Have you ever lost or misplaced something that was important to you? You typically can’t rest until you find what you are looking for.  I can remember having bought a present for one of my kids and I was so excited to give it to them.  I hid it because I did not want it to be found ahead of time.  When it was time to give the present I could not find it anywhere.  I spent hours looking and could not find it anywhere.  I searched and kept searching and trying to remember where it was.  Eventually I found it days later in a place I would never look (of course) my sock drawer.  Jesus tells us several parables describing God searching for the lost in such a way.  Let’s look together at His words in Luke 15.

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. 8 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

If rescuing those who are lost is that important to Jesus than it should be important to us as well.  The Pharisees were upset that Jesus was hanging out with sinners but He was teaching them that is exactly where He should be.  Obviously we receive support and encouragement and mutual growth from our time with other believers.  We also have a responsibility to bring God’s love and message to the lost.  I pray that we all would do this with the same passion that we search for things that we have lost.  After all we are simply helping our Father find His lost children.

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

Have you noticed that some of the teachings of Jesus are particularly difficult? The passage we are looking at today from Luke 14 is one of those.  Jesus uses extremely strong language to stress the importance of being all in when it comes to following Him.  Let’s look at His words together today. 

Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. 27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. 28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? 29 For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, 30 saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’ 31 “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33 In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples. 34 “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? 35 It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out. “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

Jesus has tons of people following Him at this point.  He wants to be strong with His message so the curious and those just following the crowd know that this is a serious commitment. Jesus is calling His followers to a completely different way of life.  He calls us to a kingdom life that has different priorities from the rest of the world.  He starts off by telling people to hate their family to follow Him.  To us this seems even more extreme than it actually is.  “Hating” is actually a Semitic expression for loving less.  Jesus is saying that He should be our first priority even over our family.  Then with His next illustrations He is encouraging us to count the cost.  He doesn’t want people to make an impulsive decision to follow Him and then fall away or lose their saltiness.  Jesus wants us to be “all in” when it comes to following Him.  Sometimes during our journey with Jesus being “all in” is easy and other times it is hard.  Jesus certainly went all in for us even to the point of dying for us. He simply calls us to in our fallen, broken, way go all in for Him as well.

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

There are certain stories we have in the gospels that just clearly illustrate the difference between the heart of Jesus and the approach of the religious leaders.  There is one found in Luke 13 that I would like to look at today. 

On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, 11 and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” 13 Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God. 14 Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue leader said to the people, “There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.” 15 The Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie your ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? 16 Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?” 17 When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.

Of course we all know that Jesus had compassion on people.  Time and again He breaks down barriers and crosses lines to help others.  In this instance He sees a woman who has been suffering for 18 years.  He knows it is the Sabbath and He knows how others will respond but He doesn’t want her to suffer a moment longer.  He also wants to teach the Synagogue leader and other religious leaders something important.  He pointed out their hypocrisy on this issue and also showed them how important God’s children are to Him.  The religious leaders were so caught up in God’s law that they were missing the heart of God for His people.  Jesus came to show us that and to ultimately show it in the greatest way by giving up His own life for us. Today thank Jesus for His great compassion and love that He showed then and continues to show every day in our lives!

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

Many of you know that I am currently down in the Florida Keys on a Pastor’s retreat.  It has been a good couple of days and we are wrapping things up today.  Yesterday we were having lunch at the Keys Fishery and Bobby McFerrin’s famous “Don’t Worry Be Happy” came on the radio.  We began to joke a little bit about the connection of the concept of the song to the gospel.  Ironically the text connected to this concept is where we happen to be in the book of Luke today.  Let’s take a look at chapter 12 of Luke.

Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?27 “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! 29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

Jesus tells us that we need not to worry because we can rely upon Him.  It’s not quite don’t worry be happy but it’s more don’t worry trust Jesus.   We are told to turn our focus to building God’s kingdom and let Him worry about our daily needs.  I find that the more I learn to rely upon God and trust Him, the easier it becomes to put the worries of life aside.  I pray that God would help all of us to rely more and more upon Him and worry less and less.  Don’t worry trust Jesus!

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

Sometimes I feel as though we go to God to timidly or passively in prayer.  Almost approaching the throne with a sorry to bother you God but…  Jesus talks about a completely different approach to prayer.  He tells us to pray with shameless audacity.  Let’s look at some of His words about prayer found in Luke 11

Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6 a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ 7 And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need. 9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

We all love to give good things to our children.  When they come to us we do our very best to give them what they need.  We may deny a want but that is only because we think that will not be best for them.  Jesus reminds us that if this is the case how much more does our Father in heaven want to meet our needs.  He reminds us to present our requests boldly before God to pray with persistency.  God has the ability and the power to grant everything that we need and always wants what is best for us.  Sometimes God’s “no’s” even turn out to be huge blessings in our life.  Today go to God with shameless audacity. Jesus tells us to pray that way!

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

How do you do at showing love to people you don’t like very much?  It is easy (most of the time) to love our friends and family.  How we show love to strangers and to the “other” is a truer test of whether or not we are living out the kind of love that Jesus calls us to.  Let’s look at what Jesus says about this when he is being tested by some religious leaders.  The story is found in Luke 10.

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” 28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” 37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

This parable of the Good Samaritan is probably a familiar one to many of us.  The trick is how are we doing at living it out.  Samaritans and Jews were enemies, religious enemies and they did not associate with each other at all.  He went above and beyond to show love to the Jewish man who had been robbed.  This is the kind of extravagant love that Jesus shows to us.  Sometimes we will ”love” others by doing the bare minimum but this man interrupted his life and poured his resources into helping someone he did not know who was his enemy.  I pray that God would give all of us a heart to love others this way.  After all love is why we are here.

