Podcasts about lord luke

Scott Patty preaches on Luke 1:5-25, 57-80. Grace Community Church exists to build spiritually healthy people for ministry in the world. One of the ways that we pursue this mission is by gathering each Sunday for corporate worship, prayer, and biblical teaching. The corporate nature of this gathering is both edifying to the believer and a witness of God's grace to the world. Sermon speaker is Scott Patty unless otherwise noted.

The story of Ruth begins with these words: In the days when the judges governed (v. 1a). Just before Joshua died after a lifetime of faithful service, he warned all of Israel: Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and faithfulness. Put away the gods your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve... But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. (Josh. 24:14-15) The book of Judges recounts Israels history shortly after entering the promised land, and just in the second chapter, we are told: Then the sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals, and they abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers... (Jud. 2:11-12), which characterizes the tone and climate of Israels spiritual health. The book of Judges also concludes with the words: In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes (Jug. 21:25). While in the wilderness, God warned Israel that there would be consequences to their choices, especially when it came to their trust of God and obedience to God: Beware that your hearts are not easily deceived, and that you do not turn away and serve other gods, and worship them. Otherwise, the anger of the LORD will be kindled against you, and He will shut up the sky so that there will be no rain, and the ground will not yield its produce; then you will quickly perish from the good land which the LORD is giving you (Deut. 11:16-17) As we move from Judges into the book of Ruth, the opening five verses immediately shed light on the spiritual condition of Naomis husband, Elimelech. These verses reveal how Elimelech, in his role as both husband and father, deeply influenced the direction and well-being of his family. The famine in the land did not just reflect a lack of physical food; it also mirrored the spiritual famine within Elimelechs own heart and soul. There are some things I want to point out to you that I believe will help you appreciate just how relevant this book is to us today. First, let me begin by stating that Bethlehem means house of bread yet there was no bread in Bethlehem because there was famine in the land due to Israels disobedience. God had promised that He would bless His people if they obeyed Him, so the reason why there was no bread in Bethlehem was because of Israels unfaithfulness, not Gods unfaithfulness. Second, we are told that Elimelech was a man of Bethlehem in Judah..., which means that he belonged to the tribe of Judah. God called Elimelech to live in Bethlehem, yet he chose to move to Moab because he believed that he and his family could thrive in a place outside of where God called him to live. Some of the things that Elimelech had to know about Moab was that the people originated out of an incestuous relationship after Lots older daughter got him drunk for the purpose of having sex with her father so that she could become pregnant with his child (Gen. 19:30-38). Secondly, the Moabites were known for their scheming to get Israel to sin against God (Num. 22-24). Thirdly, the Women of Moab were known for seducing the Israelite men for the purpose of getting them to worship the gods of Moab (Num. 25). Moab was not a place for a family to thrive spiritually, but this is the place that Elimelech took his family to live. The other important detail we need to consider is that while Naomis name means Pleasant nothing about her life seemed pleasant. Her husbands name meant God is my king but he certainly did not live like God was his king. The meaning of the names of their two sons were, Mahlon (Weakness, sickness) and Chilion (destruction, failure); both men took for themselves Moabite women who did not grow up worshiping the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; taking Moabite women as wives was something God commanded Israel not to do (see Deut. 7:1-4). Noamis husband and both of her sons died, leaving her with nothing but two daughters-in-law who were also destitute with no husband or male child. Naomi Suffered Loss When Naomi left Bethlehem with her husband and two sons, she leftfull. Because of the famine in the land (v. 1), moving to Moab must have felt like the right decisionan act of survival for the sake of their family. But while in Moab, tragedy struck. Her husband, Elimelech, died. Then her two sons married Moabite women, Orpah and Ruthsomething God had warned His people against because of the danger of idolatry (Deut. 7:23). And after marrying these women, both of Naomis sons also died, leaving her with two widowed Moabite daughters-in-law and no descendants of her own. Naomi had lost the three most important men in her life, along with any hope of lineage, inheritance, or security. There was nothing for her in Moab, and because of her husbands death after leaving Bethlehem, there was nothing but maybe the kindness of her relatives back in Judah. So when she returned to Bethlehem, it is no surprise that she no longer wanted to be called Naomi, which means pleasant. She asked instead to be calledMara, meaning bitter. She explained the bitterness in her own words: The Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went away full, and the LORD has brought me back empty (vv. 2021). Ruth: A Woman of Excellence Naomi failed to recognize the blessing her Moabite daughter-in-law truly was. When Naomi decided to return to Bethlehem, she urged both Orpah and Ruth to go back to their own people and gods in Moab. While Orpah left to go back to her people and her gods, Ruth decided to remain with Naomi and even declared to her mother-in-law: Do not plead with me to leave you or to turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you sleep, I will sleep. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD do so to me, and worse, if anything but death separates me from you. (1:1618). One reason Naomi discouraged Ruth from coming back with her was concern for Ruths safety. There was significant hostility between Moabites and Israelites. This is clear in chapter two, after Ruth entered a field belonging to Boaz. Everyone in the field knew Ruth was a foreigner, as the foreman explained to Boaz, She is the young Moabite woman who returned with Naomi from Moab. Boazs response reveals the real danger Ruth faced. He spoke kindly to her, saying, Listen carefully, my daughter. Do not go to glean in another field; furthermore, do not go on from this one, but join my young women here. Keep your eyes on the field which they reap, and go after them. Indeed, I have ordered the servants not to touch you. When you are thirsty, go to the water jars and drink from what the servants draw (Ruth 2:89). Ruths foreign status exposed her to rejection, prejudice, and mistreatmentyet she chose to stay with Naomi anyway, embracing uncertainty and risking lifelong exclusion. Her courage did not go unnoticed. In chapter three, Boaz calls Ruth a woman of excellence (3:11)a term that carries the sense of valor, honor, and strength of character. Remarkably, the same word is used of Boaz in 2:1, while you do not see it in the way the NASB translated Ruth 2:1, just about every other translation does recognize this: Now Naomi had a relative of her husbands, a worthy man of the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. The parallel is deliberate. The narrator wants us to see that Ruth and Boaz are kindred spiritstwo people marked by integrity, bravery, and covenant faithfulness in a time when such qualities were rare in Israel. Boaz: A Kinsmen Redeemer Boaz is the third important character in the story of Ruth, for he is the only one qualified to serve as Naomis kinsman-redeemer. Every kinsman-redeemer had to meet three qualifications: He had to be a family member, He had to have the ability to redeem, and He had to be willing to redeem. A kinsman-redeemer held several responsibilities in the Old Testament: he could buy back family land lost to famine or debt (Lev. 25:2530), redeem relatives who had sold themselves into slavery (Lev. 25:4755), avenge the unlawful death of a family member (Num. 35; Deut. 19; Josh. 20), and step in when a family member faced a wrong they could not fix on their own. Naomi needed that kind of help. She had lost her husband and both sons. She had no land, no security, and no hope. Ruth could not redeem her, so she went out to glean in the fieldsa provision God had given for the poor and the foreigner (Lev. 19:910). Thats where we first meet Boaz. He told Ruth, Do not go to another field I have ordered the young men not to touch you (Ruth 2:89). Ruth bowed in gratitude, asking why he would show kindness to a foreigner. Boaz told her he had heard of her loyalty to Naomi and her trust in Israels God (2:1113). He saw Ruth as a woman of excellenceworthy of honor and protection. When Naomi learned how Boaz treated Ruth, she urged Ruth to approach him at the threshing floor. Though the scene might look questionable at first glance, Ruth 3:613 makes it clear: both Ruth and Boaz acted with purity and integrity. Ruth lay quietly at his feet, and when Boaz awoke, she said, Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer. She wasnt tempting himshe was invoking covenant language, the same wings imagery Boaz used earlier of the LORDs care (see 2:12). Boaz responded with joy: I will do all that you ask, for everyone knows you are a worthy woman (3:11). He was both willing and able to redeem her. And he did. So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son (4:13). Through Boaz, Naomis emptiness was replaced with joy, and Ruth was blessed with a godly husband and a son. The women of the town celebrated: Then the women said to Naomi, Blessed is the Lord who has not left you without a redeemer today, and may his name become famous in Israel. May he also be to you one who restores life and sustains your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him. Then Naomi took the child and laid him in her lap, and became his nurse. And the neighbor women gave him a name, saying, A son has been born to Naomi! So they named him Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David. (4:14-17) What began in sorrow ended in joy. What started with loss ended in redemption. God used a barley field, a faithful woman, and a willing redeemer to bring about His plannot just for Naomi and Ruth, but through Boaz and Ruth the line of the kings would come with the birth of David by whom all other kings would be compared in Israel. This leaves us with the point of this little book in the Bible. There is a True and Better Redeemer Boaz was not only Naomis redeemerhe was also a picture of the Redeemer who would one day come through his and Ruths own bloodline. Boaz was only a shadow of a true and better Boaz. Remember the announcement of Jesus birth delivered by the angels to lowly shepherds: And so the angel said to them, Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David [Bethlehem] there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:10-11). It was the disobedience of Israel that led to the famine that compelled Naomis husband and sons to leave where there was no bread to a place that led to a deeper and more severe famine that left Naomi empty. God used all of the hard things in Naomis life so that another Son would be born in that same city to do what no other person was able to do; Jesus said of Himself: I am the bread of life; the one who comes to Me will not be hungry, and the one who believes in Me will never be thirsty (John 6:35). When Adam and Eve bit into the forbidden fruit, creation was cursed and humanity was lost. Eden was forfeited, and mankind was expelled from Gods presence. The only way for Eden to be restored and the curse removed was for another Adam to comeone who was related to humanity, who had the ability to redeem what was lost, and who was willing to carry out the redemption. Ruth and Boaz had a son named Obed; Obed fathered Jesse; Jesse fathered David. Many generations later, Jesus was born to Maryconceived supernaturally while she remained a virginqualifying Him uniquely as the Kinsman-Redeemer mankind and creation needs. How was Jesus qualified? Jesus had to be a family member of humanity, and He was, as demonstrated by the human bloodline recorded in Scripture. Jesus had to have the ability to redeem, which He had because the virgin birth made Him both fully God and fully manperfectly qualified to redeem creation. Jesus had to be willing to redeem, and that willingness led Him to the cross, where He became our curse and took our sin upon Himself. Jesus did not remain dead. On the third day He rose in victory! Our Kinsman-Redeemer lived the perfect life we could not live, died as the sin-bearer though He was spotless, and then conquered death itself. All of heaven rejoices that the Redeemer who was slain now standsaliveinterceding for us: Worthy are You to take the scroll and to break its seals, for You were slaughtered, and You purchased people for God with Your blood from every tribe, language, people, and nation. You have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign upon the earth (Rev. 5:910). And maybe thats where you need hope today. Perhaps you are living with the consequences of choices you made years ago. Perhaps bitterness has taken root because life did not turn out the way you imagined. Perhaps, like Naomis family, you have wandered far into Moabfar from God, far from joy, far from where you began. But hear the good news:the book of Ruth declares that no one is too far for Gods love, grace, and mercy to reach. If God can take a famine, a foreigner, and a broken widow and weave them into the lineage of King David and ultimately Jesus Christ HimselfHe can redeem your story too!

