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

• Isaiah 11:1–10
• Romans 15:4–13
• Matthew 3:1–12

This week we begin our Advent series, Between Two Worlds, by stepping into Paul’s words from 1 Corinthians 1:1–9. Advent is a season of waiting for Jesus’ arrival. We look back to His birth in Bethlehem and look ahead to His final return. But Paul reminds us we don’t wait empty-handed. God has already poured out every gift we need in Jesus. He sustains us. He equips us. And He sends us into the world to reflect His light.

Join us as we explore what it means to wait with purpose and to use the gifts God has placed in each of us for the good of His Kingdom.

• Isaiah 2:1–5
• 1 Corinthians 1:1-9
• Matthew 21:1–11

Have you ever been desperate? Desperate not from someone else’s doing, but because of your own. This is Samson in Judges Chapter 16. His unnatural strength from God led to a life of getting what he wanted, when he wanted it. Ultimately, Samson’s wanting of women that were not his wife led to his desperate situation. Which brings us back to our own desperation stories. Stories of desperation that lead us back to God - back to God to be restored in body and soul. Even in our sin, in our own mistakes, God will not leave us forsake us. His Spirit remains in us to help us in our weakness. “He intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” Intercedes and restores us with grace won for us on the cross. Yes, we too are too cry out to the Lord in our weakness and He will make us whole again.

• Judges 16:4-9; 15-22; 28-30