Luke 18:35–39

Luke 18:35-39 

English Standard Version 

  What I love about this blind man is that he refuses to let the pressure of others change his interactions with Jesus.  Think of all the ways that disappointment, embarrassment, and pressure changes the way you act.  We like to blend in with the crowd.

  This man was desperate, and he was not about to let the pressure of the crowd disrupt his relationship with Jesus.  May we all have such a single-minded focus on Jesus, that praying to God is sitting so heavily on our minds and hearts that we simply pray, aloud or silently, whenever necessary, such that God hears our prayers.

Western Michigan, Big 10 officiating, and the Gospel

Luke 18:31–34

Luke 18:31-34

English Standard Version 

  Have you ever tried to assemble something from IKEA with those instruction booklets and you're staring at the picture and it seems like it should make sense but it just doesn't and you have no idea what the next step is?

  That's the world the disciples are in during this passage, and it's often a similar place we end up in.  It feels like we have faith, and therefore the next step of life should make sense.  

  But sometimes, we understand none of these things.  It doesn't make sense why something happened when it seemed like something else should have happened.

  The disciples were still thinking that Jesus was going to lead a triumphant victory over the Roman army.  They expected victory.

  Crucifixion was not in the cards in their minds.  Jesus was talking about death, but they didn't grasp the fullness of what would seem like defeat.

  That defeat would go on to be the first step in a massive victory over sin and death, but the path to get there didn't make sense to the disciples, any more than the path we wander in life sometimes doesn't make sense at all.

  But just because we cannot make sense of it, this does not mean that God is not at work.  Stay on the road with Jesus, take the next step, and entrust the destination to God.

Sermon on the Parable of the Persistent Widow (Luke 18)

Luke 18:26–30

Luke 18:26-30 

English Standard Version 

  With 3 kids, there aren't many meals that everyone agrees on.  As tastes have changed, foods slowly were eliminated.  Some nights, it feels like there isn't anything that everyone agrees on, except for ice cream, so maybe it is the perfect food and we should simply start with that.

  As Jesus has taught the crowds, it feels like he's whittled away all the paths to salvation that we can try and create on our own.  Religious obedience, morality, achievement, possessions -- each of these has been taken off the shelf and discarded.  The disciples might have thought that their sacrfices would be enough, but even those fall short.  What is left?

  This is where faith begins, Jesus says, because where humans fall short, God steps in.  The Kingdom is something to be received.  Peter is looking at all that the disciples have sacrificed, but Jesus is redefining what it means to follow God.  There isn't a scoreboard that they are tracking, but rather through Christ, they are entering into a new identity, a new creation, where there are riches untold.  Can they entrust themselves to God?  

  May we lean into the Kingdom of God, even in the midst of uncertainty.  May we pursue Christ, trusting in God that what is ahead is far greater than anything that is behind us.

Luke 18:18–25

Luke 18:18-25 

English Standard Version 

****************

  This guy sounds like the model for all of us to follow, right?  He has kept the commandments from the time he was a child, and he's ascended to a level of power and influence as a ruler.  He's rich as well.  What's not to like?

  Like each of us, he has one thing that he loves more than God and is hard for him to give up.  Jesus, knowing all, is aware of exactly what it is for him.  Money can easily come to rule our hearts -- we desire it and begin to think about it, day and night.  We are saddened by the thought of losing it, just as this rich young ruler is.

  What would be the hardest for you to surrender?

  We should each be willing to ask ourselves this question.  It's so hard for us to keep our hearts in line.  We start to have disordered loves, opting to love something more than God.  It's probably different for each of us, but we all have something.  

  Thanks be to God that Jesus comes to show us what those things are, and he loves us and redeems us to give us hope.

Luke 18:15–17

Luke 18:15-17 

English Standard Version 

  In those days, children had no power of influence.  They weren't regarded as terribly important.  Many people didn't give them much thought.  The disciples assumed Jesus had far more important things to do than to spend time with people who didn't bring much to the table.

  Jesus is teaching us that this is how we come to God.  We are sinful and broken, and we don't bring anything to the table.  

  God loves us anyway.  God makes time for us.  God saves us.  

  Not because we bring something that God is lacking. 

  But because God loves us.

Luke 18:9–14

Luke 18:9-14 

English Standard Version 

  I just preached a sermon on this passage on Sunday -- this is a story of comparison.  The Pharisee defines himself on a basis of comparison.  The sin of the tax collector is useful to him because it makes the Pharisee feel better about himself.  He looks at the tax collector and feels pride.  The Pharisee will also look at anyone who is ahead of him and feel envy.  He's looking around to his peers to find his own place in the standings.

  The tax collector looks only to the holiness of God.  His spirituality doesn't rest in the status of another person.  It's rooted in God's mercy.  He finds his justification in God and in God alone.  

  So when you look to the people around you, what do you see?  Comparison, we're told, is the thief of joy.  If you're anxiously wondering how you measure up, then relationships with others are only going to give you stress.  If you stop looking to others to see how you're doing and instead opt to look to Christ to define yourself, then you can experience others as a community of people working together to serve one another.  We're not competing for a limited supply of grace, but instead enjoying one another's company on the road to discipleship.

Luke 18:1–8

Luke 18:1-8 

English Standard Version 

  Every once in a while, I can cook a pretty good meal.  But if you go to a restaurant with a professional world-class chef... how much more consistent will the food there be?  How much better will it be?  Any person who cooks regularly will get it right every now and again... but a trained chef is in a different league.

  Jesus is telling this parable as a lesson for us -- broken and sinful people every once in a while get something right.  In this story, the judge doesn't fear God or respect man, but he eventually grants this widow's request.  

  How much more, Jesus is telling us, will God look to serve us?  If a broken and sinful man can get it right, then God is so much greater than that.  Jesus is telling us this so that we won't lose heart.  He wants us to persevere.  Jesus knows that waiting can cause us to lose heart, so he encourages us to be patient, to persist, and to keep praying.

Wheel Bearings and the Gospel

Luke 17:34–37

Luke 17:34-37 

English Standard Version 

  I remember the Peanuts cartoon where Snoopy is perched in a tree, waiting for a victim to come by... when Linus comes by and tells him that he's looking the wrong way.  Snoopy didn't make a great vulture.

  When you see a group of vultures circling in the sky, you can conclude that something has died.  It's not a lovely visual, and I wish Jesus would've picked something happier as well, but this is what we have.  We all know what a group of vultures mean.

  In the same way, Jesus is telling us that when the end times come, it will be very obvious.  We won't miss it.  There aren't going to be signs that are unclear or ambiguous about whether Jesus has returned.  It'll be clear.  

  Since we don't have to worry about that, we can instead focus on how to live in the here-and-now.  I think that's why Jesus is telling us that the end times will be clear -- once we stop worrying about that, we're free to focus on living faithfully today.  

  So what does it mean for you to be faithful to God this morning?  Maybe even leave the afternoon and evening for later.  What can you do now to serve Christ, to be a faithful disciple, to invite Christ into this day, into this moment?  Perhaps it is to stop and pray now, or to pick up a book and read, or to make that call you've been putting off.  There's something that could wait if you get distracted... but you can also take the next step now.  Glorify God this morning.

