This week I'm preaching on the account in Matthew 26 (all four Gospels record it) where Judas leads the armed posse to arrest Jesus and betrays Him with a kiss, only to provoke Peter into lashing out with his sword in defense of His Lord. One disciple with evil intent gives what is usually a kind gesture, and the other disciple with good motives resorts to brutal violence. At this point in Jesus' life, we shouldn't be surprised that things are getting turned upside down, not when the crowd that hailed him as a conquering king is quickly turning against Him, and the leaders who were supposed to love God were trying to kill Him. Come marvel at Jesus' response and His role in the middle of all the action.

August and September are traditionally strong months for new visitors joining us for Sunday morning worship. We had several young couples and some families visit us this past week and I am anticipating many more in the weeks to come. Did you know that (according to a Thom Rainer book and study) 90% of visitors said that friendliness or facilities was a major factor in their decision to return to the church? If you've ever visited a church where nobody greeted you (as I did last fall), you know that it makes you feel rejected and unwelcome. Let's remember to shower warm greetings on our guests, as this church is usually great at doing! -Dave