Podcast appearances and mentions of luke luke

Luke's HAARP Time Warp: Part 15 Marion becomes Queen. Based on a post by somethin fishy, in 15 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. Chapter 70. Luke spent a couple of days in Sheffield while the rest of the army arrived. The first thing he did when he arrived though was that he sent Pollyanna's engineers ahead with a strong dragoon escort to prepare the way for his artillery. Mostly this involved doing work at river crossings. At many of the crossings they would have to build bridges that were strong enough to support the weight of the cannons for the big ones weighed a couple of tons. Luke had designed them so that when smokeless powder became available, he wouldn't have to redesign them. The plan for crossing the Thames was to build a large number of boats and create a pontoon bridge with them. This way supplies could keep up. Within a week of Luke arriving in Sheffield, he was looking at the Norman's fort. The march south had been extremely rapid and uneventful for no noble was willing to challenge Luke's army. As uneventful a trip as the army had; Luke's personal trip was far more eventful. Alice's medical unit was one of the last ones to arrive in Sheffield for she had to finish some important things in York before she could depart. That evening she went into Luke's tent. Luke always stayed in a tent while he was in the field. His theory was that his soldiers slept in tents so he should too. His army stayed in tents because Luke had forbidden the army from sharing civilian homes unless it was a dire emergency. She found him lying on his cot and looking at an old picture. It was the picture of Luke and his older sister just after he had graduated from Marine basic training. He was in his dress blues while she was wearing one of her formal gowns. He was so into just staring at the picture that he didn't even hear Alice enter. It wasn't until she cleared her throat that Luke noticed that she was there. “Oh, sorry Alice. I didn't hear you come in. What can I do for you this evening?” As she always was, she was struck by that line. It was never “what do you want?” or even “hello”. It was always “what can I do for you?” It was just another reminder for Alice that Luke was the kindest person that she had ever met. She decided right there that if Luke wanted her, she would be his lover. After all Marion had Gabriel; why shouldn't Luke have someone else too. “The voices bothering you again?” Alice asked trying to sound as innocent as possible for she knew of Luke's sometimes hair trigger temper. “Marion talked to you, didn't she?” “Yes, she did. Luke, she is concerned for you and so am I.” “Why are you concerned for me?” It was evident from his tone that while he wasn't angry, he could become very angry very quickly. Alice decided then and there to lay all her cards on the table and confess to Luke her true feelings for him. “Why? Because I love you, Luke. You saved me from being raped. You taught me medicine. You enabled my late fiancé and I to actually have a chance with each other. You have already saved the lives of countless people. Finally, you are the kindest, most loyal person that I have ever met. So, tell me, why would I not love you.” “Well let's see. I'm married and I'm broken. I have almost constant nightmares when I sleep. In fact, most nights I don't sleep but for maybe an hour or two and I've been having nightmares for many years now. I hear voices in my head telling me that I be dead by the end of this campaign and yet here I am getting ready to wage this campaign anyway. If that's not broken and hopeless then I don't know what is.” “Luke you're not broken. Only a very strong person could have survived what all you have been through. You not only survived but you have thrived. As far as being on this campaign see my previous comment on loyalty and as far as you being married; well Marion has a lover so why shouldn't you. After all she was the one who fixed us up the other night. She was the one who begged me to do what I could to watch over you during this campaign. So, please Luke can you just give us a chance.” “I don't…” that was as far as he got before Alice's lips locked onto his. When she broke the kiss, she locked onto his eyes with hers. He had tried to look away but Alice put her hands on his face and gently pulled his eyes back to hers. “Please Luke” With their eyes locked she could almost see the epic battle going on inside Luke's mind. On one hand he was loyal. He was absolutely loyal to his wife. On the other hand, Alice was exceptionally beautiful and smart and she reminded him of someone who had been extremely dear to him that he had lost a few years before. It seemed like hours before Alice saw a change in Luke's eyes, but finally a look of calm took over. He moved over in his cot and invited Alice to lay down with him. Since he was so large the only way that Alice could realistically lay with Luke was to lay on Luke. “Before you say anything, I want to show you something. Something that even Marion has never seen and I don't want her to see it either for she already has enough to worry about.” Luke then pulled out another picture. This one was of him when he was in his mid to late twenties and he was with a stunning redhead. When Alice saw the picture, she gasped for the redhead in the picture could have been her twin sister. “Who is she, Luke?” “Who was she, Alice? Her name was Rebecca, Becky, and she was my fiancé but she was killed two days before we were to get married. She was driving home late one night when a deer jumped out in front of her car. She tried to avoid it and in doing so lost control of her car and hit a tree. The autopsy showed that she died almost instantly so at least she didn't suffer. It also revealed that she was eight weeks pregnant with twin girls. That was when I moved to Alaska for, I wanted to get as far away from where she died as I could. I never did step foot back in Louisiana again. She was my entire life and after her my life has just wasn't been worth living until, I met Marion. Then I met you and everything went upside-down. You two even have very similar interest for she was a surgical resident at the local hospital and was within a month of finishing.” “Oh Luke, I didn't know!!” She gripped him as tight as she could and by the time, she finished crying Luke had fallen asleep. She continued to lay there and now paying attention she noticed Luke's body tense up several times. When this happened, she would hold him tighter and he would relax. Eventually she was able to fall asleep, but now she was having nightmares of her own. Only hers were what might happen if that voice in Luke's head turned out to be right. Would Marion be able to hold things together. As Alice thought about it, the more she was convinced that Marion wouldn't be able to. Alice had a huge amount more interaction with the general populace than anyone else in Marion's group except for Luke, so she knew that a major reason the people were willing to follow her was because of Luke. For it was Luke that had the people's complete trust. The one's that didn't trust him, feared him so much that they wouldn't do anything that might risk his wrath. Alice of course knew why; after all this was the 11th century and everyone understood brute force. This was what most people saw in Luke. His power was blindingly so obvious that most everyone overlooked his true power, his intelligence, his willingness to listen to the people around him, and his kindness. Alice knew that Marion didn't understand this dynamic and she probably never would, after all she had been born into a very privileged life and she was blind to the general population as a whole. Put any single person or small group in front of her and she treated them with upmost respect. But she was at best partly blind to the lower classes. At least to her credit, Marion tried. The next morning Luke was up early as usual. He gently slid out from under Alice and covered her back up for she was still sleeping soundly. He started his morning the same way he always did. He checked the night sentries. Granted he was in friendly territory but that was no excuse for letting one's guard down. With sunrise the army got ready to leave. A message had come in overnight from Pollyanna telling him that things were clear all the way to the Thames. When Alice caught up with Luke later that morning, he invited her to keep her things with his and she gladly accepted. The army moved like the wind on their way south. By the time they reached the Thames, Pollyanna had the pontoon bridge done so Luke's army didn't even have to pause. They moved so fast that they caught the Norman army completely by surprise. The only thing that saved the Normans from being annihilated during the first contact was a storm had blown up and limited the visibility thus allowed them to escape back to their fort. Not that being in their fort would do them any good. Luke ordered his artillery to ring the fort at a distance of five hundred meters with his infantry to dig in in front of them at a distance of three hundred meters from the walls. At this range they could pick off anyone who came outside the walls and depending on the wind, his motors could drop rounds on the fort. It took about a day to get into position at the end of which, he sent his surrender demands to William of Normandy. If they laid down their arms then they would be allowed to return to Normandy. If they didn't then they would all have English graves for the rest of eternity. It didn't surprise Luke any when his demands were refused with what was his experience was typical French snootiness, not that he cared. The bombardment started at sunrise the next morning. Luke made sure that his gunners fired slow enough so that they didn't fire through all their shells in one day. Their first target was the walls. If they could be destroyed then his troops could pick off William's troops at will. Within an hour, the walls had been blown to bits, but now they had another problem. William had built his fort on a hilltop and Luke's soldiers couldn't see into the fort so Luke ordered a number of towers to be built around the hill. These towers were made of crossed logs that had both ends notched to fit into notches of the logs above and below them. From these towers, his best shots would be able to pick off William's men no matter where they were at. It had taken the rest of the day to build the towers, but Luke had another trick up his sleeve. That night he ordered illumination rounds fired continuously over the Norman heads. This way, his sharpshooters could pick out their targets and the Normans wouldn't be able to get any sleep. Luke's sharpshooter teams only were allowed to work for four hours before they were relieved so that they could get some rest. The next morning, the Normans presented Luke an offer for them to surrender but Luke flat out rejected it. The price was now their unconditional surrender which of course the Duke of Normandy was not going to do. After the messenger left with Luke's response, Alice asked him: “Luke, why did you condemn all those men over there to death? That seems extremely cruel and that's definitely not like you.” “Because I don't want Marion to have to look over her shoulder constantly wondering if she will be invaded again from Normandy. This will buy her the time that she will need to shore up her support.” “You talk like you won't be there to help her. You're not leaving, are you?” “I hope not for I am happier here than I ever was before, but reality doesn't care about people.” Luke said with a sad smile. Alice knew that he was still being bothered by the voices and worse still was that he now not only believed them but had accepted what they were telling him to be the truth and was conducting himself accordingly. All through the day, Luke's artillery and sharpshooters killed many Normans. That evening, Luke summoned one of his crack cavalry units and ordered them to advance on the fort and scout it for it was too windy for him to have the balloon deployed. As the cavalry advanced, Luke ordered a cease fire so that he wouldn't have to worry about friendly fire. He also had gone up to the top of one of the towers so that he could get a better view. He watched as the cavalry went into the fort and watched as they looked around. They signaled that everyone in the fort was dead and that it was safe to enter. Alice was one of the first ones not in the cavalry to enter the fort and she stunned by what she found for almost none of the Normans were still alive. What shocked her worse was Luke's reaction to the carnage that he had caused. He just ordered the bodies thrown into a nearby gully and buried. After he had helped his troops dispose of the bodies he went and had dinner. Chapter 71. Earl John of Sheffield had been waiting for this moment since the summer. He hated that his serfs had been liberated and it really pissed him off that some of the minor nobles in the area were now making more money than he was. He just couldn't bring himself to pay the lower classes to do work that they should have been doing anyway for they were not good for anything else. At least in his opinion. It really pissed him off when Marion's labor board had fined him for shorting his employee's paychecks. He knew that he would have to wait for the perfect opportunity to revolt or Marion's army would crush him. As he waited, he wasn't idle. He put our feelers to the other nobles in the area to see if any of them would be interested in joining him. He found four other fairly minor nobles that were interested in joining him in his revolt. As his diplomatic efforts were under way, he had sent men to infiltrate Marion's army and learn about her style of warfare. As his diplomatic efforts were coming to fruition, he was able to find a black-market supplier for small arms for his army. One of the minor nobles that joined him was named Hildyard and John didn't think that much of him. He was arrogant and constantly thought of himself more than he was. As far as John was concerned though, Hildyard would make good cannon fodder. Hildyard's wife on the other was against rebelling for she had been making really good money for herself under Marion's rule and knew that Marion's troops would crush any rebellion. She actually was mad enough, with Hildyard, that she kicked him out of her life for she wanted nothing to do with this rebellion and wanted to protect her family at all cost. She had seen the cost of rebelling against Marion and she wanted no part of it. John watched as Marion's army crushed the Viking invasion and he hoped that Godwinson's army would tangle with Marion's, but that didn't happen. Just after the Viking invasion had been beaten off, his spies returned and began to train the rest of the noble's combined army in absolute secrecy. John watched as his army was brought up to the standards that Marion's army had been trained to, and John was finding that he couldn't wait to bring Marion's army to battle and crush it. He would then make her his personal whore. As his army was training, John looked for the ideal land to do battle on. He knew he would do much better to stay on the defensive so he looked for land that was easy to defend and would allow him an escape route in the event that his plans were upset. He found the perfect place in a spot that was surrounded on three sides by impenetrable swamps. Carefully he began to fortify the area and to protect his men against the expected artillery barrage; he had bunkers built and earthen walls put up around the area. Finally, he was ready and now he just had to find the perfect opportunity. It came much sooner then he thought. Five days after King Godwinson got to York, the Normans invaded and he took off, back South. By mid-October word came that the King's army had been defeated in battle. John had been waiting for this for he was sure that Marion would send her army south and when she did, he would revolt. He was sure that this would force Marion to further divide her forces for he knew about the troops that she had in Scotland. Sure enough, she did exactly what he had been expecting and he watched as Marion's army moved through the area. A week after Marion's army left Sheffield, no word had come and now John knew that it was safe for him to revolt. He sent coded messages to the rest of his co-conspirators and they mobilized their armies. In all they had almost ten thousand men, all armed with firearms. The lack of artillery bothered John some but he was banking on cutting Luke's supply lines and hopefully he would shoot through his supply of ammunition making his artillery useless. It would take a few days for the nobles to gain control of the entire area, so they had spread out some. Their first target was the rail depot and supply dump that was there. Since Luke hadn't been expecting a revolt in the area, he had left only a token force behind to guard it. John's forces quickly overwhelmed the guards but not before the commander had set demolition charges in the power stores. As the guards were being marched out, the powder went up with a massive explosion. The explosion had been caused be a booby-trapped door and caused the death of John's oldest son and a number of his men. John was so upset with this that he ordered the female guards brutally raped before they were drawn and quartered. The male guards were to be castrated before they too were drawn and quartered. Although the guards suffered, they all understood that John's war effort would be crippled for he had been relying on capturing those powder supplies intact. It took almost an entire day to slowly kill the guards and the last to die was the commander. This way, he would have to watch his troops suffer because of what he did. Once all the guards were dead, John ordered that every building was to be torched and the army was to move to the appointed gathering point. Once all the noble's armies had gathered, they would march on York and forever put an end to all this bull about men and women being equal and the lower classes having equal rights with the nobles. What John didn't know was that Luke was already on his way north. He wouldn't find out until he got a message from one of the other nobles. It had been sent in a hurry for the noble didn't even have time to write it down. The message simple; “Marion's army is back.” John knew that he wouldn't have enough time to gather the rest of the men, so he headed toward his swamp fortress. At least two of the other nobles had been able to meet up with him. All told they had just over seven thousand troops and John was sure that Luke had suffered casualties in battling the Normans. The way John and the rest