Iowa Falls Evangelical Free Church Sermon Podcast

This month, we're taking a break from our verse-by-verse study of Luke to step back and look at a Scripture passage each week that is foundational to our vision and mission. What are we doing here? Today, we get to the final part of our vision statement which comes from Matthew 28:18-20. Under the authority of the risen Christ and with the promise of His constant presence, we go and make disciples.

God has given us a glorious mission which doesn't always look impressive or fruitful. What do we do when we're discouraged in the Christian ministry? We don't lose heart...because God's glory is our hope and joy.

Our church is active and growing. While some of our ministry programs take a short break for the summer, it's a good time to step back and look at the big picture. So in the month of June we'll go through one passage of Scripture each week that helps us to better see the vision and mission of our church. We begin today with part 1 of our vision: Becoming Molded by God's Word.

On Memorial Day weekend we are reminded of the dark realities of war and death. And there is much in our own lives here and now that causes grief, feels dark, heavy, even hopeless. So what are we to do when we're feeling the weight? Today we sing songs and hear a sermon from Lamentations that will help us be honest about how we feel while also helping us grow in hope.

We eat with people we love. Jesus did, too. As we continue through Luke, we see more controversy between Jesus and a group of religious conservatives. They thought the world around them was becoming a moral mess. They saw themselves as righteous and others as sinners. They developed traditions aimed at keeping them separate from sin and sinners. But who does Jesus eat with? And what does this mean for us?

Jesus' fame continues to grow. Crowds gather to hear Him teach with authority and to see Him display His authority over demons and diseases. Even influential religious leaders have come to hear and to see. But as Jesus reveals more of His identity and exhibits the extent of His authority, conflict brews. In a world where those in authority sometimes neglect or abuse the most vulnerable, Jesus has authority and uses it to heal and forgive.

In our performance-driven world, we are accustomed to being selected for certain honors or roles based on our qualifications. The most highly qualified person gets the job. Is that the way it is in the kingdom of God? Today, we again see Jesus' knowledge and power on display and we get to listen in on a conversation between Him and Peter. What can we learn about who Jesus calls to be with Him in His mission.

We are weak, sick, easily deceived, and concerned that it often looks like evil is winning.

As Luke continues to introduce us to Jesus' earthly ministry, we find hope that the kingdom of God comes in the person of Jesus whose words carry authority not only in His teaching but also over demons and diseases.

Hasn't it been a joy to go through the gospel according to Luke so far? While Mark gets to the beginning of Jesus' public ministry by Mark 1:14, Luke takes 183 verses to get there. Today we pick it up in Luke 4:14 where we'll get a glimpse at the heart of Jesus' ministry. We'll also consider what this means for us today as the work of Jesus continues through His church.

Temptations to sin come at every one of us every day. We are tested and tried in many ways and we all fail. Maybe you find yourself tempted in a lot of the same ways and failing in a lot of the same ways again and again. We may start to wonder...Is it possible to resist temptation? Is there any hope for lasting victory over sin? Today's passage has good news for all kinds of people who face all kinds of temptation.