2nd Wednesday in Advent (Series A)
Epistle Reading: James 5:7-11
In this sermon from 10 December 2025, Pastor Eric Klemme teaches on Christian patience, using his childhood impatience with model-building as a window into the deeper spiritual lesson that James gave the early church as they waited for Christ’s return. He reflects on the examples of the patient farmer and the steadfastness of Job, showing how the Holy Spirit shapes believers through discipline, sanctification, and the Word, nurturing trust in God’s perfect timing. Pastor Klemme reminds the congregation that God is not slow in keeping His promises but patient for the sake of salvation, and that believers, justified by Christ and sustained through the Spirit, are called to wait faithfully, serve lovingly, and live with readiness for the coming Day of the Lord, whether in one’s own lifetime or at the final culmination of all things.
2nd Sunday in Advent (Series A)
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 11:1-10
Epistle Reading: Romans 15:4-13
Gospel Reading: Matthew 3:1-12
Worship Service
December-7-2025
Pastor Eric Klemme preached on John the Baptist’s call to repentance and the true meaning of baptism as the Lord’s saving work rather than a human decision or symbolic act. Addressing misunderstandings about a “baptism of fire,” he explained from Scripture and context that the fire John mentions refers to judgment for the unrepentant, not a desirable spiritual experience. True Christian baptism, Pastor Klemme emphasized, is water joined to God’s Word, a means of grace that unites believers to Christ’s death and resurrection and quenches the fires of sin and judgment. Through baptism, God alone creates repentance, grants new life, and gathers His people as wheat for His harvest. The sermon urged believers to bear fruit in keeping with repentance, trust the means of grace, and remain watchful for Christ’s return, living as people formed, forgiven, and sustained by God’s mercy.
Family Life Minister Curtis used candy canes to teach the children a simple, memorable Gospel picture: the candy cane’s hook looks like a shepherd’s staff and a “J” for Jesus, the white color represents the righteousness we receive in Christ, the three small red stripes stand for Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and the large red stripe reminds us of Jesus’ blood that purchased our righteousness; he handed out candy canes, invited the kids to notice and name the shapes and colors, encouraged them to tell others this Christian meaning of a popular Christmas treat, and closed with a short prayer asking the Holy Spirit to fill them and give boldness to share the good news.
1st Wednesday in Advent (Series A)
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 11:1-10
Worship Service
December-3-2025
On 03 December 2025, Pastor Eric Klemme preached on the Advent season, reflecting on both the first and second comings of Christ. Drawing from the prophecy of the Messiah as the “root from the stump of Jesse,” he highlighted Jesus’ divine attributes—wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and awe of the Lord—and emphasized that His reign would bring justice, mercy, and peace, unlike human judgment tainted by sin. Pastor Klemme described the restoration of creation in Christ’s kingdom, where harmony replaces violence and death. While believers already have forgiveness and justification through faith, we live in anticipation of Christ’s full return, trusting in His ongoing guidance, protection, and sustaining power until the consummation of His kingdom.
1st Sunday in Advent (Series A)
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 2:1-5
Epistle Reading: Romans 13:8-14
Gospel Reading: Matthew 24:36-44
Worship Service
November-30-2025
Pastor Eric Klemme opens the new church year by turning our attention to Christ’s promised second coming and our call to be watchful, prepared, and rooted in the means of grace. Since no one knows the day or hour of Jesus’ return, Pastor Eric urges believers to “wear Jesus”—to be clothed in His righteousness given in baptism, sustained through Word and Sacrament, and lived out in love, service, and holy conduct. Salvation is God’s gift alone, not the result of human morality, yet those redeemed in Christ are empowered by the Spirit to live as His witnesses in a world filled with distractions and temptations. Staying focused on Jesus, resisting the sin that clings so easily, and walking the narrow way of faith keeps us ready for His return and reveals to the world the One who has saved us and made us His own.
Family Life Minister Curtis teaches the children about the Advent wreath and its meaning. He explains that the church uses blue during Advent because it resembles the night sky before dawn, a picture of waiting for Jesus. Curtis shares the history of the wreath (created in 1839 by a German pastor) and walks through the four candles: Hope (the prophets’ promise of Jesus), Faith (Mary and Joseph trusting God’s plan), Joy (the shepherds rejoicing at Jesus’ birth), and Peace(the peace with God won through Christ’s death and resurrection). The wreath reminds us that as the candles grow brighter, so does our anticipation of Jesus’ coming. He closes with a prayer asking God to help us boldly share the good news.
