Grace in Community

Text: Luke 20:45-21:4

Series: Where Your Heart Is

With so many priorities in our lives, our loyalties often feel divided. Jesus points to a poor widow as a clear example of someone whose heart is in the right place. Like her, we are imperfect "clay jars," but we carry within us the transformative treasure of the Gospel. 

Text: Luke 20:20-26

Series: Where Your Heart Is

We all have a variety of roles and responsibilities in our lives, and sometimes they can get overwhelming. But where is your heart? This week we begin a three-part series around that question. What you put your heart into will give shape to everything else. Join us for the rest of this month and accept Jesus' invitation to find peace and rest for your soul. 

Text: Luke 19:1-10

All Saints Sunday

This week's message continues the theme of God's unrelenting grace from last week's Reformation Sunday. "The Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost," Jesus tells the crowd after the rich man Zacchaeus' conversion. He pursues us. The question we might ask is, does this pursuit ever stop? Perhaps not even death itself stands in the way. 

Texts: Luke 18:9-14, Romans 3:19-28

Series: Re-Forming

This Sunday we come to the culmination of our Fall Re-forming theme. God is always making us new, through the word and through the newcomers we welcome in our midst! This Reformation heritage began with Martin Luther's engagement with scripture - specifically the book of Romans. There he learned that the "righteousness of God" - rather than being something to fear - is something to celebrate. Through Jesus God's righteousness is poured out onto us. God looks at you with love, and there's nothing you can do about it. That's the freedom of the gospel!

Texts: Luke 18:1-8, Genesis 32:22-31

Series: Re-forming

The last thing God wants us is a passive faith. Or perhaps we should ask, is passive faith really faith at all? Today's texts make clear: God seeks people who will wrestle, prod, plead, and demand their way into fullness of life. No matter where you are on the journey of faith, don't let go until you receive the blessing.

Texts: Luke 17:11-19, 2 Kings 5:1-15

Series: Re-forming

The story of Jesus healing ten men with a skin disease can feel like a classic morality tale: "Don't forget to say thank you!" But as is always the case with the gospels, there's more going on here. Listen to hear how this story, echoing the healing of Naaman in 2 Kings, shows how God meets us in the borderlands with the healing waters of baptism. 

Texts: Luke 17:5-6, Job 38-39

Series: Re-forming

A little bit goes a long way in God’s Kingdom. A mustard seed’s-worth of faith has miraculous potential. A small act of love toward any of God’s creatures can have an exponential effect. A splash of water, a bit of bread and wine – in God’s economy, each of these has the power of the change the world, because any change in the world begins with the change of a heart. 

Text: Luke 16:19-31

Series: Re-Forming

Jesus' parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus is a blistering critique of the ultra-wealthy that seems designed to place us between the extremes of the two main characters. Here in the middle we do receive a great challenge - but it's one that goes beyond guilt or mere charity. 

Text: Luke 16:1-13

Series: Re-Forming

Guest preacher Pastor Brad Stienstra takes one of Jesus' most challenging parables and skillfully weaves a message of God's surprising grace. This one is well worth a close listen. 

Text: Luke 15:1-10

Series: Re-forming

Last Sunday Pastor Matt introduced our Fall theme of "Re-Forming." This Sunday we get to hear two members, Bill Brummel and Tinh Brodhagen, share how they have known God's re-forming and renewing work in their lives! Jesus says there is joy in heaven over one sinner who repents. So too there is joy in heaven with each small step of growth, each movement toward fullness of life. As you listen, perhaps you’ll be able to imagine ways God is working, beckoning you toward growth in faith in your life.