we want to help you discover the life-giving good news of Jesus, find the hope and joy found in following him, and take a next step to grow in your journey of faith while connecting with others along the way.

THE GOOD NEWS  TAKE A NEXT STEP  Download as PDF

THE WAY LIFE WAS DESIGNED TO BE


The Bible shows how we were made to thrive. To love and be loved. To have healthy connection with God, with each other and with the rest of creation. Humanity was welcomed to live in a place where our deepest longings are satisfied and all of life is blessed — with flourishing, fruitfulness, goodness and wholeness.

Why do you think life isn’t always this way?

“Then God blessed them and… looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!” Genesis 1:28-31

“They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither,
and they prosper in all they do.”  Psalm 1:3

“My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” Jesus in John 10:10b

BUT LIFE TOOK A TURN

God made everything good, but humanity was deceived into thinking that God didn’t want the best for us. We thought we could thrive apart from him, trusting in our wisdom rather than his. Because we took matters into our own hands, death and its effects entered the world. We cut ourselves off from his life source. Our separation from God caused the painful brokenness of sin to spread inside of us, in our relationships, and throughout all of creation. As a result, we develop deep and often unmet longings: To be truly known and fully loved. To experience what is beautiful, true and good. To see the end of injustice, illness and pain. To have everything be made whole again.

 “But I did find this:
God created people to be virtuous,
but they have each turned
to follow their own downward path.”
Ecclesiastes‬ ‭7‬:‭29‬

“All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. 
We have left God’s paths to follow our own.”
Isaiah 53:6

WE ARE DISSATISFIED 

As our longing to thrive goes unmet, we attempt to fill the gap with things apart from God. This ultimately cannot satisfy. We can become stuck in patterns of behavior or thought that keep us from being fulfilled. We try to make our own way work and experience fractured lives marked by the effects of sin and selfishness — disconnection, pain, fear and anxiety.

THERE IS ANOTHER WAY

  
“It’s your sins that have cut you off from God.” Isaiah 59:2a

“For everyone has sinned;
we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” Romans 3:23

“In those days you were living apart from Christ… You lived in this world without God and without hope.” Ephesians 2:12
 

RECONNECTING WITH GOD

Even though we walked away, God loves us and offers us the only way to reconnect with him. The good news came in sending his Son, Jesus Christ, who would bridge the gap. He experienced the pain, darkness and brokenness of the world while revealing the way to joy, light and fullness of life.

Jesus lived a perfect and sinless life, showing us the way. He died in our place, paying the penalty for our sins. He rose from the dead, creating new life for all who believe. And, he gives believers the gift of God’s presence in the Holy Spirit. Through Jesus we can now have peace with God, joy in his presence and hope for all eternity.

“You will show me the way of life, 
granting me the joy of your presence 
and the pleasures of living with you forever.” ‭ Psalm ‭16‬:‭11‬

“I am the way, the truth, and the life.
No one can come to the Father except through me.” Jesus in John 14:6

"I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.” Jesus in John ‭5‬:‭24‬

JESUS HAS AN INVITATION FOR US

Jesus invites us to turn from chasing after our sinful ways and stop striving to earn our own way back to connection with God. Instead, he asks us to trust him by faith, recognizing his way is better.

"Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest… Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Jesus in Matthew 11:28-29

You can respond and accept this invitation by simply talking to him about it in prayer. Tell Jesus you are weary of doing things your own way and you trust him — that you want to turn from your sin, follow him and live a new life his way.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.”
Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬-‭6‬

“Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord.” Acts 3:19-20

“If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9

FOLLOWING THE WAY OF JESUS

As disciples, we enter a lifelong journey of learning to love like Jesus by giving away what we have received. As we walk with Jesus daily, he will redefine what true success looks like along the way. And, he will realign our hearts to seek the way of his kingdom above all else.

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” Jesus in John 16:33

We will still experience trials and suffering in the world, but with Jesus we can have peace in the midst of it all. And, as we deepen our dependence on him, we find a fruitful and fulfilling purpose in extending God’s love, light and blessing to others.

“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” Jesus in John 13:34-35

”For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps” 1 Peter 2:21

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-18

WHAT's NEXT?

One day, at just the right time, Jesus will return. He will fulfill his promise to restore what’s broken and dwell with his people forever in a renewed and united heaven and earth. Those who trust in Jesus as Lord — having been changed by him and given new life in him — will thrive with God, each other and all creation.

“Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s holy people.” Revelation 22:20-21

Until that day, we are called by God to connect with a church family, learning to follow the way of Jesus as we grow in our faith together and reach others with his love and good news!

“Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together… but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” Hebrews 10-24-25

TAKE A NEXT STEP

CONNECT & Let us know IF YOU MADE A decision

Join us Sundays AS WE FOLLOW JESUS TOGETHER

Grow as a disciple IN COMMUNITY WITH OTHERS