Jesus makes it clear that there is no middle ground. As the kingdom of God advances and the power of Satan crumbles, we are called to choose where our allegiance lies. The beauty and the power of the gospel invite us to the same choice every time: choose Jesus.

Prayer was never meant to be a password whispered to a distant God. In Luke 11, Jesus invites us beyond formula and into a relationship, where ordinary needs, deepest fears, and unanswered questions all have a place. Here prayer is marked by a surprising boldness rooted in who is on the other side of the door.

Jesus says that “one thing is necessary”: “the good portion.” Yes, but what is it?

We are called to obedience to God, but we need more than obedience. In Luke 10:25-37, which includes one of Jesus’ best-known parables, we get it.

Jesus sends us out into the world to share his love to others, and though our expectations need to be set rightly, there is only joy at the end of the mission.

Jesus promises us that following him won’t be easy. But is it worth it? Luke 9:51-62 opens us to enormous possibilities.

There's a scoreboard most of us keep that no one else can see. It’s always running. Who's ahead, who's behind, where we land. We measure it with titles, schools, feeds, paychecks. Twelve men once had that argument out loud, about which of them was the greatest. Jesus was on his way to a cross, he answered them with a child.

The glory of Jesus is revealed on the mountain. The need for Jesus is revealed in the valley. As the disciples confront a surprising failure, we see how moments of weakness can become unexpected invitations to trust Jesus more deeply.

We all long for mountaintop moments with God—times when his presence feels especially real. But what are those moments actually for? And what do we do when they seem elusive? In Luke 9, one mountaintop encounter between Jesus and his disciples reminds us that whether we find ourselves on the mountain, in the valley, or somewhere in between, Jesus is inviting us to see him more clearly and follow him more faithfully.

Jesus tells us how to “save” ourselves. How do we do it? The way is counterintuitive and paradoxical. It’s also revolutionary.