4th Sunday in Advent (Series C)
22 Dec 2024
3rd Wednesday in Advent (Series C)
18 Dec 2024
3rd Sunday in Advent (Series C)
15 Dec 2024
2nd Wednesday in Advent (Series C)
11 Dec 2024
2nd Sunday in Advent (Series C)
8 Dec 2024
1st Wednesday in Advent (Series C)
4 Dec 2024
1st Sunday in Advent (Series C)
1 Dec 2024
4th Sunday in Advent (Series C)
Old Testament Reading: Micah 5:2-5a
Epistle Reading: Hebrews 10:5-10
Gospel Reading: Luke 1:39-56
Pastor Eric Klemme preached on the Magnificat, Mary’s song of praise, showing how God’s ways are not our ways. Rather than choosing the powerful or wealthy, God chose Mary, a humble young woman, to bear the Savior. Christ, the King of the cosmos, entered the world not in splendor but in humility—born in a manger and destined for the cross. Pastor Klemme emphasized that God’s glory is not found in earthly might but in the weakness of the cross, where Jesus accomplished salvation for all. While the world chases power, wealth, and self-preservation, God lifts up the lowly, fills the hungry, and exalts the meek. Through Word and Sacrament, the Spirit strengthens our faith, teaching us that true glory is revealed in Christ crucified, who brings forgiveness, life, and salvation.
3rd Wednesday in Advent (Series C)
Epistle Reading: Revelation 12:1-6
Pastor Eric Klemme preached from Revelation’s account of the Nativity, showing the Christmas story through a heavenly perspective. He explained the imagery of Mary, the twelve stars, and the great red dragon as symbols of God’s people, Christ’s birth, and Satan’s attempt to destroy the Savior. From Herod’s slaughter of the innocents to the dragon’s rebellion, the devil has tried to usurp Christ’s authority, yet Jesus alone wears the true crown of divinity and has crushed the serpent’s head. Pastor Klemme reminded the church that Revelation is not about fear or speculation but about comfort: Christ has come, Christ reigns, and Christ will come again. Our present mission as the Church is to remain steadfast, proclaim the Gospel, and await with hope the final victory when Satan is cast down forever.
3rd Sunday in Advent (Series C)
Old Testament Reading: Zephaniah 3:14-20
Epistle Reading: Philippians 4:4-7
Gospel Reading: Luke 7:18-28
Pastor Eric Klemme preached on Gaudete Sunday, the Sunday of joy, reminding us that Christian joy is deeper than fleeting happiness. Drawing from Zephaniah, Paul, and the Gospel, he emphasized that God Himself takes away our fear and anxiety, serving us through His Son Jesus Christ. While fear and sin stir panic, division, and despair, the Holy Spirit calms and equips us with peace that surpasses understanding, enabling us to live with a reasonable mind in a chaotic world. True joy flows not from circumstances but from God’s promises: Christ has conquered sin, death, and Satan, and in Him we have victory, hope, and everlasting life.
2nd Wednesday in Advent (Series C)
Gospel Reading: Luke 3:1-14
Pastor Eric Klemme preached on John the Baptist, who from prison sent his disciples to ask Jesus if He was truly the Messiah. Instead of rebuking John’s doubt, Jesus pointed to His miracles—the blind seeing, the lame walking, the lepers cleansed—as signs that He is God’s promised Savior. Pastor Klemme emphasized that even John, the greatest prophet, struggled with fear and weakness, yet God remained faithful. Unlike distant gods of false religions, the true God is Emmanuel—God with us—personally present in our lives through Word, Sacrament, and the Holy Spirit. Salvation is not about what we do for God, but what He does for us in Christ. Jesus reconciles us to the Father, forgives our sins, and equips us for mission, promising to be with us always until the end of the age.
2nd Sunday in Advent (Series C)
Old Testament Reading: Malachi 3:1-7b
Epistle Reading: Philippians 1:2-11
Gospel Reading: Luke 3:1-14 (15-20)
Pastor Eric Klemme preached on Advent as both remembrance and expectation. Advent celebrates God’s faithfulness in sending Christ once to bear our sin and looks forward to His return to judge the living and the dead. Pastor Klemme emphasized that apart from God’s grace, no one can endure His coming, for under the law we stand condemned. Yet in Christ, through His death and resurrection, we have forgiveness and life. Now is the time of grace, when the Church lives in mission, set apart to shine as light in a dark world. Pastor Klemme warned against losing our first love—becoming more concerned with doctrinal minutiae than with loving and serving others—and called for repentance. Through Word and Sacrament, God equips us to remain steadfast, shine with Christ’s light, and live as His disciples until the day of His return.
1st Wednesday in Advent (Series C)
Gospel Reading: Luke 3:1-20
Pastor Eric preached that Advent holds together the “now” and the “not yet” of the Christian life: right now we have full forgiveness and justification through Christ’s death and resurrection, yet we still await the final fulfillment of God’s covenant when Jesus returns in glory. Using John the Baptist’s call to repentance, he emphasized that no one can stand before God by their own righteousness; only Christ—the second Adam—has fulfilled the law on our behalf. Advent therefore calls believers to turn from sin, prepare their hearts, and live out genuine discipleship marked by mercy, generosity, and love. But such love is impossible by our own power—it comes only through the Holy Spirit working in the means of grace: Word, Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper. These gifts equip God’s people for every good work, keep them rooted in Christ the true vine, and strengthen them until the day He comes again to judge the living and the dead. In repentance and faith, Christians cling to Jesus alone and await His second Advent with hope.
1st Sunday in Advent (Series C)
Old Testament Reading: Jeremiah 33:14-16
Epistle Reading: 1Thessalonians 3:9-13
Gospel Reading: Luke 19:28-40
Family Life Minister Curtis preached for the first Sunday in Advent, focusing on the theme of hope. He explained how “Christmas” means giving thanks for God’s Anointed One, Jesus, and why Advent prepares us for both Christ’s first coming at Bethlehem and His promised return. Drawing from Scripture, he emphasized humanity’s brokenness through original sin, our tendency to redefine truth, and our need for a Savior. The prophets foretold this Savior—the righteous King from David’s line—fulfilled in Jesus, who came humbly, hidden in weakness, yet victorious through the cross and empty tomb. Curtis reminded the congregation that Advent is a season to direct our hearts away from worldly distractions and toward the hope we have in Christ, who heals our brokenness, takes away our sin, and clothes us in His righteousness.
4th Sunday in Advent (Series B)
24 Dec 2023
3rd Wednesday in Advent (Series B)
20 Dec 2023
3rd Sunday in Advent (Series B)
17 Dec 2023
2nd Wednesday in Advent (Series B)
13 Dec 2023
2nd Sunday in Advent (Series B)
10 Dec 2023
1st Wednesday in Advent (Series B)
6 Dec 2023
1st Sunday in Advent (Series B)
3 Dec 2023
4th Sunday in Advent (Series B)
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 7:10-14
Epistle Reading: 1John 4:7-16
Gospel Reading: Matthew 1:18-25
In his Christmas Eve morning sermon, Family Life Minister Curtis unpacked the meaning of biblical love by contrasting the flexible English word love with the Greek categories eros, philia, and especially agape—God’s unconditional, sacrificial love revealed in sending His Son. He explained that while human love is often distorted and false, appealing to our sinful desires and cultural idols, God’s agape love stands apart: it rescues sinful people who cannot save themselves, just as God promised deliverance to Judah even amid their rebellion. Curtis traced this promise from Isaiah’s prophecy of the virgin-born Immanuel to its fulfillment in Jesus’ birth, emphasizing that God saves not through human power but through weakness hidden in the manger and revealed in the cross. Because Christ delivered us from sin, death, and the devil through grace alone, believers are freed to love their neighbors with genuine, Christ-shaped agape as we celebrate the advent of our rescue.
3rd Wednesday in Advent (Series B)
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 9:2-7
Epistle Reading: Romans 5:1-5
Gospel Reading: Luke 2:8-18
In this Advent message, Curtis reflects on the meaning behind the Advent wreath, especially the pink candle of Joy, which celebrates the angels’ announcement and the shepherds’ delight at Christ’s birth. He contrasts Advent’s simple dating rule with the complicated formula for Easter, noting that the heart of Easter is the Resurrection—without Easter, there would be no Christmas. The candles of Hope, Faith, Joy, and soon Peace, highlight the unfolding promises of God: the coming Messiah foretold, believed, proclaimed, and now fulfilled. Curtis emphasizes that true peace is not earthly calm but the reconciliation God gives through Christ, who removes our enmity and brings us into grace. Like the shepherds, believers today rejoice in the Savior’s arrival and share the good news freely, reflecting God’s goodwill to a world in need of His peace.
3rd Sunday in Advent (Series B)
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
Epistle Reading: 1Thessalonians 5: 16-24
Gospel Reading: John 1:6-8, 19-28
On this Third Sunday in Advent—Joy Sunday—Rev. DeVore explained how Advent holds both repentance and joy together: we repent to prepare for Christ’s glorious return, yet we rejoice because His coming brings salvation and eternal life. Drawing from 1 Thessalonians and Ephesians 5:16, he taught that Christian joy is not forced cheerfulness but a steady confidence in God’s promises—a joy that coexists with sorrow, struggle, and even depression. Believers repent of joylessness not to earn anything, but because Christ’s return fills them with hope. Rev. DeVore emphasized that Jesus’ victory over death secures our future resurrection, comforts us in grief, and strengthens us against anger, fear, and the anxieties stirred by the world. True joy grows as we dwell in God’s Word, pray, and meditate on Christ’s promises—sometimes giving way to deep, Spirit-given joy like Luther experienced. As Advent points us toward Christ’s final coming, Christians abound in hope, joy, and peace through the Holy Spirit.
2nd Wednesday in Advent (Series B)
Old Testament Reading: Micah 5:2-5
Epistle Reading: Galatians 1:6-10
Gospel Reading: Luke 2:1-7
Family Life Minister Curtis teaches that the Advent wreath and its symbols point us toward Christ, whose coming was long promised by the prophets and ultimately fulfilled in the birth of Jesus. He traces the history of Advent traditions, their Lutheran roots, and the meaning of the wreath’s evergreens, holly, circular shape, and growing light. This week’s candle—Faith—highlights how Mary, Joseph, and even the Magi acted by faith as God guided them through danger, political turmoil, and uncertainty. The sermon follows the prophecy of Micah, the violence of Herod’s reign, and Joseph’s faithful obedience in protecting the Holy Family. Just as Mary and Joseph lived by faith, we too are called to let our God-given faith shape our choices, looking to Christ—the Light of the World and the founder and perfecter of our faith.
2nd Sunday in Advent (Series B)
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 40:1-11
Epistle Reading: 2 Peter 3:8-14
Gospel Reading: Mark 1:1-8
Rev. Eric Johnson preaches on the two Advents of Christ: His first coming in humility for our salvation, and His second coming in glory for judgment. Drawing from 2 Peter, he stresses that this present world will ultimately be destroyed, and all people will stand before God. Hell, he explains, is not God casting people away but God allowing lifelong rejection of Him to reach its natural end—eternity apart from His grace. Yet God does not desire anyone to perish; instead, He pursues all people with the Gospel. Christ suffered separation from the Father on the cross, taking the full wrath our sins deserve, leaving those sins in hell when He rose victorious. The Church—God’s gathered people—is His gift to the world, overflowing with the Gospel so it may reach the lost, including those in our own families. Our calling is not to judge the unbelieving world but to compassionately share the saving message: “Believe and be baptized, and you will be saved.”
1st Wednesday in Advent (Series B)
Old Testament Reading: Genesis 3:15
Epistle Reading: Galatians 4:1-6
Gospel Reading: Luke 1:26-38
Family Life Minister Curtis teaches that Advent means “coming” or “arrival,” a season in which the Church retells God’s salvation story by remembering Christ’s first coming and anticipating His second. He explains the symbolism of the Advent colors and candles, especially the first candle—hope—which points to the prophets who foretold a Savior beginning with the proto-evangelium of Genesis 3:15. Curtis walks through the major Old Testament promises—Noah, Abraham, Moses, David—and shows that Christ is their fulfillment: He is the promised Savior, the world’s blessing, the eternal King, and our hope. Just as believers before Christ were saved by faith in what was promised, we are saved by faith in what has now come. The hope we have in Christ is not merely escape from the world but the promise of being loved, valued, renewed, and given life in Him. The first Advent candle is lit to celebrate this hope as we look toward Christ’s return.