of his commanders figured; the armies would be about equal. Almost as soon as John was settling into his new fortress, he got word that Hildyard's forces had also been eliminated. Here it seemed like Luke had launched a night attack and that had caught Hildyard's army by complete surprise. John had tried to warm that idiot about underestimating Luke, for he had managed to send some time talking with Luke during Luke's summer campaign in the area and had come away from that meeting with a huge amount of grudging respect for Luke's command talents. Now Hildyard paid the ultimate price for his stupidity. John spent the time before Luke arrived, strengthening his defenses and had a number of scouts posted to inform him when Luke's forces made it into the area. One of the other things that John had done was to make a hidden path out of the back of the marsh, so that his forces could escape if anything went wrong. He placed hidden fortifications where the path came into the fortress in case Luke tried to come up that path and had even placed a number of booby traps along it to slow Luke's forces down. Now all that there was to do was wait. They had plenty of food, water, and ammunition in the bunkers and had enough bunkers for all the men to hide in. Chapter 72. The very next morning, Luke's army was on the road again. This time they were headed to Scotland to settle some unfinished business. Everyone in the army was now stunned at just how cold Luke had become. Before he would always be the one who would warm the mood of the room with their presence. Now the mood turned subarctic everywhere he went. Of course, everyone still had the upmost respect for him, they just wondered what had happened to him. Once the army was back north of the Thames, Alice cornered him: “Okay Luke you can stop with the little voices now! The campaign is over and you survived just like everyone else in the army.” “Really, the campaign is over now? Since when and who said anything about the voices bothering me?!?! And while we are on the subject of the campaign, when the fuck did you become a god-damn fucking general? Because I don't ever remember saying that the campaign was over yet.” This was the first time that Luke had ever terrified Alice. Normally his face was always an even color no matter how angry he got, but now he was redder than her hair. For a second, she was petrified but then she fled with tears in her eyes. The look in Luke's eyes basically said that he didn't feel anything about making Alice cry. Luke then received a message that some of the nobles in the Sheffield area was rebelling and that his supply depot had been destroyed to keep it out of the rebel's hands. The army had been gone for almost a week and a half with no news about if they had won or not. In fact, Luke had sent a single highly coded message to Marion telling her of their victory and that he was taking the army up to Scotland. He had also asked her not to say anything to anyone for he wanted to see if any of the nobles would rebel. He was determined that should he die; that Marion would be able to rule and not have rebellious nobles to worry about. Up to this point the army was making about their usual distance of just short of twenty-two kilometers a day. As soon as Luke got the message, he ordered the pace be picked up for he wanted almost forty kilometers a day. With this everyone knew that something bad was going on but Luke was close lipped about it. The army raced north arriving back in the Sheffield area in a matter of days. They found the whole area in an uproar for it seemed like a number of the remaining nobles in the area had been waiting on the army to be away so that they could rebel. They hated that their serfs had been freed and many of them had taken massive hits to their incomes as a result. To make matters worse, every one of them had firearms for their personal armies. Luke had moved his army so fast that he had managed to catch one of the rebellious nobles by complete surprise and annihilated that noble's army within only fifteen minutes. The noble had been captured alive and Luke ordered that he and his entire family be impaled and left at the side of one of the major roads in the area. To really drive his point home, the noble was forced to watch as absolutely everyone in his family was stripped naked and impaled on objects from his own castle. Once they had been impaled, he was impaled as well. Luke was tired of nobles rebelling every time he had his back turned and he was determined to put a permanent end to their rebelling. Luke didn't even take time to loot the noble's possessions before he went after the next target. This one had some warning but it wasn't enough for him to get completely ready. Luke now pulled yet another trick out of his hat and made a night attack. This caught the noble off guard and most of his army routed without even putting a hand on their guns. The rest of the army was killed where they stood. The noble this time was killed in combat. When Luke investigated, he found that the noble's wife had kicked him out because he wanted to rebel while she loved being under Marion's rule. This saved her and her families lives and Luke made sure that her property was not touched. He even invited her to dinner that evening but she respectfully declined. Now Luke's army had knocked off two rebel nobles and had only suffered forty casualties, while killing or capturing almost three thousand. All prisoners were required to dig the mass graves for the dead and then they were sent to a prison camp that Luke had set up where they could be dealt with later. He made sure to leave enough guards to keep the prisoners under control and a cavalry unit to scout for any enemy units trying to free the prisoners. The third noble out of the five that rebelled was now fully alerted that Luke was in the area. This one wasn't an idiot and had set himself up in an area that he could easily defend. Luke knew that he was going to have a problem with this one for he had met this bastard before and remembered him. Not only was this noble the smartest out of the five but he had the largest army and he was in as easily defensible position. In addition, Luke learned that the other two remaining nobles had joined him and swelled his ranks. Luke, with a small cavalry escort, rode around the enemy position and he noticed that there was a small, tight path into the rear of the enemy position. The problem that Luke had with it was that it was almost too obvious. In the end, Luke decided not to attack along the path, like some of his subordinates wanted to. Luke was going to pull out another trick and make his own path. He had his artillery start firing at dawn, the day after they had arrived in front of the noble's defenses. They were to fire as fast as they could for four hours and then stop. While the artillery was firing, Luke would take one of his brigades around and hack their way through the swamp that was guarding the enemy's flank. The brigade that he would be using, left camp well before daylight so that he could be in position to start hacking when the barrage started. This, Luke's troops easily accomplished. On the way through the marsh, Luke saw that one of his soldiers was having an especially rough time. Her problem was that she wasn't tall enough and she couldn't keep her ammunition box out of the water without a huge amount of effort. Another problem she had was that the water was cold and she was completely soaked. Luke came up behind her and picked her up and placed her on his shoulders. She was one of the new recruits so she didn't know that Luke often helped his troops like this. “Hello private. What's your name lass?” “M-Madeline, sir.” “Please while you're up there, Luke will do just fine. I do have one favor to ask of you though. Can you help keep an eye out ahead of us for the enemy please?” “Yes sir... uh Luke” Luke smiled at her hesitation. “So why did you join the army, Madeline?” “To get out of an arranged marriage to an awful man. That and I wanted to serve Marion for she had done so much good for my village.” “How long have you been with us?” “I joined right after you beat those Vikings.” “So, this is going to be your first real battle?” “Yes.” “So, are you going to enroll in reading and writing classes or can you read and write already?” “I don't know. I mean I'm just a girl Luke.” “So what? Marion reads. Her head body guard, Gabriel, reads. The chief engineer, Pollyanna, reads. The head doctor, Alice, reads; so why do you think that you can't?” “Well, I… I don't know. It doesn't seem like a very lady like thing to do.” “Neither is joining the army and yet you did that. Tell you what, after this battle, stop by my tent and you can talk with Alice for a bit so you can learn about all the benefits of reading. Can you at least do that, please?” Madeline was stunned for nowhere in all the legends that she had heard about Luke did they talk about his encouraging women to read and write. She found that she really liked Luke the person. She found the general to be very fair and likeable as well but he could be a bit heavy handed when it came to disciple. In her opinion anyway. As they traveled on, Madeline tried to ask Luke about his background. “You don't want to know, trust me. Plus, to give the story any justice at all it would take much more time than we have available. It won't be long before the artillery stops.” All through this Luke had been thinking and he realized what a monstrous ass that he had made of himself over the last couple of weeks and all because of a damn little voice in his head that had always been wrong before. Something else that gave him comfort was when Madeline said that she joined because she wanted to serve Marion. Maybe things would work out for the better after all. When the artillery went quiet, Luke had his army right on the edge of the enemy camp. He could see that they had been devastated by the artillery fire and he could see that his theory of avoiding the path had been correct for he could see the hidden fortifications blocking it. The remaining enemy soldiers were starting to file out of their bunkers and were manning the field fortifications. He turned to Madeline: “Just stay near me private and trust your training and you will be fine. Trust me.” “Yes sir.” Luke looked up and down his line to make sure that everyone was in position. The enemy was finishing up getting into position to repel the expected frontal attack. Luke stood up and waved his arm, signaling his troops to begin the attack. They went in with no yelling at all. They just moved silently and quickly. The enemy didn't even spot them until Luke's troops were almost on them. Most of the enemy troops appeared to still be in a bit of shock either from the bombardment or from Luke's troops showing up behind them and all this was just fine with Luke. Just meant that he would have fewer causalities. By this time, he had stopped carrying his sword unless it was ceremonial. For battle he carried his Sig which he was able to make ammunition for and a standard army rifle as well. Luke's troops swept over the enemy with ease for they had completely surprised the enemy forces. After they had swept the area, Luke went to stand on the enemy parapet where he waited for the main part of his army. With him he had Marion's flag and he thrust the butt of the pole into the ground next to him. “General, sir. Can I ask you a question?” Luke looked over and saw that it was Madeline. He then smiled warmly. “Go ahead, Madeline.” “That flag, where did Marion get the idea from? I'm just curious.” “This was known as the flag of St. George where I came from and Marion liked it.” Luke made sure to skip over that part about this being the English flag in his universe. “Oh, just curious. Sorry for asking.” “Never be sorry for asking questions for that is how you learn Madeline. Now you should probably get back to your duty.” “Yes sir. Thank you, sir.” When the commander of the rest of the army got up to Luke; Luke just had to ask: “What took ya so long? I was beginning to wonder if you all had fallen asleep or something and I about to go and try to find me a pint.” Around him, the troops were relieved for their commanding general was back. It took the rest of the day to bury all the enemy dead, not that Luke was bothered for he was no longer in a hurry. All the steel was collected, so that it could be sold to Luke's steel mill; the money would be divided between the troops. Chapter 73. When Alice found Luke, she wasn't sure who it was for she had grown use to Luke being angry and now he was back to his old self. “Luke!” she exclaimed “What happened to you?” “I just had to be reminded what I was fighting for, that's all. Well, that and a reminder that many other people live lives that are far worse than mine. Oh, before I forget to tell you, you might have a visitor this evening at our tent. Met me a young soldier who doesn't believe that she can read because of her being a well, her.” “If she stops by, I'll fix that!” Alice said with a smile. “What's the lass's name?” “Madeline” With that Luke put his arm around Alice's shoulder and held her close. Alice was so relieved for Luke really had returned and he wasn't acting one bit. That evening, Madeline did stop by. She had been fighting with herself all afternoon as to whether she should or not and she still wasn't all that sure. She wasn't even sure of how she had got there for one minute it she was in her tent and it seemed like the next, she was asking for permission to enter the commanding general's tent. She found Luke working on paperwork while Alice was doing some weird stretching. Luke had taught Alice yoga and she found that she loved it. Luke loved it for the spectacular view. Neither of them still had uniforms on for they were both in comfortable clothes. Luke looked up when she came in: “Well, hi Madeline. Welcome. Can I get you anything?” “Ah no. Thank you” Madeline was extremely nervous. “Relax Madeline. I'm not nearly as rigid as I seem when in uniform. Time for introductions” Luke said jumping up from his seat “Madeline this is Alice. Alice this is Madeline. She's the one I telling you about” “So, you're the one who doesn't believe that women can read. Come in and take a seat for we have a lot to talk about.” For the next couple of hours, the ladies talked while Luke worked on paperwork. Once in a while Luke would chime in with his two-sense worth without even looking up from his paperwork. Finally, Luke was able to finish all of his paperwork. It was nice to be finally caught up on everything for once. He could hear that the ladies were still talking, but he had to interrupt. “Excuse me ladies but I'm going to bed. Madeline, you might want to think about going to bed to for we will be leaving in the morning.” “Seriously Luke?” whined Alice. “Seriously Luke?” Luke said in a mocking voice “Yes, seriously. I want to get the army back home before the weather gets worse and you need to get back to your hospital. Well Madeline what do you think now?” “I can't wait to learn how to read!!” Luke and Alice smiled at her response. “Madeline, make sure that you stop by the hospital once in a while and I'll help you with anything that you need.” “Oh, thank you Alice.” With that Madeline started to pack up so that she could get back to her tent. Once she had left Luke turned to Alice: “Well, what do you think?” “Time will tell. Time will tell. Now how bout we get to bed.” “Ah my thoughts exactly.” Luke said with a mischievous grin. Without warning, Luke swept Alice off her feet, threw her over his shoulder, and carried the giggling lass back to their cot. They hadn't been tangled up since that time while in York but Alice could tell that with the old Luke back and that she was going to get laid tonight and she was thrilled. He swung her around so that his hands were holding her up by grabbing her tight ass. Alice spread her legs and wrapped them around Luke's waist while she wrapped her arms around his neck. Looking into his eyes, Alice could see just how happy Luke was for his eyes were once again sky blue and they had regained their twinkle. She hadn't seen them this blue in quite some time for lately they had been stormy gray. Their lips met and Alice could have sworn that she had been hit with lightening, the feeling was so strong. Looking at Luke, she could see that he felt the same way. Suddenly the previously cool tent felt like it had been thrown in a fire and neither Luke or Alice could get their clothes off fast enough. Luke actually tripped on his pant leg and fell over, but he didn't care and he started laughing. Since he was on his back, Alice pounced for neither of them needed any foreplay tonight. Alice's previously fast movements almost stopped as she slowly impaled herself. It wasn't that she needed time to stretch her pussy out, she just loved the feeling of Luke slowly sliding up inside of her. After a minute or so, their pubic hairs finally messed together. The color contrast between Luke's dark brown hair and Alice's flaming red bush was striking. They had both kept each other trimmed up neat for it was pain in the ass to shave down there in the field and Luke never shaved down there anyway. As Alice finished settling, Luke gently pulled her head down so that they could kiss. As she did, she had ride up on Luke's cock and she could feel the veins on his cock and his heartbeat. After they shared a kiss, she moved back down until their hair mashed together again. Over and over, they repeated this and since they shared the workload, neither of them got tired very quick. Remembering something that Marion liked, Luke told Alice to spin around. Now she was in a reverse cowgirl position and Alice immediately found that she liked this position for she could feel Luke's cock rubbing on the front of her cunt and when Luke's meaty fingers found her clit, she exploded. Her body seized up and after thirty seconds, she started to shake so violently that she lost all control. Below her Luke felt like he was taking a shower for Alice was spraying like crazy. He just smiled to himself and thought, ‘Yep, I'm back baby'. He held her up so that she wouldn't fall and injure herself. In the dim light Luke could see the film of sweat that now covered Alice's body and looking into her face, Luke could also see that she was ready to go to sleep. He gently laid her down next to him without even pulling out of her. As soon as she found a comfortable spot, on Luke's arm, she was out like a light and lightly snoring. Luke grabbed a pillow and blanket off his cot. Then he wrapped his arms around her and drifted off into a very restful sleep. When Luke woke up the next morning, he was amazed at how good he felt for he hadn't slept