Matthew's biography of Jesus spans 28 chapters, and within it there are countless lessons and applications for contemporary readers. But anyone who wants to understand the good news about Jesus should start at the end, with the last five verses, the passage that Pastor Luke calls the "Great So-What." Pastor Luke looks at Matthew 28:16-20 in "Going Places."

In the broader culture, Easter isn't nearly as big a holiday as Christmas. But in the church, Easter is much bigger. That's because, on Easter, we remember the weirdest thing that Jesus ever did. Pastor Luke teaches from Matthew 28:1-10 in "Risen."

People have expectations of God — even non-religious people will question how a good God could do, or fail to do, certain things. And since we have expectations, we also have disappointments. But on Palm Sunday, we remember there is still good news for people who have been disappointed with God. Pastor Luke preaches from Matthew 21:1-13 in "Wasn't Meant to Be."

Jesus criticized the religious leaders for building monuments to prophets? What's wrong with that? We have monuments all over the place -- just look at the Mall in Washington DC. Is there somethng wrong with building monuments? Pastor Luke teaches from Matthew 23:29-39 in "Except We're Better," the concluding message in his series, "Mountain Goat."

Some of the strongest language Jesus used in the New Testament was directed against hypocrites. Why? Jesus ate and drank with tax collectors and sinners and they seemed to like him too. Why not hypocrites? What's so bad about hypocrisy? Pastor Luke teaches from Matthew 23:26-28 in "Outside Inside," part 4 of his 5-part series, "Mountain Goat."

You probably have a pretty good idea about what kind of things God doesn't like. (Even atheists and agnostics can make those lists.) But is your list the same as anyone else's list? Are any of those lists even correct? Fortunately, Jesus made it possible to focus on what really matters. Pastor Luke looks at Matthew 23:23-24 in "Gnats and Camels," part 3 of his 5-part series, "Mountain Goat."

We don't know what the future holds, so we look for ways to get out of our commitments in case something goes wrong. Jesus wasn't a fan of that approach. He had a different one. Pastor Luke preaches from Matthew 23:16-22 in "By Golly," part 2 of his 5-part series, "Mountain Goat."

The strongest words that Jesus is recorded as uttering are found in Matthew 23. The good news is that he didn't direct them at us! But since he cares so much at these things, it's worthwhile for us to learn why ... because he wants us to care too. Pastor Luke teaches from Matthew 23:13-15 in "Mountain Goat," the first message in a new series, "Mountain Goat."

Sleep can be the cushion or padding people use to take up slack in other parts of our lives. This is one reason why we sleep less than our grandparents did. It solves some problems, but it creates all new ones. Fortunately, Jesus shows us how we can solve them. Pastor Luke preaches from Mark 4:35-41 in "Soft Landing," the concluding message in his series, "Padding."

We've been learning that our lives are better when we don't try to maximize things but when we leave in some padding or cushion. But that doesn't mean our cushion can't help others. Pastor Luke preaches from Leviticus 19:5-10 in "Leftovers," part 4 of his 5-part series, "Padding."