Parable on the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

Luke 17:31–33

Luke 17:31-33 

English Standard Version 

  There's so much to try and hold onto!!!  There are often so many good things, and we want to hold them tightly in our hands, never letting go.  

  Do we trust God enough to put everything into his hands?  What we place there is ultimately preserved in a way that it cannot be if we hold onto it on our own.  Life is safe in God's hands.  

  It's a constant choice.  Everything we have is a gift from God.  We can offer it back to God, or we can try and keep it on our own.  

  How can we make each day, and whatever is in it, an offering to God?  How do we set out hearts on that mindset, so that we're aware of what a gift the good things are?  May we pray for an open mind and open heart and open hands, so that we treasure God's gifts while offering all of life back to God.

Luke 17:28–30

Luke 17:28-30 

English Standard Version 

  What occupied most of your time 10 years ago?  What about 20?  Jesus is being incredibly serious here -- he's challenging people to think about all the substitutes we use in life that grant us security, and he wants us to think about what grants us our deepest sense of security.  We use all sorts of things in different phases of life, but we ultimately learn that the things we often hold onto in life aren't ultimate things.  They can be good, even great, but we have to look at them, appreciate them, and then look beyond them to the One who is the giver of every good thing.  If you look to your job for affirmation that you're a smart and successful person, then what happens when you lose it?  Or you can look to your job as a gift and an opportunity to use the gifts that God gave you, and if the job goes away, you still have the gifts and can find other opportunities.  Which approach prepares us for change?  

  God alone is able to be an ultimate thing for us.  Only God will not fail us if we define our lives based on him.  May we choose wisely what the most important thing in our life is.

Political Ads and the Gospel

Luke 17:26–27

Luke 17:26-27 

English Standard Version 

  What were you doing before your life changed?  Many of us remember what life was like before 9-11, a turning point in our country and our world.  I remember getting up that morning and living an ordinary day, not thinking that everything was about to change.  What about other monumental days?  

  Jesus is talking about the days of the Son of Man, and he points people back to Noah.  When Noah was building the ark, no one thought everything would change.  They thought Noah was nuts, and they lived their ordinary lives, ignoring whatever God might be doing or calling them to do.  They didn't have the time or patience for paying attention to God -- everything was fine.  

  We often busy ourselves to the point that there's no extra room, sometimes even leaving God out.  We are eating and drinking and running around... are we missing the larger point, paying attention to how God is at work in the world and our lives?  Do not neglect to make time to listen to God.  God is calling, each and every one of us, whether we're listening or not.

Sermon on the Prodigal Son (Luke 15)

Luke 17:22–25

Luke 17:22-25

English Standard Version 

  The disciples must have been uncertain about the day of the Lord -- they were afraid they were going to miss it.  Here is Jesus, assuring them that it will be like lightning racing across the sky, something unmistakable that they cannot miss.

  But rather than stare into the sky and wait, there is much for the disciples to deal with in these present times, because there is much suffering in front of them.  I don't think this message ever resonated well with the disciples, no better than it resonates with us.  We don't like suffering, or really even the idea of suffering.  We want victory in Christ and we want it now! 

  Unfortunately, that's not how the Kingdom of God works.  It's not on our timing, and our minds cannot wrap themselves around the ways that God is at work.  God is infinite and eternal, and there's an element of trust that comes into play.  If we are to remain faithful, then we are called to trust God, even in the midst of our suffering.

Luke 17:20–21

Luke 17:20-21

English Standard Version 

  We were driving home the other night from Cincinnati and saw a massive storm ahead of us, with lightning and some rather imposing clouds.  We stopped for dinner, and by the time we were done, there was a huge rainbow going clear across the sky.  It was all very dramatic.

  That's what we expect when we think about the coming Kingdom of God.  The Pharisees were waiting for the same.

  Jesus tells us that the Kingdom often comes in quiet ways, and it's already in our midst, for in the coming of Jesus, the Kingdom has come.  There is much still in the future, but it's already breaking in, and we're invited to live into it in the here and now, to join with Christ in forgiving and loving and serving.  The Kingdom has come, and the transformation Christ offers us is available now, through the often quiet work of the Holy Spirit, calling us in our midst to live as disciples.

Luke 17:15–19

Luke 17:15-19 

English Standard Version 

  You've likely given and received lots of gifts in your life.  We can debate which is better, but regardless of where you land, a gift between people who know each other very well is something wonderful -- the gift is special, but it's special because it's wrapped up in the midst of a relationship.

  That's what Jesus is getting at here.  The gift of healing is a wonderful thing, and Jesus doesn't take the gift away from any of those who were healed.

  But one of the former lepers realizes that there is more than just a gift.  There is an opportunity to have a relationship with the one who gives every good gift.  His life has been transformed in more ways than just one -- he wants to enjoy God.  

  It's a fine thing to enjoy God's gifts, whatever those may be.

  But may we never lose sight of the reality that the gifts are meant to encourage us to dive deeply into a relationship with God, to immerse ourselves in the love and grace of the one who gives.

Luke 17:11–14

Luke 17:11-14

English Standard Version 

  Lepers stayed at a physical distance -- they were separated in so many ways from the community.  Jesus, at a distance, tells them to go show themselves to the priests, and they are healed.  

  Notice when they're healed.  It's as they are going.  It wasn't as soon as Jesus spoke.  They started to go before they were healed, and it was in the process of obeying Jesus that they were healed.

  Sometimes, we need to move before we see results.  So often, we do the reverse -- we wait for God to show us something dramatic or move in some way, telling ourselves that we'll move once God does.  

  But Jesus sometimes sends us with a command, and then results happen along the way.  So let us focus on obedience, and trust Jesus to be at work as we live.

Luke 17:7-8

Luke 17:7-10 

English Standard Version 

  Here, I believe Jesus is trying to ensure we don't develop a sense of entitlement, where we start thinking that God is the vending machine in the sky, where we deposit an act of faithfulness and get a reward.  The expectation is that we ought to be faithful in response to the grace that God showers upon us.  We have not earned it, and yet salvation and hope are given to us.  

  So we're encouraged to live and interact with humility.  All that we have is gift, and we should live with that in mind.  Our Christian duty is a response to God's initiating love.  We love and serve because we have been loved and served.

Luke 17:5–6

Luke 17:5-6

English Standard Version 

  This reminds me a little of the idea that we'd be more generous once we have more money, or that we'll do something differently once we have more time.  It's easy to imagine how things might be different once we have more of something... but the reality is that we often don't change like that.  We like to imagine that we'd live differently if we had more faith, or stronger faith, which is what the apostles said to Jesus.  They hear about so many amazing things, but they don't think they have enough faith.

  Jesus tells them that it isn't about the size of their faith, but rather about who they are placing their faith in.

  The reality of our lives is that we often place our faith in ourselves, and we think of relying on God as a backup plan.

  Jesus wants us to flip those things, and to rely on God completely.  God is strong enough and faithful enough to support us.  Start your day, Jesus encourages us, by casting ourselves upon Christ, and depending completely upon God.  Place our faith in God first, who cares for us, and we'll discover that our faith is strong enough as long as it is in God.

