Have you ever noticed at election time how there are so many hopes expressed and promises made? It was actually the same at the time of Jesus. We will finish our series entitled "Tested" today as we look at Jesus' triumphal entry. The people had such high hopes for Jesus. Finally the "Son of David" is going to enter the holy city and bring the longed for redemption of Israel. Everyone watching would have understood this. But there were also things they did not understand. There are deeper, unseen things about Jesus that do not meet the eye. Jesus hints at this as he teaches in the temple. The invitation for us is to deepen our relationship with Jesus as our understanding of him grows as well. The New Testament prods us to approach knowing God as knowing Jesus. Jesus is a person of such depth that we will spend a lifetime and into eternity getting to know him. Jesus does not overpromise and under deliver.

In this week’s sermon, we follow Jesus into the temple courts of Mark 12:38–44, where He exposes a surprising contrast—a “beauty and the beast” moment hidden in plain sight. While the religious elite look impressive, polished, and powerful, Jesus uncovers the beastliness within their inflated spiritual reputation. And while a poor widow slips in unnoticed, offering two insignificant copper coins, Jesus reveals the breathtaking beauty of her wholehearted devotion.

This sermon invites you to rethink what it means to be spiritually rich or poor. Are you a beastly somebody—admired, accomplished, respected on the outside while quietly drifting from the heart of God? Or are you a beautiful nobody—overlooked by the world yet fully seen, valued, and honored by Christ?

Together we explore:

• Jesus’ sharp warning about religious influence misused for personal gain

• The danger of appearing spiritually strong but being morally bankrupt

• The widow’s radical generosity—why her tiny gift meant more than all the wealthy offerings combined

• How God measures beauty, worth, and devotion so differently than we do

• Why the kingdom of God lifts the lowly and humbles the proud

Filled with vivid storytelling, honest self-examination, and hope for anyone who has felt unseen or insignificant, this sermon reminds us that God treasures integrity, humility, generosity, and faithfulness—not status, appearance, or applause.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your small acts of faith matter, or worried that you don’t measure up to the “spiritual somebodies” around you, this message will assure you:
God sees you. God values you. And in His kingdom, the beautiful nobodies come first.

What does God really want from us—and why do our best efforts still fall short?
In this episode, we explore Jesus’ conversation with a curious scribe in Mark 12:28–34, where the greatest commandment is distilled into something simple, yet impossibly demanding: Love God with all you are, and love your neighbor as yourself.

Through practical reflections and honest questions, we look at what it means to love God with your heart, soul, mind, and strength—and why even our most devoted attempts can leave us feeling empty. The problem isn’t that the commands are unclear. It’s that they’re not enough to bring us into the Kingdom on their own.

This episode dives into:

• Why clarity matters when understanding God’s Word

• How to love God with your emotions, identity, thoughts, and actions

• Why loving your neighbor is inseparable from loving God

• What Jesus reveals about the limits of religious effort

• Why receiving God’s love must come before giving love away

• The difference between loving because you want to be loved and loving because you already are loved

With vivid illustrations, real-life application, and a heartfelt call to receive the love of Christ, this message offers hope to anyone who feels like they’re trying hard but still coming up short.

If you’ve ever wondered, “Am I doing enough?”—this episode will help you see the better question:
“Have I let Jesus love me first?”

Some people think that Christianity is all about the rules. God just tells us what to do, and it is too hard. Who would want to worship a God like that? Where do they get that idea from? As we continue our series called "Tested" we find that perspective was also quite common to some of the sects of Judaism in Jesus' day. But Jesus sets them straight. Faith in God is not about keeping all the rules and then you die. It is about a relationship with God that starts right now and lasts forever. When we die, God receives us into an even more glorious future life than we experience now. God has loving future intentions towards us that are beyond our imagination. If we miss the relationship with God part, and his loving good intentions, our view of God will shrivel into the concept that God is just an unhappy rule maker. Even from the beginning of the Bible, God has shown himself to be a God who gives those who trust him the more amazing lives than they could ever imagine.

We continue our series about Jesus in Jerusalem called "Tested." Have you ever felt uncomfortable because of a difficult political conversation you became involved in? Welcome to the life of Jesus. In this Sunday's scene in Mark 12, Jesus gets dragged into a hot political debate of his day. It is an attempt to trip him up and get him to say something he might regret. Some things haven't changed all that much in 2000 years. But Jesus surprises everyone when he doesn't get tricked. God's kingdom is much greater than the Roman empire and it's authority over Israel. Their view of the political landscape was too small and too narrow. Even the pagan rule of Caesar didn't threaten the Lord Jesus. As we consider how Jesus answered his opponents, perhaps we can gain a different perspective on our modern-day political landscape. Come and see

In our "Tested" series this week, Jesus tells a story to make his point. It is a hard story to receive. God is disappointed with those in leadership over his people. He has been for a long time. Things are about to change. He has a new leader in mind, a better leader. A godly leader is a leader who is yielded to God, not just a person in charge of people for God. It doesn't matter whether you lead a church, a business, a ministry, an organization, a tea, a peer group or a household. Being a godly leader will make you a better leader. Come see why this Sunday.

We continue our new series called "Tested." We will look at the scene where Jesus was very angry in the temple and was confronted about it by the Jerusalem religious authorities. What made him so mad? Who said he could "cleanse" the temple? For Jesus, it was about worship. He wanted people to have access to worship the one true God. And he wanted those who professed to know God to focus on true worship and not just the mechanics of worship. If worship matters to you, you will understand what Jesus was concerned about. If your perspective or your experience of worship is a little off, he will help you with that too. As we gather this Sunday, pray that we share the worship focus of our Savior.

This Sunday we begin our new series entitled "Tested." We will be looking at scenes from the life of Jesus in Mark 11-12 when Jesus entered Jerusalem. The first one is a head scratcher. Jesus curses a fig tree and it withers up and dies. What is that about? Then he tells us that if you pray for God to move a mountain, he will answer you, as long as you forgive those you have something against. We see that something is withering, but mountains are being moved. It is fascinating to consider what Jesus is doing and saying. If you're curious, you will be challenged. Bring your curiosity with you to church. See you there.