FALSE ACCUSATIONS HINDER NOT GOD’S PLAN  Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no guilt in this man.” —Luke 23:4  I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him. I will therefore punish and release him.” —Luke 23:14-16  A third time he said to them, “Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him. —Luke 23:22  Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with…

BE MORE OF A SERVANT LIKE JESUS!  A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves. —Luke 22:24-27              Jesus, the Word that became flesh, the…

HE TEACHES THROUGH AFFLICTION—- LEARN!  Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word. You are good and do good; teach me your statutes. The insolent smear me with lies, but with my whole heart I keep your precepts; their heart is unfeeling like fat, but I delight in your law. It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes… I know, O LORD, that your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me. —Psalm 119:67-71, 75              When those who follow our Lord stray our Lord may afflict them as an encouragement to draw them back to keep His Word…

WE WILL GIVE ACCOUNT TO OUR LORD  For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. —Luke 19:10  He said therefore, “A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come.’ But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had…

PRAYER AND FAITH  And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. 3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’ ” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7 And will…

YOUR HEART IS WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS   Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones,…

PROCLAIM, REJOICE, EXTEND MERCY AND GATHER WITH JESUS  The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me. —Luke 10:16  Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. —Luke 10:19-20  And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”  But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who…

A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” —Luke 9:36 (MAKE SURE WE ARE LISTENING TO THE RIGHT VOICE!)  THE RESULT OF A NATION THAT DOES NOT RETAIN THE TRUTH OF GOD As followers of Jesus we are commanded to pray for our government and for all people.  That does not mean we need to agree with them.  But… let us pray and as followers of Jesus let us not be distracted from what He has called us to be and do.  Let us keep to His plans and purposes.  They have not changed and do not change regardless of…

LOVE AND OBEDIENCE  Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.” —Luke 6:47-49  And Jesus went with them.…

THE TEMPTATION NOT TO FISH  When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time. —Luke 4:13  Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” —Luke 5:10                There is a battle for the souls of men going on.  Every person we see, every person we pass each and every day is either going to heaven or hell.  Our Lord has sent us to “fish” for people, sharing the gospel with them and discipling them that they in turn would also disciple others.  But just like the devil tempted Jesus and then would do so again at an “opportune…