Tag: Luke-The Investigative Gospel

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Sermon Audio: Who Owns You?
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Mark 10:17-31
Duration: 20:56
Size: 9.25 MB

Jesus: The Ultimate Action Hero
Who Owns You?
Mark 10:17-31

Sadly for him, getting eternal life is not a thing to be purchased to add to his collection.

Jesus gives the man six of the Ten Commandments–those dealing with relationships with others–not, interestingly, on a relationship with God, which this man lacked.

What the Lord is pointing out is that which is keeping this man from following Jesus: his love of money.

If this is how you react to having the potential for something you treasure be ripped away from you, then perhaps it has you more than you have it.

Why is it hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of God? Because they can self-inoculate against their need.

What you get from Jesus are relationships, security, and purpose, and not just a little, but a super abundance compared to this age.

Is there something in your life that you love more than God? You can tell by imagining that it was suddenly taken away.

Anything you rely on for security, if it isn’t Jesus, may turn out to be your worst enemy.

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Sermon Audio: Soft Heart–Hard Heart
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Mark 10:1-16
Duration: 23:14
Size: 10.5 MB

Jesus: The Ultimate Action Hero
Soft Heart–Hard Heart
Mark 10:1-16

Jesus points out in this case that relying on our own senses and desires will pull us away from God’s character, not towards it.

In fact, they may have been hoping that Jesus’ answer would either bring Him under their control, or cause Him to suffer the same fate as John!

Men and women were meant to get and stay married. But God knows we live in fleshly bodies and in a fallen world, so He allows divorce while protecting the innocent as much as possible.

They saw it as a legal issue. Jesus sees it as a spiritual issue.

As I said, we must always strive for God’s ideal, knowing that the flesh will muck things up. To me, it is the attitude of the heart that matters.

He takes the tender heart of the human who throws him or herself on the mercy of God through Jesus Christ.

Nothing seems to get God upset than when innocent ones are kept from approaching Him.

However, just as we don’t brand everyone who has ever hated as a murderer, we need to realize we live in a fallen world where we rely on God’s mercy and focus on having a soft heart towards Him in all things. We should make divorce the last possible option, knowing that there will be consequences.

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Sermon Audio: The Ascension Of Jesus
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 24:50-53
Duration: 22:59
Size: 10.5 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
The Ascension Of Jesus
Luke 24:50-53

The ascension of Jesus in Luke 24:50-53 shows us the remarkable manner in which Jesus left his disciples.

I. The Benediction at Jesus’ Ascension (Luke 24:50-51)

What a glorious forty days that must have been for the apostles!

The “Coming” and the “Going:: between them they sum up Luke’s message of salvation.

Jesus’ benediction upon his disciples as he parted from them and was carried up into heaven was intended to remind them of all that he came to do when he came to seek and to save the lost.

They must ever be dismissed in the name of the Lord with the assurance of the power and presence of the Triune God to accompany them always.

II. The Reaction to Jesus’ Ascension (Luke 24:52-53)

How did this company of weak disciples, now left for the first time like orphans in the midst of a hostile world, not give in to despair but instead react with great joy?

The remedy is to look to Jesus and remind ourselves of who he is and what he has done to rescue us from the world, the flesh, and the devil.

III. The Implications of Jesus’ Ascension

A. The Ascension of Jesus Marked the Completion of the Work of Salvation

There is nothing to be added to what Jesus has done to save sinners.

B. The Ascension of Jesus Marked the End of His Limitations

After Jesus completed his work of salvation on earth, he ascended to heaven to be with his Father again, and to return to the glory he had before he left heaven.

C. The Ascension of Jesus Signaled the Sending of the Holy Spirit

D. The Ascension of Jesus Marked the Start of His Preparing Believers’ Heavenly Home

E. The Ascension of Jesus Marked the Passing of the Work of Evangelism to His Followers

The Acts of the Apostles, describes Jesus’ work that was continued through his apostles, and the rest of the New Testament describes how Jesus’ Church is to continue the work of evangelism until he returns.

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Sermon Audio: Jesus Appears To His Disciples
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 24:36-49
Duration: 20:03
Size: 9.17 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
Jesus Appears To His Disciples
Luke 24:36-49

You can have hope without faith, but you can not have faith without hope!

Jesus’ appearance to his disciples in Jerusalem in Luke 24:36-49 shows us how they came to recognize that Jesus was indeed alive.

I. The Reappearance of Jesus (Luke 24:36)

As with most people, they have to be persuaded. The disciples are as skeptical as the rest of humanity.

II. The Reassurance by Jesus (Luke 24:37-43)

A. Their Panic (Luke 24:37)

But this was no spirit that they saw, because Jesus gave proof that he was no spirit.

B. His Proof (Luke 24:38-43)

They were seeing and touching the resurrected, glorified Lord Jesus Christ!

The empirical evidence of Jesus’ resurrection is stated briefly: Jesus appears to them, speaks with them, and eats before them. Truly he is raised.

III. The Revelation by Jesus (Luke 24:44-49)

We must understand that one of the reasons Jesus taught them from Scripture was that he did not want them to rest their belief in his resurrection on their personal experience alone.

So, never think that you need to have a certain intellectual ability to understand the gospel.

So, if you have repented of your sins and received forgiveness of your sins, then you are commissioned by Jesus to tell others how they too can find forgiveness for their sins.

So, we have a very good reason to tell others about Jesus: not only is Jesus alive, he has changed us, and we are now empowered by the Holy Spirit to live for him and tell others about him.

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Sermon Audio: On The Road To Emmaus
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 24:13-35
Duration: 19:51
Size: 9.09 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
On The Road To Emmaus
Luke 24:13-35

Jesus’ appearance to two disciples on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24:13-35 shows us how they came to recognize that Jesus was indeed alive.

I. The Reunion with Jesus (Luke 24:13-16)

The two disciples walking to Emmaus thought he was just another traveler, and they did not recognize him.

II. The Request from Jesus (Luke 24:17)

III. The Reply to Jesus (Luke 24:18-24)

Instead of being the only person who did not know what was happening, Jesus was the only person who did!

The two disciples told Jesus the astonishing news about the empty tomb and the angelic announcement about Jesus’ resurrection.

IV. The Rebuke by Jesus (Luke 24:25-27)

What any preacher would give to hear that sermon, when the Word of God Incarnate explained the Word of God written!

Instead, it is a book about Jesus Christ and God’s redemption that is found in Jesus alone.

V. The Recognition of Jesus (Luke 24:28-32)

It was a divine act that enabled them to recognize Jesus because Luke said that their eyes were opened.

The point is that every person today may have a similar experience as the two disciples in that it is the opening of the Scriptures that causes our hearts to burn.

VI. The Report about Jesus (Luke 24:33-35)

While the apostles did not expect resurrection, once they saw it, they were ready to die for the faith because they knew that death could not conquer them.

Application:

First, if you are not a Christian, believe that Jesus is indeed alive. Turn to God in faith and in repentance.

Second, if you are a Christian, tell others about Jesus.