Podcasts about god luke

Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience (Hebrews 4:11). Genesis 2 opens with the seventh day, where God rests, but not because he was tired. Instead, we get a picture of God finishing creation with a Sabbath that never ends. Sabbath represents a flourishing creation. This is illustrated in Israel's year of Jubilee in which slaves were freed, debts were forgiven, and the land was restored to those God had gifted it to; a nation created to flourish in the lavish abundance of their God. But sin interfered in the beginning, continued to interfere throughout Israel's history and still stains our own lives today. Sin destroys shalom; it brings death where life was intended. Hebrews tells us that God is still at work; at work undoing the evil that is leeching health from us. Jesus pursued this dimension of the Sabbath in his miracles. In Mark 1:21, he frees a man from an evil spirit and gives renewed vigour to the limbs of a paralytic in 2:27. Many of his miracles were performed on the Sabbath, such as the one for a woman “who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, ‘Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.' Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God” (Luke 10:11-13). These were signs that the kingdom of God was here; the Shalom of God was being brought back to the earth; the curse of sin was being undone. Jesus resurrection from the dead marked his victory over evil. The curse was undone; his kingdom was unstoppable. That is why Christians gather for worship on Sundays. We remind each other that Christ is risen. And we celebrate the coming end of evil. The Heidelberg Catechism gives a slight nod to this matter when it says that part of our Sabbath keeping is “to bring Christian offerings for the poor” (A 103). That is why offerings are taken up during worship services. The apostle Paul got this started (Acts 24:17; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2). Churches are rightly involved in alleviating hunger and rebuilding where infrastructure has been destroyed. Historically, Christians began hospitals. This was all understood as following in the footsteps of Jesus working against evil. Sometimes, I hear Christians tell me that Sundays are family days. That is well and good, but it is not enough. Sundays remind us that Jesus died to end the curse and evil. We are called to be his hands and feet. As you prepare for this weekend, how will you rest, and how will you help others to entire into God's rest? Go with this blessing: Go to Jesus and he will give you rest (Matthew 11:30). May the presence of God go with you and give you rest (Exodus 33:14).

Reading Luke 20:19-26 where the chief priests and scribes attempt to trap Jesus in a question that will get him in trouble with the authorities, but what He says instead causes them to marvel. Visit wwutt.com for all our videos!

In this sermon, pastor Dylan Dodson preaches from Luke 10:38-42 as we look at the story of Mary and Martha and reflect where in our lives we might be distracted and missing the more important thing.

In this sermon, pastor Dylan Dodson preaches from Luke 3 and John 3 as we look at the life of John the Baptist and see what a life of genuine repentance looks like.

(This podcast was previously recorded and published on June 29, 2020)   Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...    During the Coronavirus in 2020, we, in USA,  were shut up in our homes for 3 months and we barely survived.    One plague of the great tribulation is five months and there are 14 plagues.  The endurance will be incredible during the great tribulation.   The elect of God will barely survive.   Jesus said:    Matthew 24   21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.   22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.   By this, we know some of the elect will go through the days of the great tribulation and those plagues that God is sending upon this earth.   Also in one plague we see this:   Revelation 9   3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.   4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.   By this we see some who have "the seal of God" in their foreheads will be living on this earth during the plagues that are coming.   If any of us happen to be one of those, we will have to be able to endure the plagues.   How to endure between now and then?   Some church goers don't seem to understand Jesus is "The Word."   *****   Prayer to God:   Luke 21:36   Jesus says:  Watch ye therefore, and pray always ...  that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.   Watch what you are doing daily ... Pray over all things that concern you or trouble you ... Pray over all that you are considering doing on this earth ... Allow God to establish your thoughts.   As we watch and pray, we are put in a position whereby we are accounted worthy to escape all these things that are coming upon this earth, the great tribulation ... and we stand before the Son of Man.   *** Watch what you are doing daily.  Conform to the instruction of that scripture which God calls to your attention.  Meditate in the Word of God.  Do the Word of God.  Continue doing the Word of God.   John 15   Jesus says:   1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.   2 Every branch in ME that beareth not fruit HE (God) taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, HE (God) purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.   (If we fail to bear fruit, we are removed by God.)   3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.   (God speaks to us by HIS Spirit.  HE causes the word which we need to follow at that specific time to stand out to us.  Usually it is a scripture.  We meditate on that Word and do that Word.)   4 Abide in ME, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in ME.   (We must live daily in that Word for the Word is Jesus.)   5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without ME ye can do nothing.   We live in those scriptures brought to us by the Holy Spirit of God.  Meditate on them day and night.  Do those scriptures.  Continue doing those scriptures.  

Our daughter is all grown up now, but she'll never forget that very scary moment when she was four years old. My wife was shopping in a supermarket with our son riding in the grocery cart and our daughter walking with her - well, actually running ahead of her. Karen had warned her to stay in the same aisle she was in, but we're talking a firstborn here - so she had to run ahead to other aisles to explore, of course. Until suddenly she noticed how high those shelves were and how long those aisles were, and the fact that she didn't see anything familiar. And suddenly she felt that awful feeling that she still describes today as "scary" - she was lost. Not too long ago, she told me how it felt. As a grown woman, she said, "Suddenly my security wasn't there." Thankfully, her mother came looking for her. Our daughter got lost, but someone who loved her found her. I'm Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A Word With You today about "I Once Was Lost...." Lost isn't just a feeling that little kids know. No, a lot of us who are all grown up know it all too well. The dictionary says that "lost" means "bewildered as to direction; missed the way." You ever felt that way? Now, maybe? It could be that, like our daughter said, suddenly your security isn't there. There's been a breakup, a divorce, changes at work or in your family, a painful loss, a financial setback, some major change. Interestingly enough, our Creator describes us as lost. We're bewildered about the meaning, the direction of our life because we've, Well, like the dictionary says, "missed the way." You and I have missed what we were made for - a life run by God - and we've wandered off into a life run by us. Like our daughter separated from her mom, you suddenly realize the person you need most isn't there - the God who made you. You're away from your Father, your Heavenly Father. And, again, like a lost child, there's no way you can find your way back to Him. Your only hope is that He's come looking for you and that's what Jesus is all about. He's God come looking for you. In our word for today from the Word of God - Luke 19:10 - Jesus says, "The Son of Man (that's Him) came to seek and to save what was lost." Jesus literally gave His life to bring you home; He absorbed your death penalty for all your sin when He died on the cross. And now He's coming seeking you to save you - right now through this visit He may be doing that. It's really Jesus, who knows your need, coming where you are, through this program, to bring you home. Here's a letter that I received from a man who experienced that. He tells about commuting to work one winter morning. He says, "This hour and one half ride is really getting to be a drag - too much time to think. Thinking about one divorce and a second marriage, never enough money, can't afford a new car and this one may not even make it home." Then again, what if he doesn't make it home? Is this what life is about? Drive-work-sleep, then drink myself into oblivion to numb the monotony? He is painfully aware of a growing emptiness - something's missing - actually everything is missing! He tells how he started surfing the radio and he landed on this program and he says, "You directed me to the One who would give my life meaning. Without that, it was quite possible I would not be here now." See, Jesus found this man through a radio. And this man finally found everything he'd been missing. For someone listening right now, that's what Jesus wants to do for you this very day, this very hour. Would you open up to this man who gave His life for you? You can trust Him with the rest of your days. Would you say, "Jesus, You died for me. You love me. You're alive! You walked out of Your grave. Come into my life. I'm yours." Our website will tell you how to be sure you've begun that relationship. You can go to ANewStory.com. Jesus loves you too much to lose you. He went all the way to a cross to prove it and right now He's come where you are to bring you home. Don't miss Him, my friend.

Two Ways to Approach God (Luke 18:9-14) - Chris Price | September 7, 2025The Way Church is a church in Vancouver joining Jesus in the restoration of all things. For more information, visit our website at http://thewaychurch.caLINKSConnect Form: http://connect.thewaychurch.caKids: http://thewaychurch.ca/kidsYouth: http://thewaychurch.ca/youthAlpha: http://thewaychurch.ca/alpha

Reading Luke 18:24-30 where Jesus confronts the young ruler about his wealth and self-righteousness, challenging him to give it up and follow Jesus to have eternal life. Visit wwutt.com for all our videos!

