Planting

As with many traditions, we look back through the lens of nostalgia and celebrations of the past to form our expectations of the future.  This year, however, let's encounter Palm Sunday together with fresh eyes —as if we're hearing the hosannas for the very first time. Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey, not a war-horse, while crowds praise him as King. The expectations of the people and of the disciples in that moment differ greatly from the story that is about to unfold.  Two thousand years later, how often do our own expectations of Jesus the Christ in our lives differ from the outcomes? This Palm Sunday, we're challenged to release our grip on what we think we know and allow God to speak in and through us as the Body of Christ.

When God calls us to harvest for the Kingdom, how do we respond to those who arrive late but receive the same grace? As harvesters in God's field, we participate in the beautiful cycle of faith—adults teach children who grow up to teach the next generation, each bearing fruit in their season. But when we place ourselves alongside other workers, do we fall into the sin of comparison, measuring our faithfulness against theirs and believing we deserve more? This week, we're challenged to remember that we are all equally gifted and beloved children of God, called to celebrate the harvest rather than count the hours.

This Sunday, we'll face one of the hardest lessons in our Garden to Garden series—pruning. Jesus uses the image of a vine and branches to teach us that staying connected to Him brings life, but sometimes God needs to cut away things that hold us back from bearing fruit.

Pruning requires honest introspection and prayer, asking God to help us identify what needs pruning in our lives—not as punishment, but as loving cultivation that removes distractions and helps us refocus on God. Worship with us Sunday at 8:30, 11:00, or 11:15 am.

Jesus shares two powerful parables about how God's Kingdom grows—sometimes mysteriously while we sleep, sometimes from the tiniest mustard seed into something unexpectedly magnificent. Join us this Sunday as we examine some honest questions about the growth we witness in ourselves versus the growth we wish would happen, discovering how God works in ways we can't always see or control.

The Apostle Paul wrote, "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth."  We must prepare the soil of our hearts for God to grow seeds of truth, wisdom, and conviction within us.

Immediately after Jesus' baptism, when God declared "This is my beloved Son," the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to face forty days of temptation and testing. Survival in the wilderness brings loneliness, hopelessness, and desperation, forcing us to choose what we'll depend on when everything else fails. Join us as we examine not only how Jesus resisted temptation through Scripture and trust in God, but also what our responsibility looks like when we witness others merely surviving their own wilderness seasons.

This Lent, we’ll enjoy a series called, Garden to Garden. This sermon series will explore how our spiritual practices can nourish our souls and bear fruit for God's Kingdom. During this time, many of us consider the spiritual practice of fasting. But remember, fasting isn't just about going through the motions—it's about aligning our hearts with God's call for justice and righteousness. 

We’re called to remember that we sometimes wander from what God asks of us: to seek justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our Creator. Join us, starting Ash Wednesday and continuing through Easter as we tend to the soil of our hearts and walk alongside our neighbors who thirst for justice and mercy.