Trinity Church of Lake Nona

Have you ever had an experience that seemed incompatible with your expectations? This often happens in Christianity. Many people often decide to follow Jesus hoping that this decision will improve our circumstances. We find ourselves expecting to experience Heaven while we are still living in a fallen world. Eventually, the realities of a world filled with sin, brokenness, and death begin to rattle those who simply wanted a life with joy that was found in Jesus. Peter writes this letter of encouragement to a group of believers who have been scattered across Asia. They have been displaced from their homes in the midst of severe persecution. However, Peter writes them this letter to not only acknowledge the realities they are facing, but to also remind them of what is true for them in Christ. The realities of 1 Peter 1 tell us that the healthy believer is compelled to live a life filled with complexities that seem almost contradictory. They are elect exiles. They are to live lives marked by joy and grief. Their citizenship is in Heaven, but they are living in a fallen world.

Everyone under thirty knows the word, and everyone over sixty has heard it but isn’t quite sure about it: ghosting. It’s what happens when someone simply disappears — no explanation, no goodbye, no returned texts. One day the conversation is alive, and the next day, silence. Sometimes life with God can feel strangely similar. You pray. You make a plan. You believe you’re following him — and instead of the next door opening, heaven seems to go quiet. The opportunity disappears. The job never comes. The ministry stalls. And you’re left asking, “God, if you wanted me to go there, why did you shut the door?” That question is the heart of this Sunday’s text. In Acts 16:6–10, the apostle Paul — the greatest missionary in the history of the church — isn’t fighting persecution. He’s fighting closed doors. Again, and again, and again. But what looks like divine silence turns out to be divine guidance, and what feels like rejection becomes the greatest redirection in the history of the gospel. Because here’s the good news we’ll see together: God does not ghost his people. In this passage he is not absent — he is relentlessly, personally active, simply doing his guiding through closed doors instead of open ones. We’ll trace four movements straight out of the text — closed doors, quiet trust, clear vision, and gospel advance — and learn to read the shut doors of our own lives through new eyes. Big Idea: When the risen Christ closes your doors, he is not stopping your mission — he is taking it out of your hands and putting it into his, because he sees the need you cannot see.

As we continue our tour of the churches in Asia, our Pastoral Resident, Ben Woolbright, will take us back to Ephesus. Have you ever faced an identity crisis of some kind? An identity crisis usually occurs when something important to us is now missing, or at least threatened. For example, if your identity is placed in something that will one day leave, such as, your age, your health, or your appearance, one common antidote would be to do something radical to keep it. Perhaps doing something like purchasing a new car or getting plastic surgery. However, anytime our identity is placed in something other than God, we are trusting in something that is fleeting. For Christians, one of the more difficult obstacles to navigate in an identity crisis is the fact that it typically happens slowly, without us realizing it. One day, we just look up and realize that something changed along the way. Between Ephesians 6:24 and Revelation 2:4, the Ephesian Church found themselves facing an identity crisis. Jesus directly called them out on it. In a span of 35 years, this once flourishing community of believers took their eyes off of Jesus and started focusing on all their efforts and knowledge. Ministry success was no longer gauged by love for Jesus. The love for Jesus, that Paul commended them for at the end of Ephesians, was absent in Revelation. Throughout Paul's letter to the Ephesians, he is constantly reminding these believers of the plan and purpose of God for them. In doing so, he is kindling their love for Jesus that he is simultaneously commending them for having. When the plan and purpose of God is prominent within our midst, a deep love for Him is sure to follow. This week, we are camping in a well-known passage, Ephesians 2:1-10. In this passage, Paul is communicating the gospel very clearly to those within the Ephesian Church. It's a passage that we would benefit from in our context as well. In this passage, Paul reminds us that our biggest problem isn't believing the wrong things about God, but rather the inability to follow Jesus properly. He emphasizes that we are saved by grace, freeing us from the internal and external pressures to justify ourselves. Finally, we are also reminded that God works in us, not just to save us, but so that we will demonstrate His work in us to others.

You can usually tell what a building is for the moment you walk in. A courthouse speaks authority. A hospital is built to keep people alive. A cathedral lifts your eyes upward before you've decided to look. The structure reveals the purpose. The same is true of a church. Every church is building something—around a personality, a program, a preference, a tradition—and if you stay long enough, what it's truly built for becomes obvious. You can read it in the architecture. This Sunday we continue our summer tour of one of the most remarkable churches in the New Testament: Antioch. When the believers in Jerusalem heard what was happening there, they sent Barnabas to investigate. And when he arrived and saw this strange, diverse, generous, unexplainable community, Luke tells us he didn't see a strategy or a program. He "saw the grace of God." He saw the Architect's fingerprints all over the building. Together we'll walk through Antioch the way Barnabas did and find those fingerprints at every turn: grace that scatters the seed, grace that becomes visible, grace that forms a new people, and grace that opens the hand. We'll discover how a scattered, suffering church became the place where believers were first called "Christians"—and what that means for who we are becoming at Trinity. Come ask the question Antioch puts to us all: What does a church look like when Jesus is the Architect?

For our first Sunday we have the privilege to hear from Ben Wood. Ben and Mandi Wood and their children Elliana, Jonathan and Noah have been with Trinity Church for the last 4 years. Originally from Ohio, they served as missionaries in the Middle East before coming to Orlando. Ben serves on the theological development team with Cru and Mandi cares for staff as part of the HR team. Our journey to the ends of Asia begins this week with a message to the church in Ephesus. Apollos and Paul had been part of establishing this church 40 years before. The Gospel message had gone out powerfully from it, creating quite a stir in the region. How is it doing now? What message did God have for them about their works and motivation? Through both encouragement and rebuke God had a message for them and has one for us today.

This Sunday we return to Acts 6:1–7 to finish what we began last week. We've already seen how grumbling can enter even a healthy, growing church — and how the enemy uses real pain, real concerns, and real overlooked people to fracture what the gospel has joined together. We saw how a small complaint, left to ferment in side conversations and suspicion, can do what an army at the gates could never accomplish. And we saw why the apostles refused to let the complaint pull them off the calling Christ had given them. This week we get to the response. We'll see how the apostles meet a moment of potential division not with better systems or sharper management, but with Spirit-filled servants — men of good repute, full of the Spirit and wisdom, drawn from the very group that had been overlooked. And we'll see the surprising fruit of that response: a fracturing body knit back together, the Word of God increasing in Jerusalem, and even priests — the very ones who had condemned Jesus — becoming obedient to the faith. If you missed last week, you'll still be able to track with us.

Sometimes the greatest things fall from the smallest causes. Troy stood for ten years against the greatest army in the ancient world — and fell to a gift its own people pulled inside the gates. A submarine isn't destroyed by what's fired at it, but by a wrench dropped on a steel deck. A Florida house doesn't fall to the hurricane — it falls to the termites. And the church of Jesus Christ — the church that has outlasted empires and persecutions — does not usually fall to the army outside. She falls to what gets inside. In Acts 4, the church faces the army at the gate. In Acts 5, the enemy gets inside through the heart of a lying couple. And in Acts 6, the attack changes again. No soldiers. No scandal. Just a complaint. A murmur. A small ripple of dissatisfaction at the back of the room. It looks like a footnote. It is actually the third movement of the same battle — and one of the enemy's most effective strategies against the church. We'll see how Christ protects his body by raising up Spirit-filled servants right in the middle of the wound, and what it looks like for grumbling to be transformed into growth.

Kids on the playground know how to land an insult: "You're full of it!" It's funny because it's true — of all of us. The question is what the "it" is. The Book of Acts keeps using one peculiar word to describe people: full. Some are filled with jealousy, deceit, or even the schemes of Satan. Others are filled with the Spirit, with faith, with grace and power. Luke wants us to see that we are not neutral containers. Whatever fills the heart eventually shapes the life. This Sunday — Mother's Day — we'll meet a remarkable woman named Tabitha. Luke calls her something he calls no other woman in the New Testament: a disciple. And he tells us she was "full of good works and acts of charity." Her sewing needle, of all things, became evidence of Pentecost. When she dies, the widows of her town gather around the apostle Peter, weeping and holding up the tunics and garments she made for them. Her spirituality had taken material form — in cloth and thread and quiet, daily mercy. What happens next is one of the most astonishing scenes in Acts. Peter kneels, prays, and speaks two words that echo Jesus' own voice raising a little girl in Galilee: "Tabitha, arise." The risen Christ is still at work — through dependent prayer, through ordinary disciples, through resurrection power already breaking into the present age. Tabitha's story is not just a miracle account. It is a portrait of what the Spirit-filled life actually looks like when it takes root in a real human being. This is a fitting passage for Mother's Day, because Tabitha represents the kind of holiness our culture rarely celebrates: unnoticed, embodied, hidden, faithful. The kind that shows up in meals made, clothes mended, prayers prayed, children nurtured, and saints quietly sustained. The kind that looks like Jesus — because it has been filled with Him.

This week we come to one of the most disturbing scenes in the New Testament — Acts 5:1–11. A husband and wife. A sold field. A hidden portion. And one of the strangest questions Peter ever asked: "Why has Satan filled your heart?" It's a question most modern Christians don't know what to do with. The devil sounds like a Halloween costume. We'd rather translate Peter's question into something more respectable — bad psychology, social conditioning, anything but a real enemy. But Luke won't let us off that easily. He's writing under the inspiration of the Spirit, and what he wants us to see is that the serpent is back in the garden — only now the garden is the church. And that means every one of us, this Sunday morning, is sitting on a battlefield we didn't know we were on. This is the first of three sermons walking through Acts 5–6, where Luke shows us three different fronts of the same war: the devil, the flesh, and the world. We'll start with the most ancient enemy and the most surprising front — your own heart.