Luke 17:1–4

Luke 17:1-4 

English Standard Version 

  What does it mean to forgive someone?  Let's say I let you borrow my car, and it comes back with french fries spilled everywhere, two unpaid parking tickets shoved into the glovebox, and three new dents.  I would be somewhat unhappy with this development.  Would I lend you my car again?  Absolutely not. Would I expect you to provide financial compensation for the damages incurred?  Absolutely.  Could I approach you without a desire for vengeance in my heart, with grace in our conversation and a willingness not to allow my anger to define our relationship?  I would hope so.  This is the important part.  Forgiveness doesn't mean there cannot be repercussions for actions.  Forgiveness means that we do not keep score, that grace defines the relationship, that we seek what is best for the other, rather than allowing our desire for punishment to be the most important thing.  

  Jesus was open and honest about the reality that we will fail.  We will sin, and others will sin, and we'll be frustrated and upset.  That can pass.  What matters is that we're striving to help one another grow and that we're practicing extending the same grace we receive from Christ to one another.

Roller Coasters and the Gospel

Luke 16:25–31

Luke 16:25-31 

English Standard Version

  If you decide to do the rim-to-rim hike in the Grand Canyon, linking the North Rim to the South Rim, you'll hike about 24 miles and deal with over 10,000 feet of elevation change.  Serious preparations are advised.

  In this story from Luke, a rich man is in torment in hell and asking for comfort.  Abraham replies that there is a great chasm fixed between heaven and hell, and there is no passing over.

  It's easy to think of this chasm as the Grand Canyon -- something that might be challenging, but ultimately overcome-able through a great effort.

  But we cannot atone for our own sin.  We keep sinning, and are unable to make the perfect sacrifice.  Only Jesus can do this, and thanks be to God that he has done just this -- he has stood in our place and done what we could not do.  Because of Christ, we have hope.

  So give thanks that the chasm is not our destiny, because of what God has done.

Sermon on the Parable of the Lost Coin

Luke 16:19–24

Luke 16:19-24 

English Standard Version 

  The rich man and poor man in this story live very, very different lives, and yet they both die.  Death is the great equalizer -- and here we discover these suffer very different fates.  The poor man, who is given a name, is taken to heaven, and the rich man, who has no name, ends up in torment.

  Is it because he is rich?  No, for Abraham was very rich.  The rich man never noticed the poor man who lived at his gate.  He believed that his wealth was all that he needed, so he lived in comfort, unable to open his eyes to the opportunities that God had placed before him.

  What opportunities has God put in your midst?  How can we pray for God to open our eyes to what surrounds us, to the people near us who are in need?  May we look to serve others first.

Luke 16:18

Luke 16:18 

English Standard Version 

  Jesus is in the midst of talking about the Pharisees and money, and suddenly he mentions divorce.  What gives?

  Remember, the Pharisees' hearts had drifted from God, and they looked to the letter of the law and tried to find loopholes to justify whatever behavior they wanted.  For example, in those days, divorce was almost always initiated by the man, in which case he left his wife without income or social standing.  There were religious teachers arguing that a man could divorce his wife for almost any reason, such as spoiling dinner.  They were trivializing the covenant of marriage and leaving women incredibly vulnerable.  

  Jesus, as always, is looking out for the vulnerable.  Just a chapter ago, we had the parables about how God sought out the lost coin and the lost son.  The theme has not suddenly pivoted away from God racing to protect and embrace the vulnerable and those who have erred.  Jesus is still welcoming and restoring, but he's also warning those who see people as disposable.  He's rebuking religious leaders who are missing the point and using the law as a weapon against others and as a way to bolster their own power.  He's pointing to the faithfulness of God, calling us all to reflect on the unfailing love of God and to seek to reflect that in every corner and aspect of our lives.

Luke 16:14–17

Luke 16:14-17 

English Standard Version 

**************

  Imagine that you're hearing Jesus critique your behavior.  How do you respond?

  The Pharisees, who were likely defensive, ridiculed Jesus.  It must have been terribly uncomfortable for them to hear Jesus speaking directly to them.  They loved money, and they wanted to keep loving money.  They had wandered into a land where they loved money more than God... but when they heard someone confront this, rather than wrestle with the uncomfortable reality, they simply laughed at the one who was criticizing them.

  None of us like criticism.  It stings.  But Jesus doesn't criticize because he wants to hurt the Pharisees.  He wants them to grow into the disciples they were called and created to be.  He loves them too much to leave them as they are.

  Jesus likely has harsh words for us, too.  We are far from perfect.  My heart certainly wanders.

 Can we find the humility to go to God daily and ask for God to shine a light on where we need to grow and change?  God wants you to grow into the disciple you were crafted to be.  God loves you too much to leave you where you are, no matter your age.  So ask God to show you how to grow, how to change, that we may all be transformed by the work of the Holy Spirit.

Luke 16:10-13

Luke 16:10-13 

English Standard Version 

  It's easy to be envious of other people's lives.  Every day, there are reminders of people who have far more material wealth.  In my parking garage, there are countless cars that serve as status symbols and cost more than I make in a year.  

  Jesus tells us that being faithful isn't about waiting until you've made it big.  He says that what you have now matters, regardless of how much or how little it is.  If you focus on faithfulness every day, whether it's in little moments or big choices, then we train our hearts to learn how to handle bigger things.  

  In all of this, we're leading our hearts.  If we allow the world to lead them, our appetites will devour us.  We'll get caught in an endless cycle of wanting more.  Jesus talks directly about the dangers of money... if we allow our hearts to serve wealth, that ends up first in our hearts and we miss serving God.  Jesus doesn't say there's anything wrong with possessing wealth, but the moment we stop thinking of it as a tool and we start looking to it as part of our identity, then we crowd out God.

  So think of some small moments that are upcoming in your day.  How can you pray your way through them?  Who will you talk to today, and how can you pray ahead of that for God to lead the conversation in a way that is a blessing?

Dessert Carts and the Gospel

Luke 16:5–9

Luke 16:5-9

English Standard Version 

  It's an odd story to find in the Bible, right?  Not everything in the Bible makes sense to me.  That doesn't really bother me, as it doesn't all need to make sense to me, but it'd be nice if it all made sense.  

  Again, the question to ask is what Jesus is trying to teach us.  And here, I think he's trying to lift our eyes beyond the monetary importance of today.  He wants us to see that money today isn't the most important thing -- what long term relationships are you building?  Jesus tells the people to make friends by means of unrighteous wealth, which doesn't fit with a lot of other things Jesus says, but he's pushing our vision beyond today.  Money will fade.  The rich don't stay rich.  But investing in eternity?  That is a place where thieves cannot break in and steal, where the moth cannot destroy.  Jesus is telling us to put our trust there and invest in what lasts.  

  So what's that mean for you today?  Again, no easy answers there, but it's something we should think about.

Sermon on Jesus as the Shepherd (8.2.2026)

Luke 16:1–4

Luke 16:1-4

English Standard Version 

  This parable has always confounded me.  Jesus lifts up the tale of a dishonest manager who doesn't seem to be admirable, but he does act decisively.  Perhaps this is what Jesus is trying to help us grasp.  Perhaps Jesus is trying to help us understand the importance of acting urgently.  When we recognize that we are falling short, and that God is calling us to be faithful servants, we should strive to act immediately, to seek to grow in faithfulness.  It's easy to put that off, to promise ourselves that we'll focus on discipleship later, but Jesus doesn't want us to wait around until later.  Jesus calls us to grow now, to focus now, that we might put the Kingdom of God above all the other urgent things calling out to us now.  

