Feel more like a cracked ornament than a Christmas hero? Meet Rahab—a prostitute from Jericho who ended up in Jesus’ family tree. See how God turns zeros into heroes and why your story isn’t over yet.

If you enjoyed today's message, join us live at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in Flagstaff, AZ. Sunday worship is at 9:30 am.

Ever feel weighed down by the family you came from—or by things in your past you wish you could take back?

This week’s Advent message looks at one of the lesser-known names in Jesus’ family tree: Perez. His story includes Judah, Tamar, dysfunction, deception, and deep regret… and yet Perez is intentionally named in the genealogy of Jesus. That’s not an accident; it’s grace.

We’ll talk about:

• Why the circumstances of your birth don’t lock in your eternal future

• How God can bring beauty out of the messes we make

• How Judah’s change of heart points us ahead to Jesus, who steps into the breach for us and says, “Let them go free—take me instead.”

If you come from a broken or dysfunctional family, or if there are things in your past that still make your stomach drop when you remember them, this message is for you. Jesus came from a messy family to save messy people—and he comes to you not as your judge, but as your Savior.

In this Thanksgiving message on Luke 17:11–19, we meet ten men with leprosy who stand at a distance and cry out, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” Their story becomes a mirror of our own spiritual condition and a powerful reminder of all we have in Christ.

We explore four reasons to say, “Thank You, Jesus”:

• for your mercy that seeks us out,

• for your might that heals and saves,

• for the faith you create through your word,

• and even for our maladies, which drive us back to you and open doors to witness.

Listen in and be encouraged to let your gratitude to Jesus be louder than your grumbling—not just at Thanksgiving, but every day.