Hope for the Hopeless

Hope for the Hopeless

Apr 29, 2012

  It is hard to imagine a more hopeless man than the demoniac of the Gadarenes. We find his story in Luke 8:26-39. He was a crazed, violent, naked, and lonely man. But on top of all that, he was demon-possessed. His was a hopeless case of despair. That is, except for one thing, and that was the grace and the mercy of the Lord. In this account, we see Jesus...

Master and Commander

Master and Commander

Apr 22, 2012

  Our lesson today consists of a famous parable, a family conflict, and a famous adventure all pointing to the same spiritually reality – real faith is found not just in what we say we believe, but real faith is realized in faith that becomes action. Jesus calls us to be those who hear His Word, and then those who obey His Word. We are shown that...

Of Women and Gardens

Of Women and Gardens

Apr 15, 2012

  As we continue in Luke’s Gospel, we come to the story of Jesus going about preaching and teaching throughout Israel. And we read that part of His traveling team includes a group of women. From this, we consider an overview of the role of women in the home and the church, based on the Word of God, and not on our traditions or the whims of political...

Paid in Full

Paid in Full

Apr 8, 2012

  The 7th chapter of Luke’s Gospel is one that illustrates the mercy and compassion of the Lord. This was seen in the healing of the Centurion’s servant, the raising of the widow’s son, the comforting of John’s doubts, and at the end of the chapter, we see the Lord’s mercy and grace as he deals with sin. This account, of Jesus...

Doubt, Debate, and Disbelief

Doubt, Debate, and Disbelief

Apr 1, 2012

  Today, we focused on Luke 7:18-35, considering the often time ignored topic of doubt. While we don’t admit it, we all experience doubt at one time or another. In fact, all of those whom we might lift up as biblical superheroes are really folks just like us, they too experienced doubt. So, we discuss how to deal with doubt, as we see in the life of...

Gracious Compassion

Gracious Compassion

Mar 25, 2012

Our text today, Luke 7:1-17, presents two familiar accounts, that of the healing of the centurion’s servant, and then the raising of the widow’s son. In this story, we come to grips with the reality of mortality, that we will all die as a result of our sin. We also see the grace and mercy of God, how He comes to those who are not deserving with His...

Judging Biblically

Judging Biblically

Mar 18, 2012

  We completed Jesus’ famous sermon from Luke 6 today, evaluating Jesus’ directive, “Judge not, and you shall not be judged.” Based on this text, some have made the claim that we should never judge, anyone at any time. But is that what Jesus means? If that were the case, how would we ever fulfill the call in Proverbs to sharpen one...

The Witness of Love

The Witness of Love

Mar 4, 2012

  We continued to work through the “Sermon on the Level” today, from Luke 6:27-36, covering one of the most challenging commands Jesus ever gave: the call to love our enemies. Have you ever considered the weight of this command? In this sermon, we consider what kind of love Jesus is talking about, for that helps us know the extent of this...

For the Sake of the Call

For the Sake of the Call

Feb 26, 2012

  In Luke 6:12-26, ,we learn about the call of the apostles followed by Luke’s version of the famous Beatitudes. In this section of Scripture, we see the diversity and the humility of those called to serve Jesus, the training regiment that Jesus gave them, and finally, their charge, their call to service. With the exception of Judas Iscariot, these...

The Lord of the Sabbath

The Lord of the Sabbath

Feb 19, 2012

  In our text today, Luke 6:1-11, we find two more conflicts with the Pharisees, this time over what is lawful to do on the Sabbath. And, like in Jesus’ day, the issues of the Sabbath are still conflicting, they oftentimes end in confrontation. Many can be very Pharisaical in their view of the Lord’s Day, adding extra-biblical constraints and...