Calvary Chapel Cottage Grove
December 21, 2025

      • Micah 5:2–5NKJV

      • Isaiah 7:14NKJV

      • Isaiah 9:6–7NKJV

  • 12 days of christmas
  • 2025 Kid's Christmas Songs
  • Let Us Praise His Name
  • Hark The Herald Angels Sing
  • Angels We Have Heard On High

  • Luke 8:1-18

    Had Jury duty this week. Oh my, I’m sure you’ve been there!
    Lots of sitting, filling out forms, waiting, standing in line then finally after two hours I was summoned for a case making up six groups of. Of course I was in group 5 and 3rd to last in a group of 30!
    That meant being there all day “just in case” they needed me. Both lawyers would present the case and then question each of the 12 jurors how they would judge this case on a scale from 1 to 10, because the law states everybody has to agree by conscience at “one” or which is innocent till proven guilty, they had to hold totally unbiased opinions. If they didn’t pass the requirements of the lawyers they were struck and replaced by somebody in the next group. As I watched for over eight hours, I thought “surely, there has to be a better way to do this”. By 5pm we were released. It felt as if I was getting out of jail. Then I had to walk two blocks to my car in the dark as it rained but I was singing in the rain!! Probably my final summons!
    In the next few weeks we will be celebrating the birth of our savior in our Family Christmas service.
    Then take a couple of weeks to study the millennium - Did you know it is the most covered subject in the bible but the least talked about? So I will take time to consider this final era before the new heavens and new earth on Dec 28 and Jan 4.
    In February we will be focused on our mission bases.
    Carl from Zechariah's Hope
    Jason Sanchez will be visiting from Mexico to update us on the school,
    and other new guests - Josh Lawrence from Maine so stay tuned.
    Grab your bibles and turn to Luke - put a thumb in Matthew 13 and Mark 4 for some comparisons later.
    We come to Luke 8 as Luke continues to testify of Yeshua’s ministry.
    Luke 8:1–3 LSB
    1-3 And it happened that soon afterward He was going around from one city and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with Him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna the wife of Kooza, Herod’s manager, and Susanna, and many others who were ministering to them from their possessions.
    Luke shares that when Yeshua ministered the Gospel it was a collaborative effort of both men and women together, each contributing in different ways.
    And isn’t that the way it should be?
    After studying this part I thought it would be nice to save for Mother’s Day 2026 because there’s some neat things to honor the ministry of women in the church. It may surprise all of us.
    Now, if you’ve read the bible this parable of the sower should be very familiar. Many of us have heard many studies on it but we will look at it again with fresh eyes as Peter said in 2Pet 1
    2 Peter 1:12 LSB
    Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been strengthened in the truth which is present with you.
    So even though we “know” this parable, we can be reminded of its potency. While Yeshua taught many parables, most scholars agree that this was the first full parable he taught.
    The Greek the word is “parla-bo-lay” which means “comparison” or “illustration.”
    Why do these parables still work so effectively?
    1] Memorable: There is vivid imagery and scenes everyone can relate to. Farming, making bread, investing money, landlords, owners of property, working in vineyards, shepherding sheep etc...these are all relatable to this day.
    2] Layers of meaning: A surface-level parable is a story with deeper hidden truths, and those who study them experience rewarding thoughts. As a matter of fact, will state parables as mysteries like a secret code for believers. Yet to unbelievers, they are unsolvable riddles they can’t solve.
    3] Hidden Gems: Anyone can grasp or understand a story, but those who keep digging into its meaning will gain a richer understanding because the word is alive!!
    Most rabbis taught this way but they were classified as illustrations or analogies, not full parables. This explains why Jesus was so surprised that Nicodemus in John 3 didn’t understand Jesus when He shared metaphors about being born of the Spirit. Besides, one of the attributes of the foretold Messiah was that He would teach in parables.
    Isaiah 6:9–10 LSB
    He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not know.’ “Render the hearts of this people insensitive, Their ears dull, And their eyes dim, Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their hearts, And return and be healed.
    So the parable of the sower is about a farmer who plants his seed in four different kinds of ground. We all know that when seeds are planted, some may spill over into weeded, rocky or path areas. But only 25% make it to total fruition.
    Verses 4-8
    Luke 8:4 LSB
    4 Now when a large crowd was coming together, and those from the various cities were journeying to Him, He spoke by way of a parable:
    Verse 5
    Luke 8:5–8 LSB
    “The sower went out to sow his seed. [Farmer went out to plant seed] And as he sowed, some fell beside the road, and it was trampled under foot and the birds of the air ate it up. “And other seed fell on rock and as soon as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture.
    Luke 8:5–8 LSB
