After Jesus had completed his long teaching intensive, Luke records that he returned to Capernaum where His ministry had previously been well received. There, according to Luke 7:1-10, He was approached by the Jews on behalf of a Roman centurion – a man who had power at his fingertips, but no power to deal with disase and impending death. But this man saw that Jesus did have authority and submitted himself to One greater than he, implicitly trusting that whatever Jesus commanded would come to pass! Great faith indeed!

Message

Outline

• The thirteenth in this series
• Back in Capernaum
• The Roman centurion
• See how this interaction tells us of the ..

1. Reason why Jesus could have chosen not to help the man (v.1-3)
2. Reason why the Jews said that Jesus should help the man (v.4-6a)
3. Reasons why the response of this man is a great help (v.6b-10)

How the story ends…
The God who is too big to fail!
What Naaman discovered…

In Luke 6:43-49, Jesus is finishing his teaching intensive on how His disciples ought to live. The text is very much connected to the previous versess in which Jesus spoko of making careful and merciful judgements – especially about people – and this certainly applies in the way we are to look at others and view the reality of their profession. Words are part of it, but fruit will be the greater evidence, as will the need to be hearers and doers of His word.

Message

Outline

• The twelfth in this series
• The end of His teaching intensive
• Don’t be foolish!
• See how Jesus taught that we ought remember that …

1. Your fruit gives you away (v.43-45)
2. Your foundation may give way! (v.46-49)

Dr Smith and Dr Smith
The bottom line
Hear and do!

In Luke 6:27-36, Jesus is still teaching His disciples about their responsibility to be His people in a world that hates them. After instructing them on what constitutes ‘blessings’ and ‘woes’ for his followers, He now makes it clear that His disciples will be known by a special kind of love – one that even includes love for their enemies. What this looks like in practise and why this is necessary is also made plain!

Message

Outline

• The tenth in this series
• Something overlooked!
• The character of this ‘new Israel’…
• See how Jesus taught a kind of love and…

1. What this love looks like (v.27-31)
2. Why this love is necessary (v.32-36)

Corrie Ten Boom…
What our Father God is like!

When teaching what God wanted us to know, Jesus was never one to beat around the bush. He put it out there. Spoke the trusth as he saw it. In Luke 6:12-26, particularly 6:20-26, Jesus taught His disciples in what is known as the ‘Sermon on the Plain’ (which corresponds well with Matthew’s ‘Sermon on the Mount’ but a lot shorter). These verses teach us that Jesus and the world clearly value different things, almost the opposite of each other in many respects, and so, His disciples are called to have a whole new set of ‘upside-down’ priorities and values.

Message

Outline

• The ninth in this series
• This growing portrait of Jesus
• Luke – on the plain, Matthew – on the mount…
• See how Luke wants us to note…

1. The plain-spoken contrasts He made (v.20-26)
2. The point-blank challenges He gave (v.20-26)

‘Imagine’
The upside-down kingdom
Your greatest treasure?

When Jesus and his disciples were challenged by the Pharisees over their obvious love of food (compared to them who loved to show off their fasting) and their ‘working’ on the Sabbath day (despite the strict rules the Pharisees taught and enforced), and then leaing on the Sabbath day (despite it being a work of mercy), all recorded for us in Luke 5:33-6:11, it seems that the Pharisees escaltated their hatred for Jesus and opposition to his message to new levels. But Jesus wasn’t troubled by these accustaions. Nor was he guilty of any sin! How was that so? Listen on…

Message

Outline

• The eighth in this series
• Luke’s portrait of Jesus
• Food!
• See that Luke wants us to note that Jesus was….

1. Accused of eating when he shouldn’t! (5:33-39)
2. Accused of eating what he shouldn’t! (6:1-5)
3. Accused of healing when he shouldn’t! (6:6-11)

Lawbreakers!
Mercy for the guilty!
What would Jesus do….?

So far in Luke’s gospel, it seems that Jesus’ ministry has only just begun. We are in the early days. But even then, a pattern begins to emerge in Luke 5:12-32, where people from all walks of life come across Jesus or He meets them – and in each of the three recorded examples of the way that Jesus dealt with these differing people, one thing is constant. It is the amazing mixture of power and authority with love and compassion that sets Jesus apart from all others who ever came before Him or who have followed on since!

Message

Outline

• The seventh in this series
• People from all walks of life
• Life in 1st century Palestine
• See that Luke wants us to note ….

1. His willingness to show compassion (v.12-16)
2. His authority to forgive sins (v.17-26)
3. His capacity to embrace outcasts (v.27-32)

Creating a portrait
What did Jesus look like?
Ambassadors of Jesus….

So much changed for Simon Peter in Luke 5:1-11. Although it seems likely that Peter had met Jesus before, he’d never had an encounter with Jesus quite like this one. The text relays how he went from being an unsuccesful, aware-of-of-his-own-sin fisherman type, to a follower of Jesus with a ctach full of fish as an extra bonus! What was it that Jesus did? What did he see in Peter? And what lessons do we learn from Peter’s quick and total response to Jesus’ call?

Message

Outline

• The sixth in this series
• Luke’s focus on individuals
• Jesus and Simon (so far…)
• See that Luke wants us to note ….

1. The change in Jesus’ field of vision (v.1-4)
2. The change in Simon’s level of trust (v.5-10a)
3. The change in Simon’s avenue of service (v.10b-11)

What the coach saw…
What Jesus had been aiming at!
Simon Peter’s response and yours…

In Luke 4:31-44, Luke records how Jesus’ ministry really took off. While in Capernaum after being rejected by the people of Nazareth, Jesus showed his complete and convincing authority over demons and disease. He did this in public, before the eyes of the watching people who were rightly amazed. But Luke also tells us of matters behind the scenes. How Jesus set aside time for prayer, and how that prayer influenced his actions. In Jesus we see a perfect blend of power and compassion – not always seen in others. As God’s people our task is aleays to point to Him as the Saviour of men.

Message

Outline

• The picture Luke is painting
• Jesus about to change gears
• Nazareth and Capernaum
• See that Luke wants us to note ….

1. The public display of His power (v.31-41)
2. The private unveiling of His compassion (v.42-44)

Oil and water
The unique balance seen in Jesus
Our task! 1 Peter 2:9-10

Going home is typically an experience you don’t live to regret. There are exceptions of course. In Luke 4:14-30, Jesus went home to Nazareth and worshipped in the synagogue, only to be run out of town and have his life threatened by angry townsfolk. So what happened? Why did what should have been a welcome home event become something so nasty? The answer lies in what Jesus preached as he brought Isaiah 61:1-2 to their attention, and then, based on what he did and didn’t say, the explosive situation unfolded.

Message

Outline

• The contrast between settings
• Still a conflict with the evil one
• In his hometown…
• See that Luke wants us to note ….

1. The people He was among (v.14-16a)
2. The sermon He preached (v.16b-27)
3. The reaction it caused (v.28-30)

The Saviour has arrived!
The danger of unbelief
John 1:11-12