This Sunday, we're in Acts 4:32–5:11, and Luke shows us something surprising about what a great church actually looks like. Not the kind of greatness the world measures — visibility, influence, admiration — but the kind that shows up when Christ is truly present among His people. Luke gives us three marks: great power, great grace, and great fear. All of it flows from Christ Himself. But right in the middle of that passage, there's a line that's easy to miss: "There was not a needy person among them." Most of us read that as a statement about resources. I don't think it is. I think it's a statement about a posture toward the world. No one was "needy." And it raises an uncomfortable question: if Luke were writing about us, could he say that? Not about our bank accounts. About our hearts. How "needy" are you? Because many of us are still hungry for something Christ has already given — approval, security, significance, control. And as long as we're trying to get it somewhere else, we'll keep clinging. We'll keep calculating. We'll never be truly free. We will always be "needy." The good news is this: contentment isn't something you manufacture. It's something you receive. And Christ is in the business of making His people full.

Do you ever look at the early church and get jealous of all the things they were able to experience? There is no doubt that they saw God do incredible things! They even went through incredible growth and unity early on. However, it is precisely because of their incredible growth and unity that Satan had a target on their back. When the earth is being filled with worshipers, Satan becomes increasingly active. When we examine Acts 4:32 - 5:11, we notice that it's very possible for us to mirror the efforts of the early church. We can still come to a supernatural unity by looking away from ourselves and focusing on Jesus. It's also very possible for Christians to lose focus, to give into the ensnarings of Satan and our flesh, and for division to arise. This week, we will explore the portrait of a harmonious community that Luke gives us. In these passages of Scripture, Luke paints a beautiful picture of what the church can be. This diverse group of people lived in community with one another while displaying a beautiful harmony with one another. We also see two examples of people living out this reality. Barnabas embodied everything Luke challenges us to be. However, Ananias and Sapphira smeared this picture through greed and deception. What can we learn from these two examples? Join us tomorrow to find out!

This Sunday we will be continuing our series through the book of Acts with a Palm Sunday message called "The Name" from Acts 4:5–12. It's a passage where the apostle Peter stands before the most powerful religious court in Israel — the same court that condemned Jesus just weeks earlier — and makes a claim so bold it still echoes today: "There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." One name. Not because God is narrow — but because God is specific. He didn't offer a menu. He threw a rope. And that rope has a name. But here's what makes this story so challenging: the people resisting Jesus in Acts 4 aren't pagans. They aren't people on the fringes. They're the most devout, most educated, most "spiritual" people in the room. They reject Jesus not because they lack evidence — the healed man is standing right in front of them — but because His authority threatens their control. Peter and John are standing before the same court that just weeks earlier tried and executed Jesus. And possibly, the same crowd. The crowd that shouted "Hosanna!" on Sunday was crying “Crucify him” by Friday. They turned on him fast. They turned on Him because He wasn't the kind of King they wanted. They wanted a Savior — someone to fix their problems, defeat their enemies, and make their lives better. What they got was a Lord who wanted to redefine everything. And that was too much. It's easy to shake our heads at those people from two thousand years ago. But if we're honest? That same tension lives in us. We're happy to pray for Jesus' help with our marriages, our anxiety, our finances, and our kids. But when He asks for the keys — when His authority touches the places we've been protecting — something in us pushes back. We want Jesus as a consultant, not a king. So this Palm Sunday, we're going to sit with an uncomfortable but important question: Where am I asking Jesus to help me — while resisting His right to lead me? And we're going to discover something beautiful on the other side of that question: the authority we're afraid of is the very authority that heals. The name we resist is the only name that saves. Join us this Sunday morning at Laureate Park Elementary. Whether this is your first time or you've been with us since the beginning, this is a Sunday you don't want to miss. Come and see what the name of Jesus has to offer — not just your Sunday, but your whole life. Here is our Outline: "The Name" Acts 4:5–12 | Palm Sunday I. The Debate: "By What Name?" (vv. 5–7) II. The Declaration: "This Is the Name" (vv. 8–11) III. The Demand: "There Is No Other Name" (v. 12) IV. The Decision: Where This Meets Us

Lake Nona just released its 2026 Factsheet and a new promo video, and the mission statement is worth reading slowly: "To create an extraordinary environment that inspires human potential through collaboration, innovation and customer devotion." Seventeen square miles, 44 miles of trails, a world-class medical campus, autonomous shuttles, MICHELIN-recommended restaurants, and a community literally designed around wellbeing. It's an extraordinary vision. And if you live here, you already know — it delivers on a lot of it. But this Sunday we're going to ask a question that no fact sheet can answer: What happens when the extraordinary environment isn't enough? When the optimization runs out and the longing remains? In Acts 3:12–26, Peter stands in the aftermath of a miraculous healing and redirects a crowd that is staring in the wrong direction. Then he offers something no master plan can deliver — three things Jesus actually gives: personal healing that is not partial or temporary but whole, present refreshing that comes from the presence of God, and the ultimate restoration of all things. Healing. Refreshing. Restoration. That's not a tagline. That's the gospel. Join us this Sunday at Laureate Park Elementary. Whether you've been with us all year or it's been a while, this is a good week to be in the room.

Every once in a while we experience a moment when everything feels exactly the way it’s supposed to be. Maybe it’s a dinner table with friends where the conversation flows and no one wants the evening to end. A Saturday morning with your kids where the house is full of laughter and no one is rushing anywhere. A moment at work when the team is working together and what you’re doing actually feels meaningful. For a brief moment, everything fits. Everything feels whole. And something inside you whispers: This is how life is supposed to be. But those moments never seem to last. The dishes pile up. The emails return. Relationships strain. The world intrudes. And yet those moments awaken a deep longing within us. They feel like glimpses of something we were made for—a glimpse of the world as it was meant to be. That is exactly what Luke shows us in Acts 2:41–47. After the fire of Pentecost—after the Spirit descends, Peter preaches, and three thousand people believe—Luke pauses the story. He pulls the camera back and shows us something remarkable: a portrait of life as the Spirit begins to put the world back together. What we see is more than a report about the early church. It is a glimpse of restored humanity. In this short passage we see a community shaped by God’s Word, marked by deep fellowship, overflowing with generosity, and filled with joy. People gather around Scripture. They share their lives together. They hold their possessions loosely so that no one among them is in need. They worship together, eat together, and praise God together. For a brief moment in Jerusalem, the world begins to look the way it was meant to look. And that vision speaks directly to a longing many of us carry today. One of the most common reasons people leave churches is simple: “We didn’t find community.” But Acts 2 shows us something important. Real community is not something we simply find—it is something we build together as we share life under the grace of Jesus. The beauty of Acts 2 is not the result of perfect people. It is the result of a powerful Savior. The same Jesus who died and rose again sends his Spirit to change hearts, draw people together, and form a new kind of community in the world. This Sunday we will explore what this beautiful community looks like—and how the gospel creates it. Join us as we look at Acts 2:41–47 and consider how the Spirit of Jesus is still restoring people and building communities that reflect the world as God intended it to be.

This week, Ben Woolbright will lead us through Acts 3:1-10. In these verses, Peter and John heal a beggar who had been lame since birth. Up to this point, God had been working in ways and specific times, but this miracle broke the mold. Every day is holy. Every believer is empowered. Every encounter is an opportunity. Peter and John went about their daily routine with a heightened sense of awareness of what was going on around them. They hear a man, who is sitting on the ground, call out to them, asking for money. His disability has prevented him from ever earning a reasonable income. The only hope for survival that he has is the generosity of others. People carry him daily to the busiest spot in the city. He spends the day asking for money, hoping to secure enough to live another day. People carry him home. However, his life changed when Peter and John, in a great act of mercy, did not give him what he asked for. The gift he was given was far better. This lame beggar was able to truly experience the power found in the name of Jesus. Perhaps you’re like Peter and John and need to understand that every day and every situation is an opportunity for every believer to display God’s glory. Maybe you are like the beggar and need to stop settling for what cannot heal. Join us as we examine this miracle and consider the Christ it points us to!

We will be walking through Acts 2:14–41 together — the passage where Peter preaches the risen Christ, hearts are pierced, and thousands respond in repentance and baptism. It is the first baptism Sunday in church history, and it sets the pattern for everything the church becomes: Repent and be baptized. Repent. Turn. Re-center. Stop orbiting yourself. But here's the key: repentance is not a one-time event. Martin Luther opened the Reformation with this — "the entire life of believers is to be one of repentance." Not because we never make progress. Because repentance is how we make progress. There are two ways to repent. You can repent out of religion — where you beat yourself up enough to feel like you've earned another chance. That repentance is selfish, self-righteous, and bitter all the way down. Or you can repent out of the gospel — where you turn back to a Christ who already absorbed the judgment. That repentance isn't bitter. It's sweet. Because the more you see your sin, the more precious grace becomes. And the more you taste grace, the more honestly you can face your sin. The people in Acts 2 are asking "What shall we do?" for the first time. But if you've been following Jesus for thirty years, you're still asking it. Every morning. Every failure. Every mystifying situation where you feel lost about how to move forward. Every moment you catch yourself orbiting yourself again. "What shall I do?" Turn. Again. Back to him. That's the Christian life. At the end of our service, several members of our church family will publicly declare their faith in Jesus through baptism. They will share their stories — how God has worked in their lives, how truth has pierced their hearts, and why they are stepping into the water to say publicly what God has done privately. You will not want to miss it!

