Luke 7:11-35 What excuses do people have for their lack of faith in Jesus? What evidence do they claim they would need to believe? In Jesus’ day many people struggled with believing Jesus truly was the Messiah. Even John the Baptist, when he was in prison needed confirmation about Jesus despite having baptized him and acknowledging him as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Part ...

Luke 6:39-7:10 What would you say are the biggest issues which are keeping people from coming to faith in Christ? Sadly, one of the biggest obstacles to accepting Christianity is… well, Christians. We would like to believe that the world is pulling people away, because it is too painful to think that we might be the blockade standing in the way of them coming to Christ. Fess up. When you read toda...

Luke 6:12-38 How close would you say that your perspective of things matches God’s? We see a few potential challenges to our perspective in Luke 6. When Jesus is about to make a big decision about his disciples, he goes off and spends time with the Father. There is nothing wrong with getting advice from others and doing research, but are you talking to God about the decisions you make? If our pers...

Luke 5:29-6:11 I talked with a man recently who called himself a religious person. He summarized his religious belief as doing unto others, as he would want done to him. As impressive as this ethic is, it falls short of the relationship with Christ to which we are called. When we look at the life of Jesus, we find him surprisingly in conflict with good, religious people who got so caught up in rul...

Luke 5:12-28 What are your biggest needs? If you could snap your fingers and instantly have a problem fixed, what would be your request? Throughout Jesus’ ministry people came to him with their problems. We see a man in Luke 5 who comes to Jesus with leprosy and is instantly cleansed. We then see a second individual carried on a mat by a group of friends. This paralytic was brought to Jesus so tha...

Luke 4:31-5:11 Often toddlers refuse assistance despite their inability to perform simple tasks. Then as those toddlers turn into teenagers, they assume their parents have nothing to teach them. Sadly, as we move into adulthood, we continue to think that we know everything, when we do not. This is revealed by the fact that one of the reasons Jesus came to Earth was to teach us. Every one of us. Of...

Luke 4:1-30 Temptations come at us from multiple directions. It can come internally, from our own broken hearts; and it can come from external sources, like friends, family members, and even the devil. The Bible begins with the temptation of Adam and Eve and their willingness to concede. In contrast, Jesus’ ministry begins with Jesus overcoming the wiles of the devil. The root of our willingness t...

Luke 3:23-38 Some people view Jesus like they would Santa Claus or the Abominable Snowman. He is a wonderful work of fiction, but nothing more. Luke is very careful to illustrate this is not the case. He roots the life of Jesus in history. We have seen this already in his placement in the Roman Empire, under the rule of Herod, and in a part of the world that you can still visit today. Jesus is not...

Luke 3:1-22 If you are driving on a family vacation to a major city, you are most likely watching the signs that tell you how many miles are left until your destination. John the Baptist’s role in salvation history is like the destination signs on the side of the road. He pointed beyond himself to the coming of Jesus. The way he did this was calling for repentance. To repent is to acknowledge the ...

Luke 2:36-52 What do you treasure in your heart? What are the memories, quotes, or events you cherish? Multiple times at the beginning of Luke, we are told Mary “treasured all these things in her heart.” These events are signposts to the significance of Jesus. Mary treasuring something in her heart was first used when the shepherds came to visit at Jesus’ birth. This phrase speaks to the fact that...

Luke 2:1-35 Every parent has hopes and dreams for their child. They wonder who they will grow up to be, who they might marry, where they will go to college, and where they might live. Unlike most parents Mary and Joseph immediately knew Jesus’ purpose. When angels broke into the seen realm, they proclaimed Jesus’ identity to a group of surprised shepherds. They shared he would bring joy and peace ...

Luke 1:57-80 If you are asked about your children or grandchildren, what are the facts you share about them? Do you tell about their academic exploits, how big they are, or how beautiful their eye color is? No matter how special your kids might be, you assuredly do not share the reasons which Zechariah gave. When Zechariah’s mouth is finally opened and he has a chance to speak of his special child...

Luke 1:26-56 How would you respond to an angel’s appearance proclaiming that a child would be born to you despite being a virgin? Mary is often neglected in Protestantism and overly elevated by other traditions. What she is, is a powerful example of a faithful, humble servant of God. She does not understand how the message of the angel is possible, but she is willing to go ahead with what God has ...

Luke 1:1-25 What evidence would you need to believe in Jesus? This is an important question to ask non-Christians. It is important for them to acknowledge what would move them from an unwilling belief, to faith in Christ. Luke begins his Gospel by describing first how his writing was compiled. Like a modern journalist he interviewed eyewitnesses to the accounts to understand what happened. He did ...

Mark 16:1-20 Many people claim we cannot trust the Bible—that it is false, historically inaccurate, and that it has changed over time. How would you respond to these types of statements? About halfway through Mark 16 it says, "The earliest manuscripts and some other ancient witnesses do not have verses 9-20." On the surface this may cause you to doubt the truth of Scripture, but it should actually...

Mark 15:1-47 Consider what Jesus was willing to undergo for us on his last day on Earth. Despite being a king and deserving submission, obedience, and reverence, Jesus received none of this. He was dressed up in a Halloween-like king costume and was flogged, mocked, struck, spit on, and then crucified. Rather than the crowds bowing down, they jeered him. They, along with Pilate, missed who Jesus w...

Mark 14:53-72 Who is Jesus? We have seen this question come up throughout Jesus’ ministry and hopefully that question comes up in our conversations with people who are far from Christ. This question is essential, because the answer leads someone to an eternity with Christ or an eternity apart from him. As Jesus’ faux trial before the Sanhedrin occurred, they were looking for any evidence that migh...

Mark 14:22-52 There are many stories which are reiterated multiple times throughout the Bible. The story of the exodus is actually told more than any other. As Jesus experienced his last night on Earth, he did it while celebrating the exodus meal of the Passover. Jesus shockingly took a meal which had been repeated for well over a thousand years and transformed it. His first change was to make the...

Mark 14:1-21 What are the things which you value above everything else? If there was a fire in your house and you could only grab one thing, what would you take with you? The things we value will very much determine the way we live. As Jesus heads towards his death the disciples reveal something they value more than him. They value money over Jesus in being indignant toward the woman who poured th...

Mark 13:14-37 Christ is returning! We need to embrace this truth and live in light of it. Jesus instructs his disciples about his return to, "Be on guard! Be alert!...Watch!" The urgency of these commands comes from the reality Jesus is coming back. Nearly every generation has thought Jesus would return during their time, and though every previous generation has been wrong, one will be right. So, ...