Podcasts about Luke 11

Welcome to Day 2934 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2934– “The Kingdom of Light and the Kingdom of Darkness” – Luke 11:14-28 Putnam Church Message – 08/16/2026 The Good News According to Luke: “The Kingdom of Light and the Kingdom of Darkness.”   Last week, our message was “Lord, Teach Us To Pray,” and we learned Prayer is where our hearts are trained to live with God. Today, we continue with our thirtieth-fourth message from Luke's narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Today's message is: “The Kingdom of Light and the Kingdom of Darkness.” Our core passage today is Luke 11:14-28, starting on page 1614 of your pew Bibles. Jesus and Beelzebul 14 Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed. 15 But some of them said, “By Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons.” 16 Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven. 17 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. 18 If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebul. 19 Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 20 But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. 22 But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder. 23 “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 24 “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.' 25 When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. 26 Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.” 27 As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.” 28 He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” Opening Prayer Most High God, Creator of heaven and earth, You alone are worthy of worship. You rule over everything seen and unseen. No spiritual power rivals You; no throne challenges Your sovereignty; no darkness can extinguish Your light. Lord Jesus, open our eyes today to the larger story of Your Kingdom. Help us understand the spiritual battle without becoming fascinated with darkness or fearful of the enemy. Holy Spirit, fill us with truth. Protect us from deception. Teach us to hear the Word of God and obey it. May Your Kingdom come more fully in us, through us, and around us. In the victorious name of Jesus Christ, amen. Introduction: There Is More Going On Than We Can See Most of what people in our culture know about Satan, demons, and angels probably comes from movies, novels, television programs, and video games. And popular culture usually makes one of two mistakes. / Either the supernatural becomes fantasy — something primitive people once believed before science enlightened us. / Or the supernatural becomes entertainment — angels, demons, ghosts, and evil spirits made frightening enough to sell movie tickets. The Bible gives us neither picture. / Scripture presents an unseen spiritual realm as every bit as real as the world we can see. / But we need to say something immediately. Satan is not God's opposite. There is no eternal yin and yang. / There are not two equally powerful kingdoms battling to see which one survives. / God has no equal. / Everything else — visible or invisible — is created. / That includes angels. / That includes the heavenly host. That includes Satan. / That includes every rebellious spiritual power. And this is where one of my Biblical mentors, the late Dr. Michael Heiser, called the Divine Council worldview helps us recover something the ancient biblical writers simply assumed their readers understood. The Old Testament describes God presiding over a heavenly assembly. / Psalm 82 pictures God standing in the divine council. / Psalm 89 speaks of the assembly of heavenly beings. Job opens with the “sons of God” presenting themselves before the Lord. / First Kings 22 gives us a glimpse of the heavenly host surrounding God's throne. / But these beings are never equal to God/Yahweh. Think of a king and his royal court. The existence of a court does not diminish the king. The biblical God is Creator. / Everything else was created. / He possesses authority inherently. / They possess only whatever authority He delegates. / He alone is worthy of worship. But some of those spiritual beings rebelled.  / And when we follow that thread through Scripture, suddenly Luke 11 becomes much larger than one demon being cast out of one mute man. We discover that Jesus has walked onto the battlefield of a war that stretches back to Eden. And the King has come to reclaim what was lost. The Larger Story: Three Rebellions and One Divine Rescue Mission Before we enter Luke 11, let me give you the broad biblical picture. / We do not need to become Bible scholars this morning. Just remember three moments. Eden: / Genesis 3 records humanity's rebellion. / The supernatural rebel (referred to as a serpent or “shining one”) deceives Eve and challenges God's goodness. Humanity joins the rebellion. / Death enters human experience. / Humankind becomes alienated from God. The Days Before the Flood: / Genesis 6 describes another supernatural transgression involving the “sons of God,” cohabiting with the “daughters of the earth,” which produced the Nephilim, followed by extraordinary corruption and violence. / Whatever questions remain about every detail; Scripture is showing us that human rebellion and supernatural rebellion become intertwined. Babel: / Then comes Genesis 11. Humanity gathers in defiance of God's command to spread throughout the earth. God scatters the nations. / Deuteronomy 32 looks back on that event and describes the Most High dividing humanity according to members of the heavenly court, while Israel becomes the Lord's own portion. In other words, the nations rebelled against God, and God gave them over. / But those spiritual rulers themselves became corrupt. / Psalm 82 pictures God judging them because they ruled unjustly. / And listen to the final prayer of Psalm 82: “Rise up, O God, and judge the earth, for all the nations belong to you.” There is the hope. / God intends to reclaim the nations. / Immediately after Babel, Genesis 12 introduces Abraham. / God tells Abraham that through his family all the families of the earth will be blessed. God is launching a rescue mission. / Israel would become the nation through which the Messiah would come. / And through the Messiah, the nations would be reclaimed. Now remember what has happened recently in Luke. /...