Luke 15:28–32

Luke 15:28-32 

English Standard Version 

  Do you remember how the Father watched out for the younger son, and when he was coming home, he ran to him?

  The Father comes out to the older son, too.  

  He comes with a reminder -- all that is mine is yours.  The Father has never left the older son, and the older son is not missing anything.  He has the love of the Father and the presence of the Father.  Perhaps he has forgotten how to rejoice with his Father, but the Father has come to remind me of that and to invite him into the celebration -- for the feast is rich and ready.  The celebration is prepared.  Does the older son remember how to celebrate?

  The Father comes to you, no matter where you are, no matter who in the story you relate to.  You are welcome to come and celebrate, to taste rich food and relax at the table.  God is good and loves you, and there is grace for you.

Luke 15:25–28

Luke 15:25-28 

English Standard Version 

  There's an old joke where St. Peter is giving a tour to some new inhabitants of heaven and he tells them to be quiet when passing a certain room, because that's where one group is and they think they're the only ones there.  Depending on the denomination you grew up in, that group's label will have been different, but the joke still lands.  It reminds me of John 21 when Peter and Jesus are talking about Peter's future, and Jesus is giving Peter all the details, but Peter sees John and asks Jesus, "Well, what about him?"  We're always wondering about how other people stand with God, and we often think we know that certain people or groups are on the outside looking in.  

  The prodigal son has returned, and now the story turns to the older brother.  He's the one who watched his younger brother demand his inheritance and cut himself off from the family.  The older brother has opinions about his younger brother, and when he hears of the radical grace extended upon the return, he is shocked and angry.  He refuses to go in to the party.

  We can all grasp his point of view.  He's so upset that he can't bring himself to be at peace with how the father is treating the younger son.  The father isn't operating according to his calculations of who deserves what.  This is the struggle of the Pharisees -- they see Jesus mingling with people who they think are less worthy than they are, and they're shocked and offended.  Do they see themselves as needing mercy, as needing grace?  Do we all recognize how dependent we are on God's reaching out to us in grace?  It's hard to set aside self-righteousness and pride and recognize our complete need of grace.  Are our hearts in love with the God who gives generously and freely?  

  Thankfully, the Bible portrays God's grace as abundant and unlimited.  Grace given to another doesn't lessen grace available for us.  It widens the community and makes the feast richer, more pleasing, as God longs for God's house to be full.  There is room for each at the table, so may we pray for hearts ready to celebrate another sinner finding grace, coming just as we are, fully reliant on God.

Luke 15:21–24

Luke 15:21-24 

English Standard Version 

  The son had a lengthy speech prepared.  

  Grace interrupted it, and the restoration is shocking in its totality.  The son was hoping to go to work and be recognized as an employee, not a treasured son.

  But grace overwhelms.  The transformation is complete -- from death to life.  God doesn't simply want us to be a little bit better than we were before... God wants to move us from death, ensnared by sin, into life, fully claimed by the Gospel.  That's what God intends for you.  That's what grace wants for you.  For you to be changed into something new.  You are a child of the living God, claimed in the waters of baptism and marked as Christ's own forever.  

  Grace has interrupted.  Thanks be to God.

Bear Spray and the Gospel

Luke 15:20

Luke 15:20 

English Standard Version 

  So the son is returning to the father, and what I love is that he's been gone for a while -- long enough for the son to squander his inheritance in reckless living and for a famine to arise -- and the Father is still watching.  All this time, the Father is looking out for the son.  He never gives up.

  I wish we could all remember that about God.  It's so easy to despair -- there are always plenty of reasons to do so.  I have vivid memories of certain days and times stamped in my mind, times when I received terrible news, but it's not only those... there are plenty of little defeats as well, and we suffer from discouragement.  Life is hard.  Faithfulness is hard.  

  But God doesn't give up.  Jesus is telling us this parable to remind us that God is watching out for us.  We have other images where God goes actively looking for those who are lost, but I think this moment is worth sitting with.  The Father doesn't give up on the children, no matter what.  

  There is an embrace for you.  No matter what.

Sermon on Luke 14 (7-26-2026)

Luke 15:17–19

Luke 15:17-19 

English Standard Version 

  We find the prodigal son in a terrible predicament.  He is serving the pigs, and he is despairing.  We also see the beginning of wisdom -- he comes to himself.  It reminds me of the first step of AA -- admitting that a life has become unmanageable, acknowledging the problem.  If we skip this step, we can continue to live in denial of any problems.  

  The son has come to himself and sees the problem, and he sees what the next step on his journey will be like.  

  However, he is making himself the center of the story, assuming that he knows how the Father will react.  He doesn't count on grace, for he recognizes the shameful way that he has treated the Father before his departure.  We often do the same -- we recognize our sin, and as we go to God, we don't count on grace, for we haven't earned any.

  What is wondrous about this story, about the Gospel, is that we haven't earned it, but we receive it anyway.  We are the recipients of treasure far greater than the world can understand.  God is ready, as we'll see over the course of the week, to receive and to bless, far more ready than our minds can grasp.

Luke 15:15-16

Luke 15:15-16

English Standard Version 

  For a Jewish man, this is the bottom, right?  He's envious of the food of the pigs that he is caring for.  His inheritance is gone.  His community is gone.  He is broken.

  But God has not abandoned him.  A quote that has always stuck with me is someone who has been through rough times said, "I have been to the bottom, and it is solid."  This is not the end of his man's story -- God meets us where we are, even at the bottom, and provides a reason to hope.  When we experience despair, it's so important to remember stories like this one -- because they don't end here.  The story keeps going, such that the Psalm makes sense when it says that we wander through the valley of the shadow of death.  We don't stay in it, and God is with us on the walk.  We may not realize it at the time, but God is with us, and we are not lost in a place of despair.  God leads us out of here into glory.

  This doesn't always make the bottom easier, but it does allow us to hold onto hope and keep moving forward, trusting that these chapters of life do not come to stay.  They come to pass, and God provides enough light so that we can keep moving forward.

Luke 15:11-14

Luke 15:11-14 

English Standard Version 

  

When the younger son asks for this, he's telling his father that he wishes he were already dead.  It's not a promising start to the story, and it devolves from here.  He takes this money and squanders it all.  I'm guessing he never thought this would happen -- surely he could spend and spend and live as he wanted.  He thought he would be free... but he discovered that he was ensnared in turmoil, only different this time.  

  How many of us have wandered this road?  We think we are on the road to freedom, only to discover that we are still trapped.  The devil will show us plenty of things to lure us away, to distract us, to avoid us being honest with our situation.  We are broken and need a Savior to come from outside of ourselves.  Until we can confess this, things often only get worse.  

  At the end of this section, the man is in need.

  As are we.

