He shall be called Prince of Peace — Jesus is the Messiah who brings the restoration of shalom.
he shall be called everlasting father — the Messiah whose love for his people never lets go
he shall be called mighty God — the Messiah who makes a way of salvation for his people where there appears to be no way for salvation to happen
he shall be called wonderful counselor — the Messiah who has restored us and our world to himself by his own authority, and continues to guide his people today by the presence of the Holy Spirit
Jesus begins the Sermon on the Mount with a reminder that the kingdom of heaven comes with blessings; they are blessings which meet God’s people no matter where they are.
A time of worship for Thanksgiving Day
The kingdom of heaven is a gift made available through Jesus, but it is a gift that comes with expectations; how are those who receive the kingdom expected to respond?
Jesus tells a story that shows the kingdom of heaven is full of both equality and inequality at the same time.
On October 31, 1517 (All-Hallows’-Eve) Martin Luther famously posted his 95 theses to the door of the chapel in Wittenberg, Germany; but it was not the first time God’s people posted something significant to a doorway on a spooky night.
Our faith in Jesus is both personal and public; we believe and have a personal relationship with God, but we also participate in the wider restoration of God’s kingdom in this world.