This Sunday we'll be joined by Marc, who serves in biblical tourism in Central Asia. Marc will be preaching from Psalm 104 during our service, and then during our discipleship time afterward, he'll be sharing more about his work and an incredible opportunity for our church. That opportunity? This October, I'll be leading a Biblical Sites in Türkiye Trip (October 9–16, 2026) where we'll tour the Seven Churches of Revelation together—Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea—plus additional sites like Colossae, Hierapolis, and St. John's Basilica. We'll open God's Word right where it was first received. Marc will be on hand this Sunday to share more details about the tour and what to expect. I'd love for you to be there this Sunday to hear Marc preach and learn more about this trip. If you've ever wanted to walk where Paul, John, and Timothy walked—this is your chance. Marc will be preaching on Psalm 104 Main Idea: Look and see God’s work in creating and sustaining the world, and bless Him for it! (1) Bless the Lord for His work in creating (1-9) (2) Bless the Lord for His work in sustaining. (10-35)

Last Sunday, something disruptive happened in Jerusalem. Wind without weather. Fire without fuel. Languages without study. The crowd stood stunned. Some were curious. Others were cynical. And hanging over the moment was one pressing question: “What does this mean?” It’s the same question we ask when our lives are interrupted. When plans unravel. When prayers seem delayed. When God moves in ways we didn’t expect. What does it mean? Is it chaos? Coincidence? Or is something bigger unfolding? This Sunday in Acts 2:14–22, we’ll watch Peter stand up and interpret the moment. And what he says reframes not just Pentecost, but time itself. The past has spoken. The future has arrived. And the King is present. If that’s true, then your life is not random. Your pain is not meaningless. And history has already turned a corner. Come and consider what Pentecost really means — and what it means for you. If you’ve ever wondered whether God is truly at work in your life, come and see what Pentecost means — and why it still matters today. ⸻ This Sunday’s Sermon Outline What Does This Mean? — Acts 2:14–22 1. The Moment Has a Text: God’s past words interpret our present reality. 2. The Future Is Now: The age we were waiting for has already begun. 3. The King Is Present: The crucified and risen Christ is reigning — and near.

Let's try again! Last week, Orlando decided to act like it was in the Midwest, and the pipes at Laureate Park Elementary decided they weren't having it. So we took an unexpected "snow day!" This Sunday, we're back at it. The pipes are fixed, the temps are back to Florida-normal, and we can't wait to be together again. Tomorrow we will continue our journey through Acts with one of the most dramatic moments in Scripture—Pentecost. Wind, fire, people speaking in languages they never learned. It looks like an explosion. But here's what's easy to miss: the real change Pentecost produces isn't loud. It's a shift. Subtle but fundamental. The disciples didn't become different people. They became the same people carrying a different presence. Think about Peter. Weeks earlier, he denied Jesus three times to a servant girl. Now he's proclaiming the resurrection to the very crowd that called for Jesus' crucifixion. What changed? Not his personality. Not his knowledge—he already believed. Something shifted at his center. He stopped orbiting his fear and started orbiting Christ. That's what the Spirit does. He doesn't make us impressive. He makes fearful people faithful. And the same power that transformed Peter is available to us. We'll explore what it looks like when God's presence isn't something we visit on Sundays but something we carry into every room we enter—at work, at home, in the hard conversations and the ordinary routines. Join us this Sunday at Laureate Park Elementary. Come expectant. The Spirit is still in the business of re-centering his people. Here is our outline: What Pentecost Produces Acts 2:1–13 Sermon in a Sentence: Pentecost power is: The power that makes fearful people faithful. Introduction: The Pentecost Paradox—Same people, new center. 1. A Shift in Confidence From Self-Protection to Christ-Centered Courage 2. A Shift in Speech From Noise or Silence to Testimony 3. A Shift in Posture Toward Opposition From Shock to Steadiness 4. A Shift in Identity From Going to God's Presence to Carrying It

We have all had times when we felt like we were in over our heads. Perhaps you were overwhelmed at school when you prepared for a big test or had to write an important paper. Maybe you feel overwhelmed at work as the workload increases, deadlines shrink, roles and expectations go uncommunicated, or the environment gets increasingly toxic. It could be that every day is a struggle as you try to hold the house together while keeping the kids alive and fed. There are many reasons why we could feel overwhelmed today, even as followers of Jesus. However, being overwhelmed is nothing new to the Christian. For centuries, God has been calling His people to do great things that are bigger than themselves. Why would He call us to such daunting things? This is the wrong question. What if God calls us to overwhelming tasks, not because we can handle them, but because we can't handle them apart from Him? What if God calls us to do big things, not because we are dependable, but because He is dependable? In Acts 1, the disciples have been given one of the more overwhelming tasks they could imagine..."You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." (1:8) These are not well-rehearsed performers or notable scholars. These were "uneducated, common men" (4:13) who had simply been with Jesus. However, Jesus told them that they would not set out on this mission alone; they would do so being filled with power from the Holy Spirit! For the disciples to do this work, they needed to wait for their Helper to come. As they waited for Him to be poured out on them, they rested in the Triune theological truths they just been assured of in Acts 1:6-11: The Father's Authority, The Spirit's Power, and The Return of Christ. They rested in all that the ascension of Jesus means for His followers. Jesus will reign over the mission He has given them to complete. This confidence transformed their priorities and their mindset. Because of the ascension and all that it entails, the disciples embodied lives committed to each other, prayer, and obedience to the Scriptures. Join us this Sunday as we unpack this narrative and see what it means for us! Here is our outline: Theological Context: (vv. 6-11) The disciples will move forward with: Awareness of the Father's Authority (v. 6) Anticipation of the Spirit's Power (v. 8) Assurance of Christ's Return (v. 11) Following the ascended Christ calls for an unwavering commitment to: (Acts 1:12-26) Each Other (vv. 12-15) Prayer (v. 14) Obeying Scripture (vv. 16-26)

As we step into a new year, many of us are thinking about fresh starts—new goals, new habits, new plans. But what if the most important question isn't "What should I start?" but rather "What has Jesus already begun?" This Sunday, we begin a year-long journey through the Book of Acts. And right from the opening verses, Luke makes something clear: the Gospels aren't the end of Jesus' story—they're the beginning. What Jesus began in Galilee, He continued through the early church, and He continues still today. Acts isn't a museum of heroic Christians we could never measure up to. It's a map showing us where the risen, reigning Christ is already at work. Join us as we discover what it means to live inside a story that refuses to end—one where the pressure isn't on us to write the ending, but simply to step into what Jesus is already doing. This year, let's join Jesus as He is making all things new. Sermon Outline: Begun, Not Finished The Continuing Work of the Risen Christ Acts 1:1–11 I. What Jesus Began on Earth He Continues from Heaven (v. 1) II. Formation Has Begun (vv. 3–5) III. The Mission Has Begun (vv. 6–8) IV. The King Has Ascended—But the Story Is Not Finished (vv. 9–11) V. The Book Has Begun—And Is Left Unfinished

What do you do when fear won't listen to speeches? In 1933, FDR told a frightened nation, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." Inspiring words. They inspired a nation to action. But eleven years later, when Europe lay captive behind enemy lines, words weren't enough. Liberation required invasion. On June 6, 1944, over 150,000 Allied soldiers stormed the beaches of Normandy—not to deliver a message, but to break the chains. This Sunday we continue our Advent series on the Nicene Creed by turning to Hebrews 2:14–18—and discovering that the Incarnation was D-Day for the human soul. Christ didn't shout encouragement from heaven's safety. He crossed enemy lines. He took on flesh and blood. And he stormed the beaches of death itself. Hebrews tells us that all of humanity has been "subject to lifelong slavery" through the fear of death. Not the dramatic, obvious slavery of chains and whips—something more subtle. The quiet fear beneath our fear of failure, judgment, exposure, and loss of control. The fear we've learned to manage but have never been able to shake. This is why Christ came. Not only to forgive sins—though he does that. Not only to teach us how to live—though he does that too. He came to destroy the fear that destroys us. Join us as we explore three truths from Hebrews 2: He Shared Our Flesh. Jesus didn't dip a toe into humanity—he dove in. He took on weakness, limitation, suffering, and mortality. Why? Because death can only be destroyed from the inside. And because of this, you do not bring anything to Jesus that he has not himself walked through. He Faced Our Fear. On the cross, Jesus absorbed everything death carries: judgment, accusation, shame, and the full vulnerability of mortality. In absorbing it, he removed the devil's weapon. Death still happens, but its verdict has changed. Its sting—judgment—is gone. He Defeated Our Foe. Jesus made propitiation for sins, silencing every accusation. He rose and now lives as our merciful and faithful high priest. And his resurrection is the down-payment of ours. Death is no longer a wall—it's a doorway. Come hear how the One who was crucified for us and rose again has set us free from fear itself. Here is our outline: For Us: He Overcame Death Week 3 — Advent Series on the Nicene Creed Hebrews 2:14–18 "…was crucified for us…on the third day he rose again…" Introduction — The Fear Beneath All Fears Liberation required invasion. I. He Shared Our Flesh (v. 14a) "He himself likewise partook of the same things…" Death can only be destroyed from the inside. II. He Faced Our Fear (vv. 14b–15) "…that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death…" Fear is not your master. Christ is. III. He Defeated Our Foe (vv. 16–18) "…that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest…" His resurrection is the down-payment of yours. Conclusion He shared our death so we could share his life. He entered our fear so we could enter his joy. He bore our judgment so we could bear his righteousness. He suffered our slavery so we could live in his freedom.