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

There have been times in my life where I have faced a really big task that seemed intimidating.  The thing about big jobs is that they are not that big when you get a lot of people pitching in together.  Jesus left us a huge job of sharing his message and love with the world.  It can seem daunting and even impossible.  When everyone gets involved it becomes less intimidating.  He starts this off for the first time in Luke 9 when he sends out the 12 disciples.  Let’s look at the passage together today. 

When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3 He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. 4 Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. 5 If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” 6 So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere. 7 Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was going on. And he was perplexed because some were saying that John had been raised from the dead, 8 others that Elijah had appeared, and still others that one of the prophets of long ago had come back to life. 9 But Herod said, “I beheaded John. Who, then, is this I hear such things about?” And he tried to see him.

It would have been easy for the disciples to just sit back and watch Jesus teach and share with people.  Jesus knew that while He was the one best equipped to do the work, it was important for all of the disciples to share His message.  The same can be true today.  We are all called to share Jesus’ message and love with the world.  While missionaries, evangelists, and traveling speakers may have a platform to do this we all need to do this is our daily lives as well.  Every haircut, plane flight, meal eating out, and everything we might do in life is an opportunity to point people to Jesus.  Sometimes all it takes is the smallest thing.  I pray that this year we might all be more intentional about taking advantage of opportunities to share Jesus with the world. 

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

I am always amazed in the Bible at the variety of ways that Jesus provides healing.  Sometimes He speaks other times he uses mud or spit.  He even heals simply by being touched.  Let’s look at two stories found in Luke 8 together today. 

 Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him. 41 Then a man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house 42 because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying. As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. 43 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. 44 She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. 45 “Who touched me?” Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.” 46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.” 47 Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. 48 Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” 49 While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” he said. “Don’t bother the teacher anymore.” 50 Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.” 51 When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child’s father and mother. 52 Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. “Stop wailing,” Jesus said. “She is not dead but asleep.” 53 They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But he took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” 55 Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. 56 Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.

I love both of these stories.  First the woman who doesn’t even speak or ask Jesus for help.  Honestly if Jesus doesn’t insist on finding out who she is we probably would not even have a record of this story in the Bible.  It makes me wonder if, perhaps there are more such instances that are not recorded.  She simply touches the hem of His robe and is healed instantly.  Then we have the interaction with Jarius.  I wonder the series of emotions that Jarius must have gone through.  Perhaps hope as he was going to see Jesus.  I’m sure pain and grief when he is told his daughter is dead.  Then when Jesus says not to worry and goes with him I have no idea what his thoughts and emotions were then.  Ultimately joy and amazement as Jesus brings her back to life.  The beauty of our relationship with Jesus is that He walks with us through all of our emotions and He experienced them as well during His time on earth.  We worship a Savior who gets us.  He is with us and loves us each and every step of our journey on earth. 

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

Have you ever done a trust fall?  The idea is that someone is behind you and is going to catch you.  You are supposed to lean back and fall and allow them to catch you.  It is an illustration of what we are called to do in our faith.  I was once doing this in a group and explained how it would work and asked for a volunteer.  I got a “catcher” and someone willing to fall.  We set it up and on the signal the person leaned and fell forward instead of back like they were supposed to obviously no one was there to catch them and they hit the ground.  It turned into a completely different illustration about placing your faith in the wrong direction but today I’d like to talk about properly placed faith.  Let’s look at a story about Jesus found in Luke 7.

When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people who were listening, he entered Capernaum. 2 There a centurion’s servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. 3 The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4 When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, “This man deserves to have you do this, 5 because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” 6 So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. 7 That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” 10 Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.

The Centurion had tremendous faith in the power of Jesus to heal.  He put his trust in the right place and was rewarded for his faith.  To often I think we are like the student and place our faith in the wrong places.  We trust in our own strength.  We trust in our own resources.  We trust in comfort and security.  We trust in systems and companies.  None of these things are inherently bad but too often I think they take the place of the faith that we should place in Jesus alone.  The Centurion was a powerful man who had lots of different resources he could depend upon.  He knew that the true source of healing and strength was Jesus so that is where he turned to.  I pray that we would also all turn to the true source of healing and strength, Jesus!

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

Have you ever wondered why it often seems like Jesus intentionally irritated the Pharisees? Often in His ministry He did so to show them a better way of living and honoring God.  I think other times He did it because His ultimate reason to be here was to die for our sins and He knew He needed religious leaders to be the instigators of that.  Let’s look at a passage from Luke 6 where it seems like a little bit of both things are going on. 

One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grain fields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels. 2 Some of the Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”3 Jesus answered them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He entered the house of God, and taking the consecrated bread, he ate what is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.” 5 Then Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”6 On another Sabbath he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled. 7 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. 8 But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Get up and stand in front of everyone.” So he got up and stood there. 9 Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?” 10 He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand was completely restored. 11 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.

When Jesus asks them if they have ever read what David did this would be considered a direct affront to them.  They were the experts on the Torah often seeking to completely memorize it.  They would certainly know every detail of David’s life.  Then when he heals on the Sabbath in front of them He also questions the very nature of the law itself.  The gospels are filled with things like this where Jesus is teaching us truth but also slowly marching toward His ultimate goal of dying to save us.  Today take some time to reflect on this double mission of Jesus and thank Him for fulfilling both of them. 

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave