What Do You Want? (Luke 18:35-43 Sermon Reflection Questions)

1. Read Luke 18:35-43.  What strikes your attention from the passage?

2. Enter into this story.  Imagine that you are the blind beggar.  To be blind means you are unable to see.  With the loss of sight comes confusion, disorientation, darkness, and powerlessness.  -Have you ever felt confused or you didn’t understand what was going on in your life?  Have you ever felt like you were sitting in darkness?

3. The blind man was also begging.  Begging implies that the man was in need; he was desperate.  -Have you ever felt like you had a need?  When have you felt desperate for God’s help?

4. The blind man learns that Jesus is walking by and so he cries out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.”  He is desperate for Jesus’ help.  He needs Jesus.  He desires Jesus’ mercy and help.  -In what way do you need Jesus right now?  In what way do you need to cry out these same words, “Jesus, have mercy on me”? 

5. Notice that Jesus asks the man, “What do you want me to do for you?”  Jesus doesn’t ignore his cry for help.  He doesn’t dismiss his need or desire.  He actually appeals to the man’s desire.  Jesus cares about your needs and desires as well.  -If Jesus asked you, “what do you want me to do for you?” what would you say to Him?   

6. Desire is a good and precious gift of God.  Desire is the spark of life, the fuel of life.  Without desire, we don’t pray well, worship well, or enjoy life very well.  God is a God of life, joy, beauty, and desire, and we are made in His image.  Our desires can be corrupted, but it is also through desire that we truly learn how to live well.  -Spend some time talking to God about your desires.  Don’t just immediately judge them.  Bring them to God.  God can purify our sinful desires, hear the good desires of our hearts, and use our desires to spark more goodness in our lives.

The Child-Like Humility of a Christian (Luke 18:15-17 Sermon Reflection Questions)

1.  Read Luke 18:15-17.  What strikes your attention from these verses?  Is there a word or phrase that jumps out to you?

2. Spend some time reading the passage right before this (Luke 18:9-14, The Pharisee and the Tax Collector).  -How does this passage and v. 14 in particular connect with a similar theme in vs. 15-17?

3. Jesus often interacted with young children, and He also brought out spiritual lessons for us to learn from the example of children.  In Luke 18:15-17 and in Luke 9:46-48, Jesus points to children as an example of the child-like humility that Christians are called to live out of.  -Why is humility such an important lesson for Christians to learn?  How do the culture’s values and way of thinking contradict the Christian way of humility?

4. Dependency and receiving are two different aspects of child-like humility.  Young children must depend on their parents for their basic needs and for love and care.  Kids also cannot produce much or accomplish much from their own resources.  They often receive more than they are able to give.  They receive love, attention, protection, and provision from their parents.  -What would it look like for you to live with this child-like posture of dependency and receiving in your relationship with God?

5.  Spend some time in prayer asking for God to help you with the different things in your life that you need help with (where you are struggling or have needs).  Pray a prayer of confession/surrender before the Lord.  “Lord, I need you.  I am dependent on you.  I have nothing apart from you.  Show me the ways I try to exalt myself or rely on myself.  Help me depend on you and lean on you for all that I need.  Thank you for all the grace you give me through Jesus.”

The Return of Christ (Luke 17:20-37 Sermon Reflection Questions)

1. Read Luke 17:20-37.  What strikes your attention from this passage?

2. Jesus teaches that the kingdom of God has already come (through His first coming) and that His kingdom will come in fullness when He returns (vs. 20-25).  -What would it look like to be ready for the return of Jesus?  Spend some time in prayer asking God to make your heart ready and to help you live with more longing for Jesus.

3. To prepare for His return, Jesus gives us a warning against deceitfulness and lies (vs. 22-23, Matt. 24:4-5, 11).  Lies and deceit will increase on the earth before Jesus comes back.  We must be on guard.  -What lies are you tempted to believe?  What would growth in wisdom and discernment look like for you?  How can you stay close to the truth?

