Podcasts about scripture luke

Daily Dose of Hope August 15, 2025   Scripture – Luke 8:1-25   Prayer: Abba Father, We come to you today with gratitude.  Thank you for loving us.  Thank you for wanting a relationship with us. Thank you for never leaving our side.  Thank you for giving us glimpses of how this world is supposed to be.  Help us to follow you more closely, Lord.  We need your truth.  We need your guidance and direction.  With every fiber of our being, we need you.  As we read your Word today and reflect on it, Lord, speak to us.  Help us grow closer to you.  Let us know where we are falling short so that we can be the people you have called us to be.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Bible reading plan.  We are currently doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we dive into the first portion of Luke 8.  Chapter 8 is a mix of parables and miracles, truly a beautiful picture of the Kingdom of God. We get glimpses of the Kingdom here, the way God always intended his world to be.   Let's begin with the parable of the Sower. We read a version of this in Mark and Matthew as well.  In this teaching, Jesus is talking about the Kingdom by telling a story about a farmer who goes out to sow seeds.  The farmer doesn't worry so much about where he is throwing the seeds. In fact, he seems to be pretty indiscriminate with his seed-throwing; he is throwing seed everywhere. Some of the seed falls right on the path, where all the people walked and the soil was hard and had been packed down. So, the birds ate most of that seed. Some of the seed fell in rocky places (there are lots of rocky places in that part of the world) and while it would sprout, the soil was shallow, and there wasn't enough root for the plant to survive. Some fell among thorns, and the thorns were invasive and took over. The plants had no real chance of survival there. But then some seeds fell on good soil, which produced an amazing crop-30, 60, or even 100 times what was sown.   What is Jesus teaching us about the Kingdom of God in this parable? The different soils are important but they aren't necessarily the main point. Who is the star of the story? Well, the farmer is or the one who is sowing the seed. He throws that seed everywhere–he is generous with the seed, throwing it everywhere there is any chance it might take root. Friends, we are the Sowers. We are the ones called to throw seed. What's the seed we are supposed to be throwing around? The Good News of Jesus. The Good News is for ALL.   We aren't supposed to decide with whom to share our faith. No, we are truly to share our faith, in word and deed, with everyone. This is so important. We aren't just supposed to share Jesus with those in our congregation or with our friends who are “safe.” We are supposed to be kind of reckless, sharing the love of Jesus Christ, sharing our faith story, telling people the source of our hope, with all kinds of people: those who don't look like us, those we don't know, and those we do know. If God has brought us to a certain place, a certain store, a certain vacation spot, a certain meeting, trust that there is a greater purpose. We always should be on the lookout for ways to have spiritual conversations and share the Good News.   I've had you do this exercise before but I want you to think about your past week. Think about the places you went, the people you spoke to, the things you did. I want you to think about each of those situations. What would it have looked like if you had sowed some seeds at each of those places?   And yet, we aren't responsible for what happens to the seeds. We are just called to sow. Sow with joy wherever we go. Sow with love. Sow obediently and abundantly. Then, we trust that God will do the rest. Trust God with the harvest. For me, this takes the pressure off...we are not responsible for the harvest.   Then, there is the lamp on the stand.  It is meant to be out in the open where it can give light not hidden under a bowl or bed.  What is hidden is meant to be disclosed and brought out in the open.  Truth is not meant to be hidden.  The Gospel is meant to be brought out in the open and shared.  Another glimpse of the Kingdom.   Then, there is the interaction with Jesus' mother and brothers.  Someone comes to get Jesus to tell him his mother and brothers were wanting to see him.  And then he says, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God's word and put it into practice.”  As a mom, this stings a bit.  But even here, we are getting another glimpse of the Kingdom.  In God's Kingdom, the bonds that connect us go far beyond bloodlines.  We are brothers and sisters in Christ with other believers.  We are one family.  The bonds between us are strong, possibly stronger than those between biological family members.  How have you experienced this in the family of God?   Our final part of the reading today was Jesus calming of the storm.  This is another one we have read about in other Gospels.  Luke's version is pretty similar.  The storm is really, really bad and the disciples think they are all going to die.  And where is Jesus?  He is sound asleep.  The storm doesn't bother him at all.    One of the disciples wakes up Jesus, telling Jesus that they were all going to drown.  Really, his question was more like, “don't you care that we are going to die?”  How often have you asked this question–Jesus, don't you care? This is our ultimate cry to God, isn't it? It's a cry of fear, doubt, abandonment, rejection.  As a pastor, I hear it repeated in this community, in this church, in your own lives. Where is God? Where is Jesus as I deal with illness and pain? Where is God as I deal with grief or depression or loneliness? Where is God as our world seems to be imploding?  Jesus, don't you care? Where are you as I struggle?   Jesus calms the whole storm with just a few words and then asks the disciples, “Where is your faith?”  Basically, why are you such cowards?  You have seen my power and authority. You have seen what I can do. And yet, you are still afraid! I can't help but think he asks that of us as well. You have seen what I can do. I've shown up over and over again. And yet, you still have no faith? I mean, I'm right here in the boat with you. I'm not somewhere far off. I'm here, in the boat.    The disciples were amazed and marveled at his power, saying “Who is this?”  Without realizing it, the disciples ask the most important question there is - who is Jesus?  Who is this man???  Who is this man to you?   Who is Jesus to YOU?  To me, Jesus is God. He has been given authority over all things because he is God.  He is also my Lord and my Savior. But we each have to settle that in our own hearts.  Who is Jesus to you?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki        

Daily Dose of Hope August 14, 2025   Scripture – Luke 7:36-50   Prayer: Holy God, We come before you today distracted and with scattered thoughts.  Help us focus, Lord, on you and your Word.  Help us, in the next few moments, to be silent, still, and remember that you are God...Thank you, Lord, for your care and concern for our lives.  Thank you for how you show up in amazing and unexpected ways!  We give you glory, Lord Jesus.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Happy Thursday!  Today, we finish up Luke 7.   In today's reading, Simon the Pharisee and the forgiven woman illustrate two different reactions to Jesus. Simon sees Jesus as merely another teacher not even worthy of common courtesy.  He has invited Jesus to dine in his home, but he has not shown the typical forms of hospitality appropriate for an honored guest.  There is no water to wash feet and no kiss of welcome.   The woman, on the other hand, has a radical reaction to Jesus. She reacts with great sacrifice (pouring out the expensive perfume), and undignified affection (wiping his feet with her hair). The woman's reaction flows out of her profound recognition of Jesus forgiveness of her great debt. She is so very, very thankful.  While she is a sinful woman in that area, we don't have any information about her past.  Most scholars believe that this woman was NOT Mary Magdalene, nor is she a prostitute.  What's interesting is that Jesus refuses to play into Simon's judgment of her.  Jesus looks at her with compassion and even possibly appreciation.  She is showing extreme hospitality and generosity, exactly what Simon did not do.   Note that in Luke's version of this story, Jesus can read Simon's unspoken thoughts about Jesus and the woman.  Simon thinks to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”  So Jesus has an interesting interaction with Simon, directly confronting his thought.  He speaks to Simon about how those who are forgiven much are more thankful and those who feel like they don't need much forgiveness are less grateful for what God has done for them.  Of course, Simon's reaction comes from the fact that he does not believe he needs much forgiveness (i.e. he believes his debt is small). And he believes that all he has, all he has done, comes from his own effort. He's good. He's self-reliant. He might need God but only a little bit.   One of the greatest obstacles to being changed by God is not recognizing our own weaknesses, our own sins, and our own need for inner transformation. But when we recognize how much God has done for us, when we truly understand how much God loves us, how he has forgiven us totally, how all we have comes from him, then and only then do we experience the kind of gratitude and thanksgiving that this woman is demonstrating.   Pretend you were at the banquet, standing along the wall observing. What would your thoughts be about her behavior? What would you want to say to this woman?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Who Are You, Really? — With Mikhail Alfon | Echo Church In this powerful and deeply personal message, Mikhail Alfon returns to the Echo Church stage to unpack the question: "Who am I?" Sharing from his own season of radical change—selling his business, becoming a father of two, and stepping into a new career—Mikhail explores how transformation often shakes our identity to the core. Through the lens of Levi the tax collector and his encounter with Jesus in Luke 5, Mikhail challenges listeners to rethink how we define ourselves. Are we still clinging to who we used to be? Or are we stepping fully into who God is calling us to become? Whether you're navigating a major life change or wrestling with daily identity struggles, this message speaks to the moments when faith feels uncertain and the future unclear. Mikhail reminds us that true identity isn't found in our careers, past, or mistakes—but in Jesus, who calls us to follow Him and invites us into something far greater.  Topics covered: Letting go of old identities and stepping into new ones How Jesus meets us in our lowest places Being a light to our communities, not an echo chamber Why the people around us matter when our identity shifts Personal stories of transformation, parenting, and faith Scripture: Luke 5:27–32 | Matthew 9:9 If you've ever wondered who you really are or what's next in your faith journey, this episode is for you.

