When Christ comes into our world, He demands a response. Mary treasured but pondered. Shepherds returned glorifying and praising God. Townsfolk just marveled. Some ignored, some resisted, some denied, but some believed. What about you? Join us as we examine Luke 2:15-20 and consider our own response to Jesus.
Category Archives: Luke
12/24/2023 | “Unlikely Converts” | Luke 2:1-20
Christ was born in obscurity. Announced only to shepherds, the most despised class of society. Ever under suspicion, barred from temple worship and law courts, these men were unlikely converts. No one gave them anything, but God gave them everything! Join us as we examine the story of the shepherds in Luke 2 and consider God’s powerful plan to save the most unlikely of converts.
12/17/2023 | “Making Preparations” | Luke 1:57-80
Are you ready for Christmas? More importantly, are you ready for Christ? John the Baptist was the great preparer, the forerunner of Jesus. His calling was to “make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” And this is our calling as well! Join us as we examine the birth of John the Baptist in Luke 1:57-80 and our calling to prepare ourselves and others for Christ.
12/10/2023 | “The Great Mystery” | Luke 1:26-56
In Luke 1:26-38, we have one of the most remarkable stories in scripture. The angel Gabriel comes to Mary with a startling announcement. She will be the mother of her Savior. Unlike the skepticism of Zechariah, Mary asks “how will these things be?” A question we wrestle with as we ponder the nature of our Savior as fully God and fully man. But in the answer, scripture points us to one of the most precious truths of our faith. Because Mary asked this question, we, along with our forefathers can go to scripture and ask, “How did Christ, being the Son of God, become man?” Join us as we examine Luke 1:26-38 and consider this question and why it is central to our faith.
12/03/2023 | “Breaking the Silence” | Luke 1:1-25
God’s silence is unsettling. In it we impute our worst fears and harshest assessments. So, Luke begins with a broken silence. Jesus, the Word in flesh, is born to speak God’s love into a 400-year silence. God is not deaf, dead, absent, unconcerned, or idle. Join us this Lord’s Day, as we begin a short series of lessons from Luke’s Gospel in Luke 1:5-25 and consider the power of the gospel to break the silence of God in our lives.
09/17/2023 | “God’s Point of View on Prayer” | Luke 18:1-8
“Want God to laugh? Tell him your plans!” So goes the saying. But what does God think about our prayers? As Christians we talk a lot about how we pray, when we pray, and why we pray. But what is God’s perspective on our prayer? Join us as Rev. Bill Holiman leads us to examine Luke 18:1-8 and consider “God’s Point of View on Prayer?”
05/29/2022 | “Fear Not!” | Luke 21:5-19
“Fear Not!” is common in scripture. But how can we possibly obey it? After all fear is a response to circumstances we cannot control. Our finitude creates anxiety. We are not in control. We never were. But what God commands, He provides. The remedy for fear is faith in the one who is in control. Luke 21:5-19 appears fear-filled. But closer examination reveals assurance and victory. Listen as we consider how God equips us to advance the gospel through this tremendous assurance.
05/01/2022 | “Ascended into Heaven” | Luke 24:50-53
Every week Christians profess their faith in the Apostles’ Creed. Among its central doctrines is a profession that Jesus “ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.” Yet many have never considered why the Ascension is such an important doctrine. Listen as we examine Luke 24:50-53 and consider the hope and comfort we receive from the Ascension.
04/24/2022 | “The New Normal” | Luke 24:36-53
After Jesus’ Resurrection, his disciples faced a new normal. For 40 days, Jesus comforts their fears, commissions them give the world the gospel, and promises His presence through the Holy Spirit. The end of the gospel story is only the beginning.
Their new normal is the best prescription for our own new normal – looking to Christ for comfort, following Christ’s call, and relying on Christ’s presence through the Holy Spirit. Listen as we examine the “end of the beginning” from Luke 24 and consider the new normal for followers of Jesus Christ.
04/17/2022 | “Not Here!” | Luke 24:1-12
What is your response to the Resurrection? For those who encountered an empty tomb and a Risen Christ, the Resurrection changed everything. Has it changed everything for you? Has it changed anything in you? Listen as we examine Luke 24:1-12 and consider the significance of the Resurrection of Jesus.
Pottsville Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church 