4. Jesus also gives us a warning against worldliness as we prepare for His return (vs. 26-33).  Worldliness means getting caught up in the everyday things of this world with no focus or care for God and His kingdom. Rejecting worldliness means that we live for more than just material things and the present moment.  We are spiritually minded, Spirit-filled people who put Jesus at the center of our lives.  We live for a future kingdom that is coming.  -In what ways are you tempted to get caught up in worldly ways of thinking and living? 

5.  It is ok to enjoy creation, but when we push God out of the center and love things more than Him that becomes a problem.  -What would a balanced life of enjoying creation with a God-centered way of being look like? 

The Resurrection of Jesus (Luke 24 Sermon Reflection Questions)

1. Read Luke 24:1-12, 36-49.  What strikes your attention from the resurrection story?

2. Before we celebrate the exciting news of resurrection, we must also sit with the grief, despair, and hopelessness of the burial of Christ (v. 1).  In this in-between time while Jesus’ body lay in the tomb, the disciples would have felt grief and hopelessness (a dark night of the soul).  The burial of Christ is a reminder to us that we all experience grief and loss (times of darkness and hopelessness, buried hopes and dreams).  -What are the losses you have faced in life?  What dark nights of the soul have you experienced?

3. But suffering, death, and loss are not the end of our story.  The resurrection of Jesus is a reminder that we have hope!  Our God is a God who brings life out of death.  He is God who turns deserts into lush gardens. Because Jesus was raised, our bodies will be raised.  Because Jesus experienced new life, we now can experience new life.  -Where do you need resurrection in your life right now?  Where do you need renewed hope, joy, and encouragement? 

4. Spend some time journaling or praying about some of your losses in life.  Give space to grieve the hurts that have not yet but fully grieved.  Talk to God about those ungrieved losses.

5. Ask God to bring healing, new life, hope, and resurrection to those broken, hurting places within you.  Pray for a fresh outpouring of God’s joy and encouragement to fill you.

Following a Suffering Savior (Luke 9:18-27 Sermon Reflection Questions)

1. Read Luke 9:18-27.  What sticks out to you from this text?

2. People have lots of different opinions about Jesus (vs. 18-19).  It is important that we know who He truly is (vs. 20-22).  Jesus is the Messiah, the Savior of the World.  But being the Savior means that He is a suffering, dying, and rising Savior.  -As we get ready for Good Friday, spend some time in prayer giving thanks to God for Jesus’ sacrifice and death to take away your sins.

3. Being a disciple of Jesus means that we must also walk in His footsteps on the path of suffering, death, and resurrection (vs. 23-26).  We must learn to embrace sacrifice, self-denial, and suffering as we anticipate the future joy of resurrection.  -In what ways do you struggle with this? 

4. Self-denial does not mean getting rid of joy and fun in your life, neglecting yourself, or squashing all your desires, hopes and dreams.  To deny yourself is to surrender and let go of your old, false self that seeks its own way apart from God’s way.  Denying yourself involves letting go of self-centeredness, resisting the world’s way, and seeking to honor God with your life.  -What parts of your old, self-centered nature do you need to surrender and let die?

5. Some of Christian sacrifice involves learning how to honor God in the everyday, nitty-gritty messiness of life (seeking God in prayer, being a godly parent, being a godly spouse, caring for your family, honoring God with your words and how you speak to others, honoring God with your body and your actions, seeking the good of others in your life).  -What does faithfulness and loving sacrifice look like in your life?  What would growth as a disciple of a sacrificial Savior look like for you?

Jesus Calms the Storm (Luke 8:22-25 Sermon Reflection Questions)

1.  Read Luke 8:22-25.  Put yourself in the story as one of the disciples on the boat.  What does it feel like being there?  What is your reaction to the storm?  What emotions are you feeling?

2.  They are in great danger in this storm (v. 23).  Like the disciples, we all face moments of danger, tension, struggle, and loss in life.  We all face different types of storms (relational, emotional/mental, spiritual, work-related, family-related, death/loss; societal storms such as pandemics, natural disasters, wars, global tensions among nations, etc.).  -What storms have you faced in life?  What have been some of your deepest struggles?

