Bayou City Fellowship

If your life were a banquet, who would be invited? Teaching from Luke 14, Pastor Cole Ellerbrock explains how Jesus confronts our pride and calls us into humble, generous hospitality. Following Jesus means looking beyond comfortable relationships and using what God has given us to welcome others, meet real needs, and share the hope of Christ.

• Pride turns our attention inward, but humility frees us to honor and serve others

• Biblical hospitality welcomes people beyond our familiar social circles without expecting repayment

• Our homes, time, finances, talents, and everyday resources are gifts that can advance God’s mission

Key Scriptures:

Luke 14:7–14

John 13:34–35

Proverbs 25:6–7

1 Peter 5:5–6

Consider one practical way you can use what God has given you to share Christ with someone this week. Open your home, make room in your schedule, meet a need, or invite someone into your life who may never be able to repay you. Share this sermon with a friend or family member who wants to live with greater humility and generosity.

Bayou City Fellowship Tomball Campus | Cole Ellerbrock | September 27, 2026

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What does it take to follow Jesus with courage in a world that may resist what He says? Teaching through Luke 14, Pastor Kevin Barra shows us a Jesus who confronts false assumptions, embraces difficult moments, and calls His followers to count the cost. Courageous Christianity is not about appearing fearless. It is a consistent, surrendered life that represents Jesus wherever He leads.

• Courageous faith requires consistent character and a willingness to speak truth in difficult moments

• Jesus challenges us to choose humility over honor, generosity over reciprocity, and responsiveness over excuses

• Following Jesus means prioritizing Him above everything else, embracing the cost, and leaving a godly impact

Key Scriptures:

Luke 14:1–24

Luke 14:25–35

1 Timothy 5:8

John 19:25–27

Ask yourself where your picture of Jesus needs to change, which comfortable assumptions He is challenging, and whether you have truly counted the cost of following Him. Pray for the courage to represent Jesus consistently and leave the impact God desires. Share this sermon with a friend or family member who needs encouragement to follow Jesus more boldly.

Bayou City Fellowship Spring Branch Campus | Kevin Barra | September 27, 2026

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Why do success, recognition, possessions, and even good relationships never feel like enough? Teaching from Jesus’ parable of the great banquet in Luke 14, Pastor Nick Maricle explains why our search for more cannot satisfy the deepest longing of our souls. What we are truly looking for is not another achievement or experience, but the surpassing worth of knowing Christ.

• We naturally search for meaning, salvation, and identity in things that cannot fully satisfy us

• When we truly see the Father, we discover that He is what our souls have wanted all along

• The gifts and accomplishments that once defined us can become tools for God’s glory

Key Scriptures:

Luke 14:1–24

Philippians 3:4–11

1 John 3:2

Identify the achievement, relationship, possession, or ability you are tempted to make your source of meaning. Lay it before Jesus, receive the life and righteousness He freely offers, and ask how that same gift can serve His kingdom. Share this sermon with a friend or family member who feels caught in the exhausting search for more.

Bayou City Fellowship Cypress Campus | Nick Maricle | September 27, 2026

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How does Jesus build a Kingdom that reaches the entire world? In Luke 13:18–35, Jesus describes a Kingdom that begins like a tiny seed, welcomes unexpected people, and is led by a King willing to suffer for His enemies. Kevin Barra explains how the gospel transforms individual hearts and then works through ordinary people to bring lasting change to their families, communities, and world.

• God’s Kingdom begins small but steadily grows, permeates cultures, and transforms everything it touches

• Entrance into the Kingdom comes through a personal relationship with Jesus, not desire, proximity to Christianity, or a family connection

• Jesus is the suffering King who died for His enemies, rose in victory, and invites His people to participate in His expanding mission

Key Scriptures:

Luke 13:18–35

Matthew 4:17, 23

Acts 1:8

Acts 28:23

Consider the part God has given you in the expanding Kingdom of Jesus. Who could you pray for, serve, disciple, or tell about how Christ has changed your life? Make sure you have personally placed your faith in Jesus, then ask Him to use your transformed life to bring His hope to the people around you. Share this message with someone who needs to know that ordinary people can make an eternal Kingdom impact.

Bayou City Fellowship Tomball Campus | Kevin Barra | September 20, 2026

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What do you do when God seems quiet, His Kingdom appears small, or you wonder whether you truly belong to Him? In Luke 13:18–35, Jesus offers both encouragement and a serious warning. Tom Douthit explains why we can trust the steady advance of Christ’s Kingdom, why salvation comes through Jesus alone, and why His open invitation demands a response.

• God’s Kingdom may begin quietly and appear insignificant, but it is alive, steadily advancing, and moving toward complete fulfillment

• Salvation cannot be earned through morality, religious accomplishment, or association with Christianity because it is received by grace through faith in Jesus

• The narrow door is open today, but it will not remain open forever, giving us urgency to trust Christ and help others know Him

Key Scriptures:

Luke 13:18–35

Romans 3:20

Ephesians 2:8–9

2 Corinthians 5:21

Romans 5:8

Take heart because Jesus is still at work, even when His work seems slow or hidden. Take heed by honestly asking whether you have trusted Christ or merely remained around Christianity. Receive His invitation while the door is open, and share this message with someone who needs to hear that the Savior calling them inside courageously gave His life to bring them home.

Bayou City Fellowship Spring Branch Campus | Tom Douthit | September 20, 2026

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Is it possible to spend years around Jesus and still never truly know Him? In Luke 13:18–35, Jesus describes a Kingdom that begins quietly, warns that the door into it is narrow, and grieves over those who refuse His invitation. Jeremiah Meadows explains why familiarity with Christianity cannot replace faith in Christ and how we can know that we genuinely belong to Jesus.

