Everyone needs a "why"—a reason to get up, a purpose for life. It leads to big questions: What is life all about? Why are we here? How do we live meaningfully? For followers of Jesus, these questions are central to the journey of discipleship. In Luke 12, Jesus tackles these existential questions through parables and analogies, focusing on what tru…

A lot of us are disenchanted with religion. There’s so much hypocrisy and abuse and scandal. No wonder so many people are checking out of organized religion, even if they still find Jesus to be compelling. Here at the end of Luke 11 and into 12 Jesus himself railed against the dangers of religion. It turns out that God isn’t actually interested in …

Who is Jesus? This is the most important question anyone can ask. Is He a deceiver, a lunatic, a prophet, a teacher, or the Son of God? These questions have been asked for centuries. In the Gospels, people wrestled with who Jesus was—healing the sick, calming storms, and teaching with authority. Yet, they reached different conclusions. In Luke 11, …

Matthew 4:1–11 is a foundation to illustrate how Jesus prepared for his mission through fasting and resisting temptation. Context of Matthew 4: The passage follows Jesus' baptism, where He identifies with humanity despite having no need for repentance. Jesus is led into the wilderness by the Spirit to be tempted, which demonstrates both His humanit…

The EndsGod’s Justice Will Cover the Earth: Christ's reign extends justice across the earth. Brings fairness and righteousness to all creation.God’s People Will Be Liberated: Christ liberates God's people from spiritual blindness and bondage.God’s Glory Will Be Celebrated: Christ's reign leads to the celebration of God's glory. The renewed creation…

Now, in life, hard things will happen. We live in a fallen world marked by sin and selfishness. When you are on the ropes, God is faithful and His heart cares for people dealing with the consequences of their own sin and rebellion. When things go from bad to worse, how should we respond? Will You Double Down?When we devote ourselves to idols—someth…

The Symptoms A world under wrath (Romans 1:18) A people in chaos and pain (1:24, 1:26, 1:28-31) A world condemned to die (1:32)The Illness and Its Progression Rejection of the Truth and the darkens of hearts (Romans 1:21-23) Embracing of the Lie and the worship creation (Romans 1:25)The Cure A timely provision (Romans 5:6) An act of love (Romans 5:…

One of the greatest privileges we have as a child of God Is the fact that we can come to God in prayer anytime, anywhere, with anything. In Christ and by the Spirit we have total, unrestricted access to the Father. But, so many of us don’t know where to start. Fortunately, we’re not the first humans to be unsure when it comes to prayer. In this pas…

]One of the hallmarks of Jesus’ ministry is His use of parables, short and powerful stories jam-packed with spiritual insights and timeless lessons. 2,000 years later, we’re still unpacking these brilliant tales. Today we get the privilege of diving into one of the most famous of all Jesus’ parables: The Good Samaritan. Like many of Jesus’ stories.…

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?” Luke 9:23–25 Know God through Worship• We find ourselves, not wit…

God is a missional God. The Father sends the Son to redeem the world. And Jesus sends us, His disciples, to the ends of the earth with the message of salvation by grace through faith in Him. We are commissioned by Jesus to show and share the love of God wherever we go. All of us are sent out on mission by Jesus, and there are valuable lessons we ne…

Have you ever come down from grand moment in life? You’re on this high and then you come down. Back to reality and it’s business as usual. It can be quite disorienting! That’s similar to what’s happening with Jesus in Luke 9. He goes from glory on the mountaintop and then back down to this broken world. As this chapter closes, Luke narrates a raft …

“Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail th’ incarnate Deity!Pleased as man with man to dwell, Jesus our Immanuel.”- Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - Charles Wesley In the incarnation, Jesus is God incognito. He is undercover, veiled, and among us in secret. Until Luke 9:28-36, when the veil is lifted and His glory is revealed. 1) The Glory Jesus is Gl…

Chapter 9 of the Gospel of Luke forms a hinge in the narrative. Up to this point, the key question has been, “Who is this Jesus?” And in Luke 9, that question begins to be answered and we see His glorious identity be revealed. From this point on, Jesus is moving inexorably toward Jerusalem and to the crucifixion that awaits him there. So here we ar…

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be wit…

As we wake up in this universe, we find ourselves in the midst of a story that is already unfolding. But what is the story about? And how do we find our place in the story? The Bible tells us we’re living in God’s story. It’s the story of a God who is on a mission to glorify His name by redeeming all people. It is a story that began at the dawn of …

Reputations are fragile things...you can spend a lifetime crafting a good reputation only to see it shattered by a moment of weakness, a lapse in judgment, and by sin. What do we do with our past? Are we always under the cloud, the indictment of our past actions? Today, in John chapter 4, we have the privileges of pursuing what we hear from God and…