that well in a very long time. Looking at Alice, he had to stifle a laugh for her hair was a mess and she hadn't moved since passing out the night before. Gently Luke untangled himself from her and got up. Alice didn't wake up until Luke started cooking breakfast and she was sore so Luke helped her stand up and then had to catch her when she tried to fall down. “Get dressed Alice for breakfast is almost ready, and it's a really nice day out.” Chirped Luke. This earned him a cringe from Alice. “Why do you have to be so cheerful this early in the morning?” she groaned. Just to get her going he gave her a good swat to her ass leaving a red mark and getting her to yip. After everyone had ate, the army started getting underway. They would have to march back to York for the rebellious nobles had wrecked the train station and it would be at least a week before it could be repaired. Luke did leave a strong detachment in Sheffield to help with reconstruction and to keep everyone in line. The trip back to York only took a couple of days because all the roads had now been greatly improved. Getting back to York, the city was in an uproar over the army's return and their victories over the Norman invaders and the rebellion. It seemed like every person in and around York was there to greet the army. This time Luke would march at the head of the army and with the crispness of a marine, they entered York. At the city limits though he got one hell of a surprise when he found Marion waiting on him. This time he rushed up to her and swept her off her feet earning them a standing ovation from the troops and the civilians watching. He spun around with her a couple of times and they were both laughing and then their eyes met. Marion could see that something major had happened to Luke for it seemed like the light was back on in his eyes. She had not seen that much light since before they had first taken York and it warmed her heart so much to see that it had returned. She could feel Luke relax as he buried his nose in her hair and took a deep breath. He then ran his hand along her jawline and their lips interlocked, getting them even more cheers. “I love you, Marion” he whispered in her ear as he held her tight. “I love you too Luke” Luke then changed his grip and put Marion up on his shoulders. Together they led the army into York. This wasn't what she had in mind but it worked. “Hey Marion, where's Gabriel at?” “She's not feeling too good right now.” “What?!?! Why?!?!” “Her and her kid aren't getting along right now.” “Ah” As they led the army through the city, the crowds were going wild; Marion of course waved to the crowds in a way that reminded Luke of the way homecoming queens waved to crowds in his old universe. He had to admit that Marion had seemed to make serious in roads with the population and that took a load off his mind. They walked back to the castle with Marion waving to the crowd the entire way. By the time they got back, Luke was smiling widely and he was in a very good mood. The army was getting as many cheers as Marion was and this pointed to a good future. Chapter 74. The rest of November was quiet for Marion and the gang. Gabriel managed to quickly recover from her kid beating the crap out of her, although she did admit that she couldn't wait to give birth so that she wouldn't have to go pee even couple of hours and only get dribbles each time. Over her objections, Marion put her on restricted duty so that she wouldn't be under as heavy of strain. Gabriel might have been able to fight Marion, but Luke, Alice, and Pollyanna weighed in on Marion's side and Gabriel knew when she was beat. She would be on desk duty until after she had given birth. At least she was a capable administrator in her own rite so she would still be a valuable team member. Speaking of Alice, after sleeping with Luke every night for the last couple of weeks, she found that she just couldn't sleep alone any more. On the second night after they got back, she showed up at Marion's door after everyone had gone to bed. She had been so nervous that she almost didn't come, but she had slept so bad the night before that she felt like she didn't have any choice. As she always did at this time of night, Marion answered the door nude. She figured that if someone woke her up, then the least she could do was to make them a bit uncomfortable. “Hi Alice, What's up?” “Is that invitation to move in with you and Luke still open?” “Of course, it is, dearie. Found that you just couldn't sleep alone after sleeping with Luke?” “Ya” Alice was still really nervous and she hoped that Marion would let her stay. “Well come on in. There's no need to stand out there all night.” “Marion, I really can't thank you enough for allowing me to stay with you.” Marion gave her a very warm smile. “Alice, honey, I see the looks that Luke gives you and I know what they mean for he gives me the same looks. The look of love and desire. Looks that are shared by spouses that are completely in love with each other. By the way he doesn't give Gabriel those looks. Plus, since I have Gabriel as a lover, it's only fair that Luke has himself a lover as well.” “Thank you for understanding Marion. I really can't thank you enough.” “That's alright, just don't break Luke and please let him save some energy for me.” “I would never dream of breaking him. As for him saving energy well I think the general will just have to get into better shape.” “You know Alice, I figured from the first day I saw you with Luke; the Luke was especially fond of you and I'm guessing that it was because you reminded him of someone.” Alice once again was nervous for Marion had hit it right on the head. “I think that should be a conversation that you should have with Luke for you completely correct but I swore that I wouldn't reveal what the connection is.” “No, I don't think I will for Luke is entitled to his secrets. If and when he wants to tell me, he will. Just please don't try to steal him from me.” This actually triggered Alice's usually mellow temper. “Marion, listen to me,” growled Alice “I would never dream of stealing Luke from you and you know that. After all you are one of my best friends and you are kind enough to share him with me.” The ladies nodded to each other showing that they now understood each other and with that, Alice moved in with Luke, Marion, Gabriel, and Mackenzie. Luke was having one of his insomnia attacks so he was down in his workshop. Marion explained to Alice what that meant and that they might as well go to bed. Alice was a bit uncomfortable about getting into bed with two other naked women but figured that since they were both her friends that she could trust them. To her surprise, she found that sleeping with other women wasn't as bad as she thought although she doubted that she would ever be comfortable with the idea of her making love with another woman. December started off with a bang and kept going from there. Marion had two announces one public, one private. The private announcement was that she was pregnant again. The public one was that she was interested in being ruler of England and since no other noble on the island was strong enough or foolish enough to stand in her way, none of them argued. The church though was a different story for they refused to seat someone who had willingly taken church property, had a homosexual lover, and was a woman. As usual, Marion didn't give a damn what the church thought. She gave them two options, confirm her as rightful Queen of England on Christmas day 1066 or she would take England by force and kick the church out. Speaking of taking by force, Marion's army was making rapid gains in Scotland. When Luke had got back from the South, he sent a brigade North with orders to crush all resistance with extreme prejudice. This is what they did too. The brigade that Luke sent and the one that was still there swept through Scotland like the wind. Just as in England if a noble resisted then they were removed and their possessions seized and their land was sold off to the commoners. Everyone knew though that tackling the highlanders would take much more time, but they had made a really good start. Marion was also able to open a land corridor to her lands in the far north and this enabled Luke to start laying train tracks to link these lands with the area around York. The church officials in Canterbury decided to make themselves a third option to Marion's ultimatum. They sent their best witch hunters up to York with orders to investigate Marion and the rest of her inner circle of signs of witchcraft, heresy, or homosexuality or any other sins. Of course, in their minds, she and her inner circle were already guilty so the investigation was only a formality before they had her executed. They arrived in mid-December and found that York was now a highly advanced city. The team wondered through the city for two days, just looking at the sights and what they saw, scared them shitless. There were female police officers on the streets. Paved streets. Every house had running water. Every street it seemed had a book seller on it. Jews and pagans were practicing their faith openly. The people were worse, for they didn't seem to give a fart about these high church officials and what they were doing. It wasn't until the officials tried to close down a public bath house that people got pissed, and they got pissed with the church officials. The public bath houses were mixed genders and mixed ages and had hot, cool, and cold-water pools. In addition to bathing, swimming lessons were offered for anyone wanting to learn how to swim and most citizens did take at least some lessons. The locals had quickly become addicted to stopping by the bath house after a long day working and getting the grim off before they went home. While there, they could catch up on the local gossip or check out the opposite sex. The rules for this were very simple: look but don't touch without an invitation from the person being touched. Sometimes the people would even get a massage as well. When the church tried to close it down for public debauchery, they were literally thrown out and were actually rescued by a passing female officer. She was the one that took the officials to see Marion. When they finally got into her office, they found a very attractive brunette sitting at Marion's desk. “Marion of York we presume.” “Nope, Colonel Gabriel at your service.” She said without looking up “Just have a seat and I'll be right with you.” She finished up the paperwork that she had been doing. “Now what can I do for you gentlemen.” “We are here to investigate claims of Marion of York being a witch and a homosexual. We are also looking for signs of heresy.” Gabriel leaned back in her chair and burst out laughing. She was laughing so hard that she nearly peed herself. “I can assure you that Marion of York isn't a witch for she is actually far more dangerous than that. As to her being a lesbian, I will tell you that she loves her husband more than anything. I'm the lesbian for I am Marion's lover. Actually, I'm more bisexual; it's just that I prefer women over men but I do appreciate a good cock once in a while. As far as me being pregnant well I always wanted a kid and Luke, Marion's husband, was kind enough to help with me with that dream.” “Then you are under arrest on orders from the Pope.” Again, Gabriel burst out laughing. “Do you find something funny about you being under arrest?” “Yes, I do. I think it's funny that you actually think that you could get away with it” Gabriel managed to get out between laughs. At this point, Marion walked through a side door. “What's so funny Gabriel?” Marion came over and put a hand on Gabriel's shoulder. “These church goons are here put me under arrest for being a lesbian and investigate you for being a witch.” “Oh ya. Well in that case you had better get up then.” Gabriel got up and Marion pulled her to her lips. As they were kissing, their hands started working at undoing each other's shirts as they moaning into each other's mouths. “Oh God Marion. You taste so good!” Gabriel managed to get out. This was too much for one of the churchmen and he got up to try and grab Gabriel and Marion. As soon as he put a hand on Marion, she turned, gabbed his hand and using her other hand, smashed his nose in. The blood started flowing out of his nose as he howled in pain. The remaining churchmen drew their swords and pointed them at the ladies, but the ladies were back to making out instead. As they approached Marion and Gabriel, the churchmen heard very heavy footsteps approaching. “Uh-oh, now you done it.” Marion managed to get out before going back to tongue wrestling with Gabriel. Luke stepped out from the same doorway that Marion had come out of. “What the hell is going on in here?” “We are here in the name of his holiness the Pope to arrest these two women for witchcraft and homosexuality, and to investigate the rest of her inner circle for other sins.” “These two angels? Marion, why didn't you tell me you had hired a comedy crew? I would have made snacks and sold tickets.” “Sorry Luke. Must…have…oh, ya…. slipped my…. mind.” “They are under arrest and if you try to interfere then you will be too.” “Now listen you fuck heads. You have two options and only two. First you can put your weapons on the ground, get down on your knees and beg for forgiveness from the goddess of intelligent beauty and her lover or you can all die. Your choice.” “Or the third option.” The leading churchman said. With that the group started for Marion and Gabriel. In a flash, Luke struck; he pulled out his Sig and shot all the churchmen in the knees. With that, Luke walked over to a cooler, pulled out a beer, and pulled up a seat to watch. Before he sat down, he dropped his pants so that he could beat off while watching the ladies making out. During this whole thing, they had kept making out and had even managed to get their shirts off. Gabriel had her hand in Marion's pants while Marion was sucking on one of Gabriel's sensitive nipples. Before long both of them had their pants off and Marion gently laid Gabriel out on the desk. Luke was sitting there, drinking a beer and jacking off to his wife and her lover making love. The extra icing on the cake was the suffering of the churchmen and how they had taken to reciting verses to keep distracted and hopefully call down divine intervention. Before Marion buried her face in Gabriel's sweet pussy, she looked at Luke. “I hope that you're not thinking of wasting all that juice when there is a pussy right here” she grabbed her pussy “that needs that stuff in it.” “I wouldn't dream of it sweetheart.” In reality he was planning on cumming all over the churchmen but he figured that shooting it into his wife was a far better idea. He got up and lined up with Marion's hot love hole. In one thrust he was buried deep inside of her and then he started pounding her relentlessly. Luke could tell from Gabriel's breathing and moaning that she was very close and Marion wasn't far behind her. He started driving extra deep into Marion so that he could get there as the ladies did. This pushed Marion over the edge and she took Gabriel along with her. The orgasm that Marion had was explosive and she sprayed all over Luke. This triggered him and he dumped an extra-large load deep inside his wife. Although Marion was weak-kneed, she had an idea that she just had to do. She put her hand over her pussy to keep Luke's spunk from dropping on the floor as she waddled to where she feet were straddling the lead churchman's head, forcing him to look up. When she was sure that she was in the right position, she moved her hand and cum fell from her cunt and landed in the churchman's open mouth. Marion then managed to squeeze a bit more and this landed in one of his eyes. She then bent over and forced the churchman to close his mouth and swallow. “Guards!” she called out and two guards came rushing in. “Take these bastards out of here, tie them to their horses, and send them on their way. If they resist beat them but don't kill them for, I want them to suffer. If you fuckers hurry, you might make it back to London before infection sets in, but I doubt it.” She then turned to Luke “Time to mobilize the army General for we march on London in two days.” “Yes ma'am” Luke said was he snapped to attention with his cock still standing proud. “This time I will be going with you. Gabriel you will remain here with one brigade. With you in that condition, there is no way I am risking you on a trip to London, especially at this time of year.” Looking at Luke “Well am I going to have to mobilize the army myself?” With that, Luke pulled his pants up, saluted, grabbed the rest of his beer, and sped out to start the mobilization. After all to Luke it was a moral sin to waste good beer. The guards were coming in to take the wounded churchmen out. “Don't bother dropping them off with the doc either.” “Yes ma'am” the guards said in unison. Within two days the army was in Sheffield. Seems like everyone in the army expected this to happen so their commanders had held them close to the barracks until things calmed down. Luke was actually able to get the first units on the train on that first evening. From Sheffield, the army marched swiftly to London. Once there the city opened its gates to Marion and her army and within a day, they had secured London and the surrounding area. While her army secured the area, Marion was forcing the church and the nobles that were in London to recognize her as the rightful queen of England. Just before Christmas, Gabriel arrived in London, along with Alice, Pollyanna, Matt, and Mackenzie. They had come down at Luke's invitation for he thought it would be nice to see the ultimate reward for their struggles. Luke wanted them to watch Marion be crowned Queen Marion I, Queen of England and hopefully soon, queen of Great Britain. Marion wasn't happy with Gabriel being in London but she didn't protest too much. On Christmas morning 1066, Marion was in her formal gown while Alice and Pollyanna were in their dress uniforms. Escorting them were Luke and Matt also in full dress uniforms. Gabriel was the only one in regular clothes because her dress uniform wouldn't fit at the moment. Also, there was an honor guard detachment and Marion's personal body guards. The whole group marched into Westminster abbey. The honor guards secured the building while Marion's guards stayed glued her and her inner circle. They all stood by while Marion went through the service and at the end of it was the words that Luke had been waiting to hear spoken by the archbishop of Canterbury: “I Now Pronounce You Queen Marion The First, Queen Of England. Long Live The Queen!” Based on a post by somethin fishy, for Sex Stories.