1st Sunday in Advent (Series B)
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 64:1-9
Epistle Reading: 1Corinthians 1:3-9
Gospel Reading: Mark 11:1-10
Rev Steve Simon opened the new church year by reminding the congregation that Advent is a season of preparation—preparing not only for Christmas but also for Christ’s return. Using the Palm Sunday Gospel, he showed that Advent and Jesus’ triumphal entry tell the same story: God keeps His promise to send the Messiah who restores His people. Rev Simon emphasized that Jesus is a different kind of King—fully God and fully man in an “inexplicable union,” the only One able to save by being both perfect and truly human. He highlighted Jesus’ humility as the servant King who rides a donkey, gives His life as a ransom for many, and leads with gentleness and compassion. As the righteous King, Jesus fulfills Isaiah’s prophecy and embodies God’s long-suffering, merciful hesed. His kingdom is not earthly but heavenly, secured through the cross and the empty tomb. Rev Simon closed by calling the Church to echo the crowds: “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” as we watch and prepare during Advent.
3rd Wednesday in Advent (Series A)
Scripture Reading: Luke 2:8-20
Pastor Ray reflected on the angelic announcement to the shepherds, contrasting their breathtaking encounter with the glory of God against ordinary human expectations. While Jesus was born quietly and almost anonymously, God chose the most unlikely people—shepherds, considered unclean and socially insignificant—to receive the first proclamation of the Savior’s birth. The angels declared that this child is “a Savior, Christ the Lord,” the One sent not to improve society but to rescue sinners. Pastor Ray emphasized that God delights in lifting up those the world overlooks, just as He did with Zechariah and Elizabeth, Mary, Joseph, and now the shepherds. Their response is our pattern: they heard God’s Word, acted on it in faith, hurried to find the Christ Child, and then proclaimed what they had seen. Their visit strengthened Mary and Joseph and confirmed God’s promises. Pastor Ray encouraged the congregation to be “wise men and women” this Christmas—seeking Jesus, drawing near to Him, and joining the shepherds in praising God for the Savior born for all people.
4th Sunday in Advent (Series A)
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 7:10-17
Epistle Reading: Romans 1:1-7
Gospel Reading: Matthew 1:18-25
Pastor Ray contrasted Adam’s failure in Eden with Joseph’s faithfulness in the nativity story, showing how God’s plan of salvation unfolds through obedience, grace, and divine intervention. Adam stood silently by as Eve was deceived, bringing sin into the world; Joseph, facing a confusing and painful situation with Mary, chose compassion and righteousness. When the angel assured him that Mary’s child was conceived by the Holy Spirit, Joseph trusted God’s word and embraced his role in God’s salvation plan. Pastor Ray emphasized that Jesus—conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, and named by God Himself—is Emmanuel, “God with us,” the promised Savior who fulfills ancient prophecy. Just as Joseph prepared room in his life for Christ, believers are called to prepare room in their hearts this Christmas, welcoming the One who truly came, truly lived, and truly saves.
3rd Wednesday in Advent (Series A)
Gospel Reading: Matthew 1:18-25
Pastor Ray focused on Joseph’s experience in the Christmas story, reminding us that unlike Mary or Zechariah, Joseph had no angelic message at first—only the shock of hearing that his fiancée was pregnant. In his confusion and hurt, Joseph wrestled with what seemed like betrayal, weighing options that carried shame and consequence in his culture. Yet even in his pain, he acted with grace, seeking to protect Mary. God then sent an angel in a dream to reveal the truth: the child was conceived by the Holy Spirit, the promised Messiah who would be named Jesus because He would save His people from their sins. Joseph believed, obeyed, and embraced his role in God’s plan. Pastor Ray encouraged the congregation to slow down during Advent, to imagine Joseph’s faith and uncertainty, and to consider both Jesus’ humble first coming and His glorious return. The same Savior given to Joseph and Mary is given to us—Emmanuel, God with us—who forgives sins and fulfills God’s promises.
