Sermons on Luke
Using the Word to Reach The One
The Bible is the true word of God. How can we partner with God and reach “the one” God has placed in our lives? We cannot trick people into the Kingdom or sell them on Jesus. He tells the story of The Rich Man and Poor Lazarus to show us that if a person will not listen to the Word of God, they will not listen to anything else we have to say. Jesus says that it is the Word…
Whatever It Takes to Reach the One
God did whatever it took to reach us when he sent Jesus. The Parable of the Shrewd Manager is one of Jesus’ strangest stories. He tells a story about a corrupt manager, but yet he tells us we can learn something from this wicked man. He says that Christians should be just as zealous about reaching the lost as criminals are about their selfish gain. Jesus wants us to be completely committed to reaching “the one” lost person in our…
We are The One Who is Lost
Jesus’ story about the Lost (or Prodigal) Son is one of his most famous parables. We see from the younger son how we can rebel and run away from God, getting lost in earthly desires. But this story describes another way we can be lost, too. Like the older brother, we can trust in our own performance and reject God. Jesus tells this story to show that he is looking seek and save both kinds of people. He loves both…
Jesus Seeks The One
After the Pharisees accuse Jesus of associating with sinners, Jesus tells the Parable of the Lost Sheep. He uses this story about a shepherd who left his flock to find a stray sheep to explain the importance of every single person. Jesus came to seek and save the lost. Every life is important to God, which is exactly why it’s important for Christians to share the Good News of Jesus with the world. Sermon Text: Luke 15:1-10
Hope Is Here (Christmas Eve)
Some people who read the Christmas story of the birth of Jesus think it sounds made-up. However, as Christian believers, as those who believe in Jesus Christ and the hope He brings, we realize that, ultimately, in the most unbelievable moments, Jesus is not just a story. In the craziest of situations, in the times when it seems like there is no way the situation could change, we realize that Jesus is hope! The birth of that special baby on…
Hope is Real
There is real transforming power in realizing that hope is not merely a concept that glosses over the pain of life. Hope is real. When hope becomes real to us, we can see and experience its benefits. It provides a substance to that which is not seen. Often, life can feel dull and empty. However, as hope becomes real, our lives take on a new meaning, new concept, and quite a new purpose. Sermon Text: Luke 1:26-38
When There is Pain…Forgive
Retaliation is easier than to forgive. It may seem more satisfying to “get back” at those who hurt us. But in the end, we’re left feeling worse because the guilt of retribution is added to the grudge we hold. Jesus had every right to be angry; he was condemned to death despite complete innocence. Yet, some of his last words were asking his Father to forgive us. What would our lives look like if we chose forgiveness over retaliation? Sermon…
What If…Jesus Is Alive?
Have you every been lost? There’s physically lost – like when you wander around a foreign place, and then there’s spiritually lost – like the disciples were feeling on the road to Emmaus. After Jesus was crucified, they lost all hope. They forgot everything Jesus told them about what would happen next. When we forget about the Resurrection, we’re right there with the Disciples – lost, hopeless, wandering. But Jesus is alive. And that changes everything. Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 15:12-22 Sermon…
What if…We Worshiped Without Shame
What do you worship? In order to truly determine what you worship, you have to consider those things that you put first in your life. We’re always worshiping something. The only one we can worship without shame is God. Just like the people in the streets of Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, we can worship God because of his faithfulness, power, and love. Scriptures: Psalm 98 Sermon Text: Luke 19:28-40
Christ’s Ambassadors
Christians are often labeled as bigots or backward. But, in a post-Christian world, we will be ambassadors to foreign tribes, behaving diplomatically toward neighbors who have been told the worst about Christianity. Sermon Text: Jeremiah 29:5-7 and Luke 10:25-37
The Gift Inside the Gift
Luke 2:28-32
Christmas Day 2018
One Night In Bethlehem What do you find gives you the deepest joy and contentment in the Christmas season? Is it the carols and traditions? The presents and family? Or perhaps is it the connection that all of humanity has to the biblical story of Christmas. Longing, sacrifice, pain, deliverance, fear, joy, peace – and above all, Hope. As we consider the story of Christmas in Bethlehem we’ll become a participant in the story to see that all of us…