Known By JOY
Luke 15:11b-32, 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

The Power of Perspective
There's an old story about a shoe company that sent two salesmen to a remote village. After a few days, one salesman sent a message back to headquarters:
"No one wears shoes here. No potential."
The second salesman sent a very different message:
"No one wears shoes here. Huge opportunity!"
Both men saw the same situation, but their perspectives made all the difference. One saw a problem; the other saw potential.
How often do we allow our perspective to limit our joy? Maybe we define ourselves by our past mistakes or view others through the lens of their shortcomings. Maybe we hold onto resentment and miss the good unfolding right in front of us. But what if we could see differently? What if we saw ourselves and others through God’s eyes?
In 2 Corinthians 5:16-21, Paul challenges us:
"From now on, we regard no one from a human point of view... If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!"
This isn’t just about optimism—it’s about transformation. When we learn to see as God sees, we discover joy in places we never expected.
 
The Father’s Joyful Perspective (Luke 15:11b-32)
Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son offers one of the most profound images of God’s joy.
A father has two sons. The younger one demands his inheritance early, essentially saying, "I wish you were dead." He then wastes it all on reckless living. When he finds himself starving, feeding pigs, he decides to return home, not as a son, but as a servant.
From a human perspective, he has ruined everything. He deserves shame, maybe punishment, at best a place among the household workers. But his father sees differently.
Before the son can even reach the house, the father runs to him. In Jesus’ culture, older men didn’t run. It was considered undignified. But the father doesn’t care about appearances—he is overwhelmed with joy. He throws his arms around his son, orders the best robe, the finest meal, and declares, "This son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!"
Joy isn’t just an emotion here—it’s a perspective. The father could have focused on his son’s past mistakes, but instead, he chooses to celebrate his return.
 
Sharing Joy: The Father’s Invitation to the Older Son
At this point, the parable could have ended. But Jesus isn’t done. There’s another perspective at play.
The older son hears the celebration and refuses to go inside. He is bitter, angry. “I have worked for you all these years,” he says, “and you’ve never given me a party.” He sees his brother’s return as an injustice, not a cause for joy.
Now watch the father’s response. He goes out to his older son, just as he ran to the younger one. He doesn’t rebuke him or dismiss his feelings. Instead, he says, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate because your brother was dead and is alive again.”
The father extends the same joyful love to both sons. To the prodigal, he says, "Come home." To the older son, he says, "Come inside." But only one responds with joy.
How often do we, like the older brother, refuse to celebrate because we’re focused on fairness rather than grace? The father’s invitation is clear: Joy is meant to be shared.
 
Insights from "The Book of Joy"
In The Book of Joy, the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu explore how to cultivate joy, even in difficult circumstances. Their wisdom beautifully connects with this parable.

1. Perspective Shapes Our Experience of Joy.
   • The Dalai Lama and Tutu emphasize that suffering is inevitable, but our perspective determines whether we become bitter or joyful.
   • The older son saw unfairness; the father saw restoration.
   • When we shift our focus from resentment to gratitude, from judgment to grace, we find joy waiting for us.
2. Forgiveness Is the Path to Joy.
   • Archbishop Tutu, who helped lead South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, often said that "without forgiveness, there is no future."
   • The father forgave immediately, without hesitation. The older son, however, couldn’t forgive and therefore couldn’t rejoice.
   • How often do we let unforgiveness rob us of joy?
3. Joy Is Found in Connection.
   • Tutu and the Dalai Lama emphasize that joy is not a solo endeavor. It grows in community.
   • The father wanted both sons at the banquet. He wanted them together, reconciled, whole.

If we want to experience lasting joy, we must choose a perspective of reconciliation over resentment.
 
Choosing Joy: Embracing God’s Perspective
How do we make joy a habit? Three practical shifts can help:

1. Recognize Our Own Need for Grace.
   • We are all the prodigal at some point. When we remember that we’ve been forgiven, it’s easier to extend grace to others.
   • When we see ourselves as God sees us—a new creation—we stop defining ourselves by our past and start living into joy.
2. Celebrate Reconciliation.
   • The father’s joy was contagious—he wanted everyone to celebrate!
   • Who in your life needs to hear, “I’m glad you’re here”?
   • What would it look like to be people who celebrate rather than critique, who lift others up rather than keep score?
3. Practice Gratitude.
   • The older brother focused on what he lacked; the father focused on what he had.
   • What if we started each day thanking God for what is already ours?