Flashback Episode: Year in Luke – Episode 35: When Jesus heals ten men who were lepers with a simple instruction, discover what we can learn when only one man returns to say thanks. Join the discussion on the original episode's page: Click Here.Listen to this episode and/or subscribe on ReflectiveBibleStudy.com...

Spring Lake Church – BellevueSermon: Road Trip of a LifetimeTeacher: Mitch EastmanPassages: Matt 7:13-14, Matt 19:13-26, Luke 12:48In “Road Trip of a Lifetime,” we explore how small choices shape our habits, character, and destiny. Scripture reminds us of the narrow road that leads to life (Matthew 7:13–14), the call to childlike faith (Matthew 19:13–26), and our responsibility before God (Luke 12:48). Ecclesiastes shows us the limits of earthly gain and the joy of living in God's purpose. Join us on the journey of faith.springlakechurch.org | springlakechurch.org/give | springlakechurch.org/prayer

The Apostle Paul's second letter to the Thessalonians begins with a vision “when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.” He calls us to worship, endurance, and a life aimed toward the glorious return of Jesus.When we become preoccupied with the dates, symbols, and signs of Jesus' return, we risk missing the main thing, the righteous judgment of God. In a world easily distracted by symbolic puzzles of the end times—markings, beasts, lawless figures—Paul reorients the church toward the heart of our hope: the character and justice of Christ Himself. Paul anchors the Thessalonians with seven indispensable truths about the judgment at Christ's return. These are not optional details to debate, but pillars of Christian belief:It is MomentaryJudgment will occur in an instant. As in Matthew 16 and 1 Corinthians 15, the trumpet will sound, and justice will fall like lightning. This is not a gradual evolution of human morality, but a sudden divine intervention. We do not work toward justice; we wait for it.It is ImminentChrist is already enthroned, surrounded by angels, ready to come. As Deuteronomy and Jonathan Edwards remind us, every human walks a slippery path, liable to fall at any moment. Death or the return of Christ is always near. This reality should stir urgency, not complacency.It is JustGod's judgment is righteous. He will repay affliction to those who afflict and grant relief to the afflicted. The criteria? Knowing God and obeying the gospel—not works, not lineage, but trust in the crucified and risen Lord. As Paul says, the standard is not moral performance but belief.It is ComprehensiveEvery deed and every motive will be exposed (Ecclesiastes 12, 1 Corinthians 4). Nothing is hidden. This calls for radical honesty—with God and with one another. The Psalms model a kind of brutal spiritual honesty that few of us know. But to be known by God, we must let ourselves be truly seen.It is Eternal The results of this judgment are not reversible. Hell is not annihilation, but conscious eternal separation from God (Luke 16). Heaven is not a temporary reward, but a forever joy. No purgatory, no do-overs. Our life's trajectory—toward or away from Christ—is sealed at judgment.It is Extreme The division between the saved and unsaved is not subtle. There is no mixture of heaven and hell. The contrast is stark—life or death, blessing or curse (Deuteronomy 30). This intensifies the need for decision: there is no middle ground.It is Marvelous Those who have believed will marvel when Christ returns. Why? Because we will see, with perfect clarity, the beauty and justice of God's plan. What now seems delayed or confusing will become astonishingly righteous and glorious in hindsight.After laying out these truths, Paul turns to a very practical application. He prays that God would “make you worthy of His calling and fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by His power” (2 Thess 1:11). In other words, he's saying: here's how you live now, in light of then.What does that look like?It means becoming the kind of person who instinctively wants what God wants. Paul says Jesus will be “glorified in you and you in Him.” Often, we emphasize the second part—we will be glorified. But Paul's order is intentional. The real miracle is that Christ is glorified in us. We become vessels of His praise, examples of His mercy, images of His love.For those who believe—who wait, worship, and work for His glory—it is not a day to dread, but a day to behold.Even so, come Lord Jesus.