3.  In this dangerous situation, the disciples cry out, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” (v. 24).  There is fear, anxiety, and despair in their voice.  They are struggling to trust Jesus’ care for them (Mk. 4:38).  -Have you ever been there before?  Have you ever felt like you were sinking, like you were drowning?  Have you ever felt overwhelmed by life and powerless to change your circumstances?  Have you wrestled with fear and anxiety?  Have there been times where you have struggled to trust that God would help you and care for you?  Spend some time reflecting on these times.  Spend some time grieving your losses and expressing your emotions to God in prayer.

4.  Ultimately, Jesus stands up, rebukes the wind and waves; the storm stops, and all is calm.  The God who made the wind and waves is sitting in the boat with the disciples.  Jesus is Lord over the wind and waters.  He has the power to stop the storm and bring peace.  -Spend some time meditating on this image of Jesus calming the storm.  -What storms are you facing right now that you need Jesus to intervene in?  Where do you need the peace of Jesus right now in your life?

5.  The disciples seem to struggle to trust Jesus in this storm (v. 25).  Jesus invites us to trust in Him in the midst of our storms.  -What would it look like for you to trust in Him?

Dealing with Doubt in a Complex World (Luke 7:18-35 Sermon Reflection Questions)

1. Read Luke 7:18-35.  What strikes your attention?  Is there a word, phrase, or verse that draws you in and stirs your curiosity? 

2. Look at vs. 18-20.  John the Baptist experiences some doubt about Jesus.  Jesus affirmed John as a faithful follower of the Lord, and yet John still struggled with doubt and confusion at times.  This is perfectly normal in the Christian life.  We are all humans—filled with weakness, struggles, and doubts.  It is important that we acknowledge our doubts and struggles so that we can process them in a healthy way.  -What are the doubts that you struggle with?  What doubts do you carry in your heart from time to time?  In what ways do you experience confusion in the Christian life?

3. Doubt is not necessarily unhealthy.  It is what we do with our doubts that is important.  John moved towards Jesus in the midst of his doubt (v. 20), whereas the Pharisees moved away from Jesus in the midst of their doubts and rejected him (v. 30).  -How do you deal with your doubts and confusion typically?  Hide from them, deny them, run from them, or process them with God and safe friends? 

4. Look at vs. 31-35.  The Pharisees were stubborn in their unbelief.  Regardless of what someone said or did, they seemed closed off to God’s true path.  They put God in a tight box and couldn’t understand the different ways of God’s dealings with people.  This is a reminder that God’s ways are not always our ways.  His expectations, plans, and ways, don’t always align with our own understanding.  -How does acknowledging complexity and mystery on the spiritual journey with Jesus help us in the Christian life?

5. Spend some time in prayer talking to God about your doubts, confusion, struggles, and fears.  Receive His love, grace, and care for you as you process these things.

Waiting For The Savior (Luke 2:22-40 Sermon Reflection Questions)

1. Read Luke 2:22-40.  What strikes your attention from this passage?  Is there a phrase or verse that God is putting on your heart?  Spend some time slowly reflecting on that verse.

2. Simeon was a man who was waiting and longing for the coming of the Messiah (vs. 25-26).  We can look to Simeon’s example, take on his mindset, and wait with eager longing for the Second Coming of Jesus.  Are you excited about Jesus’ return to earth?  Are you looking forward to His appearing?  What would it look like for us to be a people who are looking forward to the Second Coming of Jesus?

3. We can also learn more from the character of Simeon.  He is described as a righteous, devout man who was led by the Holy Spirit.  Simeon was a deeply spiritual person, a deeply Spirit-filled person who sought God.  How does Simeon’s character inspire you?  Do you long to be a more godly person who reflects the beauty of God to the world?  What would it look like for you to grow in being a more spiritual, Spirit-filled person? 

4. Anna is another person who was waiting for the Messiah to come.  She is described as a devout woman of God who “worshipped God night and day, fasting and praying” (v. 37).  The Lord was Anna’s daily food and drink and rest.  Prayer and worship were the air Anna breathed.  How does Anna’s example and lifestyle inspire you in your pursuit of God?  In what ways can you take small steps to grow in the habit of spending time connecting with God?

