Lakeside Christian Church Blog

April 3, 2026  – From Sorrow to Celebration   1 Peter 1:3–5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.   Scripture Reading – John 20:1-23   Our Good Friday reading, Isaiah 53:5-6, reminds us that Jesus was pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities—our sin laid fully upon Him. Good Friday invites us to sit in the weight of that truth: the cross was not accidental, but deeply personal. Yet the story does not end in sorrow. In 1 Peter 1:3-5, we are told that through the resurrection, we are given a living hope and an eternal inheritance. As we read John 20:1-23, we see grief turn to astonishment and fear tr...

March 27, 2026 – The Act of Communicating His Word – Serving Others   Psalm 68:19–20 Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation. Our God is a God of salvation, and to GOD, the Lord, belong deliverances from death.   Scripture Reading – Matthew 28:16-20, Matthew 25:31-46   Psalm 68 declares that God is not distant, He is actively saving, sustaining, and delivering His people. In Matthew 25, Jesus shows that this saving work has visible expression. Those who belong to Him care for the hungry, the stranger, and the hurting. In doing so, they reflect His heart and reveal His kingdom. Communicating the Word of God is not only spoken but also lived. As we proclaim the gospel to the world, our actions give credibility to our message. When we care for others, we demonstrate the reality of a God who saves and restores. The gospel we share is the same gospel we embody. As ambassadors of Christ, we are called to declare His salvation and display His compassion ...

  March 20, 2026 – Who Do You Say That I Am? Isaiah 43:9-10 –  All the nations gather together, and the peoples assemble. Who among them can declare this, and show us the former things? Let them bring their witnesses to prove them right, and let them hear and say, It is true. “You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and my servant whom I have chosen that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me. Scripture Reading – Matthew 16:13-23; 27:45-56 Isaiah 43 is prophesying Israel’s only Savior. Israel was God’s chosen people, the ones whom he literally saved when he brought them out of Egypt. We see throughout the Old Testament that God continually reminded them of this truth, that he alone offers redemption and is worthy of their fidelity and devotion. However, Israel’s actions often fell short of worshiping the great I AM (Ex. 3:14). “AM” is the translation of the Hebrew word,  hayah , meaning “to ...

March 13, 2026 – Loving Accountability  Psalm 103:8, 11–12 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love…For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.   Scripture Reading – Matthew 22:39-40 & Matthew 18:15-20   Psalm 103 invites us to reflect on the abundant grace, mercy, patience, and steadfast love of God. His mercy is so great that He removes our sins “as far as the east is from the west.” When we experience this kind of grace, it shapes how we care for others. Jesus teaches in Matthew 22 that loving our neighbor flows directly from loving God. In Matthew 18, He gives a practical way this love is lived out within the community of believers, through honest, restorative accountability. When a brother or sister wanders into sin, we do not ignore it or respond harshly. Instead, we approach ...

March 6, 2026 – Authentic Care    Psalm 133:1,3 Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!...It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the LORD has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.   Scripture Reading – Matthew 22:37-38 & Matthew 20:20-28   Psalm 133 celebrates the beauty of unity among God’s people: “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity.” This kind of community is not accidental; it flows from hearts shaped by love for God. In Matthew 22, Jesus teaches that loving God is the greatest commandment, and from that love flows our care for others. Yet in Matthew 20, the disciples struggle with ambition and status, asking who will be greatest. Jesus redirects them: true greatness is found in serving. Authentic community grows when we adopt Christ’s posture of humility and sacrifice. Caring for all people means choosing service over status and love over self-interest. When we...

February 27, 2026 – Loving God Together    Psalm 63:1, 3-4  O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you … Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.  Scripture Reading – Matthew 22:37-38 & Matthew 26:6-13 Psalm 95 calls us to worship not just individually, but together: “ Oh come, let us worship and bow down. ” The language is communal. Loving God is not only personal devotion, it is shared surrender. In Matthew 22, Jesus commands us to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind. In Matthew 26, the woman who anoints Jesus demonstrates that love in a visible, embodied act before others. Her devotion was personal, but not private. It became a testimony. Corporate worship works the same way. When we gather, our shared love for God shapes one another. We bow together, sing together, and proclaim together that He is worthy. Loving God c...