When you first read the Lord of the Rings, which character did you most relate to? Has that changed as you've gotten older? This month, we are joined by Dr. Luke Shelton, who leads us down his lesser-trod path, exploring reader response theory and the ways that personal experience and interpretation interact with criticism. Thanks for joining us, Luke, for this fascinating and emotional discussion!Citations: Thank you to our guest host, Dr. Luke Shelton! How to find Luke:Instagram: @lukebsheltonBsky: @lukebshelton.bsky.socialLuke's website: https://luke-shelton.com/ (Accessed June 27, 2025)Show Notes from Luke:Luke's work:Luke's dissertation is free online here: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/81312/The title is “‘Small Hands Do Them Because They Must': Examining the Reception of The Lord of the Rings among Young Readers”Luke's most recent publication: “Towards an Ethos of Discussing In-Corporeal Gender in Fantasy Literature: Part I—A 'Feminine' Eldil and a 'Masculine' Vala”: https://dc.swosu.edu/mythpro/vol2024/iss1/7/?utm_source=dc.swosu.edu%2Fmythpro%2Fvol2024%2Fiss1%2F7&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPagesIn prior scholarship, Luke talked about:Dawn Walls-Thumma's “Attainable Vistas: Historical Bias in Tolkien's Legendarium as a Motive for Transformative Fanworks”: https://scholar.valpo.edu/journaloftolkienresearch/vol3/iss3/3/Robin Reid's “J.R.R. Tolkien, Culture Warrior: The Alt-Right's Crusade against the Tolkien Society's 2021 Summer Seminar on ‘Tolkien and Diversity'”: https://scholar.valpo.edu/journaloftolkienresearch/vol16/iss2/4/Maria Alberto's “‘The effort to translate': Fan Film Culture and the Works of J.R.R. Tolkien”: https://scholar.valpo.edu/journaloftolkienresearch/vol3/iss3/2/Megan Abrahamson's “J.R.R. Tolkien, Fanfiction, and ‘The Freedom of the Reader'”: https://dc.swosu.edu/mythlore/vol32/iss1/5/Ernest Mathjis, editor of Watching The Lord of the Rings: Tolkien's World AudiencesFor gaming, Luke mentioned:Alicia Fox-Lenz and a forthcoming volume she edited which will be about Tolkien and Gaming, title unknown at this time.Tim Bolton: Luke mentioned that he occasionally writes pieces about gaming for Amon Hen (not something that is easy to link to, unfortunately), it looks like he also has a blog which is more consistent: https://greenbookofthewhitedowns.blogspot.com/search?q=gaming+in+middle-earth

