In Matthew 13 Jesus gives a sermon using parables, short stories with a moral to them. In verses 10-17, we see Jesus quote a passage from the book of Isaiah which effectively communicates to the audience that his use of parables is the most impactful way to help his audience hear and see the mysteries of the Kingdom. In this message, Noel goes on to share his own story and invites the listener into the story God is writing over their own lives and over the life of Exeter Valley Church.
In Matthew 12:38-50 Jesus responds to the Pharisee’s request for a sign proving his divinity. In detailing his response, Matthew points us to what Jesus calls The Sign of Jonah, a parable about a haunted house, and a short interaction between Jesus and some family members. In these 3 stories, we see a common theme: Jesus is God’s Sign. In his life, death, and resurrection we have all the proof we need. The key is our response. Will we make Jesus our Lord? By Noel Piepgrass
In Matthew 19:7-12 Jesus is tested by the Pharisees on his belief about divorce. By Noel Piepgrass
In Matthew 9:1-8 a paralyzed man is brought by his friends to Jesus. Jesus forgives the man’s sins thus angering the religious leaders nearby. Not only does Jesus engage them in this controversy, he heals the man’s paralysis and sends him on his way.
IIn this scene from the Garden of Gethsemene, the gospels depict Jesus’s overwhelming sorrow as he faces the reality of his impending death.
Michael Seaward shows us why this agony was so intense and what we can learn from the prayer it led Jesus to pray.
On Christmas Eve 2024, Noel shows us how Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world and our reason to worship!
In Matthew 14:22-33 Jesus shows up walking across the sea in the middle of a storm. In faith, Peter steps out of the boat to come to him but is quickly scared of the wind and waves and begins to sink. In this moment of desperation he reaches out to Jesus to be saved and Jesus gives him his hand. Noel Piepgrass shares that the moral of the story is not merely the power of God over the storm, but the way he uses the storm to invoke our worship.