Tag: Luke-The Investigative Gospel

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Sermon Audio: Are You Related To Jesus?
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 8:19-21
Duration: 21:41
Size: 9.92 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
Are You Related To Jesus?
Luke 8:19-21

In order to understand these three verses you have to take them in light of the entire chapter of Luke 8.

If you put Luke and Mark’s accounts together you don’t see a contradiction simply their twist on the account: Hearing God’s word and putting it into practice is God’s will!

Being baptized or being related to a leader in a church is all good but if we are not hearing God’s word and putting it into practice we are simply standing outside to see Jesus.

God did not leave us in the dark about how to come to him. It”s found in the Bible.

We can read, “Love your neighbor as yourself” and if we continue to hold a grudge with someone, the word has not gotten a hold of us.

I realize that for some of you, reading the Bible is new. You might be intimidated; you don’t know where to start.

Is there a…

Sin to confess
Promise to claim
Attitude to change
Command to obey
Example to follow
Prayer to pray
Error to avoid
Truth to believe
Something to thank God for?

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Sermon Audio: The Parable Of The Lamp
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 8:16-18
Duration: 18:50
Size: 8.62 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
The Parable Of The Lamp
Luke 8:16-18

Jesus continued teaching how his true followers respond to the word of God. He gave his disciples another parable, the one we call The Parable of the Lamp.

Does God’s word go in one ear and out the other? Or do we hear God’s word in such a way that we really obey it?

It would be completely foolish to light a lamp and then cover it so that it could not light the room.

It seems that the emphasis in Luke’s Gospel is Jesus’ own teaching, and in particular how it is received.

When you hear the message of the gospel, the message of God’s word, you must hear it responsively.

We are to reveal those things and confess those things to God, knowing that if we don’t, that God will himself expose us.

Every time you hear the message of the gospel and resist it, you make it easier to resist the next time.

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Sermon Audio: Are You Ready To Listen?
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 8:1-15
Duration: 22:53
Size: 10.4 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
Are You Ready To Listen?
Luke 8:1-15

What does concern me is that number of people who sit in a pew each week with their bodies awake but their souls asleep.

Some people today that sit in church around this country are gospel hardened, because they have heard the truth so many times while doing nothing at all about it.

In this story four different responses are given, along with four different causes and having four distinct results.

1. The Hard Unreceptive Heart

Some hearts are so callused as to be completely closed to the message of the Gospel.

2. The Shallow Superficial Heart

The problem with the shallow superficial heart is that it always ready to follow whatever seems to offer the greatest reward.

Those with a shallow superficial experience when the hard times come they are immediately offended. In other words, they quit.

3. The Busy Crowded Heart

The thorns, Jesus explained represented life’s worries, riches and pleasures.

4. The Receptive Productive Heart

We have a responsibility to actively seek the Lord and to do all we can to avoid those things that cause the word to be unfruitful in our lives, then and only then will we be productive for the Kingdom of God.

The condition of our heart determines whether we receive the word.

“What is the condition of your heart today?”

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Sermon Audio: A Sacrificial Faith
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 7:36-50
Duration: 25:56
Size: 11.8 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
A Sacrificial Faith
Luke 7:36-50

Wordless worship now there is a thought. But her worship was so profound that Jesus uses her as an example to a very proud religious leader.

Her desire is to find Jesus and when her eyes finally rest on Him, the other guest fade into a mist of tears; it suddenly doesn’t matter what these respectable people think about her.

What she did she did remarkably well she worshiped. This woman’s worship was at great personal cost.

Because Simons logic was based on false assumptions it leads him to false conclusions.

There are sinners who know they are sinners and there are sinners who do not know that they are sinners.

1. Just like the two men in the story every one is spiritually in debt.

Some people that we would not touch with a ten foot pole, if they truly met Christ, would put us to shame in their displays of love and devotion to Jesus.

2. Just like the characters in the story we can never repay the debt.

Forgiveness always cost something. When God said, “I will forgive you.” It cost the life of his only son Jesus on the cross of Calvary.

3. Those who come to Jesus He will not turn away.

What the woman does for Jesus though was not mere social niceties; they were acts of repentance and worship.

4. Those who come to Jesus in repentance and faith will be forgiven.

To love because you are forgiven is a natural response to such an undeserved action.

The woman believed that if she came to Jesus as a repentant sinner, that Jesus would not send her away, He could and would save her.

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Sermon Audio: When Life Is Just Not Fair
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 7:18-35
Duration: 24:14
Size: 11.0 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
When Life Is Just Not Fair
Luke 7:18-35

We run into real problems when we try to impose our definitions of fairness on God.

1. God Does Not Have To Work By Our Expectations.

Languishing in prison, John became increasingly perplexed by the reports he heard of Jesus’ ministry because it was not all what he had imagined that the Messiah would do.

2. Honest Doubt Is Not A Sin.

I don’t think that John no longer believed in Jesus, but he did have questions about the style of his ministry and the content of his message.

In John’s case his doubt was not born of willful unbelief but of doubt that was fed by physical strain and emotional turmoil.

3. The Only Valid Test of Jesus’ Message Is the Test of Truth.

The application for us today is clear, examine the evidence, if he is truly the Son of God, if he alone fulfills the prophecies of scripture, if indeed died, was buried and rose again then the evidence demands a verdict.

4. John’s Moment of Doubt Did Not Negate His Years of Ministry.

Jesus did not want the crowd to look down on John so he deliberately paid tribute to John.

Yet John’s greatness is nothing compared to those who are able to enjoy the blessing of living in the age of grace.

5. It Is Not Wise to Play With Your Eternal Destiny.

We too have ideas about how God will work. Some people are never willing to give up and allow God to be God.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 21:53 — 1.0MB)

Sermon Audio: Even Death Is Not A Barrier
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 7:11-17
Duration: 21:53
Size: 10.0 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
Even Death Is Not A Barrier
Luke 7:11-17

Death is a cruel thief when it strikes down the young.

1. Sometimes life just seems to cave in on us.

When our loved one stops breathing and the heart stops pumping, we say, “That’s it, it is finished!”

These differences illustrate that our Savior doesn’t demand that we fit into a set pattern to receive his help.

2. We serve a Lord who is moved by our needs.

But when Jesus saw her he saw not only her grief but also the social stigma she would have to bear as well.

Jesus told her not to weep because he was about to turn her tears into a testimony.

3. Our Savior is able to conquer even death.

Without even the presence of faith Jesus gave this woman back her son.

He will give our loved ones back to us and us to them, and forever we shall live together in His presence.

4. He that overcomes death deserves our worship.

May I suggest to you that a brush with death will cause us to reexamine our priorities?

Because death could not keep Jesus in the grave we can have the same confidence that the apostle Paul expressed.

Do you believe that those who believe in Him will never die If so what have you done about it?

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 21:22 — 1.0MB)

Sermon Audio: Amazing Faith
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 7:1-10
Duration: 21:22
Size: 9.78 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
Amazing Faith
Luke 7:1-10

Our text today about a Roman soldier’s faith takes us inside true faith and shows how and what faith does.

What are characteristics that made this man’s faith so amazing?

1. The first characteristic of an Amazing Faith was that it caused this man to love across all barriers.

This man loved people who were not just like himself.

2. The second characteristic of an Amazing Faith was that it caused this man to be excited and active in the work of God.

He enthusiastically involved himself in what was the most apparent work that God was doing.

What is it that God is doing that you are excited about, that matters to you, that you are enthusiastically giving yourself to?

3. The third characteristic of an Amazing Faith was that it caused this man to approach Christ in great humility.

This passage reveals two essential components of the Christian faith – an understanding of who Christ is and an understanding of who we are.

This Roman soldier a man of considerable influence and power, was also uniquely humble.

4. The fourth characteristic of an Amazing Faith was that it caused this man to be willing to trust in Christ alone.

Jesus promised a special blessing on people like the centurion and you.

Some think that an amazing faith is the ability to do the miraculous, but miracles are something that Jesus can do any time.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:44 — 11.3MB)

Sermon Audio: The Life of a True Disciple
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 6:39-49
Duration: 24:44
Size: 11.3 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
The Life of a True Disciple
Luke 6:39-49

Seven great principles for a true disciple to remember.

1. We must be sure that we see clearly enough to guide others in their spiritual walk.

2. We cannot lead others where we have not been.

3. We must be sure that there is nothing that clouds our vision, before we attempt to help our brother.

4. The fruit is always true to character.

5. What comes out of the lips depends on what is inside the heart.

6. Obedience is the final test of Commitment.

7. A Building Is Only As Sound As the Foundation it is Built On. (vv. 47-49)

Coming
Obviously true discipleship begins by coming to Christ.

Hearing
We have to understand that really listening requires discipline.

1. Come prepared to listen. The will to concentrate is fundamental.
2. Keep your Bible open to the text and turn to the other passages that are cited.
3. Take notes, true hearing requires reflection and application.

Doing
Every time we really hear the Word of God and are genuinely moved, we must resolve to act upon it.

Everyone chooses in life the foundation that they will build their lives upon.

It was the storm that revealed the difference.

Every person is building a life, and the question is, “Does it have a proper foundation?”

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:48 — 1.0MB)

Sermon Audio: Love Your Enemies
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 6:27-38
Duration: 27:48
Size: 12.7 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
Love Your Enemies
Luke 6:27-38

The truth is that we as a society think often about revenge.

This message will have application to everyone present today because, difficult people are problem for everyone.

1. True Disciples Are to Love Their Enemies

Jesus says that for a believer to refrain from hating his enemy is not enough.

The word bless is a contraction of two Greek words Eu – good and logos word meaning that we have a good word for those who do not have a good word for us.

Jesus himself modeled this when after he had been mocked, beat and nail to a rough cross, he prayed “Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.”

If we are truly living as Christ has dictated then we are not going to be worried about what we are going to get out of the deal.

2. True Disciples are to refrain from retaliation

But what Jesus was calling for was a new standard of conduct for his disciples.

3. True Disciples are to live by the Golden Rule

Jesus very clearly says to his disciples, “Treat all men, but especially your enemies, the way you would like to be treated.”

4. True Disciples are to avoid a Judgmental Spirit

Somehow judgmental people seek to lessen their own guilt by judging the sins of others.

Conclusion:

In fact, we cannot love our enemies in our own strength, but it can be done through the power of the Holy Spirit.

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Sermon Audio: How To Live Successfully
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 6:17-26
Duration: 18:17
Size: 8.37 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
How To Live Successfully
Luke 6:17-26

This should be a great encouragement to us, if God could use these men as disciples, He can use us.

Those who follow Jesus must operate under a set of values different from and often opposite of that of the world.

1. Beware of setting your sights too low.

There is nothing innately righteous about being poor, nor is there any automatic evil in being rich.

2. Beware of settling for too little.

The Old Testament does directly equate blessing with physical hunger, but it does commend a different kind of hunger.

3. Beware of what you laugh at.

We are called to weep over lost souls, people who will go into eternal darkness without Christ.

4. Beware of seeking the world’s approval.

The sad truth is that many Christians are persecuted not for the sake of their faith but simply because they are so unpleasant.

Popularity contests are not truth contests; Your task is to be true, not popular.

They learned along the way that taking up the Cross was part of the package, that receiving life also included the relinquishing of life.