Continuing in our work in the Gospel of Luke, we come to another dramatic account of Jesus showing His power over sickness and death. We will reflect upon the healing of the woman who had experienced a flow of blood for 12 years. And we will consider the raising of the dead daughter of Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue. Both of these accounts reveal the wonder of faith; faith that is first given to us by the Holy Spirit, and faith that we then exercise recognizing our deepest need. We also note in this account the love of a father toward a daughter, seen in the love of Jairus toward his dying 12 year old girl, and the love of Jesus toward the sick and lonely woman.

This text is also fitting for this Lord’s Day as well we will bringing two little girls into the community of faith through the waters of baptism!

If you’re looking for a faithful church in central Illinois, consider visiting us at Providence. Come and learn about Jesus.

Below is a copy of our order of worship for you to review our Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.

See you Sunday!

The Blessing 
Ephesians 1:3-6
Elder Scott Price

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 bringing healing and restoration. And we also are encouraged to see ourselves in the life of the demoniac. Because, without Jesus, we all stand spiritually naked, spiritually isolated, spiritually empty. We find ourselves with no hope. But, as we remember the grace and mercy of the Lord, we are encouraged to share the great things He has done for us with others. Has Jesus done great things for you? Is there anyone He cannot reach? Consider the hope we have in Him.

To help you with your study of this topic, we are also including the study questions prepared each week for our congregation. May the Lord use them, and the sermon, to be a blessing to you. You will find them, as well as a short prayer, directly below the audio link.

Hope for the Hopeless
Luke 8:26-39
Series: Luke – A Prescription for Doubtful Souls
Pastor James McDonald

• The man who met Jesus was naked, violent, lonely, focused on death. How does this reflect a heart apart from God?
• In what ways does Jesus demonstrate His deity in this account?
• How are demons wiser than many men and women? What do they know to be true? What, and whom, do they fear?
• What brought about the change in this man? Who have you considered a lost cause with regard to the Gospel?
• Why were the people of the region afraid of Jesus?
• What was the former demoniac called to do? Is this the same for each of us? How about you?
• How are you the like demonic? Where is your only hope?

Almighty God, we come to You this day on behalf of those we know who are weighed down with the burdens of this world, for whom there seems little hope; comfort them with the assurance of Your covenant love, give them faith in place of emptiness, give them peace in place of anger, give them community in place of isolation, give them joy in place of fear. And, as You restore them to cheerfulness and service, help us to remember our worthlessness apart from You, that we might be mindful to always share the great things You have done for us by calling us Your sons and daughters. We pray this in the powerful name of Jesus Christ our Lord, the one who has crushed the head of the serpent and triumphed over the grave, amen!

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 this faith, which is a gift from the Lord, is not static, but is designed to grow. And it is this faith that gives us resolve, especially when we face the storms of life to trust God’s sovereignty, to trust His power and plan, and to trust that He is with us, guiding us safely for His glory and our good. We see Jesus here for who He truly is, our Master and Commander, and also our Savior and our elder Brother. Do you know this Jesus?

To help you with your study of this topic, we are also including the study questions prepared each week for our congregation. May the Lord use them, and the sermon, to be a blessing to you. You will find them, as well as a short prayer, directly below the audio link.

Master and Commander
Luke 8:16-25
Series: Luke – A Prescription for Doubtful Souls
Pastor James McDonald

• What displays living faith: belief, action, both (16)?
• How do we obtain faith? How can we improve our spiritual hearing (18)?
• When are you most tempted to hide your belief in the Gospel? What do you put at risk (19)?
• How can we live our faith before our physical family? When do we withdraw from them (19-20)?
• What are the characteristics of being in Jesus’ family (21)?
• How do trials reveal the genuineness of our faith (23-24)?
• Are your expectations of comfort consistent with Scripture?
• What storm do you face today? How do your thoughts and actions show that you have listened to the Word and have obeyed the commands of Jesus (24)?
• Who is Jesus to you (25)?

Almighty Father, we confess that You are the Lord of the storm and the calm, of the tumultuous sea and the quiet haven, of day and night, of life and death. May this understanding be an anchor to our souls, that our hearts may rest in Your faithfulness, Your immutability, Your covenant love, that in all times and all places, whatever befalls us, however black the cloud or dark the night, with quiet faith, trusting in Your Word, we may fix our gaze upon the Captain of our salvation. Strengthen our hearts, by the work of the Spirit, to walk in confidence with unwavering steps as we grow in faith and in love towards our brothers and sisters. May we abide all the storms and troubles of this mortal life, trusting Your promise that they will work together our soul’s true good, and the certain increase Your Kingdom. We ask this in the Name of Your Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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 correctness. This is a timely message, because in both the world and the church, the roles and responsibilities of men and women are often blurred and confused. And yet, they really shouldn’t be, as God has given us clear direction in His Word. Thus, we are challenged to consider God’s Word as the basis for our faith and practice, to listen to His Word, and then act upon it. After a discussion of gender roles, we see that call to hear God’s Word from the familiar parable of the sower. Are you willing to hear God’s Word?