    “And other seed fell among the thorns, and when the thorns grew up with it, they choked it out. “And other seed fell into the good soil; and growing up, it produced a crop one hundred times as great.” As He said these things, He would call out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
    “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Yeshua says this statement about six times in the gospels and seven times in Revelation 2-3 and when He says this it means “Pay attention; there’s a deeper truth here.”
    Luke 8:9 LSB
    And His disciples began questioning Him as to what this parable meant.
    The boys were scratching their heads and like good students asked what it meant! Matthew 13 and Mark 4 versions are pretty close to this but they add more detail.
    But first is Luke 8
    Luke 8:10–11 LSB
    And He said, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand. “Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God.
    So ask and you shall receive! Matthew explains the purpose of parables before He identified the seed. Turn to Matthew 13:11 or watch on the screen. Here, it states that the disciples asked Him why was he teaching in parables.
    Matthew 13:11–12 LSB
    And Jesus answered and said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. “For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.
    Has what? Understands these hidden truths within the parables. But those who don’t believe will not understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.
    The word mysteries means “a previously hidden truth now revealed.”
    Now the Kingdom of God and kingdom of heaven are interchangeable but they carry slightly different vantage points.
    The Kingdom of God highlights God’s sovereign rule over all creation, while Kingdom of Heaven reflects a Jewish reverence by avoiding the direct use of God’s name. Matthew was written to a Jewish audience.
    Matthew 13:11–17 LSB
    13 “Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
    The one who rejects the word or seed may see and hear the story but miss the point. Why?
    2 Corinthians 4:3–4 LSB
    And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
    And God knew they would reject His Son 400 years earlier as He foretold in Isaiah 6:9-10
    Matthew 13:14-15
    Matthew 13:11–17 LSB
    “And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, ‘You will keep on hearing, but will not understand; You will keep on seeing, but will not perceive; For the heart of this people has become dull, And with their ears they scarcely hear, And they have closed their eyes, Lest they would see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, And understand with their heart and return, And I would heal them.’
    God sovereignly foretold Israel that most of them would not understand their Messiah’s message. They were steeped in tradition and needed to be born-again! But then Yeshua assured those who want to follow Him...
    verse 16
    Matthew 13:11–17 LSB
    16 “But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. 17 “For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. And when He was alone, His followers, along with the twelve, began asking Him about the parables.
    Yeshua was saying, don’t take this moment for granted guys. You are witnessing the fulfillment of all the prophets who were told by God to write this down. And Peter wrote later on 2 Pet 1:20-21
    2 Peter 1:20–21 LSB
    Know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes by one’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever made by the will of man, but men being moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
    I think we should never take these moments. We have on earth for granted because we are the most prosperous people ever on the face of the earth but isn’t it funny how so many are still unhappy – there’s a lesson there! Mark 4 states a shorter version of the same message but adds this: Verse 13
    Mark 4:10–13 LSB
    13 And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How will you understand all the parables?
    NIV says “How then you will you understand any parable”?
    AMP: How then is it possible for you to discern and understand all the parables?
    God’s word trans: How, then, will you understand any of the stories I use as illustrations?
    This is a very important key to understanding the rest of the parables. So if we want to find nuggets of truth in other parables, we have to understand this one! So back to Luke 8
    Luke 8:11 LSB
    11 “Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God.
    As most of us know, seeds remain inactive until the conditions are right!
    Seeds need to be buried in proper soil, so too, the word of God needs to be received into proper hearts -
    As it takes time for seeds to germinate, it takes time for our spiritual hearts to grow.
    As a seeds need water, we need the Spirit, as seeds need proper temperature, light and oxygen. God offers us a proper environment full of His light and breath of life.
    That’s a healthy church assembly following the Holy Spirit!
    Jesus gives us the picture of four hearts His word fall onto Note all these hearts hear the word and respond to it differently
    If the word of God is pictured as a mere seed - then the sower or farmer is God who sent His Son to the earth - John stated “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”. So the seed is Jesus and His message is meant to produce fruit. So let’s begin to hear the explanation.
    Luke 8:12 LSB
    “And those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they will not believe and be saved.