This morning we will continue our exploration of the lectionary as we meet Jesus at Sabbath meal in Luke 14. There, Jesus offers a parable to the guests seeking places of honor and prominence. As we worship we will explore how insecurities often send us following after the limelight rather than Christ, and remember that we are each called a child of God, and that is enough. Sermon on Luke Luke 14:1, 7-11, delivered by the Reverend Joshua H. Narcisse on August 31st, 2025.

Devotion : The History of Jesus According to Luke / Luke 1:1-4 by Community Lutheran Church

Who Is He? G'day and welcome to Partake! We are now on day 10 of our series "Glimpses", looking at the story of the Bible in 30 days, from the time of creation through to the time of the fullness of redemption! We have looked together at the 8 Covenants in the Old Testament of the Bible, made between God and humanity. Now we fast forward to the time of the Gospels and the start of the New Testament. After the last of the Old Testament prophets spoke, Malachi around 444BC, there was a silence from God for about 400 years. During that time quite a few people came claiming to be the Messiah or saviour that Israel was waiting for and had been promised in the covenants we looked at. They proved to be false messiahs because they could not back up their claims. Israel as a country is now occupied by the Romans. While some people of Israel were in the country, a lot were dispersed throughout the vast Roman Empire. Into this world was a man of such significance that He splits history into two: BC and AD. This man we know as Jesus Christ and He claimed to be the long waited for Messiah. But how was he different from those messiahs before that proved to be false? Let's start by having a look in the stories about His life - the Gospels of the New Testament. What the Gospels are! How do we find out about this Jesus? There are a number of sources outside of the Bible that make reference to this man. However, in the Bible and its section called the New Testament, we have four accounts of His life. They are Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. These are called Gospels, and they are called that because they gave substance to the Good News of God has promised in the New Covenant! We know that Jesus Christ during his time on earth wrote nothing, yet the stories about him were preserved and passed on by his followers. For the first thirty years or so, these stories were collated and stored together. That would explain the similarity in the four accounts of Jesus' life. They are not an exhaustive biographical detail of all that Jesus did. Similarly they are also not diaries reflecting a daily account of Jesus' life. Rather they are selective accounts of His life, and were probably factual illustrations used by His disciples when preaching about Him. Therefore they would represent the theology of the disciples, as each story about Jesus is told. That is why they are trustworthy accounts as well as rooting Jesus' life in first century Judaism and the Greco-Roman world. Overview of the Gospels The first three of our Gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke are what are called the synoptic Gospels. This is based on their great similarity and possibly use of a common source. Mark is probably the first Gospel as it is shorter in length than Matthew or Luke and it would appear that Matthew and Luke used Mark as a guide and elaborated where required. Mark wrote none of the great discourses of Matthew (Mark 13 being the exception), such as the Sermon on the Mount, nor does Mark show the great parables that Luke recorded, such as the Good Samaritan. Surely if Mark had used either the accounts of Matthew or Luke, he would have used those two examples! Matthew is closer in similarity to Mark than Luke. Luke does share large portions of Mark and quite often verbatim, and with a greater use of the Greek language. John on the other hand, while still telling about Jesus' ministry, has vastly different story content. Whereas in the synoptic Gospels Jesus talks about the Kingdom of God frequently, in the Gospel of John, Jesus talks about himself much more often, as in the seven I AM statements. For this reason, John was probably written later than the synoptic Gospels. The Gospels Lets look very briefly now what each Gospel offers about the life of Jesus Christ. As we do so, think through how the covenants promising a messiah or saviour match up with Jesus Christ. Matthew: Matthew wrote primarily to Jews who knew the Old Testament. He wrote to present Jesus as the Messiah to Israel and to record Israel's attitude towards Him as Messiah. Matthew gives us the genealogy, presentation, and the authentification of Jesus as the Christ Messiah. Matthew then shows the nation of Israel's opposition to and rejection of Jesus as the Christ followed by Jesus' rejection of Israel due to her unbelief. He then records the death and resurrection of Christ. He concludes with Christ commissioning the disciples. Mark: Mark presents Jesus as Servant of the Lord, coming in fulfilment of the Old Testament. Jesus offers His credentials, gathers His disciples, offers the Kingdom of God and its message. Jesus' teaching is seen in short parables, which hide the truth from those hardened against Him, yet prepares and instructs those responsive to Him. Overall Jesus calls those who follow him to serve others and to deny themselves by taking up their own cross, just as He took up His. Luke: Luke presents Jesus as the God-Man, as a saviour for the entire world, writing primarily to Gentiles. He does this from a broad vantage point that is compatible with the fact that he is a Greek. Luke traces the incarnation, Christ's introduction, ministry, rejection, subsequent teaching in view of His rejection, the cross, resurrection and ascension. Even though a Gentile, Luke emphasizes the kingdom program with Israel's place in the kingdom. John: John presents the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ so that mankind would believe in Him as the Son of God, Messiah, Saviour of the world. His selective argument portrays Christ as the God-Man. John records miracles and messages that affirm the deity and humanity of Christ. John builds his record around the public ministry of Christ, the private ministry, the cross, and the resurrection. As we go into the life of Jesus Christ, bear in mind what glimpses the Old Testament offered about a saviour or messiah figure. Think through the 8 Covenants we looked at and how they looked forward to that figure portrayed as a saviour or Messiah. As you do so, think just how Jesus Christ was that person! Right mouse click or tap here to download as a MP3 audio file

Shrewdness, Stewardship & Submission in the KingdomLuke 16:1-13The Village Chapel - 06/08/2025In the three parables of Jesus in Chapter 15 of Luke's gospel, we saw how precious lost people are to God. The parable of the prodigal son ended with the father explaining to his older son that all the father has already belongs to him. In Chapter 16, Jesus speaks to his disciples about faithfulness with money, a small thing compared to eternal treasure. We are reminded that righteous stewardship begins with the acknowledgement that all we have been given by our Father still belongs to Him and we are accountable for how we use it in His kingdom.To find more resources like these, follow us:Website: https://thevillagechapel.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQVTzDbaiXVUAm_mUBDCTJAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tvcnashville/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tvcnashvilleX: https://twitter.com/tvcnashvilleTo support the ongoing mission of The Village Chapel go to https://thevillagechapel.com/give/. If you are a regular giver, thank you for your continued faithfulness and generosity!