When the children of Israel grew tired of waiting on Moses to return from mount, they chose to create their own god.  We often read that account and shake our heads at them in shame.  Are we guilty of doing the same thing?  In this message Bro. Luke asks three questions to help us determine …

Flashback Episode: Year in Luke – Episode 34: As Jesus continues teaching, discover some challenging things He says when He turns His attention onto the disciples, and what we can learn about God from what Jesus challenges His disciples to do. Join the discussion on the original episode's page: Click Here.Listen to this episode and/or subscribe on ReflectiveBibleStudy.com...

Spring Lake Church – DowntownSermon: Road Trip of a LifetimeTeacher: Mitch EastmanPassages: Matt 7:13-14, Matt 19:13-26, Luke 12:48In “Road Trip of a Lifetime,” we explore how small choices shape our habits, character, and destiny. Scripture reminds us of the narrow road that leads to life (Matthew 7:13–14), the call to childlike faith (Matthew 19:13–26), and our responsibility before God (Luke 12:48). Ecclesiastes shows us the limits of earthly gain and the joy of living in God's purpose. Join us on the journey of faith.springlakechurch.org | springlakechurch.org/give | springlakechurch.org/prayer

Sermon: "The Enduring Word of God” - Luke 21:5-38 - Pastor Sean Dougherty. The morning worship service of First Baptist Church of Kearney, Nebraska.

Sermon 08-24-25 "The Enduring Word of God” - Luke 21:5-38 - Pastor Sean Dougherty. The Sunday morning sermon of First Baptist Church of Kearney, Nebraska.

Devotion : Magnifying God / Luke 1:46-56 by Community Lutheran Church

What you do with your treasure reveals what you've done with your heart.

When Jesus said that “Salvation is from the Jews (John 4:22)” it is impossible to conclude that Jews provide salvation. Only God — Jesus Christ — provides salvation. Jesus Christ was murdered by the Jews and the Father of Jesus Christ was not a Jew at all. Then in what sense does Christ mean that “salvation is from the Jews?” Christ Himself explains this: Jesus Christ (salvation) is the stone which the builders rejected, he is the Cornerstone of the Third Temple. The builders — the Chief Priests — rejected this Salvation and so God calls others to be saved. In Matthew 21, Jesus said “therefore the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you (the Jews) and given to a people (Europeans) producing the fruit of it. (Europe becomes Christendom — the Kingdom of Christ). The Jews themselves prophesied that “the Romans (Europeans) will come and take away both our place and our nation.” (John 11:48). In this sense Salvation is from the Jews because the Jews reject Salvation and others, namely the Europeans, accept the salvation that the Jews rejected. The Jews are damned by God (Luke 19:27) blessed by Satan (Matthew 4:8-9), are children of the deceiver (John 8:44), the wrath of God eternally abides upon them (1 Thes 2:15-16), and the name Jew is left as a curse (Is 65:15) while His people are called Christians (Acts 11:26) Fritz Berggren, PhD Colorado 17 August 2025 A.D.  

Devotion : Nothing is Impossible with God / Luke 1:26-38 by Community Lutheran Church

