Fellowship Bible Church, Tacoma - Weekly Sermon

Why should we pray? What sort of God do we pray TO? In Luke 11:1-13, Jesus teaches us to pray. As we go through this passage, we'll address questions like: is the "Lord's Prayer" only for Christians? Do I really need to ask God to forgive my sins if I've already been been forgiven? What about unanswered prayer? Do I need to just "wear God down" until He finally says yes? In the end, what we'll see is not just a model for prayer - but the generous heart of God the Father, who will give to His children what we need most.

Mary and Martha. You know this story, right? Well, maybe not. With twists as surprising and subversive as the "Good Samaritan" just before, Luke challenges our expectations in this passage by showing us: 1. Jesus welcomes women as disciples. 2. Service is not bad. 3. We need to guard the priority of listening to Jesus. 4. The problem is in our hearts. and 5. The tender patience of Jesus with sinners.

What does it mean to "love your neighbor?" And who is my neighbor, anyway? In this section of Luke's gospel, Jesus answers these questions with a surprising, subversive story that not only challenges familiar categories - but presses us to appreciate the merciful, self-giving love of Jesus for all of us who fail to love others as we should.

What is our purpose in life? In this section of Luke's gospel (10:1-24), we see Jesus send out a large group of kingdom workers - giving modern followers insight into the mission to which he's called us in the process.

What would Jesus say if you walked up to him and said, "I want to follow you"? Would he be impressed? Or evaluative? Or...what? In this section of Luke's gospel, we see this scenario play out over the course of three separate dialogues. Whether you're a prospective follower of Jesus or a longtime following of Jesus who's getting discouraged, the answers Jesus gives will help us 1. Consider the cost of following Jesus. and 2. See why Jesus is worth it.

In Luke 9:37-50, we see a series of three failures on the part of the disciples. Nevertheless, Jesus patiently offers correction and instruction - doing the same for us in the process.

What does it mean to follow Jesus? Is it worth it? Really? In this passage, Jesus answers these questions with clarity and power, leading us to re-examine what it means to live a life of sacrificial allegiance...and to rejoice in the sacrificial commitment Jesus Christ has made for us.

Who is Jesus? And what does it mean to be his disciple? These questions begin to find their answer in Luke 18-22, leading to an unavoidable point of self analysis: who do I say that He is?