The Fellowship of the ForgivenLuke 15The Village Chapel - 06/01/2025Have you ever lost something precious—something you feared was gone for good—only to experience the overwhelming relief and joy of finding it again? In Luke 15, Jesus tells a trio of parables about lost things: a sheep, a coin, and two sons. Each story offers a window into the heart of God for those who are lost.This week, join us as we explore what it means to be lost and what it means to be sought and found by a pursuing God. The ground is level at the foot of the cross, and the invitation to join the fellowship of the forgiven is open to all who would turn to Jesus.To find more resources like these, follow us:Website: https://thevillagechapel.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQVTzDbaiXVUAm_mUBDCTJAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tvcnashville/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tvcnashvilleX: https://twitter.com/tvcnashvilleTo support the ongoing mission of The Village Chapel, go to https://thevillagechapel.com/give/. If you are a regular giver, thank you for your continued faithfulness and generosity!

Real Discipleship, Real Cost, Real ImpactLuke 14:25-35The Village Chapel - 05/25/2025You were made for more. More than mere survival. More than greater success. More than just discovering your “self”. Beneath every craving for purpose, every longing to belong, and every restless ache for something more—is a deeper call. It's the voice of Jesus, saying, “Follow Me.”But His call on our lives isn't a casual invitation. It's a summons to a whole new way of being and living—to a life where Christ is not merely an accessory, but at the very core and center. A life where our loves are reordered, where meaning runs deep, and our stories get rewritten in light of eternity.Join Pastor Jim for this study Luke 14:25-35 where we'll explore what it really means to follow Jesus. Not just to believe in Him, but to follow Him so closely you walk in His dust. Not just to receive His gifts, but to also live under the freedom of His Lordship. Not just to become more religious—but to live a life of real impact, following Jesus as one of His disciples!To find more resources like these, follow us:Website: https://thevillagechapel.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQVTzDbaiXVUAm_mUBDCTJAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tvcnashville/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tvcnashvilleX: https://twitter.com/tvcnashvilleTo support the ongoing mission of The Village Chapel go to https://thevillagechapel.com/give/. If you are a regular giver, thank you for your continued faithfulness and generosity!

I'm reading and talking about Ted Gioia's "Immersive Humanities Course," 52 weeks of World Classics.Reading a familiar text in a bigger reading list like this offers its own special challenges. I start with a little insight about what to do when that happens.I think the best way to talk about these very familiar books is to take them one at a time. Then I have some thoughts about translations (again) and reading in general. Genesis: This is a much longer book than you think! The story starts out very broad and then narrows to tell how God decides to work through a man named Abram. We then see how God continues to work through now-Abraham's family, through Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. None of these men are perfect, or even very heroic except possibly Joseph, but God uses them anyway. Genesis is different than the other very old texts (religious and otherwise) we've read in this schedule, and it's certainly quite different than the Greek philosophy. We see a God who is personal and emotional, capable of anger and also great love, and who is both all-powerful and yet interested in every individual in the entire world.Ecclesiastes: This is a poem of sorts, and you definitely know part of it because of the Byrds' “Turn Turn Turn.” The main character, the Preacher (likely King Solomon), reflects at the end of his days on “What's it all for?” He never settles on a real answer but reflects on how to live, so in its themes it is a lot more like Plato or Aristotle. It's not didactic like Confucius' Analects. It feels a lot more like the Dhammapada, but less fatalistic and actually lovelier in its construction. I think the weariness of Ecclesiastes speaks to the human condition, common across time and geography.Matthew: The first Gospel opens with Jesus' genealogy through Joseph, and I think Matthew's emphasis as he relates the story of Jesus' life is on the fact that the very people who should have been most willing to hear the message did not. Matthew is rooted in Jewish scripture, continually quoting prophets as he relates Jesus' ministry. The book starts with three chapters known as the Sermon on the Mount, which is harder to read straight through than I expected. It is a lot of sayings and aphorisms, not a lot of story, and you know by now how I feel about that. The book then moves into more narrative as the miracles increase in type and scope, leading to the crucifixion. The teachings from Jesus and Matthew's own writing are aimed squarely at the Jewish leaders here, pointing out what they are missing and their refusal to see Jesus for who he is.Mark: This is the shortest Gospel, and I also think of it as the “immediately” Gospel. Mark uses that word at almost every transition from one scene to another, and it makes the book feel very action-oriented. I felt like Mark was sitting with me saying, “Let me tell you what happened!”Luke: Luke is not an eyewitness at all, and even opens the book up saying he has talked to lots of people so he can get an accurate history put down. Luke's always been my favorite for a variety of reasons...John: But I was wrong. John is the single best piece of writing I have read so far in this program. It is amazing. The entire book is crafted beautifully, and it's now my favorite Gospel. Also, it has the very best ending you could hope for. Read it.Romans: Okay, full disclosure, my Bible study group is doing Romans this year, walking slowly through Paul's longest letter. Coming to Romans after the previous readings, I was absolutely struck by the vigor of Paul's writing. It's energetic, masculine, wide-ranging and urgent. It is deeply personal in a way that none of the previous readings were. I loved reading it in one big chunk and offer reflections on how...

The Table Set by GraceLuke 14:1-24The Village Chapel - 05/18/2025What if true freedom begins with honesty? What if real joy grows in the soil of humility? What if grace doesn't ask you to earn your seat—but simply invites you to come? There is a table—where you don't have to be a somebody to get a seat, where the humble become the joyful, and where outcasts, outsiders and the overlooked are all invited in.Join Pastor Jim as he leads us into the house of a leader of the Pharisees in Luke 14 and Jesus opens our eyes to a banquet of scandalous welcome, where grace rewrites the guest list. This is The Table Set by Grace—and there's room for you.To find more resources like these, follow us:Website: https://thevillagechapel.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQVTzDbaiXVUAm_mUBDCTJAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tvcnashville/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tvcnashvilleX: https://twitter.com/tvcnashvilleTo support the ongoing mission of The Village Chapel go to https://thevillagechapel.com/give/. If you are a regular giver, thank you for your continued faithfulness and generosity!

The Narrow Door Is Open WideLuke 13The Village Chapel - 05/11/2025In Luke 13, Jesus reminds his listeners that there is a universal need for repentance, no matter the circumstances of their lives. The door to the kingdom is narrow, and for now,  is flung open wide with an invitation to all to enter. But Jesus also warns us that at some point, that door will be closed. Join Pastor Matt as we study this passage and hear more about the relentless grace of God that pursues each and every one of us.To find more resources like these, follow us:Website: https://thevillagechapel.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQVTzDbaiXVUAm_mUBDCTJAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tvcnashville/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tvcnashvilleX: https://twitter.com/tvcnashvilleTo support the ongoing mission of The Village Chapel, go to https://thevillagechapel.com/give/. If you are a regular giver, thank you for your continued faithfulness and generosity!

Join as Pastor John continues our series in Luke   Luke 1:26-38 The Virgin Mother Receives God's Word

This Day and That DayLuke 12:35-59The Village Chapel - 05/04/2025Waiting is rarely easy, but in Luke 12:35-59, Jesus calls His disciples to wait with a watchful readiness that is anything but passive. His call is to stay dressed for action (be ready), to keep our lamps burning (stay awake), and to live each day with hearts anchored in the promise of His return (eager for His arrival). Our waiting is not wasted–it is shaped by the character and promises of God in Christ and should transform how we live on this day.Jesus' words carry both comfort and urgency. He reminds us that the day of His return will come unexpectedly, and the character of our waiting will reveal the true orientation of our hearts. A wake up call for sleepy believers and an invitation to those who don't yet believe. Join Pastor Tommy as we study together this prophetic teaching from Jesus. To find more resources like these, follow us:Website: https://thevillagechapel.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQVTzDbaiXVUAm_mUBDCTJAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tvcnashville/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tvcnashvilleX: https://twitter.com/tvcnashvilleTo support the ongoing mission of The Village Chapel, go to https://thevillagechapel.com/give/. If you are a regular giver, thank you for your continued faithfulness and generosity!

Tune My HeartLuke 12:22-34The Village Chapel - 04/27/2025We live in a world drowning in fear, crippled by anxiety, and drifting into endless distraction. From the rising of the sun to its going down, our hearts are often tossed about—scrolling, striving, worrying and wondering. But what if our restless souls could be tuned, like an instrument, to the joyful music of heaven?In Luke 12, Jesus calls us away from a life of anxious striving into the secure embrace of the Father's love—a love that gives, provides, and delights to calm our troubled hearts. Join Pastor Jim as he unfolds the beautiful mystery of Jesus as the human soul's A-440 and God's kingdom as our real True North.To find more resources like these, follow us:Website: https://thevillagechapel.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQVTzDbaiXVUAm_mUBDCTJAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tvcnashville/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tvcnashvilleX: https://twitter.com/tvcnashvilleTo support the ongoing mission of The Village Chapel go to https://thevillagechapel.com/give/. If you are a regular giver, thank you for your continued faithfulness and generosity!

20250420 1 A special Message about the resurrection of JESUS (The book of Luke) Luke 24 v 13-40 The reality of Resurrection If you are interested in attending our LIVE teachings (Wednesdays @ 7:00 pm & Sundays @ 10:00 am), you are invited to visit us at 4218 Boston Ave. Lubbock, Texas. To connect with us, you can call us at (806) 799-2227, email us at calvarylubbock@hotmail.com, or checkout our website at CalvaryChapelLubbock.church. You can also watch us on Facebook and contact us through Facebook Messenger. Please feel free to let us know about your walk with Jesus, as we would love to hear it and pray with you. If you'd like to partner with us to help us take the Gospel to the world, just click on the DONATE button on our website, let us know through Facebook Messenger, or in person. We pray that the rest of your week be blessed and that you share the love of Jesus with everyone that you encounter.

Full Barns and Empty Hearts: The Gospel According to Luke Luke 12:1-21The Village Chapel - 04/06/2025Fear is a powerful force. It can drive us to action or paralyze us in uncertainty. But the question Jesus asks us in Luke 12:1-21 is not whether we fear, but whom we fear. The solution Jesus gives us to our fears may come as a surprise. Rather than fearing man, He calls us to fear the One who holds eternal authority—God Himself. But what does it mean to truly fear the Lord? When feared rightly, what does a life of faithfulness look like? Join us as we continue our study in the gospel of Luke and uncover why the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom—and the key to fearless, faithful living!To find more resources like these, follow us:Website: https://thevillagechapel.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQVTzDbaiXVUAm_mUBDCTJAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tvcnashville/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tvcnashvilleX: https://twitter.com/tvcnashvilleTo support the ongoing mission of The Village Chapel go to https://thevillagechapel.com/give/. If you are a regular giver, thank you for your continued faithfulness and generosity!

