In Luke 16:1-13, Jesus spoke to his disciples, warning them against following the example of the Pharisees. Unlike the Pharisees, his followers must invest in the eternal good of others, display their character by faithfulness in little things, and resist divided loyalties, which is idolatry. The sermon text (Luke 16:14-18) tells us that the Pharisees heard…
The sermon text for this Lord’s Day is Luke 16:1-13. It contains the most puzzling parable that Jesus told: the parable of the “unjust steward.” We will retell the story but focus mainly on the clear principles that Jesus drew from it (vv. 9-13). A major theme undergirds the text, namely, that our choices reveal…
The sermon text for this Lord’s Day is Luke 15:25-32 which is the conclusion to the famed story of the “prodigal son.” This section focuses on the prodigal’s older brother. It turns out that this brother was the focal point in Jesus’ story because he represented those in Jesus’ audience that believed they, unlike the…
The sermon text for this Lord’s Day tells one of the best known and best-loved stories in the Gospels: the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). Close look at the text and its context reveals that is not just a story about son who went astray, but it is primarily about a second son…
The sermon text for this Lord’s Day is Luke 15:1-10. Jesus tells two parables to an audience made up of society’s moral outcasts (tax-collectors and sinners). The two parables combine to tell a single story: Jesus’ effort to save even a single lost one (sheep or coin) and the joy that takes place in heaven…
The sermon text for this Lord’s Day is Luke 14:25-35. In it, the Lord Jesus issues a serious call to count the cost of following him. He requires full devotion, without which no one can be his disciple. We tend to minimize of ignore Jesus’ call, but the text, rightly considered, does not allow half-hearted devotion.
The sermon text for this Lord’s Day is Luke 14:15-24. In it, Jesus tells a story about a great feast. Those invited made foolish excuses and refused to attend. The host brought in an unexpected crowd to fill the banquet hall. The story rebuked the religious leaders of Israel who refused to respond to Jesus’ message;…
In Luke 14:1-14, Jesus attended a Sabbath feast at the home of a prominent Pharisee. As soon as Jesus arrived, he performed a miracle to the consternation of the host and his friends. He then proceeded to tell two stories set against the backdrop of a feast, each aimed at the pride of the Pharisees.…
In the sermon text for the Lord’s Day (Luke 13:31-35), the opposition to Jesus intensifies. Jesus continues toward the cross with unwavering resolve, but grieved, he laments Israel’s squandered opportunity to repent and believe.
This Lord’s Day, we will consider Jesus’ warning, “Strive to enter [the kingdom] through the narrow door” (sermon text: Luke 13:22-30). He explained with several declarations that would have shocked his audience. A question launched the discussion in the passage, but it turns out that the question was the wrong one. By the end of…