Sermon Archive

Nothing can completely prepare you for the moment when you move from the driver’s seat over to the passenger’s seat so that your child can learn how to drive. It can be terrifying and no matter how good the student driver or the instructor there are sure to be moments where things don’t go as smoothly as you might like. It’s the nature of the transition. In Luke 9, Jesus begins a significant transition in his ministry where he will begin to hand over much of the work he has been doing, both the teaching and the miraculous will begin to be handled by the 12 apostles. As they are sent on mission for the first time, we hear Jesus’s instructions and exhortations. When they return, Jesus has more for them to learn on their journey as disciples.

As Luke concludes this section of teaching, he gives us one more glimpse into the power and person of Jesus. He shows us just who Jesus is- a man full of power, but also a man that took the time to care for the forgotten and the outcast.

Packages have become a normal part of our everyday life, but receiving a package is still an event that can generate some excitement. So much so, that one of the most popular genres of videos on YouTube are “unboxing” videos. These are videos that simply show people opening boxes of items and showing what is in the box. Why is it that something as simple as opening a box can generate so much excitement and interest? There are many reasons one can point to, but often it boils down to one fundamental issue…Awe. As Jesus begins to give the disciples a deeper look at who He is, awe is what begins to overtake them…but not everyone. What is the difference by those that are in awe of Jesus and those that simply miss him?

Did Jesus’s family think he was crazy? When Jesus dismisses his family’s concerns what does that tell us about what Jesus was trying to do? These questions are central to our understanding of Jesus and his mission. What we learn is that family is everything for Jesus, but his family is much, much bigger than his earthly bloodline.

Soil, seed, lampstands, and jars. What do those simple objects have to do with God’s word? When Jesus uses parables, we would do well to listen and IF we do listen- he will speak. Time and time again we are told that if we seek God, we will find him. But the twin truth to that is that if we do not give our time and attention to him, then one day we’ll find we can hear him no more.

Reading the stories of Jesus in the Book of Luke is compelling. Who wouldn’t follow a man that taught with such power, healed the sick, and raised the dead? It’s not every day (or ever) that someone like that comes along. Yet time and time again we see people reject Jesus. They walk away and even turn against him. Jesus helps his disciples to understand why this happens and how they should respond.

The filter with which we view the world can tell us a lot about our theology. What do we see when we see people? What do we see when we see Jesus? Do we see problems? Do we see theological riddles? Do we see the world as one big exercise in theological theory and we wait to see if ours plays out? That’s how the Pharisees saw the world, others around them, and even Jesus. But how about us? What do we see when we see “sinners?” Ourselves? Jesus?

Different people have different things that pop into their minds when they think of the person of Jesus. Some see kind and compassionate. Some see authority and power. The gospel writers didn’t have that dichotomy. For them, Jesus held and exercised all those characteristics and more. As Luke tells stories about who Jesus really is, he is quick to help us see that both authority and compassion are both essential to the character and nature of Jesus.

To judge or not to judge? That seems to be a popular question in our current cultural moment. When personal autonomy is the assumed right of every person, how are we to cast judgement on personal choices? Can we? Should we?

Take care how you build seems to be pretty straightforward advice. Yet that simple instruction contains a wealth of wisdom and implications. When the storms of life come (not if), how you began your building will determine it’s outcome.

So often, we can become so focused on the final product, that we fail to pay attention to how we get there. All that really matters is whether or not we get what we’re looking for. For many of us, this is how we approach the Christian faith. Doesn’t matter how we get to the end result, so long as it “looks” like Christianity is “supposed to look.” When Jesus teaches us the way Christianity is supposed to work, it’s the source of our obedience that is what’s essential. Our nature drives our obedience and when we get that backward, all kinds of things can go wrong.

Jesus is known for pushing buttons, wise sayings, and challenging teachings. There may be no single instruction he gives us that tests our hearts and our faith more than this: Love your enemies. It goes against every inclination we have- from vengence to self-protection. Yet this teaching isn’t just an ethical consideration, it’s at the heart of our faith. Indeed, it’s our only basis for hope in this life and the next. For we are never more like God, than when we love our enemies.

Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die. A phrase built on an oxymoron but perfectly describes the spiritual home of so many. As Jesus teaches about the nature of the Kingdom of God in the Sermon on the Plain, what becomes painfully clear to even the most devout follower is this: Everybody wants the kingdom of God, but nobody really wants to live in it. Why? Because the values of the kingdom are painfully different than the values of our earthly kingdoms.

In order to build the best organization, you need the best personnel. Recruit well and win big. Great people make for great success. These are all wise maxims that we would do well to remember. Yet when Jesus selected his twelve apostles, they could not have been more ordinary. There was nothing special about them. Uneducated, untrained, mismatched, and without any real skill set that would lend itself to the establishment of a new kingdom. Yet this is who Jesus didn’t just welcome, but went and appointed to his team. What do we make of that? What does it say about us and the lives we are called to live today?