Last week we marveled that the eternal Word came down from heaven. This Sunday we press deeper into the mystery: He didn't just come near—He became fully human. The Nicene Creed confesses that Christ "was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man." Paul unpacks that same reality in Philippians 2, showing us a Savior who refused to grasp His divine privileges but emptied Himself, took on the form of a servant, and obeyed all the way to death on a cross. This is the hinge of the gospel: God becomes what we are in order to heal what we are. Where Adam grasped for exaltation, Christ grasped for obedience. Where we exhaust ourselves trying to "be enough," Jesus lived the perfect human life we could not live—for us, not just before us. And because He descended lower than anyone, God exalted Him higher than anyone. Join us as we discover how the humility of God becomes the healing of our souls, and how His pattern—down now, glory later—reshapes everything about how we live. Here is our outline: "For Us: He Became Man" Philippians 2:5–11 Big Idea: Jesus doesn't just come near—He becomes fully human. The humility of God is our healing. I. The Self-Emptying of Christ (vv. 6–7) Humility chosen, not deity surrendered — He didn't grasp His rights but poured Himself out for us. II. The Obedience of Christ (vv. 7–8) He became human to obey perfectly for us — the "Yes, Father" that repairs all our "No, Father." III. The Exaltation of Christ (vv. 9–11) Down now, glory later — His humiliation becomes our hope.

This Sunday, we're exploring one of the most pivotal moments in Israel's journey—when they stood at the threshold between forty years of wilderness wandering and the Promised Land. In Numbers 32-34, two tribes make a request that sounds reasonable but reveals a dangerous temptation we all face: settling for "good enough" when God has promised something greater. Their desire to stop east of the Jordan River rather than crossing into God's full promise mirrors our own tendency to choose visible comfort over invisible inheritance—whether that's in our marriages, our spiritual disciplines, our generosity, or our community involvement. The question hanging over these chapters is one we need to answer: Where are you tempted to settle for good pasture when God is calling you to promised presence? But God doesn't leave us to cross over in our own strength. Through a detailed record of Israel's forty-two wilderness camps, He shows us that remembered mercy fuels future courage. Every station of their journey—from the Red Sea to the plains of Moab—was a testimony to God's faithfulness, and rehearsing these moments of provision prepared them to face what lay ahead. Similarly, Jesus gives us the Lord's Supper as our own practice of remembrance, bridging our wilderness experiences to our promised inheritance. The good news is that Christ has already made the ultimate crossing through death and resurrection, securing an inheritance that Peter tells us is "imperishable, undefiled, and unfading." Join us this Sunday as we discover how to refuse settling short, remember God's mercy, and receive the ordered grace that makes our inheritance not just possible but enjoyable. Whether you're exhausted from surviving and ready to start thriving, or you're standing at a threshold moment wondering how to move forward, this message will equip you with practical next steps and gospel hope. Come ready to identify where you've camped east of grace and learn how Christ empowers us to cross over together into all He has prepared for us. Sermon Outline: Don't Settle East of Grace Numbers 32-34 Introduction Israel stands at the threshold—one foot in the wilderness, one foot reaching toward the Promised Land. After forty years of wandering, they're learning how to cross over, not just geographically but spiritually. Movement 1: Refuse to Stop Short (Numbers 32) The Story: Reuben and Gad request to settle east of the Jordan The Problem: Decisions based on sight, not faith Prioritizing personal comfort over corporate calling Settling for "good" instead of God's best The Application: Where are you tempted to settle east of grace? Comfort that keeps you from calling Security that keeps you from generosity Convenience that keeps you from community Movement 2: Remember Mercy (Numbers 33) The Itinerary: 42 camping sites from Egypt to Moab Memory as Formation: Remembered mercy fuels future courage The Practice: Identify three "stations of mercy" from your journey Crisis where God provided Failure where God forgave Fear where God led you through Movement 3: Receive the Order (Numbers 34) Boundaries and Leaders: God defines the land's borders Ordered Holiness: Grace has edges, freedom has a form Application: Living inside God's good boundaries Time boundaries (Sabbath) Relational boundaries (reconciliation) Moral boundaries (holiness) The Gospel: Jesus Is the True Joshua Jesus Crossed for Us: Pressed all the way to the cross Jesus Remembers for Us: "Do this in remembrance of me" Jesus Is Our Inheritance: We receive everything in Christ Response Three movements of prayer: Confession: Where have you settled east? Remembrance: Thank God for your stations of mercy Commitment: What boundary will you establish this week?

This week, we're diving into one of Scripture's most challenging passages - Numbers 31. It's a text that deals with divine judgment, the aftermath of spiritual warfare, and the critical question of what we bring back into our lives after God gives us victory. At its heart, this passage teaches us the difference between God's perfect justice and our imperfect desire for revenge, while showing us how to handle our "hot" emotions when we've been wronged. Important Note for Parents: This passage and sermon will address mature themes, including God's judgment on those who led Israel into sexual immorality and idolatry at Baal-Peor. We'll be discussing how the Midianites orchestrated spiritual and sexual seduction against God's people, and God's severe response to protect His people's holiness. While we'll handle these topics with appropriate care and biblical wisdom, parents should be aware that the sermon will frankly discuss the dangers of sexual sin, the reality of spiritual warfare, and why God commands His people not to "bring back into the camp" the very things that caused them to fall. Our children's ministry will address the themes of anger and trusting God with age-appropriate discussions about handling "mad" feelings and letting God be in charge of making things right. The powerful application for us today centers on a crucial question: After God gives you victory over sin, what are you trying to bring back into your life that needs to stay outside? Whether it's toxic relationships, destructive habits, or dangerous patterns, Numbers 31 teaches us that victory without purification is incomplete obedience. We'll explore practical strategies for identifying and eliminating the "Trojan horses" we're tempted to bring back into our lives - those things that look harmless but carry the seeds of our former defeats. Join us as we learn how to transform our hot anger into holy surrender, how to distinguish between righteous indignation and personal revenge, and most importantly, how Christ absorbed the white-hot vengeance we deserved so that we can release our enemies and trust God's perfect justice. This is a message for anyone who's ever struggled with forgiveness, battled recurring sin, or wondered what to do with their anger when they've been deeply wronged. Here is our outline: Movement 1: When Rightoues Anger Burns (vv. 1-18) A. This is "The Vengeance of the LORD" (vv. 1-3) B. Why God's Vengeance Looks Different Than Ours C. The Hard Truth About Hot Emotions (vv. 13-18) Movement 2: The Purification Process (vv. 19-24) Three Stages of Decontamination: Stage 1: Separation (Days 1-2) Stage 2: First Cleansing (Day 3) Stage 3: Complete Cleansing (Day 7) Four Categories of Purification Category 1: Burn It Things that must be destroyed completely Category 2: Purify It Things that can be redeemed through radical cleansing Category 3: Replace It Things that need positive substitutes Category 4: Monitor It Things that need ongoing vigilance Movement 3: Turning the Hot into the Holy (vv. 48-54) Convert Rage to Righteousness / Making Memorials of Mercy

If you want to know what your life is really about, look at two things: your calendar and your conversations. These reveal more about our hearts than we often realize. We live frantically by alerts and alarms, thinking we're managing time when more often time is managing us. Meanwhile, our words flow cheaply—promises made and forgotten, commitments that evaporate like morning mist. Yet these seemingly ordinary things—how we spend our hours and how we speak—are exactly where God wants to meet us. This Sunday, after Pastor Ben updates us on his trip to Turkey, we'll explore Numbers 28-30, where God takes the most common elements of daily life and transforms them into holy ground. We'll discover how ancient Israel's calendar of offerings points us to Christ, the true offering who redeems every moment. We'll see how their laws about vows challenge us to speak with integrity in a world of empty words. Most importantly, we'll learn how Jesus fulfills both our time and our speech, turning hurried days into rhythms of grace and careless words into acts of worship. Join us as we discover what it means to live all of life—every hour, every word—before God. Sermon Outline I. God at the Center of Our Time (Numbers 28–29) Daily – The Continual Offering (28:3–8) Weekly – The Sabbath Offering (28:9–10) Monthly – The New Moon (28:11–15) Annually – The Appointed Times (28:16–29:38) II. God at the Center of Our Words (Numbers 30) III. Christ, the Fulfillment of Time and Speech Christ, Our Continual Offering Christ, the Faithful Word

We all face a variety of seasons in life. The seasons we tend to be more reluctant to are the ones of change. Familiarity can be comfortable -- it brings forth predictability. Unfortunately, too often a failure to change can lead to bad habits or blind spots. Change can be scary, and be resisted because it is accompanied by the unknown. However, change -- especially when it is commanded by God -- should be welcomed by believers; not because it is easy, but because He is good. And we can trust this. In Numbers 26-27, we find that the people of Israel have experienced a great deal of change. The old generation, the grumbling generation, has died off. A new generation, a generation of faith, has emerged. A new census is conducted. New inheritance laws are established. Finally, a new leader is appointed to replace Moses. All of these changes have been made in order to prepare the people of God to, finally, inherit the promised land. In these chapters, change was necessary for God’s people to embrace in order to fully encounter and receive His promise. Join us this Sunday morning as we dive deeper into these changes and focus on the transition from Moses to Joshua as God’s newly appointed leader over Israel. We will examine the change as a whole, why it was necessary, the two leaders involved, and the good that came from it.