Joy is not about pretending everything is perfect. It’s about recognizing the grace of God at work and choosing to celebrate it.
 
Living into the Joy of the Father
There’s a story about a pastor who visited a prison for a Bible study. One of the inmates, Kevin, had been incarcerated for over 20 years. After hearing about God’s grace, he asked, "Do you think God really sees me as new? Do you think he really looks at me and sees a different man?"
The pastor replied, "Kevin, the real question is—do you?"
 
2 Corinthians 5:17 reminds us: "If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation. The old has passed away; see, everything has become new!"
The father in the parable knew this truth. He saw both sons as beloved, not because of what they did, but because of who they were.
So today, let me ask:

• Are you standing outside the feast, like the older son, refusing to accept the joy of God and join the celebration?
• Are you the prodigal, struggling to receive joy and believe in grace?
• Or are you ready to live out the joy of this father— a contagious joy that forgives, an exuberant joy that restores, an inclusive joy that welcomes?

 
The invitation is before us. How will they know? Let them know by our joy.  Amen.

Known By Patience
(The Slow Work of Grace: Trusting God's Timing)
Luke 13:1-9; Isaiah 55:1-9
Fruit of the Spirit: Patience
 
Patience as a Virtue
We are deep into the season of Lent, a time of reflection, repentance, and renewal. Lent itself is a season of patience—40 days of waiting, preparing, and walking with Jesus toward the cross and resurrection. And this Lent, we’re exploring the fruits of the spirit by asking the question, “How Will they know?” How will they know God’s love? How will they know we’re followers of Jesus? How will they know the difference between culturally Christian religious performers, and faith-filled disciples of Christ?
We’ve talked about self control, about peace, and about faithfulness. And today we’re looking at patience, as a fruit of the spirit.
Patience is often misunderstood as passive waiting, like watching a clock tick seconds by at the end of a work shift, or near the end of a school day. But in reality, patience is an active virtue—one that requires faith, and endurance. The Bible presents patience as more than just tolerating delays; it is a mark of spiritual maturity and trust in God's timing.
Think about the inconvenience of road construction. Sure it slows down your commute, or delays your arrival. But it’s also active in repairing, or improving the driving conditions longer term. A minor inconvenience becomes an important lesson in patience, akin to the cliché, good things come to those who wait.
Proverbs 14:29 reminds us: "Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly."
This wisdom cuts deep. When we are impatient—with others, with ourselves, with situations beyond our control like road construction, or even with God—we can make rash – even foolish decisions. But patience – if approached with openness – can lead to understanding, wisdom, and even a deeper faith and trust in God.
Tertullian, an early Christian writer, put it this way: "Hope is patience with the lamp lit."

In other words, patience isn’t just about waiting—it’s about waiting with expectation, trusting that God is still at work. It’s waiting with purpose.
Today, we reflect on patience as a fruit of the Spirit—not just waiting idly but trusting in God’s timing. Where in your life do you need to slow down and trust that God is still at work?


The Fig Tree: A Second Chance for Growth (Luke 13:1-9)
Jesus tells a parable about a fig tree that hasn’t borne fruit. The owner of the vineyard is frustrated—for three years, he’s been checking, and still, nothing. He’s ready to cut it down.
But the gardener steps in and says, “Give it one more year. Let me dig around it, fertilize it, and nurture it.”
This is a story of God’s patience. The vineyard owner represents human impatience—we want results now. But the gardener, like Jesus, reminds us that God’s grace allows for growth and second chances.
Illustration: The Oak Tree vs. Weeds
Think about how different plants grow. Weeds shoot up overnight, but an oak tree takes decades to mature. Yet the oak’s roots go deep, and its strength lasts for generations.
Faith works the same way. A quick, shallow commitment doesn’t last. Real spiritual growth requires time, care, and patience—from God and from us.
Where in your life do you feel like a fruitless tree? Maybe your prayers feel unanswered, or you’re struggling with habits you can’t seem to break. Take heart—God is still working. You’re not done growing yet.


