Worship 10 am & 6 pm
Belgrade United Reformed Church
17333 Frontage Road
Belgrade, MT 59714
Glorifying God with Small Beginnings (LD 44; Philippians 3:12-16)
Paul captures the paradox of the Christian life: he has not yet reached the goal (telos), but in Christ, he already shares in maturity by having the right mindset. The mature Christian recognizes the need to depend on Christ daily, forgetting past achievements or failures, and striving toward the upward call of God. This perseverance is not self-reliance but Spirit-empowered reliance on Christ’s preservation. Thus, our orientation is not toward our own accomplishments but toward being drawn closer to Christ, who is our Redeemer, our life, and our ultimate goal.
Perplexing the Pundits (Luke 20:20-40)
Christ remains steadfast, the Lamb of God who cannot be turned from his mission. Each test affirms his identity and authority. For us, the coin reminds us of our true citizenship in God’s kingdom, and the marriage question points to our final hope of the glorious banquet of the Lamb. His victory secures our redemption and calls us to live in the confidence of Christ’s resurrection, with hope, peace, and confidence because we walk in the power of His Spirit.
Speaking Love’s Language (LD 43; 1 Corinthians 13:4-7)
The Ninth Commandment reminds us that truth is central to Christian love and community life, warning against lying, gossip, slander, and twisting words for self-promotion. Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 13 shows that true love is humble, not boastful or arrogant, but patient and forgiving, refusing to keep a record of wrongs. Love bears with others, seeks what honors Christ rather than self, and practices wise forgiveness that encourages genuine repentance. Ultimately, love and truth are inseparably linked. We see this because love rejoices in truth, not injustice, builds trust and hope within the community, and endures trials as a reflection of God Himself, who is both love and truth. This is the heart of Christian witness, possible only through the work and merits of Christ applied in the Spirit.
Does Baptism Have the Power to Save? (Romans 6:1-14)
Romans 6 is challenging to understand. It is in the context of contrasting Adam’s failure with Christ’s success, emphasizing our identity in one of their historic precedents. Baptism symbolizes Christ’s triumph over death and hell, signifying our new life in Christ and our community’s identity as God’s covenant people. As new creatures in Christ, we live out this reality, battling sin while empowered by God’s grace.
The Redeemer’s Reaping (Luke 20:1-19)
In a tense confrontation at the temple, Jesus faces the religious leaders’ challenge: “By what authority do you do these things?” Through a powerful parable about a vineyard and its tenants, Jesus exposes their refusal to recognize His divine authority. This story warns of the dangers of relying on covenant identity, heritage, and tradition over true faith. Christ calls all to hear, receive, and live under Christ’s lordship which leads to bearing glorious fruit in God’s vineyard.
Empowered for Chastity (LD 41; 1 Thess. 4:3-8)
God’s law is not a checklist, but it’s a call to heart-deep transformation. When we define the law by our own standards, we may think we’ve kept it. But seen through God’s eyes, it exposes our desires and calls us to something higher: a life of holiness shaped by union with Christ. Adultery, for instance, is more than a physical act. It is a matter of faithfulness to the Lord. This perspective leads us to live not for appearances, but as those empowered by the Holy Spirit, set apart for God’s glory, and living by His standard. It is humbling to realize he must change us, empower us, and continue to shape us throughout our Christian lives.
Holiness is not about willpower or self-help; it’s about walking in the Spirit as redeemed people. We are called to resist sin not by our strength, but through the resurrection power of Christ at work in us. Chastity becomes a way of life. It is a continual walking in integrity, modesty, and love for God. As temples of the Holy Spirit, we live in daily repentance, joyful obedience, and growing conformity to Christ, not to earn His favor, but because we already belong to Him.
The Dirty Temple (Luke 19:45-48)
Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem marks a profound and divided moment. Though welcomed by pilgrims as the Messiah, Christ knows his mission: suffering, death, and ultimately resurrection. The city meant to embody peace and God’s presence ironically fails to recognize its King’s true mission that is not one of earthly conquest but of humble submission and redemptive sacrifice. This tension calls us to reflect on how we receive Christ today: with open hearts or hardened resistance.
This moment also reflects Israel’s long history of faltering leadership and unfulfilled covenant promises. Even the greatest leaders, like Joshua and David, failed to secure lasting peace or faithfulness. Christ enters history to heal this broken and sinful world, not as another flawed king, but as the true Redeemer who confronts false security. HIs cleansing the temple exposes the problem of religiosity that goes all the way back to Jeremiah. His call: to truly seek Him with humility and surrender, embracing the peace He offers through His Word and Spirit, rather than resisting from a place of superficial safety.
