Matthew 4:12-23

Worship at Shepherd of the Hills on January 25, 2026 was canceled due to severe winter weather.

That doesn't mean we can't worship! This week's podcast is a video devotional service, including the week's readings and sermon for use at home.

A service folder can be found here.

Colossians 2:6-15

When John the Baptist pointed at Jesus and called him “the Lamb of God,” he was drawing on a story that began centuries earlier—on a night in Egypt when families waited behind closed doors, trusting that the blood of a lamb would be enough to save them.

That question—Is this Lamb enough?—still presses on us today. We know the pull to add something to Jesus: effort, certainty, spiritual progress. But Colossians 2 answers that deeper question by revealing who Jesus really is and what he has done.

The Lamb of God is fully God. His sacrifice is complete. And because of him, accusation ends and freedom begins.

Matthew 3:13-17

“Christ” is not Jesus’ last name. It is a title. The Greek word “Christ” and the Hebrew word “Messiah” both mean the same thing: “The Anointed One.” Anointing was the practice of pouring liquid over the head of someone to signify selection for some special task. When the Lord had someone anointed, he also poured his Spirit over them. It was the fulfillment of promises made over centuries.

Matthew 2:1-12

Christmas isn’t over just yet! Matthew 2 shows how God’s love doesn’t stay hidden in Bethlehem. It shines outward, drawing unlikely visitors from far away and revealing very different reactions along the way.As the magi follow the star to Jesus, God’s saving love is revealed not just for Israel, but for the whole world. While Herod resists and the religious leaders remain indifferent, the outsiders rejoice and worship. Their joy reminds us that God’s love is for people who don’t seem to belong—and that includes us.In Christ, love’s pure light has shone for all, and it still shines today.

Matthew 2:13-23

Titus 2:11-14

On the first Christmas night, the angels of the heavenly host filled the sky with alleluia songs of praise. But what does that mean for us, 2,000 years later?

The grace of God that appeared in Bethlehem didn’t fade when the angels finished singing. Christ came to redeem and purify a people for himself—bringing us into his heavenly host. Living between Christ’s first coming in grace and his return in glory, believers learn to sing alleluia not only with their voices, but with their lives.

Because Christ the Savior is born, heaven still sings—and by God’s grace, so do we.

Isaiah 7:10-14

Isaiah 7 confronts fear, unbelief, and an astonishing promise. King Ahaz refuses to trust God—even when invited to ask for a sign. Yet God acts anyway, giving a sign no one would have dared to request: Immanuel, God with us.

God does not stay at a distance from fearful sinners. As Advent gives way to Christmas, the comfort is clear: our confidence rests not in the strength of our faith, but in the faithfulness of our God. Immanuel has come. Immanuel is with us. And Immanuel will come again.

Matthew 11:2-11

Waiting is hard—especially when God’s promises don’t seem to match what we see around us. From a prison cell, John the Baptist asks an honest question: “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

Jesus responds by revealing his identity through fulfilled promises: the blind see, the lame walk, the poor hear good news. Mercy comes before glory, and faith is invited not to stumble over what is hidden. On Gaudete Sunday, joy is grounded not in circumstances, but in Christ himself—the promised Messiah who has already come and will come again in glory.

Matthew 3:1-12

Like a courtroom bailiff calling people to rise for the entrance of a judge, John the Baptist stands in salvation history, calling all people to attention with a single urgent word: "Repent!" As the Judge draws near, John exposes false confidences, shatters self-reliance, and points us to the only secure place to stand: the coming Savior who took our judgment on himself.

Advent urges us to explore what true repentance looks like, why relying on our spiritual résumé is so dangerous, and, finally, how the imminent arrival of the Judge is not a threat for believers, but a source of deep peace. When Christ comes to separate wheat from chaff, those washed in his forgiveness will stand tall—not in fear, but in joy.

Romans 10:10-18

As Advent begins, we’re reminded that the last thing any of us wants is to be caught unprepared—especially for Christ’s return. In this week’s message from Romans 10:10–18, we discover that being ready for Jesus’ arrival is far simpler than we imagine: “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

But if salvation is that simple, why doesn’t everyone know it? Paul tells us plainly—people can’t believe in a Savior they’ve never heard about. That’s where God uses ordinary believers to share extraordinary news.

This year the First Sunday in Advent also happens to be the Festival of St. Andrew. We look at the apostle Andrew’s story as a living example of how the gospel spreads: someone announced, Andrew heard, Jesus invited, Andrew believed… and then he invited someone he loved.