Luke 15:8–10

Luke 15:8-10

English Standard Version 

  Have you ever dropped something under your car seat while driving, and you try and contort yourself to dig it out under your seat without crashing into something?  In that moment, the object you dropped can do nothing to help.  Only you can find a way to rescue it.

  Jesus is teaching us about ourselves, and our inability to rescue ourselves, and about God, who desires to save us.  God values us deeply, and our state of being lost is noticed by God.  God not only notices, but also desires to find us, and so God searches for us.  In our case, God sends Jesus Christ, lamp of the world, so that we might be delivered.

  Angels in heaven rejoice over you as you are found.  Remember that next time you feel discouraged.

Detours and the Gospel

Luke 15:1–7

Luke 15:1-7 

English Standard Version 

  As a man who hates losing things, this is one of my favorite parables.  Do you know the frustration of searching and searching and searching for something, but not being able to locate it?  Even if it's something trivial, you want to find it.  Often, it becomes more than just a search for the item -- it's a quest to prove that you're not crazy, that you remember where you put something.  I spent 4 days searching for a pair of sunglasses lately.  I had other sunglasses, but I couldn't find these at all, no matter where I searched.  

  Here is Jesus, telling us that the desire to save the lost is rooted in the way God looks at us.  We are the lost sheep, and Jesus is the Good Shepherd, the one who comes searching, the one who rejoices upon finding us.  We don't have to always find our way out of the mess we've got ourselves into.  We, the sheep who have run off, can trust that Jesus comes searching for us and is ready to host a party to celebrate reunion.  This parable allows us to have hope in the Christ who searches and saves, in the Christ whose joy is found in the reunion of the lost with the God who never stops loving.

Sermon on Parable of the Rich Fool

Luke 14:34–35

Luke 14:34-35 

English Standard Version 

  I've never been a big fan of fake meat.  If I want to eat meat, I go for the real thing, and if I want to eat vegetables, there are plenty of options there.  I don't like food that pretends to be something it isn't.

  Here, Jesus is asking people if they'd buy salt that didn't taste like salt.  Salt was (and remains) precious, as a flavor enhancer as well as a preservative.  But if salt isn't salty... then it's not good for much.  

  He's telling us about the role of the church.  The church has a part to play in the world -- we're called to be witnesses to the Good News of the Gospel.  We're called to be servants.  To tell the world about our hope in Christ.  

  If the church isn't doing that, then what is our role in the world?  What purpose are we serving?  We're called to be active and involved, so that the world may see the light of Christ shining in us and through us.

Luke 14:28–33

Luke 14:28-33 

English Standard Version 

  A response to Christ can often be an emotional moment, but to sustain over a life, it needs more than just emotion.  It needs to be a whole life commitment, one where you consider everything -- the cost of making Christ the central part of life, as well as everything that must be given up.  This is not a small decision -- it sets a course for eternity.  Jesus says that we should be prepared to renounce everything, but the interesting piece is that nothing we renounce has eternal value -- what we receive is of infinitely more value and will endure forever.  

  Jesus wants honest commitment.  He wants to ensure that when we make heartfelt commitments, we mean them, and that we're prepared to let God lead us for our entire lives.  This is a prayer every day -- to ask the Holy Spirit to lead us, to renew our hearts each morning.  God's mercies are new every day, and it takes the leadership of God to follow God like this every day, to train our hearts to love God more than anything else, to notice when other loves are competing for our hearts and distracting us away from God.

Luke 14:25–27

Luke 14:25-27 

English Standard Version 

  When Jesus speaks of hating father and mother, the word he uses is a word of comparison -- he's not telling us to literally hate, but rather that our love for God needs to be degrees of magnitude greater than our love for anyone else.  That is what discipleship looks like.  How do we love like that? 

  Such love is even willing to embrace shame.  The cross was a matter of public shame and suffering.  To embrace this means that one is so completely surrendered to God that even shame does not discourage them from a life of discipleship. 

  This is a hard teaching -- there's no getting around this.  It's Jesus being clear that to follow Christ means faith needs to be our first and highest priority.  Jesus is not one more thing in a life like this -- it's the central thing around which everything turns.  

  I think a life like this follows inspiration by the Holy Spirit.  Can we pray for God to move like this, in our own life and in our community?  

Luke 14:15–24

Luke 14:15-24 

English Standard Version 

  The Kingdom will be full.  God wants to have a full house.  Do you want to be included?

  Jesus tells this story about a man who gave a banquet and invited many people, but they all came up with other things to do.  Seems like they have valid excuses -- there isn't judgment given on the excuses given.  The reality is that life is busy... but will we prioritize faith?  Will we put Christ first?  God wants you to come in to the Kingdom, but the host is not forcing those initially invited into the banquet.  Their excuses are honored.  

  So how can you prioritize the Kingdom of God today?

Luke 14:12–14

Luke 14:12-14 

English Standard Version 

  Jesus is trying to teach us about transactional love.  We make lots of transactions in life, and the problem is when we wander into transactional relationships.  We look to people and think about what we can get out of them.  

  So Jesus wants us to be intentional about spending time with people who can't do anything for us, to learn to love people for the sake of people, to find joy in them as fellow people made in the image of God, the way God loves us -- not because God needs something from us, but because God is love and treasures us.  

  

Fireworks and the Gospel

Luke 14:12–14

Luke 14:7-11 

English Standard Version 

  In human life, so much revolves around status.  Even while watching the World Cup, it's clear when they cut to the shots of the fans in the stands that some are more important than others.  Those with status have more space and comfort.  Status matters.

  In God's economy, things are measured differently.  Humility is celebrated because it's an acknowledgement that we only join God's Kingdom because of what God has done for us.  We haven't earned our way in there.  God has welcomed us with open arms and atoned for our brokenness.  

  The path of humility is seen most fully on the cross, where Jesus was willing to ascend to humiliation so that others might be healed and made whole.  His humility makes a path forward, a way through the wilderness.  

  The Kingdom is different.  Down is up.  

Sermon on the Good Samaritan (July 5, 2026)

Luke 14:1–6

Luke 14:1-6 

English Standard Version 

  This reminds me a little of Teddy Roosevelt's Man in the Arena portion of his speech.  In it, he's lauding those who actually do, to the derision of those who opt to criticize.  

  Here is Jesus, asking those present at the dinner if it's lawful to heal him.  None are willing to object, for that would be discarding mercy, but they also aren't willing to defend the act of healing him, for that might entail breaking what had become a rather onerous set of rules to guide Sabbath observation.  None of the people there, many leading religious figures, is willing to take a stand.  They instead will sit back and wait to criticize Jesus, regardless of what he does.

  Jesus opts to heal, showing mercy, for such acts are not a violation of God's law.  If you have the chance to rescue another, you should choose that.  None of those present at the dinner is able to defend not healing the man.  They're speechless.

  So worry not about those who sit back and criticize.  They will always be present.  Seek mercy for the world, working for healing, and trust that in following the example of Christ, the Gospel is being proclaimed.

Luke 13:31–35

Luke 13:31-35 

English Standard Version 

  If the Pharisees warned me that the Roman ruler of the area were seeking to kill me, I'd probably think of what I needed to do to save my own skin.

