This morning we continue our study through the book of Hosea as we consider Hosea 2:1–13. In this passage, we see God pleading with His people as a husband confronts a wayward wife. God calls His people to return to Him and warns of discipline if they refuse. His purpose in this discipline is not destruction but redemption—so that Israel would come to say, “I will go and return to my first husband, for it was better for me then than now.”

Hosea 2:1–13 confronts us with the sobering truth that when God moves to confront, rebuke, and discipline, it is because of His love and His commitment to our greatest good. The surprising claim of the Christian faith is not simply that God judges and disciplines from above, but that He came down. In the person and work of Jesus Christ, God takes judgment upon Himself. On the cross, Jesus reveals Himself as the true and faithful spouse who bears the ultimate hedging of thorns. He is punished so that we might be forgiven.

If you have placed your faith in Jesus, the question is not whether God loves you, but whether you are believing, resting in, receiving, and enjoying that love? If you belong to Christ, the question is not, “Is God punishing me because I did something wrong?” but rather, “How is God graciously reordering my loves so that I would see Him as the One who loves me best and works for my good?” May God give us grace to believe this and to live in light of the finished work of Jesus.

This morning we begin a new study through the book of Hosea. In our text today we consider Hosea 1:1-11 as both an introduction and a summary for the rest of the book. We see in the first chapter of Hosea that the people of God will be punished for their spiritual adultery. God pronounced judgement on His people because of their unfaithfulness, yet He promised a future restoration. God reveals the depth of the people’s betrayal in Hosea’s life and shows us the even greater depth of His redeeming love. God's faithful, steadfast, and redeeming love is highlighted as the theme of the book.

It is good, true, and beautiful to consider our rebellion as spiritual adultery because it cultivates deepening humility, gratitude, freedom, and joy in God's redeeming love shown towards us in Jesus. It is good and wise to admit that we have committed spiritual adultery because we are boasting in the good news that God’s grace is stronger than our adultery, failure, and lack of faith. May God strengthen our faith as we see that His grace and restoration doesn’t rest on our performance, but upon His promises. Our hope is not in our own commitment to Christ, but in His covenant and character. 

This morning we consider our vision as we look at Colossians 1:6. We desire for the gospel to bear fruit and grow among us as it is doing in the whole world. We want to see a movement of the gospel through the Puget Sound, for the flourishing of all people. We believe the gospel is not only the power of God for salvation, but what we move deeper into for continued transformation. The gospel is what we have received and in which we stand. We aspire for the gospel to be the sustaining center and foundation of all that we do. The gospel is what shapes, bears fruit, and grows to produce transformation. We believe a movement of the gospel would bring the increase of gospel-centered churches, relational reconciliation, community formation, and spiritual renewal. In short, a movement of the gospel would bring about human flourishing and joy. This vision is ours not because it originates with us, but because it has been entrusted to us and involves every member sharing it and seeking to personally own it. May God give us grace to show the difference the gospel makes. May the gospel bear fruit and increase through the Puget Sound for the flourishing of all people.

This morning we conclude our study through the Gospel according to Matthew as we consider the Great Commission from Matthew 28:11–20. In this passage, Matthew tells us about the origins of the story that was spread among the Jews—that the chief priests and elders bribed the Roman soldiers to say, “His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.” After exposing the conspiracy of the Jewish religious leaders, Matthew records the final words and command of Jesus to his disciples. In the Great Commission, Jesus gives four “all” statements. First, he declares, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” Second, he commands, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” Third, he instructs them to “teach them to observe all that I have commanded you.” Finally, he offers this promise, “I am with you always.”

As we conclude our study of Matthew, we see that Jesus calls us to be disciples who make disciples. We are invited to learn from Jesus and commit ourselves to the lifelong journey of observing his teaching, and we are also called to lead others to him. As disciples, we are both learners and leaders—students and teachers. May God give us grace to be faithful disciples who go and make disciples of all nations.

This morning we continue in our study of the gospel according to Matthew as we consider Matthew 28:1-10. The tomb was filled on Friday, secured on Saturday, and empty on Sunday. We see in our text this morning the story of the empty tomb. Christ is no longer in the tomb. He is risen! This one event changes everything. Our calendars changed and the day of worship changed. The resurrection proves the truth of all that Jesus said and did. As we consider the two ladies who meet the risen Christ and fall at his feet in worship, we're invited to reflect on our response to the risen Lord. Have you met Jesus? Have you fallen at His feet in worship? Join us as we consider the resurrection and respond in worship. May God give us grace to come and see the risen Jesus and go and tell others the good news.