Come As You Are Series -- MaryLuke 1:38 “I am the Lord's servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.”I have been hesitant to talk about Mary in our Come As You Are series. I am not sure why. Part of it was that there was so much you could say about her. Another part of it was that we may feel we can't relate to Mary. She is amazing and so brave, and is the Mother of Jesus. What could we possibly have in common with her?I went online to learn more about Mary before she became the Mother of Jesus. Scripture does not tell us a lot about her before the Angel Gabriel visited her. There are a few things they do tell us and then there are a few things that we can learn from historical context. We know she was a woman living in her time.Here are a few things we know about Mary.1. She lived in NazarethLuke 1:26 says the angel Gabriel was sent “to a virgin in Nazareth.”Nazareth was a tiny, poor, obscure village — maybe 200–400 people.Nothing “good” came from there (John 1:46 “Can anything good come from Nazareth?”)This tells us:
Mary was from a humble, ordinary, overlooked place.2. She was a virgin engaged to JosephLuke 1:27 “to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary.”Engagement (betrothal) in Jewish culture was legally binding — more serious than a modern engagement.This tells us:
She was likely between 13–16 years old, a normal age for betrothal.3. She was deeply faithful and knew ScriptureMary's song, the Magnificat (Luke 1:46–55), is filled with: Quotes from Psalms, Echoes of Hannah's prayer (1 Samuel 2), Old Testament theology about God's mercy, justice, and covenantThis tells us:
She had a heart soaked in God's Word long before Gabriel appeared.4. She was humbleHer response to Gabriel: “I am the servant of the Lord…” (Luke 1:38)Her song: “He has looked on the humble state of His servant” (Luke 1:48)This tells us:
Humility wasn't something she learned after meeting Jesus — it was already who she was.5. She found favor with God before she was chosenLuke 1:28: “You are highly favored.”Luke 1:30: “You have found favor with God.”This tells us:
She already lived a life that pleased God — long before she carried Jesus.Now that we know a bit more about Mary, we can see that there may be some similarities.Here is a summary of the things we know about Mary. She was a young teen, living in an obscure, poor town. She had little earthly status, but had a deep love for God. She was humble, faithful, and obedient. She really knew her Scripture. God already favored her at a young age.Some of this we might relate to, and some of it we might not. Many can relate to growing up in an obscure place or feeling out of place in our community. We talked about this when we talked about Gideon. He was a man from the weakest clan in Manasseh and, by his own admission, the least in his family. Yet the angel of God called him a “mighty warrior.” What about you? What do you call yourself? What does your family call you? Do they see the amazing person that God sees, or do they just see you as a friend, a mom, a dad, a sibling? I know my kids are always surprised when I know something they don't think I should know. To them, I am just mom. They don't see me as someone who has her master's degree or someone who has written books and started her own business. They just see me as mom.I doubt many people from Mary's town would have looked at her and said, “She is going to be the mother of our Savior one day.” I doubt they looked at her and saw anything special. If the days when she lived were anything like when I was young, then she was probably an outcast, as those who love God tend to be outcasts. People don't understand why we love God so much. They don't understand why we would choose Him over all the “fun” things to do in this world.I was told by a priest one time how Mary and Joseph got engaged. He said that Mary had made a vow to the Lord to remain a virgin. The unmarried men in the area gathered to see who would marry this young woman who wanted to remain a virgin. They all threw their staffs in a pile, and when Joseph threw his in the pile, flowers grew out of it. This is why you will often see Joseph depicted with a staff with flowers growing out of it. When I looked up this story online, I found that this story is from the apocrypha (ancient books not considered reliable enough to be included in the Bible). There, the Protoevangelium of James claims that when young Mary wanted to dedicate herself as a perpetual virgin at the Temple, the high priest prayed for direction. An angel then told him to gather all of the unmarried men of the area, and have each one bring his rod (generally thought to be a walking stick or staff) to the temple “and to whomsoever the Lord shall show a sign, his wife shall she be…and Joseph took his rod last; and behold, a dove came out of the rod, and flew upon Joseph's head. And the priest said to Joseph, ‘You have been chosen by lot to take into your keeping the virgin of the Lord.'”Isn't this beautiful to know that God picked Joseph out for Mary? Who better to arrange your marriage than the Lord your God? I also heard that Joseph may have also made a similar vow, so it worked out well for both of them. Imagine that God knew what He was doing when her put Mary and Joseph together. I have a friend who is getting married, and he was praying about the marriage one day, and he heard the Lord tell him that it was an arranged marriage and that God had arranged it. Can you imagine? What better proof that you are meant to be together than the Lord telling you that He arranged your engagement?Notice, God did not arrange for Mary to be with someone who wanted to change her. He didn't arrange for her to be with someone who was unkind to her and criticized everything she said and did. He brought someone in her life that loved her for who she was and supported her, even when she was pregnant and they weren't married yet. Even when she was pregnant, and he didn't know how she could be.  He supported her and raised Jesus as his own son. That is truly a God arranged marriage.God loved Mary. He knew her wishes and how much she loved Him. He arranged for her to be married to a good husband. He asked her to do an incredible thing, and she said yes. I am not sure if Mary understood all she was saying yes to, and yet she said yes anyway. What if we could do this? What if we could say yes, even though we don't have all the details? What if we could say yes, even when we don't quite understand the call? What if we just said yes because we know God and we trust that if He is asking us, then we will be able to handle whatever comes our way.God wants us to come to Him just as we are, and He will give us all we need just as He did for Mary. He gave Mary a loving spouse. One who would find her a safe place to have her baby. One who would listen to the angel from his dreams and wake them up in the middle of the night and move them to Egypt until they were the same. Then he would move them back once they were safe. God will give you all you need to do what He is calling you to do as well. God is calling you to do something. It might not be as extraordinary as carrying the Savior of the World, but it will still be an important call. Will you say yes? Will you come as you are and trust that you are exactly who God needs for this particular call? God loves you, yes, you, just as you are! I hope that if you get nothing else out of this series, you will believe that God loves you more than you could ever imagine and that He wants you to come to Him just as you are. You don't have to change anything to come to Him! He just wants you!!Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those listening today. Lord, we love you and we want to believe you love us. Please help us believe that we don't have to do anything for you to love us. Please help us to believe we don't have to change before we come to you. Lord, this whole series has been about how you want us to come as we are. I pray that every person listening has come to realize that they can come to you just as they are and that you will help them become the person they want to be. We love you, Lord, and we ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus's holy name, Amen!!Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. This episode concludes our Come As You Are series. If you have any ideas of what you would like to see for our next series, please reach out and let me know. It could be a topic like forgiveness, love, mercy, joy, or it could be something like a specific book of the Bible that you have always wanted to understand better. It could also be on the various people of the Bible. The options are endless, as there is so much in the Bible. Please let me know what you are interested in learning more about. I want this podcast to be for you! I look forward to seeing you again tomorrow. Remember, Jesus loves you just as you are, and so do I! Have a blessed day!Today's Word from the Lord was received in July 2025 by a member of my Catholic Charismatic Prayer Group. If you have any questions about the prayer group, these words, or how to join us for a meeting, please email CatholicCharismaticPrayerGroup@gmail.com. Today's Word from the Lord is, “Yes, I am your victory, my children. But I am not a victor as you picture in a battle. I am the victory that brings your heart closer and closer to mine. My victory reigns in your heart. My victory doesn't have ticker tape parades, loud shouting, or gracious singing. My victory has gentle, peaceful love and joy placed deeply in your heart because you know beyond all knowing that I am yours, and you are mine.” www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

