Sermons About Luke
Why Did Jesus Go to All That Trouble?
This is our second to last sermon in our vision series. This week we're considering the conversion of Zacchaues, the unlikeliest of men to become a follower of Christ. In this passage we're trying to answer the question, "Who are the lost?"
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Jesus In Galilee
Jesus taught in Galilee at the beginning of His ministry. In chapter 4, He teaches in Nazareth and Capernaum to two very different reactions. Jesus reads from Isaiah 61 and claims that He is the fulfillment of that scripture. The people of Nazareth did not believe Him, and Jesus tells them why; they were too proud. Jesus is good news to needy people; the people of Nazareth did not think they were needy. We have to see ourselves as needy, spiritually bankrupt. The people of Capernaum believed (at least in part) that Jesus was who He said He was. We need to be thankful that God doesn't just love Israel but loves Gentiles as well. We need to humble ourselves and see our need for Jesus every single day.
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My Beloved Son
"Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased." Luke 3:21-22
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Food & Spirituality
Why does Jesus associate and eat with sinners? Can you imagine President Obama having a barbeque with Al Qaeda leadership? What a scandal. Jesus’ practice of sharing meals with sinners brought a lot of criticism from the religious leaders of the day. Pastor Hugo takes us to Luke 15 to show us why Jesus made a habit of eating with reprobates like you and me. Stay tuned in after the sermon to hear, Lord I Want to be a Christian/Apart from You recorded live at the Soiled Dove by Dave LeMieux & House of Soul, which was just released on their latest CD, Jazz Shaped.
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The Church in Ephesus: Revelation 2:1-7
The letter to the Ephesians in Revelation begins with a commendation. Jesus commends the Ephesians for their doctrinal purity. They have fought false teachings and have remained faithful to the truth without growing weary and giving up. Yet, though they have remained doctrinally pure, they have ceased to be faithful witnesses for Jesus because they lost her first love for Jesus. Jesus calls them to remember the depths of their sin and how much they have been forgiven. Some of us are like the prodigal son or the sinful woman in Luke 7, and we know we have been saved from a life of sin. We have been overwhelmed by his grace, but over time, the memory fades and we grow prideful and self-reliant. For others of us, the danger is that we have never had a sinful woman experience. We may not have ever felt desperate, out of control, absolutely empty, and needy. Our savior walks among his people and he sees them all. He will forgive us if we will stop trying to be perfect and simply fall at his feet and beg him for mercy. Run to the one who, though his face shown like the sun, willingly took on flesh to die on the cross in our place.
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Preparing the Way for Jesus
In Luke chapter 3, John the Baptist begins his ministry of preparing the way for Jesus' ministry. John's baptisms were for repentance, and he preached a message of "repent or else." He didn't tell people to go through rituals, but he told people that they needed to change to show their repentance. Real repentance produces fruit that comes from a changed heart.
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Confusion
40 And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him. 41Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. 43And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, 44but supposing him to be in the group they went a day’s journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, 45and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. 46After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress." 49And he said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?" 50And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. 51And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart. 52And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.
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