    Matthew 13 - “When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart.
    Mark 4 says when they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word which has been sown in them. So the first heart.
    1] THE DENSE HEART
    This seed lays on an open path due to spill over when it was scattered. So from the very beginning, it didn’t have the right conditions and gets trampled on and the birds come to eat the seeds. This tells us that the dense or hard heart may hear the message of the gospel but because their heart is impenetrable, they trample it underfoot. There is a warning about that.
    Hebrews 10:29 LSB
    How much worse punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has regarded as defiled the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?
    You see, the gospel was heard offering forgiveness and sanctification but because of a dense or hardened heart they chose to trample the word of God under foot and insult the Spirit of grace. This is plainly an unbeliever.
    1] THE DENSE HEART
    2] THE TROUBLED HEART -
    Luke 8:13 LSB
    “And those on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy, and these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away.
    Matthew 13 - explains “the seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; but when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away.
    Mark 4 - and they have no root in themselves, but are only temporary; then, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away.
    The next heart can certainly apply to believers who hear the gospel message as long as life is good and cozy. This is the subjective heart who is won over by feelings, emotions and what’s popular. Once troubled they get so excited, they feel good, but like that early spring grass that looks so nice in our yard, once the hot sun comes, they quickly dry up and die. Notice the heat comes because of the word so these folks dry up and fall away. I have witnessed this in the last 25 years and I can always tell when they are serving God on good vibe adrenaline. But when tough times hit them, they disappear never to be seen again. The joyous heart changes back to their troubled heart and they fall away. I believe those who deconstruct are in this catagory.
    2] THE TROUBLED HEART -
    3] THE COMPLICATED HEART
    Luke 8:14 LSB
    “And the seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of life, and do not bear ripe fruit.
    In other words: close but doesn’t reach maturity. Matthew 13 - adds - the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
    Mark 4 - but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for anything else enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
    3] THE COMPLICATED HEART
    These folks hear and go their way. Perhaps not even saved. They said the prayer hoping it would get them out of their pickle. The gospel intrigues them, they buy a bible and try to read it, they start to attend a church but it doesn’t last too long because they have so much to do, places to go, people to see and money to make. They feast on podcasts sharing bad news, failures of the church and government, they know all the conspiracies, the constant warning of storing food, gold, silver, and even a bunker on social media overwhelms them with worry and anxiety. Life gets complicated and they can’t sit still. The new bible sits on the kitchen table unread.
    They constantly move to new locations out of fear and are tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine, the fall for “seed faith” message as they seek the almighty dollar. Oh, they believe in God but more like “in God we trust” on the money we print. They are unaware of the warning in 1 Tim 6.6-8
    1 Timothy 6:6–8 LSB
    But godliness actually is a means of great gain, when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. And if we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.
    4] THE PRODUCTIVE HEART
    The heart we all want.
    Luke 8:15 LSB
    15 “But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.
    Matthew 13 - adds this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.”
    Mark 4 - “they hear the word and accept it and are bearing fruit, 30, 60, and a hundredfold.”
    These people lived in an agrarian society. They understood that fertile, well-prepared soil was essential for crops to grow and it’s exactly what God wants to do in our hearts if we will let him. A fertile heart allows God’s Word in their heart to grow into faith ventures, righteous decisions, and good works that God has prepared for us to walk in. But the key to having this kind of fertile heart is found in Luke 8:15 - hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance. And interestingly the root word in the Greek is “meno” where we get our word “abide”. You see, a good heart abides in the vine and draws from its nectar over time.
    A productive heart waits on the Lord, serves others steadfastly, and walks righteously in the fruit of the Spirit which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law because a productive heart comes through Christ who fulfilled the law and justified us by faith!
    4] THE PRODUCTIVE HEART
    It’s what we long for! [Worship team]
    “Do you not understand this parable? How will you understand all the parables?
    So as we go to the table, let’s thank the Lord that he has paved the way for the seed of His word to penetrate our hearts and to bear good fruit that glorifies Him!
    \30, 60, or 100fold!!