5. Pause and take 5 minutes to worship God and give thanks to God for His beautiful character, for all that He has done for you, and for the many blessings in your life.  Take another 5 minutes to pray for yourself, your family, your church, and your neighbors (expressing needs, requests for God’s transforming work in these lives, etc. ).  Make this a daily habit.

Luke 7:1-17 Sermon Reflection Questions (Faith and the Power of Jesus)

1. Read Luke 7:1-17.  Spend some time in prayer asking God to speak to you through His Word.  -What words/phrases or scenes from these stories strike your attention the most?

2.  In both of these stories, crisis and difficulty come before the moment of faith or the moment of God’s breakthrough provision.  In the midst of crisis and struggle, God invites us to trust in Him that He will help us.  -In what way is God inviting you to trust in Him right now?

3.  Jesus was willing to heal a Gentile, a non-Jewish person (v. 9).  He cared for foreigners and outsiders. Eventually God’s mission would go beyond the borders of Israel and would extend to all the nations of the earth.  -What opportunities do you have to reach out to outsiders and people who are not part of the church?

4.  Jesus demonstrated His great power as He raised the widow’s son from the dead (v. 14-15).  Our God is a God of resurrection.  He raises us up spiritually through our conversion, and He will one day raise up our bodies from the dead.  Even now, God is at working bringing new life into various broken and difficult situations throughout our lives.  We experience mini-resurrections (ex.- new life in a marriage, renewed faith or joy in a season of struggle/doubt, etc.).  -Where have you seen moments of resurrection in your life?  Where do you need resurrection, renewal, and revival in your life right now?

5.  Spend some time reading Paul’s prayer in Eph. 1:18-19 that we would experience more of Christ’s resurrection power in our lives.  Pray for more of Christ’s resurrection power to breathe new life in you and in Awakening Church.

Luke 10:38-42 Sermon Reflection Questions (The Call to Be With Jesus)

1. Read Luke 10:38-42.  Spend some time meditating on this passage; pray and ask the Lord to speak to you through His Word.

2. v. 39, “Mary sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.”  -What would it look like for you to slow down and just be with Jesus?  What would it look like for you to make more space in your life to just sit with Jesus and listen to Him?  And how might the Lord be calling you to also be more relationally present and attuned to the people in your life?

3.  v. 40, “But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.”  -What are the distractions in your life that hinder the skill of listening and being relationally present?  How can you cultivate more space to listen and be present?

4. Martha’s hurried attitude and fixation on doing things for Jesus led to anxiety (v. 41).  There can be a certain level of anxiety attached to busyness and hurry.  An imbalanced focus on performance, achievement, serving, and doing can produce anxiety.  -How does the gospel of grace speak to these insecurities we carry and how might the Lord be calling you to find your worth and rest in His love?

5.  Being with Jesus comes before doing things for Jesus.  We are called to be with Jesus more than just doing things for Jesus (vs. 41-42).  -Spend some time meditating on that truth.  What would it look like for that truth to take deeper root within your heart and lifestyle?

Luke 5:12-32 Sermon Reflection Questions (Jesus, the Holistic Healer)

1.  Read Luke 5:12-32.  What strikes your attention from this story?  Is there a verse or section that the Lord is drawing your heart towards?  What does the Lord want to say to you personally from that section?

2. These 3 stories demonstrate that Jesus is a Holistic Healer.  He cares about our bodies and souls.  He heals people physically and spiritually.  He cares about all of who you are.  -In what areas of your life do you need the healing work of Jesus?  What wounds do you need Jesus to heal in you?  It could be physical, emotional, spiritual, or relational.  It could be a deep wound of shame.

3.  There are different extremes to avoid in life.  Some people are so “super spiritual” that they neglect care for their bodies.  Some people are deeply body/health focused while remaining spiritually shallow and empty.  Some may pursue spiritual or physical health but remain emotionally and relationally unhealthy.  -What extreme do you lean towards?  -What area of health is the Lord calling you to tend to?

