Olivet Baptist Church

Should I get a divorce? Is it better to be single and not marry? What does it mean to be created male and female? What is marriage? Jesus teaches about all of these questions as He answers the Pharisees question about divorce. Pastor Kevin Craft

What do we do when other people hurt us and sin against us? Jesus gives us clear instructions and responsibilities in this passage. Pastor Kevin Craft

"I am the greatest." That's what Muhammed Ali said, and that's what lots of people strive for. Greatness is what we want. But Jesus changes the way we think about greatness. Instead of focusing on greatness, focus on being little, focus on being humble. And that comes out in this passage, especially in the face of temptations and stumbling blocks.  Pastor Kevin Craft

God does not leave us a children in our faith. He puts us in trials and temptations that will increase our faith. Usually we want those trials to go away and to return to an easy life, but that is exactly what we need to grow. That is what we see Jesus doing in this passage - growing the faith of the disciples.  Pastor Kevin Craft

When Jesus is transfigured, He displays the glory of God, fulfilling the prophecies and proving He is the Messiah. Pastor Kevin Craft

Why would Jesus not want people to know that He was the Messiah? It came down to the fact that people didn't have a full understanding of what He was doing and who He was. And in this passage, Jesus starts to clearly show the full picture of who He is and what He came to do. He is the Messiah who came to die. And He calls His disciples to do the same. Pastor Kevin Craft

Sometimes it's just best to be direct. In this passage, Jesus directly asks the disciples what the people are saying and what they think about who He is. Peter then makes the declaration that Jesus is the Messiah. After Peter's declaration, Jesus makes a declaration about Peter and how He is going to use him in the future. Pastor Kevin Craft

When someone unexpected shows up for dinner, sometimes you wonder if you've cooked enough food for everyone. But when you go out to eat, you don't usually have to worry about running out of food - it's their job to make sure there's always enough. In this passage, Jesus shows that He always has enough mercy for us.  Pastor Kevin Craft

While the Pharisees were concerned with rituals to keep themselves looking good to others, Jesus admonished them to focus on the heart. Sin comes from within. This is the first truth to realize in the path of being clean in the eyes of God.  Pastor Kevin Craft

We don't like limits. When we're given restrictions, we like to push boundaries because we like to think we are more capable than others give us credit for. But there are many situations in life that are too big for us. And God intentionally puts us in those situations so that we will not rely on ourselves, but look to Him. Pastor Kevin Craft