This Sunday: The Unbreakable Word What happens when the forces of darkness try to break God's promises over your life? When a king named "Destroyer" hires a prophet to curse God's people, when money and manipulation attempt to reverse divine blessing, when the Enemy pulls out all the stops to undo what God has spoken? This Sunday, we'll discover one of Scripture's most bizarre yet powerful stories—complete with a talking donkey who sees what a blind prophet cannot, and a greedy diviner who tries to turn God's word into something you can buy and control. In Numbers 21 we saw God playing the ultimate reverse card: reversing Israel's captivity into conquest, their death into healing, their thirst into worship and their defeat into victory. In Chapter 22 we will see the empire striking back. The Serpent will try and play his own reverse card and reverse all the blessings on God's people and turn them into curses. In Numbers 22-24, we witness a cosmic showdown: Can God's word be bought? Can His promises be broken? Can the blessing He's spoken over His people be reversed by enough money, enough ritual, or enough spiritual manipulation? Through three dramatic attempts to curse Israel, God demonstrates that His word isn't just resistant to reversal—it's absolutely unbreakable. "God is not a man that He should lie, or a son of man that He should change His mind." What He has said, He will do. What He has blessed cannot be cursed. Join us this Sunday as we trace this ancient drama all the way to the cross, where the Enemy played his ultimate card—and discovered that God's word doesn't just survive the darkness, it breaks it. The Star from Jacob has risen, the curse has been absorbed, and the blessing is forever secured. If you're in Christ, the decisive word over your life isn't condemnation or failure—it's an unbreakable blessing that no power in heaven, earth, or hell can revoke. Come discover why God's word over you cannot be bought, cannot be broken, and will ultimately break every darkness.

Play Your Cards Right This Sunday Ever played UNO? You know that moment when someone slaps down a Reverse card and everything changes direction? What was going against you suddenly goes for you. The whole game flips. Well, this Sunday we're discovering that God is the master with the ultimate reverse card—and Numbers 21 shows Him playing that card not once, but four times in a single chapter. We're calling this message "Reverse the Curse," and it's all about how God takes what looks like certain defeat and turns it into a stunning victory. Israel is dying from snakebites in the wilderness—God reverses it into healing. They're grumbling in the desert—God reverses it into worship. They're wandering as cowards—God reverses it into conquering faith. And all of it points to Jesus, who played the ultimate Reverse card at the cross, turning our curse into His cure and our death into eternal life. If you've ever felt stuck in a pattern you can't break, poisoned by discontent you can't shake, or defeated by circumstances you can't change—this message is for you. Come hear how the God who reverses curses wants to flip your story too. Kids will get their own UNO Reverse card to take home as a reminder that when God plays His hand, everything changes.

This Sunday, we confront one of the most sobering chapters in the wilderness journey. Numbers 20 tells the story of a new generation repeating the sins of the past—grumbling against God—and even the best leaders falling short. Here, we see that God’s people consistently fail to trust and represent Him rightly—both in the pews (through grumbling) and in the pulpit (through misrepresentation)—and this failure threatens to distort His character before a watching world. But amid all this failure, God’s faithfulness shines through. Come hear how Christ, the Rock who was struck for us, provides living water when we grumble and sanctifies the Father’s name when we fail. This is good news for weary people and stumbling leaders alike. ⸻ Outline When People Grumble and Leaders Stumble Numbers 20:1–29 1. When People Grumble: Our Grumbling Reveals Unbelief (vv. 1–5) • Grumbling is theological rebellion, not innocent complaint • Christ connection: Jesus, the true Israel, never grumbled in the wilderness 2. When Leaders Stumble: Our Leadership Can Misrepresent God (vv. 6–13) • Moses’ sin: anger, appropriation of divine role, disobedience, misrepresentation • Christ connection: Jesus perfectly reveals the Father 3. When We Fail and Leaders Fall: God Sanctifies Himself (vv. 13, 22–29) • God’s name will be vindicated—with or without us • Christ connection: Jesus is the Rock struck once for all, the eternal High Priest Big Idea: Grumbling and misrepresentation distort God’s holiness. But God will not let His name go undefended—He sanctifies Himself, most clearly through Jesus, the faithful Son and true Rock.

We live in a culture that works hard to avoid talking about death—softening it with phrases like “passed away” or distracting ourselves with youth, beauty, and busyness. But Numbers 19 refuses to let us ignore it. In this strange passage about the ashes of a red heifer, God teaches His people that death and sin defile us in ways we cannot fix ourselves. Yet hidden in the ritual is a breathtaking picture of the gospel: the pure becomes defiled so the defiled might be made pure. Join us this Sunday as we discover how this Old Testament ceremony points directly to Christ—who went “outside the camp,” bore our contamination, and through His death brings us eternal life. Whether you’re weary from guilt, anxious about mortality, or longing for real hope, this passage speaks with surprising power. Come and see how through death comes life. Sermon Outline: Big Idea: The Pure was defiled so the defiled might be made pure. 1. The Problem We Can’t Ignore – Death Defiles (vv. 11–13, 20–22) • Sin and death are not trivial; they contaminate and separate. 2. The Provision God Supplies – The Clean Becomes Unclean (vv. 1–10) • The red heifer points to substitution: the clean becomes unclean so the unclean can be clean. 3. The Promise Fulfilled in Christ – Through Death Comes Life (Heb. 9:13–14) • Jesus’ once-for-all sacrifice cleanses us fully and forever. Adult Discussion Questions – Through Death Comes Life Numbers 19:1–22; Hebrews 9:13–14 1. Opening Reflection • When you think about death, do you tend to trivialize it, sanitize it, or avoid it altogether? Why do you think our culture struggles to face death honestly? 2. The Problem We Can’t Ignore – Death Defiles • What does Numbers 19 teach us about the seriousness of death and sin? • How does the idea that “death is contagious” challenge the way we think about sin in our own lives and communities? • In what ways do we minimize sin and death in our daily lives? 3. The Provision God Supplies – The Clean Becomes Unclean • The ritual of the red heifer meant that the clean became unclean so the unclean could be clean. How does this point us to Jesus? • What emotions or responses rise in you when you consider that Christ was “made sin” for you (2 Cor. 5:21)? 4. The Promise Fulfilled in Christ – Through Death Comes Life • Hebrews 9:14 says Jesus’ blood purifies our conscience from “dead works.” What are some examples of “dead works” we may be tempted to rely on today? • How does knowing you are fully cleansed by Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice change how you approach God in prayer, worship, or service? 5. Application to Life Together • Numbers 19 shows that defilement wasn’t just individual—it affected the whole community. How should this shape the way we think about sin in the church today? • How does your small group / church family help one another run to Christ for cleansing? • In a culture that denies or trivializes death, how can Christians bear witness to both the seriousness of sin and the greater power of Jesus’ cleansing blood? Teen Discussion Questions – Through Death Comes Life 1. Breaking the Ice • Our world tries to hide death—through filters, entertainment, or just not talking about it. Where do you see people your age avoiding the reality of death or brokenness? 2. Death Defiles (Problem) • Numbers 19 says touching a dead body made someone unclean for seven days. What does that teach us about how serious sin and death really are? • If sin spreads like contamination, what are some examples of how one person’s bad choices can affect a whole friend group, team, or family? 3. The Clean Becomes Unclean (Provision) • The red heifer ritual was a picture that the “clean became unclean so the unclean could be clean.” How is that like what Jesus did on the cross? • Jesus touched lepers, bleeding women, and even the dead—and instead of becoming unclean, they became clean. What does that show about who He is? 4. Through Death Comes Life (Promise) • Hebrews 9 says Jesus’ blood can cleanse our conscience from “dead works.” What are some “dead works” teens often try—ways of proving themselves, hiding guilt, or trying to look “good enough”? • How does knowing you are completely forgiven and clean in Jesus change the way you deal with guilt, shame, or pressure to perform? 5. Living It Out • If death and sin defile not just individuals but communities, how can you help keep your group of friends or youth group pointing toward Jesus? • In a culture that avoids talking about death, how can you show real hope because of what Jesus has done? Children’s Discussion Questions (K–5th) 1. Opening Picture • When something is really dirty—like muddy shoes, sticky hands, or spilled juice—what do you usually do to get clean? 2. Death Defiles (Problem) • In Numbers 19, God said that touching a dead body made people “unclean.” What do you think God was teaching His people about sin and death? • How is sin kind of like mud—it spreads, sticks, and makes things messy? 3. The Clean Becomes Unclean (Provision) • God gave Israel a special sacrifice: a red cow (heifer). Its ashes were mixed with water to make people clean again. Who do you think that sacrifice points to? • Jesus was perfect and clean, but on the cross He took all of our dirtiness and sin on Himself. How does that make you feel? 4. Through Death Comes Life (Promise) • Hebrews says Jesus’ blood makes us clean on the inside, in our hearts. What’s the difference between just washing your hands and Jesus washing your heart? • When you feel guilty or bad about something you’ve done, what can you remember about Jesus? 5. Living It Out • If sin spreads like mud, how can you help keep your home, class, or friend group “clean” with kindness, honesty, and forgiveness? • What is one way you can point a friend to Jesus this week? Pre-K Discussion – Through Death Comes Life Numbers 19; Hebrews 9:14 1. Show & Tell • Hold up muddy hands or imagine sticky fingers after eating ice cream. Ask: “What do we do when our hands get dirty?” (Answer: Wash them!) 2. Big Truth • In the Bible, God says sin and death make us “dirty on the inside.” • But Jesus came to wash our hearts clean forever. 3. Simple Questions • Who makes us clean—us, or Jesus? • When we feel sad or guilty, who can we run to? • What happens when Jesus makes our hearts clean? (We can live with God!) 4. Key Phrase (repeat together) “Jesus makes me clean!” 5. Prayer Time • Short prayer: “Thank You, Jesus, for making my heart clean. Help me love You today. Amen.” 6. Motion Connection • Rub your hands together like washing. Say: “Dirty hands need water. Dirty hearts need Jesus!” Lunch Table Discussion Tool for Parents A simple way to help kids remember and apply the sermon during Sunday lunch. 1. Object Lesson: Bring up something from the meal (e.g., ketchup on hands, spilled drink, napkins). Ask: • “What happens if you get ketchup on your hand and then touch your shirt?” • Show how the mess spreads. Then ask: • “How is that like sin in our lives?” 2. Big Idea Recap: • “The pure was defiled so the defiled could be made pure.” • Jesus took our sin so we could be clean forever. 3. Heart Question: • “When do you feel dirty on the inside? What can you remember about Jesus then?” 4. Memory Verse: Hebrews 9:14 — “How much more will the blood of Christ… purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.” (parents can shorten for little ones: “The blood of Jesus makes us clean to serve God.”) 5. Prayer Together: Take turns thanking Jesus for making us clean.

