By Gene Price
Pastor, Tumbling Creek Baptist Church, Gleason

Focal Passage: John 15:1-8

Jesus and His disciples had left the Upper Room. They had partaken of the Lord’s Supper and now they were on their way to the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus would pray and later be arrested. Along the way, Jesus used an object lesson from the garden. By looking at the grape arbor, the signs of a vinedresser were obvious. The vines had been tended and pruned. It was obvious that someone had spent time with the vines intending to have a good harvest of grapes. The purpose of this analogy from the lips of Jesus was to remind believers of their purpose in following Jesus. Our purpose is very simple — Jesus expects us to bear fruit for Him. Often people will ask, “Why was I born?” Now Jesus answers that question. In a believer’s life, there will always be times of discouragement. Situations and circumstances will enter into a believer’s life that will hinder in the production of fruit. During these times, our life’s purpose can seem a little fuzzy. [Read more…]

By Gene Price
Pastor, Tumbling Creek Baptist Church, Gleason

Focal Passage: John 14:1-7

Jesus is preparing the disciples for His return to heaven. Jesus knew that it would be a troubling time in the disciples’ lives as they faced life and death without His physical presence. He knew there would be fear in their hearts. Jesus tells them how to have peace.

Belief in Jesus brings peace in troubled times. God loved us and cares so much for us that He left heaven and came down to earth to live among us. Jesus is God with skin on His face. Even the demons believe in Jesus (James 2:19) but when Jesus said, “Believe also in Me,” it means to put one’s trust in or commit one’s self to Him.” Dr. Paul Powell commenting on verse 6 once said, “I am the way — without Jesus there is no going. I am the truth — without Jesus there is no knowing. I am the life — without Jesus there is no growing.” Trusting Jesus gives us faith to face all kinds of troubled times in our lives. A person cannot have the peace of God (Philippians 4:6-7) until he/she has made peace with God (Romans 5:1). [Read more…]

By Gene Price
Pastor, Tumbling Creek Baptist Church, Gleason

Focal Passage: John 11:17-27

Jesus tells the disciples that He is going back to Judea because Lazarus has fallen asleep (died). The disciples are surprised that Jesus would want to go back there, because in John 10:31 the Jews tried to stone Him on his last visit to Judea. Jesus is teaching the disciples that they should not be afraid of death. People still respond to the death of a loved one with the same question that Job once asked: “If a man dies, shall he live again?” Jesus is going to use this occasion to answer that question.

Jesus shows by resurrecting Lazarus that He has power over death. Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days. The first of the resurrections that Jesus performed was the widow of Nain’s son. Then Jesus also showed His power over death by raising the young daughter of Jairus, a synagogue leader. Resuscitation is a return to life, but eventually physical death comes again. [Read more…]

By Gene Price
Pastor, Tumbling Creek Baptist Church, Gleason

Focal Passage: John 10:7-15, 27-30

Jesus said, “I am the door.” A door basically is an entrance or an exit. When you walk through a door, you enter into one place and exit another one. When we walk through the door named Jesus Christ, we exit a meaningless life and enter into a meaningful life. What do we find when we walk through the door called Jesus?

(1) God will give me direction in my life. A flock of sheep with no shepherd is totally helpless. Sheep have no sense of direction and they wander aimlessly. They will stray from the flock and will lose their way. During World War II the English government knew that Hitler was planning to invade England so they asked each community to take down all the road signs which would cause the German army to lose their way. Today we can read His Word for guidance, we can talk to Him and ask for direction, and He promises that He will lead us to the place where we need to be (Psalm 23:2). [Read more…]

By Gene Price
Pastor, Tumbling Creek Baptist Church, Gleason

Focal Passage: John 8:12-19

While attending the Tennessee Baptist Convention annual meeting back in the early 1990s, a storm approached Memphis knocking out the electricity as everyone was making their way across the parking lot. Without street lights, it was very difficult to find your way to your car. I needed light to help me find my way.

The setting of our text is so important. Remember it was at dawn (John 8:2) that the Pharisees bring to Jesus a woman who was caught in the very act of adultery. Jesus used that backdrop to teach a lesson about light and darkness. What light is to the physical world, Jesus is to the spiritual world. [Read more…]