It's easy to confuse what we do with how we do it. That's just as true for Christians as for anyone else. So it's worth stepping back to look at what Jesus calls the church to do, and how he says to do it. Pastor Luke teaches from Matthew 10:5-15 in "Rules for the Road: How We Can Participate in Jesus' Mission," part 2 of his 4-part series, "Harvesters."
Learning from the Scriptures and being guided by Jesus' teaching is always rewarding, especially when the Church faces new challenges. In this series we will be guided by Jesus' instruction in Matthew 10. We begin by looking at the people Jesus picked to proclaim the Good News about his Kingdom. What did Jesus see in them? How are they like us? Pastor Luke preaches from Matthew 9:35-10:4 in "What Jesus Discovered in the Twelve Apostles," the first message in a new series, "Harvesters."
Jesus commanded his followers to forgive people, even for repeated offenses. But what then? What if people aren't looking for forgiveness? What if they aren't sorry, and the offense wasn't an accident, but deliberate? What should we do when forgiveness isn't enough? Pastor Luke preaches from 1 Samuel 24:1-22 in "When Forgiveness Is Not Enough," the concluding message in his series, "Junk Bonds: Some Debts Can't Be Repaid."
We've seen that forgiving makes sense whether or not you're a Christian. But it's optional. Unless you're a follower of Jesus; then it's required. Why is forgiveness so important for Christians? What if we've tried to forgive someone and it's just too difficult? What if we managed to forgive them, and then they did the same thing again? Pastor Luke preaches from Matthew 18:21-35 in "Forgiving Repeat Offenders," part 2 of his 3-part series, "Junk Bonds: Some Debts Can't Be Repaid."
To forgive, it's been said, is to "give up all hope of a better past." There are good reasons, if you've been hurt by someone, to let the past go. But is letting it go the best you can hope for? What does Jesus teach us about forgiveness? Pastor Luke preaches from Mark 2:1-12 in "How to Forgive Better," the first message in a new series, "Junk Bonds: Some Debts Can't Be Repaid."
In the third edition of "Ask Me Anything" we covered these topics\: (1) speaking in tongues, (2) what the Bible says about telling truth or lies, (3) the ethical implications of the widow's two coins, and (4) what to say to people who've suffered trauma in the church. Pastor Luke preaches from 1 Corinthians 14:1-12 in "Ask Me Anything."
At Christmas, the angel came to the shepherds to announce Good News. When the Church tries to pass on this message today, sometimes we make it sound like Good Advice. What's the difference between news and advice? Can any message from so long ago still be news? And if it can, what would make it good news? Pastor Luke preaches from Luke 2:1-16 NLT in "Good News of Great Joy."
When Mary became pregnant with the baby who would be Jesus, all Joseph's plans were put in jeopardy. But what he did depended more on his dreams and his hopes. When life's circumstances, and even tragedies, upset our plans, what can we learn by looking at Joseph's story? Pastor Luke teaches from Matthew 1:18-25 NLT in "Square One."
The Apostle Paul said that Jesus initiated the new age, and that he made it possible for us to live in that coming age already, without waiting for it to come in its fullness. When we do, Paul said, we will experience the hope, peace, and joy that God provides. How can we start living in the age to come? What does it look like? Pastor Luke teaches from Romans 15:1-13 in "Open Secret," the concluding message in his series, "Hope, Peace, and Joy: How Christmas Still Matters."
An earthquake is a lot like how the Apostle Paul described Jesus' return. It's certain to happen but we don't know when. But Paul had more to say than, "Nobody knows when." Pastor Luke looks at Romans 1:1-7 in "Good News Long Ago," part 2 of his 3-part series, "Hope, Peace, and Joy: How Christmas Still Matters."
Advent is the season when we look back to look forward: back to Christ's first coming, forward to his future coming in glory. But what purpose does it serve to look forward? According to the Apostle Paul, it's like looking to the eastern sky before dawn. What did he mean by that? Pastor Luke looks at Romans 13:11-14 in "How Christmas Still Matters," the first message in a new series, "Hope, Peace, and Joy: How Christmas Still Matters."
We're made so we would wanteven needto be generous. Why did God make us like that? Especially since it doesn't always possible to be generous. What did Jesus teach about practicing generosity? Pastor Luke teaches from Matthew 20:9-15 in "Generosity: How to Have a Life That Overflows," the concluding message in his series, "A Better Life."
If you want to be happy, or even to be healthy, you need people in your life. But they have to really be in your life, not just near it. What does Christianity teach us about how we can be part of an authentic community? Pastor Luke looks at Mark 2:2-4 in "Community: God's Plan for a Happier and Healthier Life," part 5 of his 6-part series, "A Better Life."
People generally want to be good at what they do. But is it wrong to aim even higher, at greatness? What does Christianity teach about the pursuit of greatness? Pastor Luke preaches from Mark 10:41-45 in "Greatness: How to Have a Significantly Better Life," part 4 of his 6-part series, "A Better Life."
