The true value of persistent prayer is not in its many words, but being in relationship with God!  It’s about NOT giving up when we don’t get the answer that we’re looking for, or in the time that we expect. Yet we stay in relationship with God anyway, because we trust Him!

 Luke 18:2-8   In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God or respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying; ‘Give me justice against my adversaries.’ For awhile he refused, but afterward, he said to himself; ‘Though I neither fear God or respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’ Hear what the unrighteous judge says; Will not God give justice to His elect who cry out to Him day and night? Will He delay longer over them? I tell you; He will give justice to them speedily. Never the less, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?

Simple. Authentic. Jesus.

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As followers of Christ, the core of our religion is “forgiveness”.  Forgiveness must never be viewed as something deserved. It’s a choice. And choosing forgiveness is the beginning of being set free!

 Luke 17:7-10  “Will any of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep, say to him when he comes in from the field, ’Come at once and recline at the table’? Will you not rather say to him,  ‘Prepare supper for me and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and only after will you eat and drink. ’Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? So also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants. We have only done what is our duty.”

 Simple. Authentic. Jesus.

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We can forget the truth in a few seconds and believe lies for many years. This is because our hearts are deceitful (Jer 17:9). One of the tricks of the enemy is to try and convince us that we can disregard God’s Word and still embrace God’s Son. This leads to a misunderstanding of who Jesus really is, because it is the Scriptures that bear witness about Him (Jn 5:39). 

 Rejecting God’s Word will lead us to reject Jesus. Jesus himself said, “For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?” (Jn 5:46-47). True followers of Jesus are those who, “hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience” (Lk 8:15).

 Take Home Message: If you don’t believe in God’s Word, you won’t believe in God’s Son.

 The Rich Man and Lazarus, Luke 16:19-31

 Embracing the Son means…

• Remembering our death (19-23).
• Responding today (24-26).
• Receiving God’s Word (27-31).

Luke 16:1-9     There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions. So, he called and said to him; ‘What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be a manager.’ And the manager said to himself; ‘What shall do since the Master is taking the management away from me? I’m not strong enough to dig. And I’m too ashamed to beg. I have decided what will do; When I am removed from management, people will accept me into their homes.’ So, he summons his Master’s debtors and says; ’ How much do you owe my Master?  He said; ‘100 measures of oil.’ So, he said to the man; ‘Take your bill and quickly write down 50.’ And he says to another; ‘How much do you owe my Master?’ And the man said; ‘100 measures of wheat.’ So, he said; ‘Take your bill and quickly write down 80.’ And the Master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness, saying; ‘The sons of this world are more shrewd than the sons of light.’

The Parable of the Dishonest Manager is perhaps the hardest parable of them all, to understand. On the surface it appears Jesus is giving “props” to this guy for being dishonest! Doesn’t it?

o             But pay attention to what He actually said: In verse 8 it says The Master commended the dishonest manager for his ‘shrewdness’!

Simple. Authentic. Jesus.

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The gospel is as much about the Father as it is the Son. Jesus did not come to earth to convince a begrudging Father to accept us; He partnered with a loving Father to save us (John 3:16). The Father planned our salvation, the Son accomplished it, and the Holy Spirit applies it.

 The resounding message of the gospel is this: “Come home.” What is our heart toward the lost when they come home through Christ? To resent it when the lost are found is to have a heart like Satan. To rejoice when the lost are found is to have a heart like God.

 Take Home Message: The Father longs for you to come home.

 The Parable of the Prodigal Son:

• The Younger Son’s Rebellion (11-13).
• The Younger Son’s Ruin (14-16).
• The Younger Son’s Repentance (17-20a).
• The Father’s Response (20b-24).
• The Older Son’s Refusal (25-32).

 The Prodigal Son:  Luke 15:11-32

 Simple. Authentic. Jesus.

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Have you ever asked a question like this: “Of all the people of the world, why/how would God care about me?”

Jesus is pursuing a relationship with you!  The question is; Do you want a relationship with Him?!

 Luke 15:3-10    So He told them this parable: “What man among you, having 100 sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety nine in the open country and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulder, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them; ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance. Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, and sweep the house diligently until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying; ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost!’ Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

 Simple. Authentic. Jesus.

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Jesus felt compassion for the crowds even as he challenged them. He did not water down the truth to gain fans; he told them that whoever would follow him must take up his or her cross daily (Luke 9:23). As Paul wrote, “All who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12). But even though the world rejects followers of Jesus, God welcomes them into his family. And what can the world offer that compares to being a child of God?

Take Home Message: Jesus wants followers, not fans.

The Tower Builder and the Warring King

Scripture: Luke 14:25-35

 Following Jesus means…

• Carrying our cross (25-27).
• Counting the cost (28-32).
• Committing our all (33-35).

God has invited us into the greatest Kingdom of all, yet so few take up the invitation. Why do so many reject the Kingdom? “It would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.” -C.S. Lewis. Yet even now the invitation still stands! “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” (Hebrews 3:15).

 Take Home Message: What is keeping you from the Kingdom?

The Parable of the Great Banquet  Luke 14:12-24

 Kingdom citizens have…

• Renewed minds (12-14).
• Right priorities (15-20).
• Received grace (21-23).
• Responsive faith (24).

 Simple. Authentic. Jesus.

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How Authentically Humble ae You?

 One of the greatest examples of servant leadership was performed by Jesus at His Last Supper., when He washed the feet of His disciples.

 Luke 14:7-11    Now He told a parable to those who were invited, when He notice how they chose places of honor, saying to them; “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both, will come to you and say; ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will with shame have to take the lowest place. But instead, go to the lowest place first, so that when the host comes, he may say to you; ‘Friend, move up higher. ’Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and everyone who humbles himself will be exalted.”

 Simple. Authentic. Jesus.

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How should we respond when we face difficult times?  

 Luke 13:6-9  A man had a fig tree planted in a vineyard, and one day he came seeking fruit, but found none. So, he says to the vine-dresser; “For three years I’ve come seeking fruit from this tree and I’ve found none. Cut it down. Why should it keep using up ground?” But the vinedresser responds and says: “Sir, leave it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put on some manure. Then, if it bears fruit next year, it’s all well and good. But if not, you can cut it down then.”

 Simple. Authentic. Jesus.

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