Awake Us Now

Luke 1:1-25.

Today we begin a study of the Gospel of Luke with a look at Zechariah who was a devout man who thought he was prepared to meet the Living God - but reacted with fear and doubt when God showed up. God graciously gave him a second chance to respond with faith, and extends that same grace to us when we falter and fail. This story of Zechariah is a story that still speaks to us today.

There are lessons to learn from this story - All scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correction and training in righteousness so that we can be thoroughly equipped for every good work. - God wants us to KNOW HIM not just know about him. - When we read the scriptures God desires that we not only look at it and say, "what happened?" He desires that we look at the story and say, "What does this say to me today?"

In examining what this story has to do with us today, we start by going through what we know about Zechariah: 1. He was a devout priest 2. He was praying 3. He knew this was from God 4. He knew the Scriptures

As Zechariah was met by the angel of the Lord as he did the priestly duties that day, when He actually had an encounter with the Angel of the Lord he had a difficult time accepting what he was told. At the root of his doubt was Zechariah's desire to have God fit into his personal perception of who God was and how God should talk to him and what God should do. Basically, Zechariah wanted to make God conform to what he desired rather than allowing God to be who He is and to speak directly into his life.

What God desires to do is reveal Himself to us, rather than have us go along with our own personal perception of Him. We try to put God into a box, like Zechariah did, and to contain God, but God says, "NO!" And He reveals His true self to us. He reveals who He is.

God desires we come to Him in humility, repentant in spirit and willing to receive what He gives and that means that we accept one of the most important truths that anyone can know and act on and that is: - God is god and we are not - God is god and I am not

God is: Supernatural All powerful Present everywhere And when He speaks he means it! His Word is true and it can be trusted!

We have been made in the image of a Holy God and we owe Him everything: - My life - My future - My family - My wealth - My daily activities

We must not underestimate God. Zechariah heard great news that day from the angel and he just could not accept what God was saying. Zechariah made one of the biggest mistakes of his life and underestimated God. He said, "How can this be?" Because in his mind it just did not seem possible. BUT with God NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE!

Divine Promises brought to Zechariah by the Angel of the Lord: - Fear not! - Answered prayers - Good News of joy - Holy Spirit outpouring - Repentance and return - Power - Awakening

Zechariah thought he was too old to receive what the Lord was giving him, but we are NEVER too old for any of the good things of God!!!

God seeks to build a trusting faith in each of us that causes us to acknowledge, "I am the Lord's servant and I will do what He says."

Zechariah missed the boat that day, but God still came through and He took Zechariah's doubts and reluctance and He brought it all about for His glory and Zechariah's good.

God is faithful. He keeps His Word!

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St. Luke's Account is part three of our Two Year Study of the Gospels. The Gospel of Luke takes a look at the life of Jesus, beginning with the well-known Christmas stories. Luke, a non-Jew, offers a unique perspective into the story of Jesus' life.

This study is great for large group. small group or home group Bible study.

Luke 16:1-13.

Jesus warns that no one can serve two masters. Will you be devoted to God - or to "stuff?"

This Parable of the Shrewd Manager is one of Jesus' most controversial parables and one of the most difficult parable to understand. Join us a Pastor Dodge digs deep into this parable and pulls out some amazing nuggets of the wisdom Jesus is sharing in the challenging parable.

Luke 16:8, Jesus says, "For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of light. I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourself, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings."

What Jesus is saying? He's saying that many times unbelieving people are very shrewd in their daily dealings. They look out into the distance, rather than being preoccupied with the here and now and the immediate. This manager recognizes that he was soon to be out of a job and he had a limited window of time left. So he willingly sacrifices his own commission, in order to ingratiates himself with his masters debtors so that he makes sure that in the long run, in the future, blessings like employment would come.

Jesus is saying, "God's people need to take that to heart." Because you see so often we get so preoccupied with what is going on in the moment that we forget our eternal destiny. So often we become so overwhelmed by the events of daily life. Maybe you're going through something like that in your life today, where all sorts of things have piled up suddenly and that is all you can see. What Jesus is saying is remember your ultimate destiny. If you are a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, if you trust in Him and He is your Savior and your Lord then you know that our ultimate destiny is not to rest 6 feet under. It is not simply to try to make it through the next years or decades of our lives. Our ultimate destiny is to be with the Lord forever.

