May 15, 2026 – Rend Your Hearts Joel 2:12-13 – “Yet even now,” declares the Lord , “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster. Scripture Reading – Luke 5:27-32, 6:12-16, 6:27-36 In the gospel narratives, we often see Jesus going toe to toe with the Pharisees. The Pharisees were Jewish religious leaders who held strict adherence to the Law, and also to the oral traditions passed down from the elders. Jesus described them as hypocrites, a brood of vipers, whitewashed tombs. He accused them of seeking their own public admiration for strictly following the Law, while at the same time neglecting mercy and justice, and burdening people with the demands of the traditions. The Pharisees ...
May 8, 2026 – None Like You 1 Samuel 2:2 There is none holy like the LORD: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God. Scripture Reading – Luke 1:39-56, Luke 2:1-52 Hannah’s declaration, “There is none holy like the Lord,” echoes through the birth narratives of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke. In Mary’s Magnificat, we see the same awe: God is holy, yet He draws near to the humble. The holy God does not remain distant; He enters history through a child laid in a manger. From Elizabeth’s joy to the shepherds’ wonder to the boy Jesus in the temple, holiness is not cold separation but redeeming presence. God’s uniqueness is revealed not only in power, but in mercy and nearness. The Lord who alone is holy chooses to dwell among His people, overturning expectations and inviting us to respond in worship, humility, and trust. These songs help us feel the weight and wonder of God’s holiness and mercy. “Nothing but the Blood” grounds that holi...