In this series, JESUS: A Research Project, we’re studying teachings, miracles and parables of Jesus that are found only in the book of Luke, and it’s amazing how many of them have to do with material possessions and money. I think those stories resonated with Luke, who was a well-to-do Greek Physician. He didn’t know Jesus personally, but he thoroughly investigated Jesus's life by talking with numerous eyewitnesses. Maybe he’s the only one who had access to wealthy followers who resonated with these stories. Or perhaps he included them because that’s precisely the kind of people he planned to teach about Jesus. Whatever the case, Luke was listening…

What is love, really? People seem to have different definitions of love. People seem to say it and not show it, or they have funny ways of showing it… And who gets to decide what love is? That’s a really important question if love is one of the fundamental traits of following Jesus and being his witnesses in the world.

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/3NmvEdnAm-Y

Have you ever had dinner turn into a disaster? A date that was an absolute dud? An friendly gathering that turned into a political debate? A nice night that turns into an awkward evening? In this message, we'll look at a dinner at a Pharisee's house that absolutely did not go to plan. And I think the host had high hopes for this dinner because it was a dinner to which he had invited Jesus… It's a story that's only found in the gospel of Luke.

Luke wasn’t a disciple of Jesus, but he was a disciple of someone who was: Peter. So, when you read Mark, you’re hearing the stories Peter told him. Mark was written first, which makes some sense given Peter’s prominence in the early church. Most scholars believe the other gospel writers had access to Mark as they were writing their accounts. When Luke was writing his account, he had to do some research, and that is the story of JESUS: A Research Project.

This series, JESUS, is part of a Five Year Journey we're on as a church, where we'll take a look at the life of Jesus through the eyes of each of the Gospel writers and stories that are unique to those gospels. Then in year five, we'll hear the crossover stories. Each year, this series will lead us up to Easter Sunday, when we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and his promise of eternal life through him. 

Get the Study Guide: https://mountaintopchurch.com/events/jesus-a-research-project/

Messages from the previous two years can be found at https://mountaintopchurch.com/watch/

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You are not the only one who struggles. We all struggle. And when we begin to follow Jesus, we grow and mature, but we'll continue to have a nature that steers us in the wrong direction. But there is hope. The heart of our faith is that we believe in a savior who came to Square One to take us to the finish line through His grace, mercy, and forgiveness. Your destiny is determined by the One who delivered you, not the things you do. 

Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com 

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/2fBrsGH7aCI

What is a thing worth? Well… the market decides. It's worth whatever someone will pay for it. The price tag doesn't really matter if someone won't pay that price. So what does God say that YOU are worth? What's your true value? What price is God willing to pay to make you an heir to His Kingdom? 

Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com

Video: https://youtu.be/H3rX1UATHIE

We are not Born Christian. Jesus came that we might be Born Again. And that takes a realization about ourselves that can be easy to miss, especially in the Southern United States, where Christian ethics still permeate everyday public life. But our good deeds do not give us access to God. Our rule following does not give us access to God. There is no such thing as someone born on third base when it comes to relationship to God. We all start at Square One. This is what Jesus defines as Great Faith.

Watch Here: https://youtu.be/xNaileW5qSU

The New Year is a time that many of us feel like we are “Back at square one.” Many of us start over with good habits, regular exercise or new resolutions that we hope will give us a fresh start. Maybe you've even approached your faith the same way. You know you could do better, but with every step forward, you seem to follow it with two steps back, so you begin again. The truth is, we all start at Square One, and we all end up back at Square One along the way. Thankfully, we have a Square One faith, and Jesus meets us where we are with grace.

Video: https://youtu.be/Tl2l0-PfzBY

Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com 

We make New Year's resolutions because we want to see a change in our lives. We want to start a new hobby, say yes more, say no more, start a habit, stop a habit… All for the purpose of experiencing a more full life. But over time, we often find ourselves falling short. The same thing happens when we first decide to follow Jesus.

If you want God to do something amazing in your life, it might require a leap of faith that doesn’t make logical sense. In fact, I guarantee it. There is an assumption that obeying God will make your life better, but it’s possible that it will make life more complicated. That's certainly how it happened for Joseph...

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