He has made us His managers. Do we understand this? Everything we have comes from God. We so often like to pat ourselves on the back and talk about our accomplishments, of what we've accumulated and what we've done. But the book of James tells us, "Every good and perfect gift comes down from above, from the Father of the heavenly lights."

Nothing that you have or that I have is something that we earned or deserved. It is a gift. Our talents, our abilities, intelligence, riches, you name it, everything ultimately is from God Himself, and we are simply the managers of what He's given us.

Jesus is encouraging us to manage wisely. Learn from this shrewd but disreputable character who had enough foresight to realize the future is more important than the immediate.

Do not confuse the gift with the Giver. Understand God is the giver of everything.

We are to use everything in a way that gives Him glory. Be generous. Put your faith in the living God into action by being generous toward others. It is what Jesus taught over and over again. In the gospel of Matthew 6:19-21 Jesus says, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

What Jesus is telling us is that everything we have comes from Him. As individuals who realize how much God loves us, who are repentant before Him, realizing we don't bring anything to the heavenly party. God has done it all. He has given us everything including His only Son Jesus.

God offers life forever, by faith in Jesus, and He promises that He will even reward me, sinner though I am, for following Him and trusting Him. He wants me to use everything He's given me, wisely.

We so often hoard what we have, but we are called to keep in mind our futures and give with in a manner that shows where our eyes are, on the reward of a future with God forever, because the Father gives us every good gift, everything we have is from Him, so now we are simply His managers and as His managers were are to be:

-- Generous in helping others -- Generous in sharing our faith -- Generous in calling people to a knowledge of the living God

-- Trustworthy in the way we deal with others -- Trustworthy in the way we relate to God -- Trustworthy in the way we use the resources, abilities, skills, gifts, finances, time, opportunities we are given

-- Devoted to the Living God -- Reflecting God's Love, Mercy, Purity, Goodness, Faithfulness - Not to earn anything, but instead because we've been given everything, including salvation!

-- Be generous because God is generous. -- Be trustworthy because Gos is trustworthy. -- Be devoted to God because He's devoted to us!

At the end of time, Stuff doesn't last, it doesn't remain, but GOD DOES AND PROMISES DO!

He is calling us to repentance and to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, The One Who Is THE GREATEST GIFT OF ALL!! And this is the One we serve!

https://www.awakeusnow.com

The Parables of Jesus is part two of our Two Year Study of the Gospels. Jesus is known for telling some of the greatest stories ever told. In telling these stories He uses the form of a parable which is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. Jesus' parables resonate in every culture and in every generation around the world.

This study is great for large group. small group or home group Bible study.

Luke 18:9-14, Romans 3:23, Isaiah 57:15, Psalm 51:15, 1 Corinthians 1:31, Micah 6:8.

There is incredible danger in pride. God requires humility. Jesus told this story of two prayers - and the two pray-ers. One prayed about his own righteousness, the other prayed in humility and repentance. Which man went home forgiven?

"To those who were confident of their own righteousness and look down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable." (Luke 18:9). This is a targeted story. It is a targeted parable as Jesus speaks to people who are spiritually proud and tend to look at everyone else with disdain. What was true in Jesus day remains true today. Many times we judge others by our own standards rather than God's and very often we are quick to see the failings of others, but ignore our own weaknesses.

People can outwardly put on a form of religion but inwardly deny its real power. The parable tells of two people who went to the temple to pray. The pharisee stood by himself to pray - he was perceived as religious, dedicated, devout. Many saw him as the "good guy." But does Jesus? Here's what the pharisee says, "God I thank You that I am not like other people: robbers, evil doers, adulterers, or tax collector. I fast two times per week and give a tenth of all I receive." (i.e.: look how great I am!)

Then Jesus describes the prayer of the tax collector, who stood at a distance and would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said "God have mercy on me, a sinner." No excuses, not list of accomplishments.

