Shepherd of the Hills - Winchester VA

Matthew 22:15-22

Matthew 10:34-42 What happens when following Jesus costs more than expected? A backflip, a poker table, and Jesus’ startling words about peace and a sword all point toward the same uncomfortable question: What are we willing to lose in order to hold on to what is true? When God's Word creates tension with family, friendships, comfort, or the approval of the world, silence can feel safer than s...

2 Timothy 4:1-8 When the world doesn’t want to hear the truth, why keep speaking it? 2 Timothy 4:1–8 answers with Paul’s charge to Timothy and to Christ’s church: Preach the Word.   Even under pressure, even when silence feels safer, Christians are called to confess Christ with courage—because his truth is still needed, and his final verdict is better than the world’s.

1 Timothy 1:12-17 Paul gives us a trustworthy saying: " Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners."  "God loves sinners" seems easy to say until you think about what it means...It means if we want God's love, we have to admit we're really sinners! Paul does not minimize sin. He calls himself a blasphemer, persecutor, and violent man. But his story is not finally...

Matthew 28:16-20 We begin worship “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” But those familiar words are more than a formal way to start a service. They remind us who God is and whose we are. On Holy Trinity Sunday, Jesus shows us the blessing of belonging to the one true Triune God. He gives us his name, gives us his mission, and promises us his presence. Because we belon...

John 7:37-39

1 Peter 4:12-17, 5:6-11 What does suffering for Christ say about you? It may feel like proof that something has gone wrong—that Christianity does not work, that God has forgotten you, or that following Jesus is not worth the cost. Peter teaches us to read suffering differently. Suffering for Christ connects us to Christ. And because Jesus lives, his story is ours: first the cross, then the crown;...

Acts 4:8-12

John 10:1-10 Without the resurrection of Jesus, I would have to choose my own direction in life. I would be terrible at it, because, like a sheep, I can generally see only what’s in front of me at the moment, and I get myself into trouble. It is especially difficult for me to look far into my future as planned by Jesus. If he had not risen from the dead, I would be on my own.   But he lives, and i...

Luke 24:13-35 Without the resurrection of Jesus, I would have little hope for the future. That’s how the disciples felt after his death. “We hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel” (Luke 24:19). Their hope for a better life had died along with Jesus. But Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! And it makes a difference. My hope for the future is restored. I have victory over the fee...

John 20:1-18 What do you feel when you take a walk through a cemetery where loved ones are buried? Sadness as you think about their departure? Loneliness as you miss them? Fear that you’ll soon join them? Without the resurrection of Jesus, a cemetery is a terrible place full of tears and fear. But Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! And it makes a difference! Jesus is the resurrection first fruit...

Zechariah 3 On Good Friday we see how much can change in a single day. The prophet Zechariah had a vision of filthy garments exchanged, sin removed, and Satan’s accusations silenced for good. That vision was fulfilled in a single afternoon at the cross. As we listen to our suffering Savior speak his final words, we see our sin taken away completely: gone in a single day. 

Zechariah 13:1-3 Long ago, God promised his people  “a fountain… to cleanse from sin and impurity.”  Centuries later, Jesus showed his love as he fulfilled that promise. We cannot wash ourselves clean, but Jesus, who humbly washed his disciples’ feet, offers us his body and blood for our cleansing. Through his sacrifice and the sacrament, Jesus makes us truly clean!

Zechariah's prophecies are fulfilled on Palm Sunday as our King rides in to bring us peace! Listen to the entire Passion History from the gospel of Matthew as we begin Holy Week. Zechariah 9:9-10 Matthew 21:1-11 Matthew 26-27

2 Kings 4:17-37

Isaiah 42:14-21Exactly What I Need - SightHave you ever been on spiritual autopilot—going through the motions, doing the “right things,” and still missing what really matters? That kind of drift is its own kind of blindness: eyes open, heart unawake, trust quietly sliding toward whatever feels safe and familiar, but ultimately empty. God doesn’t abandon the blind in the dark. He promises to lead t...

John 4:5-26 Thirsty is a meme… until it’s you. A midday trip to a well turns into a conversation no one saw coming—layered with old grudges, guarded hearts, and the kind of longing that doesn’t go away just because life looks fine on the outside. Why do we keep returning to the same wells—attention, control, success, relationships—only to feel empty again? And what happens when someone sees straig...

Genesis 12:1-8 When God calls us into action, it can feel unsettling—especially when you can’t see what’s next. When God called Abram to give up everything he knew and move across the world, he didn't hesitate. He boldly went into the unknown on nothing but a promise. The harder question is why we hesitate over far smaller obediences. The good news: God doesn’t wait for us to become brave, obe...

Romans 5:12-19 The Winter Olympics remind us what it means to have a champion. The best of the best step onto the ice or snow wearing their nation’s colors. When they win, we say, “We won.” Their victory feels like ours. But what happens when the medal is silver instead of gold? If you watched the medal ceremonies this week, you saw it — the tight smiles, the fixed stares, the unmistakable disappo...

Zechariah 1:1-6

1 Corinthians 1:26-31 What kind of people make up the Church? The impressive? The successful? The strong? The Apostle Paul says… not really. God doesn’t choose the wise, powerful, or influential by human standards. He chooses the weak, the lowly, and the overlooked—and then gives them everything in Christ. Our wisdom. Our righteousness. Our holiness. Our redemption. If you’ve ever wondered whether...

Matthew 4:12-23 Worship at Shepherd of the Hills on January 25, 2026 was canceled due to severe winter weather. That doesn't mean we can't worship! This week's podcast is a video devotional service, including the week's readings and sermon for use at home. A service folder can be found here .

Colossians 2:6-15 When John the Baptist pointed at Jesus and called him “the Lamb of God,” he was drawing on a story that began centuries earlier—on a night in Egypt when families waited behind closed doors, trusting that the blood of a lamb would be enough to save them. That question— Is this Lamb enough? —still presses on us today. We know the pull to add something to Jesus: effort, certainty, s...

Matthew 3:13-17 “Christ” is not Jesus’ last name. It is a title. The Greek word “Christ” and the Hebrew word “Messiah” both mean the same thing: “The Anointed One.” Anointing was the practice of pouring liquid over the head of someone to signify selection for some special task. When the Lord had someone anointed, he also poured his Spirit over them. It was the fulfillment of promises made over cen...

Matthew 2:1-12 Christmas isn’t over just yet! Matthew 2 shows how God’s love doesn’t stay hidden in Bethlehem. It shines outward, drawing unlikely visitors from far away and revealing very different reactions along the way. As the magi follow the star to Jesus, God’s saving love is revealed not just for Israel, but for the whole world. While Herod resists and the religious leaders remain indiffere...