The Gospel of Luke - Part II - The Parables and The Passion
This year marks the first time in my 9 years of campus ministry of studying a book for the entire school year. I've always tried to flop back and forth between Old Testament and New Testament studies. I always felt a little frustrated when teaching John or Genesis because of all the stuff I had to skip to fit things into the academic semester. Well, this year we will take 2 semesters to study the Gospel of Luke, and I can't tell you how excited I am about that.
Last semester we walked through the first eleven chapters of Luke's Gospel. We focused on how understanding and coming to terms with the big story of Jesus' life is the beginning and end of understanding who we are and what we were made for. We talked about his birth, baptism, temptation, and ministry. We saw him healing the sick, casting out demons, forgiving the unforgivable, defining rest, showing what mercy is all about, telling us why He came, and teaching us about prayer.
This Spring as we work through chapters 12-24 we will see in different and brighter hues the purpose and heart of God in Christ. This part of Luke is shaped by The Parables and The Passion. The Parables are used by Christ to teach us in a gripping way the wonderful love and grace of God. They teach us about what the Kingdom of God is all about. This is so important for us, because we are constantly being bombarded with selfish and sinful versions of what my little kingdom is all about. This should be yet another opportunity for us to remember what Donald Miller said in Blue Like Jazz, "The biggest lie that I have to deal with is that life is a story about me." Instead, it is about His Kingdom, His Love, and His Righteousness. The Passion of Christ, not the movie but the story of the last week of his life, is repeated in all four gospels. The details, the facts, the circumstances surrounding Christ's death and resurrection are of upmost importance to us. They remind us of the greatest victory the world has ever seen, and that this is the centerpiece of Christianity. The passion of Christ was the climax of world history to that point, and its future implications are what we are all waiting for.
So, all that being said, I would appreciate your prayers as we continue to walk through Luke. I would love to talk with you if you have any questions about the life of Christ or the Christian faith. If you are an LSU student, join us on Tuesday Nights at 8:00 in Tureaud Hall 204 as we study Luke together. Our Podcast is also up and running, you can listen to our sermons by clicking here.
Comments
Join the conversation. Post your comment below