Tanglewood Church of Christ

Beginning on the day of his resurrection, Jesus appeared time and again to his disciples, both singly and in groups. But it will be two weeks (or perhaps more) before the Lord deals with Peter’s denials from that night Jesus was arrested and tried. John tells us about it in John chapter 21. There are valuable lessons for us in this story as well. How often have we needed forgiveness to heal a relationship? Or again, how often have we been at a point in our lives when we did not know what the future held, and all our dreams have been shattered? Click the blue button to listen as we hear Jesus ask Peter, “Do you love me?”

On Thursday, June 19, we had the opportunity to be on the weekly broadcast Uncle Noah Family Radio. This is broadcast on FM 92.7 KJAK in Lubbock. “Uncle Noah” is actually our good friend Charles Valentine who manages the very popular www.ChildrensBibleStudy.com website. To hear the broadcast of our show last week, click here.

It’s early on a Sunday morning. A well-dressed woman stands weeping near the tomb of a dear friend. Sound familiar? The death of a loved one is a time of great grief and sense of loss for all of us. In John 20 Mary of Magdala was at the tomb of Jesus weeping. Not only had her friend been executed just three days before, but now his tomb was empty. Her sense of loss and grief is extreme; she believed someone had desecrated the grave. But what a surprise awaited her! Today we also weep as loved ones leave us in death. However, our sorrow is not like those who have no hope. Learn more about what happened that Sunday morning, and the hope we have as a result. Click the blue box to hear our message.

Have you ever wondered why people believe what they do? It turns out that not all beliefs are the result of careful thought and consideration. Such is the case with what many people believe about Jesus. In John 18:28-37 Jesus is standing before Pontius Pilate for the first time, and is on trial for his life. When Pilate asked Jesus if he was the King of the Jews, his response was a surprise to Pilate. Jesus asked him, “Is that what you believe, or did you just listen to others” (my paraphrase)? We ought to be asking people in our world today what they believe about Jesus… and why! Click the blue box to listen to our message.

When Judas came to betray Jesus in Gethsemane, he was accompanied by a large contingent of Jewish policemen and Roman soldiers (John 18:1-11). At their approach, Jesus stepped forward and asked, “Whom do you seek?” Were they looking for Jesus the Lamb of God, Jesus the supposed revolutionary, or Jesus the heretic? That is a question men still need to answer today. Jesus does not always meet men’s expectation today either. Click the blue box to listen.

In our final lesson on the influence of Jesus Christ and the Bible on our world, we will look at the influence of the Bible on science. Now, many think science and the Scriptures are at odds with each other. Some claim that no intelligent person can believe the Bible and science at the same time. Nothing could be further from the truth! It is true that some under the banner of science have dismissed all Christian believers as ignorant. Some under the banner of religion have accused all people in the scientific community of being atheists. Both are wrong. We will mention in these lesson just a few of the thousands of Christian believers who were/are also prominent scientists. They pursued science because it helped them see God’s work and creative power more clearly, and they glorify Him. Click the blue box to listen. For some additional reading on the internet click on this link, this link, or this link.

One of the most remarkable stories in the life of Jesus is found in John 13:1-17. Even as his own death is just hours away, and his disciples argue among themselves about their hoped for positions of authority, Jesus washes their feet! The “suffering servant” of Isaiah 53:11 was revealing himself. This selfless act of service demonstrated just how much Jesus loved his disciples, despite their approaching desertion, denial and betrayal. After the washing, Jesus asked them, “Do you understand what I have done for you?” I think that, even today, we struggle to understand what he did for us! Click the blue box to listen to more of this amazing story.

Tonight Mark Ruckman is our speaker. Living in a fast paced, fast changing, society. . . where does the church need to position itself? Many churches, old and new, and quickly casting aside their past practices and beliefs, and embracing changes wholesale. Others resist all change it seems, and are more and more out of touch with their culture. What about the Lord’s church? We really appreciate both Mark’s message as well as his service to our community in his work as a police officer. Click the blue box to listen.

In John 8:2-11, we read one of the most memorable stories about Jesus. It is also a story that clearly defines His mission on this earth. The scene is of woman taken in the very act of adultery; she is dragged publicly before Jesus, and the religious authorities press Jesus to do what the 10 Commandments demanded. The story has all the makings of great drama: conflict, intrigue, dilemma, emotion, and resolution. But ultimately, unless we see ourselves somewhere in the story, we’ve missed the whole point. What a sad commentary on human nature that often want mercy for ourselves, and justice for others. Click the blue box to listen.

One of the most famous of all religious images are the “Praying Hands” by Albrecht Durer. While they represented the devotion and sacrifice of Durer’s brother, they also symbolize a much larger reality – the profound influence the Bible and Jesus have had on Western literature and art. This influence is evident in music, architecture, sculpture, painting, literature of all kinds, and the movies. We can safely say that no other book has had even 1% of the influence the Bible has had on the arts. Hear more of our lesson by clicking on the blue box.