Follow the order of worship below along with streamed service above. Feel free to view the order online or download it here. Live-streamed service available Sundays 9am until 12:30pm CST. If you’re traveling or homebound and miss that window, you can email streaming@covenantchicago.org to get a link to the service Pentecost_082326.pdf

❖ Follow along with today's reading: www.esv.org/Job9–10;Psalm47;Luke11 ❖ The English Standard Version (ESV) is an 'essentially literal' translation of the Bible in contemporary English. Created by a team of more than 100 leading evangelical scholars and pastors, the ESV Bible emphasizes 'word-for-word' accuracy, literary excellence, and depth of meaning. ❖ To learn more about the ESV and other audio resources, please visit www.ESV.org

Welcome to Day 2929 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2929– “Lord, Teach Us to Pray” – Luke 11:1-13 Putnam Church Message – 08/09/2026 The Good News According to Luke: “Lord, Teach Us To Pray.”   Last week, our message was “Exchanging What's Good for What's Best,” and we learned that when good things begin to crowd out the best thing, have the courage to exchange what is good for what is best. Today, we continue with our thirty-third message from Luke's narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Today's message is: “Lord, Teach Us To Pray.” Our core passage today is Luke 11:1-13, on page 1614 of your pew Bibles. Jesus' Teaching on Prayer 1 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” 2 He said to them, “When you pray, say: “‘Father,[a] hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.[b] 3 Give us each day our daily bread. 4 Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.[c] And lead us not into temptation.[d]'” 5 Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6 a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.' 7 And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity[e] he will surely get up and give you as much as you need. 9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for[f] a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Opening Prayer Father, we come before You today as children who need to learn. We confess that we often pray last instead of first. We try to assemble life by our own wisdom, strength, and effort, and only when we have made a mess do we turn to You. Lord Jesus, teach us to pray. Teach us not only the words of prayer, but the heart of prayer. Teach us to come to the Father with reverence, trust, humility, boldness, and surrender. Holy Spirit, open our hearts to receive Your Word, and make prayer not a last resort, but the daily breath of our souls. In Jesus' name, amen. Introduction: When All Else Fails, Read the Instructions There is an old saying many of us know well: “When all else fails, read the instructions.” Some of us live by that saying a little too confidently. We look at a box marked “Some Assembly Required,” and instead of beginning with the instruction sheet, we dump the parts on the floor, glance at the picture on the box, and say, “I can figure this out.” And sometimes we can. / But every now and then, we get humbled. Imagine Christmas Eve. The children are asleep. A hidden box is dragged from the closet. The parts are laid out with great confidence. Screws, bolts, panels, wheels, rods, brackets — all carefully arranged. The project begins smoothly. But somewhere around midnight, the finished product starts looking less like the picture on the box and more like an abstract sculpture. Finally, with dawn approaching, the builder digs the instructions out of the trash. At the top of the page, in small print, some sarcastic soul has written, “Now that you have made a mess of things, please start over and follow these instructions.” That is funny because it is true. And it is often how we approach prayer. We say, “When all else fails, pray.” But Jesus did not live that way. Jesus did not pray only when He was desperate. / He prayed before major decisions. / He prayed after ministry. / He prayed in solitude. / He prayed with others. / He prayed when crowds pressed in. / He prayed in joy. / He prayed in anguish. / He prayed before the cross. Luke has emphasized this repeatedly. / Jesus withdrew to lonely places to pray. / He prayed before choosing the Twelve. / He prayed on the mountain before the Transfiguration. / He prayed as His mission moved toward Jerusalem. / Prayer was not a spare tire in Jesus' life. / Prayer was the steering wheel. Last week, in “Exchanging What's Good for What's Best,” we saw Mary sitting at Jesus' feet while Martha was worried and upset about many things. Mary chose the one necessary thing — listening to Jesus. Now, in Luke 11, the disciples watch Jesus pray, and they realize they need instruction. They do not say, “Lord, teach us to preach.” They do not say, “Lord, teach us to heal.” They do not say, “Lord, teach us to cast out demons.” They say, “Lord, teach us to pray.” That request is still one of the most important requests any disciple can make. Let's explore four truths that will help us to understand why this one question is so important. These are found on your bulletin insert on the side that is titled: Lord, Teach us to Pray. Main Point 1: Prayer Begins With Relationship and Reverence Jesus begins the model prayer with one word: “Father.” / That is astonishing. Jesus does not begin with “Distant Creator,” though God is Creator. He does not begin with “Almighty King,” though God is King. He does not begin with “Sovereign Master,” though God is Lord. He teaches His disciples to begin with “Father.” In Greek, the word is pater. In Aramaic, Jesus used the intimate word Abba, which we see in Mark 14 when He prays in Gethsemane. Paul later says in Romans 8 and Galatians 4 that by the Spirit, believers cry, “Abba, Father.” This means prayer begins not with technique, but with relationship. We do not come to God as strangers trying to get the attention of a reluctant deity. We come as children to a Father who already knows us, loves us, and welcomes us. But Jesus also teaches reverence. “May your name be kept holy.” (Hallowed be your name.) God is Father, but He is not casual. / He is near, but not common. / He is loving, but

