Pastor Jeff examines Jesus's parable of the Pharisee and tax collector in Luke 18, exposing the danger of self-righteous pride in the Christian life. We discover that the Pharisee's confidence in his own performance blinded him to his need for God's mercy, while the tax collector's humble confession—"God, have mercy on me, a sinner"—highlights a right posture before God. We learn that a right heart posture isn't boosted by spiritual achievements but humbled by an accurate view of our sin and God's holiness. We are challenged to examine our own hearts for self-righteousness and come before God with empty hands, ready to receive his mercy.

Pastor Jeff Manion begins our new sermon series, The Parables, by exploring the stories Jesus used to reveal deep spiritual truth. We see how Jesus used everyday images—torn garments and old wineskins—to show that his kingdom is something entirely new, not a patch on an old way of life. We discover that Jesus consistently defied expectations and called people to follow him rather than simply add him to their existing plans. This message challenges us to examine whether we've been trying to fit Jesus into our lives or truly surrender our lives to him. Following Jesus is about being transformed from the inside out.

Pastor Aaron Buer concludes our Powerful Prayers series by exploring Paul's prayer for the believers in Colossae found in Colossians 1:9–14. Through this message, we discover four characteristics of a worthy life that we can pray over the people we love. We're reminded that the strength and fruit we long for don't come from within ourselves but from remaining connected to Jesus and his Word. This message challenges us to consider how we pray for the people we care about and gives us a powerful biblical model to do so. Ultimately, we see that living a worthy life is only possible because God has already qualified us through the redemption and forgiveness found in Jesus.