Luke 5: 1-3

a) Jesus and His Disciples Celebrate the Passover (Luke 22:7-23)b) Jesus Urges Humility and Trust (Luke 22:24-38)c) Jesus Prays in the Garden (Luke 22:39-46)d) Jesus Is Betrayed and Arrested (Luke 22:47-53)e) Peter Denies the Lord (Luke 22:54-62)

Luke 1:15–17 (ESV)15 for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God,17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.After years of praying and waiting, Zechariah and Elizabeth were blessed with a son — John. He was chosen by God to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Even before his birth, John was filled with the Holy Spirit, showing that God had set him apart for a special purpose.His life reminds us that true greatness is not measured by human success but by faithfulness and obedience to God's calling. Like John, may we also live lives that prepare others to know and follow Christ.

Jesus Christ, His Only Son, Our LordLuke 1:26-38Message SlidesFor bulletin in PDF form, click here. I believe in Jesus Christ,His only Son, our Lord,Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin MaryHOME CHURCH QUESTIONS1. Luke 1:26-38 is usually thought of as a “Christmas text,” so we are talking about Christmas in September! When do you usually begin thinking about Christmas? 2. When you think about Jesus, what are some of the titles, images, or ideas that come to your mind? Where did you learn and develop your view of Jesus? 3. What are some ways we see Jesus' humanity in Luke 1:26-38? What are some other Bible passages that reveal Jesus' humanity? Why should we be encouraged by the fact that Jesus is a human like us? What impact should this make in your life today? 4. What are some ways we see Jesus is God in Luke 1:26-38? What are some other Bible passages that reveal Jesus is God? Why should we be encouraged by the fact that Jesus is God? What impact should this make in your life today? 5. How would you explain to someone the importance of the virgin birth? What are some key truths that are revealed in the virgin birth? 6. Mary responded to this incredible news by saying, “I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). In what area of your life is God calling you to be faithful? What would it look like for you to respond like Mary in your life? Mission Highlight - Pray for the Unreached: The Sindhi of Belize The Sindhi in Belize are a small Muslim people group of about 6,800, originally from the Sindh region of Pakistan. While their homeland blends Islamic practice with folk traditions, the Sindhi in Belize are considered fully Muslim. There are currently no known followers of Christ among them. Though the complete Bible, Jesus Film, and audio resources exist in Sindhi, the gospel remains largely out of reach. Pray for workers to share Christ's love and for hearts to open to the truth of the gospel.FinancesWeekly Budget 34,615Giving For 08/31 17,481Giving For 09/07 38,110YTD Budget 346,154Giving 302,659 OVER/(UNDER) (43,495) Equipping OpportunitiesFellowship's Equipping Ministry exists to equip and release our church body to deepen their understanding and experience of God & His word, develop genuine, Spirit-led living, and consistently invest in making disciples. Check out this Fall's opportunities at Fellowshipconway.org/equipping. New to Fellowship?We are so glad that you chose to worship with our Fellowship Family this morning. If you are joining us for the first time or have been checking us out for a few weeks, we are excited you are here and would love to meet you. Please fill out the “Connect Card” and bring it to the Connection Center in the Atrium, we would love to say “hi” and give you a gift. Join a Home ChurchHome Church small groups are about building a deep community where we are transformed into the image of Christ and serve a broken world for the sake of the gospel. If you are not in a Home Church, we encourage you to talk with Michael at the Home church kiosk after service or go to fellowshipconway.org/homechurch. Fellowship College Are you a college student or between the ages of 18–22? You're invited to be part of the College Ministry at Fellowship Bible Church! We gather Thursday evenings (6:30 pm) for worship and Wednesday afternoons (1-5pm) for coffee. Contact Andrew at astauffer@fellowshipconway.orgWomen's RetreatSave the date!! Ladies, we are getting away for rest and encouragement October 24-26. Mark your calendars to be part of this meaningful time together. Early Bird registration has begun. For all the details, go to fellowshipconway.org/women. Ladies, You're invited! We're offering two weekly Bible Study options to fit your schedule: Tuesday Evenings at 6:00 PM (starting September 16), led by Lauren Wininger. Wednesday Afternoons at 12:00 PM (starting September 17), led by Tiffny Stewart. Register at fellowshipconway.org/register. Childcare is available for both sessions, text Shanna at 501-336-0332 to reserve your spot. Fellowship KIds at Schaefer's Pumpkin Patch | October 4 | 10 AM - 12 PMJoin us for a morning of fall fun! Enjoy games, a petting zoo, hay rides, and food trucks. Grab your hay ride tickets at the booth and meet us by the tractor at 11:00 AM for a ride with other Fellowship families. Don't miss out—it's going to be a blast!Special Pack OCC | Pack • Pray • Send — Be Part of the Mission!On Monday, October 6, join us at Fellowship for a powerful Operation Christmas Child Packing Event! Together, we'll pack 2,800 shoeboxes to share the love of Jesus with kids in hard-to-reach places. Sessions: 11 AM–2 PM or 6–9 PM (childcare available in the evening for 6 years and under) Let's fill every box, pray over every child, and send the Good News across the globe!Fellowship Kids Father/Son Camp outCalling all dads and sons! Get ready for an awesome weekend just for you. We're planning a fun father and son camp out on October 10-11, at 53 Wasson Road in Conway. We'll have games, a campfire, and plenty of time to hang out. If camping isn't your thing, you can still join us for all the activities on Friday night. Saturday breakfast is included. Register at fellowshipconway.org/register.

