One of the great (and unique) gifts of Christmas is Joy. The prophets promised it, the angel proclaimed it, and the Magi experienced it when the Star led them to Bethlehem. But what is joy, how does it grow, and how do we receive it ? We’ll talk about that this morning....
Gift-giving is a noble Christmas tradition. We may recall with fondness a gift we received as a child -- or even as an adult. But the best gifts of all are the ones that Jesus gives. During Advent we will take a look at several of these gifts. Today we consider two: Hope and Peace.
Advent is the traditional season of preparation for the arrival (i.e., “advent”) of the Messiah. God sent John the Baptist to get the people ready for Jesus’ arrival, and Peter is the one God chose to first proclaim the Good News about Jesus’ resurrection. In both cases, the people responded by asking, “What Shall We Do?” We’ll talk about that this morning....
What would it be like to have dinner with Jesus? What kind of houseguest would he be? What would he have to say to us? We have several clues from Luke, for he often tells us about folks who shared a meal with Jesus. Let’s consider one of these today, and take a look at several others. One thing is clear: dining with Jesus is an unforgettable experience.
The crowd grows as Jesus journeys toward his destiny in Jerusalem. Many of them have the wrong impression about Jesus -- just as many folks do today. What are these misunderstandings, and what does Jesus demand instead? We’ll explore that in today’s message.
The past few weeks we have seen that following Jesus means living a life of mission, of compassion, and devotion. Last Sunday we learned that devotion to Jesus requires a lifetime commitment to study, to prayer and to worship. Today we take a closer look at Jesus’ teaching about prayer: how to pray “the Jesus way.”
We have seen that Jesus expects his followers to live lives of mission and compassion. Today, Jesus adds a third priority to this list: Devotion. What does it mean to live a life of devotion? Let’s find out….
In this section of Luke’s gospel we are considering the question, “What does Jesus expect from his followers?” Last week we learned that following Jesus means living a life of mission. This week, as we consider one Jesus’ most familiar stories, we learn that following Jesus means living a life of love.
“Who is Jesus?” This fundamental question has been answered: Jesus is God's Anointed King. But what does King Jesus expect from his followers? Today we will look at the first of several answers found in Luke’s gospel: “Following Jesus means living a life of mission."
As Jesus begins his fateful trek toward Jerusalem, we see that there are a number of folks who are interested in following Jesus. But none of them are willing to pay the price. What is the cost of following Jesus? Let’s find out.
October 12th, 2025
Did Jesus ever get frustrated? It sure seems like it in today’s text. What was it that frustrated him? It was the failure of his disciples to understand and apply his teaching and his example to their own lives. Let’s explore both the frustration of Jesus and the failure of his followers, and how we can avoid their mistakes.
Soon after Peter proclaimed, “You are the Christ of God,” Jesus took him and two others up on a mountain. Once there, they had a profound experience of the majesty and glory of Jesus. It bore striking similarities to Moses’ mountaintop experience on Mt. Sinai. What was the meaning of this divine encounter, and how does it relate to our lives? We’ll talk about that today.
The entire first section of Luke’s Gospel has led to the point where Jesus asks his disciples this climactic question: “Who do you say that I am?” How would you answer? Who do you think Jesus was? And what difference does it make? We’ll talk about that today.
Has Jesus ever told you to do something which seemed physically impossible? Jesus did that to his disciples when, while facing a hungry crowd he said, “You give them something to eat.” How in heaven’s name could they do that? Let’s find out.
Does it ever seem like God has given you an impossible mission? The disciples must have felt that way when Jesus sent them to preach and heal just like they’d seen him do. But Jesus equipped them for the task, just as he does us, and they went and did what Jesus wanted them to do. Will we do the same?
Does it ever seem like God’s timetable and yours are radically different? You ask for wisdom, for healing or for guidance, but it doesn't seem to come in time -- if at all! In today's study we will meet a man who could certainly identify with our frustration. What would he say to us about these things? We’ll talk about that today.
Last week we saw that Jesus calmed the storm with a word of rebuke. This was the first of four consecutive displays of Jesus’ power in our text: He is the master over creation, over demonic evil, over sickness, and death itself. Today we will examine the second of these, Jesus’ power over demonic evil. What are we to make of this dramatic display? We’ll talk about that today.
What happens when four starving lepers discover a treasure trove of food, clothing and gold in an enemy’s campsite? And what does this have to do with us? We’ll talk about that today....
At first the disciples were afraid of the storm. But when Jesus rebuked it with merely a word, they were even more afraid. “Who then is this,” they asked, “that he commands even winds and waves, and they obey him?” Indeed. Who is Jesus? The disciples weren’t sure. Even Jesus’ mother was unsure. What about you? What do you think?
As Jesus “spreads the word" about his kingdom, his message is met with varied responses. Some (the villagers in Nazareth) reject his teaching outright. Others (Simon the Pharisee) are interested but unconvinced. But there are many (a tax collector, a centurion, a “woman of the city” and the Twelve) whose lives are forever changed. To illustrate this, Jesus tells a story to challenge his hearers (then and now) to consider their own response to his kingdom message.
August 3rd, 2025