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As Jesus Christ begins His ministry, He exposes what had been hidden. Light showed up darkness! The authoritative commanding word of God had been released.

We are in the closing verses of Luke Chapter 4.

Verse 36. A tormented man who knew who Jesus Christ was, was set free from the evil spirit, which had been disrupting and destroying his life.

The people in Capernaum were amazed at what they had witnessed and they began to speak amongst each other! Does that sound familiar?

When Jesus Christ ministers there can be various reactions and responses.

Jesus…  ( Click for more )

There is an enemy of God who would want to drag us away from God and pull us off the path along which Almighty God would have us walk. These influences and forces which could lead us away from the path God has prepared for us can be very real at times, and Jesus Christ certainly knew that.

We are in Luke Chapter 4 where Jesus has rejected the very real temptations of the enemy, and He has returned to Nazareth, only to be rejected.

Rejection is another powerful emotion with which we have to deal.

Rejected in Nazareth, Jesus adopts Capernaum for His base in the north.…  ( Click for more )

Here comes Jesus! Here comes Jesus Christ! Here come Jesus Christ, the Son of God and He walks onto the world's stage never again ever to leave it. We are in Luke Chapter 4 and verse 14. Do take time to read it carefully and prayerfully. Our title question is massive and troubles many. Jesus taught and Jesus continued to teach over these next three years. News about Jesus Christ soon spread. Word got around, and seemed to get around fast. As His custom was, on the Sabbath, Jesus Christ was present in His local synagogue. Jesus was present in…  ( Click for more )

We are reading of Jesus Christ being tempted by the devil, in Luke Chapter 4, immediately following His being anointed with the Holy Spirit. Having looked at that temptation to turn stones into bread, the enemy now has another attempt. Do not think you will get off with one brief battle! The question in our title is more real than many realise. Verse 5. Jesus is led up to a high mountain, above Jericho, at the north end of the Dead Sea, where you can see for miles. I have been there on various occasions and as one imagines what it must have been like all this…  ( Click for more )

We move into Luke Chapter 4. After being baptised in water, and filled with The Holy Spirit, surely all our problems are over! Is this so? Emphatically NO! Is 'speaking in tongues' the evidence of our being baptised in the Holy Spirit? No. That is invariably a consequence. The evidence is usually trouble, and that is exactly what Jesus Christ experienced here, as did Peter and John in Acts Chapter 3. These are questions which can bother and trouble many and we need to lay a good solid sound biblical foundation as soon as we can. If the foundation is insecure…  ( Click for more )

Use your sanctified imagination and imagine the contemporary scenario. The bus loads return to Nazareth. The crowds which have been thronging to the Jordan River return to Nazareth, and someone asks, "Have you been down yet, Jesus? Do you know what this man John is doing? He is ducking people in the waters of the Jordan. You ought to go and hear him preaching and see what he is doing. We are arranging another bus for next Monday. Come with us." The time has now come when Jesus hangs up His Carpenter's apron for the final time and makes His way down and…  ( Click for more )

When John preached and taught some got it very wrong and as we move to verse 15 of Luke Chapter 3, we read of that. Some got it very wrong, and that is all right, provided it is corrected! This is the Christ, they were saying. They thought this might just possibly be the Messiah. They were waiting expectantly for the Messiah. John answered with such humility and modesty. Yes, after his fiery challenging preaching and teaching, this dear man could also be humble and modest when humility and modesty were required. Again we are confronted with questions to…  ( Click for more )

We are in Luke Chapter 3 and we come to verse 12. John has walked onto the scene at the Jordan River and crowds are flocking out to hear him and to sort out and clean up their lives. When it comes to asking good searching questions our title is perhaps one of the most important. To discover the answers to our questions can give us assurance and reassurance and even lead us to salvation because there are many people who think they are all right spiritually when it comes to salvation, only to realise that they have never been 'born again'. Ask and you shall receive.…  ( Click for more )

