We wrap up our deep study of the Gospel Of Luke with our 95th sermon. On this final teaching day, we’ll take a look back at some of the highlights of the last two years and remember some of the lessons we have learned together.

Our outlook on life takes on an incredibly positive hue when the resurrected Jesus is among us. As we study the final verses in the Gospel of Luke, we discover the peace of Christ that can calm the troubled mind. We also learn that regardless of the illness and weakness we suffer in our present bodies, that our minds can envision our imperishable, resurrected future bodies and that makes all the difference in those suffering moments.

There are many times when Jesus is with us even though we don’t know it. But we can be sure of His presence when we break bread at the communion table. Two of His earliest disciples learned this truth shortly after Jesus’ resurrection as they were walking on the road toward Emmaus. These disciples knew all the facts, but their eyes opened to their faith beyond the facts. Will our eyes - and hearts - be open to the faith beyond the facts too?

Where do you search for Jesus? If you don’t find Him maybe it’s because you’re looking in the wrong places. We celebrate Jesus’ resurrection on this Easter Day 2018 and talk about what this means for each one of us. This is such incredible good news it must be shared.

In our Christian calendar we rightly make a big deal out of Good Friday and Easter, but what about the Saturday in between? The Saturday ‘twixt gloom and glory? Ironically this is where we live most days of our lives, not on the mountaintops nor in the valleys. As we consider the last ten verses of Luke 23, we discover three examples for living out our Christian faith on those days when we feel neither the elation of the celebration nor the despair of the sorrow.

Even while Jesus was enduring the pain of crucifixion, he encountered 6 groups of people. In this sermon we examine these exchanges to discover powerful meaning to us two thousand years later. Open your Bible to Luke 23:26-46 as we consider cross encounters of the divine kind.

From childhood’s earliest days we know the meaning and expectation of “fairness.” How many times have you heard a child cry out in frustration: “But that’s not fair!” There’s just something about rightness and wrongness that is built into our human psyche. That’s why this sermon is so important. There was just nothing fair about the exchange of Jesus for Barabbas. Yet, as unfair as it was, it was the best possible exchange for each one of us.

Consider Luke 22:35-53. Jesus Himself described these events in his life as “when darkness reigns.” The reality is that there are times in our lives when darkness reigns: when the doctor’s report is bad news; when our closest friend betrays us; when we miss that special loved one who has passed on and we’re so lonely. Darkness reigns sometimes. What should we do in those dark moments? Pastor Mark provides some encouraging words from Jesus’ own experience of when darkness reigned.

We take a close look at the Christian life cycle through the story of Peter. Along the way we discover the crisis each Christ-follower must face in his or her own life. The end result of this crisis will be either life everlasting or stillbirth. The good news? Jesus is on our side and even prays for us!

Who is the greatest? This human need to prove ourselves the best never ends. We see it in sports, work, school and family. Even in Jesus’ time - even on his final teaching day - his disciples were arguing about who among them was the greatest. If you truly want the gold medal for being the greatest, then this is one sermon you’ll want to hear.