Of the four Gospels, only Luke records the parables of the prodigal son and the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). The first one illustrates the vertical dimension of love, the extraordinary love of the Father toward sinners; the second one shows us the horizontal dimension-the kind of love that should characterize human life, refusing to acknowledge … Continue reading –>
[Thought questions for Jesus, the Master Teacher May 26, 2015] 1. “And they were astonished at His teaching, for His word was with authority.” Luke 4:32. When did words spoken with authority last get your attention? Why were Jesus’ listeners so astonished? Can you and I also experience surprise as we absorb God’s Word? Where … Continue reading –>
Key Thought : Jesus was given to stand at the head of humanity, that by His example He might teach what it means to minister. His whole life was under a law of service. He served all and ministered to all. [Lesson plan for Jesus, the Master Teacher May 25, 2015] 1. Have a volunteer … Continue reading –>
Great teachers before and since Jesus have taught about unity and love, but usually it is about love within the parameters of a single group; a family defined by the exclusivity of caste, color, language, tribe, or religion. But Jesus broke down the barriers that divide humans and ushered in a new family, one that … Continue reading –>
The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) is often hailed in literature as the essence of Christianity. Luke provides selections of the sermon in Luke 6:20-49 and elsewhere. Because Luke placed the sermon immediately after the official choosing of the disciples (Luke 6:13), some scholars have called it the Ordination Charge to the Twelve. As … Continue reading –>
As a physician and scholar, Luke was acquainted with the role of authority. He was familiar with the authority of philosophy in Greek scholarship and education. He knew the authority of the Roman law in civil matters and government function. As Paul’s traveling companion he knew the ecclesiastic authority that the apostle commanded with the … Continue reading –>
People often ask me how old a child should be before they can be baptized. Many are surprised to hear I was just seven when I was baptized. I still remember the night – I was lying in bed, thinking about the cross and Jesus’ love for me. I decided I wanted to be baptized. I … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: Luke 8:22-25, Luke 4:31-37, Luke 6:20-49, Luke 8:19-21, Luke 10:25-37, Deut. 6:5. Memory Text: And they were astonished at His teaching, for His word was with authority (Luke 4:32, NKJV). When Christ came to the earth, humanity seemed to be fast reaching its lowest point. The very foundations of society were undermined. Life had … Continue reading –>
South Korea – Daesung Kim When I started pastoring the Seoul Central Seventh-day Adventist Church, office buildings surrounded the church and it was very difficult to meet people in the surrounding vicinity. As I was thinking about how to make contact with the people who work nearby, I thought that it could be very practical … Continue reading –>
Further Study: By the lost sheep Christ represents not only the individual sinner but the one world that has apostatized and has been ruined by sin.-Ellen G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 190. On the value of one soul: The value of a soul, who can estimate? Would you know its worth, go to Gethsemane, … Continue reading –>
Sivan 30, I am so grieved I can barely write. My younger son asked for his inheritance, and has taken it and left home. I thought he loved me, but he only loved the things I gave him, and apparently wants nothing to do with me personally. My only solace is in my oldest son, … Continue reading –>
The mission statement of Jesus that He came to seek and save that which was lost is an affirmation of a holistic ministry. He came to make men and women whole, to transform them physically, mentally, spiritually, and socially. Luke gives us two instances that illustrate how Jesus restored two broken men into wholeness. One … Continue reading –>