Listening to God. Barriers to hearing from God. Be transformed by the Word. Takeaway: Be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to become angry.بقلم Pastor Justin May

In the Book of Acts—which is the second part of Dr. Luke’s two-volume set of historical works—we find Jesus’ core disciples, the Apostles, turning the world upside down. They’re boldly preaching and going to the ends of the earth to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus! But that’s not where they began. Before Jesus showed up, the twelve disciples were just…

Have you ever noticed that the heroes we most admire—in the books we read and in the films we watch—always combine the paradoxical traits of grit and grace? And the paradox of those traits is important. It’s easy to be strong and grow hard and calloused. It’s easy to be sensitive and grow soft and battered. In other words, choosing one side of the …

You know that moment in a superhero movie where all of a sudden the hero’s true identity is revealed, usually to a close friend? As an audience member, in that moment it’s like you’re in on the secret. In the Gospel of Luke, we’ve seen Jesus revealing bits and pieces of who He is. Everyone’s asking, “Who is this Jesus?” But today marks a pivotal mo…

It's human nature to not hear as well as we think we do. Even though our ears are open, we’re not very good at listening. In our marriages, parenting, friendships, or with colleagues; If we could just learn to listen well, it would transform our relationships. If that’s true when it comes to our human relationships, just imagine how true it must be…

When three people from totally different worlds collide together in one space, you never know what’s going to happen! Well, something like that is happening at the end of Luke 7. A Pharisee, Jesus, and a Sinner all end up at the same dinner. Who knows what’s going to happen? Whatever it is, it’s going to be crazy. Throughout this passage, let's loo…

In these early days of His ministry, Jesus has been disclosing more and more of His authority and power. He’s cast out demons, forgiven sins, and most recently he’s raised the dead. Everyone is asking the question: Who is this Jesus? Some consider Him a healer; others think He’s a great prophet. Still, others wonder if He’s the Messiah who would re…

1,991 years ago, a Galilean carpenter turned Rabbi, who’d been crucified and buried for three days, arose and walked out of his tomb alive! In a moment that changed history forever, Jesus revealed His death-defying life for all the world to see! Let’s go back 3 years before that Resurrection morning to the early days of Jesus’ ministry.Jesus has pe…

What is a good person? It’s quite an important question. Have you ever felt like you knew someone who seemed like such a good person and then one day, it all came crashing down? Have you ever wondered if you are a good person? Consider these 4 parables that Jesus preaches in the Sermon of the Plain: The Blind Leading the Blind The Speck and the Log…

When comparing Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain in Luke with Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in Matthew, we get the same core message. But in Luke, Jesus is much more efficient and to the point. This means in Luke, we’re getting the core of Jesus’ central message. There are 3 major elements: The Blessings and Woes What is the good life? The Ethics of Love Wha…

Jesus has been causing quite a stir up in Galilee. Many are drawing near in astonishment and faith. While others are recoiling back in skepticism and disbelief. Jesus’ own followers are starting to feel the heat. They’ve left everything and followed Him. Now the Pharisees are starting to question where their loyalties lie. Of course, we know the an…

A Personal God The God of History The God of Liberation A Holy GodTakeaway: God – not nature – is the ultimate foundation of our existence. And, as he has shown us in history, he is on our side.بقلم Stefan Gustavsson

“No one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins.” With those words, recorded here at the heart of Luke 5 & 6, Jesus is setting the stage for what He’s doing as His ministry begins. Like wine ripening in the …

As we come to chapters 5 & 6, we find Dr. Luke brings together two themes like a zipper. Jesus is beginning his ministry, and many are drawn to him and choosing to become one of his followers. Yet on the other side, many are skeptical of him, especially the Scribes and the Pharisees. Dr. Luke is zippering these two themes together, going back and f…

One of the best descriptions of Jesus is found in Hebrews 1:3, "He is the radiance of the glory of God, the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power." Jesus is the glory of God up close and personal. If you want to know what God is like look at Jesus! When God speaks and brings all creation into existence, t…

In The Lord of The Rings, when Frodo, Sam, Pippen, and Mary return to the Shire, they come home changed. When they left, they were a ragtag bunch of mischievous friends, but now they’re heroes. However, the other hobbits of The Shire don’t know about their adventures. So, as these four friends arrive home in all their regalia, their old neighbors a…

When being interviewed for a job, people are always asking about the same things: your background, your credentials, your qualifications, and your experience. They’re trying to see if there’s a fit between the job and what you have to offer. You’ve got to get the right person in the right assignment if you want to have the right outcomes. In 1st ce…