  • The secret code: twelve days of Christmas

    Welcome families, visitors and kids to our candlelight family service. Merry Christmas everyone – in the morning ? Yes!
    About three years ago we decided to have a candlelight service on Sunday mornings since so many of you gather with family on Christmas Eve or you don’t like to drive at night so we started this tradition and it works!
    Turn to 1Corinthians 11:2 & 2 Thessalonians 2 or you can watch on the screen.
    Some believers who hear the word “tradition” automatically thinks it’s a non-Christian act we should avoid. While Jesus condemned traditions that added to the word of God He did not condemn traditions as a whole.
    Here is three passages to the church where traditions were given by Paul to be kept or held onto.
    1 Corinthians 11:2 LSB
    Now I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold firmly to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you.
    2 Thessalonians 2:15 LSB
    So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.
    2 Thessalonians 3:6 LSB
    Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who walks in an unruly manner and not according to the tradition which they received from us.
    Note that Paul emphasized the importance of traditions regarding the Lord’s supper, how a church service should be orderly, how husbands should treat their wives, and wives respect their husbands and kids honor their parents. Paul taught the proper way to exercise spiritual gifts, living in our faith and practicing it, including working with our hands and having proper behavior toward one another. The important thing was loving God because it helps us love people.
    Galatians 5:14 LSB
    For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
    As we all know, the actual date Jesus was born in unknown. But it had to be Spring or Fall because that’s the time when the Shepherds are in the fields at night.
    By the way, the early church did not celebrate Christmas for over 300 years! It focused more on his death and resurrection than on his birth. But neither His birth or resurrection was commanded by God to observe. Perhaps because God didn’t want us to think He needed the attention!@
    But by the third century December 25 was adopted in the Western church as the celebration of Christ’s birth. And the reason was somewhat of a compromise to lump in Christianity with other pagan practices. After the emperor Constantine had a vision of a cross of light in the sky with the words “In this sign you will conquer” he publically embraced Christianity -
    Christianity was recognized as the official religion of the Roman Empire [read]
    Yet he mixed Christian symbols with pagan practices and since Dec 25 coincided with the Roman festivals and the winter solstice the shortest day of the year.
    There was a Christian named Nicholas of Myra in Turkey in the early 300’s.
    He loved Jesus and enjoyed helping people in secret, giving gifts quietly, showing that giving is about love, not being noticed. Hence, the tradition of “jolly St Nick” who later became Santa Claus.
    Around the turn of the 19th century ideas were invented to sell toys to kids turning the life of jolly St. Nick into Santa Claus who lived at the north pole & later in 1939 Rudolph the red nosed reindeer was created
    for Montgomery Ward, the first mail order business in the US. It was the ancient Amazon!
    So it’s the reason we give gifts at Christmas — to remember God’s greatest gift, Jesus.
    Romans 6:23 LSB
    For the wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
    But the 12 days of Christmas song was printed in 1780 in a children’s book.
    Britain outlawed all religions except those endorsed by King Henry VIII, Thus the genuine church was forced to go underground –
    But it wasn’t until 1909 that Fredric Austin added the famous drawn‑out “five gooold rings

    🎄 The Secret Code in “The Twelve Days of Christmas”