4.  Jesus is the Wounded Healer who endured the wounds of the cross so that we could be healed by God’s grace and love.  -As you receive Jesus’ healing work more and more into your own life, how can you then partner with Jesus in his healing work in the world?  How can you join with Jesus in being a wounded healer to those around you?

Luke 5:1-11 Sermon Reflection Questions (Fishing With Jesus)

1. Read Luke 5:1-11.  Place yourself in this story.  You are Peter.  What are you sensing and feeling as you encounter this incredible event? 

2. Peter was struggling to catch fish (which was important for his livelihood).  He was desperate and in need.  -Recall the times in your life when you faced struggles and when things weren’t going well.  What struggles and difficulties are you facing now?  What do you need from the Lord?  Spend some time talking to the Lord about your struggle.

3. Peter experienced a breakthrough moment when Jesus supernaturally brought an abundance of fish into his nets.  -Where have you seen God provide a breakthrough moment for you in the midst of a difficult struggle?  Where have you seen God show up for you and help you when you were desperate and in need?

4. What do we learn about Jesus from this miraculous fish story?

5.  Read vs. 10-11.  Jesus gives us an important application from this story.  Fishing is a metaphor for being on mission to reach lost people.  -What would it look like for you to fish for people in 2023?  What would it look like for you to be on mission and reach new people with God’s love?  Who is someone you can invite to church?

Luke 2:22-40 Sermon Reflection Questions (Waiting For Jesus)

1. Read Luke 2:22-40.  What strikes your attention from this passage?  Is there a phrase or verse that God is putting on your heart?  Spend some time slowly reflecting on that verse.

2. Simeon was a man who was waiting and longing for the coming of the Messiah (vs. 25-26).  We can look to Simeon’s example, take on his mindset, and wait with eager longing for the Second Coming of Jesus.  Are you excited about Jesus’ return to earth?  Are you looking forward to His appearing?  What would it look like for us to be a people who are looking forward to the Second Coming of Jesus?

3. We can also learn more from the character of Simeon.  He is described as a righteous, devout man who was led by the Holy Spirit.  Simeon was a deeply spiritual person, a deeply Spirit-filled person who sought God.  How does Simeon’s character inspire you?  Do you long to be a more godly person who reflects the beauty of God to the world?  What would it look like for you to grow in being a more spiritual, Spirit-filled person? 

4. Anna is another person who was waiting for the Messiah to come.  She is described as a devout woman of God who “worshipped God night and day, fasting and praying” (v. 37).  The Lord was Anna’s daily food and drink and rest.  Prayer and worship were the air Anna breathed.  How does Anna’s example and lifestyle inspire you in your pursuit of God?  In what ways can you take small steps to grow in the habit of spending time connecting with God?

5. Pause and take 5 minutes to worship God and give thanks to God for His beautiful character, for all that He has done for you, and for the many blessings in your life.  Take another 5 minutes to pray for yourself, your family, your church, and your neighbors (expressing needs, requests for God’s transforming work in these lives, etc. ).  Make this a daily habit.

Luke 2:1-21 Sermon Reflection Questions (Jesus Brings Joy and Peace)

1. Read Luke 2:1-21.  What details of this story strike your attention?  Enter into the story and put yourself in the different character’s shoes (shepherd, Mary, Joseph, etc.).  What does it feel like to encounter these special events?

2. It is clear from this text that Jesus came to bring us back into God’s joy (vs. 10-11, 13-17, 20).  In what ways do you need the joy of God right now in your life?

3. The text also reveals to us that Jesus came to bring us the peace of God (v. 14, 19).  In what ways do you need the peace of God right now in your life?

4. Spend some time in prayer asking for God to give you a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit, a fresh filling of the joy and peace that the Holy Spirit gives.  Take some time to listen to a favorite worship song and sing to the Lord.  Also take some time to find a quiet place and spend some time in silent prayer, just being still before the Lord, listening to His voice, and resting in His presence (take some deep breaths in and out as you enter into this time).

