This week, we continue on in a series of Jesus’ parables—stories He tells to help make His most important lessons REAL to us. The story today is of a beggar named Lazarus living life at rock bottom and then an unnamed rich man living his best life while turning a blind eye to Lazarus. Where do we willingly choose not to see another human being? Where do we focus on our own enjoyment, comfort and self interest — IRL as well as in our digital lives? How much do we accept what we see as opposed to asking deeper questions and perhaps even changing direction (the meaning of “repentance”)? Let’s see what lessons for life Jesus has for us this week. Continue on with us in this Lenten journey….

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We continue on with our sermon series for Lent (Jesus “IRL” –In Real Life). We have been hearing stories about how Jesus connects with others in the Gospel of Luke. Once again, this week the story is not about Jesus, but a parable from Jesus the Master Storyteller.

This parable that we call “The Prodigal Son” may be one of the most familiar to churches, but it may have new lessons for us, especially in light of one full year of living life online during this pandemic. Where are our connections broken and in need of restoration? How are we open to the grace of the Father who welcomes this beloved Son AND the other resentful responsible child with such unreserved love? How are we open to these things in our digital lives and “IRL”?

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This is week three of our sermon series, connecting lessons we learn from our digital lives with the lessons Jesus continually offers us about discipleship in the “real” world. This week, we focus on one of the all-time most famous parables: The Parable of the Good Samaritan, as we call it in Luke 10. Jesus uses stories when the lessons are especially hard for us to learn. This story is in answer to a question that every human being asks at some point: “who is my neighbor?”;

or in other words, who is my responsibility? What am I supposed to do when someone else is in crisis? What about when I am the one in crisis? Who can I count on to help me then? Be prepared for some surprising answers…

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This second week of our sermon series continues to connect lessons from Jesus’ real life with the lessons that we are learning in this age where everything has been moved to online and virtual platforms. In this new world, how do we belong? How do we love? How do we grow and connect? This week, we look more closely at a story with two very different healings, but the common thread is that they are “unplanned connections”. How can we make the most of our own “unplanned connections”? Maybe God is using them in our lives for a larger purpose. Join us in thinking and praying through these things…

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This Lent 2021, we will begin a new sermon series that will be called Jesus “IRL” (In Real Life). In these highly virtual pandemic times, perhaps we are all challenged about how we connect to God and to each other. Jesus is familiar with redefining connection and broadening the meaning of community, as it was the cornerstone of His ministry. This is especially evident in the Gospel of Luke. In this series, each week we will examine how Jesus authentically connects with other people, and how He challenges us to connect as well.

Link to readable sermon PDF