The methods of Jesus, the teaching of Jesus and the call to commitment from Jesus are all different from what was conventional. In Luke’s sermon on the plain that we have here, we find a familiar ring to Matthew’s sermon on the mount and yet also some unique challenges. The bottom line is that the […]

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The methods of Jesus, the teaching of Jesus and the call to commitment from Jesus are all different from what was conventional. In these three familiar stories we discover that Jesus calls us to a new way of thinking. His teaching will not fit conventional ways of thinking. Listen to Pastor Scott’s sermon, “A New […]

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A composite sketch is the result of several eye witnesses describing features of a person. Luke’s description of the early ministry of Jesus comes from a variety of sources and ultimately guided by the Holy Spirit. The result is somewhat of a composite sketch. But it is more than a portrait. In seeing how Jesus […]

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Jesus went “home” to Nazareth. He was initially accepted as a leader and teacher. But his message did not fit the narrative that they had all believed. They did not want a Messiah for all, just for them and when all was said and done, they ran him out of town. We have no indication […]

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Jesus begins his public ministry at the age of 30. He is baptized not because of his sins, but in a step of showing that he is orienting his life in obedience to the Father. Luke shows how Jesus is truly the son of God in his lineage. Following this is the temptation in which […]

The post Jesus Understands (Luke 3:21-23; 4:1-13) appeared first on PLEASANT HILL COMMUNITY CHURCH.

What does it look like to live a godly life? What are practical ways to show people that I have reoriented my life and my thinking to put God first. One of the most enigmatic characters in the Bible is John the Baptist. There was something about him that drew people to him. His message […]

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We have very little knowledge of what Jesus was like as a child. Some have tried to come up with descriptions, but they are speculative at best. Luke gives us one story and several descriptions of the young Jesus. We also discover that in many ways he was just like us in his growth and […]

The post Like Us…But Different (Luke 2:39-52) appeared first on PLEASANT HILL COMMUNITY CHURCH.

What would be the first words out of your mouth if you had been rendered speechless for almost a year? We encounter just such a person in Luke 1. Zechariah the priest was rendered speechless until his son John would be born. When his ability to speak returned it was a shock to everyone. But […]

The post God’s Faithful Plan (Luke 1:57-80) appeared first on PLEASANT HILL COMMUNITY CHURCH.

After a year of canceled plans, dashed hopes, and diminished dreams, upon whom can werely? We know we can rely on God. And yet we sometimes wonder; does Godreally know who I am or even where I am? The story of Zechariah and Elizabethgive us some answers

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Love that is truly love is a unifying force. When we really love someone we are able to see their best qualities and we are able to accept their differences. When we truly love someone we initiate acts of kindness, we don’t count the cost in helping them, we are safe in the relationship, and […]

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