We unpack the Parable of the Talents and its counterpart in Luke’s Gospel, reframing traditional interpretations and examining how these stories challenge us to rethink God’s character and our response to grace. Along the way, we explore themes of trust, justice, and the cost of doing the right thing, with a powerful parallel to Zacchaeus’ story.

Jesus taught primarily in parables. Short pithy stories that surprise us with Jesus' unique perspective on life. These parables centre around three main concepts. Kingdom, Grace and, wait  for it... Judgment. Over the last few years we have developed series to focus on the stories of kingdom, and of grace, and in this series we intend to face into the hardest parables, those that give us Jesus' unique perspective on judgment.

In this sermon, we begin our new series on the parables of judgment—one of the most challenging and misunderstood aspects of Jesus’ teachings. Judgment often sounds intimidating, but what if it’s not about condemnation or punishment? What if it’s God’s loving correction, guiding us back when we’ve strayed off the path?

Join in as we wrap up our journey through the multifaceted landscapes of joy. In this touching conclusion, we traverse the delicate balance between the warmth of friendship and the cold touch of loss. Listen in as I recount the poignant tale of my dog Cedar's passing and the innocent, yet profound comfort offered by my young daughter. Through her eyes, we glimpse the intricate tapestry of emotions that joy weaves into our lives. Together, we'll explore the rich linguistic ties between joy, grace, and gifts within biblical texts, and how these elements intertwine to support us even through the darkest of times.

Bobbi shares a story about praying to be better at banter and how, over time, she found herself engaging in joyful conversations that exceeded her expectations. Through these experiences, she came to see banter not just as witty exchanges but as a way to connect deeply with others and even with the divine. Bobbie sums up her learning like this: "I could have easily thought that banter wasn't for me – that I wasn't good at it, and I should just let it go. But there's stagnancy in staying comfortable in a story you think you know. No, it's better to find the edges of ourselves and to push past premature endings.”

Join us for an enlightening exploration of atonement in Christianity, as we delve into the powerful narrative of Luke 7. This sermon brings to life the profound faith lessons found in a simple dinner with a Pharisee and an unknown woman's act of love. Discover the transformative power of Jesus, not as a fixer of God, but as our path to understanding and perceiving God. Let's together explore our faith in Jesus and see ourselves as God sees us - flawed yet deeply loved.

Last week we talked about the words and the Word and how important it is to keep Jesus at the centre of our imagination. Our question for today though is how that conviction shapes how we read the Bible. Our second affirmation at Commons is this: The scriptures lead us to the realization that Jesus is the only exact representation of the divine and that God has always looked like Jesus even when we didn’t see that clearly. With Jesus being our north star for navigating the Bible, we will look at three examples of reading the Bible through Jesus.