Valley Life Church

What the Temple Was Meant to Be 04/19/26 12 The next morning as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13 He noticed a fig tree in full leaf a little way off, so he went over to see if he could find any figs. But there were only leaves because it was too early in the season for fruit. 14 Then Jesus said to the tree, “May no one ever eat your fruit again!” And the disciples heard him say it. 15 When they arrived back in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people buying and selling animals for sacrifices. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves, 16 and he stopped everyone from using the Temple as a marketplace. 17 He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.”  18 When the leading priests and teachers of religious law heard what Jesus had done, they began planning how to kill him. But they were afraid of him because

Pastor Jon Verwey 46 Then they reached Jericho, and as Jesus and his disciples left town, a large crowd followed him. A blind beggar named Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) was sitting beside the road.  47 When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”  48 “Be quiet!” many of the people yelled at him. But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”  49 When Jesus heard him, he stopped and said, “Tell him to come here.” So they called the blind man. “Cheer up,” they said. “Come on, he’s calling you!”  50 Bartimaeus threw aside his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus.  51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked. “My Rabbi,” the blind man said, “I want to see!”  52 And Jesus said to him, “Go, for your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road. — Mark 10:46–52 NLT  Faith is seeing and believing who Jesus is, trusting

The moment the cross revealed Jesus—and how it still changes lives today 04/05/26 33 At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon.  34 And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).  35 When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.”  36 Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said.  37 With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.  38 The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.  39 And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!” — Mark 15:33–39 NIV  …they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a yo

Walking with Jesus but missing His way  03/29/26 Pastor Jon Verwey Jesus leads the way in humility, opens the way through the cross, and is the only Way to real transformation. …Jesus [was] leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. — Mark 10:32a NIV …Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. — Luke 9:51 NIV Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore, I have set my face like a stone, determined to do his will. And I know that I will not be put to shame. — Isaiah 50:7 NLT  Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him.  “We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.”  vv. 32b-34 Though he was Go

God’s Design for Relationships and the Way to the Kingdom Pastor Jon Verwey “It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law…” “Anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 1 Jesus then left that place and went into the region of Judea and across the Jordan. Again crowds of people came to him, and as was his custom, he taught them. 2 Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” 3 “What did Moses command you?” he replied. 4 They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.” 5 “It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied. 6 “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ 7 ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, 8 and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.

The Rich and the Kingdom of God Mark 10:17-31 New Living TranslationThe Rich Man17 As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good. 19 But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother.’” 20 “Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.” 21 Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. 23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to

Pastor Jon Verwey 42 “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea.  43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out.  [44]  45 And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.  [46]  47 And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell,  48 where “ ‘the worms that eat them do not die, and the fire is not quenched.’  49 Everyone will be salted with fire.  50 “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace wit

A War Against Sin through the Call to Be Salty 03/01/26 42 “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea.  43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out.  [44]  45 And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.  [46]  47 And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell,  48 where “ ‘the worms that eat them do not die, and the fire is not quenched.’  49 Everyone will be salted with fire.  50 “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can

Pastor Jon Verwey Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. — Ecclesiastes 12:13 NIV  The way of the Kingdom is not striving for greatness through power and control but choosing last place through humility and service. 30 They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, 31 because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” 32 But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it. 33 They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” 34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. — Mark 9:30–34 NIV 35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very las

Glorious on the Mountain, Gracious in the Valley 02/15/26 His face shone like the sun … and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. — Matthew 17:2a; Luke 9:29b NIV  2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them.  3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them.  4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.  5 Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”  6 (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)  7 Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” — Mark 9:2–7 NIV  “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” vs. 7b 8 Suddenly, when they looked around, they