A message from the series “Luke.”
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A message from the series “Luke.”
A message from the series “Jesus Preaches.” One of the most striking themes of Jesus’ teachings in the original context is that of loving one’s neighbor so thoroughly, honestly, and genuinely – which is how we are prone to love ourselves. Especially when Jesus preaches the expansion of his ministry will be for the gentiles, the non-Jewish people, as well. Let’s try to imagine how radical this message was for the first hearers. Not only did Jesus preach the need to love one’s neighbor, but that it was right up there with the first commandment of loving God. The Jewish believers of this time would have known the command from Deuteronomy 6, to love the Lord their God with everything in them. That is not a new message for them. However, to hear the story of the Good Samaritan, or the command to love one’s neighbor… must have brought a convicting sting, for many of them (and us) struggle to do so. Through the connecting of dots between Old Testament laws and New Testament sermons, Jesus exemplifies the defining attribute of God: love. Now, it is up to us to strive to embrace and practice this command ourselves.
A message from the series “Jesus Preaches.” One of the most striking themes of Jesus’ teachings in the original context is that of loving one’s neighbor so thoroughly, honestly, and genuinely – which is how we are prone to love ourselves. Especially when Jesus preaches the expansion of his ministry will be for the gentiles, the non-Jewish people, as well. Let’s try to imagine how radical this message was for the first hearers. Not only did Jesus preach the need to love one’s neighbor, but that it was right up there with the first commandment of loving God. The Jewish believers of this time would have known the command from Deuteronomy 6, to love the Lord their God with everything in them. That is not a new message for them. However, to hear the story of the Good Samaritan, or the command to love one’s neighbor… must have brought a convicting sting, for many of them (and us) struggle to do so. Through the connecting of dots between Old Testament laws and New Testament sermons, Jesus exemplifies the defining attribute of God: love. Now, it is up to us to strive to embrace and practice this command ourselves.
A message from the series “Jesus Preaches.” One of the most striking themes of Jesus’ teachings in the original context is that of loving one’s neighbor so thoroughly, honestly, and genuinely – which is how we are prone to love ourselves. Especially when Jesus preaches the expansion of his ministry will be for the gentiles, the non-Jewish people, as well. Let’s try to imagine how radical this message was for the first hearers. Not only did Jesus preach the need to love one’s neighbor, but that it was right up there with the first commandment of loving God. The Jewish believers of this time would have known the command from Deuteronomy 6, to love the Lord their God with everything in them. That is not a new message for them. However, to hear the story of the Good Samaritan, or the command to love one’s neighbor… must have brought a convicting sting, for many of them (and us) struggle to do so. Through the connecting of dots between Old Testament laws and New Testament sermons, Jesus exemplifies the defining attribute of God: love. Now, it is up to us to strive to embrace and practice this command ourselves.
A message from the series “Luke.”
A message from the series “Jesus Preaches.” Family is a unique experience for every person. When Jesus preaches throughout his ministry, he includes many familial references, metaphors, parables, and teachings. However, as in most of Jesus’ teachings, he flips the worldly definition and perception of recognizable terms on their head. Jesus preaches a new understanding of what it means to be family as the element that binds members together, in God’s realm, is not merely blood lineage, but rather faith. From Jesus, we learn that our faith or relationship with God is what has the power to transform us, and our identity… including our role as “family”. Sprinkled throughout the gospels, are moments when the crowds or disciples pester Jesus in the middle of his teachings about his nearby relatives. Using that moment as a timely example of reorienting what it truly means to be “relatives” he preaches the importance of being focused on God and God’s will, stepping out in faith, which is what binds us together in this new “family”. As Christians, our faith forms a new bond between us. What once seemed to be limited to direct lineage or blood relative status, is now overcome by the powerful reality of pursuing God together in faith as brothers and sisters in Christ.
A message from the series “Jesus Preaches.” Family is a unique experience for every person. When Jesus preaches throughout his ministry, he includes many familial references, metaphors, parables, and teachings. However, as in most of Jesus’ teachings, he flips the worldly definition and perception of recognizable terms on their head. Jesus preaches a new understanding of what it means to be family as the element that binds members together, in God’s realm, is not merely blood lineage, but rather faith. From Jesus, we learn that our faith or relationship with God is what has the power to transform us, and our identity… including our role as “family”. Sprinkled throughout the gospels, are moments when the crowds or disciples pester Jesus in the middle of his teachings about his nearby relatives. Using that moment as a timely example of reorienting what it truly means to be “relatives” he preaches the importance of being focused on God and God’s will, stepping out in faith, which is what binds us together in this new “family”. As Christians, our faith forms a new bond between us. What once seemed to be limited to direct lineage or blood relative status, is now overcome by the powerful reality of pursuing God together in faith as brothers and sisters in Christ.
A message from the series “Jesus Preaches.” Family is a unique experience for every person. When Jesus preaches throughout his ministry, he includes many familial references, metaphors, parables, and teachings. However, as in most of Jesus’ teachings, he flips the worldly definition and perception of recognizable terms on their head. Jesus preaches a new understanding of what it means to be family as the element that binds members together, in God’s realm, is not merely blood lineage, but rather faith. From Jesus, we learn that our faith or relationship with God is what has the power to transform us, and our identity… including our role as “family”. Sprinkled throughout the gospels, are moments when the crowds or disciples pester Jesus in the middle of his teachings about his nearby relatives. Using that moment as a timely example of reorienting what it truly means to be “relatives” he preaches the importance of being focused on God and God’s will, stepping out in faith, which is what binds us together in this new “family”. As Christians, our faith forms a new bond between us. What once seemed to be limited to direct lineage or blood relative status, is now overcome by the powerful reality of pursuing God together in faith as brothers and sisters in Christ.
A message from the series “Luke.”