LCC Sunday Messages

Have you ever felt like you were short changed or treated unfairly? In the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard, this is exactly how some of the workers felt. Yet sometimes, Jesus actually used this parable to teach us, not about unfairness, but about Kingdom Generosity.

Remember the childhood game of hide and seek? Did your heart pound as you heard whoever was "it" coming close to the end of counting? You knew that when they said "Ready or not, here I come," that the game was on! Such anticipation and excitement made hide and seek such a memorable game.As Christians, we need to live lives full of anticipation and excitement as we await the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Be assured that He is going to return. We must be alert, keeping watch for Him, and living lives in keeping with repentance. We must be bearing fruit for the Kingdom of God. Today, we will examine the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins and in it hear a clear call to keep watch.

In Jesus’ day, when guests were invited to dinner at the homes of prominent people, seating was according to status. Yet Jesus warned that much more important than earthly honor is a place of honor before God and that we have to lose ourselves to find ourselves.

Have you ever had a problem listening to instructions? Maybe it was at home with your parents, or maybe it was in school. Perhaps, you have a hard time listening to your boss. Or maybe, that speed limit sign is just more of a suggestion than a rule. Truth be told, we all have rejected authority at some point. It's ingrained in our human nature. Sadly, we even reject God's authority, refusing to do what He says. Today, as we look at the Parable of the Two Sons, may we realize that obedience to our loving Heavenly Father truly matters.

Sin. We don’t like to talk about it. In fact, many churches today go out of their way to not mention it. Yet, sin is the root of every problem that we as human beings face. If sin is the problem, what is the solution? Today, we will listen to a tale of two sinners, and in this parable of Jesus see His solution for sin.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan is one of the most familiar parables of Jesus. It’s a powerful story of grace and mercy. Through it, Jesus exposes self-righteousness and demonstrates our great need for Him. Today, may we look carefully with eyes that can see and ears that can hear, what Jesus is speaking to us.

Have you ever been in debt?  I mean up to your eyeballs?  Maybe you're there now wondering what to do. Maybe you feel like there's no hope. What would it be like if all your debts were canceled, and not just the ones you have now, but everyone you ever incurred in the future?  That would be pretty sweet, right?  You'd probably be so grateful to the one who made that possible.

Today, we will see how mercy forgave the unrepayable debt of one man and how he responded. What would we do? What are we doing?

As we continue our study through the parables of Jesus, we come to one of the most recognizable passages in the Bible, The Prodigal Son. It's a rich story Jesus told to shed light on the state of our hearts and to give us a picture of God's heart of mercy and grace.  Today, may we look for ourselves in this story and experience the Father's love

Jesus frequently used parables to tell earthly stories with heavenly meanings. Through the parables, we understand God’s priorities, what He is about, what motivates Him, and what He values. We may also see ourselves if we are willing to look and listen closely to the parables. This morning, as we consider The Parable of the Lost Sheep and The Lost Coin, look closely and see if you recognize anyone.

Another year is here and with it comes the desire in many of us to see a fresh start. Resolutions are made, hopes are high, and the possibilities of what might be seem limitless.  However, for many, these hopes are quickly dashed, when the pounds don't come rolling off, the money doesn't come rolling in and the ruts of our lives become deeper.  But there is indeed a way to truly become new, and it's found in Jesus.  What if we put every part of our lives, every situation, every hope and dream into the hands of the only one who can truly make all things new?