In this week’s Kingdom Parables series, we hear Jesus’ parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl of Great Price. These are not moral lessons about proving our devotion. They are Kingdom stories about what the King does for His people. We’ll see how the King, Jesus, gives up everything for sinners, calls us by name, and makes us His own. Because of Him, we’re freed from trying to earn our value, and we’re able to see others as priceless treasures too.

• Isaiah 43:1–5
• 2 Corinthians 8:8–11
• Matthew 13:44–46

In this parable, God’s extravagance is shown: His extravagant love, His extravagant forgiveness and His extravagant mercy. God is the master who forgives the extravagant debt owed him by his servant. But the servant’s selfish, sinful nature is shown when he doesn’t forgive or have mercy on a fellow servant who owes him a small portion of what he had owed his master. His heart has not been changed. He has NOT been transformed. Good fruit is not part of the process.

So here WE are. God has also forgiven OUR debt to him, the debt of being born into sin. We can NOT pay it on our own - not even close. But God’s love for us is so extravagant that He sent His own Son to pay the debt of sin FOR us.

And our response? Of course that is the question of the day. What IS our response?

• Psalm 103:6-14
• Ephesians 4:32-5:2
• Matthew 18:21-35

This weekend in worship we continue our parable series with Jesus’ short, surprising pictures of the Kingdom of God. The mustard seed and the leaven look small and ordinary. Yet Jesus shows that His reign grows in ways we can’t always see and in ways that become unmistakable over time. The Kingdom does not depend on our strength or our scale. It depends on the King who is at work. We’ll also connect these parables to the ways Jesus continues to build His Kingdom through ordinary means today. God’s Word, the font, and the life of His Church can look simple on the surface, but they carry the power and promises of Jesus. And as we receive His gifts, we’re freed to reflect His light and love in small, faithful moments. Words that point to Jesus, quiet prayers, and everyday mercy that God uses to bless others.

• Daniel 2:34–35, 44–45
• Colossians 1:3-6
• Matthew 13:31–33

In this parable about the weeds and the wheat, the good seed being planted and the bad seed seed being planted, something happens that we all experience. Good seeds grow up together with the bad seeds. Good seeds mature with the bad seeds. And it is hard to tell them apart. But it isn’t our job to tell them apart. That is up to Jesus, who is patient beyond any type of patient we can imagine. His WORD is the good seed that grows to be stored up safely. Satan tries with all his might to sow as much evil into the world as he can. It’s his mission. Lies and deception are what he is about. Jesus is about grace and mercy. This grace and mercy leads to salvation, His work, not ours. On the Last Day, He will do the sorting. Believers be assured of being stored safely with Him in His new creation forever and ever.

• Malachi 3:16-4:2
• 2 Thessalonians 2:8-12
• Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

• Isaiah 55:6–11
• 1 Corinthians 3:5–9
• Matthew 13:1–9, 18–23

The other side of Christmas. Reality hits doesn’t it? The brokenness of the world that has been cursed because of sin hits doesn't it?

The other side of Christmas for Joseph, Mary and toddler Jesus hit too didn’t it? Enraged King Herod desires only one thing. Death to the new born king. Instead of tidings of joy on Christmas crying and wailing from the mothers whose baby boys were murdered by Herod’s henchmen.

What about us? The other side of Christmas is far from perfect is it? You see, God’s creation is still groaning, groaning for perfection once again. No disease, no sin, no sorrow, just peace, love and joy.

It’s what God promises to bring once again. Jesus WILL return as advertised, as promised to make things new again. This time forever and ever. This is where we place our Hope. True Hope.

• Isaiah 63:7-14
• Galatians 4:4-7
• Matthew 2:13-23

• Isaiah 65:17-25
• Revelation 21:1-4
• Matthew 1:18-25