Luke 4:31-44 Sermon Reflection Questions (The Powerful Presence and Preaching of Jesus)

1. Read Luke 4:31-44.  What strikes your attention from this passage?  Is there a phrase or a verse that jumps out to you?

2. In vs. 33-41, we see in this story that Jesus has power over evil.  Jesus has authority to drive out demons and to heal sick people.  Jesus is stronger than evil and suffering.

• Where does darkness have a grip in your life?  Is there a sinful habit or way of thinking or acting that you deeply struggle with?

• Are there lies that you believe about yourself or God that you can’t seem to get rid of?

• Have people hurt you in such a way that it has left powerful and lasting damage on you emotionally and spiritually?  How has suffering felt like an overwhelming force at times in your life?

3. The only way to be set free from darkness is to expose it to the light.  It is important to name the evil and harm/suffering in your life before God and others.  This important practice is what we call the discipline of confession.  Take some time to confess your sins/struggles to God in prayer and to also name before God the harm and suffering you have endured and ask for His healing touch.

4. In vs. 31-32 and vs. 42-44, we not only see Jesus’ powerful miracles over darkness on display, but we encounter His powerful teaching and preaching ministry.  Jesus’ words are powerful, life-giving, and life-transforming.

• What is your engagement with God’s Word like these days?

• What would growth in developing the habit of reading Scripture look like for you?

• Pray for God to give you a love for His Word and grace to consistently read it.

5.  Part of loving God’s Word also means sharing it with others.  Jesus was driven with a desire to proclaim the good news of God’s kingdom to all the towns in Israel (v. 43).  What would it look like for you to join Jesus in His mission of sharing the Word with others?

• Who are some people in your life that you could share God’s Word with? 

• Who is someone you could invite to church?

Luke 4:14-30 Sermon Reflection Questions (The Messiah Has Come!)

1. Read Luke 4:14-30.  What strikes your attention from this passage?  Is there a verse or phrase that jumps out to you?

2. In this passage, we see that Jesus is revealed as the Messiah who fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah 61.  His ministry will be a holistic ministry that seeks to restore people physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.  What do you need to receive from Jesus today?  In what way do you need to be ministered to by Jesus?

• Good news of forgiveness, grace, and the closeness of God’s presence?

• Freedom from bad habits, lies, entrenched anxiety?

• Emotional healing and comfort for relational wounds and loss in your life?

• Physical healing?

3. What would it look like for you to join Jesus in His mission of restoration and healing towards others around you?  What opportunities do you have to look outward towards others?

4. Read vs. 14-15, 22-30.  Here you’ll notice the moodiness of people.  One moment the crowds are praising Jesus; the next moment they reject Him.

• In what ways have you experienced rejection?

• In what ways do you need Jesus to touch your wounds of rejection with His healing love?

5. Spend some time in prayer reflecting on the Word that you have read.  Pause for 1 minute of silence.  Then ask the Lord what He might be speaking to you through your time in His Word.

Luke 4:1-13 Sermon Reflection Questions (The Wilderness: The Place of Testing)

1. Read Luke 4:1-13.  Ask God to speak to you through His Word.  What strikes your attention from this story in the life of Jesus?

2. Jesus is led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness, a place of testing.  This teaches us that life with God is not pain-free.  Life with God is not easy, comfortable, and free from struggles.  Following Jesus means we must also face wildernesses, times of testing and hardship.

• What wildernesses have you faced in your life? 

3. Read vs. 2-4.  The first temptation Jesus faces is the temptation of Cravings.  It’s not wrong to feel hunger or to feel bodily cravings.  Physical, emotional, and spiritual needs and wants are not bad.  The question is what are we going to do with our needs and wants?  How are we going to have our needs and wants fulfilled?  The problem is when we seek to meet our needs and wants without God and without following God’s way.

• In your sexuality, your relationship with food and drink, and your entertainment/technology habits, where are you tempted to overindulge, misuse, or seek to fulfill these desires contrary to God’s way?

4.  Read vs. 5-7.  Here we see the temptation of Greed (a twisted desire for more power, wealth, and influence without following God’s way).  The temptation we face is that true satisfaction will come if we just had a little more money, more stuff, more success, more power.  If only we could finally achieve the easy life free from suffering.

