Are we really helping, encouraging, providing for people to grow in the Lord, be strong in the Lord, in the context of an increasingly anti-Christian society. Can we stand strong and true? Is our church helping you be and do what God has called you to be and do? As we worked on this, we found ourselves going in a whole new direction. We stopped thinking of discipleship as a class we go to for 8 weeks. I thought about those first century Christians, who had none of these classes, books, training, or even a Bibles. Discipleship had to be the communication of simple ideas and communicated and lived through relationship. We want to introduce you to 6 Conversations, the first one you heard last week. Today, conversations 2-6.

Are we really helping, encouraging, providing for people to grow in the Lord, be strong in the Lord, in the context of an increasingly anti-Christian society. Can we stand strong and true? Is our church helping you be and do what God has called you to be and do? As we worked on this, we found ourselves going in a whole new direction. We stopped thinking of discipleship as a class we go to for 8 weeks. I thought about those first century Christians, who had none of these classes, books, training, or even a Bibles. Discipleship had to be the communication of simple ideas and communicated and lived through relationship. We want to introduce you to 6 Conversations, the first one you heard last week. Today, conversations 2-6.

Today and next Sunday I am going to be sharing around our vision and what we are going to be doing here. at The Heights and I think they bring some great opportunities for you as an individual and us as a church. And on September 17, we are going to start an 8-week series on Heaven and Hell. How important we keep in mind the final destination, an eternal destination, as we work through today’s issues in our lives and world. Hope you will join me as we look at the two places, of which one we will spend all eternity.

Today and next Sunday I am going to be sharing around our vision and what we are going to be doing here. at The Heights and I think they bring some great opportunities for you as an individual and us as a church. And on September 17, we are going to start an 8-week series on Heaven and Hell. How important we keep in mind the final destination, an eternal destination, as we work through today’s issues in our lives and world. Hope you will join me as we look at the two places, of which one we will spend all eternity.

It looked like baby Moses was as good as dead when Pharaoh commanded that all the Hebrew male children were to be thrown into the Nile river to die. However, Moses was miraculously saved when he was, by faith, placed in an ark. Find out how we, too, can also be saved by placing faith in our ark of safety, Jesus Christ!

It looked like baby Moses was as good as dead when Pharaoh commanded that all the Hebrew male children were to be thrown into the Nile river to die. However, Moses was miraculously saved when he was, by faith, placed in an ark. Find out how we, too, can also be saved by placing faith in our ark of safety, Jesus Christ!

THE END! Shut the book! For many, maybe even most, that is where the parable ends because that is what we think the parable is all about. Looking at it from our vantage point, we tend to come to the celebration of the lost son coming home and feel good and warm hearted. That is especially true if we have experienced salvation ourselves, realizing that we who rebelled against God and tried to go our way were welcomed home by our heavenly Father. And because of that, we may think of the audience in front of Jesus being teary-eyed and joyful. But for at least half the crowd that was definitely not the case.

THE END! Shut the book! For many, maybe even most, that is where the parable ends because that is what we think the parable is all about. Looking at it from our vantage point, we tend to come to the celebration of the lost son coming home and feel good and warm hearted. That is especially true if we have experienced salvation ourselves, realizing that we who rebelled against God and tried to go our way were welcomed home by our heavenly Father. And because of that, we may think of the audience in front of Jesus being teary-eyed and joyful. But for at least half the crowd that was definitely not the case.

As we continue to look at the Parable of the Prodigal Son, Jesus in telling this parable, goes to the worst-case anyone in the audience can imagine. He paints a picture of rebellion and dishonor beyond what His collected audience can even imagine. This story He tells is not just attention-getting, it is shocking. It is gasp-worthy!

As we continue to look at the Parable of the Prodigal Son, Jesus in telling this parable, goes to the worst-case anyone in the audience can imagine. He paints a picture of rebellion and dishonor beyond what His collected audience can even imagine. This story He tells is not just attention-getting, it is shocking. It is gasp-worthy!