Part 3 of 4 part series,Tough Lovin'

“God’s outrageous, upside-down grace often offends our human sense of fairness.”

Jonah 3:10–4:11 & Matthew 20:1–16

What happens when God is more generous than we think people deserve? Jonah is furious when God spares Nineveh, while Jesus tells a story about workers who receive the same wage despite working vastly different hours. In both stories, God’s grace disrupts our carefully calculated sense of fairness. We want people to get what they deserve—until we realize that grace means we don’t get what we deserve either. God’s outrageous, upside-down grace can offend our human sense of fairness, but it also reveals the depth of God’s mercy. Can we celebrate God’s generosity when it is extended to people we think deserve less?

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Part 2 of 4 part series,Tough Lovin'

Others may intend evil, but God can make all things work toward good. Genesis 50:15-21 & Matthew 18:21-35

What do we do when someone has hurt us—and we finally have the opportunity to hurt them back? Joseph’s brothers fear that Joseph will repay their evil with evil. Instead, Joseph chooses grace, recognizing that “even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good.” Jesus takes forgiveness even further, calling us to forgive not seven times, but seventy-seven times. Tough lovin’ doesn’t pretend the hurt never happened. It refuses to let the hurt have the final word. Others may intend evil, but God can make all things work toward good. Can we trust God enough to choose grace over revenge?

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Part 1 of 4 part series on Tough Lovin'

Though it often seems more easily said than done, loving the unlovable is possible with guidance from our scriptures.

Ezekiel 33:7-11 & Matthew 18:15-20

Love is not always easy, comfortable, or popular. Sometimes love requires us to speak the truth when silence would be simpler. In Ezekiel, God calls the watchman to warn others. In Matthew, Jesus gives us a pathway for addressing conflict with honesty, fairness, and grace. People may not like us for being honest, but it is truly the pathway of love. Discover how “a due process” in our relationships can move us beyond gossip and avoidance toward courageous conversations, reconciliation, and the kind of tough lovin’ that seeks the good of another.

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Part 3 of 3 part series on keeping the Sabbath.

Deuteronomy 15:1-2, 7-11 & Luke 15:11-32

God's vision for Sabbath has always reached beyond personal relaxation. Every seventh year Israel was called to release debts and care generously for those in need. Jesus paints the same picture in the parable of the prodigal son, where a forgiving father throws a feast instead of demanding repayment. God's rest transforms our hearts, freeing us from resentment, fear, and scarcity. When we trust God's abundance, we become people who forgive freely, give generously, and celebrate restoration instead of revenge. This final message of our Sabbath series explores how God's Sabbath creates communities marked by grace. 

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In this message Pastor Nicole Eastwood (Assistant to the Bishop of FL-Bahamas Synod of ELCA) brought the Good News to both Nativity and St. John Lutheran congregations. Through Isaiah 56:1, 6-8, and Matthew 15:21-28, Pastor Nicole delivered a message rooted in God's mission of inclusive grace to all peoples. What do World Cup Football (soccer), the Canaanite woman of Matthew 15, two small congregations in Palm Beach county, and all of us have in common? Listen and find out!

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Part 2 of 3 part series on Sabbath.

Genesis 2:1-3; John 15:9-15

The very first full day humanity experienced was not a workday—it was a day spent with God. Before Adam and Eve accomplished anything, they rested in God's presence. Jesus echoes that same invitation centuries later when he tells his disciples to abide in his love. Sabbath reminds us that our value comes not from what we produce but from whose we are. Rather than another task to complete, worship becomes the place where God renews our hearts, deepens our friendships with Christ, and teaches us to delight in his presence. Rest begins with being loved.

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Part 1 of 3 part series on keeping the Sabbath.

Deuteronomy 5:12-15; Matthew 11:28-30; 12:9-14

Busy schedules, overflowing calendars, and constant demands leave many people exhausted. Yet long before burnout became a modern problem, God gave the Sabbath as a gift of freedom. Moses reminds Israel that Sabbath is rooted in liberation from slavery, while Jesus invites all who are weary to come to him for rest. When Jesus heals on the Sabbath, he reveals that God's holy day is meant for restoration, not restriction. In this message hear the Sabbath as God's invitation to lay down our burdens, receive Christ's grace, and experience the freedom that comes from trusting God instead of endless striving.

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Part four of four part series on The Lord's Prayer

Matthew 6:9-13 & Colossians 2:6-19

What does Jesus really mean when He teaches us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread”? Is it only about food, or is it about something much deeper? In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus invites us to trust our heavenly Father for everything we need. In Colossians, Paul reminds us to be rooted and built up in Christ, the One who nourishes our faith and sustains our lives. Listen and discover how God provides not only for our physical needs but also our deepest spiritual hunger, giving us strength to live each day in Him.

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Part three of four part series on The Lord's Prayer

Luke 11:1-13 & Hosea 1:2-10

What does it really mean to pray, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done”? Is it simply a hope for heaven someday, or an invitation to let God reign in our lives today? In Luke 11, Jesus teaches His disciples to pray with bold trust, while the prophet Hosea reveals a God whose kingdom is built not on power, but on relentless love, mercy, and restoration. This Sunday, discover how praying for God's kingdom also means becoming people through whom His grace, forgiveness, and faithful love are made visible in the world.

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Part two of four part series on The Lord's Prayer

Matthew 6:5-13 & Psalm 138

What comes first when we pray? Before our needs, our worries, or our plans, Jesus teaches us to begin with God: “Hallowed be thy name.” But what does it mean to keep God's name holy? In Psalm 138, David praises God with his whole heart because God's steadfast love and faithfulness never fail. This Sunday, we'll discover that honoring God's name is more than speaking it with reverence—it's living in a way that reflects God's character to the world. Listen, and learn how to pray and live as Jesus taught us.

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