Daily Dose of Hope August 13, 2025   Scripture – Luke 7:1-35   Prayer: Almighty Father, Thank you that your mercies are new every morning.  Thank you, that no matter what this week has held, we can come to you and start over.  We are grateful for your forgiveness.  We are so very grateful for your care and your love.  Help us, Lord, to set aside our distractions, to set aside our scattered thoughts and focus on you right now.  In these next few moments of silence, Lord, hear our prayers...  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we start Luke 7.   At the beginning of this chapter, we meet the Roman centurion. This is such a great text!  One of the most interesting components of this story is that the centurion came up to Jesus at all.  He would have been part of the Roman occupying force in Judea and Galilee.  It's fascinating that he is presented in such a positive way and that he responds so favorably to Jesus and his message.    It's interesting that this Roman soldier cares so deeply for his slave.  Roman centurions weren't known for their compassion.  But he went to great lengths to reach Jesus and ask for his help.  In fact, this Roman centurion sends Jewish elders to speak on his behalf to Jesus to prove that he has been a patron of the Jewish people.   When most of us approach this passage, our biggest takeaway is the faith of this man.  And it's impressive.  He tells Jesus that he understands authority and chain of command because of his military experience.  He knows that Jesus has authority enough to heal from afar.  That is pretty incredible.  The Jews don't understand Jesus' authority but this Roman soldier does. Jesus responds in amazement at the man's faith and heals the slave.   Jesus is surprised to find such faith in a Roman centurion, faith that far exceeds what he has seen from others in Israel.  It's interesting that Jesus himself is surprised that an enemy soldier could be a model for faith for the people of God.  I think this points to how we shouldn't be surprised that faith can show up in the most unlikely of people and places.    The next part of today's reading always moves me.  There is a woman from Nain whose son has died.  Unlike the Roman soldier, she doesn't seek out Jesus.  She may not have known Jesus at all.  She was most likely consumed with grieving for her only son.  Thoughts of the Messiah and his healing were probably not in her thoughts at all.  Just all-consuming grief.    But Jesus has compassion on her.  He initiates raising her boy from the dead.  And this shows his power over death.  He isn't just a great teacher, prophet, and healer.  He is the Son of God.  Jesus addresses the boy's corpse with a sentence and the boy sits up and begins talking.  A miracle like no other occurs and a mama has her boy back.  I love this.   The last portion of today's reading was Jesus being asked about John the Baptist.  John sends messengers to ask Jesus – Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?  Based on his answer, Jesus is the one and he gives all kinds of reasons why – the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cleansed, the dead rise, and so forth.  Jesus is already doing the things that the Messiah will do and they are beginning to see signs of heaven on earth.    Well, if Jesus is Messiah, then who is John?  That is what Jesus addresses to the crowd. By saying that Jesus is the one, that means that John the Baptist is not the one.  Jesus points out that John is truly a great man and a great prophet.  He preached repentance of sin and is the one prophesied to pave the way for the Messiah.  Why did so many people go into the wilderness to be baptized by him?  They were yearning for something he had.  John was offering them something they desperately needed – forgiveness and cleansing.  And now Jesus is offering them a different kind of Good News.   More tomorrow.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki        

What do you do when someone you love has walked away from the Catholic faith? In this homily for the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Luke 12:49-53), Fr. Jonathan Meyer shares how we can hold both the reality of division and the hope of Christ's desire for unity.   You are not alone. The Lord is with you. And He may be calling you to be the answer to someone else's prayer for a loved one's return.  

Daily Dose of Hope August 12, 2025   Scripture – Luke 6:37-49   Prayer:  Abba Father, You are our Creator, Provider, and Sustainer.  Thank you, Lord, for wanting to be in relationship with us. You are a God who sits high and looks low.  You, who are over everything, also care deeply for us.  We are so grateful.  Help us do all we can to glorify you.  We desperately need you, Jesus.  Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we finish up Luke 6.   We are finishing up Jesus' Sermon on the Plain.  This is the Gentile-friendly version of Matthew's Sermon on the Mount.  Basically, Jesus is outlining how we are to behave and think fundamentally different from the world around us.  The first portion of the today's reading deals with judging others.  Judgement is something that has gotten Christians in a lot of trouble with the world around us.  In fact, being judged by Christians is one of the main reasons people say they have avoided the church or left the church.  This should be heart-breaking to all of us.  Something has gone terribly wrong.    Jesus is saying you will be judged by the same measure you use to judge others. Think about this. How do you want to be judged? I can tell you that I want to be judged with mercy and compassion. Jesus talks about not trying to take the speck out of a friend's eye without taking the plank out of our own.  Why do we obsess over others' specks, over their shortcomings? Well, because it's easier, it's more fun, but most of all we feel so much better about ourselves when we point out someone else's stuff. It distracts me from dealing with my own stuff.  I wonder if sometimes we don't even notice the plank hanging from our own eye. Maybe we just aren't very self-aware, or we don't want to be self-aware. We are happy being ignorant about our own issues.    We then move on to a tree and its fruit.  A good tree bears good fruit and a bad tree bears bad fruit. So what is Jesus saying to us?  Well, a person's character is demonstrated by the kind of fruit they produce.  Someone can talk the Jesus talk but if they are generally selfish and rude to others, then we can be pretty certain that something is off.  I think about celebrity pastors or politicians who make a big deal about calling themselves “Christian.”  But they aren't honest, they are consumed with wealth, and they treat people like dirt.  Their fruit is rotten and we need to pay attention to that.  Character is judged by fruit, not talk.   The last portion of today's chapter is about the wise and foolish builders. Jesus says that those who hear his words and put them into action are like those who build their homes on firm, solid foundations.  On the contrary, there will be some people who call “Lord, Lord...” but don't follow his teachings at all.    Where do you fall?  Think about some of Jesus' main teachings: Loving God and loving other people, forgiveness (receiving and giving), repentance, believing in and trusting in God (recognizing that Jesus is God), being radically generous, and recognizing the Kingdom of God.  There is also caring deeply for the least and the lost.  Spend some time thinking about each of these.  Do you live these out in your life?  Are you obedient to the teachings of Jesus?  How can you take a step closer to greater obedience?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Daily Dose of Hope August 11, 2025   Scripture – Luke 6:1-36   Prayer:  Heavenly Father, We come to you today praising your holy name.  You are a good God!  Thank you for caring for us, for walking alongside us, but  most of all thank you for Jesus, who died our death, so that we can walk hand in hand with you.  Help us live like resurrection people in the way of Jesus.  We don't want to get stuck in our religion.  We want to live transformed lives in Jesus.  How we need you, Lord.  We are stubborn people.  Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church Bible reading plan.  We are currently doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we begin Luke 6.  Our reading today contains a lot of substance and I'll do my best to do it justice.   We begin with Jesus' disciples plucking off heads of grain on the Sabbath and then Jesus healing on the Sabbath.  Both of these things infuriate the Pharisees who have made the Sabbath incredibly complex for the people.  They instituted an extremely complicated system of Sabbath laws of their own that was oppressive and legalistic. There were strict laws regarding how to observe the Sabbath, which included 39 categories of forbidden activities. This went far beyond what was required in the Torah.  For example, they weren't allowed to swat a fly (it was considered hunting), nor were they allowed to look in a mirror because they might be tempted to primp.  Basically, these religious leaders, with their own lists of rules, had made themselves lords of the Sabbath, thus making themselves lords over the people.    Jesus was pushing back against this.  He speaks about how David and his men ate consecrated bread from the Temple when they were hungry, even though it was off-limits.  There are times when rules make sense and there are times when they don't.  People are always more important than rules.  The original intent of the Sabbath was to give humans rest, not to create a heavy burden.  The Pharisees had lost sight of this.    Jesus then states that he is Lord of the Sabbath.  This really gets the Pharisees worked up.  By saying this, he is declaring that he has authority over the Sabbath.  Jesus can overrule the Pharisees' rules and regulations because he is the one who created the Sabbath in the first place.  He has the power to correctly interpret the meaning of the Sabbath and the rules pertaining to it.  Let's be clear, Jesus is making a bold statement about who he is.    Do you get distracted by our own rules and traditions?  And do those rules and traditions get in the way of doing the work of Jesus?    The next portion of today's reading has Jesus choosing the twelve disciples.  Notice how he spends all night in prayer.  The fact that God the Son spends all night in prayer with God the Father is something to which we should pay attention.  If Jesus needed time away to pray to God, how much more do we who are made in God's image but do not share His essence?   The last section of today's reading includes the blessings and woes and love for enemies.  This teaching block is known as Jesus' Sermon on the Plain.  While it has similar elements to Matthew's Sermon on the Mount, it also is very different.  Matthew is clearly writing to Jews, while Luke's audience is mainly Gentiles.  It's for that reason that Luke doesn't worry about including references to Old Testament equivalents.   Luke is making a point about how God is in the business of turning human realities upside down.  The poor are blessed by God and the rich have already had their blessing.  The hungry will be satisfied but those who are full now will hunger later.  These beatitudes and woes are examples of a pattern we see in Luke --- God is at work in Jesus, turning worldly values upside down and challenging perceptions.  The mighty are cast down and the lowly are lifted up.   Thus, when Jesus then says to love your enemies, please know this audience would be shocked.  In the Gentile world, people did not love enemies.  It would have been a sign of weakness.  And yet, Jesus is turning things upside down, establishing a new standard of compassion that crosses religious, political, and cultural lines.    Notice this wasn't a suggestion.  It wasn't something that Jesus says to do every now and then or when it's convenient.  It's a command.  Interestingly, we find it hard to love good friends and family members.  It can be tough to love ourselves.  But Jesus is showing us all a different way.  Mercy for the those who are unmerciful, forgiveness for the unforgiveable, love for the unlovable – this is the way that God has chosen to transform people.  I recently read that we are the delivery system for God's healing power.    Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Scripture - Luke 12:32-40Thank You for listening!Follow us on Facebook Instagram YouTube Website You can contact us at office@newcovenantaz.orgMaking Jesus Christ the Heart of Every Home.