  That's not what Jesus does.  Jesus isn't deterred by threats of violence -- he's on a mission, and he will not be deterred.  This is his dedication to saving you -- whatever cost is necessary, he will pay it so that you might be saved.

  What's also impressive is that Jesus' spirit isn't dimmed.  He mourns for the city of Jerusalem, and his intent is to gather the children under his protective wings, just as a mother hen would gather her brood.  There is a desire to protect, to shield, so that we might be safe.  That is the focus of Jesus, even in a time of trial -- the instinct is to save.  We see the fullness of Christ's love and the wonder of the invitation in this passage -- as the world is descending into chaos around him, he stands tall and invites others to come to him and find shelter.

Roadside Attractions and the Gospel

Luke 13:26–30

Luke 13:26-30 

English Standard Version 

  Social status matters deeply in this world.  The headlines are filled with important people.  There are magazines dedicated to tracking what celebrities wear, and restaurants hope that notable people will choose to eat there as an endorsement of the food.  Companies often give free branded material to famous people in the hopes they'll be seen wearing it and inspire others to acquire the products to imitate them.

  Jesus is telling us that the Kingdom of God operates on a somewhat different scale.  What truly matters is openness to the mercy and grace of God.  People from all around the globe will be gathered in the kingdom of God -- maybe that's not what the listener would've expected, but Jesus is reminding us that the Kingdom is more expansive than what we might imagine.  

  When you feel pressure to fit in, to follow along, ask yourself why.  What scoreboard are you tracking?  With whom are you trying to keep up?  Is this drawing you closer to Christ?

Sermon on Luke 8 (Parable of the Sower)

Luke 13:22–25

Luke 13:22-25 

English Standard Version 

  There are things in life that happen by accident.  Some situations you're not sure how you got there, and you're simply going with the flow.  

  Other things in life happen by intention.

  Jesus is telling the questioner that salvation belongs in the latter category.  We can't passively sit back and do nothing.  Take urgency, Jesus is telling us.  If we opt to sit on our heels and wait, there may be a time when it is too late.  It's always easier to wait, to see how the dust settles.  Jesus says we ought to act now, with direction and intention, and pursue life with God.  

Luke 13:18–21

Luke 13:18-21 

English Standard Version 

  

  I remember when my mom made bread as a child.  The bread went into a bowl and then sat on the fridge for a few hours to rise.  It sure didn't look like very much was happening.  You could only really tell that it was changing by leaving for an hour and then coming back. 

  It's not that different from planting seeds.  If you plant a seed and then come back to check on it every day, you're probably going to be disappointed.  Not much happens every day.  But if you come back in a month, or a season, there might be quite the plant in that place.

  Faith is like that.  God works on a different timetable than we do.  God is more patient than we do, and often the ways the Holy Spirit is at work seem small and not very dramatic.  But that doesn't mean that God isn't at work.  Think about the church -- it's been around for 2,000 years.  Every day isn't something dramatic.  But every day, God is at work, in the hearts and minds of believers around the world.  It's amazing in total, but each little part isn't always going to blow you away on every day.  You have to be patient.  You have to trust.  And look for small ways to grow, each and every day, trusting that small actions add up to a lifetime of faith that looks far different over the scope of 80 years than it does over 10 minutes.

Luke 13:14–17

Luke 13:14-17 

English Standard Version 

  

  Do you notice when other people break the rules?  It's often easy to see.  Maybe when you're on the freeway, you watch when other people change lanes without signaling or fly by you.  Perhaps you notice less when you are speeding, or when you don't signal.  It's way more enjoyable to pay attention to when other people break the rules.

  Jesus points out to the rules of the synagogue that his heart is missing the point.  He is watching for Jesus to break the rules, but he's missing where his own heart has wandered from faith in God.  Is he still in love with God, and with the people that God treasures?  Or is he embittered and hurt by the harshness of the world?  Has he become overwhelmed with everything and shut down on the inside?

  It's easy to see how that happens.  Jesus is reminding us not to give up on the world.  Keep loving.  Keep serving.  Keep noticing.  God cares about God's precious creation.

Luke 13:10-13

Luke 13:10-13 

English Standard Version 

  Jesus sees this woman.  She'd suffered for 18 years, and likely blended into the scenery in so many ways.  I bet most people didn't even notice her.

  But Jesus saw her.  His compassion leads him to see people in ways that others do not.  He notices.  He cares.  It's remarkable -- we come across it over and over again in the Gospels, and we take it for granted, but most of us don't move through the world this way.  We don't notice a lot of suffering people, and even when we notice them, we don't really see them.  Sometimes, we just notice them and find a way around them, so that their suffering doesn't drag us down.

  But Jesus sees.  He cares.  Don't take this for granted... give thanks that you are seen by Jesus.

Luke 13:6–9

Luke 13:6-9 

English Standard Version 

  The lesson here is that God is patient.  The fig tree has had three years, and the world is impatient for it to produce.  "Cut it down" is easy to say... but patient cultivation is the path that is chosen.  It's harder work for certain.  But God has shown a willingness to invest, a willingness to work for our behalf, to do everything possible so that we might find our way into the welcoming Kingdom of God.  God is not indifferent -- we're called to produce fruit.  And yet, God will walk with us every step of the way, so that we might come closer to the life we are called to live.

Luke 13:1–5

Luke 13:1-5 

English Standard Version 

  When bad things happen, we immediately look to justify it.  If something bad happens, we try and find a reason, because if we can discover a reason, then we can act differently and feel like we're in control. 

  Jesus is telling his listeners that they're not in control.

  Jesus is telling us that we're not in control.  

  This is such a hard thing for us to hear, and so very challenging to accept.  We want to be in control.  We often need to be in control, to feel like what we do has an impact on what happens next.

  God is reminding us that we're not in control and that it's ok, because we can trust the one who is in control.  There is life beyond this one, so even when it appears that all is lost, we are safe in God's hands.

Sermon for Blessing of the Pets (June 14, 2026)

Luke 12:57–59

Luke 12:57-59 

English Standard Version 

  If you know you owe a debt, and you have a choice to pay the full debt, or to settle for a fraction of it, which will you choose?

  What if you cannot pay the full debt?  Then you'd likely be very, very eager to settle for a small balance, hoping to find relief and mercy from the one to whom you owe the debt.  Any wiggle room in the balance would be met with great rejoicing.

  Jesus is urging us not to waste our time.  An offer is on the table -- God is extending grace to us.  If we reject it, the debt must be paid in full.  In the meantime, Jesus has come to extend grace and mercy to those of us who cannot pay.

  May we be filled with gratitude at the grace extended to us, and may we not miss the chance to welcome such grace into our hearts.

Luke 12:54–56

Luke 12:54-56 

English Standard Version 

  I may be able to tell you the lineup of the 1990 Cincinnati Reds.  I remember how it felt in the stadium when Adam Dunn hit a walk-off grand slam in 2006 against the Cleveland Indians.  I can tell you when and where I was when Jeremy Hill fumbled in a playoff game for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2016.  There's countless more instance and details I know.  In the long run... these don't have much eternal value.

  Jesus is pointing out to his listeners that they know the weather very well.  But are they paying attention to the Kingdom of God?  Here is the Messiah, and they're missing the signs because they're paying attention to the wrong things.

