Grace Chicago Church Grace Chicago Church

This Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week. Per our tradition, our children will process with palms early in the service. Please find Kelsey, Director of Grace Kids when you arrive. You are welcome to walk with your little one if that is the encouragement they need!On Palm Sunday we celebrate Jesus’s entry to Jerusalem at the beginning of Passover. The crowds give him a royal welcome and they are right to do so. He has come to Jerusalem as the rightful heir to David’s throne and he will soon be recognized by all as the Messiah. But how Jesus becomes king will defy human wisdom and religious expectation. He is a king like no other, holding power for the sake of others, for our salvation and for the life of the world.

It is often noted that Transfiguration Sunday, which we celebrated two weeks ago, marks the transition from the Season of Epiphany to the Season of Lent. Culminating with the transfiguration, the Season of Epiphany has revealed the glory and power of Jesus. Lent, culminating with events that lead us to Good Friday, reveals that with Jesus, power and glory are there for our sake and for our salvation. In Jesus, power and glory are not like they are in the world; they come in the shape of the cross. We hope you can join us this Sunday, The Fifth Sunday in Lent. This Sunday we are addressed by the provocative and mysterious words of Jesus where he says: “when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself”. We look forward to thinking together what Jesus meant when he said this and its overall meaning in the life of the church, then and today. 

The Third Sunday in Lent. This Sunday our Scripture readings prompt us to remember that human wisdom does not enable us to grasp how God is at work in the world. For that, we need God’s wisdom revealed in the person of Jesus. We will explore what that means for us in the nitty gritty of daily life. 
It is often noted that Transfiguration Sunday, which we celebrated two weeks ago, marks the transition from the Season of Epiphany to the Season of Lent. Culminating with the transfiguration, the Season of Epiphany has revealed the glory and power of Jesus. Lent, culminating with events that lead us to Good Friday, reveals that with Jesus, power and glory are there for our sake and for our salvation. In Jesus, power and glory are not like they are in the world; they come in the shape of the cross. 

The First Sunday of Epiphany
January 6th, marks the Feast of the Epiphany on the Christian calendar. We will celebrate Epiphany this Sunday during the worship service. Year after year, for centuries, the church has celebrated on Epiphany the revelation that Jesus’ redemptive love is for all people, the whole world. This marvelous truth is manifested in the visit of the mysterious Gentile pilgrims, the Magi, who travel from a distant country so that they may pay Jesus homage.

Homily Preview:
This Sunday we join churches all over the world in celebrating the Reign of Christ, sometimes referred to as Christ the King Sunday. Click here for a brief overview of how this Sunday fits into the church year. One theme that is common to this special Sunday is the sovereignty of Christ and its implications. We will take that theme up on Sunday and highlight the way in which God's judgment is always ordered towards redemption. We hope to see you on Sunday!

The homily this Sunday, is based on a reading from the Gospel of Mark. The context is the same context we have been working with the last few Sundays. Jesus is in Jerusalem during Passover. He will soon be delivered up to Pilate in a collusion between the corrupt religious leadership and the Roman authorities. Jesus is taking these last few days before the crucifixion to teach the disciples in a very focused way about the Kingdom of God - what it is and what it isn't. One thing that seems to be on Jesus' mind a lot is the importance of paying attention to how God's love is at work in the world and the importance of being aligned to what God is doing. If we heed what Jesus is saying we will live in ways that are uniquely in line with God's kingdom and in important ways not in line with the kingdoms of this world.