Eggs and Scorpions

Today, Jesus not only teaches how to pray, his prayer also teaches us about our relationship with God.  The problem for us is, as God's children, we often ask for things that are not good for us.

 
• Genesis 18:20-32 •
•  Psalm 138  • 
 
• Colossians 2:6-15, (16-19)  • 
• Luke 11:1-13

Our Neglected Invitation

In our lesson this morning, Jesus invites us once again to choose the one thing that is more important than all other things: to spend time with him.

• Genesis 18:1-10a •
•  Psalm 15  • 
 
• Colossians 1:15-28  • 
 
• Luke 10:38-42

Christ is Our Good Samaritan

We're going to look at the parable of the Good Samaritan in two different ways.

The first way we’ll call the way of the Law: the way of thinking we need to do something to earn our salvation.

The second way, we’ll call the way of the Gospel: the way that reminds us that we can’t do anything to earn eternal life, because it’s a gift God has freely shared with us in our baptism.

• Deuteronomy 30:9-14 and Psalm 25:1-10  • 
 
• Colossians 1:1-14  • 
• Luke 10:25-37

Celebrating Freedom & Independence

Our forefathers may have declared us free from the Britain and every other foreign power, but their Declaration of Independence could not free us from our most dangerous and oppressive enemy: Sin.

Our Declaration of Independence may guarantee us the right to life, but it does not guarantee us freedom from sin and death.  Only Jesus Christ can do that.  And he has done it for us.

By his death and resurrection h declared his independence from sin, death, and the power of the grave.  And in our baptism he shared that independence with us.

• Isaiah 66:10-14 
•   • 
 
•  Psalm 66:1-9  • 
 
• Galatians 6:(1-6), 7-16  • 
• Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

The Journey is Christ's Alone

The key to understanding this difficult passage is to understand the "journey" that Christ is on.  

None of us is able to make the journey with him of for him, and that's the point.  

This is Christ's journey, and only he can make it.  That's what makes him our Savior.

He walked the path for us, and when He was done he laid down his life for us and on the third day he rose again.  And upon rising, he declared us his perfect disciples.

Ultimately, the cost of discipleship is not what we pay.  It’s what Christ has paid for us.

• 1 Kings 19:15-16, 19-21 
•   • 
 
•  Psalm 16  • 
 
• Galatians 5:1, 13-25  • 
 
• Luke 9:51-62

What Evil Fears Most

We’re not the Gerasene demoniac, but without Christ we’re like him.

Without the power of Christ in our lives, our natural tendency is to give into the self-destructive temptations of the world, the devil and our own sinful selves.

Apart from Christ, whether quick or slow, our lives devolve into a living hell.  But there is hope.

• 1 Kings 19:1-4, (5-7), 8-15a  •
•   Psalm 42 and 43   • 
 
• Galatians 3:23-29   •
   
• Luke 8:26-39

The Master Gardener

Simply Say the Word