by Frank Luke “What is the Kingdom of Heaven like? To what does the thing compare?” With these words, Jesus would introduce a parable. Parables were common in the first century. The people loved them and couldn’t get enough. Many rabbis used parables to make their point. Parables are stories, usually short, that illustrate the…
Category: Christianity
The Godly Response
by Frank Luke FCF: Because we are fallen, we must learn to respond correctly to insults and injury. Sermon Introduction: Revenge. Settling the score. Avenging the family honor. Avenging your besmirched honor. Every one of us struggles with these issues. Where do we draw the line between settling the score and righting the wrong? It’s…
The Messiah Comes for All
by Frank Luke Scripture Introduction All four of the Gospel writers give us a different picture of Jesus. It is the same savior, but each presents him differently. For Matthew, he is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the fulfillment of prophecy. Mark shows him as the suffering servant of Isaiah. John makes sure…
The Best Things In Life
by Frank Luke Human Need Being Addressed [FCF]: The best thing one can attain in this fallen life is godly wisdom. Big Idea: Without God, nothing lasts. Text: Psalm 127 Sermon Introduction: What are the best things in life? Some will say money, gold, or jewels. Others say love is all you need. Success. A…
Science-Magic and Spiritual Inversion
by Liberta1787 Long ago in a culture that seems so far away and yet just behind the corner, there was respect for rational thought. That time, and that culture, is not now. The return of the old gods has brought with them the hallmarks of their inverted worship: orgiastic rituals, child sacrifice, frothing hatred of all…
Bring us Justice, Dear God!
by Frank Luke FCF: The world is so broken that only God can bring true justice. The book of Psalms, beloved by both Christians and Jews, served as the hymnbook for the Jews. Even though the whole book is called “praises,” many psalms are not what we would consider praises. They are thanksgiving, worship, teaching,…
Tears Before God
by Frank Luke FCF: As the world is broken, so must we be broken before Christ. We may pour our emotions out to God. Sermon Introduction: Last time, we looked at Psalm 1 to see how the entire Psalter begins with wisdom. It is wisdom that leads the life. We saw how a wise person…
Grading Ethics on the Curve
by Black Robed Cleric A few years ago, the Sunday school lesson at church made a statement that left me blinking. Covering Joshua 2 (the spies in Jericho), the book said, “Some might question Rahab’s integrity in misleading the king and hiding the spies.” I’m sure they do. It’s the next question that raises my…
Embrace the Power of “We’ll See”
by KPP – Jesus is King Introduction by Cactus Eater Bear: A story can have a happy ending or a sad ending- it all depends on where the story-teller chooses to end the story. An event that feels like a curse today may end up as a blessing tomorrow. Avoid the pointless and frustrating rollercoaster…
The Righteous and the Wicked: A Study in Contrasts
by Frank Luke Introduction: I have heard strange arguments from people over the years, such as it is impossible to know a right from a wrong. They argue that for any given action that appears wrong to us, there is—somewhere—a situation where it is the right thing to do. Whatever they’re smoking, it isn’t legal….