Catching Fish and Catching Men - Nathan Rages

Luke 5:1-11 describes Simon Peter's experience with Jesus, including first a miraculous catch of fish and then a lifetime calling to catch men.  We study the story in these seven parts, from Simon's perspective, each with a personal application question:

1. His loan (v1-3).  Are you being faithful in the little things? 

2. His skepticism (v4-5).  Do you speak honestly with God? 

3. His obedience (v5).  Do you still obey when things don’t make sense? 

4. His amazement (v6-8).  Are you often amazed at the Lord’s works?

5. His confession (v8).  Do you feel your guiltiness before the Lord?

6. His calling (v10).  Are you trying to “catch men”?

7. His commitment (v11).  Have you “left everything” to follow Jesus?

Jesus' Authority Over Demons and Disease - Nathan Rages

Luke 4:31-44 describes one amazing day of the Lord Jesus' ministry in Capernaum.  The account highlights His complete authority over demons and disease.

1. Christ’s authority over demons (v33-37,41).

    Demons are real.

    Demons can possess people.

    Demons have accurate knowledge.

    Demons must obey Jesus.

2. Christ’s authority over disease (v38-40).

    Characteristics of His healing: 

    (1) willingness, 

    (2) speediness,  

    (3) completeness, 

    (4) variety, and 

    (5) individuality.

The Messiah Revealed and Rejected - Nathan Rages

Luke 4:14-30 describes Jesus' return to His hometown synagogue at Nazareth.  This remarkable story can be broken down into these five parts:

1. His shocking declaration (v18-21).

2. His initial popularity (v15,22,23).

3. His controversial comparisons (v23-28).

4. His violent persecution (v28-29).

5. His sovereign power (v30).

9 Lessons from Jesus' Temptations - Nathan Rages

Luke 4:1-13 describes Jesus' wilderness temptation.  This message first describes the events and then makes a series of practical applications, following this outline:

1. The setting (v1-2).

2. The temptations

    Turning stone into bread (v3-4).

    Gaining worldly power via false worship (v5-8).

    Leaping off the Temple (v9-12).

3. The outcome (v13).

Applications:

1. The same Devil also tempts us to destroy us.   

2. The Devil takes advantage of our difficult circumstances.

3. Jesus understands our temptations by personal experience.

4. We must have absolute confidence in Scripture’s authority.

5. We need to know the Bible well in order to use it effectively.

6. Beware of escaping from trials in an unrighteous way.

7. Beware of pragmatic compromises to gain worldly influence.

8. Beware of presumptuously testing God.

9. Relief from temptations comes from steadfastly resisting them.

Confidence in the Christian Life - Jon Beary

Lessons are drawn from a crisis in the life of King Hezekiah and connected with Isaiah 40:9-11.  This reveals four things about God's character:

1. God is near.

2. God is able.

3. God is just.

4. God is caring.

Daniel, How Should I Pray? - James Voon

This message analyzes Daniel's famous prayer in Daniel 9:1-19 to obtain these principles to apply to our own prayer life:

1. Pray in response to the Word (v.2).

2. Pray with a confessing heart (vv. 3-9).

3. Pray depending on God's character (vv. 4,7,9)

4. Pray with God's glory as the goal (vv. 16-19).

From the First Adam to the Last Adam - Nathan Rages

We draw valuable lessons from our Lord's genealogy as recorded in Luke 3:23-38, following this outline:

General observations:

1. It differs from the one in Matthew’s Gospel. 

2. Many of these people are unknown to us. 

Notable ancestors:

1. David

2. Judah

3. Abraham

4. Adam