Sermons

According To Luke: Timeless Table Manners Opening Illustration: It’s something like what Coach John McKay of USC said to his team after they had been humiliated 51-0 by Notre Dame. McKay came into the locker room and saw a group of beaten worn-out and thoroughly depressed young football players who were not accustomed to losing. He stood up on a bench and said, "Men, let’s keep this in perspective. There are 800 million Chinese who don’t even know this game was played." That’s what you call perspective. Point: To many times to count, I have been laid low. Humbled and humiliated. I remember when I I thought that I had it all together, that I had the world by the tail, where no one could tell me anything, only to find out that I did not have it all together, that the world had me by the tail, where I crashed and burned. We have all been there. Prideful. Spiteful. Arrogant. We are the center of our own universe and everything and everyone revolves around us. Then, s...

According To Luke: From Bloated To Blessed!  Opening Illustration: Last week we saw a different view of Jesus. Growing up, we are given an image of Jesus that is not at all accurate. The world often frames Jesus as boring. Milk toast. Weak. A push over. Yet, that is not a Biblical portrayal of the Lord. Jesus was bold. He spoke truth to power and stood obediently against evil and wickedness.  Jesus was a man of compassion. He was also a man of confrontation. Numerous times throughout Scripture Jesus has confrontations with all sorts of people. Jesus confronted religious leaders. He stood toe to toe with Pharisees. He had confrontations with Roman soldiers, Samaritan sinners, flipped tables on worshippers, had exchanges with tax collectors, and even stood against His own followers. Jesus was not alone in dealing with conflict. Paul seemed to have daily conflicts. Even Peter had run ins with the Pharisees.  Sadly, confrontation is a part of life. It is inevit...