Follow the order of worship below along with streamed service above. Feel free to view the order online or download it here. Live-streamed service available Sundays 9am until 12:30pm CST. If you’re traveling or homebound and miss that window, you can email streaming@covenantchicago.org to get a link to the service Pentecost_081626.pdf

Jesus calls us to be people of His Word who know it and handle it correctly.

Jesus calls us to be people of His Word who know it and handle it correctly.

In Episode 220, we explore Luke 11:45-54 and Jesus' three devastating woes over the experts in religious law. An expert in religious law speaks up, feeling insulted by what Jesus has already said to the Pharisees. And Jesus doesn't soften His words—He turns them directly toward the religious lawyers with equal force and equal sorrow. Through guided meditation, discover the three specific failures Jesus identifies. First, they crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden. They've turned faith into a weight—a system of rules so heavy that ordinary people can barely breathe under it. And instead of helping carry the load, they stand back and watch. They've made the path to God harder, not easier. They've added requirements instead of offering grace. Second, they honor the prophets in death while rejecting them in life. They build monuments to the very people their ancestors killed—while doing the same thing to Jesus. It's a sobering and recurring pattern: every generation tends to honor the prophets of the past while silencing the voice of God in the present. They celebrate what God said through others while refusing to hear what God is saying now. Third—and this is the most devastating failure of all—they remove the key to knowledge from the people. They don't enter the Kingdom themselves, and they prevent others from entering. This is the ultimate failure of religious leadership. Not just failing to lead people to God—but actively blocking the door. Using their position, their authority, and their knowledge to keep people away from the very thing they claim to represent. Jesus is heartbroken. And He is furious. Because people are being kept from God. People who are hungry, searching, desperate for hope—and the ones who should be opening the door are locking it instead. This episode holds this passage up as a mirror and asks the searching question: Am I making it easier or harder for people to come to Jesus—in my relationships, my conversations, my social media presence, my way of talking about faith? Am I lifting burdens or adding to them? Am I opening doors or closing them? Am I a bridge or a barrier? Learn how to examine your own influence on the people around you—whether your representation of Jesus is drawing people closer or pushing them away. Discover one practical thing you can do today to open a door for someone who might be finding it hard to come to Jesus. Find the freedom and purpose that comes from being a bridge—someone who lifts burdens, opens doors, and makes it easier for people to encounter the grace and love of Jesus.

In Episode 219, we explore Luke 11:42-44 and three of Jesus' most searching and sorrowful words to the Pharisees. Notice first what Jesus doesn't say. He doesn't say "what judgment awaits you." He says "what sorrow awaits you." That word matters profoundly. Sorrow carries grief in it. There's something in Jesus' voice here that isn't just anger—it's heartbreak. He's looking at people who have devoted their entire lives to religion and missed the whole point of it. Through guided meditation, discover the three specific things Jesus identifies in the Pharisees. First, they tithe meticulously but ignore justice and the love of God. They count out their herb garden down to the last leaf—but they walk past the poor, the marginalized, the suffering. They've mastered the minor details of the law while abandoning its heart. They're doing the small things right while getting the big things catastrophically wrong. Second, they love the seats of honor. They love to be seen. They love the respectful greetings in the marketplace. Their religion has become a performance—a way to elevate themselves in the eyes of others rather than a way to draw near to God. The applause of people has become more important than the approval of God. And third—and this is the most striking and disturbing image Jesus uses—they are like hidden graves. People walk over them without knowing the corruption underneath. They look fine on the surface. They look religious, devoted, careful, and righteous. But underneath, there is death. Their outward religious performance is covering an inward spiritual decay that they themselves may not fully see. This episode explores what makes this passage so deeply uncomfortable. The Pharisees didn't think any of this applied to them. They were the most religious people in their world. They were certain they were on the right side of God. They had devoted their lives to getting it right. And Jesus says: what sorrow awaits you. The warning isn't for the obviously irreligious. It's for the deeply religious who have let their religion become a substitute for a genuine, open-hearted relationship with God and people. Learn how to examine your own religious life with the same honesty Jesus brings to the Pharisees. Is your giving generous on the outside but motivated by what others think? Is your church attendance present in the building but absent in your heart? Is your prayer life words said out of habit rather than genuine connection? Is your social media faith posting Scripture while privately ignoring what it says? Discover the difference between religion as performance and religion as genuine response to grace. Find the freedom that comes from letting Jesus search your heart, expose what needs to be exposed, and call you back to what matters most—justice, love, and a genuine open-hearted relationship with God that isn't for show, but for real.

