Waynesburg Christian Church

What is God really like? This is a question that Jesus is constantly butting heads with the religious leaders about in first century Israel. One day the crowds gathered to hear Jesus and He tells one of the most beautiful stories that captures what the heart of God is like - the story of the prodigal son. The prodigal son tried to find satisfaction away from home. He tried to find himself away from the father’s house. But the very things that the prodigal was hoping would fulfill him... well, they failed him. When he reached the bottom, he came to his senses and started to make his way home. Burdened with questions about how badly he had messed up his life, filled with insecurity about how he would be received, the last thing he expected was to see his father running toward him with open arms, welcoming him home. This was forgiveness. This was grace. This was overflowing, unconditional, steadfast love. This is the story that Jesus told to make clear the heart of our Heavenly Father for you and me and all who

Does prayer ever feel like a combination lock? Does it feel like if you can just crack the code, then you can unlock greater things for your life and greater intimacy with God? You have probably been encouraged by others to pray. You have most likely heard other people pray countless times. And yet, for so many, prayer is a struggle. In Luke 11, when Jesus’ disciples say, “Lord, teach us to pray” we need to listen to His answer! In short order, Jesus shares a model for prayer, shares a story, and gives a promise that we can all lean into!

The first eight and a half chapters of Luke answer the really big question, “Who is Jesus?” by showing us over and over again that Jesus, full of love, beauty, and truth - is God’s promised rescuer. The next several chapters answer a second really big question, “What are you going to do about it?” Luke 10 gives us a component of that answer - that those who have been transformed by the love of Jesus are to live as messengers, neighbors, and worshippers.

The first eight and a half chapters of Luke answer the really big question, “Who is Jesus?” by showing us over and over again that Jesus, full of love, beauty, and truth - is God’s promised rescuer. The next several chapters answer a second really big question, “What are you going to do about it?” Luke 10 gives us a component of that answer - that those who have been transformed by the love of Jesus are to live as messengers, neighbors, and worshippers.

Have you ever experienced “the thing underneath the thing?” Maybe your child had a hard day at school, and you are on the receiving end of it. Maybe your co-worker blew up at you, and it really doesn’t have anything to do with you at all. There are always motivations and assumptions, blessings and wounds, underneath our behavior - sometimes they are healthy and sometimes not so much. At the end of Luke 9 Jesus says some hard things. Initially it seems as if Jesus is pushing people away, but Jesus is always aware of “the thing underneath the thing.” Rather than mute the words of Jesus, let’s lean in and receive them - they just might be the smelling salts of truth that awaken us and jerk us back into seeing Him and worshipping Him.

Luke 9 is a training session for the disciples. One of the things that Jesus teaches them comes towards the end of the chapter after he had miraculously healed a tormented boy. Understandably, people were “amazed” and were “marveling at all that Jesus did” (v. 43). It seems that this incredible display by Jesus got the disciples wondering and arguing about their own greatness and status in the kingdom of God. Jesus was aware of what was going on and he brought a little child to stand beside him and said: “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.” - Luke 9:48 What is Jesus saying here? A child has no power, no money, no recognition, and no accomplishments. It’s easy to show kindness to those with power, money, and status - they can bless you back. But Jesus is calling his disciples to imitate him by challenging them to love even the least of these. Most of us have some sort

Interruptions are everywhere. Conversations are interrupted by others chiming in. Travel is interrupted by weather. Can you imagine the list of all the things in life that our phones interrupt with texts, notifications, etc. In the final scene of Luke 8 we meet two people who couldn’t be more different - one is affluent and powerful and the other is isolated and poor. Despite their differences, their lives have both been interrupted by tragedy, and at the same time, in the same place, on the same day, their lives intersect with Jesus. How does Jesus respond to them?

It was a SCANDAL! One of the cultural elites, Simon, had invited a young rabbi to dinner for a public roundtable discussion. The evening was going fine until an uninvited guest “crashed the stage” weeping at the feet of the Rabbi. Let’s just say this woman had a reputation. Simon was surprised that the young rabbi would even allow such a person to touch him. The young rabbi’s response to Simon was even more surprising. Simon’s questions about who Jesus was and who Jesus welcomes were answered that day. If you’ve ever wondered who Jesus was and who Jesus welcomes, then Luke 7 has some answers.