Sometime in eternity past, God the Father planned to send God the Son into the world to fulfill a divine mission. God's Word tells us, “The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world” (1 John 4:14). This was the great mission: to bring salvation to everyone. This act of God was done in love, as it is written, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16), and “He loved us and sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:10). The Son agreed with the Father, saying, “I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me” (John 6:38), and “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). When God the Son came into the world and took upon Himself humanity, He executed His mission flawlessly.   The divine mission began in time and space nearly two thousand years ago when God the Son took upon Himself humanity. The writer to the Hebrews cites the words of God the Son as He was about to enter the world, saying, “Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says [to God the Father], ‘Sacrifice and offering You have not desired, but a body You have prepared for Me'” (Heb 10:5). The third Person of the Trinity, God the Holy Spirit, facilitated the mission by bringing about the hypostatic union within the womb of the virgin Mary (Isa 7:14; Luke 1:30-35; Gal 4:4). The angel Gabriel told Mary, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35). At the moment of conception in the womb of the virgin Mary, undiminished deity was combined forever with perfect humanity. Eventually, Jesus was born, and God “became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). The apostle Paul tells us, “For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form” (Col 2:9).   God's Word informs us that Jesus was a Jew, born a son of Abraham, in the line of David (Matt 1:1), the promised Messiah (Matt 1:17). Jesus grew in wisdom (Luke 2:40, 52) and lived a perfectly righteous life before God and man. The record of Scripture is that Jesus “knew no sin” (2 Cor 5:21), was “without sin” (Heb 4:15), “committed no sin” (1 Pet 2:22), and “in Him there is no sin” (1 John 3:5). In His humanity, Jesus walked in perfect conformity to God the Father's holy character and divine revelation. This is important, for Jesus' sinless life qualified Him to go to the cross and pay the ransom price for our sins (Mark 10:45).   When the divinely appointed time came for Jesus to go to the cross (John 12:23; 13:1), He went willingly (Isa 53:10; John 10:18). Just hours before the crucifixion, Jesus said to His Father, “I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do” (John 17:4). Then He went to the cross and “offered Himself without blemish to God” (Heb 9:14), giving “His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Jesus paid our sin debt by means of His “precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ” (1 Pet 1:19). While on the cross, “Christ died for our sins” (1 Cor 15:3), and He died in our place, “the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God” (1 Pet 3:18; cf. Rom 5:8).   Jesus' death on the cross was a one-time event, as He “offered one sacrifice for sins for all time” (Heb 10:12). After Jesus paid for all our sins, “He said, ‘It is finished!' And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit” (John 19:30). Jesus' death on the cross satisfied every righteous demand of God the Father concerning the payment for our sins (Rom 3:25), for “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). Jesus paid the price for all our sins. There's nothing more to pay. After Jesus died, He was placed in a grave and was resurrected to life on the third day (Acts 2:23-24; 4:10; 10:40; 1 Cor 15:3-4), never to die again (Rom 6:9). Because Christ died for everyone (John 3:16; Heb 2:9; 1 John 2:2), everyone is savable. The Bible tells us that God has brought “salvation to all men” (Tit 2:11), that He “desires all men to be saved” (1 Tim 2:4), and is “not wishing for any to perish” (2 Pet 3:9).   Once we understand who Jesus is, as God in the flesh (John 1:1, 14), and what He has accomplished for us on the cross—having died for our sins, was buried, and raised again on the third day (1 Cor 15:3-4)—we can then exercise our faith by trusting in Him as our Savior (John 3:16; 20:31). To receive salvation, the unbeliever is told to “believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31a). Jesus is the object of our faith. To believe in Christ as our Savior means we trust Him to accomplish for us what we cannot accomplish ourselves: eternal salvation from the lake of fire.   Faith in Christ is the only condition for salvation. Faith does not save; Christ saves. Faith is merely the instrument by which we receive the free gift of God, which is eternal life. Though the gift was very expensive for the Lord, it is offered totally free to us, for “the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 6:23). And it is “by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph 2:8-9). Only the empty hand of faith accepts the gift. It offers nothing but is open to receive that which is offered by another. God's gift is available to everyone, for “whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16), and “he who believes has eternal life” (John 6:47). No payment is required from us to receive it (Rom 4:4-5), and no precondition of good works is necessary before, during, or after salvation. The only sin that keeps a person out of heaven is the sin of unbelief, the individual choice NOT to trust in Jesus as one's Savior. The one who rejects Jesus as Savior is judged by God on the sole ground that “he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18). These are the ones who “are always resisting the Holy Spirit” (Acts 7:51; cf. John 16:8), who “do not believe” in Jesus as their Savior (John 16:9), and “are unwilling to come” to Him so that they “may have life” (John 5:40). Those who willingly reject Christ as Savior will, after death, experience eternal separation and punishment away from God for all eternity, for “if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (Rev 20:15). This need not happen. Hell is avoidable for the one who trusts in Christ as Savior, for “whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Salvation is a free gift from God (Rom 3:24; 6:23), offered by grace alone (Eph 2:8-9), through faith alone (Rom 3:28; Gal 2:16; 3:26; 2 Tim 3:15), in Christ alone (John 14:6; Acts 4:12), totally apart from human works (Rom 4:5; Eph 2:8-9; Tit 3:5). For lost sinners, the matter is simple: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31).   Our forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and many wonderful blessings from God are all made possible because God the Son came down to us and accomplished what we cannot: our salvation. For this, we praise God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit for their work of salvation, for “having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:1). Amen.   Steven R. Cook, D.Min., M.Div.

