Golden Rule

Message: The gospel according to Luke

Text: Luke 14:1, 7-14

Jesus, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

How to Win Friends and Influence People-Dale Carnegie

~Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking of yourself less.

Fenelon, "Satan is the one who torments us with trivialities.  And he often transforms himself into an angel of light, and bothers us with endless self-examinations and an over-sensitive conscience which allows us no peace."

A challenge:________ How hard this challenge is for you is telling

~Go do something! Bless those who cannot bless you back. This is a long term investment.

A challenge:________ How hard this challenge is for you is telling.

Trust

Message: Father of Faith

Text: Genesis 22:1-13

How men pack for a trip…

In a test of faith, who is being tested?

Do I really believe? Is God believable?

Do I really trust Him? Is God trustworthy?

Do I really have faith? Is God faithful?

Abraham’s faith in God is being tested. Isaac’s faith in Abraham is being tested.

Isaac sees and hears faith in action.

Vs 2, Just start walking

Vs 3, Immediate obedience

Vs 5, Believed God, but what does that look like?

Vs 7-8, Statement of faith

Perspective

Message: The gospel according to Luke

Text: Luke 14:1-6

~Perspective of the Pharisee:

How do you see them?

How does Jesus see them?

How would you treat your animal that has fallen into a ditch and can’t get out?

~Perspective of the man needing help:

How do you see you?

How does Jesus see you?

Outcast, misfit?

Desperation overcomes the difficulty.

Presenting yourself to Jesus, again.

A.W. Tozer, "In every generation, the people who have found God have been those who have come to the end of themselves."

Eugene H. Peterson, "A religion without miracles has only marginal worth; why bother with religion if you can do it all yourself anyway?"

Expect the unexpected.

Message: The gospel according to Luke

Text: Luke 13:27-30

~There is a heaven and a hell…there is a difference! (What story does vs 28 remind you of?) There is a consequence for everything we do.

~The Kingdom is huge, a vast number from everywhere. Everyone in the family is not like us. Who is the common denominator in this Family?

~Heaven will probably not be what you expect. God is not always what you expect. God will not always do what you wish He would…He does not always care about what you care about, and He may care very deeply about some things you are indifferent toward. God does not always see things as you do.

Heartbreak and Joy

Message: Heartbreak and Joy

Text: Genesis

2:18, 24  Society is not complete without each other…male and female.

Fruitful, multiply, build, produce…

4:1-2  Children.

Sin wants to ruin everything for everyone.

4:25-26  More children and grandchildren.

Heartbreak finds you. You have to look for joy. You have to fixate on the good.

“Call on the Name of the Lord”…worship…pray…

Isaiah 26:3, “You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You. Because he trusts in You.”

Walking on Air

Message: Walking on air

Text: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Virgin birth; sinless life; death on a cross that pays sin debt; resurrection; ascension; coming again.

No one thought Jesus could do any of it!

Jesus’ parables about His 2nd Coming:

~There is a beginning, Genesis 1:1

There is an end, Revelation 22:20-21

~A definite period of time, an ending, a reckoning…these things help create consequence. There’s a consequence for everything we do and are, everything we do matters.

 ~Jesus doesn’t tell us to “get ready” but rather “be ready, be watching.” There‘s a difference between “getting ready” and “being ready.”

 Living with our eye on the sky and our ear for a trumpet blast helps change the way we live.

Seeing Jesus for Yourself

Message: Seeing Jesus for yourself

Text: Luke 24:13-35

You can’t always go by:

1) What you think Jesus should be or do or look like

2) What the situation looks like at the time

3) What others say they saw, what they say He looks like (the Holy Spirit is contagious, but not really)

I want to see, I need to see Jesus for myself.

A radical change that I want, that I need.

Levels of belief

Dave McCasland, "If we want a safe, predictable Savior who always acts according to our expectations, we'll have to find someone other than Jesus."

