Messages on Luke (Page 3)
Lowly Shepherds
The proclamation of the birth of Jesus was not first made to kings or religious elites, but to those outside the community – a group of shepherds watching their sheep at night. This important piece of the Christmas story teaches us that God’s heart has always been for the outsiders, and it still is today. BIG ANNOUNCEMENTS Today we’ll talk about the “unlikely characters” who received the very first proclamation of the birth of Jesus. Other than those in the…
Zechariah and Elizabeth
While Christmas is supposed to be a time of celebration, for many it is a reminder of all the disappointments and unmet expectations of another year. In fact, that’s the exact feeling of the unlikely characters who open the story of Jesus’ birth. Rather than beginning with Jesus, the Gospel of Luke opens with a focus on an old couple who was unable to have children. But why? People Can Surprise You We start our new Christmas series today by…
Be Nice
A first step in strengthening relationships is simple kindness. Everyone knows that, but few actually live it out every day, towards every person. Instead we pick and choose who to love and who to loathe. The Bible teaches us to love our neighbor as ourselves and we don’t get to pick who our neighbor is. Message Do you know the secret of getting people to like you? Be nice to them! This sounds simple, but do you realize how all-encompassing…
Church Renewal
God works through the bride of Christ, His church to bring His Kingdom to the community around. As the church, we want to experience a fresh outpouring of the Spirit of God and be willing to be like a flexible new wineskin, open to new ways of doing ministry, as we are filled with the new wine of the Spirit.
Songs of the Season
Songs are Powerful Last week after taking a look at our beloved Christmas trees and how they intersect with the Tree of Life found in the second chapter and the last chapter of our Bibles, today we are going to look at the Songs of the Season. Unlike any other holiday in America, Christmas is tied to carols. We sang many of them this morning, as music is so tied to what it means to be human. There are studies…