Luke 18

In each of our girls’ room we have a Bible verse. In Chloe’s room we have parts of Luke 18:16&17. “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly i tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

The reason we picked these verses is that I heard Dallas Willard teach on this and he explained these verses in a way that i have never heard before. Willard said that a child is utterly dependant upon others for their existence. And for us to experience the kingdom of God to the fullest we have to have that same utter dependence upon Jesus. This really spoke to me. Am I utterly depended upon God? The utterly part is the problem. In the same way that Chloe is entirely dependant on my wife and I, we are to be just as dependant on God.

Luke 15

Stories of things of great value lost.

Pastor Tim Keller gave a great sermon about what we normally call the “Parable of the Prodigal Son.”  He point out the the son that stays at home represents “religion.”  This son does what he is told to do and believes in a kind of a work righteousness (good works is what matters) and has no understanding of grace.  I wish i could remember more of what he said, i will see if i can find that sometime today.

10-14 sermon: Heat from serving

Heat from serving

Luke 12 & 13

The first few verses of chapter 12 are scary to think about.  Verse 2, nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known.”  A school teacher shared with me one time that one of the things he does from time to time is video tape his class particularlly when he has ones that will create problems.  I said don’t they realize the camera is on them.  He said at first they do but they quickly forget about it.  I think i am a lot like those kids in my relationship with God.

One new thing i noticed this time was how the parable of the rich fool was followed by Jesus’ teaching on worry.  Most Bibles break this up and you read it seperatly but because i read the whole chapter i realized they go together.    Jesus talkes about the folly of building up treasure for your self and then talks about how God will take care of you.

The scripture reading for my grandmother’s funeral was Luke 13:10-17.   My granmother for about the last 10 years or so had been “bent over” and my dad (also a preacher) said she is no longer bent over, but is now healed and praising God.  It is amazing how scriptures when you can attach them to something like a funeral or other life experience come alive.  Before i would just pass over that scripture and say another miracle by Jesus.  Now i read and it moves and touches me.

Luke 11

As i was reading this morning i read the below comments from the Renovare Spiritual Formation Bible i thought this is much better than anything i can say!

“The pattern fro prayer that Jesus gives his disciples is short on our wants and big on God’s wants.  Half of what Jesus tells us to do in prayer is worship God, keep him holy, and ask that his kingdom and his will take shape, not ours.  The “Lord’s Prayer” is a very bare-bones sort of prayer compared to many of the ways we pray today.  There is nothing here about material wealth or perfect health or things that get me more of me.  Instead, it is about there being more of God.”

Luke 10

Verses 30-37 is the most well known of all Jesus’ stories.  In it, the person you least expect to help the robbed and beaten man stops and saves him, while the ones you’d think would be the first to help him go right on by.  For those listening to Jesus tell this story for the first time, it would have been very difficult to take.  The hero is not a priest, but an enemy of the Jews.

38-42 is another well known story and something that happens to many people in the life of the church.  We get caught up in doing we forget to focus on Jesus.  This is a great reminder for us all.

Luke 9

Jesus asks his disciples a question, “who do you say that I am?”   Peter responds, “God’s Messiah.” Peter is a great example of a Christ follower.  Peter had many flaws but God still poured great life and light out of him in order to bless and transform others.  The same is true for us.  We are only too well aware of our own imperfections and may believe that, until we get completely free of them, God cannot accomplish anything beneficial through our words and actions.  But the example of Peter proves that is not the case.  If we are willing to respond to the opportunities God places in our path, instead of saying we are not good enough; if we are stubborn enough to persevere in following Christ despite our mistakes–then God, through us, can use us.

Notice verse 18, power of prayer, 28-29 praying going on.

Luke 8

The first few verses of chapter 8 mentions the female disciples that were with Jesus.  One thing to keep in mind is how radical this was.  Through out the gospels women are given prominence and are given a voice and this was unheard of during Jesus time.   Often we forget how radical Jesus was.  He was always on the cutting edge.

4-15 is the parable of the sower.  Verse 15 says, “as for the good soil, these are the ones who, when they hear the word hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance.”  This reiterates the point of knowing the word of God.

Luke 7

verses 2-10, “not even is Israel have i found such faith.”  The centurion, an officer in hte hated Roman occupation force, asks Jesus to heal his dying servant and has no problem believing Jesus can do it, even from a distance.  he is not a Jew, not one of the chosen people, yet his faith goes beyond what Jesus has experienced among the people of Israel.  Some would see this man’s position, even though he has helped the Jews as a barrier.  Such barriers do not deter Jesus from acting with mercy and compassion.

11-17-  Jesus feels pain at the loss of a woman’s son.  He touches the coffin, which according to Jewish law makes him unclean.  Again and again during his ministry, Jesus will touch those who are dead to touch, whether they are corpses or the walking dead, the lepers.

36-50.  I really wish we knew the rest of this story.  This Pharisee was i assume was open to Jesus or he would not have eaten with him.  After this encounter does Simon understand or not?    I believe this story is a great example of how many church treat the least, the last, and the lost.   And again and again Jesus reaches out to these people.  The church is to do the same.

Sermon- heat from community

Here is the sermon, below is the sermon outline and weekly study guide,
Sermon Notes
Luke 5:17-26
I. The Power of Community,
a. As iron sharpens iron so one person sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17

II. Jesus and community
a. The trinity
b. The 12
c. The 4,

III. The Power of Christian Community
a. The power of being carried
b. The power of carrying others

IV. The power of a shared faith in Jesus
i. Hebrews 10:24

V. The power of a transformed life

Study Guide
This week we will continue our reading of the gospel of Luke. Read one chapter a day. If you were not here last week, start at the beginning and read 2 chapters a day, or start at Luke 7, or read as much as you can, just READ! Pay attention to what we have talked about the last several weeks; prayer, scripture, and community and see how often they come up.

As you read the Bible this week use the SON method.
S (scripture) What is the key subject of today’s reading?
O (observations) What are the key concepts and spiritual insights you find?
N (named applications) What practical truth does God want me to apply to my life today?

Oct. 7 Luke 7; Jesus and John the Baptist, Jesus and the sinful woman
Oct. 8 Luke 8; Parable of the sower
Oct. 9 Luke 9; Sending of the 12, feeding the 5000
Oct 10 Luke 10; Sending of the 72
Oct 11 Luke 11; Jesus teaching on prayer
Oct 12 Luke 12; Do not worry
Oct 13 Luke 13; Mustard seed and the yeast
Oct 14 Luke 14; The cost of being a disciple

If you have accesses to the internet you can go to www.mystmatthews.wordpress.com and participate in an online discussion that can discuss today’s sermon and also this weeks reading.

Questions for discussion about community
-When have you come alongside a close friend and helped him or her with a tough decision, a hardship in life or a spiritual crisis? Name a time you yourself were “carried” by a close friend.
-Are you experiencing the kind of community talked about in today’s sermon? If not what steps might you take to do so.