Tag Archives: Jesus

Betrayal // Arrest // Denial

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:12 — 6.5MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Luke 22:39-62

 

Prayed

(abandoned)

Betrayed

(not surprised)

Denied

(aware)

 

Handout for Spiritual Examination and Confession

 Psalm 32

1 John 1:8-9

Questions for Reflection

  1. Does your confession tend to be along the lines of “Forgive my sins, dear Lord” rather than specifically naming your sins one by one before the face of God?
    What does the lack of specific confession do to self-awareness?
  2. What experiences have affected your ability to give and receive forgiveness?
  3. When have you tasted the joy of forgiveness?
    What was that like for you?

Signs of the Times

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:42 — 5.7MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Luke 21:5-38

Five Major Topics

  1. Warnings Against Deception (vv. 5–11)
  2. Encouragement During Persecution (vv. 12–19)
  3. The Destruction Of Jerusalem (vv. 20–24)
  4. Future Events (vv. 25–28)
  5. Assurances Concerning These Events (vv. 29–36).

Nine Exhortations

  1. Do not follow false leaders (v. 8)
  2. Do not be frightened by the awesome events associated with the end times in apocalyptic literature (vv. 9–11)
  3. Do not worry about your legal defense when you are persecuted and face legal charges because of your Christian witness (vv. 12–16)
  4. When all turn against you, persevere and take a firm stand (vv. 17–19)
  5. Flee Jerusalem when it is besieged (vv. 20–24)
  6. When the final apocalyptic events (the portents in heaven and on earth) do take place, take heart at your coming redemption when the Son of Man returns (vv. 25–28)
  7. Recognize also that these things point to the approach of the kingdom of God (vv. 29–31)
  8. Be assured that throughout the apocalyptic period the Lord’s words endure (vv. 32–33)
  9. Be watchful and pray so that you will come through all these things in a way the Son of Man will approve of (vv. 34–36)

 

Questions:

How do you apply these signs of the end of the age to your own life?

Your Mission

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:31 — 5.6MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

should you choose to accept it

Luke 19:28-40

Before the “Triumphal Entry”

 

The Mission:

 

How it went down

 

Questions for discussion

  • What are the implications for us today?
  • Do you have any examples from your own life?

Possible with God

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 23:52 — 5.5MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Luke 19:1-10

“What is impossible with men is possible with God” – Luke 18:18-30

Zacchaeus

Chief Tax Collector

and he was rich

Jesus sees Zacchaeus

Zacchaeus’s response 

Salvation & Restitution 

 

Memory Verse:

The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. Luke 19:10

 

Questions:

  1. Zacchaeus wanted to catch a glimpse of the Lord. What form did your curiosity about Christ take before you trusted in him?
  2. What do you think about Zacchaeus’s desire to make restitution?

Only Cleansed – Or Made Well

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 35:30 — 8.1MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Luke 17:11-19

Lukan themes in the passage:

  • Jerusalem is the goal of the journey
  • Jesus has mercy on social outcasts
  • Jesus conforms to Jewish norms
  • The grace of God extends beyond Judaism

“Go show yourselves to the priests.”

ἐκαθαρίσθησαν from καθαρίζω (katharizō)

1 of 10

σέσωκέν from σῴζω (sōzō)

Questions:

  1. Do you think the different word choice between “cleansed” and “made well / saved” is intentional and specific – or just a synonym? Is this important?
  2.  What is an appropriate response for healing or rescuing from a trial today?

Boy Jesus

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 33:57 — 7.8MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Luke 2:41-52

The only account of Jesus’ boyhood we possess apart from apocryphal legends. Here: the story of a visit by the holy family to a festival in Jerusalem.

The Boy Jesus Stayed Behind

“Filial Consciousness”

 

Three Sayings:

 

 

A: What the angels said

The baby’s name was given privately before his birth, and publicly afterwards, as ‘Jesus’ (1:31; 2:21): ‘The Lord is salvation’,

First: Savior

Second: Christ

Third: Lord

B: What the prophet said

Simeon’s thanksgiving to God tells us that the salvation to be found in Jesus is for all humanity. It is a universal offer.

 

 

C: What the Child himself said

Jews: ‘You, O Lord, are our Father’

So the first recorded words of Jesus are a statement about himself, and a claim to a relationship between himself and God different from, and deeper than, anything that had ever been known before.

 

 

Questions:

  • Do we underestimate the spiritual insight of young people?
  • Mary and Joseph were not always able to understand what they were told. Why are we so slow to believe and grasp the word of God? (Note the difficulty our Lord’s disciples had—Luke 9:45 and 18:34.)
  • What stands out to you as most important in the stories of Luke 1 & 2?

Waiting for God

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 34:29 — 7.9MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Luke 2:25-40

Intro

 

Promise :: Fulfillment :: Praise

The testimony of Simeon (Lk 2:25–35)

  1. His reassurance (Lk 2:25–26):
    “consolation of Israel”
    “comfort : paraklēsis
  2. His recognition (Lk 2:27–32):
  3. His revelation (Lk 2:33–35)

(1)        Concerning the Messiah (Lk 2:33–34):

(2)        Concerning the mother (Lk 2:35):

The testimony of Anna (Lk 2:36–38):

 

Questions:

What are you expecting (waiting for) God to do? In this life? In the life-to-come?

Have you ever seen the order of promise :: fulfillment :: praise?

Reversal of Roles

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 20:40 — 4.7MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Luke 16:19-31

Context: Escalating conflict with Pharisees:

14 The Pharisees, who dearly loved their money, heard all this and scoffed at him. 15 Then he said to them, “You like to appear righteous in public, but God knows your hearts. What this world honors is detestable in the sight of God.

 

Only parable with a named character

Reversals:       Luke 1:51-52

a) Fixed Position (contrast)           19-20   Rich Man (inside)                                                                                                                                                        Lazarus (outside)
b) Unfulfilled Longing (hunger)     21a     Lazarus (outside)
c) Torment (sores; dogs licking)    21b     Lazarus (outside)
22        Lazarus: Angelic Transport
d) Deaths—Reversal
Rich Man: Burial
ɔ) Torment (flames)                              23     Rich Man (outside)
q) Unfulfilled Longing (thirst)           24     Rich Man (outside)
ɐ) Fixed Position (contrast)         25-26     Rich Man (outside)
Lazarus (inside)

Note that this parable doesn’t portray Lazarus as notably virtuous in any way. It is his poor and neglected condition that is the object of God’s action. Nor is the rich man wicked in other respects. It is simply that his luxury so absorbed him that he did not notice – and not noticing sealed his fate.

Ultimately, then, the parable is about failure in conversion, which explains why it has a sequel (vv.27-31) prolonging the dialogue between the rich man and Abraham

Questions for Reflection

In Luke 16:20-21, the rich man at least allowed the unsightly beggar Lazarus to remain at his gate and receive food from his table. How would you react if such a man lay at your front door, or by your church gates, every day? Are we even more hard-hearted than the rich man?

Read Luke 16:31 again. Do we really believe in the sufficiency of Scripture to save and warn today?

Lost : Found :: Searching : Rejoicing

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 13:52 — 3.2MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Luke 15:1-32

Three parables: The Lost Sheep, The Lost Coin, The Lost Son

Sermon audio has been edited to remove question and response time that was too quiet on the recording.

Repetition

Lost

Searching

Found

Rejoicing

Response to the Pharisees and the Teachers of Religious Law