As Christians, we understand the reality that God has appointed every aspect of our lives; such as who we are, when we exist, where we live, and what we do. Despite this cognitive understanding, we also live in a fallen world that demands much of us. In our little pocket of Orlando, it's possible that we may get distracted by performance, comforts, and overall success -- that we fail to remember that our work and our lives carry an eternal significance. When we forget the eternal significance of every aspect of our lives, it becomes easier to fall victim to discontentment in our lives and dissatisfaction with God. In Numbers 16, we find several influential figures in the camp, Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, who are discontent with their lives. They believe the leadership of Moses and Aaron is failing the people and that a change is necessary. From making theological arguments to pointing out the failures of Moses and Aaron, these rebels feel justified in and empowered to form an uprising that goes against God's plan for the people. They disregard God's systems, they disregard God's leaders, they disregard recent history, and the results are disastrous. Join us Sunday as we look at the roots of this rebellion, examine how those roots often exist in our own heart, and explore the only hope available to those who daily rebel against God's plan for their lives. - SERMON OUTLINE - Setting: (vv.1-2) Korah’s Theological Grievance (vv.3-11) Dathan and Abiram’s Mockery (vv.12-15) What Moses did (v.13) What Moses didn’t do (v.14) The Test (vv.16-40) The Grumbling Continues (v.41)

Your smartphone camera has three main settings, and each one creates a completely different picture of the same reality—just like how we view life. Portrait mode puts you at the center while everything else blurs into the background. Zoom mode magnifies problems until they fill your entire screen and overwhelm your vision. But wide-angle mode captures the full context, showing how even big challenges fit within a much larger picture. This Sunday, we'll discover how twelve tribal leaders looked at the Promised Land using these same three "life camera settings." Ten leaders had their perspective stuck on zoom mode—giants filled every frame and God disappeared from view. Two leaders kept their cameras on wide-angle—they saw the same obstacles but kept God's promises in the picture. The difference in their photographs shaped the destiny of an entire nation, keeping an entire generation wandering in the wilderness instead of entering God's rest. We face the same choice every day with every challenge we encounter: Will we live in portrait mode, making ourselves the center of everything? Will we zoom in on our problems until they dominate our vision? Or will we widen the frame to see God's presence and promises alongside our difficulties? Join us as we explore how perspective shapes reality, and discover how Jesus provides the clearest lens for viewing every situation we face. Here is our Outline: 1. The Story: Grapes or Giants? • One Mission (13:1–24) • Two Reports (13:25–33) • Terrible Consequences (14:1–10): 2. The Lesson: How You See Shapes What You Believe • Fear makes obstacles look big and God look small. • Faith makes obstacles look small and God look big. 3. The Christ Connection: The Faithful One Who Saw Clearly • Jesus is the true and greater Joshua

Everyone knows what it feels like to carry a load that seems impossible. Teachers stretched beyond capacity, parents juggling endless demands, leaders trying to meet expectations that never end—sooner or later, the weight threatens to break us. Moses knew that feeling. In Numbers 11, pressed between the people’s complaints and God’s calling, he reached his breaking point: “This burden is too heavy for me to bear.” But God did not abandon His weary servant. Instead, He provided three gifts for the wilderness journey: shared leadership for overwhelming responsibility, His Spirit for unchangeable hearts, and His Word for unjust attacks. Each of these provisions points beyond Moses to Christ, our ultimate Burden Bearer, who carries what we cannot. Join us this Sunday as we find hope for our impossible burdens in Him. The Burden Bearer: God’s Gifts for the Wilderness Journey Numbers 11:10–12:16 Theme: When impossible burdens crush God’s servants, He provides three essential gifts—all fulfilled in Christ, our ultimate Burden Bearer. 1. The Unbearable Burden (11:10–15; 12:1–2) The Impossible Demands The Crulest Cut 2. The Unbreakable Gifts (11:16–17, 24–30; 12:1–16) Gift 1: Shared leadership for overwhelming responsibility. Gift 2: The Spirit for heart change. Gift 3: God’s Word for unjust attacks. 3. The Ultimate Burden Bearer Jesus carries our heaviest loads and offers rest for our souls (Matt. 11:28–30).

The Contagion of Complaining: How Ingratitude Spreads Like a Virus We live in an age of viral content—where one post, one meme, one complaint, can spread worldwide in minutes. But as we saw during COVID, some things spread even faster than cat videos: infections. Viruses move quietly from person to person until suddenly, the whole community is sick. Complaining works the same way. It’s contagious.Just like a physical virus, ingratitude spreads quietly from person to person until suddenly an entire community is spiritually sick. In Numbers 11, we witness a devastating spiritual autopsy—the nation of Israel, fresh from witnessing God's miracles and experiencing His daily provision of manna, literally died from a disease that started with just a few grumbling voices. What began as minor complaints about "hardships" became a wildfire of ingratitude that consumed a nation. This Sunday, we're going to trace the deadly anatomy of how gratitude dies, examining the four progressive stages: infection (patient zero's complaints), inflammation (how it spreads through community), corruption (when our memories get rewritten), and terminal rejection (dismissing God's provision as inadequate). But there's hope—understanding how ingratitude kills can help us recognize and treat it before it destroys our souls. Join us as we discover how Christ, our true Manna, offers the ultimate cure for hearts that have forgotten how to be grateful. Because when we lose the ability to appreciate what God gives, we lose the ability to be satisfied by what we have. Don't let ingratitude become your spiritual cause of death. Come discover the life-giving power of gratitude this Sunday. Here is our outline: I. STAGE 1: THE INFECTION - Patient Zero (v. 1) A. The Initial Outbreak (v.1a) B. God's Immediate Response (v. 1b) II. STAGE 2: THE INFLAMMATION - The Rabble's Influence (v. 4) A. The Spreaders of Disease (v.4a) B. The Contagion Spreads (v. 4b) III. STAGE 3: THE CORRUPTION - Memory Distortion (vv. 5-6) A. A Distorted Past (v. 5) B. A Devalued Present (v. 6) IV. STAGE 4: THE TERMINAL DIAGNOSIS A. The Terminal Condition (vv.18-20) B. The Cravings that Kill (vv.31-35) C. The Medical Report: Psalm 106:15 V. THE REMEDY: Recognizing and Treating Ingratitude A. Early Detection: Symptoms to Watch For Complaining about circumstances God is using for growth Focusing on what we lack rather than what we have Romanticizing past seasons while devaluing the present Dismissing God's daily provisions as ordinary or inadequate B. Treatment Protocol Immediate isolation: Stop feeding on ungrateful voices and influences Memory rehabilitation: Actively recall God's faithfulness and provision Present recalibration: Practice naming and thanking God for current blessings Community health: Surround yourself with grateful people C. Preventive Medicine: Building Gratitude Immunity Daily thanksgiving: Like vitamins, small doses of gratitude compound over time Scripture memory: God's Word rewrites our mental narrative Community worship: Corporate gratitude reinforces individual gratitude Service to others: Giving develops appreciation for what we have THE ULTIMATE CURE: Christ, Our True Manna A. Jesus as the Greater Manna "I am the bread of life... This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die" (John 6:48-50) B. The Cross: Gratitude's Victory Over Ingratitude C. The Spirit: Our Gratitude Trainer

Have you ever had a moment of unprecedented success? If so, how did you respond? If not, how do you think you would respond? Many of us would expect to have positive reactions when we accomplish a great task. Not Jonah. God used Jonah to deliver what was arguably the most effective sermon in world history at that point in time, yet he was angry. More than simply being angry, Jonah was angry at God. Why was he angry? Much of his anger is rooted in his background. Jonah loved Israel. He was a prophet of God who held a high position within the national ranks. Yet, God had chosen him to be the instrument of mercy to Israel's enemy. He could not fathom that God would be willing to extend mercy to a city that had been so ruthless to His people. However, upon receiving a call to go to Nineveh and call out against it, Jonah knew what God had in store. God was going to send a spiritual awakening to Nineveh. Throughout the book, and culminating in chapter 4, the reluctant prophet slowly discovered that his ideas of God did line up with reality. Jonah's idea of God stemmed from his idolatrous desires. He wanted a God he could control, rather than submit to. He was offended when the Almighty stepped out of line by offering mercy to the wicked. Jonah did not believe that God's actions were good. He could not see what God was doing in the grand scheme of things. By the end of the story, we discover that God's goal is repentance, not just from the city, but also from the prophet. Join us on Sunday as we examine Jonah's story of disobedience, reluctance, anger, disbelief, and redemption. Here is our outline: Why was Jonah angry at God? 1) God’s actions clashed with Jonah’s theology. (V1-5) 2) God’s actions clashed with Jonah’s perspective. (V6-11) Discussion Questions for Kids (K–5th grade) 1. Jonah’s Anger Why was Jonah angry after Nineveh listened to God and turned from their sins? Have you ever been upset when someone else got something good that you didn’t think they deserved? 2. God’s Mercy What does it mean that God showed mercy to the people of Nineveh? How does God show mercy to you when you do wrong things? 3. Jonah’s Perspective God gave Jonah a plant for shade and then took it away. Why did God do that? (Hint: to teach Jonah a lesson about His care for people.) What was God trying to show Jonah about His heart for all people? 4. Connecting to Us Do you ever wish God would only love certain people and not others? Why do you think we sometimes feel that way? How should knowing that God loves everyone — even our “enemies” — change how we treat others? 5. Pointing to Jesus Jonah didn’t want to forgive his enemies, but what did Jesus do for His enemies? (He died for them — and for us!) How can remembering Jesus’ love help us show mercy when we don’t feel like it?