Sermon 08-31-25  “Liar, Lunatic or Lord” – Luke 24:13-53” –  Pastor Jason Purdy The Sunday morning sermon of First Baptist Church of Kearney, Nebraska.

Sermon:  “Liar, Lunatic or Lord” – Luke 24:13-53” –  Pastor Jason Purdy The morning worship service of First Baptist Church of Kearney, Nebraska.

Ange Gratsounas pm - Narwee Baptist Church

August 15, 2025

Feast of the Transfiguration of the LordLuke 9:28b-36Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up a mountain to pray.While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white.And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem.

This podcast is brought to you by LifeChurch West Chester. We pray you are blessed, and we thank you for listening! For additional content and information, please visit www.lifechurchwestchester.com.

Jesus' Identity The king is here! But who did people say Jesus is? Let us look at what some eyewitnesses said about this Jesus in his first public event! Luke 3v15-18 Everyone was expecting the Messiah to come soon, and they were eager to know whether John might be the Messiah. John answered their questions by saying, "I baptize you with[water; but someone is coming soon who is greater than I am-so much greater that I'm not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire." John used many such warnings as he announced the Good News to the people. Matthew 3v13-16 Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. But John tried to talk him out of it. "I am the one who needs to be baptized by you," he said, "so why are you coming to me?" But Jesus said, "It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires." So John agreed to baptize him. After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy." Witness 1 - John the Baptist We start with Jesus' baptism, as it is the commencement of Jesus' public ministry. Jesus is now about 30 years old. Our first witness is John the Baptist himself! When John came (Luke3v1-2) When John the Baptist appeared on the scene, no prophetic voice had been heard within Israel for almost 400 years. His coming was part of God's perfect timing, for everything that relates to God's Son is always on time (Gal.4v4; Jn.2v4, 13v1) How John came (Luke3v3) Dressed and acting like the Old Testament prophet Elijah, John came to the area near the River Jordan, preaching and baptizing. He announced the arrival of the kingdom of heaven (Mt.3v3) and urged the people to repent from sin and their old lives. John's baptism looked forward to the coming of the Messiah! Little did he know what was soon going to happen! Why John came - (Luke 3v4-20) - John the Baptist was a voice crying in the wilderness. The nation of Israel was living in a state of unbelief and twisted spiritual reality. For 400 years God had been silent! Where was the voice of God, people would have been asking. The people of Israel desperately needed to hear a voice from God, and John was that faithful voice in God's own timing! It was John's work to prepare the nation for the Messiah and then present the Messiah to them. The messiah, saviour or king, as we glimpsed in the covenants. John was unambiguous in his belief about Jesus. He clearly states that Jesus was "the Lord" (Luke 3v4) and the Son of God (Jn.1v34). Certainly untenable for a Jewish male to equate anybody with the living God of Israel. Witness 2 & 3 - The Father and the Spirit Then surprise, surprise! Not least to John the Baptist! Jesus comes to him and presents himself for baptism! John at first refuses to do it (Mt.3v13-15). John knew that Jesus of Nazareth was the perfect Son of God who had no need to repent of sin. Through his baptism, Jesus identified with all sinners that he came to save even though he was without sin or wrongdoing. This is the start of Jesus' public ministry. But why did Jesus get baptized? In replying to John's initial refusal to baptize him, Jesus said "...it is proper for us to do this to fulfil all righteousness" (Mt.3v15). This looks ahead, as we shall see, to his suffering on the cross, because it is only through the baptism of suffering that Jesus endured on the cross, that God is able to fulfil all righteousness. The "us" referred to means Father, Son and Spirit. When Jesus came up from the water, the Father spoke from heaven and identified Him as the beloved Son of God, and the Spirit visibly came upon Jesus in the form of a dove. They testified as to who Jesus was and is! Witness 4 & 5. The Genealogies! In the genealogies of Jesus we see another extraordinary thing about this Jesus! You can read them at Matthew 1v1-17 and Luke 3v23-3 Jesus as the Son of Man - The genealogies reminds us that the Son of God was also the Son of Man, born into the world, identifying with the needs and problems of mankind. Through the genealogy, we see down through the generations Jesus' link to Adam and ultimately God. The phrase "the son of" generally means any remotely connected descendant or ancestor. It is a reminder that Jesus, being Joseph's legal son was part of a human family, tribe, race and nation. Jesus' line goes back through the Old Testament from Joseph to King David to Judah, Jacob, Isaac and Abraham, to Methuselah to Noah and Adam. The genealogy, with its link to David, shows Jesus' right to ascend to David's throne (Luke 1v32-33). The genealogy shows Jesus' total human-ness, and because he is linked to Adam, identifies with all humanity and not just Israel. But there is one difference between Jesus and all other humans. In that Luke doesn't stop the genealogy at Adam, as he would have for all other humans, Luke ultimately leads and links Jesus to being God's Son. Jesus as the Son of God - Adam had come into the world bearing the true image of a son of God, but, when Adam disobeyed God, that image was marred and scarred due to sin entering the world. All that is, except Jesus. The voice from God the Father ratified Jesus as the Son of God. Not a son of God as some may claim, but the one and only Son of God. This genealogy points to the unbroken relationship between Jesus and God. Jesus is as Adam was before Adam's disobedience. This is Jesus, both fully human and fully God. We will find out why later on in the series! Jesus, the one all of the Old Testament covenants pointed ahead to coming! John the Baptist identified who Jesus was. God the Father and God the Holy Spirit testified about who Jesus was. His genealogies and ancestry testify as to who he was. Who do you say Jesus was and is? Tomorrow we look at his purpose and mission! Thank you! Right mouse click or tap here to download as a MP3 audio file

June 23, 2025

How important are mothers and mother figures to discipling the next generation? This message draws from the life and words of Mary, the mother of Jesus, to recognize the great influence of Godly women.

