The Cross Before the Crown
An Orderly Account:
Encountering Jesus in the Gospel of Luke
Luke 9:18-27
The Text
Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him. And he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” …
Introduction:
Jesus Christ is well known for making shocking statements. For instance, “Love your enemies and do good to them who hate you,” or “Unless a man …
Jesus Calls Sinners
An Orderly Account: Encountering Jesus in the Gospel of Luke
Luke 5:27-32
The Text
27 After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.” 28 And leaving everything, he rose and followed him.
29 And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at …
The Healing of Community
An Orderly Account: Encountering Jesus in the Gospel of Luke
Luke 5:12-26
The Text
12 While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy. And when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” 13 And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy …
Introduction:
Last Summer I read Ernest Hemmingway’s The Old Man & the Sea while I was at the beach on vacation.
The story follows Santiago, an aging Cuban fisherman, who hasn’t caught a fish in 84 days. He’s deemed “salao” (unlucky) by his community. He’s wrestling with his age, his weakness, his recent failure. And he says, “If I can go out to the deep water one more time and catch a giant Marlin that …
THE DEATH OF DEATH
Gospel of Mark
Mark 15:40-16:8
INTRODUCTION:
Welcome to Easter service at Lake Wylie Baptist. It’s a pretty safe Sunday to attend church because you already know what the preacher is going to talk about.
And there will be no surprises today. You’re going to get a fairly traditional sermon on the resurrection of Jesus Christ, though we will approach the resurrection from a slightly different angle.
Most of us understand …
Jesus is Lord
An Orderly Account: Encountering Jesus in the Gospel of Luke
Luke 4:31-44
The Text
31 And he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath, 32 and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority.
33 And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, …
The Jesus No One Expected
An Orderly Account: Encountering Jesus in the Gospel of Luke
Luke 4:13-30
Grab Their Attention
When was the last time you were let down? For me it was Father’s Day last year. No, it wasn’t anything that my family did. We were in Florida and for my Father’s Day gift I had booked a tee time at the hottest new golf course in America, which will remain unnamed. This course …
Grab Their Attention
“No man knows how bad he is till he has tried very hard to be good. A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. This is an obvious lie. Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is. After all, you find out the strength of the German army by fighting against it, not by giving in. You find out the strength of …
Jesus’ Family Tree
An Orderly Account: Encountering Jesus in the Gospel of Luke
Luke 3:23-38
Grab Their Attention
Where did you come from? No, I’m not asking what part of the city you currently live in and drove from this morning. Nor am I asking about the town you grew up in or moved from. I’m thinking more about your ancestry. Who were your parents, and who were their parents? Where were your ancestors during …
The Baptism of Christ
An Orderly Account: Encountering Jesus in the Gospel of Luke
Luke 3:15-22
The Text
15 As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, 16 John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you …
