We continue our study of the Gospel of Luke. Please open your Bibles to Luke Chapter 8. Luke 8 starts with “After this”. What happened before Chapter 8; chapter 7 of course!
We studied the different stories there in Luke 7; but there is really one main theme in that Chapter before we move on to the rest of the great story of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Look at Luke 7:9 with me….
Jesus was talking about the Centurion who fully trusted Jesus’ words!
Now, look at Luke 7:29-35……
Jesus commended the people who had faith because they believed in what God said in the Old Testament and they took action by following John the Baptist.
And Luke 7:48-50……
Jesus emphasized the importance of faith!
Luke 7 is about faith!
Faith:
• is believing in what God says!
• is taking action in what you believe!
• in Jesus Christ saves one from the eternal judgment of sins
Jesus spoke about faith in Luke 7 and in 3 verses we see the results of faith. Read along with me Luke 8:1-3…..
What can we learn from these 3 verses in Luke 8:1-3?
One may simply say “I have faith” and think they are good; but what good is faith if it is not based on anything?
Can blind faith really help you??
You might feel good with blind faith, but in the end, all you have are FALSE hopes!
True faith is based on truths!
It is that simple isn’t it? I can force you to believe that I can give you a Million dollars! By faith, you can believe all you want, but the reality is that I live from paycheck to paycheck. If I don’t have the money, your faith in me giving you a million dollars is worthless; yes, pun intended
Faith must be based on truths!
What truths can we note from v1?
a. There was a man named Jesus.
b. Jesus traveled about.
c. There is Good News!
And what is the Good News?
Jesus talked about it in Luke 7; There is forgiveness of sins through
faith in Jesus Christ!
d. Jesus proclaimed this Good News !
e. There is a Kingdom of God!
How is our faith? Do you truly believe in these truths that Jesus walked the earth proclaiming the forgiveness of sins and that there is a Kingdom of God? And do we truly accept the reality that “There are many people who do not believe in Jesus Christ and thus they are not in the Kingdom of God!”
Let us pause for a moment; close your eyes and ponder on your belief of Jesus Christ; and with that belief, you are in the Kingdom of God!
Give thanks with a grateful heart. Give thanks to the Holy One. Give thanks because He has given Jesus Christ His Son. And now, let the weak say I am strong; let the poor say I am rich because of what the Lord has done for us. Give thanks. Give thanks.
And what else can we note from our passage today?
We can note the results of faith!
a. Believers of God followed Jesus Christ!
The Twelve were the men called by Jesus Christ and they believed.
And did you note how God commended women? God is not a male chauvinist! God praises women!
What can we say about the women who believed and followed Jesus? The women were cured of evil spirits and diseases.
In other words, the women were cleansed by the power of God through Jesus Christ!
Have you been called by Jesus Christ? Have you been cleansed by Jesus Christ? Are you and I truly following Jesus Christ? Do you and I think about Jesus Christ everyday or do we neglect following Him?
And what can we say with the last sentence in v3?....
What does supporting them indicate?
b. There is work to do with Jesus Christ!
And what is that work?
What was the work of Jesus Christ? – to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom of God!
c. Jesus calls on His followers to do the work of proclaiming the Good News!
d. Followers of Christ may be called to do “secular” work to support Jesus’ work! No matter what your job is, if you’re a Christian, you are called to support the work of Christ! God has given us work either in church or outside of church but all work is to support the ministry of Jesus Christ!
Are we committed to the work of Jesus Christ which is to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom of God? This is one of the major things we as a church need to do. How do we do this as a church? We all need to constantly commit to our Church Core Values : Worship, Pray always, Proclaim the Bible, Fellowship, and Invite people to Jesus Christ and His Church!
As we prepare for Communion, let us quiet our hearts to meditate on these truths. Let us commit to following Jesus Christ by remembering what He did for us through Communion, to think about Jesus Christ everyday, and to commit to the work of Christ!
Take a moment to quietly pray right where you are.