Scripture:Luke 18:9-14, Romans 3:21-24, Romans 12:3, Isaiah 66:2“Being humble begins with understanding who you are in light of who God is.”Points:1. Reverence2. Repentance3. Respect

Jesus calls us to be ready in all things and circumstances. Scripture: Luke 12:32-40Worship guide: https://tinyurl.com/fbcjc8-10p

What if God's deepest joy was giving you more than you could ever earn?#BattleDrillDevotional #GodsKingdom #GraceInAbundanceIn this episode of the Battle Drill Daily Devotional, we explore Luke 12:32 and the life-changing truth that God delights in giving you his kingdom. In a world obsessed with striving and proving our worth, Jesus speaks tenderly: “Don't be afraid, little flock…” These are words for the overlooked, the anxious, and the weary. Through Jesus' gentle voice, we rediscover the Father's joy - not in rules or rewards - but in loving relationship.Are you too full of ambition or anxiety to receive what God longs to give? This devotional invites you to loosen your grip, trust in God's abundant grace, and live open-handedly today.Scripture: Luke 12:32 (NLT)Call to Action: Don't miss the joy God has for you today - listen in, reflect, and receive it with open hands.You can read this week's devotionals by downloading them from here - https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/oahcw23287807x75mk4ol/250810.pdf?rlkey=3wc6m4uunusyycnjc7fdjhqc5&dl=0 Visit battledrilldevotional.com for more devotionals. Prefer watching? Check out our video devotionals at video.battledrilldevotional.com.Thanks for listening to Battle Drill Daily Devotional, where each weekday I share short, 5-minute Christian devotionals to help you stay spiritually strong and battle-ready for life's challenges. Hosted by Salvation Army officer Rob Westwood-Payne, this podcast brings daily encouragement and biblical insights to believers of all backgrounds. If today's devotional inspired you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who might need encouragement. Your support helps more people discover Battle Drill Daily Devotional, a trusted source for Salvation Army devotionals and Christian faith reflections. For more devotionals and resources, visit battledrilldevotional.com. Prefer watching? Check out our video devotionals at video.battledrilldevotional.com. Or get devotionals delivered straight to your inbox - completely free at devotional.battledrilldevotional.com. They're designed for busy people who want to grow spiritually and face life's challenges with confidence. If you're already a subscriber, why not share Battle Drill Devotional with a friend or loved one who could use daily encouragement? See our Sermons at battlereadysermons.com...

Daily Dose of Hope August 8, 2025   Scripture - Luke 5:27-39   Prayer:  Holy God, Almighty Father, the Great I AM, Throughout all time, You are good.  Your ways are perfect.  Teach us your ways, Lord.  Help us to know you better, to know you more.  Lord, on our own, we are powerless.  We are desperate for your wisdom, love, and mercy.  More of you and less of me, Jesus.  Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts. Today, we finish Luke 5.   I realized when I sat down to write that yesterday I got a little bit ahead of myself.  Levi's banquet was supposed to be covered today.  I guess I got a little excited about Jesus dining with the tax collectors.  Jesus did some pretty powerful ministry around the dinner table.  Keep in mind, in ancient near-east culture, who you broke bread with was really important – it meant that you accepted those people, you were connected to them.  Respectable Jews would not eat with Gentiles or anyone deemed unclean.  But Jesus continually scandalized others by whom he chose to eat with, with who he allowed to be at his table.  He very strategically used the meal as a way to demonstrate who he is, what he values, and what we are to value.  Levi's dinner was no exception.  He scandalized the Pharisees by sitting and eating with the tax collectors.   There really is something powerful about sitting around the dinner table with someone.  Even when we don't agree with the people, sitting and chatting over a good meal, building trust, is absolutely worth it.  Who do you need to invite over for dinner?   The final portion of today's Scripture is about fasting.  We don't have a strong tradition of fasting, but it is definitely Biblical.  Let's think about the purpose of fasting.  It's a spiritual discipline that involves abstaining from food (or something else, but usually food) in order to focus more on God and grow spiritually.  There is a lot of precedent in Scripture for fasting.    Let me start by saying that Jesus is no way condemning fasting in this passage.  In verse 35, he is making it clear that his disciples will fast.  In Matthew 6, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus states, “when you fast...” not “if you fast...”   But in this passage, Jesus is also teaching about feasting.  There are times to fast and there are times to feast.  When we feast, we celebrate what God is doing or has done in our lives.  We relish in the victory of Jesus Christ.    What is the occasion for the feast in today's passage?  Well, Jesus himself is there, present with his disciples.  They don't know it yet, but Jesus' coming marks the beginning of the New Covenant, which God had been promising for hundreds of years.  Jesus takes this a step further by giving some of the new vs. old comparisons.  He is doing a new thing.  You don't use new fabric to repair an old garment.  Likewise, you don't put new wine in old wineskins.  Jesus is doing something new and it will require a new way of thinking, a new way of doing life.  They are celebrating that new way of doing life with a big feast!   Blessings, Pastor Vicki        

Daily Dose of Hope August 7, 2025   Scripture – Luke 5:1-26   Prayer:  Lord Jesus, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, We give you all the glory and praise.  Thank you for being a God who provides.  Thank you for being a God who heals.  Thank you for being a God who sees past our brokenness and invites us into relationship with you.  Help us, Lord, to grow more deeply in love with you every day.  More of you and less of me.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts. Today, we begin diving into Luke 5.   This chapter's calling of the first disciples is a little different than Mark or Matthew.  It's not an immediate drop everything and follow Jesus kind of scene.  Luke writes about how Jesus is teaching and then does a miracle with the catch of fish.  It's a miracle of abundance and provision.  At a time, having enough to eat was truly a big deal, and Jesus is providing exactly what the disciples need in a physical sense.  It's in that context that he then invites Simon Peter and the others to follow him and become fishers of people.  Jesus wants to provide what the disciples need in a spiritual sense as well.    How do the disciples of 2025 become fishers of people?  By definition, disciples make more disciples. This is something we have historically struggled with as modern Americans.  We struggle with sharing our faith in a sincere, genuine way.  We struggle with living out our faith in ways that create impact.  What has been your own experience being a fisher of people?  Who is the last person with whom you had a spiritual conversation?   We then move on in the text to a healing of a man with leprosy.  I did a deep dive today on what it was like to live with leprosy in first century Judea.  Leprosy, also called Hansen's Disease, was pretty destructive to the Bible.  It is still in existence today in places and environments that are very unsanitary, but it isn't nearly as contagious as the stigma around it suggests.  However, in the Bible, leprosy was a catch-all term to describe all serious skin diseases.  And remember, any skin disease would have made a person unclean and unable to worship in the synagogue or even live a normal life (under the Old Covenant, a leper wasn't allowed to come within six feet of another human).  To make matters worse, it was generally believed that God inflicted leprosy on people for the sins they committed.    Being cured of leprosy would have been life changing.  The world would open back up for that individual.  As we have read through the Gospels, we've seen how Jesus would heal those with leprosy.  In doing so, he gave that person the gift of physical and spiritual community again.  What I love the most about this miracle is that Jesus physically touches the man with leprosy to heal him.  Of course, Jesus didn't have to touch him, but he chooses to.  Jesus touched the untouchable of his time.  He loved the unlovable of his time.  And he gives us that example as well.   The next section of the reading is Jesus healing the paralyzed man.  We read about this in Mark and Matthew as well.  This is the man whose friends lower him through the hole in the roof, because they couldn't get him through the crowd blocking the door.  They were determined to get their friend to Jesus.  They knew it was the only way for healing.  How determined are we to get our friends to Jesus?   Jesus gets bold in this interaction.  He tells the paralyzed man that his sins are forgiven.  Of course, this infuriates the Pharisees.  In their minds, only God can forgive sins and Jesus even suggesting this would be considered blasphemy.  Of course, they have no idea of who they're dealing with.  Jesus is God himself.  Jesus is God and God is Jesus.  His healing goes so much deeper than the physical.    The final portion of today's reading is the dinner party at Levi's house.  Levi is a tax collector.  That means he is an outcast among the Jews.  Remember, tax collectors at that time worked for the Roman government.  They collected the necessary taxes plus they took an extra chunk for themselves.  But Levi believes in Jesus and turns his life around.  And then he invites his friends to join him for dinner.   Jesus invites all of us to join him for dinner, even in our brokenness.  He sees past our brokenness and mess and meets us where we are.  What is important to realize is that he doesn't want us to stay there though.  He wants us to repent and move forward and then invite our friends to join us!   Blessings, Pastor Vicki        