The Tree of Life

Message: The Tree of Life

Text: Genesis 3:22-24

 ~The Garden of Eden, The Tree of Life Justice + Mercy = Grace

Grace is Jesus paying our debt

 ~The Garden of Gethsemane

Luke 22:39-44

 ~The Tree of Life

Galatians 3:10-13, 2:20, 6:14

When our sin becomes frivolous then the cross becomes frivolous then Jesus becomes frivolous to us.

Growth

Message: The gospel according to Luke

Text: Luke 13:18-21

Natural Growth

Persistent Growth

Quiet and Hidden Growth

Patient Growth

Habakkuk 3:17-18, “Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor gfruit be on the vines; though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the gflock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls—yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.”

Henri Nouwen, "Sometimes it seems that our many words are more an expression of our doubt than of our faith.  It is as if we are not sure that God's Spirit can touch the hearts of people:  we have to help him out and, with many words, convince others of his power.  But it is precisely this wordy unbelief that quenches the fire."

Go!!

Message: The gospel according to Luke

Text: Luke 13:10-17

Two healings were needed in the synagogue on this Sabbath

The church leader:

~This church leader has lost his value of a human life. Making and keeping rules has become easier than helping people. Or, people aren’t as easy as rules. We start focusing on what we can’t do and won’t do instead of…

~Something has happened to our priorities—“my ox, my donkey”

Because of her infirmity what could the woman see? Because of his infirmity what could the church leader see? Spiritual bondage makes us lose touch.

Ron Hutchcraft, "It is quite possible that the person you are praying with has never heard their name mentioned in prayer in their entire life."

Ask Jesus to help you up.

Message: The gospel according to Luke

Text: Luke 13:10-17

Two healings were needed in the synagogue on this Sabbath

 The woman:

Not always possession but often oppression; afflicted; bound-could not get loose.

 Analogies: a loop; a ceiling; a pit

 There are always 3 people at work in your life: 1_____, 2_____, 3_____

2 Corinthians 12

John Maxwell, "Low self-worth forms an invisible ceiling that keeps a person from going beyond his self-imposed limitations."

Fenelon, "Satan is the one who torments us with trivialities.  And he often transforms himself into an angel of light, and bothers us with endless self-examinations and an over-sensitive conscience which allows us no peace."

Bad things can happen to good people.

Message: The gospel according to Luke

Text: Luke 13:1-9

 Sometimes bad things happen to good people, only God can see that. But surely bad things will happen to bad people, Jesus wants us all to see that.

In some destinies we have no choice, in some we do.

 “You” this message isn’t to someone else, this is to you.

 What does it mean to bear fruit?

Romans 8:29, Colossians 1:16

 Rick Warren, "Why should God give you another day if you're going to waste it?"

 Sheila Gregoire, "TV is a time-stealer that affects our attitudes and expectations.  The average American watches 4 hours of television each day; by the time he's 65, he will have wasted 11 years of his life."

God's ultimate plan for us

Message: Trying to see ahead, what does God want for me?

Text: Romans 8:29

Have you ever noticed that when asked a question, Jesus often answers with a question? He rarely answers directly. Things haven’t changed much.

What do you need to do, what do you need to be, what do you need to change for you to be more like Jesus…what will that look like?  When you see that, you will see other things more clearly, not the other way around. Don’t concentrate on what God needs to show you, concentrate on what you need to show God.

 Examples:

~How long did Moses spend with God on Mt Sinai in order to write The Ten Commandments and other parts of the law? How long does it take you to read that law that Moses wrote?

~Donald Miller, "I am that cordless screwdriver that has to charge for twenty hours to earn ten minutes use."

Be ready, one eye always on eternity.

Message: The gospel according to Luke

Text: Luke 12:54-59

Be ready, one eye always on eternity

The British novelist and playwright David Lodge was watching one of his own creations, a satirical revue, the evening of Nov. 22, 1963.  The theater audience chuckled as an actor in the play showed up for a job interview with a radio clutched to his ear, demonstrating his character's indifference.  The actor then set down the radio and turned to a station, lettings its news, music, or commercials play in the background while the play went on.  This night, however, a voice came on the radio with a live news bulletin:  "Today, the American President John. F. Kennedy was assassinated…"  The audience gasped and the actor immediately switched off the radio, but too late.  In one sentence, the reality of the outside world had shattered the artificial world of the theater production.  Suddenly, whatever action took place onstage seemed superficial and irrelevant.

Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Message: The gospel according to Luke

Text: Luke 12:49-53

“Nominal Christianity” Nominal is a mathematical term which means not enough to make a difference.

Metaphors for the Holy Spirit and you: 1) Baptism, Luke 3:16

2) A tent, 2 Corinthians 12:9

They both mean, “All in!”

Ecclesiastes, Have you ever seen a mouse running in a wheel?

Philippians 3:7-8 We are afraid of “all in” because of what we may lose out on, but in reality we are not losing but gaining.

Soren Kierkegaard, "If the New Testament is to decide what it means to be a true Christian, it would be just as impossible to be a true Christian quietly as to fire a cannon quietly."

Children of God

Message: The gospel according to Luke

Text: Luke 12:41-48

Peter’s question: Experience says that when someone asks if something Jesus said applies to them, they usually hope that it does not.

Born biologically—children of God because we are created in God’s image, made by God. Psalm 139

Born spiritually—children of God because we choose to be, born again by His Spirit. John 3:3

Born twice, die once

Born once, die twice

How do you suppose God feels about those who mistreat His children

God is jealous for us, not of us

1 Peter 2:20-23

Romans 12:19

Be Ready

Message: The gospel according to Luke

Text: Luke 12:33-40

Perspective

Today is the 1st Sunday of February, 2019. What were you worrying about the 1st Sunday of February                     What is, is not what will be.

Be ready. That is to get ready, then stay ready…Be Ready.

 We have a fixed future. Like counting down the days of 2019 on a calendar, every day is not one more day but one less day. God sees the whole calendar, we don’t.  Be Ready

1 Corinthians 13:12, “For now we see thru a glass darkly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.”

 Matthew Henry, "It ought to be the business of every day to prepare for our final day."

Turn Around(Again)

Message: Turn Around (again)

Text: 2 Kings 20:1-11

~The shadow back 10 degrees. Look back 15 years. Turn the past around, starting today.

Restore wasted years, Joel 2:25

~Look forward 15 years. Turn the future around, starting today.

A real prayer does not start with you, it starts with God. Your prayer is not changing the story, it is part of the story. It is not changing God’s plan, it is part of God’s plan.

What looks like the end of the road may be only a bend in the road.

With God nothing shall be impossible (Luke 1:37). The wall fell flat (Josh. 6:20). The sun stood still (Josh. 10:13). The iron did swim (II Kings 6:6). The stone was rolled away and the grave is empty (Mark 16:4).

What does worry accomplish?

Message: The gospel according to Luke

Text: Luke 12:22-31

Genesis 2:7 God loves you more…

Instinct vs reason. Humans are the only creatures who worry.

Worry cannot affect distance or time.

He is the: Shepherd of the flock; Father of the family; King of the kingdom

Jeremiah 29:13 (NLT) “If you look for me in earnest, you will find me when you seek me.”

Flannery O'Connor, "When we get our spiritual house in order, we'll be dead. This goes on. You arrive at enough certainty to be able to make your way, but it is making it in darkness. Don't expect faith to clear things up for you. It is trust, not certainty."

Why do we worry?

Message: The gospel according to Luke

Text: Luke 12:22-31

Today in the U.S., we don’t worry so much about food or clothes. What do we worry about?

Why do we worry and God doesn’t? What is the difference?

Remember the word, “replace.”

He is the: Shepherd of the flock; Father of the family; King of the kingdom

Jeremiah 29:13 (NLT) “If you look for me in earnest, you will find me when you seek me.”

Flannery O'Connor, "When we get our spiritual house in order, we'll be dead. This goes on. You arrive at enough certainty to be able to make your way, but it is making it in darkness. Don't expect faith to clear things up for you. It is trust, not certainty."