Solemnity of the Ascension of the LordLuke 24:46-53As he blessed them he parted from themand was taken up to heaven.They did him homageand then returned to Jerusalem with great joy,and they were continually in the temple praising God.

May 20, 2025

Ryan Adamsfalse

April 28, 2025

This is April 6th's sermon by Brian McLain examining the story of young Jesus at the temple emphasizing the intentionality of every story & the power of connections between stories. Brian and his lovely wife Denise were born and raised in Florida. They have been blessed with six beautiful daughters who fill their home with boundless joy and entertainment. Brian has degrees in Theology and Electrical Engineering and spent 20 years in the Power Industry. The McLains love to sing, dance, read, cook and play games, and they cherish the opportunities they get to serve and host others in their home. Trinity Reformed Church is a CREC church in Huntsville, AL seeking to extend and unite the Kingdom in the Huntsville area. Check out our website, Facebook or YouTube!

April 2, 2025

This is the sermon for the Lord's Day, March 30, 2025.

March 25, 2025

Picture the disciples, their hearts soaring with dreams of a victorious Savior, only to hear Jesus predict a path of suffering and death—a collision of hope and hard truth that mirrors our own letdowns in life's big moments. This sermon delves into their surreal glimpse of Jesus radiant on a mountain, joined by ancient voices of law and prophecy, as they grapple with a future they didn't expect. It's a meditation on the sting of shattered assumptions—be it in relationships, wellness, or divine plans—and the quiet question of whether something greater might linger beneath the surface. Step into this exploration of faith tested and resilience born.Pastor Schroeder's sermon preached at Faith on March 2, 2025.Intro/Outro Music: “Depth of Field” by David Hilowitz

In this sermon from the book of Luke, Special Guest Speaker Judge Wayne Mack shares profound insights on the power of obedience and faith. He emphasizes that saying "Yes" to God can lead to miracles, but a healthy "Yes" requires a balanced "No." Judge Mack explains that God's "No" to our prayers often leads to unexpected blessings, aligning with His grander plan where He sees the end from the beginning. He shares a personal testimony of miraculous healings—his own and his son's—triggered by his willingness to obey God after previous refusals. Judge Mack's message is clear: when we align with God's will, there is no obstacle too great for His power to overcome.Verse References: Luke 5 verses 1-11Make sure you subscribe to this channel and follow us on all our platforms to always stay up to date with our latest content!And you can always head over to our website for any general information!https://godspeak.comPrayer/NeedsIf you have any needs, or have a willingness to be used to meet various need in the body, please email info@godspeak.com. Also, let us know if you need prayer for anything.Giving is part of our worship time, and in this season, the easiest way to do that is online. If you go to our website, godspeak.com, you will see the "Give" tab in the top right corner. Or you can simply click this link https://pushpay.com/g/godspeakAny questions?Please feel free to email us, comment here, or DM us on Instagram any questions that you may have.Please Subscribe to this channel and turn on your notifications to be notified when our Livestreams start so you don't miss out! We hope you are blessed by the service!-The Godspeak Team

Erik Jones discusses Luke 6:46—“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?”

Nativity of the Lord Luke 2:1-202 At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 2 (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. 4 And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David's ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. 5 He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child.6 And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7 She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don't be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,14 “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let's go to Bethlehem! Let's see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”16 They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds' story were astonished, 19 but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them