Wisdom in Warnings: The Gospel According to Luke Luke 11:33-54The Village Chapel - 03/30/2025We often picture Jesus as the ultimate example of being kind-hearted and soft-spoken, but he is also unafraid to speak hard words of truth in love when necessary. In Luke 11:33-54, Jesus encounters Pharisees and lawyers at a dinner and severely criticizes them for their external religion and adherence to man-made laws, which lead others astray. Join Pastor Matt as we reflect on how Jesus confronts hypocrisy and challenges us to live a life that points to Him.To find more resources like these, follow us:Website: https://thevillagechapel.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQVTzDbaiXVUAm_mUBDCTJAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tvcnashville/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tvcnashvilleX: https://twitter.com/tvcnashvilleTo support the ongoing mission of The Village Chapel go to https://thevillagechapel.com/give/. If you are a regular giver, thank you for your continued faithfulness and generosity!

The Stronger One: The Gospel According to Luke Luke 11:14-32The Village Chapel - 03/23/2025The mercy of God often arrives in ways we don't expect. In Luke 11:14–32, Jesus confronts spiritually hardened hearts and warns of vulnerability to the schemes of Satan. When He casts out a mute demon, the crowd marvels—but others resist, question and accuse. Jesus doesn't simply silence the critics; He reveals a greater reality: a cosmic conflict between two kingdoms, and only one King brings lasting freedom.Join Pastor Tommy as we consider together the reality of spiritual warfare, the clarity of Christ's kingdom, and the mercy found in His warnings.To find more resources like these, follow us:Website: https://thevillagechapel.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQVTzDbaiXVUAm_mUBDCTJAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tvcnashville/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tvcnashvilleX: https://twitter.com/tvcnashvilleTo support the ongoing mission of The Village Chapel go to https://thevillagechapel.com/give/. If you are a regular giver, thank you for your continued faithfulness and generosity!

The Gift, Privilege & Power of Prayer: The Gospel According to Luke Luke 11:5-13The Village Chapel - 03/16/2025Prayer is one of God's greatest gifts—an open invitation to commune with the Creator of the universe. Yet, if we're honest, we often approach it with mixed motives, distracted hearts, and uncertain faith.In Luke 11:5-13, Jesus teaches that prayer is not only a gift but also a privilege and a source of transforming power. He urges us to ask, seek, and knock, revealing that our Heavenly Father is not reluctant or annoyed but delights in hearing from us.Join Pastor Jim as he reminds us that God welcomes us in prayer, is more generous than we can imagine, and, through prayer, draws us deeper into His heart, His plans, and His purposes.To find more resources like these, follow us:Website: https://thevillagechapel.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQVTzDbaiXVUAm_mUBDCTJAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tvcnashville/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tvcnashvilleX: https://twitter.com/tvcnashvilleTo support the ongoing mission of The Village Chapel go to https://thevillagechapel.com/give/. If you are a regular giver, thank you for your continued faithfulness and generosity!

Lord, Teach Us to Pray: The Gospel According to Luke Luke 11:1-4The Village Chapel - 03/09/2025Do you ever wonder if prayer really works or makes a difference? Does God truly hear and answer our prayers? In this sermon, Pastor Jim dives into the Lord's Prayer (Luke 11:1-4), uncovering what prayer is—and isn't. Is prayer simply making requests for what we want, or is it our lifeline to God, a way of developing a life-altering communion with the Lord? As we explore Jesus' own teaching on prayer, we'll learn to approach God not just as a distant deity, but as a loving Father who invites us into a personal relationship. Together, we'll discover how prayer shapes our hearts and minds, aligns our will with God's, and can transform our view of everyone and everything in the world around us. Like the disciples, let's learn to pray as Jesus taught us.To find more resources like these, follow us:Website: https://thevillagechapel.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQVTzDbaiXVUAm_mUBDCTJAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tvcnashville/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tvcnashvilleX: https://twitter.com/tvcnashvilleTo support the ongoing mission of The Village Chapel go to https://thevillagechapel.com/give/. If you are a regular giver, thank you for your continued faithfulness and generosity!

First Things First: The Gospel According to Luke Luke 10:38-42The Village Chapel - 03/02/2025In a world that glorifies much-ness, many-ness, productivity and busyness, are we missing what matters most? When Jesus visited Martha and Mary, one was distracted, worried and bothered with her hospitality and preparations, the other was sitting close to Jesus, listening to His Word. How does their story reflect the way our own hearts can be at times? Are we prioritizing productivity over presence, service over surrender? Join us as we explore the dangers of distraction, the delights of devotion, and the call to put first things first—listening to God's Word, sitting at the feet of Jesus.To find more resources like these, follow us:Website: https://thevillagechapel.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQVTzDbaiXVUAm_mUBDCTJAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tvcnashville/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tvcnashvilleX: https://twitter.com/tvcnashvilleTo support the ongoing mission of The Village Chapel go to https://thevillagechapel.com/give/. If you are a regular giver, thank you for your continued faithfulness and generosity!

Unexpected Mercy: The Gospel According to Luke Luke 10:25-37The Village Chapel - 02/23/2025The parable of the Good Samaritan is one of Jesus' most well-known teachings, but its depth goes far beyond a simple moral lesson. In Luke 10:25-37, Jesus responds to a lawyer's question about inheriting eternal life by pointing to the heart of God's law: love for God and love for neighbor. Yet, through this encounter, Jesus exposes the impossibility of perfectly fulfilling the law on our own strength and reveals our profound need for God's grace and mercy.Join Pastor Tommy as we explore how Jesus redefines what it means to love God and others. His mercy is not only for the broken man on the roadside but also for the self-assured lawyer—and for us. Whether you wrestle with the weight of legalism or the pull of self-centeredness, Jesus invites you to step into a life centered on Him.To find more resources like these, follow us:Website: https://thevillagechapel.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQVTzDbaiXVUAm_mUBDCTJAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tvcnashville/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tvcnashvilleX: https://twitter.com/tvcnashvilleTo support the ongoing mission of The Village Chapel go to https://thevillagechapel.com/give/. If you are a regular giver, thank you for your continued faithfulness and generosity!

“Repentance exhorts people to be fair with others and meet basic needs with fundamental aid. This is what God desires of those who know he is present and coming: a concern for him is expressed through concern for others.”—Darrell L. Bock, A Commentary on Luke Luke 3:1-22

Field Notes From the Harvest: The Gospel According to Luke Luke 10:1-24The Village Chapel - 02/16/2025Did you know that there is only one place in the New Testament where we read that Jesus rejoiced? What was he rejoicing about? What captured his heart and soul? It was the saving of souls, because it is the desire of God that none should perish, but that all should reach repentance. Join us as we study through Luke chapter 10 and learn how Jesus equips his followers and sends them out on this mission that is so precious to his heart!To find more resources like these, follow us:Website: https://thevillagechapel.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQVTzDbaiXVUAm_mUBDCTJAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tvcnashville/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tvcnashvilleX: https://twitter.com/tvcnashvilleTo support the ongoing mission of The Village Chapel go to https://thevillagechapel.com/give/. If you are a regular giver, thank you for your continued faithfulness and generosity!

From the responsorial psalm: "Blessed the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked, nor walks in the way of sinners, nor sits in the company of the insolent, but delights in the law of the LORD and meditates on his law day and night. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord."A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Luke 6:17, 20-26, today's readings)And raising his eyes toward his disciples he said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours."Jesus speaks to the disciples and great numbers of people. They come, as Luke tells us, from Judea and Jerusalem and the wealthy Phoenician regions of Tyre and Sidon. Jesus shares the Beatitudes with both Gentiles and Jews, rich and poor, the satisfied and the hungry. In speaking to them face to face on a level plain as the Just Judge, he raises the lowly and brings to the level of dust the wealthy. The poor are not satisfied in their hunger, and the rich are not satiated by what has brought them to prosperity. The words of Jesus are not mere observations on the state of humanity; his words level mountains. In the Communion antiphon for today, we hear how his words take root and fulfill us, at whatever level we stand in life: "They ate and had their fill, and what they craved the Lord gave them; they were not disappointed in what they craved."God, help me learn to be satisfied less with the food the world offers and rely more and more on the sustenance you provide. Jeremiah reminds me that to stay rooted in you, I am not to put my trust in human beings, in the strength of flesh. Instead, he says, "Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose hope is the LORD." The kingdom of God is here and yet to be. Give me the grace and wisdom not to be filled now, not to pursue consolation as an end in itself, but even in the midst of difficulty and suffering to "be glad and leap for joy" at the true food you give me today. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord!Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

The Greatness of Humility: The Gospel According to LukeLuke 9:46-62The Village Chapel - 02/09/2025In Luke 9:46-62, Jesus confronts two of the most pressing issues in the life of a disciple—ambition and commitment. As the disciples argue over who is the greatest, we see a reflection of our own struggle for significance and recognition. Jesus turns our idea of greatness on its head by teaching us that true greatness in the Kingdom of God is not found in status or success but in learning to love and serve others.The call of Jesus is radical and uncompromising: choosing to follow Him will require complete surrender, the abandonment of personal priorities, and a willingness to embrace the cost of discipleship.This passage is not just a theological lesson; it's a challenge to radically reorient our lives around Jesus and His Kingdom. Join Pastor Jim as he helps us consider questions like: What are the things we cling to that hinder our walk with Christ? How can believing the Gospel of grace shape and influence us to greater humility and deeper spiritual growth?To find more resources like these, follow us:Website: https://thevillagechapel.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQVTzDbaiXVUAm_mUBDCTJAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tvcnashville/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tvcnashvilleX: https://twitter.com/tvcnashvilleTo support the ongoing mission of The Village Chapel go to https://thevillagechapel.com/give/. If you are a regular giver, thank you for your continued faithfulness and generosity!

A Land Called Homily is where you'll find the weekly talks given by David Chatel at St. Paul's Episcopal Chapel in Magnolia Springs, Alabama. This episode is from the 5th Sunday after the Epiphany and based on Luke Luke 5:1-11. For more content and information, visit www.davidchatel.com. Thanks for listening!

A Glimpse of His GloryThe Gospel According to Luke Luke 9:28-45The Village Chapel - 02/02/2025Some moments change everything. The disciples had walked with Jesus for a while now—learning as eyewitnesses of Jesus' healing, teaching, and preaching the Gospel of the kingdom. Now, at the Transfiguration of Christ, on a high mountain, Jesus peeled back the veil between heaven and earth, revealing his divine glory in a way they'd never seen before. Then right after that, they all descended back down into the valley where chaos, suffering, and struggles with unbelief awaited.That's the paradox of the Christian life, isn't it? Glory and struggle. Awe and agony. We long to stay on the mountaintop, but Jesus calls us to walk with him through the valley of our broken world.Join Pastor Jim as he helps us catch the mind-blowing, heart-pumping, eye-popping glimpse of glory and rich depth of meaning we find in the Transfiguration of Jesus.To find more resources like these, follow us:Website: https://thevillagechapel.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQVTzDbaiXVUAm_mUBDCTJAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tvcnashville/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tvcnashvilleX: https://twitter.com/tvcnashvilleTo support the ongoing mission of The Village Chapel go to https://thevillagechapel.com/give/. If you are a regular giver, thank you for your continued faithfulness and generosity!