Dr. Luke has been weaving together the stories of these two remarkable boys—John and Jesus—born six months apart, both of whom will be integral in this new chapter of redemption that God is writing in salvation history. God is clearly on the move, and these two boys will be central to His saving work as it breaks through! The last we heard of John …

Imagine Dr. Luke sitting down to interview Mary about her son, Jesus. Of all the key witnesses he’d interviewed, his conversation with Mary must have been the most precious. She may have said, “Let me tell you when I first realized that He knew exactly who He was. He was 12 years old, just a boy, and we accidentally lost Jesus. We left him behind f…

What kind of story are we living in? Is life a comedic story? Or is it a tragic story? We call those who see life as a comedy, optimists. Their cheery outlook drives innovation, entertainment, and hopefulness. As for those who see life as a tragic story, we call them pessimists. They are honest about the pain and struggle life has to offer. But the…

Two gifts from the Lord that are available to every follower of Jesus no matter what they are going through. These two gifts are essential in helping us face the pain of living in a broken and fallen world and fight the temptations that it brings. And without them, we are far weaker and more vulnerable than we should be. Those two gifts are FREEDOM…

In the business world, most of the time companies are competing in an established market, each trying to marginally outdo the others. But every so often, a market disruptor breaks in. Instead of competing in the existing market space, disruptors redefine the space altogether. Disruptors break in and upend everything, changing the world as we know i…

What do you do when God sets you aside for a season? When you can’t do normal, but have to learn to wait on Him? There’s lots of circumstances God can use to set us aside: career interruptions; health challenges; romantic breakups; job searches; and family crises. In today’s passage, Zechariah’s season of being set aside finally ends. God enables h…

Sometimes in a movie, the scenes cut back and forth between two different characters in what appears to be two distinct plotlines…only for their storylines to suddenly merge unexpectedly. Something like that is happening in our text this morning. We’ve met Zechariah and Elizabeth, and rejoiced with them when the angel Gabriel told them God had answ…

Dr. Luke is documenting for us the life and times of Jesus. But it’s interesting that he doesn’t start with Jesus. Instead, his gospel begins with a scene in the Temple, as an aged priest lights the incense, and an angel named Gabriel appears to him announcing that he and his wife of many childless years are miraculously about to become parents. It…

In the Gospel of Luke, we encounter a King like no other. Most kings make it about themselves. They wield power, authority, and strength for their own benefit. But not Jesus. Jesus is the King who came to serve. He laid down all His rights and privileges in love to rescue us. From His place of glory, He came all the way down to the fringes of this …

The troubles of this world can be heavy to bear. The future is uncertain, and the present is filled with difficulty and pain. How are we supposed to navigate this all by ourselves? In this sermon from John 14, Pastor McCarthy shares with us a simple message: Stop It! Stop running on the treadmill of life to nowhere and trust in Jesus to be the way,…

This final sermon from the book of Malachi is about hope. Hope is something we can’t live without. Hope gives us reason to endure. Hope lifts our eyes beyond the shadows to the dawning of the light. And as the Book of Malachi draws to a close, it ends with a wonderous vision of hope. There’s been a lot of tough love in this book. God doesn’t pull H…

In this sermon, we explore the 6th and final dispute between God and the people of Israel. Previously, God was pouring out His heart in an appeal to the people to “test me in this” so that He would pour our His blessing on them, and to “return to me, and I will return to you.” But how will the people respond? In this passage from Malachi 3:13–18, t…

We live in anxious times; it’s a world of worry out there. Are you struggling to sleep at night due to anxiety? Are you fearful of what may happen in the future? Psalm 127:1–2 is a beautiful reminder of how God’s beloved children can find peace from a world full of worry. In this sermon, we’ll discover that our ability to experience the peace of Ch…

What does the Bible say about money and possession? There are approximately 2,350 passages about those topics in Scripture. By contrast, faith and prayer receive about 500 passages each. So, the Bible talks about money and possessions more than twice as much as the topics of faith and prayer combined. Now, why would that be? In this sermon, we’re g…

One the of hardest moments for those of us who are trying to live God’s way comes when those who couldn’t care less about God’s way end up coming out ahead in life. What’s the point in righteous living, if the unrighteous are the ones getting ahead in life? That’s exactly where God’s people were in Malachi’s day. They’d come back from exile with fe…

When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment in all the Law and the Prophets was, He gave a two-fold answer: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, AND love your neighbor as yourself.” Because if we love God rightly, we will love our neighbor; and a failure to love our neighbor is a failure to love God. This an…