This week we mark the end of what is known in the church as “moving season” and so we take a look at this period as we have definitely expereinec change in Asbury this year. Tune in as Pastor Emily Edwards shares the message, “Storage Wars.” Scripture: Luke 12: 13-21

Daily Dose of Hope August 6, 2025   Scripture - Luke 4:31-44   Prayer:  Holy God, We come before you today in humility and awe.  You are a good God.  You, who put the stars and planets in motion, also created us.  You care about the most minute details of our lives.  You have numbered the hairs on our head.  Thank you for loving us.  Thank you for caring so much.  Help us be put even a small reflection of your love toward those around us.  More of you and less of me, Jesus.  Amen.   Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today is Recharge night in the Garage at 6:30pm.  Hope to see you there for fellowship, worship, prayer, and small community.   Today, we finish up Luke 4.  Jesus is now fully involved in his public ministry.  He is demonstrating the Kingdom of God with his teaching and healing.  In Capernaum, his chosen home, he heals a man possessed by an evil spirit.  He then heals Simon Peter's mother-in-law, and a whole slew of other people who come to him.  There were demons who Jesus casts out and they declare out loud that Jesus is the Son of God.  Jesus quickly rebukes them.  My guess is that it wasn't yet time for people to know him as Messiah.  There was still so much to do.   I want us to notice something.  After Jesus does all this healing, he goes to a solitary place.  Jesus gives us this great pattern of doing work/ministry and then having solitude with his Father.  No matter how busy Jesus is, he still seeks time alone to pray.  The lesson here for us is that the busier we are, the more we need to seek the Father!  We need times of quiet with God.  Every single one of us.   At the bottom of chapter 4, Jesus reiterates his purpose.  He says this in verses 43-44, But he said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent. And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.  That is why he was sent.  We touched on this yesterday.    I want to say once again that what Jesus was saying was radical.  He was saying that the Kingdom of God is here and he represented the Kingdom. He embodied the Kingdom.  He represented a new way of doing life, demonstrating the reign of God.  So everything he did–all his miracles, his teachings, all his parables---they were all intended to show what the Kingdom of God was like, what the new way of being human was all about.   Why did Jesus feed people? Because in God's Kingdom, in the kind of world that God always intended for us to have, there is no hunger.  Thus, it was only natural for Jesus to feed people. In God's Kingdom, there is no sickness, so Jesus healed people. In God's Kingdom, there is no discrimination, so he elevated the status of those who were rejected by society. He ate with the people that everyone else hated–the tax collectors and the prostitutes–because in God's Kingdom, every single human life has value.   In God's Kingdom, there is justice, mercy, and love. Thus, Jesus offered acceptance. He offered LOVE in everything he did, ultimately giving up his life in the greatest act of love in the history of the world. In everything he did, from the time he sat on the steps and read the scroll from the prophet Isaiah to the cross through the resurrection, all of these give us a picture of the Kingdom of God, the world that God intended, a world in which there is reconciliation, healing, beauty, and wholeness.   I'm sorry to harp on this but I want everyone to see how Jesus' ministry was not just about getting individuals right with God. That's part of it, definitely, but the good news of the Kingdom is more than “you can go to heaven when you die.” It's “you can be reconciled to God now. You can live under the reign of Christ and live life abundant.” Yes, Christ came to ensure individual salvation but it was one part of something much bigger. By dying on the cross and being raised from the dead, there was final victory over sin AND the barrier between heaven and earth was broken for good.  N.T. Wright writes, “The resurrection completes the inauguration of God's Kingdom...It is the decisive event demonstrating that God's Kingdom really has been launched on earth as it is in heaven.”   Okay, I've probably rambled enough for one day.  I can talk about the Kingdom for hours, fair warning for future devotionals.   Blessings to all of you, Pastor Vicki    

Join us we continue this new chapter in the life of Asbury, with the welcoming of our new Copastors Emily Edwards and John Shughart! Tune in as Pastor John Shughart shares the message, “Prayer and Action.” Scripture: Luke 11: 1-13

Starting preschool can feel overwhelming, both for moms and our little ones! That's why Karen and Emily are joined today by veteran preschool director Lisa Lucas, who brings 20 years of wisdom to this conversation. Lisa shares how preschool has changed over the years, what kids really need to be ready, and how moms can ease the transition with a few small habits at home. Whether you're a first-time preschool mom or just looking for a reset, this episode is packed with tips to help your family thrive this school year! Episode Recap:Preschool director Lisa Lucas and Karen go way back! (2:45)How the preschool environment has changed over the past 20 years (7:00)Preschoolers are capable of a lot more than we think (14:40) Solid sleep habits and good nutrition make a world of difference (17:20)How can I ease separation anxiety? (19:40)How can moms support their preschool teachers? (26:30)The small chane that will make a BIG difference in your school year (29:51)Scripture: Luke 2:52 (NIV) “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.”Discussion Questions:What were your biggest emotions or concerns when sending your child to preschool for the first time?Lisa mentioned that preschoolers are more capable than we give them credit for. In what areas could you offer your preschooler more responsibility at home?How do you think your family's technology use impacts your child's behavior, imagination, or attention span? What changes might you consider for the year ahead?What's one new habit or routine (e.g., sleep schedule, communication skill, attitude shift) that could help your preschooler feel more confident about school?How can you support and encourage your child's teacher/school this year?Resources:Grab a pad of Lunchbox Notes to start your year off strong! https://store.birdsonawiremoms.com/collections/gifts/products/lunch-box-notesReach out to https://birdsonawiremoms.com/book-karen-to-speak to have Karen come speak in your communityJoin our private FB group, BOAW Moms: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BOAWmoms

Jesus, there is no one too broken when it comes to your healing power. Keywords:Healing; demons; brokenness; wholeness; whole mind; Jesus; miracle. Scripture: Luke 8:27 A “best of” episode.