God’s Timing is Not Our Timing (Isaiah 55:1-9)
Isaiah 55 reminds us:
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
How often do we try to force God’s timing? We pray and expect immediate answers. We want spiritual breakthroughs now. But God operates on a different schedule.
Illustration: The Farmer’s Patience
A farmer plants seeds in faith—knowing he won’t see results immediately. He doesn’t dig up the seed every day to check if it’s growing. Instead, he trusts the process.
God’s work in us is like that. Just because we don’t see progress doesn’t mean growth isn’t happening beneath the surface.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German theologian and martyr, once wrote: "We must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God."
That’s the challenge, isn’t it? We make plans, we set timelines, but then God interrupts us with His own, better plan. What if our delays are actually God’s way of redirecting us toward something greater?
Where in your life do you need to release control and trust that God’s timing is better than your own?


Patience is an Expression of Love
Patience isn’t just about waiting; it’s about how we wait. Do we wait with faith or with frustration? Do we show grace to others as they grow, or do we expect instant change?
In Our Relationships
We get impatient when people don’t change as fast as we want—our spouse, our kids, our friends. We say, “Why can’t they just get it together?” But patience means loving people in their process—the way God loves us.
Illustration: Parenting as a Model of Patience
Think about a child learning to walk. They stumble, fall, and struggle. A loving parent doesn’t get angry when a child falls. Instead, they encourage, nurture, and guide them.
That’s exactly how God treats us. God doesn’t give up on us just because we stumble. And if God is that patient with us, shouldn’t we be patient with others?
In Our Spiritual Lives
Sometimes our greatest impatience is with ourselves. We want to be more faithful, more prayerful, more disciplined—but we fall short.
But remember this: Jesus never rushed people into transformation. He walked with them, allowing space for growth.

• Peter denied Jesus three times, but Jesus patiently restored him.
• Paul persecuted Christians, but God’s patience turned him into an apostle.
• Even on the cross, Jesus showed patience—praying for those who crucified him.

Mother Teresa once said: "Without patience, we will learn less in life. We will see less. We will feel less. We will hear less."
Impatience blinds us—we miss God’s work in ourselves and others. But patience opens our eyes to see the slow, beautiful unfolding of grace.
Patience is God’s love in action. When we live patiently, people see God's love through us.


Trusting the Slow Work of Grace
So, where do you need to trust God’s process today?

• Maybe there’s a prayer you’ve been praying for a long time, and you’re tempted to give up.
• Maybe someone in your life is taking longer to change than you’d like.
• Maybe you are struggling with the slow work of growth.

The good news is this: God hasn’t given up on you.
Just as the gardener fights for the fig tree, Jesus intercedes for us. Just as the farmer waits for the harvest, God is faithful to complete the work in us.
How will they know God’s love? How will they know we follow Jesus? How will they know – let them know by our patience.
So this week, let’s practice patience:

1. With God—trusting holy timing.
2. With others—offering grace instead of frustration.
3. With ourselves—allowing time, and room for growth.

Because when we live patiently, the world sees the love of God through us. When the culture around us screams for quick tempered reactions, for the purpose of fomenting false rage and anger toward one another, and intent on using that anger for shallow entertainment … let us live patiently, with healthy boundaries on our spirits and emotions, so that God’s love, which is patient and perfect, might be revealed.
Amen.
 

Known By Peace:
The Peacemakers and the Empire's Peacekeepers
Second Sunday of Lent
Luke 13:31-35, Philippians 3:17-4:1
 
What Kind of Peace Are We Talking About? 
On June 5, 1989, an unknown man stood in the middle of a wide Beijing street, holding nothing but two shopping bags. He had no weapons, no armor, no power-except for the courage to stand his ground. In front of him rumbled a line of tanks, part of the Chinese military's brutal crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators in Tiananmen Square. 
As the tanks rolled toward him, he refused to move. The lead tank tried to go around him, but he stepped back into its path. The tank moved again; he blocked it once more. For a moment, one unarmed man stopped an entire column of war machines. 
That man, known only as "Tank Man," has never been identified, and his fate remains a mystery. But his act of defiance remains one of the most powerful images of nonviolent resistance in modern history. 
Tank Man was not a peacekeeper--he was a peacemaker. 
Peacekeepers might have said, "Step aside. Don't make trouble. Keep the order." 
But peacemakers step into the chaos, the injustice, the suffering- and refuse to let it continue unchallenged. 
And that brings us to our scriptures today. Both Jesus and Paul show us that the peace of God is not the world's peace-it is not about order for order's sake, not about keeping things comfortable, but about truth, justice, and reconciliation, even when it costs us something. 