What I mean by the statement, All dogs go to heaven, is really a question I have been asked numerous times by both young and old: Will my pet go to heaven when it dies? I want to do my best to answer that question, but I want you to know that my answer will also address a much broader question related to what Gods ultimate plan is for his creation. We know what His plan is for humanity, but do you know if Gods plan of redemption includes animals? Let me begin by stating some things that could not be any clearer from the Bible and then we will dive into Psalm 8. So, here is what I know beyond a shadow of a doubt: The Bible assures us that God is the giver of every good thing (James 1:17); what this means is that God is not the taker of every good thing. When Nathan was five years old, we got him a kitten because we believed that he would enjoy having a cat. You have given gifts to your children out of your love for them as well. Here is what Jesus said about what we do for our children: If you, despite being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him (Matt. 7:1011)! God is so good that there is no room for improvement for Him to be better. I already mentioned James 1:17 but listen to what the verse actually states: Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. In Psalm 106, we are told to give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy is everlasting (v. 1). According to Psalm 145, God is righteous in all His ways, and kind in all His works (v. 17). Because there is no room for improvement, God is not trying to get it right in the way He exercises His goodness. However, we live in a reality where the curse of sin is inseparable from our human experience and sorrow and sighing are like the compounds that come out of the curse that suck the joy out of life. You may even feel like Bruce from the movie Bruce Almighty in the way he described God: God is a mean kid sitting on an anthill with a magnifying glass, and I'm the ant. He could fix my life in five minutes if He wanted to, but he'd rather tear off my feelers and watch me squirm. So, lets walk through Psalm 8 together with the hope that there is enough in these verses to help us gain a fuller appreciation of what God is doing with this sin-cursed world. A Good God Created a Grand Creation I love the way the Bible begins: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was a formless and desolate emptiness, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters (Gen. 1:12). The earth was a formless and desolate emptiness until God spoke. He did not speak out of any need, for He was perfectly content within the fellowship of Himself in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God was not lonely or bored, nor was He obligated to speak and create. No, God created because He wanted to, and He wanted to create because He was motivated by love. Out of love, God desired to share that which nothing else could top or compare, which was Himself. God was motivated by love to share Himself with us. Our solar system is estimated to be about 12 trillion miles wide. The diameter of our sun is estimated to be 109 times the size of our earth, and if you were to drive from the Sun to Pluto, it would take an estimated 6,000 years to complete the trip. If that were not enough, you should know that our galaxy, the Milky Way, contains thousands of solar systems like ours. On our little planet, in our vast galaxy, lives just over 8 billion people. The renown astronomer, Carl Sagan, died believing that there was no compelling evidence for the existence of a Judeo-Christian-Islamic God, and said of our earth and the universe: If we are alone in the Universe, it sure seems like an awful waste of space. David, in Psalm 8, answers Carl Sagans question, and if only Sagan could have opened his eyes to see what David saw: Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth, You who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens! If you are wondering if the universe is too big if life on earth is all there is, the answer is a resounding NO! The universe is the size that it is because it is testifying to the majesty and splendor of the One who spoke all of it into existence. The God who spoke all things into existence out of the overflow of His love and goodness is not only knowable but created us with purpose! A Grand God Created Mankind in His Image with Purpose There is only one creature of all the creatures created that was created in the image of God, and that creature is all of humanity. On the sixth day, after God created the animal kingdom and everything else, He created Adam and Eve: Then God said, Let Us make mankind in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the livestock and over all the earth, and over every crawling thing that crawls on the earth (Gen. 1:26). To Adam and Eve, God gave them the responsibility to manage His creation as His image bearers. Humans were commissioned and commanded to care for creation and at the same time add to creation by filling the earth with humans like themselves. We are not a part of the animal kingdom; we stand above the animal kingdom as stewards of what Almighty God created! King David marveled over this magnificent reality in his psalm: When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place; what is man that You think of him, And a son of man that You are concerned about him (Ps. 8:34)? David does not stop there, for what he says in the following verses ought to be enough to answer what place your pet has in the universe: You have him rule over the works of Your hands; You have put everything under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the animals of the field, The birds of the sky, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes through the paths of the seas (vv. 68). Adam and Eve were commanded to manage the Garden, to be fruitful and multiply, and not to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. As you know, they ate the forbidden fruit from that one tree, and by eating the fruit they brought a curse upon Gods creation. As a result, all of creation was cursed as the Scriptures testify: Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all mankind, because all sinned... (Rom. 5:12). There is only one creature who bears the image of God, and that creature is mankind. As image bearers of the living God, we were created to live forever. There is a part of us that lives on after death known as our soul which is also referred to as our spirit (not to be confused with the Holy Spirit).[1] Unlike the rest of creation, humans have a soul that only God is able to destroy. So, when it comes to death, our soul lives on even after our body dies, but death for the Christian is not the end as we are assured from the Bible: For we know that if our earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made by hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed, in this tent we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, since in fact after putting it on, we will not be found naked. For indeed, we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. (2 Cor. 5:14) So, when your pet dies, there is no immaterial part of them that lives on because they do not bare the image of God and therefore do not have a soul. What this means is that when your pet does eventually die, regardless of the behavior, there is no eternal punishment or eternal life waiting for them... they simply cease to exist. The only creature that is born and lives in active rebellion towards God are humans. Unlike the animal kingdom, sin is now a part of our nature. A Good and Gracious God Has Provided Redemption Through a Second and Perfect Adam Now, remember what I said at the beginning of my sermon: Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights... (Jas. 1:17). God is a good God who is the giver of every good thing, not the taker of every good thing! After Adam and Eve sinned, they were promised a Descendant who would reverse the curse of sin. A second and more perfect Adam was promised who would come to reverse the curse of sin: For if by the offense of the one, death reigned through the one, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:17). The second and more perfect Adam was also promised to David who wrote Psalm 8! God assured David, When your days are finished and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come from you, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever (2 Sam. 7:1213). What will this second and more perfect Adam do? According to Jeremiah 23:5-6, He will reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land.... Oh, and the Name by which the Son of David will also be called will be, The Lord Our Righteousness. In Isaiah we are promised that when He reigns as King, He will judge between the nations, and will mediate for many peoples; and they will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning knives. Nation will not lift up a sword against nation, and never again will they learn war (Isa. 2:4). The second Adam would, be born of a virgin as fully human and fully diving: ...a Son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. When the second Adam comes to reign as King, His reign will bring the kind of peace only God is capable of restoring: ...the wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the young lion and fattened steer will be together; and a little boy will lead them. Also the cow and the bear will graze, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.... They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. (Isa. 11:6-7, 9) When it was announced by the angels to the shepherds that the promised King was born, it was declared to them: Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:10-11). Jesus, as the second and better Adam, humbled Himself by, taking the form of a bond-servant and being born in the likeness of men.... He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross (Phil. 2:7-8). He was born to live the perfect life we could not live to die the death we all deserved. There is only One who is qualified to reverse the curse of sin, and it was and is Jesus! In Revelation 21:5, we are told that through His death and triumphant victory over death, that He is making all things new! This is what we all want and what all of creation is longing for! We long for a day without the dark cloud of the curse of sin. This is why Paul wrote, For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the eagerly awaiting creation waits for the revealing of the sons and daughters of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. (Rom. 8:18-21) When Jesus entered into Jerusalem the week before He was to be crucified for the sins of mankind, the children in the temple area shouted something that irritated the chief priests and scribes. As Jesus entered into Jerusalem, the children shouted: Hosanna to the Son of David! (see Matt. 21:15-16). The chief priests and scribes said to Jesus, Do you hear what these children are saying? What were the children saying? They were celebrating the promised second Adam, the righteous Branch of David, and the One who is to be called The Lord our Righteousness (see Jer. 23:5-6). Guess how Jesus answered the irritated religious leaders who were concerned about what the children were saying? He answered them by quoting Psalm 8:2, here is what He said: Yes. Have you never read [chief priests and scribes], From the mouths of infants and nursing babies You have prepared praise for Yourself? Do you realize what Jesus said to the chief priests and scribes? He was essentially saying that although Adam made a mess of creation through his sin in the Garden, there was a Son of Man who was made a little lower than the angels and God when He willingly took on human flesh to become fully human while remaining fully God at the same time! Jesus did this for the purpose of redeeming mankind through His cross for our sins, and by doing so, made redemption possible for all creation, and this is the point of Psalm 5, Yet You have made him a little lower than God, and You crown him with glory and majesty! Do you hear Philippians 2 in Psalm 8? And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross. For this reason also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil. 2:8-11) Now, against the backdrop of Philippians 2:8-11, listen what Psalm 8:7-8 promises: You have him rule over the works of Your hands; You have put everything under his feet, All sheep and oxen, And also the animals of the field, The birds of the sky, and the fish of the sea, Whatever passes through the paths of the seas. All of creation, including your pets, are eagerly awaiting for the completion of our redemption because when it happens to us, creation will enjoy the good and faithful reign of the second Adam over them as well, and when He comes to do that, He will make all things new and it is what He will restore that all of creation is longing for: Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is among the people, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away. And He who sits on the throne said, Behold, I am making all things new. And He said, Write, for these words are faithful and true. On the Day Revelation 21 becomes our reality, all that was lost, will be restored and it will be even better than the Eden the first Adam lost! I am not sure if that means He will restore and make new your pet that was lost to the curse, but I do know that it will be better! The glory we will be crowned with will be the glory of King Jesus when, There will no longer be any curse... (Rev. 22:3). We will obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away (Isa. 51:11)! The great hope of our future is not who is in office as our president, but the King who is coming to restore all that was lost through the first Adam. Christian, because you belong to the second Adam, you can declare with David: Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth! [1] Soul and spirit are used synonymously in the Bible (e.g. Acts 7:54-60; Matt. 10:28).

