The Bible has a lot to say about about money, greed, and covetousness. So how come so few of us confess the sin of greed? Or see greed as a major spiritual threat? In Luke 12:13-21, Jesus tells the parable of the rich man and his bigger barns to expose the foolishness of our perspective on money - and point us to something of eternal value.

How can we live as faithful followers of Jesus in a culture that might view Christians with suspicion? Or mockery? Or outright hostility? In Luke 12:1-12, Jesus warns his followers of the dangers they will face, but also equips us to faith in these challenges courageously, faithfully, and joyfully - because the Triune God is with us.

"Pharasaism" is one of the most deadly sins because it's so hard to see in yourself. It's like carbon monoxide: deadly, but invisible. So what's the solution? In Luke 11:37-54, we hear some of the strongest words from Jesus in all of scripture as he rebukes the Pharisees for their pride and hypocrisy. We'll consider ourselves in light of these words ("am I a Pharisee?"), and then consider how the path to "curing" a hard-hearted Pharisee is not guilt or hard work - but grace. And grace is exactly what Jesus is happy to supply in abundance, even to Pharisees.

In this oft-neglected section of Luke's gospel, we see how Jesus is both greater than Solomon, greater than Jonah - and worthy of our full and attentive listening. Bruce ends with telling us why he wants, more than anything, to see Jesus personally someday.

We are in a battle between good and evil. In this section of Luke's gospel, Jesus confronts this evil head on, and - in a preview of what's to come - wins. In doing so, he offers each of us a choice: are we with Jesus or not?

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.