To help you with your study of this topic, we are also including the study questions prepared each week for our congregation. May the Lord use them, and the sermon, to be a blessing to you. You will find them directly below the audio link.

Of Women and Gardens
Luke 8:1-15
Series: Luke – A Prescription for Doubtful Souls
Pastor James McDonald

• What are some of the errors in the church today regarding the role of women? What lessons can we learn from the women in this account (v1-3)?
• What does the Bible say regarding the roles of men and women?
• In your opinion, can women assume the roles and responsibilities given to men in the home and the church? Defend your answer biblically.
• What should be our basis for our faith and practice?
• What was Jesus’ purpose in telling parables? How does this reflect the doctrine of election (v10)?
• In what ways are you indifferent to the message of the Gospel (v12)?
• What is your true reaction to trouble or trial? What does this say about your spiritual roots (v13)?
• When is the pursuit of happiness harmful? In what ways do pleasures distraction you from the Lord (v14)?
• What is the key to being good soil (V15)?
• What does your personal fruit say of your reception of the Word?

I still remember the day that I heard the story of Nadab and Abihu. It was in early 1980; I had been a Christian for less than a year. I was still getting used to the Bible; and having not grown up in a Christian home, I was in awe of the mystery and the majesty of the Word of God and the whole concept that through the Bible God showed His deep love and care for us.

I found it amazing that the Scriptures were given so that we might be thoroughly equipped and complete for every good work (1 Timothy 3:16). God cared enough for us to give us the Bible, and through the Bible we have all that we need to live successfully in faith and life. And so I spent countless hours seeking to understand the mind of God through the pages of the Old and New Testaments.

In my reading, I came to Leviticus chapter 10 and learned of two young priests, Nadab and Abihu. These men were the sons of Aaron, who was the brother of Moses. They had been selected by God to minister on behalf of the people before the Lord. And they had been given specific instructions on how they were to carry out their ministry.

The Lord had not left anything to the imagination; there was no uncertainty in how He desired to be worshiped. And yet the text tells us that they determined to be innovative. They decided to be creative; perhaps they felt a need to be relevant. So they modified God’s protocol and offered what the Bible calls “strange fire” before the Lord. And because of this, fire went out from the Lord and consumed them. They were killed because they failed to worship God as He had instructed.

I remember as I read that account for the first time feeling a bit confused. I pondered the motivation of these two young men. Certainly, they were not trying to dishonor God; certainly they must’ve been sincere in their goal of serving the people. Perhaps they thought that this minor variation in worship would better appeal to the senses of the people. Why would God strike them down if their hearts were pure before Him?

But then I remembered the Second Commandment, the one which tells us not to make idols. Within the text of that Commandment the Lord was clear; He indeed does visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Him. As I contemplated the requirements of this commandment, I slowly began to understand the real issue regarding Aaron’s sons. Their offering of strange fire revealed a disregard of God’s Law and a disbelief in God’s power. What they were really trying to do was to manufacture a god they could control—one they could manipulate. They desired a god they could please on their own terms. To Nadab and Abihu, the strange fire was idolatry.

Over the course of my ministry, their story has served as a reminder and a warning. As they were called to serve God’s people, so I have been called to serve God’s people. This is a humbling realization. Being a minister is not a vocation. It is not something that one chooses to do; it is an assignment given by God. And this calling must be executed according to the directives He has given. Ministers are called to lead worship, preach, and administer the Sacraments in a way that honors God! But do we spend time evaluating how we lead a congregation? Do we seek to submit to the Word of God as we minister to God’s people? Or do we follow the path of Nadab and Abihu?

Just like all men, ministers are prone to set up their own idols. We can make an idol out of the way we worship. We can make an idol out of the way we preach. We can make an idol out of our own gifts and talents. I remember having a conversation with a minister years ago who told me that he was able to preach in a way whereby he knew that he would get a response. He told me that because of his “technique” people would fill the aisles, streaming to the altar to “come to Jesus.” Pride laced every word this man spoke. It was clear to me that he had made his preaching his idol.

And the sad thing is that idolatry is a communicative disease. When idolatry is manifested in the pulpit, the congregation can quickly fall in line. As the children of Israel were quick to follow their leaders in the worship of the Golden Calf, the people who fill our churches can likewise be led to applaud us rather than God.

