My name is Cathy Parker. My husband Dave and I started attending
Riverside in December of 2019. What an odd time to be new in a church.
Yet jumping into the welcome of a home group really encouraged us. As
of this January we are in a newly formed group led by Dale and Cathy
Shreve, the North by Northwest Home Group. We are parents of three
kids who are grown, married and all live nearby. Seven grandchildren
have been born and welcomed into the family over the last seven years.

• Today we will read Matthew 21:1-17.

In these verses we pop in and out of three stories about Jesus. In each
of them I’m struck by how Jesus shows up in ways that surprise me.
If I were planning a triumphal entry, I don’t think a borrowed donkey
would be the logical choice. In each of these stories, Jesus’ ability to
draw a line from the immediate situation back to the old Testament
prophecy in real time is powerful. If you have time today, look at the
three passages that he uses to answer questions in this passage (Psalm
118: 25-26, Isaiah 56:7, Psalm 8:2). I’m struck especially by his answer
with Psalm 8:2 when questioned about the children shouting praise
“Through the praise of children and infants you have established a
stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger”.
It’s not what I picture for a stronghold. My takeaway is gratitude that
Jesus has established and reigns in a Kingdom that is far beyond what I
can understand. He chooses to open my eyes to recognize Him as King
Jesus. May I be among the children singing praise.

Reflect on the following question as you go about your daily routine today:

• How do these verses challenge your mind and heart about what it means to follow King Jesus?

Each Sunday through Lent, we are going to observe our predictable
routine of slowness.

In the introduction, I observed, “the shared rhythms of Advent,
Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost root us in the
redeeming story of Christ, and live into the Biblical wisdom of the
teacher that ‘there is a time for everything’ (Ecclesiastes 3:1).” Built
into these annual rhythms are the wide spectrum of our life with Christ:
anticipation and fulfillment, proclamation and response, lament and
joy.

Since we are celebrating Easter in a couple weeks, we are going to
reflect today on Pentecost. Pentecost is celebrated to remember the
giving of the Holy Spirit to the believers as seen in Acts chapter 2.

• Spend some time thanking the Father for His gift of the Spirit and how He is at work in your life.

Hello, we are David and Nikki Stillson. We are in the Potato Creek Home
Group. We have two wonderful girls and have been married for 13 years.

• Take a moment to stop and read Matthew 20:1-16.

In our discussion of this parable, we pondered over many different
facets. It hits on how we need to not be envious of others who we feel
get something they don’t deserve or that we feel they haven’t earned.
It speaks about how God is generous with His love no matter how much
time or action has been given.

Consider and ponder the following question:

• Have you ever felt jealous over someone’s faith?

Hey, my name is Ben Colvin. I hang out and play games with the kids at
the Potato Creek Home Group led by my parents, Greg & Meg, and our
family friends, Mr. Benji & Ms. Ila. I’ve enjoyed spending time with all the
kids in Junior High and having conversations about Jesus with them.
It’s been really cool getting to know all of them and what they think!

• Let’s read Matthew 19:16-30

When Jesus is teaching the disciples, He clearly states that it is
impossible for a wealthy man to enter the kingdom of heaven, but it is
not impossible with God. Now, I don’t think God’s telling me to go sell
all my belongings, but what I do feel Him telling me is to follow Him.
What I’ve really learned from this passage is: no matter what I have on
this earth, whether it be a big house, an awesome sports car, or money,
if those things are something that draws me away from Christ or distracts
me from Him, then I need to get rid of them. I want to walk alongside
Jesus the way His disciples did, and I want to keep His commandments.

God has promised us something so much better than anything on this
earth. In fact, it’s way better. He has promised us eternity with Him in
heaven when we choose to accept Him in our hearts.

• What distracts you the most from God?

Hey Riverside Family! Benji and Ila are joining you today from the
Potato Creek Home Group—if you don’t know, we are a group with lots
of married couples and lots of children! Benji and I went to Navarre
Middle and Washington High School just a year apart. We became close
friends toward the last years of high school and got married smack-dab
in the middle of college. By the grace of God, we now have 4 daughters
and over 17 years of doing this life as best friends. By now in this little
story, some of you may be feeling warm and fuzzy while others may feel
uncomfortable, sad, or be rolling their eyes. Yep, I know marriage and
“love stories” are complex, emotional topics to talk about.

Oh, marriage. It’s difficult to say or think about this word without
emotions attached. People can romanticize or demonize marriage, try
to save or escape from marriage, shun it purposefully or celebrate it
joyfully, and grieve losing it or never attaining it. Today’s passage just
so happens to give us one of Jesus’ most direct recorded conversations
on marriage. Let’s dive in to how Jesus responds when the Pharisees
come to test him about the complicated realms of marriage, divorce,
and sexuality.

• Read Matthew 19:1-12

Consider the following questions:

• What was Jesus doing when the Pharisees came to test him? (v. 2)
• The Pharisees ask Jesus if divorce is okay in what situations under the law? (v.3)
• How does Jesus respond about the nature of marriage and divorce? (v. 6 & 8)
• The disciples recognize that committing to marriage is hard and even comment that it’s better not to marry if divorce is so against God’s will. How does Jesus respond to choosing singleness? (v. 10-12)

Hi, we are Denny and Jen Shay. We have been attending Riverside for
the past two years since we moved here from Pennsylvania. We have 3
teenage boys and we belong to the Potato Creek Home Group.

• Please read Matthew 18:15-35.

In verses 15-20, we see that as sinners, we will offend one another, and
Jesus acknowledges that it will be hard and it will be a process to work
through. In verses 21-23, Peter (so like us) thinks that we are good and
merciful to forgive a repeat offense. Jesus takes it so much further. He
points to the forgiveness we’ve received—an immeasurable grace. We
are tempted to nurse an offense and we want to be paid back in some
way for the offenses we’ve received. In verse 35 Jesus makes it clear
that, as His followers, we are commanded to forgive and to be merciful.
As difficult as it is when we are sinned against, we are called to forgive as
Christ forgave us. As we work through these things, we can take comfort
in the mercy He’s shown to us.

• Take the time to pray and search your heart. Is there anyone from whom you have been withholding forgiveness?

Hello, we’re David and Jenna Beebe. We’re part of the Potato Creek
Home Group, led by Greg & Megan Colvin. We’ve been married for 17
years and have four kids, ages 16-9 yrs. David is an electrician with KW
Services and Jenna is a stay-at-home mom and homeschools one of our
kids.

• Take a moment to stop and read Matthew 18:1-14.

I love how Jesus compares us to children in this passage, and how
you can really see his love for children. Jesus calls us to “change and
become like little children” (His child), and he tells us right here how to
do it. Lowering ourselves to the “position” of a child. He wants to guide
us on the safe path to live with Him eternally. He sees this world we live
in for what it is and knows it’s not always easy. We face many trials and
temptations. I feel like he’s so clear in this passage on how we need to
turn from sin and temptation, and how violently we need to cut it from
our lives.

Sometimes our sins seem small and sometimes they seem so huge that
it’s hard to believe God would still want us. The devil would sure like us
to believe that lie. And it is a lie, straight from the devil—don’t believe
it! God’s word tells us that he will always leave the 99 following him to
chase down the 1 that has fallen away from him. That is how important
each person on this earth is to him, that is how important YOU are to
him. Every single one of us, no matter our faults or sins. If we will be
humble and turn from sin, God will welcome us with joyful, loving arms.

Reflect on the following question as you go about your day today:

• Do you feel like it’s easy or challenging to humble yourself before God?