Daily Dose of Hope August 5, 2025   Scripture – Luke 4:1-30   Prayer:  Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory forever. Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope daily Bible reading plan.  We are currently doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we begin Luke 4.   The chapter starts with Jesus being led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit.  There, he was tempted by Satan for forty days.  Luke goes into a fair amount of detail here.  The devil tempts a fasting Jesus by telling him to turn rocks into bread.  The devil promises Jesus that he will offer him the whole earth if he will just bow down and worship Satan, but Jesus refuses.  He also encourages Jesus to put God to the test.  Just like the baptism, this is part of Jesus' preparation for public ministry.    Remember, Jesus was both fully God and fully human.  There is mystery here; with our human brains, we struggle to wrap our brains around this truth.  I certainly do.  It's in the wilderness experience that we can see Jesus' humanity.  He is truly tempted.  But he stays in line with God's will.  In his baptism, he has made a public declaration that he will obey God's will for his life.  And he stays true to that, even when tempted by the devil and his schemes.    I grew up in Christian traditions in which we didn't talk much about the devil.  I think people were kind of scared to talk about it.  In my previous denomination, there was definitely a wishy washiness about belief in Satan and demons.  If you didn't believe in a real devil, they were fine with it.  While they could not deny evil, which is a force that is obviously very strong, they were definitely hesitant to make firm statements about the source of that force.   After almost twenty years in ministry, I don't see how anyone who reads Scripture and lives out the Christian walk can deny the existence of a real Satan.  God has an enemy who is at work against him and against us.  References to Satan/the devil/the enemy are found throughout the entire Biblical narrative.  At least a quarter of Jesus' ministry dealt specifically with the conflict between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of darkness.  We are going to see all of this play our as we walk through the gospels.  Jesus was God with flesh on and he came to crush Satan under his feet. What Jesus experienced in the wilderness was spiritual warfare and as we look at this narrative in other gospels, we will see how Jesus uses Scripture, God's Word, in response to everything the devil threw at him.  He emerges from the wilderness victorious and ready to start preaching and teaching God's message of redemption, reconciliation, and love.    Jesus also gives us a great example of how to stand up against the enemy's tactics in our world.  We don't need to be scared but be prepared.  There isn't a demon lurking in every corner, but the world is full of evil and evil beings.  Be ready to proclaim God's Word, that is the only offensive weapon we have.  Keep following Jesus, stay faithful, but be prepared for opposition.    The next part of the passage moves into Jesus standing on the steps of the synagogue in his hometown of Nazareth.  Let's start with some background to help us understand the significance of this moment.  Our God is a God of mission. His mission from the beginning was to redeem his world and restore it to its intended purpose. We see throughout scripture how God's plan unfolds. First, he pours himself into the nation of Israel, revealing his character, shaping a new kind of people. But, if you've read the Old Testament, you know what happens. Israel repeatedly disobeys God and eventually rebels against God until there is no turning back.  At this point, it seems like all is lost.    But at just the right time, God speaks through the prophets and the next part of his mission begins to unfold. He says, “It may seem like things are hopeless now but they aren't because someday, I'm going to send someone who will restore the people of Israel to me. This person will be a light to the Gentiles, and will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth and it will be obvious once more that your God reigns.” And then 600 years after that prophecy in Isaiah, once again in God's perfect timing, his mission becomes more full and complete through the person of Jesus Christ who fulfilled this promise of reconciliation and “making things right again.”    That's where we are pick up in the scripture passage for today.  It's early in Jesus' ministry and he begins to reveal his mission.  Jesus reads scripture from the prophet Isaiah, scripture that those present would have been quite familiar with.  But Jesus does something extraordinary after that.  He says, The Scripture you've just heard has been fulfilled this very day.     Jesus is saying, “Guess what, guys? I am the long-expected redeemer. I am the one who came to fulfill the mission of God. To put things right, GOD SENT ME!” This would have caused a bit of shock.  But Jesus doesn't stop there.  He begins to tell them how the Jews have traditionally rejected the prophets.  They haven't recognized God's sent people, even when face to face.  Here they are, face to face, with the Son of God, the Messiah himself, and they don't recognize him at all.    But this only angers them and it seems that they may even try to throw Jesus off the cliff.  But Jesus walks right through the crowd, totally unscathed.   I like to think of this text as Jesus' mission declaration.  But what exactly did God send Jesus to do?  What was his mission?  This is the critical question for us.  In American Christianity, when we think about why Jesus was sent, we tend to say “to die on the cross so we can have eternal life.” That is certainly part of the reason (and it's really, really important but it's incomplete. It's not the whole story.)   In tomorrow's reading, we will hear Jesus say, I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent. Jesus was sent to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom of God.  And just a review, what is the Kingdom of God?  The Kingdom of God is anywhere that God reigns and his values are at work, anywhere where the world is working in the way that God always intended it to work. This means the Kingdom of God is present when values like justice, mercy, forgiveness, hope for the poor and oppressed, compassion, righteousness, are lived out by God's people.   What we need to understand is how radical and revolutionary this was at the time.  Jesus is saying that the Kingdom of God had arrived. He represented the Kingdom. He represented this new way of doing life, this new way of being human, a way of doing life that demonstrates the reign of God. And everything Jesus did–all his miracles, all his parables---were intended to demonstrate the Kingdom.    More tomorrow.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

2025-08-03--1030 Pastor Loran Livingston is the speaker this morning, August 03, 2025, in the 1030 AM service.   Scripture: Luke 21:36 Matthews 26:36-41 Psalms 1   Notes: -Pastor Livingston encourages viewers to keep their eyes off of worldly influences and stay close to God in prayer. -Pray to Jesus to deliver you from things that keep you away from Him. -I must remind myself to give everything to Jesus and to be careful who I listen to.  

2025-08-03--0830 Pastor Loran Livingston is the speaker this morning, August 03, 2025, in the 830 AM service.   Scripture: Luke 21:36 Matthews 26:36-41 Psalms 1   Notes: -Pastor Livingston encourages viewers to keep their eyes off of worldly influences and stay close to God in prayer. -Pray to Jesus to deliver you from things that keep you away from Him. -I must remind myself to give everything to Jesus and to be careful who I listen to.

Daily Dose of Hope August 4, 2025   Scripture – Luke 3   Prayer:  Almighty God, Thank you for today and new week.  Thank you for providing for us, caring for us, and protecting us.  Over thousands upon thousands of years, you have taken care of your people.  We give you glory and praise, for who you are.  Thank you, most of all, for sending Jesus, who moved into our neighborhood so that we could begin to understand your love.  Wow.  There are no words to adequately thank you for the sacrifice that saved our lives.  Lord Jesus, we love you and we thank you.  Help us grow in holiness, continue to transform us so we can be a better reflection of you.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back, everyone, to the Daily Dose of Hope, a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.   Today, we dive into Luke 3. I find it particularly fascinating how Luke begins by listing all the rulers of the time.  He is showing us that John and Jesus are doing ministry within a particular geopolitical landscape.  Luke identifies some of the most important rulers of that region. Tiberius was the Roman emperor from 14-37 AD.  Like many emperors, he was known to be cruel, corrupt, and self-obsessed.  His rule served as a significant contrast from the kind of Kingdom ushered in by Jesus Christ.   Then we have Pontius Pilate.  He was governor of Judea from approximately 26-37 AD.  Of course, we recognize him for his role in Jesus' trial and death, which also landed him a mention in the Apostles' Creed.   Herod Antipas is also mentioned.  He was the son of Herod the Great.  The Herod dynasty was set up by the Roman government to rule over the Holy Land.  They considered themselves Jewish, although the Jewish leaders might have argued that point.  The Herods in general tended to feel easily threatened and rule with an iron fist.  Herod Antipas was ruler over the region of Galilee and Luke refers to him a few times.   The high priests who Luke mentions are Annas and his son-in-law, Caiaphas.  Caiaphas was officially the high priest during this time but the presence of Annas still was clearly felt.    Mentioning these real people was important to Luke.  He wanted to show that God is bringing about salvation not in the abstract but in real time, through real events, real people, and in actual places.  It's in the messy, difficult, and complex event of history that God reveals himself and continues his work of redemption.   And the work starts with John the Baptist, who gathers people in the wilderness at the Jordan River.  He quotes some prophecy from Isaiah, suggesting that God's people will be restored among the nations (of course, no one quite understands how they will be restored.) And of course, John talks about Jesus, for whom he has been called to prepare the way.  John is a forerunner of sorts, preparing the hearts of the people for what is to come.  John has no problem speaking truth, he has some pretty harsh words for the people, calling them to repentance and baptism.  Keep in mind, repentance means a sincere turning away from sin and a turning toward God.  This is more than just being sorry.  It is a real change of heart and mind with a desire to be obedient.  John addresses the common people, the soldiers, and even the tax collectors, and how they can repent and begin to produce good fruit.    When John baptizes Jesus, it marks the beginning of Jesus' public ministry. This call to ministry was accompanied by the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove and confirmed by God's voice from heaven. It is a beautiful picture of the Trinity. What's interesting and even a bit puzzling about this scene is that John's baptism, as I just mentioned, was one of repentance. It was for sinners to come, repent, and be cleansed. But Jesus was sinless. He had no need of a sinner's baptism. And yet, he chose to go through the ritual. Jesus sought to identify with the people he came to save.   This is a critical part of the incarnation, God coming to earth to become a human being. It's in the incarnation that Jesus becomes one of us. Jesus goes to the people, identifies with them, and gives them a real-life demonstration of who God is and how much God loves them. The baptism was simply the beginning.   The chapter closes with a genealogy of Jesus, according to Luke.  Luke attempts to trace Jesus' family tree all the way back to Adam.  While Luke isn't literally listing every single generation, he is making a point.  Jesus did not come to just save the Jewish people but all people.  We know from the book of Romans that Paul calls Jesus the new Adam, the one who restored what was lost in Adam's sin.  While Adam infected all people with sin, Jesus opened the door to redemption and eternal life for all people who believe in him.   Take a moment and read through this genealogy again, as well as the genealogy in Matthew 1. What are the similarities and differences? How does each author go about telling the story of Jesus' family?   More tomorrow.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Scripture:  Luke 6:27-36, Ephesians 4:32, Matthew 5:43-44, Romans 12:19The Pulse ExperienceSermon:  7x70 The Walk Part 2Pastor Jay MaceSunday, August 3, 2025https://linktr.ee/thepulsewinfield

Scripture:Luke 15:11-32, Romans 3:23, Romans 10:13, 2 Corinthians 5:17Parable: a Fictitious but realistic story that communicates a spiritual truth.Points:1. The lost son. A. Admit you're a sinner, lost in need of a savior.B. Believe in Jesus.C. Commit to live as a follower of Jesus.2. The older son.What is our relationship like with God the Father?

Scripture - Luke 12:13-21Thank You for listening!Follow us on Facebook Instagram YouTube Website You can contact us at office@newcovenantaz.orgMaking Jesus Christ the Heart of Every Home.

When the things we hold onto for security fail, Jesus offers to anchor our lives. Scripture: Luke 12:13-31Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/fbcjc8-3s2 Worship guide: https://tinyurl.com/fbcjc8-3p

Scripture: Luke 12:13-21What are we “invested” in? As Jesus tells a story about a man with a lot of stuff, but apparently no one to share it with, we might ask how we “store up” connection and community which yield life, rather than the hungers of isolation. The post Self-Serving Storage appeared first on Foreside Community Church.