In addition, if we fail to honor the Lord in our expressions of worship, our prayers and praise, even these elements can become a source of idolatry. We can also bring in the strange fire of idolatry through our messages. If we fail to preach Christ, and Him crucified, if our sermons are more moralistic platitudes or self-help mantras, we lead people to trust in their own works, their own efforts, their own strange fire.

As ministers of the Gospel, we should remember the words of the apostle Paul who has charged us to preach the Word, to be ready in season and out of season, to convince, to rebuke, to exhort, with all long-suffering and teaching (2 Timothy 4:1-2). The call of the minister is to lead people to Jesus by the means that Jesus has appointed for us.

It is time for ministers of the Gospel to recognize the danger of idolatry. It is time for us to recognize that we can easily follow in the footsteps of Nadab and Abihu by bringing strange fire into the worship of God. And it is time that we recognize how our personal idolatry can be so detrimental to the souls that God has called us to serve. Let us seek the Word to understand how we are to preach and how we are to minister. And let us do so according to God’s command, seeking to be faithful to His will as we live out our calling. May His Word keep us from strange fire.

And to make it legal, the opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the other elders or members of Providence Church.

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 going to the Pharisee’s house and the intrusion of the sinful woman, confronts us in many ways. We reflect upon our tendency to act like a Pharisee in the way we judge others, in how we tend to shun others. And we also see some of the marks of discipleship in the life of the once sinful woman. We find that there is nothing we can do to escape the debt we owe, with the exception of falling at the feet of Jesus. It is only at the feet of Jesus that we find forgiveness, it is at the feet of Jesus that we are broken, and it is at the feet of Jesus that we find the power to serve, to worship, and to sacrifice to Him.

To help you with your study of this topic, we are also including the study questions prepared each week for our congregation. May the Lord use them, and the sermon, to be a blessing to you. You will find them directly below the audio link.

Paid in Full
Luke 7:36-50
Series: Luke – A Prescription for Doubtful Souls
Pastor James McDonald

• What can we learn from Jesus’ acceptance of the Pharisee’s dinner invitation (v36)?
• In what way was the woman known in the city? How was she viewed by the townspeople (v37)?
• Why did she express so much emotion towards Jesus (v38)? What characteristics of discipleship can we learn from her?
• How did Simon judge the woman? How did Simon judge Jesus (v39)?
• In what way did Simon not see the woman (v44)?
• Do you focus more on the sins of others or on the sins in your own life?
• How has Jesus shown his love for you? In what ways do you show your love for Jesus?
• How did Jesus’ words in trouble the Pharisees (v41-42, 50)?
• Do you know the peace of God today?

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 John the Baptist.

But we also see in this text the challenge of presumption, how divisive it can be, and the deadly sting of disbelief. And all all three of these, doubt, debate, and disbelief, can only be overcome by an understanding of God’s sovereignty that only comes by the power of the Holy Spirit.

To help you with your study of this topic, we are also including the study questions prepared each week for our congregation. May the Lord use them, and the sermon, to be a blessing to you. You will find them directly below the audio link.

Doubt, Debate, and Disbelief
Luke 7:18-35
Series: Luke – A Prescription for Doubtful Souls
Pastor James McDonald

• How many people can you name in the Bible who expressed some kind of doubt?
• What are some of the reasons why John the Baptizer may have had doubts? Why might you doubt?
• What does Jesus give John’s disciples to help him overcome his doubt? What has He given us?
• What made John the Baptize great? Why is it that we, who know Jesus now, are greater than John?
• What are the two responses to Jesus?
• How does the parable of the children show our tendencies to be prideful and self-sufficient? How does such an attitude lead to doubts?
• How were Jesus and John the Baptizer different? How was their message the same?
• Do you see the Kingdom of Jesus advancing or retracting? Why?
• What kind of Jesus are you looking for?

To help you with your study of this topic, we are also including the study questions prepared each week for our congregation. May the Lord use them, and the sermon, to be a blessing to you. You will find them directly below the audio link.

Gracious Compassion
Luke 7:1-17
Series: Luke – A Prescription for Doubtful Souls
Pastor James McDonald

• What is the reason for sickness, suffering and death?
• Why did the Jews believe the Centurion was “deserving”? How is this attitude reflected in people today (4-5)?
• How did the Centurion feel about his servant? How did the widow feel about her son? In what way were they both sons and servants?
• What is the basis for the Centurion’s faith? What should be the basis for our faith?
• How does this account show that the Gospel is for all people?
• How are we all like the widow’s son?
• How should we respond to the work of the Lord in our lives?