From the moment we were born, our fleshly nature ruled our desires and behavior. However, once we experience the new birth in Christ Jesus, we have the power through the Holy Spirit to conquer the old sinful man. In today’s message from Luke, Pastor Ed teaches us that we must deny ourselves to follow Jesus. Put another way, we are to crucify our sinful natures so that God’s will might manifest and reign in our lives. As we conquer the old fallen man, Christ power manifests in our lives.

In today’s message from Luke, Pastor Ed teaches us that in order to be Christ’s disciples, we must deny ourselves. This means that we have to forsake our wants, wishes, and desires in exchange for the Lord’s will. In other words, Jesus’s followers serve the needs of others first. The beautiful part about Jesus’s call to selflessness is that our Lord and King showed us how to do it first. Jesus emptied Himself of divinity for us and died on the cross to save us. Because of Christ’s example, we can follow His selfless lead.

In Luke chapter 7, we read that a woman with a colorful past finds her way into the place where Jesus is dining. Because she is so grateful for what the Lord has done in her life, she worships Jesus with deep passion and many tears. Instead of rejecting her like the pious religious leaders in attendance, the Lord accepts her act of love and then tells her that her faith has saved her. Pastor Ed teaches us when we realize how just much Christ has forgiven us of our sins, we too will greatly love and worship God.

In Luke 7, Jesus dines with a religious man named Simon. When a sinful woman comes in to worship at the Lord’s feet, Simon is repulsed by her very presence. Pastor Ed teaches us today that Simon did not recognize his need like the woman did. The most dangerous thing about religiosity is that it tricks man into trusting in his own righteousness. However, all men, including religious Simon, need God’s grace. Those that understand how much we’ve been forgiven passionately worship Jesus in deep gratitude as the woman did.

All of us have made plans or dreamed dreams only to see those plans fall through. When this happens, we can lose hope. In today’s message from Luke chapter 7, Pastor Ed reminds us that we need never lose hope because of Jesus. When Christ rose from the dead, He ensured a bright eternal future for all of God’s children. Even if we die on earth, we have the promise of eternal life with the Lord. This fact alone gives us peace in all circumstances and helps us bravely endure the disappointments of this world.

Have you ever felt completely overwhelmed? Do you feel abandoned, lonely, or afraid? The good news for the downtrodden is that we serve a God of compassion Who gives us grace and mercy when we cry out to Him. In today’s message from the book of Luke, Pastor Ed reminds us that God walks with us and holds our hand through difficult times. Unlike men, Jesus does not grow weary or turn away when things get tough. He will always be there for us in times of hardship and stress.

There are many people that claim to love Jesus, but they prove their disloyalty and their lack of love for God when they do not do what He says. Those that truly love Christ with their whole hearts are obedient children. In today’s message from Luke chapter 5, Pastor Ed teaches us that when we obey the Lord, we will be blessed with all heavenly blessings. The servant who does what the Lord commands will live a purposeful life full of good fruit for the Kingdom of God.

In Luke chapter 5, Jesus calls the disciples one by one. Pastor Ed points out that the Lord did not call the men while they were attending synagogue or performing a religious ritual. Instead, Christ called the men to follow Him while they were busy living and working in their ordinary lives. This demonstrates that true life changing discipleship cannot occur during a one hour service on a Sunday morning, but instead discipleship happens in every day interaction with people over a long period of time.

Sometimes after we have been a Christian for awhile, certain Bible passages and Scriptures become very familiar. If we aren’t careful, we can become prideful about our Bible knowledge or even lose our love of the Word. Pastor Ed admonishes us today to stir up our fervor and love for God. No matter how many times we’ve heard something in the Bible, there is always more to learn. The Lord loves people that are zealous for Him, and He takes pleasure in those that love Him and pursue Him with bold passion.

In the Old Testament, the Lord commanded that debts would be forgiven and slaves would be set free every 50 years. Unfortunately, Israel was not always faithful to obey this commandment. Pastor Ed teaches us today that the Lord took matters into His own hands when He sent His Son on earth to die for us. Through Christ’s sacrificial death, a jubilee was declared for God’s people. All of our debts have been paid and we have been set free from the bonds of sin and death.