​(The Pharisees and the "Peacekeeping" Approach -- Luke 13:31- 35) 
In Luke 13, Jesus is moving toward Jerusalem-toward his inevitable confrontation with power. And that's when the Pharisees come to him with a warning: 
"Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you. 
** 
Now, at first glance, this might seem like a moment of kindness. Maybe they were looking out for Jesus. But when we read between the lines, their words sound more like an attempt to control him rather than protect him. 
A. Why Would the Pharisees Want Jesus to Leave? 
Political self-preservation - If Jesus caused too much trouble, it could bring Roman retaliation against all Jewish leaders. 
Maintaining control - Jesus' radical message of the Kingdom of God threatened the religious status quo. 
Avoiding conflict - If Jesus kept drawing crowds and challenging power, things could turn violent. 
They weren't looking for God's peace. They were looking for Herod's peace a false peace, one built on fear, control, and silence. 
B. Jesus' Response: A Peacemaker's Defiance 
But Jesus is not intimidated. He refuses to be driven out by fear. Instead, he sends a message back: 
"Go tell that fox, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. 
He calls Herod a fox-a symbol of cunning, deceit, and destruction. Jesus knows exactly what kind of peace Herod offers: a peace built on submission and control, enforced through violence. 
Jesus refuses that peace. 
Instead, he describes himself as a mother hen gathering her chicks; a tender, vulnerable, yet fiercely protective image. 
Hens don't run from foxes. 
Hens stand their ground for the sake of their chicks. 
And that's exactly what Jesus is doing-marching toward Jerusalem, toward the cross, refusing to be silenced. 
 
(Paul's Warning About Living as "Enemies of the Cross" -- Philippians 3:17-4:1) 
The Pharisees were peacekeepers of empire. But in our second scripture, Paul warns that many people-even those who claim to follow Jesus- end up living as "enemies of the cross." 
A. "Their God is Their Belly" -- A Life of Self-Interest Over Sacrifice 
Paul writes, "Their god is their belly... their minds are set on earthly things." 
He's not just talking about food--he's talking about people who live only for themselves, for their own comfort, their own security, their own gain. 
This could refer to: 
Roman elites chasing luxury. 
Legalists obsessed with religious rules but lacking compassion. 
Complacent Christians who refuse to speak out for fear of 
discomfort. 
B. "Their Minds Are Set on Earthly Things" - Prioritizing Empire Over the Kingdom 
The Roman world valued power, wealth, and dominance-and Paul warns against getting caught up in that way of thinking. 
But Jesus chose the cross over power, truth over comfort, love over control. 
Paul reminds us: “Our citizenship is in heaven. 
That means we don't live by the empire's values-we live by God's kingdom values. 
C. The Call to Be Peacemakers, Not Peacekeepers 
Peacekeepers avoid conflict. 
Peacemakers step into it with truth, courage, and love. 
The question is: Are we keeping peace in a way that protects power, or making peace in the way of Christ through truth and sacrifice? 
 
(What Does It Mean to Be Peacemakers Today?)
A. Peacekeepers vs. Peacemakers 
Peacekeepers say, "Don't stir up trouble. Just accept the way things are. 
Peacemakers say, "This is not right. God's peace demands justice." 
B. Examples of Peacemakers in Action 
The Civil Rights Movement - Those who marched across the Edmund Pettus Bridge weren't keeping peace; they were making it. 
Oscar Romero in El Salvador - A bishop who spoke against government oppression, even though it cost him his life. 
Everyday Peacemakers - Teachers advocating for their students, pastors speaking truth to their congregations, community members standing up for the vulnerable. 
 
(Jesus the Peacemaker: The Mother Hen Who Confronts Empire)
Jesus does not offer peace through dominance--he offers peace through sacrificial love. 
Like a mother hen, he stands against the fox, not with weapons, but with open arms. 
And ultimately, his way of peace leads him to the cross. 
 