In Episode 218, we explore Luke 11:37-41 and a meal that becomes a moment of profound spiritual exposure. A Pharisee invites Jesus home for a meal, and Jesus sits down to eat without performing the handwashing ceremony required by Jewish custom. His host is immediately amazed—and not in a good way. But this wasn't an accident. Jesus knew exactly what He was doing. He was creating a moment—a deliberate opportunity to expose something far more serious than unwashed hands. Through guided meditation, discover what Jesus says to His host: "You Pharisees are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and wickedness. Fools! Didn't God make the inside as well as the outside?" The Pharisees had mastered the appearance of holiness. They knew every rule, every ritual, every ceremony. They washed their hands the right way, at the right time, with the right words. From the outside, they looked spotless—models of religious devotion and careful obedience. But Jesus looks at the inside. And what He sees is greed and wickedness hiding behind religious performance. The cup is clean on the outside and filthy on the inside. And Jesus says: God made both. He's interested in both. And He won't be satisfied with one without the other. Then Jesus says something surprising and specific: "So clean the inside by giving gifts to the poor, and you will be clean all over." Why generosity? Because greed is the specific disease Jesus has diagnosed in the Pharisees' hearts. And the antidote to greed is giving. You can't be generous and greedy at the same time. When you open your hands to give to those in need, you're doing something that greed cannot survive. Generosity is the death of greed. This episode explores the inside-out life Jesus is calling us to. Not religious performance on the outside while the inside remains unchanged and unchallenged. Not the appearance of holiness while the heart remains full of selfishness. But a heart genuinely transformed—and generosity is one of the clearest and most tangible signs of that transformation. It's easy to look clean. It's much harder to be clean. And Jesus is far more interested in the inside of the cup than the outside. Learn what your generosity—or lack of it—reveals about what's really going on inside you. Discover how giving to those in need is not just a charitable act but a spiritual discipline that exposes and heals the greed that hides behind religious habits. Find practical steps for identifying one specific act of generosity you can offer today—not to look good, but because Jesus is cleaning you from the inside out. Experience the freedom and wholeness that comes from being clean all the way through—not just on the outside where others can see, but on the inside where Jesus looks.

In Episode 217, we explore Luke 11:33-36 and Jesus' powerful teaching on light, darkness, and what we fill ourselves with. Jesus uses two images that work together to make one urgent and searching point. First, the lamp: a lamp isn't lit to be hidden. It's placed on a stand where its light can be seen by everyone who enters the house. If you have light, it's meant to illuminate. It's meant to benefit others. It's meant to shine. But then Jesus turns the image inward in a way that is both profound and deeply personal. He says your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your whole body. When your eye is healthy—when what you're looking at, focusing on, and filling yourself with is good—your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is unhealthy—when what you're consuming, dwelling on, and giving your attention to is dark—your whole body is filled with darkness. Through guided meditation, discover the warning that should make every one of us pause: "Make sure that the light you think you have is not actually darkness." This is one of the most searching statements Jesus ever made. It's possible to think you're walking in light while actually walking in darkness. It's possible to be so accustomed to the dark that it feels normal—that the gradual dimming of your inner life goes unnoticed because it happens so slowly. It's possible to consume content, pursue goals, and fill your mind with things that slowly crowd out the light without even realizing it's happening. This episode explores the profound connection between what we look at and what we become. What are you filling your eye with? What occupies your attention, your screen time, your thought life, your emotional energy? Because whatever fills your eye fills your body. And whatever fills your body is what shines out of your life—or fails to. Jesus offers a breathtaking promise to those who take this seriously: "If you are filled with light, with no dark corners, then your whole life will be radiant, as though a floodlight were filling you with light." The invitation is not just to avoid darkness—it's to be so filled with light that there's no room for dark corners. Not a dim glow but a floodlight. Not partial brightness but total radiance. Learn how to conduct an honest inventory of what you've been filling your eye with—the content you consume, the social media you scroll, the conversations you dwell on, the thoughts you entertain—and identify what is filling you with darkness instead of light. Discover how to make one deliberate change today that guards your eye and opens more space for light. Find the freedom and radiance that comes from fixing your eyes on what is true, good, and beautiful—and watching your whole life shine as a result.

