The Jesus Window 2018 Archives

A Labor of Love

by Phil Ware · Luke 1 · Jesus · Christmas · Incarnation

Phil Ware shares some thoughts on what incarnation means as the collision of mortality and eternal, God in human flesh.

Jesus' birth was the collision of the gloriously divine and mundanely human. It was God entering our world through the birth canal of a woman.

Far Beyond the Monotony of Low Expectations

by Phil Ware · Luke 1 · Jesus · Christmas · Advent

Phil Ware reminds us to celebrate Advent and not simply settle for Christmas.

Advent is rooted in the work of God in history through real people to do the miraculous in the most human of things, the birth of a child.

Prepare Him Room

by Phil Ware · Mark 1:1-6 · Christmas · Advent

Phil Ware shares how Mark's gospel, which doesn't even mention the birth of Jesus, fits into the Advent season.

'Prepare Him room': Inviting Jesus to reign in our hearts is how the strange beginning of the Gospel of Mark fits into the Advent season.

How Full Is Your Gift Sack?

by Phil Ware · Philippians 2:5-11

Phil Ware asks us to remember all the people who joined Jesus at his birth and challenges us to believe that these are exactly the kind of people Jesus came to redeem -- people just like us!

Most of us only hoped to get enough of these seasons’ “givings” in our sacks not to be embarrassed, humiliated and marked as a less than desirable.

On Tiptoes with Angels

by Phil Ware · 1 Peter 1:11-12

Phil Ware begins a five-part series on Jesus at Christmas. This week is focused on waiting for Jesus to come.

Christmas, like the coming of Jesus, is about waiting!

At the End of My Rope

by Phil Ware · Mark 5:21-43 · Fruit of the Spirit · Frustration

Phil Ware reminds us that we can all reach the end of our rope and not know what to do and this is when Jesus can step in and change everything.

We are here to remind each other that we are not forgotten in our struggles of life, fear, and death. We are here to be the heart, hands, and voice of Jesus to the broken.

This Kind of Faith!

by Phil Ware · Romans 4:14-17 · Faith

Phil Ware reminds us that faith as understood in the New Testament was much more robust than what we often call faith today.

We've allowed our modern definition of faith to be drained of depth and turned into a shallow kiddie wading pool of little more than mental assent.

How Do I View People?

by Phil Ware · John 9 · Comparison

Phil Ware reminds us how Jesus viewed people and challenged us by his example to view each person as someone in whom the works of God need to be done.

Jesus challenges us to examine the everyday processes that we use to strip away the humanity of those around us and dismiss their value to us.

I Won't Let You Go!

by Phil Ware · Hebrews 2:17-18 · Assurance

Phil Ware reminds us of the great truth of Jesus' steadfastness and faithfulness, he won't let us go.

What is this peace? What is this overcoming Jesus talks about?

You Break It; You Buy It?

by Phil Ware · Isaiah 53:5

Phil Ware reminds us that God broke one of the most held rules of merchandising, you break it; you buy it, and in Jesus turned this principle upside down.

You mean, this actually applies to my kid, too?

Why Forget Verse 17?

by Phil Ware · John 3:16-17 · Sermon · Sent

Phil Ware asks us to think about a simple, but important question: why is it that we love to quote John 3:16 but leave out John 3:17?

For many people, verse 16 is the most beloved verse of the Bible. Why not also verse 17?

Words to Say

by Phil Ware · Luke 21 · Speech

Phil Ware shares how the Holy Spirit convicted him about the kind of speech he, and we must use in a world that has gone crazy at attacking each other.

What can I as a believer in Jesus actually do to make a difference in the tasteless and vile language that comes from every side, quarter, and position?

The Overflow of Grace

by Phil Ware · Ephesians 2:8-10 · Grace

Phil Ware reminds of the importance and power of grace and that we can live out of the overflow of this grace and bless others.

We not only live in the overflow of grace, we are now the flow of that grace into the lives of those around us.

Hanging on Every Word

by Phil Ware · Luke 19 · Jesus

Phil Ware discovers a verse in Luke 19 that the Holy Spirit uses to confront him about an important question.

The question the Holy Spirit left on my heart after reading this whole chapter was as convicting as it was clear.

Failure Isn't Fatal...

by Phil Ware · Acts 2 · Denial

Phil Ware reminds us of a powerful truth that lies behind Pentecost Sunday and the failure of the apostles that Jesus didn't consider ultimate failure.

More than just celebrating the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, we should also celebrate the power of the Lord to forgive and restore us beyond our sinful stumbles.

This Collision of Grace

by Phil Ware · Luke 2:9-12 · Incarnation

Phil Ware reminds us of the discontinuity, the absolute collision, of the grime of our world and the glory of God in the birth of Jesus.

Greatness and grace reveal themelves in a world so real we can smell the manure and hear the breathing sounds of the Son of God.

I'm Gorgeous Inside!

by Phil Ware · Psalm 51 · Heart

Phil Ware challenges us to pursue the faithful love, righteous character, and gracious compassion of God from our hearts.

Would it really be nice if we could really see what was on the inside of people — their hearts?

Upside-Down Kingdom

by Phil Ware · Matthew 5:3-16 · Kingdom

Phil Ware shares Jesus' teaching that is upside-down to the world around us in terms of status, wealth, power, position, achievement, and importance.

Our groups and our churches must be the arenas where Jesus' upside-down kingdom comes to life.

Love Language with Jesus?

by Phil Ware · Luke 3:21-22 · Affirm

Phil Ware reminds us how important it is to use love language with those who are precious to us and we can begin by doing this with Jesus.

The best way I know to start trying this love language shift is to use it with Jesus.

Adopted into the Family

by Phil Ware · 1 John 3:1-3 · Adoption

Phil Ware shares a powerful story about his foster grandson and how that helps us understand what it means to be adopted into God's family.

We come with bad habits, wounds, and all sorts of unfortunate baggage. It takes awhile for us to unlearn them!

Beyond Wimpy Faith

by Phil Ware · John 4:46-54 · Faith · Obedience

Phil Ware reminds us that faith is something much more than just believing in our heads, but it is something that leads us to obey what Jesus asks of us so that we can find the life he longs to give us.

We can experience a genuine faith that brings life both to us and to those around us.

Now What?

by Phil Ware · John 1 · Jesus · Obedience · Believe

Now that Easter has passed, what are we going to do with Jesus? How about spending time with him in the gospel of John so we can know him for ourselves?

Easter is over, so

Beginning in Endings #1

by Phil Ware · John 11

Phil Ware reflects on the last tens days of Jesus' life before his crucifixion and points us to the hope of a new beginning found in Jesus' life ending.

We have new life because Jesus gave up his. We have a fresh beginning because Jesus chose to submit to an earthly ending.

Credentials

by Phil Ware · 2 Corinthians 12 · Cross · Credibility

Phil Ware looks at the way we chase and give credibility in our world and reminds how Paul showed credibility in his own: becoming a servant, in weakness, and letting God's glory and power be seen in him.

What are the achievements that validate your credibility at doing the things you are called to do?

Always!

by Phil Ware · Hebrews 13:5-6 · Experience

Phil Ware reminds us of the Lord's nearness, four ways we can experience that nearness, but most importantly, he reminds us to seek the Lord's presence in our lives, always.