• Greed can be sneaky.  What areas of your life does greed try to sneak into?

5. Read vs. 9-12.  Here we see the temptation of Pride (trying to show off, impress others, make oneself great).  Pride often shows up when we boost ourselves up, try to impress others, and put others down.  Underneath the surface of pride, you’ll often find buried piles of shame.  Insecurity and lack of self-worth can lead to unhealthy boasting and efforts to impress others.

• Where does shame and insecurity show up in your life?  And how does that tempt you towards forms of pride?

6. Jesus successfully passed the wilderness test.  He overcame the devil’s temptations and remained faithful to God the Father.  He stood in our place and did what we cannot do.  Spend some time asking Jesus to give grace and help from His Spirit in the midst of your struggles and temptations.

Happy Reformation Day!

Happy Reformation Day!

On October 31 505 years ago, Martin Luther nailed the Ninety-Five Theses on the Catholic Church door in Wittenberg, Germany sparking the beginnings of the Protestant Reformation. God used Martin Luther to bring the church back to the authority of the Word of God and the beauty of God's grace revealed in the gospel of Jesus.

Check out this new documentary commemorating the life and legacy of Martin Luther:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VK0p-tuuao&t=1s

As we remember Reformation Day today, I encourage you to celebrate God's grace in your life, cherish God's sacred Word, and pause to give thanks for the free gift of salvation you have received through Jesus Christ.

Luke 3:21-23 Sermon Reflection Questions (Jesus' Identity and Your Identity)

1.  Read Luke 3:21-23a.  Enter into this story.  Imagine you are there witnessing this event unfold.  What are you sensing, noticing, or feeling as you are there in the moment?

2.  What do we learn about the identity of Jesus from this story?

3.  This story also reveals something about your identity.  In Jesus, you are a deeply loved child of God (Gal. 3:26).  Hear these words as God now speaks them to you, “You are my son (my daughter), whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”  -Spend some time listening again and again as the Father speaks these words to you.  What are you feeling? 

4.  Our souls are thirsty for love, affirmation, and words of blessing from others.  But it can be hard to truly believe in the deepest part of us that we are loved by God and that we are pleasing to God.  We can subconsciously believe that getting love is attached to performance, achieving, earning, or proving.  We can believe that our sense of self is dependent on our outward achievements.

• What lies are you tempted to believe about yourself?

• Do you believe that you are truly loved for who you are at the core of your being apart from what you do?

• Where are the cracked and insecure places deep within you that you need God to fill up with His unconditional love?

5.  Spend some time in silent prayer just resting in God’s love for you.  Let the Lord show you the blocks to receiving His love.  Notice any struggles or resistance you have to receiving love.  Surrender that resistance to the Lord.  Ask the Lord to meet you where you are and speak to you the words and encouragement you need from Him in this moment.

Psalm 23 Sermon Reflection Questions

1.  Read Psalm 23 out loud a couple times.  What word or phrase are you drawn to today?  Take some time to pray and ask the Lord what He might be speaking to you personally from this Psalm.

 2.  According to vs. 1-2, the Lord is our good shepherd who feeds us and provides for our needs (physical and spiritual).  What are your needs right now?  Where in your life do you need God’s provision?

 3.  V. 2 also teaches us that as our good shepherd, the Lord gives us rest and renewal along the difficult journey of life.  In what way do you need rest for your body and soul right now?  What would it look like for you to slow down and receive the rest and peace of the Lord?

 4.  According to v. 3, as our good shepherd, the Lord also guides us along the right paths.  He leads us and teaches us how to walk on good and wise paths.  Where do you need your good shepherd’s guidance right now in your life?  What are the right paths that He has laid out for you in the present moment?

 5.  In v. 4, we notice that as our good shepherd, the Lord protects us and sustains us in the midst of danger.  He is with us in our dark valleys and difficult days.  What dark valleys have you faced in your life?  How did the Lord sustain you and keep you through those hard times?