Focal Passage: Luke 6:17-23, 27-31  As we begin to unwrap Luke 6:17-23 we have to acknowledge the similitude between this passage, which scholars refer to as, “The Sermon on the Plain”, to Matthew 5, which is referred to as, “The Sermon on the Mount”.   There are many similarities, but there are many differences as well. One such difference is topographical references given in each. In Matthew 5:1, it says

Focal Passage: Luke 3:1-6; 4:14-21  Luke was not born a Jew. In fact, he was born a Greek. Some have suggested he may have been a Hellenized Jew, but nonetheless still very much a Gentile before becoming a Christian in 51 A.D. He was born in the city of Antioch in Syria.  Luke was deeply influenced by Greek culture and the search for knowledge and understanding. Thus, he was a

Focal Passage: Luke 17:1-10  Evidence of a mature faith: I have often had people tell me that they do not understand a large portion of Scriptures that they have read. My response is always the same. Pray and ask God to illuminate your mind and look to wise and trusted teachers to help you in your understanding of a given passage.  When you consider Luke 17:1-4, Jesus’ instructions are pretty

Focal Passage: Luke 12:22-34  Where is your anxiety: In my 40-plus years of ministry I have found myself asking people, “What is your greatest fear?”  The answers have varied from person to person, but typically it is a general anxiety of not knowing their future. In these verses Jesus has gathered with His disciples and tells them in Luke 12:23, “Don’t worry about your life.”  He is not telling them

Focal Passage: Luke 11:1-13  Praying to a Holy God. I am always amazed when I hear how people approach God. We find the proper approach to God in Luke 11:2. Jesus instructs His disciples, “Whenever you pray, say, Father, your name be honored as holy.” I believe that we are absolutely God’s precious children, but I think we have often forgotten that He is our Lord.  This scripture takes me

Focal Passage: Luke 8:41-42,49-56  When nothing else matters: In Luke 8:41-42 we find a narrative that most all of us can relate to in some respect. Jesus has just come from Gadara where he has restored a man possessed by a demon and returned to Capernaum.  There is a crowd gathered around Jesus and suddenly a man named Jairus fell at Jesus’s feet. He was a leader in the synagogue.

Focal Passage: Luke 7:1-10  A humble faith: In my observation, one of the greatest life struggles is often faith. I think that the reasons for that reality are many, but often stem from human disappointment.  In my forty plus years of ministry I have seen people with incredible faith, but I have seen more people that struggled everyday with their faith journey.  We live in a very self-sufficient, science-based world

Focal Passage: Psalm 10:1-4,12-18  Where are you Lord? The psalmist begins this passage with the question of God’s distance from him. I have heard so many people, even Christians for that matter, often speak of God seeming distant from them. They often say, “I don’t see God in my circumstance.” This is not an emotion that was unfamiliar even for the biblical writer.  In Psalm 22:11 the psalmist pleads, “Do

Focal Passage: Luke 5:1-11  Hearing God’s Word. In Luke 5:1-3 we find Jesus on the shore of Lake Gennesaret or the Sea of Galilee. I live on Fort Loudon Lake, but it is often called the Tennessee River, Ish Creek, or just Loudon. Sometimes theologians and historians get caught up with details, but the simple truth is that different bodies of water were given different names depending on what person

Focal Passage: Psalm 91:1-6, 9-16  My God in whom I trust: For a person to really trust someone they must understand who that person is. That is why the psalmist (most likely Moses) states that our protection is provided by the Most High.  The word “Most High” denotes the One that is the very highest. He is above all other gods and is the One they must all go up