Sermons on Luke (Page 5)
Beginning a New Chapter
Beginning a New Chapter 3rd Easter Acts 2:14a, 36-41 Luke 24:13-35 During this time of quarantine, I have read a lot of comments saying something to the effect of, “When this is over, I’m going to be living differently from what I was before.” Instead of just “getting back to normal,” many folks are going to be intentional about taking what they’ve learned and using it from now on! Yes, we can step into a new way of living! I was reminded of…
A Sign for YOU
A Sign for YOU Christmas Eve Isaiah 9:2-7 Luke 2:1-20 Have you ever felt “unwelcome” anywhere? Have you ever said to yourself, “Oh. I don’t belong here”? It’s something we begin to learn at a young age—there are certain places where we are welcome to go, and other places that are off limits. I’m not just thinking about places marked “authorized personnel only” or restrooms that are marked with another gender—I’m really thinking of those times when we get the feeling,…
Enduring to the Rescue
Enduring to the Rescue Christ the King Colossians 1:11-20 Luke 23:33-43 Do you remember Rubik’s Cubes? Years ago, I was using a Rubik’s Cube for a children’s sermon. The guy I borrowed it from had aligned all the sides so that they were the same color, and I made just 3 twists to kind of “mess it up.” I thought I could make it perfect again by just reversing these twists, and my talk was going to go something like this: “See…
An Eye for God’s Work
Isaiah 65:17-25 Luke 21:5-19 How many of you can wink? Would you turn to your neighbors on each side and give them a wink? Thanks! A wink is a special thing. I didn’t learn how to do it until I was in college—AFTER a disastrous loss in a ping-pong tournament. I was facing a pretty blonde who winked at me just before she served the ball—and I was unable to return her serves! So, I set myself to learn how to wink,…
A Snapshot of Heaven
A Snapshot of Heaven 22nd Pentecost Psalm 145:1-5, 17-21 Luke 20:27-38 I know that many of you are already familiar with the story of little Colton Burpo. When he almost died in surgery, he reportedly took a little trip to heaven and got a glimpse of what awaits us! He was so little, the memories of his experience came out in brief snippets over a period of many months. He says that, while in heaven, he met members of his family…
With Understanding Comes Life
November 3, 2019 With Understanding Comes Life 21st Pentecost Psalm 119:137-144 November 3, 2019 Luke 19:1-10 Have you noticed how human beings have a tendency to “pigeonhole” other people? You know, find a little box in which we can neatly place others according to their “category.” I was talking to some pretty savvy high school students 10 or 12 years ago, and I asked them to identify the different groups they saw on campus. Here is a sample of their list…
A Chain of Thought
A Chain of Thought 19th Pentecost 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5 Luke 18:1-8 What is your favorite kind of teacher? I’ll give you a couple of choices, and you decide which one you like best: A teacher who makes you uncomfortable, but helps you grow; or A teacher who confirms your current beliefs and makes you feel good. I could ask the same question about what kinds of things you like to read. Would you prefer: Something that sometimes challenges you, makes you stop and think?…
Godliness and Contentment
September 29, 2019 Godliness with Contentment 16th Pentecost Psalm 91:1-6, 14-16 1 Timothy 6:6-19 Sept. 29, 2019 Luke 16:19-31 If I had to name ONE thing that describes what Christian Faith is all about, I would have to say IT’S ABOUT LIVING THE GOOD LIFE! Really! Think about it—all of the concepts and components, all the principles and promises, all the encouragements and examples point in the same direction: how to “live large” in every aspect of life! After all, Jesus did say “I have come that you might…
Mercy for the Ignorant
Mercy for the Ignorant 14th Pentecost Psalm 14 1 Timothy 1:12-17 Luke 15:1-10 Every now and then I see a comic strip posted on Facebook called “Coffee with Jesus.” There are a variety of characters who have “conversations with Jesus” over a cup of coffee. It’s an interesting way to explore what it means to live out our faith. Just the other day, I saw this one: A man named Carl says, “I’m such a mess-up, Jesus. Bad husband, lousy father,…
Tearing Down, Building UP
Tearing Down, Building Up 11th Pentecost Jeremiah 1:4-10 Psalm 71:1-6 Luke 13:10-17 I once read a story about a father who had given his little daughter a necklace full of fake pearls—just play jewelry. She LOVED that necklace, and wore it very frequently. When she got just a little older, he bought a REAL pearl necklace for her—but he didn’t give it to her right away. He wanted to try something unusual. When he was tucking her into bed, he asked her if…
God’s Love Song
God’s Love-Song 10th Pentecost Isaiah 5:1-7 Hebrews 11:29-12:2 Luke 12:49-56 Those of you who are familiar with J. R. R. Tolkien’s story of The Lord of the Rings—either the books or the movies—will remember a scene where Frodo and Sam are working their way toward Mount Doom. Struggling through difficult situations, they keep plodding along to the one place where they can destroy an evil ring that Frodo carries. They are weary of this quest, and discouraged because things get more dangerous with every step. Then…
And God Keeps on Giving
And God Keeps on Giving 9th Pentecost Isaiah 1:1, 10-20 Luke 12:32-40 You’ve heard those old “Good news, bad news” jokes, right? Like the one where there are a bunch of men rowing a big galley to the beat of a drum, and the slave-driver has them stop long enough to make an announcement. “We’ve got some good news, and some bad news. First, for the good news: the Captain has ordered that every one of you is going to have…