The difference in these two prayers are profound and Jesus turns the "good guy" (pharisee) and the "bad buy" (tax collector) story inside out and upside down. Jesus say of the tax collector, "This man went home justified before God, for those who exalt themselves will be humbled and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

The Father desires, above all else, humility from His children. God desires a broken and contrite heart (Psalm 51:15). Repentance is what our Holy God desire and what our sin condition demands. God desires the we are humble before Him. We compare ourselves to others, but instead the true standard is that we compare ourselves to a Holy, Perfect God and then we see we are all sinners in need of a Savior in order to stand before our Father.

We need a Savior and Jesus is that Savior, the perfect sacrificial Lamb, the One needed because by us all because we are all sinners. We need humility in order to come before God and say, "Lord have mercy on me a sinner." Fallen people need a Savior and we need to recognize our need for Him. As we have all sinned.

God is gracious and we are needy: -- We need a Savior, Jesus -- We need forgiveness -- We need cleansing -- We need renewal -- We need rebirth

Are we boasting about our lives? Accomplishments? How religious we are? How good we are?

We need to hear Jesus' voice in this parable and realize our only boasting is to be in the Lord and what He has done (1 Corinthians 1:31).

Humility before God is not weakness, it is strength. Humility before God is not an indication of our failing, it is an indication of God's mercy and grace to those who recognize they need a Savior.

https://www.awakeusnow.com

The Parables of Jesus is part two of our Two Year Study of the Gospels. Jesus is known for telling some of the greatest stories ever told. In telling these stories He uses the form of a parable which is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. Jesus' parables resonate in every culture and in every generation around the world.

This study is great for large group. small group or home group Bible study.

Jesus warns that no one can serve two masters. Will you be devoted to God, or to "stuff?"

Scripture - Luke 16:19-31, Luke 16:14.

"The Rich Man and Lazarus" is a parable in which Jesus portrays two ways of living — and two destinies after death. What will your destiny be?

This is many times a misunderstood parable. Jesus told this parable in response to the laughter and scorn of the pharisees. Pastor sets the stage for this parable sharing that no one is saved by:

1. Right Doctrines - We are not saved by knowing the doctrines of the faith because it is not what you know, it's WHO you know. You can have the right doctrine, but be absolutely messed up in your relationship with the Lord.

2. Right Actions - We are not saved by how good we are. All have sinned and none of us can stand before a holy God. We are saved only be the grace of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

In this parable, Jesus paints the picture of a very wealthy man living with his focus on possessions. Outside the gates lived a man with nothing, a poor man longing for scraps from the Rich Man's table.

Both men die. Lazarus, the beggar, who trusted in the Living God goes to heaven and the Rich Man who trusted in his wealth and possessions, to Hades. The point Jesus makes with this teaching is that ultimately, every human being will face one of two destinies and the destinies can be summed up simply as reward (heaven) and punishment (Hades).

Jesus' intent is to emphasize these two destinations. The most foolish thing we can do is to ignore the goodness, mercy and grace of God in Jesus Christ. Without Him we are lost and hell is our destination. Life with God is forever = heavenly reward. Life without God is forever = punishment and separation from Him and there's no second chance. It's just that simple. Jesus is saying this is serious stuff and our destiny is not to be taken lightly.

God's word is available. Listen to what He says and we will know the truth. We are to follow Him, trust Him and in Him there is forgiveness and Life forever with Him. Reject Him and there is eternal judgement and punishment.

We must not ignore the voice of God. In this parable Jesus is trying to wake people up. He's trying to show us just how important it is that we know Him. We can accumulate wealth, awards, position, title, honors, possessions but if we don't know Jesus, we have nothing that endures.

Our Savior loves us enough that He was willing to die for us. When someone loves you that much you know that you can trust your life to Him. He loved us enough that He was willing to die for each one of us and he has triumphed over death for us too.

God is calling us to what really matters and what really matters is knowing Him, His love, His mercy, His forgiveness, His resurrection power and His promised return.

Our destiny is one or the other: Life with God Or Life without God

Choose Life with God - it is in Him that Life forever - our reward - is found.

Recognize the reality of heaven and hell and choose life with Him, by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

YOU WILL NEVER REGRET IT!

https://www.awakeusnow.com

The Parables of Jesus is part two of our Two Year Study of the Gospels. Jesus is known for telling some of the greatest stories ever told. In telling these stories He uses the form of a parable which is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. Jesus' parables resonate in every culture and in every generation around the world.