    First of all, like Hannukah which is eight days, ending today, the 12 days mark the traditional birth of Jesus [Dec 25] and the Magi’s visit [Jan 6] almost two years later.
    The song is meant to be fun for kids, but because of persecution, it was a way for parents to teach their kids Christian truths. Just like the parables did for believers when Jesus walked the earth.
    While it sounds silly beginning with “a partridge in a pear trees” — each gift is a secret symbol of faith. Let’s unwrap them one by one:

    🕊️ Day one

    A Partridge in a Pear Tree
    The partridge is Jesus, who loves us so much He would give His life to protect us.
    The pear tree reminds us of the cross He would bear for the world.
    Two Turtle Doves
    The Old and New Testaments — both tell God’s story how His son would redeem the world.
    The Old Testament are pictures of New Testament principles - The Old is concealed, the New reveals.
    Three French Hens
    Faith, Hope, and Love (1 Corinthians 13.13
    1 Corinthians 13:13 LSB
    But now abide faith, hope, love—these three; but the greatest of these is love. it’s a love called Agape’! - God’s sacrificial love
    Four Calling Birds speak of
    The Four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John.
    These are song birds who are hunted and threatened just as the gospels are today. But each bird “calls out or sings” the good news of Jesus in four ways.
    Five Golden Rings speak of
    The first five books of the Bible (Torah). Gen, Ex, Lev, Num, Deut. They show human failure, why the flood had to happen and God’s rescue plan for us through Abraham by faith
    Galatians 3:6–7 LSB
    Just as Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness, so know that those who are of faith, those are sons of Abraham.
    Now that’s golden!!!
    6. Six Geese A‑laying speak of
    Six days of Creation and that God made the world good and full of life. The world thinks the earth is 4.5 billion years old but God’s word states it’s much simpler than that! Biblical chronology places the age between 6000-10,000 years old.
    In Hebrew the word “Day” is, יום (yom) and it is used to refer to a 24-hour day in both biblical and present contexts. Are not all things possible with God?
    7. Seven Swans A‑swimming speak of
    the Seven gifts of the Spirit (Romans 12).
    Prophecy, Ministry or Serving, Teaching, exhortation or encouraging, Giving, Leadership, and Mercy or Compassion.
    8. Eight Maids A‑milking speak of
    The Beatitudes (Matthew 5).
    Basically “Blessed are…” those who follow God’s way will have great reward in this life and the next. Cited each week in Celebrate recovery!
    9. Nine Ladies Dancing speaks of
    The Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5).
    Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self‑control.
    10. Ten Lords A‑leaping speaks of
    The Ten Commandments.
    God’s “words” for living right on earth until Christ rose to send the Holy Spirit
    11. Eleven Pipers Piping speaks of
    The eleven faithful apostles (not Judas who died). Why Piping?
    They “pipe out” the gospel melody with joy when the church began.
    John 16:24 LSB
    “Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made complete.
    And finally....Day 12
    12. Twelve Drummers Drumming speaks of
    The twelve points of the Apostles’ Creed.
    It’s like a twelve drumbeats of what Christians believe.
    So now when you hear this silly song, try to remember its coded meaning:
    Make it a tradition in your family and unsaved friends this Christmas.
    But here’s the best news for us. It no longer needs to be in code!!
    As we discovered last week in Luke 8.17
    Luke 8:17 LSB
    “For nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light.
    This reinforces the idea that the gospel message is intended to be shared and understood. It is no longer a secret code but each believer has been granted to know how we can shine His light.
    So as we prepare to light our candles, let that be a prayer that we would get the chance to use this song or get an opportunity to reveal the light of the gospel.

      • 1 Corinthians 11:2NKJV

      • 2 Thessalonians 2:15NKJV

      • 2 Thessalonians 3:6NKJV

      • Galatians 5:14NKJV

      • Romans 6:23NKJV

      • 1 Corinthians 13:13NKJV

      • Galatians 3:6–7NKJV

      • John 16:24NKJV

      • Luke 8:17NKJV

  • O Holy Night
Calvary Chapel Cottage Grove
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