The Jesus Challenge

The name of Jesus is known today by billions of people, perhaps more than every other name. Yet, so few of us know anything about Him, and even fewer have given themselves to Him. A challenge exists for those of us who profess His name: to live as a people who have given ourselves—body, mind and spirit—over to the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Messages Include:

• A Challenge to Overcome – 1 John 5:1-5
• A Challenge to Prioritize Your Priorities – Revelation 2:1-7
• A Challenge to Faithfulness – Revelation 2:8-11
• A Challenge to Greater Convictions – Revelation 2:12-17
• A Challenge to Higher Standards – Revelation 2:18-29
• A Challenge to Increased Commitment – Revelation 3:1-6
• A Challenge to Obedience – Revelation 3:7-13
• A Challenge Toward Authenticity – Revelation 3:14-22

A Challenge to Overcome (1 John 5:1-5) - The Bible teaches that through Jesus, we have overcome sin. But in reality, all of us still struggle with sin, even though we love the Lord and desire to serve Him. Tony Evans explains the reason for this disconnect and offers the key to experiencing true victory over sin.

A Challenge to Your Priorities (Revelation 2:1-7, Ephesus) - Have you ever felt as though you’ve been doing all the right things, but nothing’s working out? Tony Evans reminds us through Scripture that the challenge of living as an overcomer starts with our willingness to return to our first love, our relationship with Jesus Christ.

A Challenge to Faithfulness (Revelation 2:8-11, Smyrna) - As Christians, we profess to be faithful to Jesus Christ. We do so in song and in speech every Sunday when we go to church. But when life comes at us hard and challenges our professed beliefs, Tony Evans says we begin to see whose faithfulness is genuine.

A Challenge to Greater Convictions (Revelation 2:12-17, Pergamum) - Our society grows ever more hostile to the message of the gospel. It seeks to remove the name of Jesus from its government buildings, schools and public squares. The challenge for Christians is to remember that the same name will one day cause every knee to bow and tongue confess.

A Challenge to Higher Standards (Revelation 2:18-29, Thyatira) - If we are going to live as overcomers—people who live victoriously over the circumstances that seek to hold us back—we need to have standards by which we live. Tony Evans points to the fact that no arbitrary set of rules will do. Our standards come from Jesus Christ.

A Challenge to Increased Commitment (Revelation 3:1-6, Sardis) - What’s on the outside isn’t always what’s on the inside. You can go to church, pray eloquent prayers and work like a workhorse in ministry, and while other people might think you are a committed Christian, Jesus can see the inside. And He expects a greater commitment from you.

A Challenge to Obedience (Revelation 3:7-13, Philadelphia) - Obedience is a word that usually makes people bristle. Society has taught us to be independent creatures, and submitting ourselves to someone else doesn’t come easily. But Tony Evans explains that to experience the fullness of Christ requires following his commandments.

A Challenge Toward Authenticity (Revelation 3:14-22, Laodicea) - Christianity in America today faces a serious problem that the Apostle John writes about in Revelation 3. Our affluence causes many of us to treat our faith as a cultural ritual rather than a genuine calling to submit. Jesus doesn’t want our ritual; He wants a submitted heart.