(Call to Action: Where Are We Called to Be Peacemakers?)
Where are we keeping peace when we should be making it? 
In our families? Our churches? Our communities? 
Three Steps to Becoming a Peacemaker: 
1. Speak the truth in love. Don't avoid hard conversations. 
2. Stand with the vulnerable. Where there is injustice, show up. 
3. Refuse to settle for shallow peace. Seek God's shalom-fullness, justice, and healing. 
(Closing Illustration & Benediction)
Jesus enters Jerusalem knowing what awaits him--but he goes 
anyway. 
He is the true Peacemaker, the one who refuses to bow to empire's version of peace. 
Final Charge: 
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." (Matthew 5:9) 
May we be peacemakers in our time, willing to stand for truth, even when it costs us. 
Amen.

Known By Faithfulness
Luke 4:1-13; Deuteronomy 26:1-11
 
A few years ago, I walked into a coffee shop, and before I even ordered my drink, I was bombarded by voices. The music playing overhead, the conversation at the next table, the barista calling out orders. But the loudest voices weren’t even spoken—they were on the screens around me. Ads flashing, headlines scrolling, notifications popping up on my phone.
We live in a world of competing voices. Every day, we are pulled in a thousand directions—some voices tell us to strive for success at any cost, others push us to be afraid, to be angry, to divide ourselves into us-and-them. Some tell us that we are not enough, that we need more—more money, more power, more approval—before we can be truly secure.
But in the middle of all that noise, there is another voice. A quieter one. The voice of God calling us to remain faithful, to trust, to love.
The question before us this Lent is: How will they know God’s love?
How will they know the still small voice of God guiding our lives? How will they know God’s love for them? How will they know we are Christians – not the Christians on TV who spout off more about politics than the good news.
Broadly, John’s gospel answers this question of how will they know… Jesus says in John 13: “A new commandment I give you, love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
And How is that love made known through our lives? By the gifts of the holy spirit. Paul's letter to the Galatians outlines those gifts, which are the signs of our love: self-control, gentleness, patience, kindness, faithfulness, peace, and joy.
So How will they know that we are Christ’s disciples? This week, we answer: They’ll know by our faithfulness.
And Jesus shows us what that faithfulness looks like, during his time being tempted in the wilderness.


(Jesus’ Faithfulness in the Wilderness - Luke 4:1-13)
Luke tells us that after Jesus was baptized, he was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tested. Now, we often imagine this moment as Jesus squaring off against the devil, a kind of cosmic showdown between good and evil. But to understand what’s really happening, we need to look at one key word: Satan.
The word Satan comes from the Hebrew ha-satan, which means “the accuser.” It’s not a personal name, but a role. In ancient Jewish tradition, ha-satan was the one who tested people by accusing them—by raising doubts, by challenging their identity, by questioning their faithfulness.
And that’s exactly what happens to Jesus. Satan, the Accuser, doesn’t just tempt Jesus with bread or power—he accuses him, trying to shake his faithfulness to God.

• “If you are the Son of God, turn these stones into bread.”
  • In other words: Are you sure God will provide for you?
  • Jesus responds: "It is written: ‘One does not live by bread alone.’”
  • Faithfulness means trusting that God’s provision is enough.
• “If you worship me, I will give you all the kingdoms of the world.”
  • In other words: Wouldn’t it be easier to take power on your own terms?
  • Jesus responds: “Worship the Lord your God, and serve only Him.”
  • Faithfulness means refusing to compromise for success.
• “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from the temple.”
  • In other words: Does God really love you? Prove it.
  • Jesus responds: “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”
  • Faithfulness means trusting God’s love without needing constant proof.

Each of these accusations is something we still hear today. “If God really loved you, why are you struggling?” “If you just cut a few corners, you’d be more successful.” “If your faith was strong enough, you wouldn’t have doubts.”
But Jesus shows us another way. He remains faithful—not by overpowering the Accuser, but by standing firm in who God has called him to be. He refuses to let the accusations define him. And because of his faithfulness, the world comes to know God’s love through him.
How will they know God’s love? By our faithfulness—even when the voices around us tell us to give up, to compromise, to doubt.