  What are we paying attention to?  Do we read Scripture with a sense of urgency?  Are we looking around to seeing what Jesus might be doing here and now?  Is faith first on our minds and hearts?

Historic Churches and the Gospel

Luke 12:49–53

Luke 12:49-53 

English Standard Version 

  We opted not to put these verses on the back of the t-shirts advertising the church.  I doubt they will use these as memory verses for the kids, either.  I don't know of a single Vacation Bible School organized around this section of Luke's Gospel.

  And yet, it is the reality.  I don't believe that Jesus seeks to create division, but he acknowledges that it will come.  If we choose to put Christ first in our lives, then other things will come second, and that will cause divisions.  Some will reject Christ, others will simply reject the values of those who follow Christ.  The world is opposed to Christ, and so those who choose to follow him above all else will naturally face opposition.  

  This means we will need courage to continue to follow Christ, even when it means there is opposition in our lives.  May we cling to the one thing that stands forever, and pray for Holy Spirit wisdom to know how best to deal with the divisions we face.

Sermon on David and Goliath

Luke 12:41–48

Luke 12:41-48 

English Standard Version 

  We know that God doesn't entrust everyone with the same level of responsibility.  As much as I would love to be entrusted with a billion dollars, that does not seem to be my lot in life.  It's easy to sit around and spend our time wishing we had what another had, or imagining what great things we might do if we had been given something different.  We often focus on what we don't have rather than what we do.

  What God expects from us, regardless of what we have, is faithfulness.  We've all been given some level of responsibility.  Can we be steadfastly obedient as stewards of whatever gifts we have?  Do we exercise discipline and care?  Are we thoughtful in how we use what we have?  Do we consider how God is calling us to use the gifts we have?  I don't think we need to be perfect, although we certainly ought to strive for it.  I do believe that we should see this life as an opportunity to demonstrate gratitude to God by faithfully taking care of the people and opportunities that surround us, whatever those may be.

Luke 12:35–40

Luke 12:35-40 

English Standard Version 

  Jesus is telling us not to live as though we are simply waiting for death, at which point we'll enter the Kingdom of God.  Scripture tells us that we are joined with Christ in our baptisms, and we are united in his life, death, and resurrection, meaning that our entire lives are to be lived with a joyous anticipation of union with Christ.  Christ is to be first in our hearts and minds -- as hard as that is to maintain, it's the call.  It's an uphill climb most days, given the things competing for our attention... but only one of those things promises you life beyond death.  Only one of those things can provide true and lasting joy, even in the face of grief.  Only one of those things knows you completely, believes you are fearfully and wonderfully made, and can redeem you from sin and death.  So may we give ourselves over, day after precious day, so that we may know Christ fully and be fully known.

Luke 12:32-34

Luke 12:32-34 

English Standard Version 

  I love the image of Jesus riding on a white horse on the glorious and victorious day of resurrection, but Jesus also has these wonderfully tender moments where he comes with gentleness to remind us that God delights in giving us the Kingdom.  It's not something we pry grudgingly out of God's hands -- God opens his arms and pours love into us, so that we might have a treasure store beyond imagining.  We think about wealth and riches in terms of dollars and cents, but Jesus is reminding us that no matter what we do, we'll one day surpass the world where that is useful to us.  So why not choose to set our hearts on a more permanent treasure, one that cannot be stolen or taken from us?  If I told you that you'd live for a million years and you could choose between a treasure that was good for a hundred years or a treasure that was good for a million, which would you choose?  The world will convince us that we're only going to live for a hundred, but Jesus is reminding us that there is a life beyond this one, more real than this one, and we ought to think about investing for that Kingdom more than this one.  That doesn't mean we should ignore this world, but when we choose which is first in our hearts... may we choose wisely.

Luke 12:29–31

Luke 12:29-31 

English Standard Version 

  What are you going to chase?  

  God knows you need the basics.  I don't think this means that we can ignore those and they'll magically appear, but I do believe God works to ensure our needs are met. 

  So if your needs are met, what are you seeking?

 I'm not sure that we do a great job thinking about this question.  We get up every day and get after it, busying ourselves with pursuing various tasks.  But do we make time to think about what we're working towards, about what it is we want more than anything else?

  God's Kingdom is promised to us -- a place of fullness, of fulfillment, of hope and joy.  How do we set our hearts on that each morning, to let God fill us and let the Holy Spirit guide us?  It's so very hard to make it through the day with that first in our hearts.  There are so many distractions that will steal our attention and our energy.  

  Seek first the Kingdom.  If we can do that, our lives become so much richer.

Luke 12:25–28

Luke 12:25-28

English Standard Version 

  We never ask ourselves this question when we're worrying do we?  Can this worrying add a single hour to my life?  Jesus isn't afraid to ask it... he points out that if we can't even do that, then why spend so much time worrying?  A great question, Jesus.  Granted, when I get on the anxiety treadmill and start running full speed, I don't really have time to think about the reality that the worry isn't getting me anywhere.  God cares enough about the lilies, so maybe I should trust in God's provision for me!  

  I've been trying to breathe better.  When I get into a mental loop, I've been trying to stop and breathe deeply, allowing space for the Holy Spirit to remind me that this worry doesn't serve me.  It only makes me think that everything depends on me (reminder:  it doesn't).  I'm not keeping the world spinning by worrying.  That's God's job, and he's better at it than I am.

  So let us breathe, relax, and lean into trusting in God.

Luke 12:22–24

Luke 12:22-24

English Standard Version 

  Worry feels productive, right?  If we worry about every possible scenario, then when that situation happens, however unlikely it may be, we'll know what to do!

  A wise woman once told me that worry is negative prayer.  It's trying to wrest control of life away from God.  Rather than letting go of stressful things, it's holding onto them, believing that they're best in our own hands.  Worry is focusing on all the limitations, all the shortfalls, all the fears, rather than focusing our hearts on God's abundance, on his provision for us.  God cares for the ravens, so they have food to eat.  They still have to go and find it, but it's there.  The same is true for us -- God cares for us.  We still have to move, to work, to strive, but we are not forgotten by God.  

  So let your mind focus on the provision of God, rather than the things of fear.  When you're anxious and worried, find a Psalm.  Pray.  Hand that over to God, and let your times of anxiety be transformed into leaning into the Lord.

Luke 12:16–21

Luke 12:16-21 

English Standard Version 

  Can physical wealth provide ultimate security?

  Of course not.  It feels like it should... but only ultimate things can give ultimate security.  Only God can truly provide this.  This man believed that his wealth would give him peace.  It cannot do that.  

  Jesus isn't telling us not to plan.  I don't even think he's necessarily railing against wealth here.  He's opening our eyes to the lie that wealth is the only thing we need, and he's telling us that we're foolish if we don't first consider what it means to be rich towards God.  If our material wealth ends up well beyond what we had planned for, the opportunity is not to build bigger barns for the sake of having more, but rather to look outward.  If we have everything we need, then what does more provide?  Only the illusion of security.  When we cling to God, we don't pursue more for the sake of more.  We recognize that our blessings are opportunities to be stewards, to think of how blessings run through our hands and into the lives of others.  We are blessed to be a blessing unto others, and to remember that true wealth is found only in God.

