Slaves of Christ - Nathan Rages

As the slaves of Christ...

1. We gain freedom from other masters (John 8:34, 2Tim. 2:26, Rom. 7:6, Gal. 1:10, Heb. 2:15, Matt. 6:24).

2. We are owned completely by Christ (Exodus 21:5-6, 1Cor. 6:19-20,7:22-23, Rev. 5:9, Phil. 3:12, Eph. 1:13).

3. We must obey Christ’s will in everything (Matt. 11:28-30, Luke 17:9-10, 2Cor. 5:9,15, Rom. 14:7-8). 

4. We enjoy great privileges in Christ’s service (Phil. 2:5-7, John 5:30,8:29,15:15, Matt. 11:28-30,25:21 Luke 12:37, Joshua 24:15).

The Joy of the Lord is Your Strength - Nathan Rages

Neh. 8:10 Then he said to them, “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

Lessons:

1. Our grief must give way to joy. 

2. Our joy must be God-centered. 

3. Our joy comes from understanding Scripture.

4. Our joy makes us spiritually strong.

5. Our joy should be shared. 

The Debtors and the Moneylender - James Voon

Luke 7:36-50 describes the prostitute who anointed Jesus' feet with ointment and the parable which Jesus gave in response.  The passage can be broken-down using this outline: 

1. The Setting (v36).

2. The Sinner (v37).

3. The Scene (v38).

4. The Simon (v39).

5. The Sermon (v40-48).

6. The Scoff (v49).

7. The Salvation (v50).

Lessons From a Great Man's Doubts - Nathan Rages

Luke 7:18-35 describes Jesus' response to John the Baptist's unexpected question for Him: "Are You the Expected One, of do we look for someone else?".  This surprising passage yields six lessons for us:

1. Realize great men have surprising weaknesses (v19-20,28).

2. Answer your doubts by focusing on Jesus and Scripture (v21-22).

3. Don’t be offended at Jesus (v23).

4. Expect Jesus to defend His friends (v24-28).

5. Appreciate our spiritual benefits in the New Covenant (v28).

6. Don’t make excuses for rejecting the truth (v29-35).

Young Man, I Say to You Arise! - Nathan Rages

Luke 7:11-17 describes the first time Jesus raised someone from the dead, the widow's son at the city of Nain.  This rich account includes these five themes:

1. Timely Providence (v11-12).

2. Bitter Misery (v12).

3. Tender Compassion (v13).

4. Fearful Power (v14-16).

5. Great Hope (v16-17). 

How to Amaze Jesus - Nathan Rages

Luke 7:1-10 records the fascinating account of Jesus healing the centurion's slave.  We focus first on the centurion himself and his surprising character qualities:  

1. His compassion (v2-3)

2. His generosity (v4-5)

3. His humility (v6-7)

4. His faith (v7-9).

Applications:

1. God works in the most unlikely people. 

2. To have authority, we must submit to authority.

3. Jesus delights to see our faith and eagerly rewards it.

4. Jesus gives grace to the undeserving ones.

Who's Your Teacher? - Nathan Rages

In Luke 6:39-49 Jesus concludes His sermon by discussing spiritual teachers and their impact on a person's life:

1. The great influence of teachers (v40).

2. The danger of following blind teachers (v39).

3. The security of a life grounded on the perfect Teacher (v47-48).

4. The disaster of merely hearing Him without obeying (v46,49).