August 2018

The Tenants

In another parable dealing with a vineyard, we learn about how people struggle with authority. More importantly we see that God loves us so much that He keeps giving us opportunities to make our relationship right with Him.  



The Return From Exile (Zerubbabel, Nehemiah & Ezra)

This week we have a 3-for-1 in our Heroes of Faith series. As the Israelites return from exile, they are led by Zerubbabel, Nehemiah and Ezra to rebuild the temple and wall and renew their covenant with God and His law.  



The Wedding Feast

Jesus tells this parable in Luke 14 to a group of Pharisees and teachers of the law who assume they are more important than most others they encounter daily. It’s easy for us to fall into the trap of seeking honor for ourselves and climbing to a higher status. This parable reminds us that God […]



July 2018

Daniel

When we think of Daniel, we often think of boldness, courage and deliverance. Daniel’s character that is shown in Babylon is a good example for Christians today as we learn how to live in exile. “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: “Build houses and […]



The Workers in the Vineyard

Often when we study this parable from Matthew 20, we focus on the discrepancy in pay for the workers who have put in different amounts of time working. Instead, this parable teaches about the generosity of our God and His love for His workers. God desires to give us so much more than we deserve. […]



The Unmerciful Servant

In response to Peter’s question about how many times he should forgive someone who sinned against him, Jesus tells this parable about a servant who receives great forgiveness but withholds forgiveness for another? We learn in Matthew 18 that God forgives and expects us to do the same.  



Esther

Esther finds herself in the right place at the right time to save her people, but she knows that speaking up could bring her a lot of trouble. This week we will see how she chooses courage over fear, how her adversary chooses pride and anger over humility and how the hand of God is […]



The Rich Man and the Beggar

The snooze button might be one of the most beloved inventions ever for people who like just a few more minutes of sleep in the morning. If we hit it too many times, we might miss something important. In this parable in Luke 16, Jesus warns what can happen when we keep waiting to change […]



A Friend in Need

As VBS is about to begin, we have an abbreviated lesson this week from Luke 11. God wants us to treat others well because He loves them. He sets the example by listening to our needs through prayer.  



Get Ready

The parables in Matthew 25 warn that Jesus will return, and we need to be ready. What might surprise us is how Jesus encourages us to get ready. He spends most us the chapter telling His disciples about the importance of giving and serving others. We must make those things priorities in our lives as […]