"The Good News Is...So Good it Catches Us by Surprise" (February 22, 2026 Sermon)

Send us Fan MailTexts: John 2:1-11 & Matthew 13:31-32Preaching: Rev. Dr. Stephen M. FearingWhat if Lent began with laughter, a full dance floor, and a secret only a few people notice? We kick off a different kind of season by walking through the wedding at Cana and the parable of the mustard seed to uncover a throughline of holy surprise: where the world sees not enough, grace keeps overflowing. Along the way, we share a family story about a five-year-old who switches languages mid-argument, and how that unexpected moment became a window into God’s delight, cultural breadth, and the everyday ways the Spirit interrupts our scarcity reflex.We talk about why joy is not naive, not selfish, and definitely not a crumb. Joy can hold grief and still choose courage. It is a renewable resource that equips us to pursue justice without becoming brittle, to resist division without mirroring the contempt of our age. Cana reframes Jesus’ first public sign as a celebration that refuses to end, and the mustard seed reframes power as small, steady, and sheltering. Together they form a counter-story to fear, hoarding, and despair, inviting us to practice attention: to notice jars quietly filling and seeds quietly rooting.You’ll hear reflections on humor in scripture, the danger of a Jesus confined to halls of power, and the freedom of a Savior revealed among ordinary people at an ordinary party. We offer simple, actionable practices for the week: fill the jars you already have, plant the seeds within reach, make room at the table, and stay for the celebration. If your days have felt heavy, this conversation is an open door to joy as resistance, rest as wisdom, and abundance as the truest word.If this episode encourages you, share it with a friend, leave a review, and subscribe so you don’t miss what comes next. Tell us: where did grace interrupt your day?Follow us on Instagram @guilfordparkpresbyterianchurchFollow us on Facebook @guilfordparkpcFollow us on TikTok @guilfordparkpreschurchWebsite:  www.guilfordpark.org