Jesus calls us to move into the unknown and to go where we have not been. Listen as Pastor Al challenges us as individuals and as a church to follow Christ into the deep waters of faith. (Scripture: Luke 5:1-11)

Our city is bustling, and sometimes the noise of all that is happening can drown out what our souls really crave: meaning, peace, and hope. In times of uncertainty and change, let's pause to remember that true satisfaction is found not just in what we achieve, but in drawing close to God. Join us today as we seek what truly sustains us. If you are new to Community Church, WELCOME! We would love to get to know you. Please fill in the following form and we look forward to connecting with you: https://bit.ly/cc-new-connect You can find all timely and relevant links from this service on https://bit.ly/cc-links You can also find out more about us at https://communitychurch.hk/ ================ This Week's Scripture: // Luke 4:1-13 (NIV) // Jesus is tested in the wilderness Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.' Jesus answered, ‘It is written: “Man shall not live on bread alone.”' The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, ‘I will give you all their authority and splendour; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If you worship me, it will all be yours.' Jesus answered, ‘It is written: “Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.”' The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ‘If you are the Son of God,' he said, ‘throw yourself down from here. For it is written: ‘“He will command his angels concerning you     to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands,     so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”' Jesus answered, ‘It is said: “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”' When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time. Jesus rejected at Nazareth Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside.

Scripture: Luke 11:1-13Speaker: Brandon EggarSeries: The Holy Spirit

Solid Rock Bible ChurchSunday August 3, 2025Pastor Bill Gay:"By Faith and Not Works"SCRIPTURE:Luke 7:50John 3:17

Eighth Sunday After PentecostAugust 3, 2025

Daily Dose of Hope August 1, 2025   Scripture – Luke 2:22-52   Prayer:  King of Kings and Lord of Lords, You are an amazing God.  Thank you for becoming one of us.  Thank you for emptying yourself to take on the form of a servant.  Your name is worthy of all praise.  Give us insight, wisdom, and discernment, as we read your Word today.  Help us take this precious gift of Scripture and apply it to our lives.  We are grateful, Jesus, and we love you.  Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Bible reading plan.  Currently, we are working through the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we are finishing up Luke 2.   Today's reading shows us that Joseph and Mary are good, law-abiding Jews. They visit the Temple at just the right time to give sacrifices for Mary's purification (done about 40 days after giving birth.) It was also at this time that they dedicate their first-born son to the Lord. The new parents offer a pair of doves or two young pigeons, which would have been the sacrifice offered for those who are poor or possibly middleclass. This just serves to reinforce that Jesus did not come from money or influence.   The Spirit leads an older man in the Temple, named Simeon, to greet Jesus and his parents. The Scripture says that Simeon was righteous and devout and had been waiting for the consolation of Israel. This consolation does not refer to the Jewish political hopes of conquering the Romans but rather the hope that will come with the Messiah, the salvation of Jesus Christ and the coming of God's Kingdom.   Simeon's song to God is quite beautiful. He says that now he has seen God's salvation, he can die in peace. Jesus will be a light to the Gentiles and the glory of the nation of Israel. It says that his parents marveled at what was said about him. Remember, they knew their child was special but as the sleep-deprived parents of an infant, all of this was probably pretty difficult to wrap their heads around.   Simeon then says this, This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too. This statement, which serves as prophecy, must have been a bit alarming to his parents. Jesus' message will divide the nation. Some will believe and others will oppose him. The journey toward promise-fulfillment will be a difficult one. To walk with Jesus will bring pain and persecution and many will in turn reject him.   And then there is the statement that Mary's heart will be broken or pierced as well. It is incredibly painful for a mother to see her child rejected. Most moms I know would gladly endure pain and suffering so their child wouldn't have to do so. Simeon is preparing Mary for what's to come.   The next portion of the chapter, about young Jesus staying behind in the Temple as his parents head back to Nazareth, is fascinating to me.  We don't have a lot of information about Jesus as a boy.  I'm guessing that while he was obedient, he may have been a challenge to parent.  He was brilliant, he was mature beyond his years, and he had a depth of spiritual understanding that his parents could not fathom.    But it's worth noting that when his parents noticed he was missing from the caravan, they went back to Jerusalem and found him in the Temple, listening to the teachers of the law and asking them questions.  The Son of God sat at the teachers' feet and asked questions.  Could it be that twenty years later some of these same teachers would be threatened by this boy's wisdom and influence and want to have him killed?    The final line of the chapter is intriguing.  It says that Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. How can the God in human form grow and learn?  Wouldn't he already know everything?  I think this is where we get a glimpse of the incarnation – Jesus was fully God and also fully human.  I think of Philippians 2:6-7 which reads that, Though he was in the form of God, he did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant.  Jesus was the Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, but he also gave up some of his God-like character traits as a human being, such as omniscience (he could not be everywhere at the same time).  I think this Scripture also indicates that he may have also restrained his trait of being all-knowing.  There was actually a need to gain insight and wisdom.   I would love your thoughts on this!   Have a great weekend and I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki    

Scripture: Luke 5:1-11

Daily Dose of Hope July 31, 2025   Scripture – Luke 2:1-21   Prayer:  Heavenly Father, Provider, Sustainer, Thank you for being the God who cares, who provides, who sustains, and who saves.  As we talk about the Christmas story today, help us remember how you became one of us, and lived among us, to demonstrate the full extent of your love.  Thank you for Jesus.  Thank you for your sacrifice.  Thank you for showing us a different way of doing life.  Help us actually live the way you taught us.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we start Luke 2 and read about the birth of Christ, what we know as the Christmas story.   We have kind of sanitized the Christmas story. It's a sweet story we tell our kids with friendly donkeys and smiling shepherds. But the world that Jesus was born into was a rough one. It was a world of poverty, violence, and division. The Jewish people had been expecting a Savior for 700 years since Isaiah prophesied that God would send a king–a wonderful counselor, mighty God, holy one, Emmanuel. They had been waiting 700 years! Things were tough. Living under the rule of the Roman Empire was no picnic–it was a violent and oppressive place; they were waiting for this one that God would send to save them, to rescue them from the trouble and darkness of their lives. They were restless, weary, and impatient.   And then, God sends a Savior in the form of a baby. Just like the world he was born into, the circumstances around Jesus' birth were troubling and dark. Jesus' mom was a poor 14 year old girl, who appears on the surface to get pregnant out of wedlock (we know it was the Holy Spirit, but can you imagine the gossip in her little town of Nazareth?) And toward the end of her pregnancy, the government requires all heads of households to go to the town of their ancestors to register for a census. That meant that Joseph, Mary's fiancé, needed to go to Bethlehem, because that was the town of King David and he was descended from David. Most likely, Mary didn't have to be there but she does go with him, possibly to get away from the scandal in her own village. It was a 90 mile trip, over hills and rough terrain, and it probably took about 9 days. In her 9th month of pregnancy, she walked for 9 days straight (no mention of a donkey in Scripture).   When they arrive, Mary goes into labor (surprise, surprise after all that walking )but there is no place for them to stay. We don't know if everything was occupied, as there were many people who had entered the city for the census, or they simply didn't have enough money to pay for a proper room. Mary has the baby in a stable of sorts, maybe not a stable like we think of a stable, but the place where the animals were kept. Some think it could have even been in a cave. But it was warm and cheap and she has the baby and places him in a manger, which is the animals' feeding trough. I'm sure this wasn't anything like Mary had dreamed about when she thought about starting a family. It wasn't pleasant and magical and peaceful, it was hard and uncomfortable and scary.   After Jesus was born, an angel, a messenger from God, appears to the shepherds and says, I bring you Good News of great joy that will be for all people. For a baby has been born in Bethlehem and he is the Messiah, the Savior, the Lord. These were the names that the emperor used to describe himself and now the angel is saying that the true ruler, the true Savior of the people, the true bringer of Good News and peace, was in fact this little baby. And the angel told them that they would find this baby laying in an animal's feeding container and wrapped up in strips of cloth. And then we go from one to many, many angels (the armies of heaven) saying, Glory to God in Highest Heaven and peace to all those whom God favors. For even the angels and all the company of heaven rejoiced at the birth of this baby.   This is a story most of us have heard many, many times.  So, what was the Good News of great joy?   First, this child was called the Messiah, the anointed one, the one they had been waiting for over a period of hundreds and hundreds of years.  Would this child be the one to save them?  Remember, the Jews thought they needed saving from their oppressors.  They had trouble wrapping their brains around any other kind of savior.   Think about what it means to be a Savior – someone who rescues another from destruction, ruin, or defeat. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that our world is quite a mess and we need saving. We can't fix any of this mess ourselves. If we could, we would have already done it.   The Jews thought the only kind of saving they needed was from their Roman occupiers.  But they had no idea that there was a deeper, more insidious need.  What do we need to be saved from? Well, SIN.  We need to be saved from ourselves, our brokenness. On the cross Jesus saves us from our own failings, from our own darkness. Early Christians called Christmas “the light piercing the darkness” because at just the right time, just when humanity needed it most, God sent Jesus to be light in our darkness.    And this, my friends, is just the beginning.  Let's see what else Luke has to say about the incarnation.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope July 30, 2025   Scripture – Luke 1:57-80   Prayer:  Abba Father, You are the potter, we are the clay, and the work of Your hands. Mold us and fashion us into the image of Jesus, your Son. Father, may we be one in You as He is in You, and You are in Him. Glory and praise to you, forever and ever. Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we finish Luke 1.    We finally read about the birth of John the Baptist to Zechariah and Elizabeth. You will remember the angel visiting Zechariah the priest in the temple from our reading two days ago.  Because of his disbelief, the angel takes away Zechariah's ability to talk.  It isn't until Zechariah and Elizabeth's son is born and circumcised that he is able to speak again.  By this time, he's had many months to ponder the words of the angel that visited him in the temple.    I've often wondered if Zechariah and Elizabeth thought about how similar their situation was to Abraham and Sarah.  As good Jews, they would have known the story of Abraham well.  They would have known how God also promised a childless Abraham and Sarah a baby even though they were very well along in years.  They would know that despite Abraham and Sarah's skepticism and their attempts to take matters into their own hands, God's promise proved true.  Abraham and Sarah did in fact have a son, Isaac, and Abraham became the father of many nations.  I can't help but think Zechariah would have thought about that during his many months without a voice.   And when his own son comes, they name him John just as the angel had told them to do.  And this was also unexpected.  Scripture says that, “On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.” They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”  The relatives and friends don't believe that the child's name should be John so they go to Zechariah next.  Still mute, he asks for a writing pad and clearly communicates that his child is to be named John. Keep in mind, in that culture, it would have been normal to name a son after his father, implying that the child would walk in the steps of his father, that he would carry of his father's name, and his work as well.  If he had been named little Zechariah, it would have been expected that he grow up to be a priest like his dad.  But as we know, God had other plans for this child.   Of course, we know this child to be John the Baptist, the cousin of Jesus.  And it took a while, but Zechariah is now filled with joy and hope, because he understands that with the birth of his son, God was fulfilling a promise he made a long, long time ago.  Not just for him and Elizabeth but for all people.  God is raising up a savior for his people just as the prophets had declared 700 years before, and Zechariah's son John will go before this savior to prepare the way, to prepare the hearts of the people for the Savior of the world.  John will prepare the way for Jesus Christ.  Zechariah knows this and rejoices in it.  He says this in v. 76, And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;  for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him…   Blessings, Pastor Vicki      