(Faithfulness is Remembering God's Story -- Deuteronomy 26:1-11)
The Israelites knew something about faithfulness. In Deuteronomy 26, Moses gives them a command: When you enter the Promised Land, bring the first fruits of your harvest and present them to God. But it’s not just about the offering—it’s about the story.
Before placing their gifts before the Lord, they are to recite their history:
“A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number, and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous.”
They tell the story of how their ancestors suffered in Egypt, how they cried out to God, how God delivered them with a mighty hand. Every year, they remember where they came from and who God is.
This is key: Faithfulness isn’t just about resisting evil—it’s about remembering God’s story, participating in it and retelling it through our actions, attitudes, behaviors and motivations.
When we forget what God has done, we are more vulnerable to the voices that accuse us. But when we remember, we stay rooted in faithfulness.
That’s why Jesus resisted the accusations in the wilderness—because he knew God’s story. He knew that God provides, that God is faithful, that he didn’t have to prove his worth.
And that’s why our faithfulness helps others see God’s love. When people see us choosing to trust instead of fear, choosing to serve instead of grasp for power, choosing to love instead of hate—they see a glimpse of God’s faithfulness through us.
How will they know God’s love? By our faithfulness—when we remember who God is and what God has done.


(Competing Voices Today – What Challenges Our Faithfulness?)
We may not be in the wilderness for forty days, but we are still surrounded by voices that challenge our faithfulness:

• Materialism: The world says, "Get more, be more." Faithfulness says, "God is enough."
• Fear & Anxiety: The world says, "Look out for yourself." Faithfulness says, "God provides."
• Division & Hatred: The world says, "Pick a side." Faithfulness says, "Love your neighbor."
• Busyness & Distraction: The world says, "Stay busy." Faithfulness says, "Be still and know."

When we choose faithfulness, even when it’s hard, others begin to see God’s love through us.


How Will They Know??
There’s an old story about a lighthouse keeper who had a limited supply of oil to keep the light burning. One night, a traveler came and asked for oil to keep warm. The keeper gave it to him. Then a villager came, needing oil for a lamp. The keeper gave it to her. Then a farmer needed oil for his lantern. Again, the keeper shared.
But before long, he ran out of oil. The lighthouse went dark. And that night, a ship crashed on the rocks.
When the authorities came to investigate, the keeper explained, “But I was just trying to help people.”
The response: “But how can you truly help people if you don’t keep the light burning?”
 
Faithfulness is about keeping the light burning.
There will always be voices pulling us in different directions. But when we stay faithful—when we keep God’s story alive, when we trust in God’s provision as Jesus trusted, when we resist the complaints that shake our identity—especially the complaints we levy on ourselves – when we resist the accuser, others will see that faithfulness, and seek to follow God’s light beaming from us.
How will they know God’s love? By our faithfulness.
This Lent, may we remain faithful to the One who is always faithful to us.
Amen.
 

As we begin our journey into Lent, we take time to reflect not only on who Jesus is, but on who we are called to be as Jesus-followers. There are countless manifestations of Christian religious expression. Some subtle, some vibrant. Some intrusive or domineering, others invitational and welcoming. Some inclusive, others exclusive. Given the broad expressions of American Christianity, how will they know what "kind" of Christians we are? Maybe even closer to home, how will WE know where our Christian identity measures up? 
In the scriptures, there are two answers. The greatest commandment of Jesus, to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." (Mark 12:30)  And then Jesus expands on this in John's gospel, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). 
That love—along with joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—are the Fruits of the Spirit that the Apostle Paul outlines to the believers in Galatia. These values, or fruits, mark our lives as followers of Christ. But how do these qualities take root in us? How do they shape the way we live, speak, and serve?
This Lent, my sermon series How Will They Know? will explore the Fruits of the Spirit, not just as ideals, but as the lived evidence of our faith. Together, we will reflect on what it means to bear these fruits in a way that makes Christ known in the world.
I invite you to make worship a priority this season. Being present in the community of faith matters—not just for your own spiritual growth, but for the encouragement and strength we offer one another. And perhaps all the more, it can change the way others experience Christian faith; and lead them to Christ. 
So whether you have been here every Sunday, or have been away for a while, or wanting to get connected in a more meaningful way, I want you to truly know that you are always welcome at Hillside - just as you are. 
Let’s walk this Lenten journey together, growing in faith and bearing the fruits of the Spirit so that the world may know the love and grace of God.