We start the Old Testament book of Micah beginning with Micah 1:1-16. Why Micah? Because the prophet knew God, loved him, and felt his passion. Micah can help us comprehend the heart of God.

We have come to the last sermon in our parable series—the Good Shepherd—and Luke 15:1-7 is a great place to stop: with a story about our Lord and Savior, Jesus. He knows, he cares, he owns, loves, seeks, finds, and celebrates. May FCCH walk in his steps by seeking the lost and introducing them to the Shepherd.

Jesus is called many things in the Bible: door, vine, shepherd, cornerstone, and so forth. Did you know that he is also called the “firstfruits” of the coming resurrection? We will explore 1 Corinthians 15:20-26 on Easter, resurrection day!

Palm Sunday is the beginning of Holy Week and we will gather as the church to remember and proclaim all that Jesus did for us in our Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Resurrection Sunday services. As we come to worship together, consider what is most important to you? What do you proclaim with your life, what is the celebratory focus of your soul? This Sunday we will look at the passage that follows Jesus’ parable about the narrow door and consider how we include Jesus in our lives and our hopes. You can read Luke 13:31-35 in preparation and let me encourage all of you to go out of your way to attend as many of the services this week as you can, and if possible bring others with you. We know you will be blessed by these opportunities to worship together.

“Are only a few people going to be saved, or will there be many?” That is the question that drives Jesus’s parable of the Narrow Door in Luke 13:22-30. But he turns the speculative question into personal exhortation” “Strive to enter through the narrow door.”

In the kingdom of God, the way up is the way down. That’s a bedrock fact for disciples. As Jesus says in Luke 18:9-14, the parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector—whoever exalts himself will be humbled, but whoever humbles himself will be exalted. Lord, help us to put off pride and put on humility!

The topic of justice is a hot topic today, and it deserves to be because it is close to the heart of our Lord. But in our concern for social justice, something may be missing—prayer. In Luke 18:1-8, the parable of the Persistent Widow, Jesus teaches us to pray for justice, pray without ceasing, pray and do not lose heart.

Sometimes a first reading of scripture can make us scratch our heads, but when we take a closer look it yields spiritual riches that inform our lives. My hope is that our learning together this Sunday will remind us of God’s priorities for serving and investing in God’s kingdom for the benefit of others and for our good. It may be a bit of a head-scratcher because Jesus tells a parable using someone dishonest to reveal God’s good plan for his followers. As you prepare, read through Luke 16:1-13. I look forward to seeing you all this Sunday.

The parable of building on rock or sand in Matthew 7:24-27 - one message, two builders, two foundations, one storm, two outcomes—that’s how Jesus concludes the Sermon on the Mount. Will your house stand when the storm strikes?

The expert in religious law asked Jesus to define “neighbor” in Luke 10:25-37. Was he obligated to love only the Jews, or maybe his fellow religious scholars? Just who does God command us to love? When Jesus answered, he turned the conversation upside-down. He says that we are the neighbors. We make neighbors by acting neighborly with compassion.