When John the Baptist, or 'John the plunger' walked onto the scene his preaching was not only challenging but radical. There had never been anything approaching this for many years. This passage may shock and may cause questions to arise. Good questions can be good and healthy and for most good questions there are sound solid answers, so never be afraid to ask. In Luke Chapter 3 and at verse 7, John addresses repenting needy sinners as a generation of vipers. Have you just come to escape the horrors of judgment? Have you just come to escape the coming judgment of…  ( Click for more )

John comes preaching from Isaiah. We are in Luke Chapter 3. This servant of GOD comes preaching The Word of GOD. This can be so very easily overlooked and neglected and ignored in the church. There is an enemy of God who does not want us to preach and teach and share the Word of God, in the power of the Holy Spirit. There may be people who might have trouble with that concept too, but we know where that comes from. John does not come with his own message - or with nice thoughts - or fine ideas. John goes to the Jordan River - to the lowest point - to do a…  ( Click for more )

Waiting for Almighty God to move anew and afresh is seldom easy.

Waiting for Almighty God to answer prayer can present us with a real challenge.

Waiting for Almighty God to act almost requires a very special quality of believer and discipleship.

We see this in the life of John in Luke Chapter 3, and we see it in the lives of the disciples of Jesus in Acts Chapter 2. And, are there not profound glimpses of this in Acts Chapters 9,10 and 13, when people were expectantly awaiting a move of God and not knowing what might be involved.

This is why it is so…  ( Click for more )

Having been studying these opening two Chapters of Luke, let’s continue in Luke. It is good to read and study the Gospels because the Gospels keep us focused upon what are the basics and sometimes we can move away from these too easily and seek that illusive notion of ‘the deeper life’!

It is also good to ask good questions and if you have good questions do ask them. For most of the questions we have, there are sound solid answers.

The Gospels remind us how our Christian Faith was birthed and launched and of course we also need the book of Acts too…  ( Click for more )

We are reading in Luke Chapter 1 verses 57 – 80, where we read of the birth of the baby who grew up to become known as John the Baptist. So much has been going on - we have looked at some of those events which happened over these weeks and months, as God was preparing the way for John and Jesus to walk onto the world’s stage.

Angels - appearing in the Temple - and to Mary at Nazareth - the reactions of the individuals involved - the meeting of Elizabeth and Mary - so much was going on.

Time has come for Elizabeth to give birth to John. It is a real family affair.…  ( Click for more )

In Luke Chapter 1 verse 39, we read of Mary making her way to the home of Zechariah and Elizabeth at Ein Karen, a village outside Jerusalem and around 70 miles south of Nazareth. Some 9 months later this same virgin, Mary, would make the 80 miles journey south, with Joseph, to Bethlehem.

Mary arrives at the home of her cousin, Elizabeth, and greets Elizabeth. Mary knows all about Elizabeth, but Elizabeth knows nothing about Mary. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s voice, the babe leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she speaks with a loud voice…  ( Click for more )

We were reading in Luke Chapter 1, of how the angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah in the Temple while he was going about his duties leading the people in prayer and worship, and because Zechariah did not fully believe what the angel had said, he was given a sign. He was struck dumb and would remain silent until what God had said would happen actually happened. Dr Luke then tells us that his wife, Elizabeth, conceived.

Now, we have been through Luke Chapter 2 and part of Luke Chapter 1, but we did not have the opportunity to complete Chapter 1.

Verse 26. Six months later,…  ( Click for more )

Many people are very interested in signs and wonders and superficial ‘spiritual’ excitement, but this is very different.

We have been reading in Luke Chapter 2, but now we return to complete Chapter 1 before going on with our studies in the book of Revelation.

In Luke Chapter 1 at verse 17, we learn that one main task of John’s ministry was to prepare a people for the coming of Jesus Christ. This is part of our ministry - TO MAKE A PEOPLE READY FOR THE COMING OF THE LORD.