For this Fall Kick Off, I have one question: Are you hungry? No, I mean really hungry? No one here is really hungry, are they? In Orange County, nearly half of our public school students qualify for free or reduced lunch, yet many are still malnourished despite eating daily. Their primary vegetable? French fries. Their main fruit? Ketchup. They're full but starving. Tomorrow, we'll explore how this physical reality mirrors a spiritual crisis affecting many of us—we're consuming plenty of life's "empty calories" while remaining desperately undernourished where it matters most. From Psalm 36:5-9, we'll discover that our souls need specific spiritual "vitamins" that only God can provide, and we'll learn to diagnose our own spiritual deficiencies. David offers us more than beautiful poetry about God's character—he gives us a prescription for spiritual health. We'll explore how God's steadfast love, faithfulness, righteousness, and wisdom function like essential vitamins for our souls, and why the counterfeits we often rely on leave us spiritually weak and vulnerable. This isn't just another sermon about God's attributes; it's a diagnostic tool and treatment plan for the malnourished soul. Come discover what your heart has been starving for and find the feast that God has prepared for those who take refuge in Him. Our Outline this week is long, but hopefully helpful: I. THE DIAGNOSIS: Understanding Soul Malnutrition (Context from Psalm 36:1-4) A. The Symptoms of Soul Malnutrition Spiritual Anemia: Weak against temptation, slow to heal from wounds Stunted Growth: Stuck in the same patterns, same struggles year after year Vulnerable Immunity: Easily discouraged, defensive, reactive Chronic Fatigue: Going through motions but lacking spiritual vitality B. The Causes of Soul Malnutrition 1. Spiritual Undernutrition 2. Spiritual Micronutrient Deficiency 3. Empty Calorie Overload II. THE CURE: God's Spiritual Vitamins for the Soul (Psalm 36:5-6) A. Vitamin H: His Steadfast Love - The Heart Vitamin (v. 5a) B. Vitamin F: His Faithfulness - The Stability Vitamin (v. 5b) C. Vitamin R: His Righteousness - The Moral Vitamin (v. 6a) D. Vitamin J: His Judgments - The Wisdom Vitamin (v. 6b) III. THE PRESCRIPTION: Taking Your Daily Dose (Psalm 36:7-9) A. Action: Come Here (vv. 7 & 9) B. Satisfaction: Drink This (v. 8) C. Recognition: Treasure It (v. 9) THE APPLICATION: Your Daily Vitamin Regimen A. Get a Spiritual Blood Test Vitamin H Check: Am I quick to anger, slow to forgive, insecure in relationships? Vitamin F Check: Am I anxious, constantly worried about the future, unable to trust? Vitamin R Check: Do I struggle with guilt, moral confusion, or numbness to sin? Vitamin J Check: Do I keep making the same poor decisions, feeling like life is meaningless? B. Stop Taking Spiritual Counterfeits Fake Vitamin H: Seeking unconditional love from relationships, social media validation, achievement Fake Vitamin F: Trusting in money, insurance policies, control instead of God's faithfulness Fake Vitamin R: Creating your own moral standards, following cultural trends instead of God's righteousness Fake Vitamin J: Seeking wisdom from horoscopes, self-help gurus, popular opinion instead of God's judgments C. Take Your Daily Dose Morning Dose: Start each day absorbing God's character through His Word Read asking: "What does this show me about God's hesed, emunah, tsedaqah, mishpatim?" Throughout the Day: Remember your prescription when symptoms flare Feeling unloved? Dose of Vitamin H (hesed) Feeling anxious? Dose of Vitamin F (faithfulness) Feeling guilty or confused? Dose of Vitamin R (righteousness) Facing a tough decision? Dose of Vitamin J (judgments) Evening Dose: End in prayer, letting these truths saturate your soul before sleep Kid's Questions: Think About It 1. What does it mean to be “full but still hungry”? (Hint: Can your belly be full but your heart still feel empty?) 2. What are some of the “junk foods” we sometimes feed our souls? (TV shows? Popular songs? Trying to be popular?) 3. What are the “spiritual vitamins” God gives us in Psalm 36? (Can you name one? Like His love, faithfulness, or wisdom?) ⸻ 💬 Talk with Your Family 4. When do you feel most hungry for God? (Is it when you’re scared, sad, or bored?) 5. What can you do this week to feed your soul with God’s Word? (Maybe read a Bible story, pray, or sing a worship song?)

This week, we are excited to hear from Patrick Martin! As we continue our summer series in the parables, Patrick will lead us on a treasure hunt! ___ Years ago, one of our children (who shall remain unnamed), was with my wife in Target, when he exclaimed with longing, “Mommy - I just want something that will make me happy!” While we “grown ups” are usually a bit more subtle - can’t we all relate? We’re treasure hunters, spending our lives looking for *something*. And yet, like Bono hauntingly cried, we “still haven’t found what we’re looking for.” This week, we’re looking at Matthew 13:44-46, sort of a “buy one get one” sort of parable, where Jesus uses two images to make one life-altering point about where true joy can be found. Outline: Two Questions: What do you want more than anything else? If you got it, how long do you think it would make you happy? Parables: Masterfully crafted stories that help us to apprehend the kingdom of God. A hidden treasure. A treasure of surpassing value. A reckless response of joy. Questions for Response: Does this parable match how you’ve viewed Christianity up till now? Why or why not? How does seeing Jesus as the treasure of your soul change your outlook? If you’re honest, what is the treasure of your heart? How is that working out for you? What next step can you take in response to Jesus selling everything for you? For Kids: Have you ever gotten really excited about getting something, but it didn’t end up as good as you thought it would be? How many toys do you have that you aren’t interested in anymore? Why do you think that might be? What do you love about Jesus? What keeps you from loving Him? Who can you talk to about that?

This week, we are excited to hear from Adam Go! As we continue our summer series in the parables, Adam will direct us to the parable of the good Samaritan. ___ Who is my neighbor? That is the main question asked by the lawyer in the parable of the good Samaritan. The problem for the lawyer, however, is that Jesus never answered that question. Jesus is always challenging people's impure motives and redirecting their hearts to living in the Kingdom of God. As we study this parable, we will come to understand the nature of the kingdom of God and what a transformed heart should be like. Parable of the Good Samaritan - Luke 10:25-37 I. Parables tell us about the kingdom of God The kingdom of God is accessible to all people. The kingdom is a thing of the heart II. Eternal Life What shall I do to inherit eternal life? 2 valid answers: Love the Lord and love your neighbor (Luke 10:27) Believe and receive (John 1:12) Kids’ Bulletin Discussion Questions What question did the lawyer ask Jesus? Who helped the hurt man on the road? What does it mean to be a “neighbor”? Why didn’t the priest and Levite stop to help? Finish Jesus’ command: “Go and ____ likewise.” (Luke 10:37) Name one way you can be a good neighbor at school or home this week. Memory Challenge: “Love the Lord your God … and your neighbor as yourself.” — Luke 10:27

This week, we are excited to hear again from our pastoral intern, Ben Woolbright! ___ Some people have sinful struggles that are obvious to everyone. People can look at an individual, or even themselves, and rightly determine exactly what is off. However, there are sins that are more subtle. Sins that are more prone to being a blindspot, a growing cancer, unchecked and unnoticed. As a result, these sins can be more rampant in ourselves, and also in a given culture. In our current cultural context, one of the more notable subtle sins is the sin of greed. In this week's passage, we find a man who interrupts Jesus' teaching of the disciples. Once he has Jesus' attention, he requests that Jesus force his brother's hand in dividing up their inheritance more than it already had been. This man makes the request in the name of justice, but Jesus could discern that the request was really made from a greedy heart. Jesus shares a parable to communicate the foolishness of the request. In the parable, a rich man, entering a season of abundance, decided he was going to hoard up everything for himself. By choosing to hoard up his goods, this rich man entered a life of self-absorption. He chose to place his hope in all that he had. God declared him to be a fool. He wasn't a fool because he was rich, he was a fool because his hope was in the temporary! Join us on Sunday as we unpack this parable and examine the foolishness of hoarding up treasures on earth! Here is our outline: Passage: Luke 12:13-21 v.16-17: The Rich Man’s Prosperity v.18-19: The Rich Man’s Plan v.20-21: The Rich Man’s Foolishness Kids’ Bulletin Discussion Questions What did the man ask Jesus to do about his brother? Why did Jesus call the rich farmer a “fool”? What does the word greed mean? (Give an example.) Where did the farmer put his hope—in God or in his barns? Finish this sentence: “Life is not about having lots of _____.” (Luke 12:15) How can we be “rich toward God” this week? Name one way. Memory Challenge: “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” —Luke 12:34