What I mean by the statement, All dogs go to heaven, is really a question I have been asked numerous times by both young and old: Will my pet go to heaven when it dies? I want to do my best to answer that question, but I want you to know that my answer will also address a much broader question related to what Gods ultimate plan is for his creation. We know what His plan is for humanity, but do you know if Gods plan of redemption includes animals? Let me begin by stating some things that could not be any clearer from the Bible and then we will dive into Psalm 8. So, here is what I know beyond a shadow of a doubt: The Bible assures us that God is the giver of every good thing (James 1:17); what this means is that God is not the taker of every good thing. When Nathan was five years old, we got him a kitten because we believed that he would enjoy having a cat. You have given gifts to your children out of your love for them as well. Here is what Jesus said about what we do for our children: If you, despite being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him (Matt. 7:1011)! God is so good that there is no room for improvement for Him to be better. I already mentioned James 1:17 but listen to what the verse actually states: Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. In Psalm 106, we are told to give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy is everlasting (v. 1). According to Psalm 145, God is righteous in all His ways, and kind in all His works (v. 17). Because there is no room for improvement, God is not trying to get it right in the way He exercises His goodness. However, we live in a reality where the curse of sin is inseparable from our human experience and sorrow and sighing are like the compounds that come out of the curse that suck the joy out of life. You may even feel like Bruce from the movie Bruce Almighty in the way he described God: God is a mean kid sitting on an anthill with a magnifying glass, and I'm the ant. He could fix my life in five minutes if He wanted to, but he'd rather tear off my feelers and watch me squirm. So, lets walk through Psalm 8 together with the hope that there is enough in these verses to help us gain a fuller appreciation of what God is doing with this sin-cursed world. A Good God Created a Grand Creation I love the way the Bible begins: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was a formless and desolate emptiness, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters (Gen. 1:12). The earth was a formless and desolate emptiness until God spoke. He did not speak out of any need, for He was perfectly content within the fellowship of Himself in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God was not lonely or bored, nor was He obligated to speak and create. No, God created because He wanted to, and He wanted to create because He was motivated by love. Out of love, God desired to share that which nothing else could top or compare, which was Himself. God was motivated by love to share Himself with us. Our solar system is estimated to be about 12 trillion miles wide. The diameter of our sun is estimated to be 109 times the size of our earth, and if you were to drive from the Sun to Pluto, it would take an estimated 6,000 years to complete the trip. If that were not enough, you should know that our galaxy, the Milky Way, contains thousands of solar systems like ours. On our little planet, in our vast galaxy, lives just over 8 billion people. The renown astronomer, Carl Sagan, died believing that there was no compelling evidence for the existence of a Judeo-Christian-Islamic God, and said of our earth and the universe: If we are alone in the Universe, it sure seems like an awful waste of space. David, in Psalm 8, answers Carl Sagans question, and if only Sagan could have opened his eyes to see what David saw: Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth, You who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens! If you are wondering if the universe is too big if life on earth is all there is, the answer is a resounding NO! The universe is the size that it is because it is testifying to the majesty and splendor of the One who spoke all of it into existence. The God who spoke all things into existence out of the overflow of His love and goodness is not only knowable but created us with purpose! A Grand God Created Mankind in His Image with Purpose There is only one creature of all the creatures created that was created in the image of God, and that creature is all of humanity. On the sixth day, after God created the animal kingdom and everything else, He created Adam and Eve: Then God said, Let Us make mankind in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the livestock and over all the earth, and over every crawling thing that crawls on the earth (Gen. 1:26). To Adam and Eve, God gave them the responsibility to manage His creation as His image bearers. Humans were commissioned and commanded to care for creation and at the same time add to creation by filling the earth with humans like themselves. We are not a part of the animal kingdom; we stand above the animal kingdom as stewards of what Almighty God created! King David marveled over this magnificent reality in his psalm: When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place; what is man that You think of him, And a son of man that You are concerned about him (Ps. 8:34)? David does not stop there, for what he says in the following verses ought to be enough to answer what place your pet has in the universe: You have him rule over the works of Your hands; You have put everything under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the animals of the field, The birds of the sky, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes through the paths of the seas (vv. 68). Adam and Eve were commanded to manage the Garden, to be fruitful and multiply, and not to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. As you know, they ate the forbidden fruit from that one tree, and by eating the fruit they brought a curse upon Gods creation. As a result, all of creation was cursed as the Scriptures testify: Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all mankind, because all sinned... (Rom. 5:12). There is only one creature who bears the image of God, and that creature is mankind. As image bearers of the living God, we were created to live forever. There is a part of us that lives on after death known as our soul which is also referred to as our spirit (not to be confused with the Holy Spirit).[1] Unlike the rest of creation, humans have a soul that only God is able to destroy. So, when it comes to death, our soul lives on even after our body dies, but death for the Christian is not the end as we are assured from the Bible: For we know that if our earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made by hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed, in this tent we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, since in fact after putting it on, we will not be found naked. For indeed, we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. (2 Cor. 5:14) So, when your pet dies, there is no immaterial part of them that lives on because they do not bare the image of God and therefore do not have a soul. What this means is that when your pet does eventually die, regardless of the behavior, there is no eternal punishment or eternal life waiting for them... they simply cease to exist. The only creature that is born and lives in active rebellion towards God are humans. Unlike the animal kingdom, sin is now a part of our nature. A Good and Gracious God Has Provided Redemption Through a Second and Perfect Adam Now, remember what I said at the beginning of my sermon: Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights... (Jas. 1:17). God is a good God who is the giver of every good thing, not the taker of every good thing! After Adam and Eve sinned, they were promised a Descendant who would reverse the curse of sin. A second and more perfect Adam was promised who would come to reverse the curse of sin: For if by the offense of the one, death reigned through the one, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:17). The second and more perfect Adam was also promised to David who wrote Psalm 8! God assured David, When your days are finished and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come from you, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever (2 Sam. 7:1213). What will this second and more perfect Adam do? According to Jeremiah 23:5-6, He will reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land.... Oh, and the Name by which the Son of David will also be called will be, The Lord Our Righteousness. In Isaiah we are promised that when He reigns as King, He will judge between the nations, and will mediate for many peoples; and they will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning knives. Nation will not lift up a sword against nation, and never again will they learn war (Isa. 2:4). The second Adam would, be born of a virgin as fully human and fully diving: ...a Son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. When the second Adam comes to reign as King, His reign will bring the kind of peace only God is capable of restoring: ...the wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the young lion and fattened steer will be together; and a little boy will lead them. Also the cow and the bear will graze, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.... They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. (Isa. 11:6-7, 9) When it was announced by the angels to the shepherds that the promised King was born, it was declared to them: Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:10-11). Jesus, as the second and better Adam, humbled Himself by, taking the form of a bond-servant and being born in the likeness of men.... He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross (Phil. 2:7-8). He was born to live the perfect life we could not live to die the death we all deserved. There is only One who is qualified to reverse the curse of sin, and it was and is Jesus! In Revelation 21:5, we are told that through His death and triumphant victory over death, that He is making all things new! This is what we all want and what all of creation is longing for! We long for a day without the dark cloud of the curse of sin. This is why Paul wrote, For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the eagerly awaiting creation waits for the revealing of the sons and daughters of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. (Rom. 8:18-21) When Jesus entered into Jerusalem the week before He was to be crucified for the sins of mankind, the children in the temple area shouted something that irritated the chief priests and scribes. As Jesus entered into Jerusalem, the children shouted: Hosanna to the Son of David! (see Matt. 21:15-16). The chief priests and scribes said to Jesus, Do you hear what these children are saying? What were the children saying? They were celebrating the promised second Adam, the righteous Branch of David, and the One who is to be called The Lord our Righteousness (see Jer. 23:5-6). Guess how Jesus answered the irritated religious leaders who were concerned about what the children were saying? He answered them by quoting Psalm 8:2, here is what He said: Yes. Have you never read [chief priests and scribes], From the mouths of infants and nursing babies You have prepared praise for Yourself? Do you realize what Jesus said to the chief priests and scribes? He was essentially saying that although Adam made a mess of creation through his sin in the Garden, there was a Son of Man who was made a little lower than the angels and God when He willingly took on human flesh to become fully human while remaining fully God at the same time! Jesus did this for the purpose of redeeming mankind through His cross for our sins, and by doing so, made redemption possible for all creation, and this is the point of Psalm 5, Yet You have made him a little lower than God, and You crown him with glory and majesty! Do you hear Philippians 2 in Psalm 8? And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross. For this reason also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil. 2:8-11) Now, against the backdrop of Philippians 2:8-11, listen what Psalm 8:7-8 promises: You have him rule over the works of Your hands; You have put everything under his feet, All sheep and oxen, And also the animals of the field, The birds of the sky, and the fish of the sea, Whatever passes through the paths of the seas. All of creation, including your pets, are eagerly awaiting for the completion of our redemption because when it happens to us, creation will enjoy the good and faithful reign of the second Adam over them as well, and when He comes to do that, He will make all things new and it is what He will restore that all of creation is longing for: Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is among the people, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away. And He who sits on the throne said, Behold, I am making all things new. And He said, Write, for these words are faithful and true. On the Day Revelation 21 becomes our reality, all that was lost, will be restored and it will be even better than the Eden the first Adam lost! I am not sure if that means He will restore and make new your pet that was lost to the curse, but I do know that it will be better! The glory we will be crowned with will be the glory of King Jesus when, There will no longer be any curse... (Rev. 22:3). We will obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away (Isa. 51:11)! The great hope of our future is not who is in office as our president, but the King who is coming to restore all that was lost through the first Adam. Christian, because you belong to the second Adam, you can declare with David: Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth! [1] Soul and spirit are used synonymously in the Bible (e.g. Acts 7:54-60; Matt. 10:28).