The Christ, The Cross, The CallThe Gospel According to LukeLuke 9:18-27The Village Chapel - 01/26/2025Who do you say Jesus is? This is the most crucial question every human heart must respond to. In Luke 9:18-27, we witness a pivotal moment in the ministry of Jesus and the growth of the disciples. For the first time, Peter confesses Jesus as "The Christ of God" (v. 20). It is after this confession that Jesus begins to reveal to His disciples the trajectory of His mission—suffering, death, and resurrection.Join Pastor Tommy as we consider the identity of Jesus, His work on our behalf, and His invitation to follow Him in costly discipleship so that we might find true life.Keywords: confession, grace, cross, suffering, death, resurrection, denial of self, taking up your cross, following, life, value, identity, kingdomTo find more resources like these, follow us:Website: https://thevillagechapel.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQVTzDbaiXVUAm_mUBDCTJAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tvcnashville/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tvcnashvilleX: https://twitter.com/tvcnashvilleTo support the ongoing mission of The Village Chapel go to https://thevillagechapel.com/give/. If you are a regular giver, thank you for your continued faithfulness and generosity!

Pastor Marco continues his Bible study in the Book of Luke: Luke 5 Part 3.

Living a Sent LifeThe Gospel According to LukeLuke 9:1-17The Village Chapel - 01/19/2025The Galilean portion of Jesus' ministry is drawing to a close. The disciples have witnessed miracles of Jesus' power and authority over demons, disease, nature, and even death itself. Jesus now calls his disciples and sends them out on a mission to do the very things they have witnessed him doing. Join us as we learn how Jesus is preparing the disciples for their mission and how we are being called, equipped, and sent on that same mission to be the hands and feet of Jesus to a hungry world.To find more resources like these, follow us:Website: https://thevillagechapel.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQVTzDbaiXVUAm_mUBDCTJAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tvcnashville/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tvcnashvilleX: https://twitter.com/tvcnashvilleTo support the ongoing mission of The Village Chapel go to https://thevillagechapel.com/give/. If you are a regular giver, thank you for your continued faithfulness and generosity!

Pastor Marco continues his Bible study in the Book of Luke: Luke 5 Part 2.

Faith in the Waiting: Trusting the Timing of the Unhurried HealerThe Gospel According to Luke Luke 8:40-56The Village Chapel - 01/12/2025In Luke 8:40-56, we read the account of two desperate individuals who reach out to Jesus in faith - one a father with a dying daughter, the other a woman who has suffered for years. Despite their urgent needs, Jesus moves with perfect, unhurried timing, demonstrating His authority over both sickness and death, and his delight in encouraging their faith. In this sermon, we'll explore how we can trust in the compassion of Jesus, His perfect timing, and His power to restore and heal. Join us as we discover how faith in the unhurried Healer brings both immediate and eternal transformation.To find more resources like these, follow us:Website: https://thevillagechapel.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQVTzDbaiXVUAm_mUBDCTJAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tvcnashville/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tvcnashvilleX: https://twitter.com/tvcnashvilleTo support the ongoing mission of The Village Chapel go to https://thevillagechapel.com/give/. If you are a regular giver, thank you for your continued faithfulness and generosity!

Pastor Marco continues his Bible study in the Book of Luke: Luke 5 Part 1.

A Savior in the Storm, A Deliverer from the Darkness: The Gospel According to LukeLuke 8:22-39The Village Chapel - 01/05/2025In Luke 8:22-39 we read about two miracles of Jesus. The first was when Jesus was with His disciples out on the stormy sea, and the second occurred when Jesus was confronted by a raging, demon-possessed man. In the storm, all seemed lost. In the confrontation with the demoniac, all the darkness of hell was on full display.What did Jesus do in each situation and what do we learn about Him? How did His disciples react? And what can that teach us as we seek to follow Christ ourselves?Join Pastor Jim as he unpacks answers to these and other questions in our verse-by-verse study of The Gospel According to Luke.To find more resources like these, follow us:Website: https://thevillagechapel.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQVTzDbaiXVUAm_mUBDCTJAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tvcnashville/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tvcnashvilleX: https://twitter.com/tvcnashvilleTo support the ongoing mission of The Village Chapel go to https://thevillagechapel.com/give/. If you are a regular giver, thank you for your continued faithfulness and generosity!

Keep Your Eyes on Your Ears: The Gospel According to LukeLuke 8:1-21The Village Chapel - 12/29/2024This Sunday we will be diving into Luke 8:1-21 where Jesus teaches the transformative power of truly hearing and living out God's Word. From the women who followed Jesus, the parable of the sower, and the illuminating call that His family is made up of those who hear and obey, Jesus challenges us to examine the soil of our hearts. Are we merely hearing the Word, or are we allowing it to take root, grow, and bear fruit in our lives? If not, how do we cultivate hearts that can truly recieve God's word when we hear it? Join us as we uncover what it means to truly hear, respond, and bear fruit in the Kingdom of God.To find more resources like these, follow us:Website: https://thevillagechapel.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQVTzDbaiXVUAm_mUBDCTJAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tvcnashville/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tvcnashvilleX: https://twitter.com/tvcnashvilleTo support the ongoing mission of The Village Chapel go to https://thevillagechapel.com/give/. If you are a regular giver, thank you for your continued faithfulness and generosity!

Study of Luke | Luke 14 Luke McNeely Lesson Handout

Ryan Fields speaks on the Parable of the Lost son in Luke 15 to speak to the impact of Steve Gregg's ministry at Creekside

Pride and Shame Encounter JesusThe Gospel According to Luke - Luke 7:36-50The Village Chapel - 11/17/2024In Luke 7, Jesus is invited to dinner at a Pharisee's house. What happens next is both awkward and uncomfortable, yet profoundly beautiful, as Jesus encounters a woman publicly known as a sinner. Pride meets shame, and Jesus reveals the truth of the debt we all owe and the lavish grace on offer to everyone. As we wrestle with our inner narratives, it's essential to understand where our identity is found and sourced. Join Pastor Matt as he teaches us through Luke 7:36-50 and helps us explore the love of God in Christ for all of us.To find more resources like these, follow us:Website: https://thevillagechapel.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQVTzDbaiXVUAm_mUBDCTJAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tvcnashville/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tvcnashvilleX: https://twitter.com/tvcnashvilleTo support the ongoing mission of The Village Chapel go to https://thevillagechapel.com/give/. If you are a regular giver, thank you for your continued faithfulness and generosity!

Pride and Shame Encounter JesusThe Gospel According to Luke - Luke 7:36-50The Village Chapel - 11/17/2024In Luke 7, Jesus is invited to dinner at a Pharisee's house. What happens next is both awkward and uncomfortable, yet profoundly beautiful, as Jesus encounters a woman publicly known as a sinner. Pride meets shame, and Jesus reveals the truth of the debt we all owe and the lavish grace on offer to everyone. As we wrestle with our inner narratives, it's essential to understand where our identity is found and sourced. Join Pastor Matt as he teaches us through Luke 7:36-50 and helps us explore the love of God in Christ for all of us.To find more resources like these, follow us:Website: https://thevillagechapel.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQVTzDbaiXVUAm_mUBDCTJAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tvcnashville/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tvcnashvilleX: https://twitter.com/tvcnashvilleTo support the ongoing mission of The Village Chapel go to https://thevillagechapel.com/give/. If you are a regular giver, thank you for your continued faithfulness and generosity!

Study of Luke | Luke 13 Chase Gilbert Lesson Handout

Where Do I Take My Doubts?The Gospel According to Luke - Luke 7:18-35The Village Chapel - 11/10/2024John the Baptist was the last and greatest prophet of the Old Covenant (Luke 7:28). He was given the unique honor of preparing the way for the coming Kingdom of the Messiah, Jesus Christ (Micah 3:1). John had publicly proclaimed that Jesus was the Son of God (John 1:34). He had witnessed the Holy Spirit falling upon Jesus and heard God the Father thunder, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:16-17) John's entire life and mission pointed people to Jesus, “...the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). Yet even the greatest of the prophets, in his darkest hour, began to doubt. Languishing in Herod's prison, John asks an honest question of Jesus, “Are you the Expected One, or shall we look for another?” (Luke 7:19)John the Baptist's honest question reminds us that doubts are often a part of the Christian life. Join Pastor Tommy as we study the way Jesus responds to John's question with mercy and the light of truth.To find more resources like these, follow us:Website: https://thevillagechapel.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQVTzDbaiXVUAm_mUBDCTJAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tvcnashville/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tvcnashvilleX: https://twitter.com/tvcnashvilleTo support the ongoing mission of The Village Chapel go to https://thevillagechapel.com/give/. If you are a regular giver, thank you for your continued faithfulness and generosity!

Where Do I Take My Doubts?The Gospel According to Luke - Luke 7:18-35The Village Chapel - 11/10/2024John the Baptist was the last and greatest prophet of the Old Covenant (Luke 7:28). He was given the unique honor of preparing the way for the coming Kingdom of the Messiah, Jesus Christ (Micah 3:1). John had publicly proclaimed that Jesus was the Son of God (John 1:34). He had witnessed the Holy Spirit falling upon Jesus and heard God the Father thunder, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:16-17) John's entire life and mission pointed people to Jesus, “...the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). Yet even the greatest of the prophets, in his darkest hour, began to doubt. Languishing in Herod's prison, John asks an honest question of Jesus, “Are you the Expected One, or shall we look for another?” (Luke 7:19)John the Baptist's honest question reminds us that doubts are often a part of the Christian life. Join Pastor Tommy as we study the way Jesus responds to John's question with mercy and the light of truth.To find more resources like these, follow us:Website: https://thevillagechapel.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQVTzDbaiXVUAm_mUBDCTJAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tvcnashville/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tvcnashvilleX: https://twitter.com/tvcnashvilleTo support the ongoing mission of The Village Chapel go to https://thevillagechapel.com/give/. If you are a regular giver, thank you for your continued faithfulness and generosity!

Study of Luke | Luke 12 Chase Lynch Lesson Handout

Study of Luke | Luke 11 Andy Deck Lesson Handout