Beyond the Weekend: Parables
The stories Jesus told and what they mean for your life today.
Why did Jesus teach in stories? Because the deepest truths about God are often found in the ordinary moments of life.
In the parables, Jesus takes everyday things, a lost sheep, a dinner party, a farmer planting seeds and uses them to show us what God is really like and what it means to follow him.
This summer, we’re spending seven weeks in the parables from Luke’s gospel. Whether you’ve heard these stories a hundred times or this is your first time, you’re invited to come and hear them fresh.
June 27/28–August 8/9
Worshiping God’s Holiness
Read: Psalm 96| Listen: Psalm 96
This year in Beyond the Weekend, journey through different biblical models of prayer—one each month. July’s focus is Worship.
Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth. Psalm 96:9
Psalm 96 portrays all of creation awake to God’s majesty, acknowledging him as their King. The earth sings. The heavens rejoice. The seas and trees resound with joy. All people are compelled to respond to the Lord’s holiness. While Israel's neighbors worship gods made of carved stone and hammered silver, who cannot act or speak, Israel’s God speaks, creates, and reigns. The psalmist calls everyone—every nation and creature—to drop the lesser things and declare his glory, worshiping his holiness. The Lord is the only one worthy and able to judge rightly. His presence and his intent to right all wrongs elicit the joyful abandon of his creation. Nothing and no one holds back worship.
We experience sin’s effects everywhere, from creation’s decay to our hearts’ corruption. We know that the world isn’t supposed to be this way, yet we are powerless to fix it. We need a King both powerful and wise enough to be trusted with the knowledge of good and evil. Judgment of right and wrong is a responsibility only God is worthy of. We know this because “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8b). He was the only one willing and able to enter our chaos, absorb our sin, and set us free from its power. Our rightful response is one of worshiping him for his holiness, knowing he will one day renew all things.
TODAY: Pray through Psalm 96, making its words your own. Worship God for his holiness, declare his glory over the areas of your life where sin has done its damage, and ask him to renew your wonder at a King worthy of all praise.