Surrender to the Implanted Word (LD 40; James 1:19-21)
The catechism deepens our understanding of murder beyond the physical act of taking life, revealing that murder begins in the heart through anger, hatred, envy, and destructive words or gestures. We are called to honor the image of God by guarding our thoughts and actions, rejecting any behavior that harms our neighbor. True righteousness starts with self-control as we conduct ourselves in wisdom by being slow to speak and slow to anger. James warns us that unchecked anger leads us away from God’s wisdom. This guiding wisdom calls believers to pursue peace, patience, and mercy, reflecting the gospel as saints in the dispersion.
Yet, acknowledging our ongoing struggle with “remaining wickedness,” the teaching urges humility and dependence on God’s continual grace through the implanted Word. Perfect holiness is a lifelong journey powered by God’s transforming Spirit, not human effort alone. By surrendering to God’s work in our hearts, we can live out the fruits of love and gentleness, even amid suffering, and faithfully embody Christ’s peace in a broken and fallen world. This message invites us to a cross-shaped life, constantly shaped by God’s truth and gospel preaching as His redeemed saints.
The Weeping King (Luke 19:28-44)
As Christ approaches Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, he embodies both fulfillment of prophecy and a radical redefinition of kingship. Rather than entering as a triumphant earthly ruler, he rides a colt that symbolizes humility and peace, which is in direct contrast to common expectations of a messianic conqueror. This act not only highlights Jesus’ divine foreknowledge and connection to the promises of Genesis and Zechariah, but also deeply echoes Psalm 118 and Psalm 148 as the crowds praise him, recalling God’s pattern of deliverance even as the city's fate of judgment is delayed. The Mount of Olives itself amplifies these themes, standing as a key prophetic site where Zechariah envisioned both judgment and deliverance, much like the Red Sea parted in Israel’s history.
The reactions of the Pharisees further reveal the heart of the moment: their insistence that Jesus rebuke the crowds exposes their rejection of him as Messiah. Jesus responds that if the people were silent, even the stones would cry out, referencing John the Baptist’s warning that true children of Abraham are not defined by lineage or covenant status alone, but by embracing Christ in faith. Amid outward jubilation, Jesus weeps over Jerusalem, expressing deep compassion for its spiritual blindness and the peace it fails to receive. This narrative calls for personal reflection—urging each hearer to recognize Christ’s unique mission and kingdom, which are established not by power, but by humility, sacrificial love, and a cross-shaped posture before God.
Stewarding True Riches (Luke 19:11-27)
As Jesus journeys to Jerusalem, He tells a parable that echoes the story of Herod Archelaus, who is a harsh ruler. In fact, his own subjects protested his reign. In the parable, a nobleman departs to receive a kingdom, entrusting his servants with a single mina each. Upon returning, he rewards those who invested wisely with more, but punishes both the rebellious citizens and the servant who protected his mina through burial.
The parable carries both historical familiarity and moral tension. This parable that echos Herod Archelaus is shocking for the audience. You see, the servant who hid his mina may appear cautious, even virtuous, because he does not engage in loan sharking or charge his fellow man interest. The servant is not rebuked for breaking the rules; he’s condemned for failing to act in faith. The kingdom of God, Jesus implies, is not preserved through caution or fear. It grows through bold, obedient trust and living out the gospel in Christ’s Spirit. This parable challenges us to reject passive discipleship. We are not called to simply maintain what we’ve been given, but to take risks for the sake of Christ’s name.
The nobleman is not a one-to-one symbol of Christ, but his story exposes the high calling of discipleship. Jesus’ followers live between His first and second coming, stewarding the gospel with courage and faith. We are pilgrims journeying toward Zion, not clinging to worldly safety, but walking by the Spirit. True wealth and stewardship are not what we accumulate but who we become in Christ. We are empowered in Christ, we live as living sacrifices, and we live in light of Christ’s certain return.
Gaining Stature by Losing Status (Luke 18:18-19:10)
As Jesus approaches Jericho, which is an iconic city of judgment, He is revealed as the greater Joshua, leading not a campaign of physical conquest, but one of redemption in two phases. In Luke’s account, we meet two individuals: a blind beggar and a wealthy tax collector. Though physically blind, the beggar sees Jesus, rightly identifying him as the Son of David, the Messiah. Zacchaeus, the rich man whose name means “righteous,” is short in stature, a symbol pointing to his moral and spiritual insufficiency.
Despite their social disparity, both men encounter Christ and recognize Him as the true life-giver and equalizer. Their faith, not their status, identifies them as sons of Abraham. As the old mission of Israel ends in exile due to human failure, Jesus begins a new mission, fulfilling the promise through His suffering and the power of the cross.