3rd Sunday in Advent (Series A)
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 35:1-10
Epistle Reading: James 5:7-11
Gospel Reading: Matthew 11:2-15
Pastor Ray explored how even the great figures of Scripture—Moses, Sarah, David, Peter, and even John the Baptist—struggled with doubt when what they saw didn’t match what they expected from God. John, despite knowing Jesus’ identity and witnessing His baptism, wrestled with confusion from prison when Jesus’ ministry didn’t align with the fiery judgment he anticipated. Pastor Ray connected John’s doubts to our own moments of fear, grief, unanswered prayers, and tragedies, reminding us that our wavering comes not from what we see but from what we forget: that God works in unexpected ways, His plan is still unfolding, and His promises never fail. Using an object lesson with his nervous puppy Lily—who dislikes car rides because she can’t see the good destination ahead—he illustrated how God often leads us through things we don’t like in order to bring us where we need to be. Jesus reassures us just as He reassured John: look not at the storm but at the Savior whose death and resurrection we now see clearly. Because Jesus is risen, His word stands true—He will never leave us or forsake us, and His eternal promises outweigh every temporary trouble.
2nd Wednesday in Advent (Series A)
Gospel Reading: Luke 1:26-38
Pastor Ray recounts a childhood encounter that convinced him angels are real, then turns to Luke 1 to show that the true wonder isn’t angels at all but the announcement of Jesus’ birth. The angel Gabriel brings Mary a message rooted in real history: though young, humble, and powerless, she is chosen by God purely through grace to bear the promised Messiah. Mary responds not with doubt but with faithful submission—“may it be according to your word.” Pastor Ray highlights the miracle of the virgin birth, the fulfillment of prophecy, and the greatness of the Son she’ll bear, whose eternal kingdom will never end. As Mary trusted God’s plan and became available for His purpose, we too are called to humble obedience, remembering that nothing is impossible with God. The sermon concludes by pointing us to Emmanuel—God with us—and urging believers to welcome Christ’s presence in daily life through the Word, Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper.
2nd Sunday in Advent (Series A)
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 11:1-10
Epistle Reading: Romans 15:4-13
Gospel Reading: Matthew 3:1-12
On 04 December 2022, Pastor Ray preached on the theme of hope, emphasizing that true hope is rooted in God and the promise of eternal life through Jesus Christ. Using stories, Scripture, and vivid illustrations, he defined hope as “a vision for better days that changes the present,” showing how hope shapes our actions, attitudes, and perspective even in difficult circumstances. Drawing from Romans and the Old Testament, he reminded listeners that hope comes from God’s promises, fulfilled in Christ, and sustained by the Holy Spirit. While the world offers fleeting hope, the believer’s hope is eternal, anchored in Christ’s death, resurrection, and return, giving assurance, courage, and purpose in the present life.
1st Wednesday in Advent (Series A)
Gospel Reading: Luke 1:5-25
Pastor Ray used It’s a Wonderful Life as a doorway into the theme of hopelessness and divine intervention, comparing George Bailey’s despair with the struggles many people face during the Christmas season. He then turned to the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth in Luke 1, showing how God sends His messengers — angels — at just the right time. Ray highlighted Gabriel’s announcement, Zechariah’s doubt, and the contrast with Mary’s trusting response. Through the story, he emphasized that God specializes in entering “impossible” situations, turning hopelessness into hope, dead into life, and fear into trust. Just as God heard George Bailey’s fictional cry and truly heard Zechariah’s prayer, God hears ours and remains with us always through Jesus Christ, Emmanuel.
1st Sunday in Advent (Series A)
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 2:1-5
Epistle Reading: Romans 13:8-14
Gospel Reading: Matthew 24:36-44
Pastor Ray addressed the fascination with end-times predictions, referencing cult movements, apocalyptic mailings, and modern claims that “the end is near.” He contrasted these sensational approaches with Scripture’s teaching in Matthew 24, reminding believers that although signs of the times have always been present, the exact hour of Christ’s return is unknown. Jesus calls His people not to fear, but to be steady, faithful, and ready — living in love, watchfulness, and hope. Just as Noah prepared while the world carried on obliviously, Christians prepare for Christ’s return by nurturing faith, loving their neighbors, and living with the joyful awareness that the same Savior born at Christmas will come again. Pastor Ray encouraged the congregation not to chase predictions, but to live faithfully, like those who “light candles” and carry on their calling, confident in Christ’s promise and eager for His second advent.