The Word from South Highland

December 7, 2025  |  Luke 1:67-80 — The old priest, Zechariah, made mute by God for nine months, is able to speak at his infant son's circumcision ceremony. His first words are a song proclaiming that God has not forgotten his people, and he points to Jesus. Rev. Cort Gatliff teaches that in our days of darkness and division, we also should look to Jesus, because God has not forgotten us. 

November 30, 2025  |  Isaiah 9:1-7 — Israel was longing for the coming of their Messiah. We are longing for the Messiah's return. Guest preacher Rev. Adam Young teaches on Isaiah's song of our emergence from darkness.

November 23, 2025  |  Ephesians 6:13-24 — As Paul finishes his letter to the church at Ephesus, his deepest desire is that they, and we, would be able to stand firm against the enemy. Rev. Cort Gatliff teaches that staying in the Word and gathering for worship  is preparing us for battle.

November 16, 2025  |  Ephesians 6:10-13 — Paul starts wrapping up his letter to the church at Ephesus by answering a question: Why is it so hard to follow Jesus? Rev. Cort Gatliff teaches about Paul's wake-up call about the very real, cosmic spiritual battle in which we live every day.

November 9, 2025  |  Ephesians 6:1-9 —  In today's passage from Ephesians, Paul has godly instructions for parents and children, masters and slaves. Rev. Abby Gatliff teaches that the Lord God Almighty has set for us the ultimate example by becoming ultimately vulnerable.

November 2, 2025  |  Ephesians 5:21-33 — The Gospel transforms the human understanding of marriage. Rev. Cort Gatliff teaches that the Gospel's picture of marriage is a picture of what Christ did for His church.

October 26, 2025  |  Ephesians 5:15-20 — We live our lives under the influence. But of what? Rev. Cort Gatliff teaches about Paul's confronting us with self-examination about whether we live according to the world or according to the Word.

October 19,k 2025  |  Ephesians 5:1-14 — Paul speaks to us about how behaviors we should avoid as followers of Christ. Rev. Cort Gatliff teaches that he doesn't water down God's standards to accommodate the culture of his readers. Paul emphasizes that, as children of God, we are already set apart.

October 12, 2025  |  Ephesians 4:17-32 — Life in Christ means turning away from our old self and receiving our new self from God by His grace. Emily Knight teaches that our new self is clothed by God for life together as the body of Christ.

October 5, 2025  |  Ephesians 4:1-16 — Up to this point in the book of Ephesians, Paul has been impressing upon us the magnitude of God's love and the riches God has prepared for us. Rev. Cort Gatliff teaches that we next must learn how this knowledge can truly change our hearts and the way we live in relationship with each other.

September 28, 2025  |  Ephesians 3:14-21 — From his prison cell, Paul prays for the church in Ephesus, but not just for them to know more about God. Rev. Cort Gatliff teaches that we, too, can elevate our prayer posture and pray to receive the fullness of God in our hearts.

September 21, 2025  |  Ephesians 3:1-13 — Our personal salvation in Jesus Christ is essential in our understanding of the Gospel, but that's not all there is. Rev. Cort Gatliff teaches about Paul's proclaiming of the richness and multiple facets of God's power and blessings to the Church in Jesus.

September 14, 2025  |  Ephesians 2:11-22 - Dividing walls of hostility are everywhere in our world, and even in our churches, and they can seem insurmountable. What hope is there for genuine reconciliation? Rev. Cort Gatliff teaches us that the Lord God takes great delight in uniting together that which the world says must remain apart.

September 7, 2025  |  Ephesians 2:1-10 — Paul spends three verses in chapter 2 of Ephesians pointing out to us the utter darkness of the human condition apart from Jesus Christ. It's really quite bleak. Rev. Cort Gatliff teaches us that there is, of course, good news, and it's all fully contained in the first two words of verse four.

August 31, 2025  |  Ephesians 1:15-23 - Paul's prayer for the church in Ephesus is a prayer for all followers of Jesus Christ. Rev. Abby Gatliff teaches that the prayer is for us to have hope in Christ, receive the riches of God's inheritance in Christ, and understand the immense power that is ours as believers.

August 24, 2025  |  Ephesians 1:7-14 - The Apostle Paul writes that God's plan is to unite all things in Christ. Rev. Cort Gatliff teaches from Ephesians that God is a father who gets joy out of pouring out his blessing, his abundance, and the riches of his grace upon his children. 

August 17, 2025  |  Ephesians 1:3-6 - As Paul begins his letter to the church in Ephesus, he wastes no time reminding his readers of the unbridled blessings God has given them. Rev. Cort Gatliff teaches about how God has chosen us, called us, and adopted us as His own.

August 15, 2025  |  Romans 8:38-39 - In Paul's letter to the church in Rome, of all the things he lists that cannot separate us from the God's love in Jesus Christ, the first thing he mentions is death. For a crowded memorial service for Henry Gilchrist following his sudden death, Rev. Cort Gatliff teaches that, because of God's overwhelming love, Henry's life is not defined by his death.

August 10, 2025  |   Ephesians 1:1-2 - Paul's letter to the church in Ephesus has been called "the Grand Canyon of Scripture" and was reportedly Calvin's favorite book. Rev. Cort Gatliff teaches that even the first two verses succeed in laying the groundwork for the encouragement that Paul is going to give to a church that is in desperate need of encouragement.