After all this had been announced concerning the birth of John, Zechariah, this…  ( Click for more )

We move on to Luke Chapter 2 and verse 40, where we read that the child, Jesus, grew and became strong. He was filled with wisdom and the grace of God was upon him. Here we see Jesus growing in every way. In Jesus, there is a perfect development and balanced growth, physically, emotionally, socially and of course, spiritually.

Sometimes we see young people develop in a few of these ways, but Jesus shows us how we can grow and mature in various areas of our lives.

Place some people, who think they are so able, capable and mature, in a Prayer Meeting, and they become…  ( Click for more )

As we launch out into this New Year may there be that dedication and commitment in your heart and mind to serve our living God, faithfully and loyally and obediently and graciously.

We are in Luke Chapter 2 and at verse 25, we read of an old man named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and godly. He was waiting to see the Messiah, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. Mary and Joseph had taken Jesus to the Temple to present Him to the Lord and to make the required sacrifice, and this man Simeon had been waiting for this very moment.

Do you notice how Luke uses the word…  ( Click for more )

We come to Luke Chapter 2 and verses 21 to 40. Amazing circumstances surrounded John when he was 8 days old. Let’s look at the amazing and wonderful things which happened, and which were said, when Jesus was 8 days old.

When Jesus is 8 days old, it is time to circumcise Him, and name Him JESUS. Joseph and Mary take Him to The Temple in Jerusalem to present Him to The Lord.

These verses will appear quite unfamiliar to many. This scene is almost totally overlooked and ignored, yet this is just a week after the angels appeared to the shepherds. I am not aware…  ( Click for more )

Many will be considering preaching on, and teaching and speaking about, the birth of Jesus Christ over these next few days.

We will come back to Luke Chapter 1, but because of the time of year, let us move into Luke Chapter 2, although we do need to remember too that Jesus was not born in ‘December’ but more likely during the Feast of Tabernacles.

In Luke Chapter 2 we read of a ruler issuing a decree. Everyone in the Roman Empire is to be registered. Caesar Augustus orders a census, and this involves all the heads of households - all the men folks - to…  ( Click for more )

We are reading and studying these opening verses of Luke Chapter 1. Zechariah was a faithful priest in a day when there was not a lot of faithfulness around.

I wonder how many people thought, “Look at that silly old priest going away to conduct a service - and say prayers - and preach something - a message - which no-one really wants to hear.” How many people might say that of us as we meet for Worship and Prayer week by week?

Ignore it - forget it - overlook it. Let people say what they want. If you know you are right in the eyes of the Lord Jesus Christ,…  ( Click for more )

As we move into December let us take time, and set aside time, to consider what the Scripture actually teaches regarding the birth of Jesus Christ. We will look afresh and anew in the Gospel of Luke.

We need to know and our people need to know the facts, as compared with the rumours and myths and legends and superficial assumptions which have been received and embraced over these past years.

Many people had been writing about Jesus, and writing about the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. We have some of these writings.

There were many rumours going around - many myths…  ( Click for more )

There are times when we do not need to get anything from the Service of Praise and Worship. There can be Sundays and occasions when gather, with only one thing in our hearts, and that is to give to Him. Praise Him. Worship Him. Thank Him. Tell Him what you think of Him, and how much He means to you. Never mind about getting anything, just be concerned about giving Him praise and glory. Concentrate on Him. You will not go away empty. We can never give God more than He gives us. There is that sense here of moving from singing, to praise, and into…  ( Click for more )

The book of Revelation is a book of blessing - a book of Grace and Peace - and not confusion, perplexity and puzzlement. Verse 3. There appears to be a special blessing for those who turn to this book. It is unique, so you take it to heart, and allow it to shape you and fashion your life and mould your thinking. Verse 4. This amazing book comes from John, and John is so positive. Even when in prison on the isle of Patmos, there is no bitterness - no rancour - in no way whatsoever is he negative - but he declares God's holy Word. It is a word to a cluster…  ( Click for more )