Jewel Lake Parish Sermon Podcast

Jesus cautioned against false prophets, but is that even relevant in today’s largely secular society? Who are the prophets in our world today, and how can we be on guard against them? Pastor Luke looks at Matthew 7:15-20 NLT in "By Its Fruit — In Conclusion, Part 3," part 3 of his 5-part series, "In Conclusion...."

Theology has long recognized the importance of fathers. Increasingly, so does secular science. If fathers have an important job, how should it be done? What does our faith teach us about how to be a good father? Pastor Luke teaches from 1 Thessalonians 2:6-12 in "Like a Father - Father's Day."

Have you wondered what God's will is for your life? When you come to a fork in the road, especially when it's a big decision, wouldn't you like to know which way to go, to stay on the "straight and narrow?" That might not be as difficult as we imagine. Pastor Luke teaches from Matthew 7:13-14 NLT in "Narrow Minded — In Conclusion, Part 2," part 2 of his 5-part series, "In Conclusion...."

The "Golden Rule" is Jesus' solution for the problem of what to do with people who might not always be agreeable. But more than that, Jesus teaches that it is how things work throughout God's Kingdom. Pastor Luke teaches from Matthew 7:7-12 NLT in "The Golden Rule — In Conclusion, Part 1," the first message in a new series, "In Conclusion...."

The first Sunday after Pentecost is, traditionally, a celebration of the doctrine of the Trinity. This doctrine states that there is only one God, but God is three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Why do we care? What do the inner workings of God matter to us? Is it even any of our business? Pastor Luke teaches from Isaiah 6:1-8 in "Holy, Holy, Holy - Trinity Sunday."

Centuries before Christ, the prophet Ezekiel had a vision of a valley filled with dry bones that came to life. This uncanny vision is strangely reminiscent of the fascination with zombies we see in today's popular culture. What did the vision mean, and what does it have to do us today, or with Pentecost? Join us Sunday as Pastor Luke brings a message from Ezekiel 37 about the "Giver of Life". Pastor Luke teaches from Ezekiel 37:1-14 in "Giver of Life - Pentecost."

Christians have historically affirmed that God is "almighty" or "omnipotent." What does it mean that God is all-powerful? And if God is so powerful, why is God's world such a mess? Pastor Luke looks at Exodus 33:12-23 NLT in "Almighty - Article One, Part 4," the concluding message in his series, "Article One."

The early church described God as a loving heavenly Father and the creator of heaven and earth. Later Christians said they didn't say enough, that "Creator" alone doesn't accurately describe God. What did they leave out? And is it really all that important? Pastor Luke teaches from Genesis 50:14-21 NLT in "The Missing Word - Article One, Part 3," part 3 of his 4-part series, "Article One."

In the most recent "EXTREME Preaching" occasion, we covered three subjects\: (1) if Jesus was angry when he drove the moneychangers from the temple, when can we be angry in the face of wrongdoing today? (2) is sharing "Fake News" a type of false witness, and if so, how should Christians engage social media? and (3) what does the image of the 'Peaceable Kingdom' inaugurated by Jesus teach about Christians and animal welfare? Pastor Luke preaches from Matthew 21:12-14 in "EXTREME Preaching."

The Christians who developed the Apostles' Creed were determined to profess their belief that God created heaven and earth. Why was it such a big deal to them? Does anyone but a few theologians really care who created the universe? Pastor Luke teaches from Genesis 1:1-31 NLT in "Creator- Article One, Part 2," part 2 of his 4-part series, "Article One."

Creeds are confessional statements in which Christians try to discern what Holy Scripture teaches about various matters. Like other ancient creeds, the Apostles' Creed describes God as our 'Father.' More recently, some have argued that fatherhood language is patriarchal and problematic. What difference does it make? What's at stake in the way that Christians refer to God? Pastor Luke preaches from Matthew 7:7-11 NLT in "Father - Article One, Part 1," the first message in a new series, "Article One."

April Fool's Day is a natural fit for Easter. The breathless report of the women seems like the setup for an April Fool's prank. The joke would have been on the disciples, if Jesus hadn't been raised from the dead. But what if Christians are right, and Jesus did rise? What then? Pastor Luke looks at John 20:1-18 NLT in "April Fool's Easter."

With his last agonizing breaths, Jesus made arrangements for his mother, and from that moment, one of his disciples cared for her. How could he remember something like that in the middle of his agony? What does it teach us, who will die, but may never be crucified? Pastor Luke preaches from John 19:23-30 NLT in "Final Arrangements - Maundy Thursday."

It's tempting to place the blame for Jesus' crucifixion on Pilate, or the Jewish leadership. But the crowd was also complicit, and their error is one we're especially likely to make today. Where did they go wrong, and how can we avoid making their mistake? Pastor Luke preaches from John 19:1-16 NLT in "Passion Play - The End of the Beginning, Part 5," part 5 of his 6-part series, "The End of the Beginning."

We live in a golden age of lying, from little white lies to an epidemic of fake news. Do facts even matter any more? And if they don't, how should we live? The night Jesus was arrested, two interrogations took place. What do they teach us? Pastor Luke looks at John 18:12-27 NLT in "Hazards of Truth Telling - The End of the Beginning, Part 3," part 3 of his 6-part series, "The End of the Beginning."

Hours before he was arrested, Jesus instituted a practice so counter-cultural that even the people who knew him best couldn't believe what he was doing. What was the significance of foot-washing? Why don't we do it today? Pastor Luke preaches from John 13:1-17 NLT in "Washing Day - The End of the Beginning, Part 2," part 2 of his 6-part series, "The End of the Beginning."

When it's the last straw, what do you do? When circumstances seem to conspire against you, what does that say about God? If our only hope is a miracle, is it realistic to expect one? John tells us about a time when Jesus raised a dead man back to life. What does that story have to teach us? Pastor Luke teaches from John 11:1-44 NLT in "The End of the Beginning - Part 1," the first message in a new series, "The End of the Beginning."

Do miracles happen? Did they ever happen? People reading the Bible sometimes wonder about the miracle stories. How can we take miracles seriously, and what will we learn from them if we do? Pastor Luke looks at John 9:1-41 NLT in "Seeing What Matters - Come and See, Part 6," the concluding message in his series, "Come and See."

A woman came to a well one day looking for water. Instead, she found Jesus. It didn't just change her life, but the life of everyone in her town. What would it be like to have that kind of encounter with Jesus? What difference would it make to your community if you did? Pastor Luke preaches from John 4:1-42 NLT in "Naomi at Noon - Come and See, Part 5," part 5 of his 6-part series, "Come and See."

John 3:16 has been called the entire Gospel in summary form. It answers any number of theological questions about God and Jesus. But it's not a bumper sticker. It's something Jesus said to a man named Nicodemus. Why was this message especially relevant to him? What about Nicodemus makes the message so relevant to us today? Pastor Luke preaches from John 3:1-21 NLT in "Nick at Night - Come and See, Part 4," part 4 of his 6-part series, "Come and See."