Truth For Life - Alistair Begg Unknown

After extending an invitation to His followers to come to Him to find rest, Jesus commanded them, -Take my yoke upon you,- promising them that His yoke is easy, and His burden is light. Examining the responsibility inherent in Jesus' call, Alistair Begg underscores that this obligation is a call to live in actual freedom. Such freedom is not the illusory kind that the world offers, with no apparent rules or boundaries, but the true liberty found in Christ alone.

Every invitation calls for a response-including Jesus' call in Matthew 11-28- -Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.- Alistair Begg walks us through Christ's gracious invitation, demonstrating how it is a timeless, personal, and universal call to all who are weary, burdened, lost, or sad. It is an offer not for the self-sufficient but for the broken and empty-handed. Yet while respite is promised, it's not automatic- we first must respond to His invitation to -come.-

Prayer had a high priority in Jesus' life. After teaching His disciples and preparing them for His departure, He prayed for Himself, for His disciples, and for all believers for all time. Beginning a study of John 17, Alistair Begg walks us through Christ's straightforward yet deeply profound High Priestly Prayer. In an overview of this sacred passage, we get a taste of the mystery, security, sanctity, unity, and glory that Jesus prayed for-and that Alistair will explore in depth as this study unfolds.

After His resurrection, Jesus reappeared to His disciples several times. One such encounter involved a hard but necessary conversation in which Peter, who'd previously denied knowing Jesus, affirmed his love for Him. Christ then disclosed Peter's future death and restored him to the mission of -fishing- for men and shepherding God's people. Alistair Begg points out that the disciple's previous denial of Christ didn't disqualify him from ministry, because with Jesus, failure is never final.

When the resurrected Jesus appeared to Peter, recommissioned him, and told him what the future held, the restored disciple had to confront the task before him. Initially, his attention was focused on his friend John-perhaps in empathy or concern, or perhaps in jealousy. Yet Jesus redirected Peter and echoed His initial invitation to follow Him. While Peter and John were different men with different instincts and convictions, they shared the same hope- that one day, after He had gone, Jesus would return to bring His people home.

In this practical session, Rico Tice and Richard Borgonon share resources for evangelism in a world with increasing barriers to Christianity. Despite these obstacles, currently one-third of people are open to a conversation about the faith. Two foundational convictions should inform our evangelism- that the Lord is actively at work in the lives of non-Christians, preparing them to be open to the Word, and that God's Word is powerful to save. Christians must be effectively equipped to take God's Word to nonbelievers.