Gospel Highlight

Luke 14:7-11 – Now He [Jesus] told a parable to those who were invited, when He noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

When I was young, I took these words of Jesus to be exactly what they seem on the surface: excellent advice on how not to make a fool of yourself at a party. People who push themselves into areas reserved for the family of the bridal couple are likely to find themselves reseated; people who hang back and behave modestly are often (not always!) rewarded when their host makes a fuss of honoring them.

But of course, Jesus’ real concern goes far beyond this. He’s thinking about the marriage feast of the Lamb, when Jesus comes in His glory and all His people join Him to celebrate in His kingdom (see Revelation 19:9). And just as with any wedding reception, there are many guests—and you can see what’s in their hearts by the way they behave before the event gets started.

There are some folks who make a big display of their faith. They have crosses everywhere, they are prominent in the local church, and they would never dream of eating in public without an obvious prayer. Everyone within earshot knows that they are Christians. Indeed, it is impossible to miss them—to judge from surface appearances, these people will be sitting right next to Jesus in His kingdom.

And then there are the quiet, humble people who don’t make much of a splash. They do the work—they run the food pantries, call the lonely, and quietly help out people in need with food or money. But they rarely get noticed, and they’re okay with that. They’re not fussing about their rank in heaven or their image here on earth. Their attention is somewhere else. Their hearts are in love with Jesus Christ, and everything they do, they do with gratitude to Him. They can never forget that He loved them enough to suffer, die, and rise for them—and to bring them to Himself to stay forever.

It’s clear which kind of Christian Jesus wants us to be. If our hearts are set on display, they won’t be set on Him. But if our hearts are set on Jesus, our seat at the table is guaranteed to be a close one. After all, who sits closest to the bridegroom? It’s the bride, isn’t it? The one who loves Him most.

This Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.

The Twelve: A Look into the 12 Disciples of Christ

The 12 disciples were chosen by Jesus to follow Him, learn from Him, and eventually spread the gospel to the world. They were ordinary men—fishermen, tax collectors, and zealots—whom Jesus transformed into bold witnesses of His message. This Bible study will explore their lives, calling, and how their faith impacted the early church.

Bible study concludes this Sunday @ 10:30, following Fellowship in the sanctuary.

 

 

Parable of the Lowest Seat

Sometimes the best seat isn’t the one in front—it’s the one where you get to help others feel special. When we choose kindness instead of trying to be the most important, we make room for joy and friendship.

Greatness grows when we put others first!

Fellowship for August 31 - End of Summer Anything!

We made it! As we come to the end of the summer months, schedules in life may change. Let’s take a deep breath, keep it simple, and celebrate the new summer memories we’ve made.

Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability.

Lord, provide healing, peace, strength, comfort, and understanding…   

Aaron Byers (Helen Cantrell's son) - Diagnosed with Metastatic Malignant Melanoma, please pray for continued treatment.

Helen Cantrell - Health issues, pray for comfort as she continues treatment.

Casey Ishmael  (Morgan’s neighbor) – Recovering from a paralyzing motorcycle accident. Prayers for healing, strength, and a quick recovery.

Daniel Hood - Lord, please hear and answer my prayer to find a new love in my life.

Camden Goolsby - Camden's hand is healing and recovering quite well, and almost has full use of his hand.  

Eddie Hensen - Recently diagnosed with stage 2 kidney cancer. Please keep me in your prayers—for healing, strength, and peace.

Kara Zecchino - strength and peace as she searches for a new job

Travis Kraft - Suffered a broken arm on Sunday, 7/13, and had surgery on 7/23 in SLC.

Tana Doerr - Thankful for coming home again!  It's been a long road, but God is good!

Mark Dubois - Peace and comfort for the pain he is experiencing.

Tenna Walker - Had surgery on foot Tuesday, the 26th. Recovering at home.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayers.

Prayer requests can now be sent to stmarkelko@gmail.com.

Men's Fellowship Breakfast

Gentlemen, it’s time for food, faith, and fellowship!  Join us this Friday, August 29nd, 8:30 a.m. @ Toki Ona for a delicious breakfast, great conversation, and time to grow together in faith.

This is a wonderful chance to connect with other men, share experiences, and encourage each other in our walk with Christ. Everyone is welcome, whether you're new or a long-time member!

Bring a friend, and let’s make it a morning to remember! 

Upcoming Worship Series
Destination: Christ our Goal

Just as travelers on the television series Destination X don’t know exactly where they’re going until they arrive, Christians often find that God’s Word takes us on unexpected stops in history - but every stop points us to the same final destination.

Join us ,beginning Sunday, September 14th!

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