The Open Word (Audio)

In today’s message from Luke’s Gospel, we will hear Pastor David preach on the story of the Good Samaritan. In this parable, Jesus was teaching us how God sees people. The Lord does not classify mankind according to rank, class, ethnicity, or race. Instead, the Lord sees each one of us equally. As Christ’s disciples, the Spirit empowers us to see others the way God sees. The story of the Good Samaritan teaches us that to be a good neighbor is to meet the physical and spiritual needs of those that God puts in our path.

In Luke chapter 10, a lawyer who was very educated in the Mosaic Law presented Jesus with a very important question. While the man’s question was a good one, his motivation for asking was to trap the Lord. As always, Christ’s answer proved that He could not be bested by men’s schemes. In today’s message, Pastor David teaches us that Jesus’s wise response proves that though men may try to earn their way to God by doing good, the only way to salvation is through the power and message of the cross.

Sadly, many Christians attend church services week after week, year after year, yet never open their mouths to tell others the Good News of Jesus Christ. In today’s message from Luke chapter 10, Pastor David admonishes us to obey the Lord’s command to spread the Gospel so that others might be saved. Pastor David also warns us that if we have no desire to see our loved ones receive salvation or share the message of Jesus with others, we need to examine our hearts to see if we are truly saved.

In Luke chapter 10, Jesus said, “The harvest is plenty but the workers are few.” In today’s message, Pastor David unpacks these powerful words. We will learn that the Lord was not speaking of a physical harvest, but He was alluding to a great spiritual harvest of souls. Christ knew that there were many people ready to receive salvation. However, Jesus also understood that as He was sending out His disciples, there were only a few ready and willing to participate in gathering this spiritual harvest.

Has it cost you anything to follow Jesus? In today’s message from the Gospel of Luke, Pastor David teaches us that if we are fully committed to Christ, it will cost us. The Lord knew that we would have to sacrifice to follow Him, so He said things like, “Take up your cross and follow Me.” Jesus also said quite plainly that we should count the cost before we set out on our journey in the Lord. Pastor David challenges those that are not sacrificing for Christ to examine themselves to see if they are truly committed to the Lord.

How committed to Jesus are you? Do you believe in Him for salvation like an insurance policy but then go about your life as normal? OR are you fully committed to Christ, even unto death, out of a pure love and devotion to Him? In today’s message from Luke chapter 9, we will hear a heartbreaking story about man who was unwilling to give up the comforts of this world in order to follow Christ. Pastor David challenges us to not make a foolish decision like the man in our story did, but to be fully committed in our faith.

The spirit of this world is the same spirit that causes fallen men to behave selfishly, greedily, and in an unloving judgmental way. In today’s message from Luke chapter 9, Pastor David challenges us to examine our motives and behavior to determine exactly just who is leading us. Are we quick to condemn and point out flaws, or are we forgiving? Are our words edifying, or do they slash through the air like a knife? When we resist the spirit of the world and yield to the Spirit of the Lord, we prove that we our truly Christ’s disciples.

In today’s message, Pastor David teaches us that the disciples had their own ideas and thoughts about why Jesus came. The men believed that the Lord would overthrow Rome and set up His earthly Kingdom. Even when Christ told them He would be betrayed and suffer, they never truly heard Him. Pastor David points out that we too can ignore the Lord’s voice in favor of our own ideas and plans. When we do ignore His voice in favor of our own will, we are in a very dangerous position indeed.

We know that faith pleases God. In today’s message from Luke chapter 9, we will hear about a desperate man with a demon possessed son who hopes that Jesus can heal the boy. The man famously says, “I believe. Help my unbelief.” Pastor David encourages us today by reminding us that the Lord doesn’t require our faith to be perfect when we approach Him. In fact, Jesus is moved by faith the size of a mustard seed. With the tiniest of faith, God can do the impossible and move mountains in us and through us.

Just after Jesus had been transfigured on top of a mountain, the Lord, Peter, James, and John descended the hill only to be met by a demon possessed boy. The boy’s father was desperate for help, but could not find freedom for his son even after Christ’s disciples had prayed for him. At this revelation the Lord asks, “How long must I endure this faithless and perverse generation?” In today’s message, Pastor David teaches us that after mountaintop experiences, often times we are thrust into the valley of chaos and difficulty.