In Episode 216, we explore Luke 11:29-32 and Jesus' sobering response to a crowd demanding miraculous proof. The crowd presses in on Jesus wanting a sign—something spectacular, something undeniable, something that will finally compel them to commit. But Jesus refuses. He's already given them everything they need—His teaching, His miracles, His presence, His wisdom. And still they demand more evidence before they'll believe. So Jesus points them to two unlikely and unexpected examples of faith. The people of Nineveh—a pagan city, Israel's enemy, people with no covenant relationship with God—heard Jonah preach and repented. They got one sign: a man who had been in the belly of a fish for three days. They heard the word and they responded immediately and completely. The Queen of Sheba—a foreign ruler from a distant land—traveled hundreds of miles just to hear Solomon's wisdom. She didn't demand proof. She didn't wait for Solomon to come to her. She came with an open heart, made the journey, and received everything that was offered. Through guided meditation, discover what Jesus says next—and why it should stop us in our tracks: "Someone greater than Jonah is here. Someone greater than Solomon is here. But you refuse to listen. You refuse to repent." The irony is devastating. The people with the most access to Jesus—the ones who walked with Him, ate with Him, heard Him teach day after day, witnessed miracle after miracle—were the ones most resistant to Him. Familiarity had bred contempt. They wanted a sign because they'd stopped taking His words seriously. This episode explores what this means for us after 216 days of walking through the Gospels together. We have more access to Jesus than any generation in history. We have the complete Scriptures—the full revelation of who He is and what He has done. We have the Holy Spirit living inside us. We have the testimony of two thousand years of His faithfulness. We have the cross and the empty tomb. The question isn't whether Jesus has given us enough. He has given us everything. The question is whether we're taking Him at His word. Learn why demanding more signs before obeying is actually a form of unbelief—a way of saying that what Jesus has already given us isn't sufficient. Discover the difference between waiting for more certainty and simply taking Jesus at His word and acting on what you already know. Find practical steps for identifying what you've been treating as optional—the teaching you believe but haven't acted on, the step of obedience you've been waiting to feel ready for, the repentance you've been postponing—and find the courage to take Jesus at His word today. Experience the freedom and transformation that comes from responding like the people of Nineveh—immediately, completely, without waiting for a second message—and coming like the Queen of Sheba—with an open and hungry heart, willing to make the journey.

Who are you talking to when you pray? And what difference does it make?In the second message of our How to Pray series, we continue through Luke 11 and Jesus' teaching on prayer. Jesus begins by teaching us to approach God as Father—a God who already knows us, loves us, and wants to hear from us. But he also teaches us to pray, “Hallowed be your name,” reminding us that this loving Father is also holy, transcendent, and greater than we can imagine.Prayer begins not with our needs or a list of requests, but by turning our attention toward God.In this message, we explore:Why Jesus teaches us to pray to God as FatherHow Jesus reveals what God is likeWhy God's nearness and holiness belong togetherHow to begin prayer through adorationA simple practice of paying attention, giving thanks, magnifying God, and celebratingWhether you're brand new to prayer or looking to deepen your prayer life, this message offers a simple way to begin: turn your attention toward the God who is already with you.Scripture: Luke 11:1–13

In Episode 215, we explore Luke 11:27-28 and one of the most compact but powerful teachings in all of the Gospels. A woman in the crowd calls out a blessing over Jesus' mother: "God bless your mother—the womb from which you came, and the breasts that nursed you!" It's a beautiful sentiment—a genuine expression of honor and admiration. Mary was indeed blessed among women. But Jesus gently redirects her attention: "But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice." Through guided meditation, discover what makes this redirection so significant. Notice what Jesus doesn't say. He doesn't say blessed are those who hear the word of God. Hearing alone isn't enough. He says hear and put it into practice. The blessing Jesus offers isn't reserved for those with the right family connections, the right religious credentials, or the right spiritual heritage. It's available to everyone who does two things: hears and does. This episode explores the profound gap that can develop between hearing and doing in the Christian life. We live in a world saturated with Christian content—podcasts, books, sermons, devotionals, Bible apps, online courses. It's possible to consume enormous amounts of God's word and still not be changed by it. Hearing without doing creates a kind of spiritual callus—we become familiar with truth without being transformed by it. We nod at convictions without acting on them. We receive promptings without following them. We sense God's direction without taking the next step. James echoes Jesus' teaching in his letter: "Don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves." The blessed life Jesus describes is not a life of perfect performance—it's a life of faithful response. You hear something from God and you do it. You receive a prompting and you act on it. You sense a conviction and you follow it. Not perfectly. Not without fear. But faithfully. One step at a time. Learn why the gap between hearing and doing is one of the most dangerous places in the spiritual life—not because you're rejecting God, but because you're consuming without responding, nodding without obeying, knowing without doing. Discover practical steps for identifying the specific thing God has been saying to you that you've been hearing but not doing—the conviction that keeps surfacing, the prompting to reach out to someone, the step of obedience you've been putting off. Find the courage to respond today—not tomorrow, not when you feel more prepared, not when the timing is better—but today. Experience the blessing that Jesus promises to those who hear and do.