You can't help but notice that when Jesus chose a group of disciples to change the world, He did not choose a bunch of “Super Heroes”. He chose a motley, common, ordinary, self-centered, and very human group of men to follow Him for three and a half years. He chose ordinary men to do the extraordinary!   In Luke 9, Jesus is in the last stage of His three and half years of earthly ministry, especially preparing His disciples for the time He will leave them after His death, resurrection, and ascension. Jesus is sending the twelve on their own (vv. 1-11), He is feeding the multitude (vv. 12-17), He is teaching them about His person, His sacrifice, and His kingdom (vv. 18-36). Now in Luke 9:37-62, Jesus is going to give them some lessons on endurance and perseverance. What is it going to take to keep going as a disciple when the going gets tough!   In Luke 9:41, Jesus asked His disciples, "How long shall I stay with you and put up with you?" You might expect that lament to come from an overworked kindergarten teacher, or an impatient army drill instructor, but it was made by the sinless Son of God! We are prone to forget how long-suffering our Lord had to be while He was ministering on earth, especially with His own disciples.   When you analyze this section of Luke's Gospel, you can better understand why Jesus spoke those words: (1) He was grieved over the failures of His followers. He had given His Apostles authority over Satan, yet they were too weak to cast out a demon (Luke 9:37-45). (2) In feeding the 5,000, Jesus gave them an example of compassion, yet they persisted in manifesting selfishness and lack of love (Luke 9:46-56). (3) He taught clearly what it meant to follow Him, yet the volunteers turned out to be "me first" disciples (Luke 9:57-62). No wonder He was grieved!   Notice how on this occasion the nine disciples lacked the power to cast out a demon in a boy (vv. 37-45). We dare not stay on the glorious mountaintop when there are battles to fight in the valley below. Here was another "only child" needing the help of the Lord (Luke 7:12; 8:42), and even more so because Jesus' own disciples had failed. Remember in verse 1 of this chapter they had been given power and authority over demons, but they did not have success. Why?   When you study all three reports of this event in the Gospels (Matthew 17; Mark 9, Luke 9), you discover what was lacking in their lives. First on the list was faith (Matthew 17:19-20); they were part of an unbelieving generation and had lost the confidence that they needed in order to use their power and authority. (Maybe these nine were upset because the Lord didn't take them up the mountain with Him as He did with the three.) Secondly, prayer and fasting were also lacking (Mark 9:29), which indicates that the nine men had allowed their devotional disciplines to erode during their Lord's brief absence. No matter what spiritual gifts we may have, their exercise is never automatic.   The devil tried one last throw (a wrestling term in the Greek) over the man's son, but Jesus rebuked the demon and cast him out. The Lord lovingly gave the boy back to his father (see Luke 7:15) and then took the Twelve aside for another lesson about the cross. After all, it was at the cross that Jesus would give Satan that final blow of defeat (John 12:31-32; Col. 2:15).   Hebrews 12:1-2 reminds us that if we are to be extraordinary world-changers that will have perseverance and endurance when we face the difficult situations, we must remember the sufferings of Jesus on the cross and keep our focus on Him and His victory!   “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us,... looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”   God bless!

Reading Luke 6:46-47 where Jesus asks His disciples, "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I say?" challenging our hearts to hear God and obey Him. Visit wwutt.com for all our videos!

Our visiting preacher, The Reverend Andrew Baughen, powerfully explains how Jesus' baptism transforms our identity and purpose on this earth.

Fr. Jim explores the baptism story of Jesus from the Gospel of Luke and asks, "Are we ready and willing to totally immerse ourselves in God's love and be of greater service to God and one another?"from Luke 3:15-16, 21-22The people were filled with expectation,and all were asking in their heartswhether John might be the Christ.John answered them all, saying, “I am baptizing you with water,but one mightier than I is coming.I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals.He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”Read the full scripture passage: bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/011225.cfmHeart to Heart Catholic Media MinistryEvangelize Seekers. Inspire Believers. Foster Disciples.--Join Heart to Heart: htoh.us/subscribeSupport Heart to Heart: htoh.us/donate

Bob Orner has served as the Lead Pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Cherry Hill, NJ since 2014. Raised in East Africa, Bob has served churches in North America for over 30 years as a youth minister, church planter, and seminary instructor. He also currently leads Gospel First, a ministry training churches to share the gospel.  Bob and his wife, Chris, were married in 1986 and have one adult son, Taylor, who is married to Nicole.

The life of faith is a life of waiting for the Lord. That involves being immersed in God's story, living with expectancy, and committing to practices that keep us attentive to God.

Christmas Eve message from Pastor Jonathan Barber. December 24, 2024

Pastor Freddy T delivers a message on Christmas Eve out of Luke 2 verses 1-14. Listen in as Freddy T walks us through the birth of our Lord.   Keep It Real. Keep It Jesus.   To learn more visit https://www.reallifesango.com

Join us in Luke 2 as we finish our Advent sermon series.

Sunday Morning Message

Reading Luke 3:4-9 where John the Baptist comes as a fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah, and tells the people to be baptized and bear fruit in keeping with repentance. Visit wwutt.com for all our videos!

Reading Luke 1:67-75, the first part of Zechariah's prophecy, who blesses the Lord for being faithful to His promises and redeeming His people, both Jews and Gentiles. Visit wwutt.com for all our videos!

O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way? (Psalm 13:1 NLT) Christians have been asking variations of David's question for two thousand years: How long, O Lord, will You delay Your return? How much worse does the world have to get? How many more prophecies must be fulfilled? How long will You make us wait? As the apostles watched Jesus ascend to Heaven, two angels joined them. “‘Men of Galilee,' they said, ‘why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!'” (Acts 1:11 NLT). And the waiting began. There's no question about what's going to happen. The Second Coming of Jesus is mentioned more than 1,800 times in the Old Testament and 300 times in the New Testament. One out of every 25 verses in the Bible mentions the Lord's return. Jesus said, “When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am” (John 14:3 nlt). The question is, how do you feel about it? Charles Spurgeon said, “The sound of His approach should be as music to our ears.” When you think about Christ's coming, your heart should jump with excitement. If, instead, you feel dread or indifference, I would wonder where you are spiritually. The teaching of the imminent return of Jesus is a great barometer of your walk with God. When you're right with God, you look forward to Christ's return. In fact, anticipating His return has a purifying effect on you spiritually. First John 3:3 says, “All who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure” (NLT). Jesus is coming again. It's our blessed hope. We live in a world filled with bad news. And you can find it 24/7 on the newsfeed of your choice. War is imminent. Our nation is unraveling. AI is making us rethink what's real. It's enough to stress out anyone. But what did Jesus say? “So when all these things begin to happen, stand and look up, for your salvation is near!” (Luke 21:28 NLT). Don't panic. Look up. The scary stories we see on the news are reminders that God keeps His promises and Jesus is coming back again. I've read the last page of the Bible. We win in the end. Are you ready? Are you living in anticipation of Jesus' return by honoring and trusting God and putting Him first? Are you sharing the gospel whenever you have the chance? Are you living the life God has called you to live? We may have many years left before Jesus returns. Or we may have a few. The timing is in God's hands. Our job is to make every day count for the glory of God until then. — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.