We are messengers, but it’s not our message – it’s God’s.  We had better be extra careful to check our sources, be silent until we know what we’re talking about, and then deliver an accurate message – or better yet – show people where to learn for themselves.  Good News that’s false – is not Good at all.  Nothing hurts more than false hope.  

In Luke 14 at the dinner, Jesus tells a story about another dinner – the Kingdom feast.  We will look at the characters in Jesus’ story and we find ourselves there: we are the “slaves,” the messengers.  Scriptures used: Romans 10:1-2 James 3:1-2 Luke 14.15-24; Matthew 22.1-14  

Practical steps for killing Excuses, Justifications and Rationalizations, and replacing them with adaptations, improvisations and overcoming.  We can categorize our lives, and look for them – to root them out.  Then, connect with a Godwor disciple for accountability & help.  Finally, choose one or two and work on them one bit at a time. 

Satan’s Sirens … Excuses, Justifications and Rationalizations.  These three are alluring, enticing, just like the beautiful singing sirens of mythology that lured sailors to their death – Satan’s sirens kill us.  The solution is for us to recognize things that tempt us to these things, then treat them as challenges and opportunities.  We should adapt, improvise, overcome … we should put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6). 

Grow Some Go Some … congratulations are due to those of you who are still listening & studying, and especially to those of you who are DOING the assignments.  Following Jesus was hard when he was in human form, and it’s still hard.  Now … time to get to work for real. 

From now on … these lessons will be less formal, shorter … and use excerpts from Luke to continue our studies.  Most importantly, it’s about helping you to start actually doing the stuff Jesus did … on purpose.  Make a real change.  Do three things, right now:  

it’s time for us to review and settle some things.  Remember our purpose, our actions and our priority.  And then … DO what Jesus said.

This lesson is about the parable of talents (found in Matthew 25.14-30 & Luke 19.12-27).  It’s about how you live as a disciple of Jesus … steadily giving more in quality and quantity purely for the purpose of bearing increasing fruit and glory to God.  

Jesus explains why he left the religious folks to go seek sinners and call them to repentance.  We are introducing the “Lifecycle” of disciples … those who come to Jesus for various reasons, then go all-in, are born again, and then live and grow.  Scriptures highlighted in this lesson include: Luke 15, Matthew 6.20-21, Colossians 3.1-2, Philippians 3.12-21, and Matthew 25.14-30. 

Teleios is a Greek word used commonly to describe a certain kind of maturity – the maturity which is understood to include productivity.  Only when a thing has reached ‘teleios’ is it considered to have arrived at its full potential.  Each one of us should strive to arrive at our full teleios state