Follow the order of worship below along with streamed service above. Feel free to view the order online or download it here. Live-streamed service available Sundays 9am until 12:30pm CST. If you’re traveling or homebound and miss that window, you can email streaming@covenantchicago.org to get a link to the service Pentecost_080926.pdf

Jesus calls us to repent of our hypocrisy so that His light can shine through us to others.

Jesus calls us to repent of our hypocrisy so that His light can shine through us to others.

August 9th, 2026 | Dr. Anush A. John continues the series; Luke: Seek and Save in Luke 11:29-36

Pastor Gerrit teaches through Luke 11:29-36, on why Jesus refused to give the crowd another sign. Instead of more proof, he points them to the sign of Jonah, his own death and resurrection, and exposes the deeper problem: hearts that stay closed even with every reason to believe. Using the Queen of Sheba, the people of Nineveh, and the image of a lamp and a healthy eye, Jesus shows that spiritual blindness isn't about missing evidence but an unwillingness to see. Light, he says, is meant to be received, not earned, filling completely whoever lets it in.

In Episode 213, we explore Luke 11:1-4 and the disciples' request that changed everything about how we pray. Jesus is in a certain place praying. As He finishes, one of His disciples comes to Him with a request that reveals something profound: "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples." They didn't ask Him to teach them to preach. They didn't ask Him to teach them to heal or perform miracles. They asked Him to teach them to pray. Because they watched Jesus pray and saw something they didn't have—a connection, a depth, an intimacy with the Father that was unlike anything they'd ever witnessed. And Jesus gives them a template. Not a script to recite mechanically. Not a formula to perform. A framework to inhabit—a structure that shapes how we approach God and how we live our lives. Through guided meditation, discover the profound movement of this prayer. It begins with God: "Father, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon." Before we bring our needs, we orient ourselves toward God. We remember who He is. We align ourselves with His purposes. We begin not with what we want but with who He is. Then it moves to our daily need: "Give us each day the food we need." Not next year's provision. Not a guarantee for the future. Today's. It's a deliberate invitation to daily dependence—to come back to God every morning with open hands, acknowledging that everything we have comes from Him and everything we need must come from Him. Then to our relationships: "Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us." This is perhaps the most searching line in the prayer. We can't receive forgiveness with a closed fist. The posture that receives grace is the same posture that extends it. You cannot hold onto unforgiveness and receive God's forgiveness at the same time. And finally to our protection: "Don't let us yield to temptation." We acknowledge our weakness. We stop pretending we're strong enough on our own. We ask for God's strength to carry us through what we cannot face alone. This episode explores how this prayer is a complete life of faith in six lines—worship, dependence, forgiveness, and protection. Jesus didn't give us a recitation. He gave us a relationship. Learn how to take each phrase and make it personal, specific, and honest—filling in the blanks with your specific life, your specific needs, your specific sins, your specific temptations. Discover what it means to pray not as a religious duty but as a genuine conversation with a Father who knows you, loves you, and invites you to come to Him with everything. Find the depth and intimacy in prayer that the disciples saw in Jesus—and that Jesus is offering to you.