For thousands of years, people of faith have turned first to the Hebrew Scriptures, then to the New Testament, to find direction and meaning for their lives. How can reading the Bible make our lives better? How do we actually go about reading the Bible? Pastor Luke preaches from Psalm 19:7-11 in "Text Messaging: How to Find Direction and Meaning for a Better Life," part 3 of his 6-part series, "A Better Life."
In Puritan times, worship services went on for hours. Even today, many people have memories of tedious worship services. Is that just the way things work? Or can we have a better worship life? If we can, how? If we do, what will be the result? Pastor Luke teaches from John 4:23 in "How to Have a Better Worship Life," part 2 of his 6-part series, "A Better Life."
People have always wondered what makes for better life, and various schools of thought have answered this question differently. How have Christians answered it? And (more importantly) does Christianity offer us any help in actually attaining that better kind of life? Pastor Luke teaches from Matthew 6:5-13 in "How to Have a Better Prayer Life," the first message in a new series, "A Better Life."
In a material age, it's difficult to take demons seriously. But the New Testament does. Jesus did. What can we learn if we attempt to take demons seriously? Pastor Luke looks at Matthew 8:28-34 in "Demons, Seriously," the concluding message in his series, "Grace Period."
In the second edition of "Ask Me Anything" we covered two or three topics\: (1) what does 'blessed' mean, especially when spoken by us about God? (2) is our fate predetermined, and if so, why should we pray? Pastor Luke looks at Matthew 5:3-10 in "Ask Me Anything."
In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warned his followers there would be storms in their lives. So it's worth watching and learning as Jesus goes through a storm of his own. Pastor Luke teaches from Matthew 8:23-27 in "How to Face Storms," part 3 of his 4-part series, "Grace Period."
Decision making is hard work. Following Jesus, or discipleship, is a useful way to avoid the hard work of decision-making. But often, there are areas where we want to make our own decisions, and are reluctant to follow where Jesus leads. Eventually, however, he challenges us to decide whether we will be disciples, or not. Pastor Luke teaches from Matthew 8:18-22 in "How to Make Better Decisions," part 2 of his 4-part series, "Grace Period."
After preaching the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus undertook a series of healings\: a leper, a Roman officer's servant, Peter's mother-in-law, and others. They don't have much in common--except one thing\: they didn't say no for Jesus. Do we do that? And if we do, how can we remember not to? Pastor Luke teaches from Matthew 8:1-17 in "Grace Period," the first message in a new series, "Grace Period."
If sin is how God sees the evil that robs people of their true humanity, what is the remedy for sin? What does true humanity even look like, and how can we obtain it? Pastor Luke teaches from Luke 18:9-14 in "Sin, Part 2: the Remedy," the concluding message in his series, "Buzzwords."
In the New Testament accounts, listeners of John the Baptist, Peter, and Paul seem willing to stipulate Sin. Today, people bristle at the word, and conversation gets hung up there before it can move on to grace and redemption. Is there a better, more productive, way for Christians to talk about "sin?" Pastor Luke preaches from 2 Samuel 11:2-4 in "Sin, Part 1: the Diagnosis," part 3 of his 4-part series, "Buzzwords."
Last time, we discussed what faith means to Christians, and why it's so important. Today we talk about where faith comes from, and how. What if our faith is weak? What if we have doubts? Can our faith grow? What are we supposed to do with our faith? Pastor Luke preaches from Ephesians 2:8 in "Faith, Part 2: Where Faith Comes From, and How," part 2 of his 4-part series, "Buzzwords."
People who talk in buzzwords can be really irritating. Christians have plenty of our own buzzwords. How can we avoid being irritating? One of the buzzwords that non-Christians find most irritating is "Faith." What do we mean by it, and is there a way to get the same idea across without using buzzwords that irritate our listeners? Pastor Luke teaches from Hebrews 11:1 in "Faith, Part 1: What It Is," the first message in a new series, "Buzzwords."
Sometimes, people think Christians butt in where they have no business, and the Christians protest, no, we're just trying to be helpful. The problem might not be what they're doing as much as how they do it. Fortunately, the Apostle Paul models how Christians can influence the people around them. Pastor Luke teaches from Philemon 1:1-25 in "How to Influence People," the concluding message in his series, "One Hit Wonders."
Christians believe that following Jesus will make their lives better. But it probably won't make them easier. What can we do when discipleship is difficult? Pastor Luke preaches from Jude 1:1-25 in "Shifting Goals," part 4 of his 5-part series, "One Hit Wonders."
It isn't obvious at first why 3 John is in the New Testament. It's a letter from one Christian to another about a problem so small it never made it into church history. But on the other hand, the Church is always dealing with small problems ... and 3 John shows how God can use them to grow us as disciples. Pastor Luke looks at 3 John 1:1-15 in "Growing Christians One Hit Wonders, Part 3," part 3 of his 5-part series, "One Hit Wonders."
We want to be truthful and loving, but doing both can be difficult. Is there some way to do both? Or is there a rule we can use to help us know which side to pick when truth and love are in conflict? Pastor Luke teaches from 2 John 1:1-13 in "Litmus Test One Hit Wonders, Part 2," part 2 of his 5-part series, "One Hit Wonders."