‬Have you ever wondered if your past—what you've done or what's been done to you—disqualifies‬ you from being truly known and loved? Jesus sees you fully and deeply, and still calls you to‬ follow him. Like Matthew, you're invited to leave behind what's broken and step into a life filled‬ with love, purpose, and belonging. Jesus is someone worth losing everything for—because in‬ him, you gain what truly matters.

Have you ever wondered if your past—what you've done or what's been done to you—disqualifies‬ you from being truly known and loved? Jesus sees you fully and deeply, and still calls you to‬ follow him. Like Matthew, you're invited to leave behind what's broken and step into a life filled‬ with love, purpose, and belonging. Jesus is someone worth losing everything for—because in‬ him, you gain what truly matters.

8/3/2025 - Luke 11:1-13 - Pastor Sean DemingSermon Videohttps://youtu.be/mgHE0UdMzsEFull Worship Servicehttps://youtu.be/YyFBDkIw--cChildren's Message (Video)https://youtu.be/H0mvfGXcD9s~~Recent Videos:https://www.faithmoorpark.com/recent~~Prayer Requests:https://www.faithmoorpark.com/prayers~~Visit our web site to learn more about Faith Lutheran Church. Watch View past worship services, sermons, bible studies, and devotions.https://www.faithmoorpark.com/~~Support Faith Lutheran Church:Online Giving:https://www.faithmoorpark.com/giving~~Faith Lutheran Church is part of the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod (LCMS) located in Moorpark, California.

Sermon by Fr. Peter Smith8th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Rector Amy Winkle preaches from Luke 12 on living into the abundance of God.

Sitting at the the right hand of God Arcana Coelestia 7518... The reason why all things that pertain to the arm correspond to power, is that the body exercises its power by means of them. From all this it can be seen what is signified by “sitting at the right hand, in Matthew”: Jesus said, Henceforth ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand, in Matthew of power (Matthew 26:64); From henceforth shall the Son of man be seated at the right hand of the power of God (Luke 22:69); namely, the omnipotence which is the Lord's. Attaching to Outcomes - from The Logopraxis Workbook Attaching to an outcome in this work can lead to frustration, guilt, despair, and other negative states because we are working from a sense that we know what the outcome should be. This is another form of living in our imagination as far as the future is concerned, yet our goal is to live in the moment, because we don't and can't know what the future holds. Our work is in what is presenting in the now. The Lord sets the outcome not us: we set tasks to create opportunities to observe the behaviour of the proprium and our identification with it.  We are not working to change it or make it better; we are working to affirm what the Writings teach concerning it as a matter of life, and it's our acceptance of what the Word teaches concerning it that breaks its power. Spiritual life is not about outcomes or expectation, but is a practice founded on the acknowledgement that the Lord is continuously revealing Himself to us; that we are in a process of the continued unfolding of our understanding. So, this is a constantly changing and fluid situation. In Logopraxis we're learning to trust the Lord to know what's best for us; and how we trust Him is to work with what reaches out to us from the Text, and not be tempted to apply a task that seems more aligned with what we think needs sorting out in our life. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

Characters, Character, and the Steadfast Mercy of God  Luke 10:25-37 The Fourth Sunday after Trinity Sunday, July 13, 2025 Colleen Curlee-Malament  Church of the Redeemer, Nashville, TN www.Redeemer-Nashville.net

We focus on the power of faith (in God and his Word). The insight gained from this simple passage has the potential to bring great breakthroughs for those of us who "hear" it....

Most people assume their biggest problem with God is their past—what they've done, what they regret, how far they've wandered.But what if the thing that actually keeps you from God… is something else entirely?In this message, we talk honestly about the one thing Jesus says He can't overlook—not because He's harsh, but because He's good. It's not your mistakes. It's not your doubts. It's something far deeper—and far more common.If you've ever wondered, “Am I really good with God?” or “Why can't I hear God's voice?”—this conversation is for you.

