So when we ask—"What kind of soil is in your heart?"—the hope is that our hearts are the "Good Soil" that Jesus talks about in Matthew 13:23. Jesus says, "The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” This Sunday, we will talk about how we can cultivate good soil in our hearts and what a harvest looks like in our lives.

I don't know about you, but I despise tests. Tests cause my palms to sweat, my heart to beat faster, and can give me heartburn. I guess the main reason I can't stand tests is that they are an honest assessment as to where I truly stand (I would rather stay cocooned in my own little world pretending everything is okay). This Sunday, we will unpack what it means to be in the rocky soil—when we are put to the test—and how we can thrive during the trials of life.

The other day I was cutting back some hedges and noticed that a thorny vine had weaved its way through the plant. How is it that thorns and thistles can grow gangbusters, but I have trouble growing simple tomato plants? Yet, when we read Genesis 3, we see that God told Adam that, because of sin, it would be this way. Not surprisingly then. Jesus says in Mark 4:18-19, "Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful." This Sunday, we will look at the dangers of worries, deceitfulness and our desires, which can lead to unfruitful lives. What we will discover is that it's only when we put Christ first that we will be fruitful in this life.

All of us love a good story, stories make us a part of something bigger than ourselves. In Matthew 13 Jesus begins to use parables as a means to teach and entice His audience to listen to His message of the Gospel. This Sunday we will unbox why Jesus spoke to the people in this cryptic sort of way, and how we can have "ears to hear" what Jesus is telling us in His Word. Join us this Sunday as we look at what we need to do to be the Good Soil that openly receives the Word of God.  

This Sunday we will celebrate the new life we have in Christ because of the resurrection. We will ask the question, “What path are you following?” Jesus says, “ He is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” So join us this Sunday as we follow Jesus, the resurrection and the life!