In Him, we too are called to live as Spirit-led pilgrims, emptying ourselves of worldly significance and finding our identity, hope, and peace in Christ alone. He is not contaminated by sinners, but He sanctifies them as the perfect righteous priest king.
When Being Good is not Good Enough (Luke 18:18-34)
One might wonder if Jesus is the Son of Man or Eeyore, always bringing people down right when his mission gains potential momentum. We see an example of this when a rich ruler seeks eternal life, affirming Christ as God. He leaves sad, but why? Because Jesus exposed the one thing the man couldn’t surrender: his status. Though he claimed obedience, his identity was rooted in his accomplishments. It might be his wealthy status or his righteousness, but it was not in Christ. Jesus, who never denies His divinity, challenges this man and us to move beyond performance and status. We are called to be humble, empty ourselves, and embrace humility and daily dependence on Christ who is the sole source of life and eternal status.
What's With the Church? (Ephesians 1:15-23; LD 21)
Rev. Austin Britton encourages us to think about the church and the significance of the church.
Performing the Word (James 1:19-27)
Rev. Austin Britton lays out the significance of our call to perform the word of God from James.
Built or Broken by the Name (Lev. 24:10-16; LD 36)
God’s law reveals His holiness and lays out the holy standard of growing in Christlikeness. The first three commandments teach us to worship God exclusively, rightly, and with reverence for His name. Misusing God’s name, as seen in Leviticus 24, is a grave offense because it dishonors God’s very identity. While Old Testament penalties were the severe pedagogue, the New Testament church practices discipline through excommunication and calls for repentance, reflecting our status as spiritual exiles awaiting Christ’s kingdom. Ultimately, Jesus is the true Joshua who secures, confirms, and leads us to the glorified land in his Spirit. Currently, we honor God’s name by living to glorify Christ by living out of gratitude and using his name with reverence.
Rejected and Respected (Luke 18:9-17)
True spiritual life is found not in self-reliance or moral superiority, but in humble submission and appreciation of God’s mercy. Jesus’ parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector shows that it is the repentant, not the self-assured, who are righteous before God. Like little children, we are called to receive God’s kingdom with humility and trust, recognizing our daily need for His grace.
Breath of Fresh Air (2 Tim. 3:16-4:2. LD 35)
The law of God shapes believers to be like Christ, with the second commandment introducing the Regulative Principle of Worship—meaning only elements explicitly commanded by God belong in worship. This principle contrasts with the Regulative Principle for Life, which grants freedom in daily matters not forbidden by Scripture, reflecting Christian liberty. We have the liberty to work out our salvation as we discern what is pleasing to the Lord.
Scripture is central as God’s inspired Word and the foundation for the church’s life. The preaching of the Gospel is an ongoing means of grace, Spirit-empowered to nourish faith and promote spiritual growth. Worship focuses on honoring God through His appointed ministers, emphasizing communion with Him rather than self, trusting in God’s promise to work effectively through His Word. This is why Gospel preaching is not optional, but not only necessary, but commanded for Christians to continue to sit under this means of grace. It is one of the chief means that God uses to bring us to maturity.
What’s With the Holy Spirit?
Rev. Austin Britton lays out the significance of the Holy Spirit for the life of the church.
Idolatry: Our Security Blanket (LD 34; Isaiah 44:6-20)
Idolatry, as defined by the catechism, encompasses anything hindering faith, including trusting in something alongside God. Isaiah highlights the absurdity of idolatry, showing how it leads to deception and a life of abomination. The solution lies in recognizing the true God’s power and promises. Only God can make such radical promises and bring them to fruition. An idol at best can warm a meal, but then there is less of the idol. Idols do not protect, but need protection. This is not like our God who is the shield and defender of his people.
Where is Your Kingdom? (Luke 17:20-18:8)
The Kingdom of God is both a present spiritual reality and a future physical hope. Jesus redefines our expectations, showing that the Kingdom is not a visible political regime but a quiet, powerful presence already at work through His ministry and the faithful witness of the Church. Like in the days of Noah and Lot, life may seem ordinary, but decisive judgment can come without warning, though not without signs. The world gives subtle reminders of its brokenness and the need for redemption.
Jesus teaches that while life seems normal, the Kingdom advances in hidden ways, and one day, a sudden transformation will come. We are not left in total darkness—Noah’s ark and Lot’s urgent escape were testimonies of coming judgment. Likewise, unrest and suffering in our world are reminders that this is not our final home. Christ’s return will confirm the Kingdom in full glory, though its timetable is known only to God.
In the meantime, we live as citizens of the Kingdom by seeking mercy, justice, and faithfulness, not power or recognition. The call is to remain vigilant and steadfast so that when the Son of Man returns, He finds us ready, faithful, and persevering amid a world that often forgets what’s truly coming.