The Parables of Jesus
Are You Ready?
January 23, 2022 • Pastor Ben Cross • Luke 19:11–27
THE defining moment in our lives will be when we stand before Jesus as our Judge. There is nothing more crucial than being ready for that moment and helping others be ready as well. That moment means everything. In Luke 19:11-27, Jesus told a parable that captures the full meaning of this moment for every person in history. The pressing question we must ask ourselves is, “Are we ready?”
Does God Really Care about Me?
January 16, 2022 • Pastor Ben Cross • Luke 11:1–13, Luke 18:1–8
There are times when every believer feels disappointment with God. Even though we haven’t lost our faith, in our most honest moments, we are willing to admit that it’s hard to pray. It’s hard to talk with someone who has dashed our expectations, including God. So, we are tempted to ask the honest question, “Why pray?” In this Sermon, Pastor Ben returns to the pulpit to continue our study of Jesus’ parables in Luke 11:1-13 and 18:1-8, where the Lord teaches us why we should always pray and not give up.
The Parable of the Prodigal Son
January 9, 2022 • Pastor Michael DiMarco • Luke 15
The Parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15 is one of Jesus’ most famous illustrations of the Father’s love for rebellious children. Yet, the parable is really about the Father’s two sons. If we look close, we might just see ourselves in both sons’ attitudes and actions. Join us this Sunday as Michael DiMarco continues the sermon series, “The Parables of Jesus.”
The Parable of the Rich Fool
December 5, 2021 • Pastor Matt Erdmann • Luke 12:13–21
God's provision and plan was packaged in the birth, life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And because of Jesus we have the ability to experience the riches of our Heavenly Father and to take those riches and be a blessing to others and to live a life of response that leaves a lasting legacy of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, and more! In Luke 12:13-21, Jesus shares a story about a man who missed those moments, who measured life by materialism, and made mistakes that left his life marked by earthly endeavors rather than eternal expectations. This Sunday we will be challenged, encouraged, and inspired to be people who are blessed, by God, to be a blessing and called to live a life of lasting legacy.
More Than Mouthwash
November 28, 2021 • Pastor Paul Herriott • Matthew 15:1–20
This parable is not often categorized as such, it appears more like a common riddle, see if you can catch and discern it when you read Matthew 15:1-20. Jesus, in this quick sentence about the mouth, upends the Pharisees purity traditions built around the Old Testament Law. Two ideas are intertwined in this passage—external religious traditions and internal purity. The first idea plays out in vv. 1–9, what goes into the mouth, the second central to vv. 10–20, what comes out of the mouth. Both combine into a theme crucial for the life of a Jesus follower, one must be controlled not so much by external codes of conduct forced from without but by the heart that proceeds from within. Therefore, you will need more than mouthwash!
Buying Friends
November 21, 2021 • Pastor Ben Cross • Luke 16:1–13
When Jesus told the parable of the shrewd manager in Luke 16, I can imagine Peter leaning over to James and John and asking, “Did he just say what I thought he said?” This parable is one of Jesus’ most fascinating, if not bizarre. Why would our Lord tell a story that seems to commend scurrilous behavior? Find out in this Sermon, and be ready to be both challenged and inspired. Read Luke 16:1-13 to prepare.
The Good Samaritan
November 14, 2021 • Pastor Ben Cross • Luke 10:25–37
The parable of the Good Samaritan is one of the most beloved, and yet most heart-searching, teachings of Jesus. The lesson is as relevant today as it was the moment Jesus spoke it. We will learn how the lawyer’s technicality question, “Who is my neighbor?” completely misses the mark and how Jesus turned the norms of that day, reflected in his question, on their head. Jesus reveals what love looks like for those whose names are written in heaven and have inherited eternal life. Read Luke 10:25-37 to prepare.
Those Who Love Jesus More
November 7, 2021 • Pastor Ben Cross • Luke 7:36–50
After serving 16 years as a missionary in India, 22 years as a pastor, and several years as a seminary professor, David Seamands made this observation: "Many years ago I was driven to the conclusion that the two major causes of most emotional problems among evangelical Christians are these: the failure to understand, receive, and live out God’s unconditional grace and forgiveness; and the failure to give out that unconditional love, forgiveness, and grace to other people…The good news of the gospel of grace has not penetrated the level of our emotions." In this Sermon, through a parable of Jesus, we will seek to better understand, receive, and live out God’s unconditional grace and forgiveness. We will conclude with a time of Communion. Read Luke 7:36-50 to prepare.
The Wise and Foolish Virgins
October 31, 2021 • Pastor Sandy Park • Matthew 25:1–13
The parable of the ten virgins. All went out to meet the bridegroom. All had lamps with them. All fell asleep as they waited. But only five were wise. What separated the wise from the foolish? Join us this in this sermon as we unpack this parable of Jesus found in Matthew 25:1-13.
The Unforgiving Servant
October 24, 2021 • Pastor Ben Cross • Matthew 18
One of the great measures of Christian character is how we deal with those who hurt us. Some would say, “Don’t get mad, get even.” The Kingdom of God turns this on its head. Jesus would say, “It’s okay to be mad, but don’t get even!” “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.” (Ephesians 4:26). Matthew 18:21 reports, “Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus’ answer, and the parable that follows, must have left the disciples as slack-jawed as it does me. Read Matthew 18 to prepare for this message.
The Kingdom of Heaven is Like...
October 17, 2021 • Pastor Ben Cross • Matthew 13
Jesus told many parables about what "the Kingdom of heaven is like," but none more important than those in Matthew 13, the first of which, Jesus said is the key to understanding all his parables. In Matthew 13, Jesus shares seven parables that reveal the Kingdom of heaven on earth from now to the end of time. Nothing is more important than becoming a member of this Kingdom and being ready for the return of the King. In this sermon, we will survey all seven parables, so it is especially important to prepare by reading Matthew 13 before we gather together.
A Kingdom of a Different Kind
October 10, 2021 • Pastor Ben Cross • Matthew 13
The warm, familiar, idyllic images of Jesus’ parables are a favorite part of the Bible for many, and for good reason. They reveal profound insights about God's kingdom on earth with the coming of Jesus. But these very same parables are much like that cuddly looking kitten you tried picking up and it bit you; Jesus’ parables come with a bite. For those who refuse him as their King, that bite can be deadly deep. In this sermon, we begin a new series on selected parables from the Gospel accounts of Matthew and Luke. It’s going to be quite a ride.