The Face of God | Luke 8:26–39 What do we see when we look into the face of Jesus? In a world that reads faces to judge character, status, and identity, Christ reveals something far deeper: the very heart of God. In this week's Gospel, we encounter Jesus as He heals a man possessed by demons—showing His divine authority, compassion, and the unshakable peace He alone can give. Through this act and through His journey to the cross, Jesus shows us not only His power, but His purpose: to set His face toward Jerusalem for our salvation.

The Face of God | Luke 8:26–39 What do we see when we look into the face of Jesus? In a world that reads faces to judge character, status, and identity, Christ reveals something far deeper: the very heart of God. In this week's Gospel, we encounter Jesus as He heals a man possessed by demons—showing His divine authority, compassion, and the unshakable peace He alone can give. Through this act and through His journey to the cross, Jesus shows us not only His power, but His purpose: to set His face toward Jerusalem for our salvation.

The Face of God | Luke 8:26–39 What do we see when we look into the face of Jesus? In a world that reads faces to judge character, status, and identity, Christ reveals something far deeper: the very heart of God. In this week's Gospel, we encounter Jesus as He heals a man possessed by demons—showing His divine authority, compassion, and the unshakable peace He alone can give. Through this act and through His journey to the cross, Jesus shows us not only His power, but His purpose: to set His face toward Jerusalem for our salvation.

