It might sound like we live in a world where you can do whatever you want, but the reality is that it doesn’t often feel that way. People have expectations of us: whether it’s our boss, spouse, parents, friends, or even ourselves. Who gets to give ultimate approval on our lives? Guest preacher Greg Griffith shares his favorite Bible passage and helps us to see that we live for God’s approval alone.

As Luke concludes his Gospel, he recounts the story of two men who have a conversation with the risen Lord where He explains “to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself” (Luke 24:27). Not only is Luke’s Gospel all about Jesus, the whole Bible is all about Jesus. We read the Bible well when we read it with Him at the center.

Hearing Is Believing

Jesus “eagerly desires” to eat with His disciples at the Last Supper (Luke 22:15). In the Lord’s Supper, Jesus reminds us that He still eagerly desires to eat with His disciples – us.

On Palm Sunday, the crowds praise Jesus “for all the miracles they had seen” (Luke 19:37). But if we only praise Jesus because of He does what we delight in, then we will not love Jesus for long, as the sudden turn of events during Holy Week demonstrates. We love Jesus not because He does what we want, but because He gives us what we need.

The story of Zacchaeus is the story of a man who goes from greed to radical generosity – but not because he is forced to, but because he has been changed by Jesus. When Jesus is generous toward us, we cannot help but be generous toward others.

Jesus tells us a parable of a man who believes in himself and another man who believes in God. In a culture that encourages us to believe in ourselves, we are called to examine ourselves – and then humbly repent of our sins.

In Luke 15, Jesus tells a series of three parables on a lost sheep, a lost coin, and a lost son. The things lost were so valuable that, when they are found, there is great rejoicing. When we are lost, how can we be found? When others are lost, how can we find them?

Jesus claims that the way to salvation is narrow – it leads exclusively through Him. In a world of religious pluralism, how is this reasonable to believe? What value is there in believing it?

When Jesus is accused of driving out demons by using demonic forces, He reminds His accusers, “A house divided against itself with fall” (Luke 11:17). In a divided world, how can we be agents of unity so we do not fall?