Para Vista Lutheran Church

Life constantly requires choices. Some of these are insignificant, while others are important and may actually shape our future.
God understands human beings, he understands us, and so in critical moments he encourages us to CHOOSE LIFE.
And as we go through our Christian lives God reminds us that we are his people and that he will always look after us.
And he constantly challenges us to follow him and to always Choose Life.

Pastor Paul Fielke

Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 30:15-20 (NLT)

Life constantly requires choices. Some of these are insignificant, while others are important and may actually shape our future.
God understands human beings, he understands us, and so in critical moments he encourages us to CHOOSE LIFE.
And as we go through our Christian lives God reminds us that we are his people and that he will always look after us.
And he constantly challenges us to follow him and to always Choose Life.

Pastor Paul Fielke

Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 30:15-20 (NLT)

Just as Jesus resisted the devil’s temptations by relying on God's Word, we are called to stand firm by grounding ourselves in Scripture. We should trust Him to provide for our needs. Ultimately, today’s Bible reading encourages us to rely on God, stay connected to His Word, and resist the temptations that seek to draw us away from Him.

Pastor David Christian

Bible Reading: Luke 4:1-13 (NLT)

Just as Jesus resisted the devil’s temptations by relying on God's Word, we are called to stand firm by grounding ourselves in Scripture. We should trust Him to provide for our needs. Ultimately, today’s Bible reading encourages us to rely on God, stay connected to His Word, and resist the temptations that seek to draw us away from Him.

Pastor David Christian

Bible Reading: Luke 4:1-13 (NLT)

After His transfiguration, Jesus knew that His return to heaven was near. It was entirely human for Him to express frustration with those who failed to listen and follow Him, including His closest followers. Jesus had a message for a church in Revelation 3:1-2. "I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.” God wants our faith to be alive, growing and thriving, not dormant or shrinking!

Chris McAleer

Bible Reading: Luke 9:28-43a (NLT)

After His transfiguration, Jesus knew that His return to heaven was near. It was entirely human for Him to express frustration with those who failed to listen and follow Him, including His closest followers. Jesus had a message for a church in Revelation 3:1-2. "I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.” God wants our faith to be alive, growing and thriving, not dormant or shrinking!

Chris McAleer

Bible Reading: Luke 9:28-43a (NLT)

A video message by Pastor Noel Kluge.

“The parable of the Sower” in Mark 4 is one of Jesus’ most well-known parables. The parable and explanation are so well known that we can be tempted to pass over it with very little thought.  Interestingly, Jesus warns us to do the exact opposite.  “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” (4:9) “Consider carefully what you hear.” (4:24)

This week we will take a fresh look at this parable and consider carefully what Jesus is saying here.  What did this parable mean for those who heard it for the first time?  Why did Jesus only explain the parable to the disciples and a few around him and not the whole crowd?  What did Jesus mean when he quoted Isaiah 6 saying, “they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding”?  Who are the outsiders?  Who are the insiders?  What does this parable mean for us  today? 

All these questions and more will be tackled as we dig into this well-known parable.

A message by Pastor Noel Kluge.

“The parable of the Sower” in Mark 4 is one of Jesus’ most well-known parables. The parable and explanation are so well known that we can be tempted to pass over it with very little thought.  Interestingly, Jesus warns us to do the exact opposite.  “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” (4:9) “Consider carefully what you hear.” (4:24)

This week we will take a fresh look at this parable and consider carefully what Jesus is saying here.  What did this parable mean for those who heard it for the first time?  Why did Jesus only explain the parable to the disciples and a few around him and not the whole crowd?  What did Jesus mean when he quoted Isaiah 6 saying, “they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding”?  Who are the outsiders?  Who are the insiders?  What does this parable mean for us  today? 

All these questions and more will be tackled as we dig into this well-known parable.

Luke has Jesus delivering a message about “principles of eternity,” which are not beyond the capacity of human beings to put into practice—practical principles—not just ideals—when Jesus speaks like this, He can be dismissed as a mere spiritual guru. Yet, Jesus is more than a spiritual guru—for He did not withdraw from the world, except to go on “retreat” occasionally—but He entered into this world and embraced human life in all aspects of it—and speaking from His own experience, He spoke from a vision of eternity and a vision of reality.
Having the perspective and the experience of both worlds, we can trust Jesus’ vision and version of reality a whole lot more than we trust our own or anybody else’s version of reality.
Jesus has given us the story of life—a story of opposites—a story of eternity principles—a story of freedom.

Pastor Wayne Kerber

Bible Reading: Luke 6:17-26 (NLT)

Luke has Jesus delivering a message about “principles of eternity,” which are not beyond the capacity of human beings to put into practice—practical principles—not just ideals—when Jesus speaks like this, He can be dismissed as a mere spiritual guru. Yet, Jesus is more than a spiritual guru—for He did not withdraw from the world, except to go on “retreat” occasionally—but He entered into this world and embraced human life in all aspects of it—and speaking from His own experience, He spoke from a vision of eternity and a vision of reality.
Having the perspective and the experience of both worlds, we can trust Jesus’ vision and version of reality a whole lot more than we trust our own or anybody else’s version of reality.
Jesus has given us the story of life—a story of opposites—a story of eternity principles—a story of freedom.

Pastor Wayne Kerber

Bible Reading: Luke 6:17-26 (NLT)