Grace Presbyterian Church

10/16/2026

Throughout our Jesus the Storyteller sermon series, we have been exploring how Jesus used stories, also called parables, to teach about the Kingdom of God. We continue our sermon series this week by looking at Matthew 22:15–22. This is that famous passage where the Pharisees, along with the Herodians, ask Jesus the question, “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

Jesus replies by asking for a coin and follows up with a question about whose head and title are on the coin. When they respond with Caesar, Jesus says, “Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.” It’s a pretty powerful encounter, but some of you might be saying to yourselves, “Wait a second, that’s not a parable! Why is this in our sermon series?!”

Well, maybe this isn’t a parable like the passages we’ve explored in previous weeks, but that doesn’t mean Jesus ceases to be a storyteller. This text is still a powerful story, one that invites us into a bigger story—a different kind of story for the world, focused on new days, new realities, and new ways of living, a story that reshapes us and how we live out our faith.

So, just how does this story reshape us, and what does it call us to do? Join us at 10:30 a.m., either in person or online, as we enthusiastically worship our God together.

Peace,
Wilson

10/09/2026

Jesus tells another hard story this week. The Parable of the Wedding Banquet (Matthew 22:1-14) is the story of a king inviting subjects to the wedding banquet of his son. When time came for the party, none of them came. Some even killed the servants the king sent to tell them all was ready. The king became enraged and destroyed their city. He then sends his servants out to gather people off the street to come in and fill the wedding hall.

One poor guest off the street is noticed by the king for being dressed inappropriately. He was not wearing a wedding robe. “How did you get in here?” the king asked. This guest is then thrown out of the hall.

The kingdom of heaven is like this? An angry king destroying cities? A guest off the street thrown out for being underdressed? What did they expect? This doesn’t sound like the God who we know is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love (Psalm 103:8). This doesn’t sound like the great love of God for us in Jesus Christ. What are we missing? There must be more to this story.

Join us this Sunday at 10:30am as we worship God enthusiastically!

Philippians 1:3,
Tracey

10/04/2026

10/02/2026

This Sunday is World Communion Sunday, the day we celebrate our oneness in Christ with all our brothers and sisters around the world. We will celebrate with liturgists and liturgies from all over the world. We will celebrate with beautiful music and meaningful prayers. We will celebrate by hearing one of the saddest stories Jesus told (Matthew 21:33-46). The story is about a landowner whose tenants refuse to give him his produce from the land. The landowner sends slaves to collect it, whom these wicked tenants kill. Finally, the landowner sends his own son. They kill him too.

This story is an allegory of God and God’s people. The landowner is God. The vineyard is Israel. The tenants are the leaders of Israel. The slaves are the prophets. And the son, that’s Jesus. For thousands of years, generation after generation, God reached out to God’s own people with love and help. God begged them to follow God’s way to live a fruitful and abundant life. Time and time again they rejected God. Or forgot God. Or ignored God. Even the heroes of our faith sometimes forgot whose side they were on. So, God sent Jesus, his one and only Son.

What happens to those who reject, forget, or ignore God? The chief priests and elders have a very different answer than Jesus.

Join us this Sunday at 10:30am as we worship God enthusiastically remembering that we are part of a big, wonderful, worldwide family!

Philippians 1:3,
Tracey

(picture by Brett Wharton on Unsplash)

09/26/2026

This week’s story involves two sons (Matthew 21:28-32). The father asks them both to go and work in the vineyard. One brother says no but ends up doing the work. The other says yes but doesn’t go and work in the field. “Which of the two did the will of his father?” Jesus asks. “The first” they all answer. It’s an easy question.

We have appropriated this wisdom into our own culture with phrases like:
Talk is cheap
Actions speak louder than words
If you’re going to talk the talk, you have to walk the walk.

We understand that it’s not enough to make promises. We must follow through with them. If we are going to speak truth for us, we must act accordingly. This is a call for authenticity, integrity, and consistency between our speech and our behavior.

The same is true in matters of faith. It’s not enough just to say we love God, we follow Jesus, and we are led by the Spirit. Our actions must show it. Faith, without works, is dead (James 2:26). Now is the time to take inventory of our lives. Do we really live what we say we believe?

Join us this Sunday at 10:30am as we worship God enthusiastically!

Philippians 1:3,
Tracey

09/19/2026

Jesus the storyteller tells a story this week that contains a common complaint of us all: “It’s not fair!” (Matthew 20:1-16). As you know, I’ve been traveling, and much of traveling is not fair. “This person cut in the line!” It’s not fair. “That couple came into the restaurant after me, but the waiter took their order first.” It’s not fair. “My flight got cancelled. My luggage got lost. The waves were so high the boat ride became a thrill ride and an adventure in seasickness.” It’s not fair that some people get motion sickness, and some do not. On our trip to Scotland, someone became seriously ill. He and I missed seeing Sterling Castle, the Kelpies, and our farewell dinner, all to which we were looking forward, and instead spent four days in a hospital in Oban. It’s not fair.

The complaints of the vineyard workers in our story this week is the same. Some worked all day, some only worked an hour, yet all got paid the same. We, with them, would say that is not fair. But the landowner in the story (remember the main character in the parables is God) takes exception to their complaint. The landowner believes their complaint is not about justice but instead comes from jealousy at his generosity.

Are we ever promised “fair”? Is “Is this fair?” the right question? What if there are better questions, questions that will lead to a more joyful and abundant life, the life our generous God desires for us all?

Join us this Sunday at 10:30am as we enthusiastically worship our generous God!

Philippians 1:3,
Tracey

08/28/2026

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