In Episode 214, we explore Luke 11:5-13 and Jesus' powerful teaching on persistent prayer. Jesus tells a story about a man who goes to his friend's house at midnight needing to borrow three loaves of bread for an unexpected guest. The neighbor is in bed. The door is locked. The family is asleep. Every reason to give up and go home. But the man keeps knocking. And eventually—not out of friendship, but because of the man's shameless persistence—the neighbor gets up and gives him everything he needs. Through guided meditation, discover what Jesus is really teaching here. He's not saying God is like the reluctant neighbor who has to be badgered into responding. He's making the opposite point entirely. If even a grumpy neighbor who is inconvenienced and half asleep will eventually give you what you need because you kept asking—how much more will your heavenly Father, who loves you deeply, who knows your needs before you ask, and who gives good gifts, respond to your persistent prayer? Then Jesus gives three commands—each one more intentional and active than the last. Keep on asking. Keep on seeking. Keep on knocking. Asking is a voice—bringing your need to God in words. Seeking is movement—actively pursuing God and His answers. Knocking is action—pressing forward with intentional, determined faith. Jesus is calling us to a prayer life that doesn't give up, that keeps coming back, keeps pursuing, keeps believing that God hears and God responds. And then He makes the most reassuring promise in all of Scripture about prayer: "For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened." Not maybe. Not sometimes. Not for the spiritually elite or the theologically sophisticated. Everyone. This episode explores what persistent prayer looks like in practice and why we stop praying. Maybe you prayed for months and nothing seemed to happen. Maybe you got discouraged by silence. Maybe you started to wonder if God was listening. Maybe you told yourself the prayer was too small or too big or too complicated. Maybe you quietly concluded that God had said no—when really you just got tired of asking. Learn the crucial difference between God saying no and you getting tired of asking. If God hasn't said no, the door is still open. The invitation to keep knocking still stands. Discover how to pick up the prayers you've put down and bring them back to God with shameless persistence and renewed faith. Find the confidence that comes from knowing your Father gives good gifts—that He is not a reluctant neighbor but a loving Father who hears every prayer and responds with wisdom and love. The man at midnight didn't knock once and go home. He kept knocking until the door opened. God hasn't forgotten your prayer. He hasn't moved on. He hasn't stopped listening. Keep asking. Keep seeking. Keep knocking. The door will be opened.

The Unchanging Word Bible Broadcast continues in the Gospel of Luke which he wrote to the most excellent Theophilus for both him and us to know the certainty of the words of truth concerning our Lord Jesus Christ.We are in Lk.11: 32 as Dr. Mitchell continues the exposition of this Gospel. In this passage he will speak of the light which enters the eye and shines into the whole body. We are to shine the light of the Lord Jesus through us to others.Next, Jesus confronts the religious leaders and scholars of his day, e.g. the Pharisees and the lawyers in the Scriptures. One thing that stands out in vs.42 is that they were majoring on the minors and minoring on the majors. Their priorities were totally switched to the point of their neglect of the more important Biblical priorities.Here, on the Unchanging Word Bible Broadcast is Dr. Mitchell, Lk. 11:32.

27 And it came to pass, as he spoke these things, a certain woman from the crowd, lifting up her voice, said to him: Blessed is the womb that bore thee, and the paps that gave thee suck.Factum est autem, cum haec diceret : extollens vocem quaedam mulier de turba dixit illi : Beatus venter qui te portavit, et ubera quae suxisti. 28 But he said: Yea rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God, and keep it.At ille dixit : Quinimmo beati, qui audiunt verbum Dei et custodiunt illud.The Basilica of Our Lady of the Snows, called also St Mary Major, was built on the Esquiline at Rome by St Liberius, Pope from 352 to 366. Popular tradition relates that the site was traced out by a miraculous fall of snow on this date, which is that of the Feast of the Church's Dedication.In the city of Rome there lived a holy nobleman named John. He and his good wife Mary were very devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Since they had no children, they asked Our Lady in fervent prayer to let them know what good deeds they should perform with their great fortune. The Blessed Mother answered their prayer in a marvellous way. On August 5th, when it is very hot in Rome, they both dreamed that she told them to build a church in her honor on the spot they would find covered with snow! John told Pope Liberius went to the spot on the Esquiline Hill where the snow lay, and traced out a plan for the new church, which became the most famous church of Mary in all the world. This church has been called the Liberian Basilica (after the Pope), and St Mary of the Snow, because of the miracle. After a relic of the crib in which Jesus was born was brought to this church, it was called St Mary of the Crib too. Today, we call it St Mary Major, to show that it is the major church of Our Lady.Many great Saints, such as St Stanislaus Kostka and St Aloysius, loved to pray in the Church of St. Mary Major. One of the oldest pictures of Our Lady is venerated there. This picture, which people say was painted by St. Luke, was carried from the church in possession by the Pope when a terrible sickness was killing the people of Rome. Everyone begged Mary to stop this plague and their prayers were answered. Another time, with this picture from the Church of St. Mary Major, the Pope blessed homes that were on fire, and the fire stopped by a miracle. These are just a few of the many wonderful graces the Blessed Mother has granted to those who turn to her with faith and love.Let us purify our souls well with the Sacrament of Confession. Only in this way can we hope to receive all graces from our Blessed Mother.