This study is great for large group. small group or home group Bible study.

Jesus told this story of two prayers, and the two pray-ers. One prayed about his own righteousness; the other prayed in humility and repentance. Which man went home forgiven?

Jesus often answered a question with a question of His own. But when asked, "Who is my neighbor?", He answered by telling a story -- a story that asks the same question of us today.

In the parable of the sower, Jesus compares the Word of God to seed falling on four different kinds of soil: hardened, shallow, thorny, and productive. Which soil does God's Word find in you?

Is your life built on a solid foundation, or on an unstable one? What did Jesus say was a solid foundation?

Luke 15:11-32; Exodus 34:6; Numbers 14:18; Psalm 86:5, 15; Psalm 103:8; Psalm 145:8; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2; Luke 15:10.

This parable is called The Prodigal Son, but perhaps a better name for it is: "Prodigal Son - Prodigal Father."

Why? The dictionary has 2 definitions for prodigal: 1. Wasteful - One who recklessly squanders what he has been given (This is the youngest son in this story) 2. Extravagant - One who abundantly gives and lavishly blesses (This is The Father)

The parable is the story of a son who asks for his inheritance early, leaves with it, squanders his newly given wealth in wild living and ends up spending it all and having nothing left. The only job he's able to get is taking care of a farmer's pigs. That's when the regret settles in.

As Pastor progresses through the story he uses these words to describe the steps the prodigal son went through: 1. Rebellion - against God's plan for his life 2. Recklessness - in our choices and behavior 3. Ruin - experienced as a result of rebellion and choices 4. Regret - wishing he could start over, a re-do to make different choices, but we can't rewind or redo what's already done; however, we can... 5. Return - to God. How will He receive us back? Will He be angry, accusatory, disgusted? No! The younger son returns, repentant, and the Father opens His arms, comes running towards the son and embraces him, welcoming him home with a heart full of love. This is the Father's heart for each one of us. He stretches out nail-pierced hands and says, "Welcome home!" That's the heart of God and that's the love of God.

No matter what we've done, no matter where we've been, no matter how we've wandered - God is a good, good Father and welcomes us back to Himself with open arms of reception. John 3:16 - God loves and He wants us to come home - to come back to Him.

We can know for certain - We have a Heavenly Father who is perfect- who loves us unconditionally and who wants only what is best for us.

Even difficulties have the intent of drawing us back to Him. Even when we experience sorrows, loss and trials, God's desire is that we wake up and see His incredible love for us in Jesus our Savior and there - no matter what - we will find forgiveness, mercy, love and peace - because God is a good Father.

But there's more to this story...

So they're having a party celebrating the youngest son's return home - but the older son is jealous, indignant and angry that there is a party for this wayward brother and that the father hasn't ever thrown a party for him and he's been there working and helping the father and never left.

The older son doesn't understand the Father's love.... The older son sees the relationship with his father as one of performance and what the son has done for the Father, and how badly his brother has failed. The Father pleads with the older jealous son saying, "You are always with me - everything I have is already yours, but we must celebrate your brother's return, for he was lost but now is found!" The older son doesn't understand the heart of the father. The father is merciful. The younger son is repentant. The older son is prideful.

Why did Jesus end the story with the older son? There's a lesson for us all in this story for we all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Not just the younger son, but the older son as well. All of us like sheep have gone astray - but God laid on Jesus the sins of all and by His stripes we are healed. We need to understand the mercy of the Father and like the younger son - we need to recognize our rebellion and recklessness, we need to repent and return to God through Jesus, our Deliverer and Savior.

This story is a great summary of the greatest book ever written - the Bible - the Bible shares the story of a God who has loved us even though we rebelled against Him and when we turn around and return to Him there's a celebration party! Luke 15:10 "In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

https://www.awakeusnow.com

The Parables of Jesus is part two of our Two Year Study of the Gospels. Jesus is known for telling some of the greatest stories ever told. In telling these stories He uses the form of a parable which is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. Jesus' parables resonate in every culture and in every generation around the world.

This study is great for large group. small group or home group Bible study.