Do you ever wonder when God’s promises will be realized? When will the fullness of His Kingdom come? In Luke chapter 17, Jesus teaches that he has already inaugurated the Kingdom, and yet there is a tension because it has not yet fully arrived. In the meantime, the disciples are encouraged again to not hold too tightly to the things of this world, but press on in discipleship, as they ask for more faith. The alternative- remember Lot’s wife?

Keeping in line with the theme of “stewardship” in chapter 16, Jesus challenges us to make a connection between stewarding our horizontal relationship with him, with how we vertically treat the poor, in a parable full of truths on heaven and hell and everything in between.

Pacific Northwest District Superintendent Rob Chadwick

I Corinthians 1:26 & 27

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.  But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;

How are we to steward the life God has given us? If God is the creator, sustainer, and ruler of all, aren’t we living under his roof? This Sunday we look at multiple areas of our lives and the responsibility to be good stewards, and to the one ultimate steward.

Two Sundays ago, we looked at the parable of two brothers who are both just as lost, one through moral license, and one through moral conformity. This Sunday we look at what both brothers need to be brought into the Gospel feast, and how the Gospel feast is brought to us in different ways.

John, Peter, and Mary, saw in different ways at the empty tomb, and yet all believed. We too are called to see an empty tomb and wrestle with those implications. This morning, we not only want to see the truth of the resurrection, but also the beauty and goodness of the resurrection. Let’s look together and SEE this Resurrection Sunday!

Is it possible to avoid Jesus in two different ways, one through flat out rejection, but the other being through obedience? Jesus tells a parable of two brothers who are both just as lost, one through moral license, and one through moral conformity. This Sunday we look at the two lost brothers and one loving father.

If you are a Christian, meaning you have repented and believed in Jesus, your life is uniquely tied to his life in what the Bible calls “union with Christ.” This now defines your reality, you are holy, pure, free and good. The call of Jesus is not to become something you are not, but rather to live out the reality of who Jesus has made you to be when you join his life to yours. Baptism is the physical picture of this spiritual reality.

Two of Jesus’ simplest parables contain the heart of God and the heart of the Gospel. This Sunday we look at lostness, the search, and the found community. Jesus not only changes us individually, but is also creating the most distinct community the world has ever seen.

Jesus isn’t interested in gathering the crowds; he is interested in gathering disciples. In this passage Jesus wants us to consider -up front- what discipleship is & to really count the cost of following him. By doing so we will see that serious reflection and daily walking is needed by anyone who truly follows Jesus. But even more so, a deep love for Jesus.