Daily Dose of Hope July 29, 2025   Scripture – Luke 1:26-56   Prayer:  Almighty God, We rejoice in your holy name.  We give you glory.  Thank you for a new day.  May we experience you, today, Lord.  May we hear your voice and hear you when you call us.  We want to do your will.  We want to say yes.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back, friends, to the Daily Dose of Hope, a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we are covering part 2 of 3 in Luke 1.  We are reading about Mary.   We read that the Angel Gabriel appears to Mary and tells her that she is highly favored. She is immediately troubled with this greeting.  Think about this – Mary was a poor, humble girl, probably around age 14.  Why in the world would an angel greet her this way?  But we soon find out.  Gabriel tells Mary that she will become pregnant and her son will be called the Son of the Most High; she is to call him Jesus.   Some context is helpful here.  Mary was engaged to be married to Joseph. In those days, girls were married very young. As soon as they became able to have children, they were betrothed. It could have been as young as 12, as old as 15. (Life expectancy was low.) And once the marriage was arranged (by the parents), the betrothal was marked by a party, which would be followed up by another party a year later, and it is at that time that the couple would start to live together as husband and wife. It was definitely more formal thatn what we think of as engagement. A divorce was required to end it, and if the groom died during the year, the woman was considered a widow.   I say all this to show how serious an engagement was during the first century.  And now the angel is telling Mary that she would become pregnant.  Mary would have known that this kind of incident put her in real danger. Virgin births were no less unusual two thousand years ago than they are today. And Mary, despite her young age, would have known where babies come from. She knew that to be pregnant meant that she had to be impregnated. She supplies half the genetic material. Someone else had to supply the other half and Joseph would have know that he did not do it.   We probably don't read between the lines as quickly as someone in the first century. Probably one of the first things to go through Mary's head was “Umm...this could get me in some real trouble.” And I don't mean it would just upset her parents. This threatened all her plans. She risked losing her upcoming marriage. She risked being ostracized by her family. She risked being the butt of the gossip mill in little Nazareth, being called names and being subjected to hardship. She even risked being killed by the Jewish authorities. The consequence for adultery was death according to Jewish law and although this wasn't always carried out, it certainly could be, and a young, unmarried, poor girl from Nazareth would sure be an easy target.   So, you would think this information would make Mary hesitant.  But after the first question of “well how in the world could this be,” Mary responds with “I am the Lord's servant...May your word to me be fulfilled.”  I've often wondered what went on in Mary's mind between “how can this be” and “I am the Lord's servant.”  She had every excuse in the book to say, “NO! Not me!” But she doesn't.  She trusts God and allows him to use her.    God is telling us a lot about his character and what he values. We know that God uses and God values the meek, the humble, and the lowly. He uses a poor, young girl from a poor little town to be the mother of the savior of the world. We know that, over and over again, God identifies with the poor, the weak, and the oppressed. This ends up being a central theme in Jesus' ministry as well. God values meekness and humility and because of that, so should we. It also shows that God chooses to work in places and through people that the world would not choose. He is more concerned with someone's willingness to say yes than their pedigree or resume.  That is certainly the case with Mary.    So what can we learn about God through the person of Mary? The reality is that God sometimes calls us to do things that are hard. God calls us to things that aren't on our agenda, things that might derail our hopes, plans, dreams.  He may even call us to do things that are dangerous and be with people we don't want to be with or go places we don't want to go.  This is the hard truth – Just as he did with Mary, God may call us to make sacrifices, to give up things we would prefer to do, all because he asked us to do it.    Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Episode 365: The Power TrapSummary:Afraid that stepping into your full power will cost too much? That people might judge you, or success might ask more than you can give? In this episode, we're uncovering the final trap that keeps you playing small—and walking through how to break free so you can show up boldly in your calling, without apology.Takeaways:The Power Trap shows up when we fear what our calling will require.Success can trigger fear responses just like failure can.When you name your fear, you strip it of its power.Power looks different for everyone—define what it looks like for you.People-pleasing keeps us playing small.Playing small is not humility—it's self-protection.God works in layers—stepping into your power happens one layer at a time.Abraham's story shows the danger of pleasing people over purpose.Courage says yes, even when fear says run.You don't have to get it perfect—just keep stepping forward.Quotes:“If you don't step into your power, others are going to miss out on what you are called to bring to the table.”“Playing small isn't holy—it's just keeping other people in the dark.”“Your obedience is not for their applause. Your obedience is for the one who called you.”“Courage doesn't mean it's loud, but it is consistent.”Courageous Action:Get Honest with God – Journal through Psalm 139:23–24 and ask Father to show you the real fear holding you back.Define Your Version of Power – What does power look like for you in this season? How are you wired to show up?Take One Bold Step – Choose one action you've been avoiding and do it this week to start practicing your power.Chapters:00:00 – Three Enrolling Questions01:00 – Series Recap (Feeling, Safety, Power Traps)03:00 – Why this episode matters04:00 – Personal Story: Coaching opportunity & fear response10:00 – The Power Trap Defined12:00 – Scripture: Luke 12:4814:00 – Moses vs. Israel – Stepping into power16:00 – Trap Response #1: Name your fear20:00 – Trap Response #2: Define your version of power26:00 – Trap Response #3: Choose purpose over people-pleasing30:00 – Abraham's story: Purpose over people32:00 – Recap + Final Encouragement35:00 – Courageous Action37:30 – CTA + OutroWho Am I?Heather Bunch – The Courageous CoachCertified life & Enneagram coach, speaker, author of Hello Courageous. I help Christian women entrepreneurs grow themselves so they can grow their business and fulfill their God-given purpose.I also help coaches/speakers/authors get their ideas into signature systems & books.Links:

Prayer is more than a ritual or a measure of spiritual performance—it is a daily audit of our hearts in light of God's living Word. As Jesus taught in the Lord's Prayer, we are called to reorient our desires, surrender our will, and depend on God for grace, provision, and deliverance. True prayer awakens us—not a reluctant God—to His presence at our door, reshaping our priorities and transforming us into people who seek His kingdom above our own. In this way, prayer becomes less about tracking spiritual “progress” and more about being formed into the likeness of Christ through His presence. Scripture: Luke 11:1-13 NIV Jesus' Teaching on Prayer 11 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” 2 He said to them, “When you pray, say: “‘Father,[a] hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.[b] 3 Give us each day our daily bread. 4 Forgive us our sins,     for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.[c] And lead us not into temptation.[d]'” 5 Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6 a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.' 7 And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity[e] he will surely get up and give you as much as you need. 9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for[f] a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Daily Dose of Hope July 28, 2025   Scripture - Luke 1:1-25   Prayer:  Everlasting Father, We thank you that you are a God of hope.  You are a God who keeps his promises.  You are a God who always has our best interest in mind.  Forgive us for those times that we want things to go the way we want things to go.  Fill us with your wisdom and discernment.  Help us try to think about things from a more eternal perspective.  How difficult that is for us!  Lord, we submit to you our lives, our families, our jobs, our burdens, our physical bodies.  We give them to you and we trust you.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we begin the book of Luke.   Luke is considered a Jewish Gospel.  There are connections to the Old Testament throughout, specifically the fulfillment of God's promises and these promises are bigger than anyone expected.  We will highlight those as we walk through the text.  The point, though, is that the God who sent Jesus is the same God who operated throughout the Old Testament.  There is a continuity with the nation of Israel but now salvation in Jesus is being offered to everyone.  Luke is making a specific point here.   Let's talk about the author, Luke himself.  Who was he?  He gives us a brief intro in Luke, saying he is writing to a man named Theophilius, a name that means lover of God.  Some scholars say he is writing to generic believers but most think Theophilius was a specific person.  We just don't know much about him.  Luke also states that he has done a lot of research into the things that have happened but he doesn't tell us a lot about himself.   What we know is that Luke was a physician and a Gentile.  He is actually the only Gentile to write any portion of the New Testament. Paul briefly alludes to this in Colossians 4, when he makes a distinction between Luke and other colleagues “of the circumcision,” meaning the Jews.  Paul calls him the beloved physician.  Actually, while Luke doesn't name himself as author of Luke and the book of Acts, Paul refers to Luke several times.  Besides the Colossians reference, he also mentions Luke in Philemon and 2 Timothy.  Luke writes about Paul in Acts quite extensively and mentions himself a few times in subtle ways.   In today's reading, we get the first portion of the story of Zechariah.  Zechariah is a priest from the hill country near Jerusalem. Two weeks out of each year his division of priests was on duty at the temple in Jerusalem. Of course, this is where we find Zechariah faithfully going about his ordinary priestly duties. But this year, Zechariah is chosen by lot (which means he is chosen randomly, like drawing a name out of a hat) to be the one to go into the sanctuary and offer the incense offering.  So, up until this point, all is pretty ordinary and expected.  But then Scripture says in v. 11-12, Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. Whenever we read about an angel appearing to people in the Bible, they are usually afraid – angels are fierce beings.   The angel tells Zechariah that his wife, Elizabeth, will get pregnant and have a son who will be a source of joy and gladness for them.  This son will be filled with the Holy Spirit and set apart by God for a special purpose – to prepare the way of the Lord, to make people ready to receive Jesus Christ.   But this clearly catches Zechariah off guard.  He isn't convinced; in fact, he is skeptical.  So Zechariah asks the angel, “Are you really sure?  I mean my wife is kind of old.”  He is a man who has probably had years of heartbreak and disappointment. You see, Zechariah is married to Elizabeth (Elizabeth is the cousin of Mary, who becomes the mother of Jesus) and Zechariah and Elizabeth have never been able to have kids.  Now, they have gotten to the point in which they are too old to conceive.  Zechariah will soon be forced to retire from the priesthood.  Life surely hasn't happened the way he planned.  So what happens?  V.19-20, The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”   Zechariah is in the temple for a while and then when he comes out, he cannot speak.  The people assume he has seen some kind of vision because he is just making signs to them but no words are coming out of his mouth.  Nevertheless, the speechless Zechariah goes home to his wife Elizabeth, and she gets pregnant.  And Elizabeth sees the Lord's hand in these events. She exclaims in verse 25, “This is what the Lord has done for me when he looked favorably on me to take away the disgrace I have endured among my people.”   Not to spoil the story, although I figure most of you have heard it before, but Zechariah does not speak again until his son, John, is born.  This is a story about a miracle, a birth that is not just unexpected but seemingly impossible.  But it's also about how God keeps his promises.  God is faithful.  And while this is a portion of the Christmas story that we may often gloss over, it's really critical for us.  Remembering how God has proven faithful in the past—even when all hope seemed lost—builds confidence that God can be trusted in the present and the future.   There are so many times in our lives when problems seem overwhelming and when it's hard to see a way forward, when it seems like things aren't going as planned, when it feels like all hope for the future has reached a dead end.  And maybe that's where you are right now.  It's possible that you look at your life and you think, “This wasn't what I expected, God.”  Maybe you are dealing with health issues or a loved one is ill or in pain.  Maybe you are crippled by depression or anxiety.  Maybe there is a broken relationship or a financial burden or you simply feel empty.  Maybe, like Zechariah, you are feeling discouraged and a bit hopeless.    I'll be the first to tell you that I don't understand God's ways or God's timing.  But this is what I can say…the story that we read about in God's Word shows us that God is always faithful.  God is never late.  We may doubt him, we may get mad at him, we may defy him, but God will be faithful.  In Scripture, we meet a God for whom there are no dead ends – detours perhaps – but not dead ends.  You see, we meet a God who is always working for our good, even when we make a mess of things, a Jesus who specializes in making a way in the wilderness, opening up a future when none seems possible.  If you ask him, he will show up in surprising, unexpected ways; maybe not the ways we want him to, but he will be there.  You see, with Jesus, there is always HOPE for a way forward.  Always, always, always.   More tomorrow.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki      

Scripture:Luke 10:25-37, Luke 6:35-36Points:1. Mercy overcomes boundariesI can show mercy to ____2. Mercy requires actionI can show mercy by ____Quotes:“I obey Christ when I act mercifully to outsiders”“Mercy is seeing a need and doing something about it.”

How do we pray when we may feel clueless what we should pray?  Scripture: Luke 11:1-13Worship guide: https://tinyurl.com/fbcjc7-27p

July 27, 2025 Jesus provides a model for our prayers. Be confident of God's goodness and love as you pray. Let those truths and Christ's promises encourage you in your prayers. When we neglect to pray we miss out on this spiritual blessing which is a means of grace. Scripture: Luke 11:1-13

Solid Rock Bible ChurchSunday July 27, 2025Pastor Bill Gay:"God's Grace is for the Sinner"SCRIPTURE:Luke 7:37-382 Corinthians 5:17

July 20, 2025 Our Lord teaches us in the parable of the Good Samaritan what it means to love your neighbor as yourself. This parable answers the question, who is my neighbor! Scripture: Luke 10:25-37

Scripture - Luke 10:38-42Thank You for listening!Follow us on Facebook Instagram YouTube Website You can contact us at office@newcovenantaz.orgMaking Jesus Christ the Heart of Every Home.

Do you understand what your heart is really like? In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is saying that the reason we're inauthentic or hiding from other people is because we're actually being inauthentic with ourselves, hiding from ourselves. We're deeply uncomfortable with the reality of our own hearts. Jesus wouldn't mention hypocrisy in the Sermon on the Mount unless he thought it was a pervasive issue, something we're all struggling with. Jesus says this is the way we are, that there's a real problem and the human heart desperately wants to get into image management. Let's look at how Jesus shows us 1) two manifestations of hypocrisy, 2) how you can't stand to see what's in your own heart, 3) how you know the plank in your own heart is huge, and 4) how to remove the plank from your heart. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on April 18, 1999. Series: The Mount; Life in the Kingdom. Scripture: Luke 6:39-49. Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.

As soon as you hear the word relationships, right away you say, “Ah, relationships,” and you think of friendship or romance. But the main purpose of the Sermon on the Mount is to talk about our relationships to other people, to those outside of our close relationships. Right away, Jesus talks about three groups of people. And when we see how Jesus calls us to be toward them, we're immediately shocked and upset. Many of us will say, “First of all, I can't do it. And if I did, it sounds terrible.” And almost as if Jesus knows we'll say that, he tells us three things. Let's look at 1) the three groups of people: people who oppose us, people who are less fortunate than us, and people who are different from us, and then 2) the three things Jesus tells us: the difficulty we have, the inner dynamic we need, and the directions we're given. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on April 11, 1999. Series: The Mount; Life in the Kingdom. Scripture: Luke 6:27-38. Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.

Jesus introduces a revolutionary kingdom in the Sermon on the Mount. He contrasts the pattern, power, and product of two kingdoms: the old one which we are currently under, and the new one which is to come. Jesus' teaching goes against every natural instinct, and represents a reversal of the world's values. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on March 21, 1999. Series: The Mount; Life in the Kingdom. Scripture: Luke 6:17-26. Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.

Today's sermon comes from a series on the life of Jesus described in the gospel of Luke. Luke gives us many of Jesus' teachings on what it means to be a disciple. In short, a disciple is one who applies the gospel to absolutely every single area of life. In Luke 6, we learn about Sabbath rest. God gives us rest from our labors – it is a gift and a blessing. It is a way of keeping us healthy and protecting us from being overwhelmed by our work. God himself modeled it for us when creating the universe. Let's look at it more closely: Why do we need it? Where do we get it? How do we do it? This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on March 23, 2003. Series: The Meaning of Jesus Part 2; Following Him. Scripture: Luke 6:1-11. Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.