This morning we continue in our study through the gospel according to Matthew as we consider Matthew 27:32-66. We see in our text this morning that Jesus is the Son of God who was crucified and forsaken as a perfect sin offering for us. Jesus was the once and for all sacrifice who paid for our sins. Through Jesus, we are no longer separated us from God, but can enjoy access to the Father by grace and enjoy life forever with God through faith. The cross shows us that we are sinful, flawed, and broken, yet we are simultaneously loved, forgiven, and accepted. May God give us grace to behold our Crucified Messiah who died in our place as a sin offering. We pray that you would believe God is with you and for you in Jesus. We have this sure and steadfast anchor of the soul because of the crucifixion. We have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain.

This week we continue in our study through the gospel according to Matthew as we consider Matthew 27:1-31. In the text we see Jesus, the innocent suffering servant who does not defend Himself before the governor. Pilate is greatly amazed by Jesus and recognizes it is out of envy that the Jewish religious leaders want Jesus to die. He washes his hands before the crowd while the people say, His blood be on us. We see the people choose the wrong leader, a criminal who is released and walks free, and Jesus who is mocked and led away to be crucified.

Our text shows us Jesus is the innocent substitute, the righteous Redeemer who suffers for our pardon, so that we, though guilty, would be released. Jesus is our Redeemer. He is the only righteous one and gives up his life as our ransom. Jesus willingly stood where we should have stood. Jesus received what we should have received. Jesus was stripped naked that we would be clothed in righteousness. Jesus was wounded, beaten, and mocked that we would be mended. May God give us grace to recognize, confess, and rejoice in Jesus as our substitutionary sacrifice and follow in his footsteps through suffering.

This week we continue in our study through the gospel according to Matthew as we consider Matthew 26:47-75. In our passage this morning we see three scenes of heartache. In verses 47-56, Jesus is betrayed by a friend with a kiss and all of his disciples left him and fled. In verses 57-68, Jesus is brought before the council and judged. He’s mistreated and mocked. He’s beaten, spit on, and slapped as they mock him saying, “Prophesy to us, Messiah! Who was it that hit you?” In verses 69-75, Jesus is disowned and denied three times by the Apostle Peter, the one Jesus said would be the leader of the church. Matthew 26:47-75 shows us that Jesus is the submissive Son of Man who was betrayed, judged, and denied that the Scriptures would be fulfilled. Jesus remains steadfast to the Father’s saving plan through enduring the scorn and suffering at the hands of sinners. The good news of the Christian faith is not, "Don't be like Peter", but "Look and see the submissive Son of Man stand in our place." Behold the steadfast Savior and trust in Him! May God give us grace to weep bitterly when we're faced with our failures and to run to Jesus. As we remember Jesus on the cross, we pray for renewed experiences of his mercy and forgiveness. Jesus is betrayed and arrested, that we might be befriended and set free from being slaves to sin. Jesus is judged and condemned to take our condemnation. He stands steadfast while we slip and fall.

This morning we continue in our study through the gospel according to Matthew as we consider Matthew 26:30-46. In the text, we see the faithfulness and submission of Jesus that’s contrasted with the failure and sleepiness of the disciples. The structure of the passage could be organized in three sections. In verses 30-35, Jesus is on the way to the garden. In verses 36-44, Jesus prays in the garden. In verses 45-46, Jesus is calling the disciples to rise and is going to the betrayer. This passage shows us that Jesus is the faithful shepherd who was struck, but would be raised up to gather his scattered and sleepy sheep. Like the disciples, we are scattered, proud, and weak. We are hopeless and helpless apart from the forgiving grace of God. May God give us grace to admit our need before Him, trust in His forgiving grace, and be renewed day by day to follow the God who goes before us. 

This morning we continue in our study of the gospel according to Matthew as we consider Matthew 26:17-29.

In the text we see the preparation of the Passover in verses 17-19. Next we see the promise of betrayal in verses 20-25. Finally, we see the promise of a day when Jesus will drink the fruit of the vine new with his disciples in his Father’s Kingdom in verses 26-29. This passage shows us the forgiveness we need, the problem within, the promise of new. Since our deepest problem is within our hearts, we need both forgiveness and renewal. In the Lord’s Supper, at the table, we see, experience, and remember that it’s not about what we did or what we must do to be made right with God, it’s about what God has done for us in Jesus. Jesus was betrayed and killed, so that traitors like you and I could find life. Jesus was killed as the Lamb of God that His blood would be poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. We look forward in expectant joy and confident hope to the table that has been set where we will feast anew with Jesus in the Kingdom of the Father in heaven.