     Sometime in eternity past, God the Father sent God the Son into the world to fulfill a divine mission. God's Word tells us, “The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world” (1 John 4:14). This was the great mission: to bring salvation to everyone. This act of God was done in love, as it is written, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16), and “He loved us and sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:10). The Son agreed with the Father, saying, “I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me” (John 6:38), and “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). When God the Son came into the world and took upon Himself humanity, He executed His mission flawlessly.      The divine mission began in time and space nearly two thousand years ago when God the Son took upon Himself humanity. The writer to the Hebrews cites the words of God the Son as He was about to enter the world, saying, “Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says [to God the Father], ‘Sacrifice and offering You have not desired, but a body You have prepared for Me'” (Heb 10:5). The third Person of the Trinity, God the Holy Spirit, facilitated the mission by bringing about the hypostatic union within the womb of the virgin Mary (Isa 7:14; Luke 1:30-35; Gal 4:4). The angel Gabriel told Mary, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35). At the moment of conception in the womb of the virgin Mary, undiminished deity was combined forever with perfect humanity. Eventually, Jesus was born, and God “became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). The apostle Paul tells us, “For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form” (Col 2:9).      God's Word informs us that Jesus was a Jew, born a son of Abraham, in the line of David (Matt 1:1), the promised Messiah (Matt 1:17). Jesus grew in wisdom (Luke 2:40, 52) and lived a perfectly righteous life before God and man. The record of Scripture is that Jesus “knew no sin” (2 Cor 5:21), was “without sin” (Heb 4:15), “committed no sin” (1 Pet 2:22), and “in Him there is no sin” (1 John 3:5). In His humanity, Jesus walked in perfect conformity to God the Father's holy character and divine revelation. This is important, for Jesus' sinless life qualified Him to go to the cross and pay the ransom price for our sins (Mark 10:45).      When the divinely appointed time came for Jesus to go to the cross (John 12:23; 13:1), He went willingly (Isa 53:10; John 10:18). Just hours before the crucifixion, Jesus said to His Father, “I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do” (John 17:4). Then He went to the cross and “offered Himself without blemish to God” (Heb 9:14), giving “His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Jesus paid our sin debt by means of His “precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ” (1 Pet 1:19). While on the cross, “Christ died for our sins” (1 Cor 15:3), and He died in our place, “the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God” (1 Pet 3:18; cf. Rom 5:8).      Jesus' death on the cross was a one-time event, as He “offered one sacrifice for sins for all time” (Heb 10:12). After Jesus paid for all our sins, “He said, ‘It is finished!' And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit” (John 19:30). Jesus' death on the cross satisfied every righteous demand of God the Father concerning the payment for our sins (Rom 3:25), for “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). Jesus paid the price for all our sins. There's nothing more to pay. After Jesus died, He was placed in a grave and was resurrected to life on the third day (Acts 2:23-24; 4:10; 10:40; 1 Cor 15:3-4), never to die again (Rom 6:9). Because Christ died for everyone (John 3:16; Heb 2:9; 1 John 2:2), everyone is savable. The Bible tells us that God has brought “salvation to all men” (Tit 2:11), that He “desires all men to be saved” (1 Tim 2:4), and is “not wishing for any to perish” (2 Pet 3:9).      Once we understand who Jesus is, as God in the flesh (John 1:1, 14), and what He has accomplished for us on the cross—having died for our sins, was buried, and raised again on the third day (1 Cor 15:3-4)—we can then exercise our faith by trusting in Him as our Savior (John 3:16; 20:31). This is the Jesus of Scripture and history, and not a fake Jesus like those taught by Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, or one we create in our imagination. To receive salvation, the unbeliever is told to “believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31a). Jesus is the object of our faith. To believe in Christ as our Savior means we trust Him to accomplish for us what we cannot accomplish ourselves: eternal salvation from the lake of fire.      Faith in Christ is the only condition for salvation. Faith does not save; Christ saves. Faith is merely the instrument by which we receive the free gift of God, which is eternal life. Though the gift was very expensive for the Lord, it is offered totally free to us, for “the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 6:23). And it is “by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph 2:8-9). Only the empty hand of faith accepts the gift. It offers nothing but is open to receive that which is offered by another. God's gift is available to everyone, for “whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16), and “he who believes has eternal life” (John 6:47). No payment is required from us to receive it (Rom 4:4-5), and no precondition of good works is necessary before, during, or after salvation.      The only sin that keeps a person out of heaven is the sin of unbelief, the individual choice NOT to trust in Jesus as one's Savior. The one who rejects Jesus as Savior is judged by God on the sole ground that “he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18). These are the ones who “are always resisting the Holy Spirit” (Acts 7:51; cf. John 16:8), who “do not believe” in Jesus as their Savior (John 16:9), and “are unwilling to come” to Him so that they “may have life” (John 5:40). Those who willingly reject Christ as Savior will, after death, experience eternal separation and punishment away from God for all eternity, for “if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (Rev 20:15). This need not happen. Hell is avoidable for the one who trusts in Christ as Savior, for “whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Salvation is a free gift from God (Rom 3:24; 6:23), offered by grace alone (Eph 2:8-9), through faith alone (Rom 3:28; Gal 2:16; 3:26; 2 Tim 3:15), in Christ alone (John 14:6; Acts 4:12), totally apart from human works (Rom 4:5; Eph 2:8-9; Tit 3:5). For lost sinners, the matter is simple: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31).      Once we have trusted in Christ for salvation, we receive forgiveness of sins (Acts 10:43; Eph 1:7), the gift of righteousness (Rom 5:17; Phil 3:9), eternal life (John 3:16; 10:28), and many other blessings (Eph 1:3). And having entered into a relationship with God through Christ (John 1:12; Gal 3:26), we are then called to a life of holiness and righteousness (1 Pet 1:15-16), as we learn His Word (2 Tim 2:15; 3:16-17; 1 Pet 2:2; 2 Pet 3:18), walk by faith (2 Cor 5:7; Heb 10:38), and advance to spiritual maturity (Heb 6:1). This new walk with God will honor Him and edify others (Eph 4:1-2; 5:1-2).      Our forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and many wonderful blessings from God are all made possible because God the Son came down to us and accomplished what we cannot: our salvation. For this, we praise God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit for their work of salvation, for “having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:1). Amen. Steven R. Cook, D.Min., M.Div., B.Sc.

Scripture: Genesis 11:1–9 Key Takeaways: Genesis 9:1 + Pride seeks to construct a life apart from God -       Do I consistently spend time seeking God in his word and in prayer? -       Do I often spontaneously voice to God my admiration of Him, gratitude to Him, and need for Him? -       Do I often lose arguments with God? -       Do I pray and seek wisdom in God's word and from God's people before I make a major decision? -       Do I arrange my life around God's priorities? -       Am I generous toward God? Psalm 4:6-8 + Pride is always resisted by God Luke 14:11 + Jesus is the Anti-Babel Philippians 2:5-11 + Jesus reverses Babel Acts 2:4-11