Luke 12:13–15

Luke 12:13-15 

English Standard Version 

  We don't hear many sermons about these teachings.  It's far easier to preach on sins that are easy to see and count.  Greed, though... that's pervasive.  It erodes us from the inside, leaving us dissatisfied and in a state of constant comparison.  We keep score in our possessions, in a way that's celebrated in society.  Any number of websites, magazines, and social media channels will celebrate covetousness.  We covet other houses, other lives, other things.  We'd just as soon not think about this as sin.

  But Jesus warns us against everything that corrupts, everything that separates us from God.  He has care for our souls, and so we have this warning.  When our minds think of things we want, hoping they'll bring fulfillment, they're pulling our hearts away from God, who is only one who can truly satisfy.

  What do you want most?  What does your life consist of?

  And how do we pray for the Holy Spirit to help us answer honestly, and then to help shift that answer so that we can say with integrity that we want more of God.

Luke 12:8–12

Luke 12:8-12 

English Standard Version 

  Have you ever felt pressured to hide your faith?  You're in good company -- the apostles certainly felt pressure.  Jesus was constantly opposed by the Pharisees, and after his ascension, the early church was heavily persecuted.  Jesus knew this would happen, which is why he includes a promise.  We don't have to be anxious about finding the right words to say -- the key is to remember that Jesus is sending the Holy Spirit to give us the words to say, to speak on our behalf, and our reward sits not in the hands of those with worldly power, but rather with the one who holds universal power.  The same power that carves the mountains is acknowledging you and holding you tightly.  So fear not.  

Pentecost Sermon on 1 Samuel 13

 

Luke 12:4–7

Luke 12:4-7 

English Standard Version 

  What do you fear? 

  There's all sorts of things we can be afraid of.  We fear scarcity, or aging, or loneliness.  We fear pain and death.  We fear poverty.

  Jesus tells us that we should lead our fears.  We need not fear the things that cannot impact our eternal lives -- because that's what will last forever.  Christianity is a matter of keeping things in perspective and keeping our hearts focused on eternal life in Christ.  There will be setbacks in the short-term, but we're a long-term people, with a God who is saving us for eternity.  Trust in God, Jesus reminds us, and all will be well in the end.

Luke 12:1–3

Luke 12:1-3 

English Standard Version 

  As they say, the bonus of not lying is that you don't have to remember all the lies you told in order to avoid getting in trouble later.  Start with the truth and stick to it, and it makes it easier.  

  Jesus is warning the people to avoid the leaven of the Pharisees -- think about how yeast impacts bread.  It can take a long time, and for a few minutes you may even wonder if there's anything in there, but eventually it will show the effect.  You can't hide the impact.

  So if we consistently live with integrity, then we don't need to fear.  Trust that everything will be brought into the light.  We worry sometimes if criminals will get caught.  They will, in time.  Do the right thing, day after day, and trust in God.  Things will take care of themselves.

Luke 11:49–54

Luke 11:49-54 

English Standard Version 

  It's heartbreakingly sad to hear Jesus rebuke here.  He's talking about people who were meant to lead people closer to God, and yet they couldn't open their hearts enough to be converted and fall in love with Christ.  Not only did they miss the point themselves, but they then hindered others in coming to Christ.  

  The Pharisees and others heard these words, but rather than examine themselves, they opted to kill Jesus instead.  

  Do we have the humility to hear Jesus speak to us, even when it's not words that we want to hear?  Are our hearts open to his words, so that we might be convicted, so that we might hear what is so important for us to hear?  Jesus loves us and wants us to draw closer, and when our pride gets in the way, it's easy to resist out of fear.  None of us like change, but Jesus is calling us to change for a good reason, that we might turn back to Christ.

Luke 11:45–48

Luke 11:45-48 

English Standard Version 

  I have always liked this part of the Gospels.  A lawyer raises his hand and reminds Jesus that his words are cutting the lawyers, too, and so Jesus goes even harder at the lawyers!  He tells them that their words are making it burdensome on the people, heaping up demands while they ignore the heart of the teachings of the prophets.

  We do this with Jesus sometimes.  We focus on his life, but ignore the heart of his teachings.  Are we listening to what Jesus has to say to us?  Do we allow it to confront our hearts?  Do we let ourselves be challenged, or do we skip ahead to the verses we like and only honor Jesus by celebrating the verses that don't cause us any conflict?

  May we read every word of the Gospels, and let them challenge us where appropriate.

Luke 11:42–44

Luke 11:42-44 

English Standard Version 

  Imagine being more focused on tithing the correct amount of herbs but uncaring about the dramatic needs of others.  That's where the Pharisees ended up -- they were so focused on details of religious observance but missing the larger drive to practice reconciliation between all people.  Jesus confronts them on this.  

  This is love in action -- Jesus sees the Pharisees off course and doesn't leave them there.  He is harsh, but does so with a spirit of love, hoping that his language will open their eyes to their brokenness.  He does the same for us, too.  Jesus wants you to see the places where we're more focused on practices than on love of neighbor.  We all do this -- Jesus calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves, but this is almost impossible.  We always prefer our own selves.  But let us open our eyes and hearts to see the opportunities around us.  

Luke 11:37-41

Luke 11:37-41 

English Standard Version 

  When someone asks you how you are, what do you say?  The socially acceptable answer is somewhere between 'fine' and 'good'.  Are you really?  

  Now, it's not a great idea to always burden someone with the full and honest answer to that question, because there's a time and a place for everything, but if we never acknowledge that perhaps we aren't fine and good, then that's not the best, either.  

  Jesus is being honest with the Pharisees -- they're so focused on looking righteous that they've forgotten to take the next step and actually live a righteous life.  Everything may look good from the outside, but they're rotting away.  It's like one of those avocados you get at the grocery store that looks great and is completely brown on the inside to the point you just throw it away.  It's such a disappointment.  

  Jesus isn't saying that the exterior acts don't matter.  He wants us to insure that our interior life matches.  Are we pursuing God in our private lives?  Do we have integrity?  Are we the kind of people in private that we are in public?  What do you do when you have free time?  Do our hearts seek God?

  All of these are important questions to ask, and to listen for the answers.  Discipleship is a lifelong goal.  May we never stop seeking God and being humble to listen for the Holy Spirit as it offers correction and guides us towards God.

Luke 11:33–36

Luke 11:33-36 

English Standard Version 

  Sometimes, I set my phone down when the flashlight is turned on and I don't realize for a while that the flashlight is still on.  You can't see it when it's sitting flat on a surface with the light pointing down.  It serves no purpose.  It's not exactly what Jesus was talking about, but the same concept.  

  Jesus goes on to say that the eye is the lamp of the body.  If our eyes aren't working well, that has other impacts.  Have you ever tried to drive when you have something in your eye, or tried to read after having your eyes dilated?  It's nearly impossible.  In the same way, if we have our eyes focused on the wrong things, living faithfully, as we're called to do, is nearly impossible.  We're setting ourselves up for failure.  

  Therefore, what we watch matters.  From the shows we choose to the social media we take in to the books we read.  Every little thing forms us in some way.  May we choose wisely, with humility, recognizing the importance of what we take in to the body.