• God’s Kingdom may appear small or hidden now, but it is steadily growing and will not remain hidden forever

• Church attendance, biblical knowledge, service, and a Christian background cannot replace a personal relationship with Jesus

• Jesus is the narrow door, but that door remains open to anyone who will trust Him and receive the salvation He finished through His death and resurrection

Key Scriptures:

Luke 13:18–35

John 10:9

Colossians 1:29

1 Corinthians 15:3–4

Honestly consider what you are trusting to give you a place in God’s Kingdom. Are you relying on your background, religious activity, or familiarity with Jesus, or have you trusted Him with your life and begun following Him? Come to the King who wants you, and keep praying for those you love who have not responded to His invitation. Share this message with someone who needs to know that the narrow door is still open.

Bayou City Fellowship Cypress Campus | Jeremiah Meadows | September 20, 2026

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What if repentance is not a path toward condemnation, but an invitation to joy? In Luke 13:1–9, Jesus responds to questions about tragedy by turning the crowd’s attention away from the sins of others and toward their own need to repent. Cole Ellerbrock explains how repentance renews our minds, brings us home to a loving Father, and produces lasting fruit in our lives.

• Tragedy is not proof that someone was a worse sinner, but it reminds us that life is uncertain and everyone needs the grace of God

• Repentance means turning from lesser things and returning to the God who offers forgiveness, rest, and lasting satisfaction

• Genuine repentance does not leave us trapped in guilt because Jesus forgives, renews our hearts, and produces new fruit in us

Key Scriptures:

Luke 13:1–9

Romans 12:1–2

Luke 15:11–24

1 John 1:8–9

Psalm 51:1–12

Ask God to reveal where your heart, attention, or behavior has turned away from Him. Confess it honestly, receive the forgiveness Jesus has already secured, and ask Him to renew the joy of belonging to Him. Share this message with someone who needs to know that it is never too late to turn back home.

Bayou City Fellowship Tomball Campus | Cole Ellerbrock | September 13, 2026

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What should spending time with Jesus actually produce in your life? In Luke 13:1–17, Jesus responds to tragedy, tells a parable about a fruitless tree, and heals a suffering woman. Kevin Barra explains how these moments reveal three qualities that should mark every follower of Jesus: humility before God, accountability for how we live, and compassion toward people experiencing pain.

• Humility recognizes that we are more guilty than we want to admit and more loved than we could ever deserve

• God’s patience gives us opportunities to repent, grow, and faithfully steward everything He has entrusted to us

• People who have received the compassion of Jesus should extend His grace and practical care to others

Key Scriptures:

Luke 13:1–17

Psalm 86:15

Joel 2:13

2 Peter 3:9

James 1:27

Consider what your life communicates about following Jesus. Are you quick to repent, taking responsibility for your growth, and extending compassionate grace to people around you? Ask God to show you one person who needs to experience His kindness through you this week. Share this message with someone who wants their faith to make a visible difference in how they live.

Bayou City Fellowship Spring Branch Campus | Kevin Barra | September 13, 2026

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Why is there so much pain in the world, and what does Jesus intend to do about it? In Luke 13:1–17, Jesus heals a woman who had suffered for eighteen years and confronts religious leaders who cared more about protecting their rules than seeing her restored. Nick Maricle explains how this story reveals the astonishing goodness of God, the deeper healing found in Christ, and our invitation to help bring His Kingdom into a broken world.

• All pain exists because our world has been affected by sin, but personal suffering is not always God’s punishment for a particular sin

• Religious practices are meant to lead us toward God, but they can become obstacles when we value them more than God and the people He loves

• Jesus invites His followers to bear fruit by sharing the gospel, pursuing reconciliation, and helping the world look more like His Kingdom

Key Scriptures: 

Luke 13:1–17

Psalm 103:10

Romans 2:4

Ephesians 1:13–14

2 Corinthians 5:19

Ask God to help you see people through the eyes of His Kingdom and recognize where religious habits, cultural assumptions, or personal comfort may be holding you back. Consider one practical way you can share the gospel, care for someone vulnerable, or participate in God’s work of reconciliation this week. Share this message with someone who needs to know that God is astonishingly for them.

Bayou City Fellowship Cypress Campus | Nick Maricle | September 13, 2026

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How could God’s judgment possibly be good news? In Luke 12:49–59, Jesus speaks directly about fire, division, and the judgment to come. Allan McBrayer explains that Jesus gives this warning not to frighten people into empty religion, but to reveal the truth, clarify where we stand, and invite us into a personal relationship with Him through the mercy of God.

• Jesus endured the judgment for our sin so that everyone who believes in Him can receive forgiveness and righteousness
• God’s fire purifies and clarifies, revealing the true foundation of our works and our relationship with Jesus
• Recognizing the warning gives us an opportunity to respond now because God’s mercy provides what our own goodness never could

Key Scriptures:

• Luke 12:49–59
• 2 Corinthians 5:21
• John 3:17–18
• 1 Corinthians 3:12–15
• James 2:13

Do not assume that knowing about Jesus, attending church, or doing good things is the same as knowing Him personally. Honestly consider whether you have placed your faith in Jesus and received the forgiveness and new life He offers. Share this message with a friend or family member who needs to understand how God’s mercy triumphs over judgment.

Bayou City Fellowship Tomball Campus | Allan McBrayer | September 6, 2026

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