Tag Archives: expository teaching

Ask, Seek, Knock – Luke 11:9-13

Knock and it will be opened – Luke 11:9-13 Opening Thoughts: Many of you that are following our blog will notice that we have attempted to be faithful to our daily posts but have come up seriously short this past little while. Our desire is to blog daily but good intentions are often interrupted by the most wonderful things in the world “children”. We have 3 wonderful kids and I can’t imagine life without them, but these little people are many times why we don’t get around to blogging. Their regular bedtime is 7pm and by the time we close the door to their room it’s often 7:30. Then there’s the “Mommy & Daddy, can I have a drink?” questions…. or the “I have to use the bathroom!” requests. Being a parent is super tough, there has to be a limit right? I mean by the 4th request for a […]

The Invitation Is Not Salvation

What is the Good Portion? – Luke 10:38-42 Opening Thoughts: Have you ever invited someone over to your home for a meal and when the day came you felt totally unprepared? The result of the evening was that you spent the majority of the time fussing over the event and little to no time actually sitting down to have meaningful conversation with your guests. I wonder if your guests would’ve rather had a nice visit with you instead of seeing you as a waitress? My prayer is that today’s discussion in Luke 10 will cause many of you to closely examine your lives and start to see what Jesus views as valuable service. Prepare to be changed. Luke 10:38-42 ESV .. Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who […]

Wasted on Jesus

Matthew 26:6-13 “And the things of the earth will grow strangely dim…” When you become a follower of Jesus everything in your life becomes about the eternal. Possessions lose their luster in your sight, media of the world becomes bland in comparison with the Bible, vacations and holidays are enjoyable and nice but don’t even come close to the place you know that Jesus is preparing for you. Granted, we occasionally lose sight of these truths when we become distracted by life’s trials, but a true follower always regains his footing on the straight and narrow towards the beautiful before all is lost. “Whether fine or stormy…” Recently I started reading The Little Pilgrim’s Progress by Helen L. Taylor to my 5 year old son. I am amazed at how the story can hold his attention (he is a very active 5 year old boy), it’s always “one more chapter […]

People You Can’t Stand

Jesus places the people you can’t stand at the front of your neighbor list! Opening Thoughts: I want you to be totally honest with yourself on this question. Have you ever hated someone? Or maybe hate would be too strong of a word. So maybe you have strongly disliked someone even to the point that when someone else is talking about that person it makes you feel upset and uncomfortable? I’ve been there, and I’ve had to repent and ask God to flood my heart with grace many times. The Jews felt this way about the Samaritans. Below is some interesting information that will paint a picture for you as to why the Jews strongly disliked (hated) them. INFO: Through Samaria was the usual route taken by travelers from Judea to Galilee, though strict Jews, in order to avoid defilement, could bypass Samaria by opting for a longer route that […]

What Kind of Question is That??

Side Note: I have been speaking a lot the last couple days about election and salvation, so before I head into the main text I wanted to remind everyone that God is the one who draws people to Christ not us. We are the tools that deliver the Gospel and God is the one who draws them to Christ, and as we read last night, Christ is the one who reveals the Father to whoever He chooses. Scripture: Acts 13:46, 48 ESV And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles ……. 48. And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. […]

Is it God’s Will To Save Everyone?

Opening Thoughts: Clearly you read the title before clicking into this post. Just to clarify, none of us are the judge of who God has called and elected to be His children, nor can we comprehend on what grounds He does it, that’s God’s job and I’m glad for that. We on the other hand have been given one task, and that task is to preach the Gospel to every creature and the ones who believe will be saved, and those who don’t are already condemned according to Jesus. In regard to election, I find it odd that many church folks have no issues believing the Old Testament in regard to election, when God clearly had a people called after His Name. Of course it was easy to know who His elect were, because they all had the same father ‘Abraham’. We also have no issues with the fact that […]

Hidden Talent and Mistaken Identity

Misjudgment of the Master Many people have heard the parable of the talents, about how the master of a property went away and gave one, two, and five talents to three of his servants. Maybe you know essentially how the story goes, that two servants doubled the master’s money and one did nothing with what he was given? Well, that’s the foam on top of the latte but have you ever sat down and drank the whole cup? What I mean is, have you looked up close at the details of what happened to each servant and why? Let me explain to you why misjudgment of the master is the seed which produces the consequence of the third servant being called “wicked and slothful”. First of all, here is the text from Matthew 25:14-30: [The Parable of the Talents] [14] “For it will be like a man going on a […]

Once Saved, Always Saved?

Opening Thoughts: When I was reading tonight’s text my mind was racing through several scenes that I’ve seen in a few different war movies. These are scenes of victory. Some of the most victorious scenes for me come from Braveheart. I can just see the celebrations now as they come back from the battle field. Or what about in Lord of the Rings when after many grueling and relentless battle’s they win the war and return rejoicing to the shire. This is kind of what we see here in Luke 10. Jesus had just sent the 72 disciples out to minister, and now they are returning very excited and doing victory dances… Scripture: Luke 10:17-20 ESV [17] The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” [18] And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. [19] Behold, I […]

Are We Like Sodom?

Opening Thoughts: Have you very heard the phrase “There are two sides to every story”. This phrase is very common in a counselors office. The Bible often times will have two sides going on in a single story. Take for instance the one that we started last night in Luke 10, where Jesus gathers the 72 disciples together and instructs them to go and prepare peoples hearts for the Gospel. One side of the story was directed specifically at the disciples and their job of preaching the gospel. Another side of the story was directed at the hearers, when Jesus said that there is both a ripe harvest who will embrace the truth, as well as others who will reject the gospel and even persecute them. – The reason I bring this up is because there will inevitably be people from both sides of the story that happen to read […]

And the Door was Shut

The Parable of the Ten Virgins – Matthew 25:1-13 It wasn’t what I ate I had a dream last night, more of a nightmare really, that has been bothering me all day. Before I went to bed I had read Matthew 25:1-13 about the parable of the ten virgins and how the kingdom of heaven and the return of Jesus is comparable to what happened to them. Let me share what I studied in my devotions before I share my distressing dream with you. First you must read the parable, carefully, I might add: The Parable of the Ten Virgins: [25:1] “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. [2] Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. [3] For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, [4] but the wise took […]