The Open Word (Audio)

As believers, we should eagerly be awaiting Christ’s return, but we need to be careful not to be deceived by false prophets. When He returns, there will be no room for doubt. Every eye will see and every knee will bow. As members of His flock, we will know our Shepherd’s voice. As Pastor David leads us through Luke 21, we can take hope in knowing that Jesus will return triumphantly and rescue His followers from the darkness of this world.

It’s easy to lose heart when you watch the news or scan over your Facebook feed. Acts of violence and terror prevail in our world. Just about every other headline describes a new atrocity committed for reasons ranging from religious zeal to mental illness. We may feel a sense of hopelessness in the face of such complete godlessness. But, in today’s message, Pastor David reminds us that we do have hope. The darkness spreading its grip over our world will not hold on forever. Jesus Christ has already won and His light will prevail.

The temple that Herod built was a marvelous feat of human engineering and architecture. It would rival iconic monuments of today. Even as they walked beside the Creator of the universe, the disciples couldn’t help but be captivated by its grandeur. As Pastor David continues to lead us through the book of Luke, the words of Jesus draw us back into reality. We are reminded that even the most concrete structures of our day, some having been around for ages, are still only temporary.

Is there anything you wouldn’t give up or let go of for the sake of Christ? Some things are easily recognized as idols, but others are not. As Pastor David points out, even our relationships can become idols. Anything that takes priority over our devotion to Jesus is an idol. Those relationships or material possessions can be good things, and they are blessings from God, yet they are only temporary. Our focus needs to be primarily on following Jesus, no matter the cost.

Does it make financial sense to donate all of your money to the church? No, of course not, but that’s just what the poor widowed woman we encounter in Luke 21 did. The religious leaders were dramatically throwing in exponential sums, yet her seemingly inconsequential offering caught the attention of God. As Pastor David explains, her offering expressed a heart that was fully trusting in and devoted to God. She gave all she had had because she knew God would provide.

Is your devotion to God or to religion? All throughout His ministry on earth, Jesus could barely turn around without a confrontation with the religious leaders. These people practiced their religion very well; they knew scripture backwards and forwards, but they failed to understand the heart of the God who inspired it. In today’s message, Pastor David challenges us to consider whether we are seeking to know God’s heart or just practicing religion.

Often times we may feel like we are surrounded by darkness on all sides and it’s just a matter of time until our own light will be extinguished. How can we hold on in the face of such overwhelming wickedness? In today’s message, Pastor David encourages us to take heart and trust in God. Our light is not fueled by our own strength and energy, but by the indwelling of His Holy Spirit. We may struggle to see His light, but it is there and no darkness can stand against it.

It was a dark moment when Christ was taken away to be tried and crucified. Imagine how dark that night must have been for the disciples. Their leader and friend, who had completely changed their lives, was now being ushered off to His death. As Pastor David illustrates in today’s message, they never had any reason to fear. If they had fully grasped who Jesus was, they would have known that He was in control and that His light would prevail over the darkness that surrounded them.

The priests and leaders of the Jews had a good thing going with the temple “business”. They were lining their pockets with profits from the exploitation of people’s sacrifice. This sacred act between the people and God was defiled by their greed. In today’s message, Pastor David asks us to examine our own hearts as well as our churches. Are we seeking to serve ourselves, or are we focused on glorifying and drawing near to God?

As humans, we love to think we control our own destiny. We think we can make our own way and control outcomes through our own capabilities. As Pastor David shows us in today’s message, the religious leaders of Jesus’ day had taken over the temple of God and were exploiting it and God’s people for their own gain. When Jesus came along, He disrupted that. He turned tables and showed them how wrong they were. He does the same thing in our lives. It may be uncomfortable, but it’s necessary for our growth.