This week, we are excited to hear from Ben Woolbright! What is the hardest thing you've ever had to do? For some people, it may be a physical accomplishment like completing a marathon. For others, it could be enduring a difficult season where the brokenness of this fallen world is visible at every turn. However, if we're honest, one of the more difficult things that all of us will ever have to do in this life is to extend forgiveness. We live in a society that has a distorted understanding of what true forgiveness entails. Should our forgiveness be conditional? Should our forgiveness be limited? To what degree are we to pursue justice? In Matthew 18:21-35, we find a parable in which Jesus addresses questions about forgiveness. The moral of the story is very clear: Those who have been forgiven much are expected to forgive in return. By examining our broken relationships and hurtful encounters through the lens of the gospel, we can discover our true motive and the power to extend forgiveness. Here is our outline: V23-27: The King Forgives a Large Debt The Creditor: A King The Debtor: A Servant The Debt: 10,000 Talents The Plea: "Have patience with me and I will pay you everything." The Response: Pity V28-30: The Forgiven Servant Demands Justice The Creditor: The Forgiven Servant The Debtor: A Fellow Servant The Debt: 100 Denarii The Plea: "Have patience with me and I will pay you." The Response: Anger and Imprisonment Discussion Questions for Kids / With Prompts for Parents What are some things that are really hard to do? (Let them name examples — this helps introduce the idea that forgiving someone is often one of those hard things.) What did the king do when the servant begged for more time to pay back a HUGE amount of money? Why do you think he did that? How did that same servant treat someone who owed him just a little bit of money? Was that fair? Why or why not? How do you feel when someone forgives you? (Let them connect emotionally to being shown mercy.) Why do you think Jesus wants us to forgive others—even when it’s really hard? Hint: What has Jesus done for us first? Can you think of someone you might need to forgive? What would it look like to forgive them like the king forgave the servant? 🪧 Memory Verse (Optional) “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” — Ephesians 4:32

This week, we are excited to hear from Dave Lindemulder! He will teach on the parable of the laborers in the vineyard from Matthew 20, focusing on the nature of the kingdom that Jesus is bringing in. Although you cannot see or touch a kingdom, they are real and important. Over time, they have come and gone; in our age, they seem less important and a bygone era. But those that still exist use symbols and traditions to make the intangible understandable. Things like crown jewels, royal palaces, and royal guards provide visual representations of royal power and authority. Jesus promised to usher in a new kingdom and used stories to illustrate how this kingdom would be unique. A dozen parables begin with the introduction, the kingdom of heaven is like. Tomorrow, we will examine what a story about an unusual business model and some disgruntled day laborers can reveal about the unshakeable kingdom. Discussion Questions for Kids / With Prompts for Parents What happened in the story Jesus told about the workers and the vineyard? (Prompt them to recall the different times the workers were hired and how they were all paid the same.) Was it fair that the workers who worked less got the same pay as the ones who worked all day? Why or why not? (Encourage them to reflect on fairness and grace. You can say: “Jesus was showing us something special about God’s kingdom.”) How is God like the vineyard owner in the story? (Help them see God’s generosity, mercy, and grace. He gives more than we deserve.) Have you ever been upset because someone got something you didn’t? How does this story help you understand how God sees things? (Leads into a conversation about envy, comparison, and grace.) What does this story teach us about how we are saved—by being good enough or by God’s kindness? (Point them to the gospel truth: we don’t earn God’s love—he gives it freely.)

This week, we continue our look into one of the most beloved stories Jesus ever told—the Parable of the Prodigal Son. At first glance, this story is simple enough for a child to grasp, yet it carries depths profound enough to challenge even the most seasoned scholar. It touches on family relationships, our desires for freedom and independence, and the powerful, often messy emotions that shape our hearts—anger, resentment, greed, shame, and forgiveness. This timeless tale reveals two ways we can be lost: one by running far away, and another by staying close but being spiritually distant. Join us as we explore not just the younger son’s dramatic rebellion, but also the subtler, equally dangerous lostness of the older brother’s self-righteousness. Both sons desperately needed their father’s grace—one because of reckless living, and the other because of prideful rule-keeping. As we examine their story, we’ll discover how Jesus is the true elder brother who paid our way back home, restoring our relationship with God through His sacrifice. No matter where you find yourself spiritually—whether you’ve wandered off, grown distant, or even if you think you’re doing everything right—this message is an invitation to come home to the Father’s love. Don’t miss this powerful exploration of grace that has the potential to transform the way you see God, yourself, and others. Here is our Outline: 1. The Lostness of the Younger Son: Home-bound: He is lost and still at home. (v.12) Home-free: He is lost and oblivious. (v.13) Home-less: He is lost and alone. (v.14) Home-sick: He is lost and remembering. (vv.17-18) Home: He is found and celebrating. (v.32) 2. The Lostness of the Older Son: The symptoms of the self-righteous: The self-righteous are suspicious (v.25) The self-righteous are confrontational…but it’s cowardly(v.26) The self-righteous easily insult others (v.28) The self-righteous are expert complainers (v.29) The self-righteous have a distorted view of themselves (v.29) The self-righteous are list keepers (v.29) The self-righteous are self-centered (v.29) The self-righteous attack…but it is an exaggerated attack (v.30) The self-righteous blame shifters (v.30) Discussion Questions for Children: For Younger Children: 1. What did the younger son do that made his father sad? 2. How did the father react when he saw his son coming back home? 3. Have you ever felt really sorry after doing something wrong? How did it feel when you were forgiven? For Older Children: 1. Why do you think the younger son wanted to leave home? What did he learn while he was away? 2. What was the older brother’s reaction when the younger brother returned? Why do you think he felt this way? 3. How is the father in the story like God? What does this story tell you about God’s love? Family Conversation Starter: • Can you think of a time when you were forgiven or you forgave someone else? How did that feel? Why is forgiveness so important to God?

This Sunday, we continue our journey through the parable with what I will argue is the greatest story ever told—the parable of the prodigal son. It’s more than a tale of rebellion and return; it’s a window into the very heart of God. In just a few verses, Jesus invites us into a celebration unlike any other—one where the guest of honor is not the most successful, but the most repentant. What kind of community forms when grace is the loudest sound in the room? Join us as we explore why joy isn’t optional in the kingdom of God—it’s central. Come see what happens when the Father runs to the sinner, when the church becomes a party, and when we rediscover the kind of celebration that can only come from being found. You’re invited—not just to attend, but to rejoice. Here is our outline: 1. The Community of Celebration: we 2. The Necessity of Celebration: had 3. The Centrality of Celebration: to celebrate Children’s Discussion Questions 1. The Community of Celebration (We) “Who’s at the party?” Questions: • Who is the happiest person in the story Jesus told? (Answer: The father!) Why do you think he was so happy? • What did the father do when the son came home? (ran, hugged, kissed, gave him good gifts) • How do you think the son felt when the father ran to him? • Do you think God celebrates when you come back to Him? Why or why not? • If our church is like the party in the story, how should we treat people who come in for the first time? Illustration Tie-In: “Have you ever had a surprise party? What made it special? What do you think makes God’s party special?” ⸻ 2. The Necessity of Celebration (Had) “Why did they have to party?” Questions: • What does the father say about why they had to celebrate? (Because the son was dead and now alive!) • Can you think of a time when something lost was found and everyone got excited? (A lost toy, a pet, a person!) • Why do you think Jesus says we have to celebrate when someone turns back to God? • Do you ever feel too bad to talk to God? What does this story say about how God sees you? • What do you think would happen if we forgot to celebrate God’s love? Illustration Tie-In: “Imagine someone cleaned their whole room after it was a total mess. Wouldn’t you cheer and shout? That’s what heaven does when hearts are cleaned by Jesus!” ⸻ 3. The Centrality of Celebration (To Celebrate) “Why is joy such a big deal to Jesus?” Questions: • What do you like to celebrate? (birthdays, wins, holidays?) • Why do you think Jesus wants us to celebrate repentance—when someone turns back to Him? • What makes you happy about Jesus? • What can we do this week to help someone feel the joy of Jesus? • How do you think we can show God’s joy in our homes, classrooms, or church? Illustration Tie-In: “Some people think church is just rules and being serious. But what if it’s like being invited to the best feast ever—wouldn’t you smile, sing, dance?”

This Sunday, Ben Woolbright will continue to walk us through the parables in Luke 18. Have you ever found yourself placing more confidence in yourself than you should have in a specific situation? We have all come face to face with the downfalls of self-dependence at one point or another. Unfortunately, self-dependence is not simply a secular issue; it’s a pride issue. Because pride is at the root of all sin and sin exists inside all of us, we often find ourselves looking to ourselves far more than we should. As a result, self-dependence frequently creeps into the Christian life. This self-dependence is frequently revealed to us in our prayers. This Sunday, we are going to look at a familiar parable. Two men come to God in prayer. One man is a Pharisee, and the other man is a Tax Collector. The Pharisee is a religious leader who appears to have his life in order. He is well-respected in his community. He strives to be fully obedient to God’s commands. However, his prayer reveals that his heart is far from God. The Tax Collector is considered the scum of society. He is hated by his community. His sin has led him to not only dishonor God but also betray his people. However, his prayer reveals that he is closer to God than the Pharisee. The Pharisee clings to his righteousness while the Tax Collector clings to his repentance. Join us this Sunday as we conclude our look at the “prayerables” by examining how our prayers reveal the true motives of our justification. Luke 18:9-14 - Righteousness vs Repentance The Purpose of the Parable (v.9) The Setting (v.10) I. The Pharisee (vv. 11-12) A. Prideful Observation (v. 11) B. Righteous Boasting (v. 12) II. The Tax Collector (v. 13) A. Humble Awareness (v. 13a) B. Genuine Repentance (v. 13b) Children’s Discussion Questions Who were the two men in the story Jesus told? What was their job, and how did people see them? What did the Pharisee pray about? Did he thank God for God’s help or brag about himself? What did the Tax Collector pray about? How did his prayer sound different from the Pharisee’s? Which man did Jesus say was right with God? Why? What does this teach us about being honest in prayer? When you talk to God, do you try to impress Him or tell Him the truth about your heart? What does God love to hear from us when we pray?