Passage: Matthew 8:18-34

As Jesus' teaching and healing ministry begins to become more widely known, it understandably attracts the attention of the crowds, many of whom are eager to jump on the Jesus bandwagon and follow him.  But unlike today where political leaders and social influencers will say and promise almost anything to gain followers, Jesus' call to follow him comes with a warning label that might read: "Count the cost and proceed with caution."   Jesus does not hide the cost that comes in committing to be his disciple, and the series of encounters that Matthew records in our passage this week call us to consider what we are signing up for.  Have we counted the cost, considered the difficulty, confronted the danger that comes with being Jesus' disciple? Join us this Sunday as we continue in Matthew's gospel and look at the dangerous calling to follow Jesus.

Passage: Matthew 8:1-17

Passage: Titus 2:11-14

Passage: Matthew 7:13-27

Like any good preacher, Jesus brings his teaching in the Sermon on the Mount to a close with a challenging call to discernment and decision. Having laid out the true character and nature of kingdom living in contrast to the outward display of religion that is often mistaken as righteousness, Jesus makes his point to his disciples by contrasting two gates that lead to different paths, two trees that bear different fruit, and two foundations that are of different stability. He warns his followers not to be deceived into taking the easy path, picking the bad fruit, or building on an unstable foundation, all of which are pictures of missing out on the true life Jesus came to bring, life with him in his kingdom. Join us Sunday as we wrap up our message in the Sermon on the Mount and consider the narrow gate, the good tree, and the firm foundation that is the Lord Jesus himself.

Passage: Matthew 7:7-12

Just ask. It seems so simple and yet for many of us it is so hard. It's hard for men to ask for directions. It's hard for women to ask for advice on parenting or personal matters. It's difficult for children to ask for help on a difficult task. Why? Because to ask is to admit our need for help, to demonstrate our dependence on others, and to confess that we aren't in total control. It requires a humility and a hope that asking will yield the help needed without the shame of needing help. Which is why when it comes to prayer, Jesus needs to give us the simple command again and again: just "ask." There are many barriers to coming to God in prayer, but one of the main ones is we aren't willing to admit our need, and when we are, we aren't sure God is willing to help. We wonder if asking is worth it. Jesus says, it's more than worth it. It's vitally necessary. And for those who know God as Father, he loves to hear his children ask and to give them good gifts in answer to their requests. Those gifts are not always the things we're asking for, but they are always the things that our Father knows we need and is for our best. Which when understood and believed makes coming to God in prayer as easy as...well, asking, seeking, and knocking. Join us this Sunday as we consider Jesus' call to personal, persistent prayer and the good things he promises to those who simply ask.

Passage: Philippians 4:4-9

Randy Martin

The Scriptures offer us profound encouragement to experience peace even amidst the storms of life—seasons that often stir anxiety in our hearts. Jesus assured His disciples, “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” Yet, despite this promise, achieving that peace can feel out of reach. A few weeks ago, Pastor Warren unpacked Jesus’ teaching to His disciples in Matthew 6:25-35. He reminded us that anxiety is unnecessary because God cares for us deeply and will provide for all our needs. Anxiety is also unproductive, for it cannot change what is beyond our control—only God can. Moreover, anxiety is unworthy of us, as it reflects a lack of trust in our Great God. Instead, we are called to seek Christ and His Kingdom, with confidence that He will sustain us. This powerful message from Jesus finds a complementary truth in Paul’s letter to the Philippians. Like Jesus, Paul urges us not to be anxious, but he goes further, showing us how we can more fully embrace the peace of God. This Sunday, we will explore Philippians 4:4-9 and discover how God’s Word provides a roadmap to experiencing His perfect peace. Join us this Sunday as we delve into this life-changing teaching and draw closer to the peace only God can give.

Passage: Matthew 7:1-6

If you've ever had something stuck in your eye, you know how much pain it can cause and often we can't even see the speck of sand or dirt that is causing it. Sin is like that. The seemingly smallest of transgressions can have immensely painful consequences for us and others around us. However, Jesus uses the analogy of something stuck in our eye to point out how easy we are at seeing the tiniest speck of sins or faults in the life of others, while we ignore the huge planks of sin in our own life. As we turn our attention this week back to Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, he addresses the ease with which we can judge others for the smallest of sins, while letting ourselves off the hook in terms of the sin in our own life. And yet, his command not to judge others is often misinterpreted as a blanket tolerance for any behavior and a way to deter Christians from being discerning or making any judgment about sin. Once again, Jesus challenges us to go deeper than just outward behavior and consider the attitudes and actions of the heart as we confront sin, first in our own lives and also in the life of others. Join us Sunday as Jesus reminds us and helps us deal with the fact that there is something in our own eye that needs attention.

Passage: Matthew 28:1-20

Stories have power in our lives, and the most captivating stories are those that speak particularly to our hearts and our deepest desires and longings. It's those stories that we want to tell others. The events of Easter mark the climactic scene around which the true story of all of history turns, and on which all hope for the future rests. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the one event in history that gives confident assurance that life is not just a meaningless tale that ends in death, but actually has purpose and ends like so many heroic tales that grip our hearts: with triumph over evil and death, and the reign of a good and gracious King forever. When Jesus died, those closest to him thought the story was over and had ended in tragedy and defeat. Which is why, when they realized he was no longer in the tomb, they had to be told repeatedly to go and tell others, he is risen. Which is how Jesus makes his power, his presence and his purpose in this world known to others, as his followers go and tell the good news that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. Join us Sunday as we consider the good news of the greatest story ever told and our calling to go and tell it to others.

Passage: Mark 5:21-43

Rev. Lee Shelnutt

In Christian Missions, we proclaim, we herald Jesus. We share the good news about our Savior and King and the salvation that is found only in Him. But what kind of Savior and what kind of salvation do we herald? What does Jesus have the heart and power to save us from? Two stories nestled together in the Gospel of Mark, beautifully tell us. Let’s explore those together and the picture they paint of the Healing Touch of our Savior.

Passage: Matthew 6:25-34

"Don't worry." How many times have we heard those words from a trusted friend or family member, or uttered those words ourselves to someone who has expressed concern or anxiety over some issue? Deep down we know that worrying about things is unproductive and often unhealthy. Yet, when it comes to heeding those simple words that we know to be true, to not worry is something that most if not all of us, including Christians, struggle greatly to do. The list of things we're anxious about is long and grows daily. Which is why Jesus words about worry in the Sermon on the Mount are both challenging and comforting. They challenge us to take seriously the issue of worry or anxiety and see it for what it truly is: a lack of faith in our good and gracious heavenly Father. They comfort us by reminding us of God's good and gracious provision in all things as we trust in him and seek his will and his way in our lives. As we live in a world of worry, Jesus not only commands us not to worry, but he comforts us with the only antidote to anxiety: a confident trust and rest in the grace and provision of God in Christ.