We've finally come to the hour of darkness – the betrayal of Judas, the denial of Peter, and the final rejection of the religious leaders. All three are forms of temptation that Jesus warns his disciples to pray "so that they don't fall into."
Satan enters Judas on the day of the Passover meal, and it looks like Jesus’ ability to avoid death and conspiracy has come to an end. There is a traitor in the group. But certain details of Luke 22:1-13 show us that from God’s vantage point, things are going “exactly as he said.”
Resurrection Sunday, 2023 – Every one of us has a dominant story that shapes the way we view the world, ourselves, and God. For some it's a story of pain, loss, rejection. For others it's a story of hard work, effort put in, and reward or accomplishment. But all of those stories are but smaller stories inside the Greatest Story...the Story of God as spoken in the Bible.
In this sermon from Luke 21:20-36, Jesus gives his disciples warnings about the temple and Jerusalem’s eventual destruction, and he also includes signs to look for as you watch for him to return.
Jesus' interaction with the woman at the well shows a beautiful picture of the gospel, as Jesus comes to meet her in the middle of her sin and sets her free.
Two men from very different situations in life have a desire to see Jesus. He meets them both in very different ways, but the outcome is the same: Your faith has saved you.
A wealthy man comes up to Jesus looking for the key to eternal life. Jesus tells him to sell everything, and the rich man is extremely disappointed. The idea that you can’t work or earn your way into heaven wasn’t what he wanted to hear.
Jesus tells a parable about a rich man and a poor man who had very different values and purposes in their lives, and their experience of the afterlife told the story.
Jesus begins a conversation about wealth, and how his followers should think about possessions and riches.
We all have a lens through which to process the things we read, watch, or click. When we see evil in the world, it can feel like we're staring at a mountain and holding a shovel. But God gave us the book of Psalms to help us process the things we see and experience.