In Luke 11:24 through 32 Jesus speaks of the futility of self-reformation. Now this is different than spiritual regeneration. Self-reformation still leaves one empty while spiritual regeneration fills one with Christ himself by the Holy Spirit.Jesus then goes on to say how blessed are those who hear the word of God and do it. Blessing comes from the obedience of hearing.He then speaks of the sign of Jonah to this wicked generation who are asking for a sign and Jesus went on to say that he himself is this sign to this generation.Our Lord is a greater than Jonah! Our Lord Jesus both died and was buried and rose again and appeared to witnesses. And we believe in a living Savior seated at the right hand of God who also intercedes for us.Let's join Dr. Mitchell here on the Unchanging Word Bible Broadcast, Luke chapter 11:21.

The next picture Luke writes to Theophilus and to us has to do once again with Jesus casting out a demon which made the man mute unable to speak. Well this brought about the occasion for some to accuse Jesus of using the power of Beelzebul to do this. Now Beelzebul or Beelzebub is another name for Satan, the devil.Jesus then speaks to these people to show their utter inconsistency and irrationality of any kingdom or house being divided against itself. If division persists that fall will be great and this is true even of Satan.These accusers need to see how irrational their thinking is that it is not right. And then Dr. Mitchell goes on to speak in detail about the unpardonable sin what it is and what it is not.Well there is  Dr. Mitchell once again to explain on the Unchanging Word Bible Broadcast, Luke chapter 11 verse 14.

Our study resumes in Luke chapter 11 verse 2 with the Lord's instructions on how to pray.
Dr. Mitchell continues with the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples.  This is a model prayer which starts with the personal relationship to God the father. This prayer shows three things with respect to God and three things with respect to man.
And Dr Mitchell will bring these out in detail.He will speak of man's temporal  dependence for daily bread, spiritual restoration by the forgiveness of sins and spiritual preservation from evil and the evil one and his power.Dr. Mitchell then gives us a short portion of Luke which we'll get into in our next lesson having to do with the persistent friend. This lesson follows as an encouragement to keep on praying and not to give up.
Let's join Dr Mitchell here on the Unchanging Word Bible Broadcast Luke chapter 11 verse 2.

Jesus calls us to repent of the ways that we are more concerned with our outward appearance than we are our inward Godliness

Jesus calls us to repent of the ways that we are more concerned with our outward appearance than we are our inward Godliness

Located in the heart of downtown Maryville, Coram Deo Baptist Church (formerly Pleasant Grove at College Street) was founded as a church plant of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in 2017.

August 2, 2026 | Pastor Brandon Sams continues the Seek and Save series in Luke 11:14-28.

In Luke 11:14-28, Pastor Kevin looks at how Jesus casts out a demon and answers the crowd's claim that his power came from evil, showing his authority comes from God alone. This message walks through what it looks like to be caught in a spiritual battle, why a divided kingdom cannot stand, and how Jesus is stronger than any darkness working against us. It also touches on forgiveness, the danger of doubting God's word, and why lasting change comes through the Holy Spirit rather than self effort. Apart from Christ we have no defense against evil, but in Christ that battle has already been won.

Luke and Acts Series Pt 21 - Luke 11:14-47 (Kirk Delaney) 02 AUG 2026 by Pine Rivers Vineyard

From our July 26, 2026 service. 

In Luke 11:1-4, Jesus responds to a disciple's request to be taught to pray. 

Shea Prisk continues our series The Best Sermon Ever

Jesus invites us to repent of whatever hinders us from seeing Him clearly, and to refocus on His revelation so we can know Him and walk obediently with Him

Jesus invites us to repent of whatever hinders us from seeing Him clearly, and to refocus on His revelation so we can know Him and walk obediently with Him

Series: Meals with Jesus: Around The Table In The Gospel Of Luke — Preacher: Colby Garman

Saturday, July 25, 2026

55. "Woe to You!" (Luke 11:37-54) 7.19.26 by Church in the Square (Sermon Audio)

We are almost halfway through the book of Luke, and Jesus and His disciples are on their way to Jerusalem and to the crucifixion of Jesus. On the way he teaches His disciples how to pray to God the Father, rebukes those who claim He uses demonic powers, chastises the generation who will put him to death, and denounces the self-righteous Pharisees as hypocrites. Finally, Jesus encourages his disciples to store up treasures in heaven, and to stop worrying about the future. Worrying doesn't add years to your life, so why not choose a better way: spend your life investing the kingdom, rather than yourself. Luke 11 - 1:11 .  Luke 12 - 11:36 .  Ecclesiastes 6 - 22:14 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by Bobby Brown, Katelyn Pridgen, Eric Williamson & the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org