Luke 12:10 This single statement of Jesus has perplexed and disturbed Christians throughout history to the present day. An ‘unforgivable sin’ seems so incompatible with the gracious God of Scripture who pleads with sinners to come and find forgiveness in Him. Why is blasphemy against the Father and Son a forgivable sin, whilst blasphemy against the third member of the Trinity not? What is this sin that bars a soul from heaven? Can the Christian commit it? Have you and I committed it? These are probing questions that need clear answers.

Luke 12:1-12 Having just left a Pharisee’s house after a fiery clash, Jesus now continues on with His public ministry. The crowds coming to him may well be at their largest here. Jesus is surrounded. Everyone wants to get close to the miracle-worker. The encounter at the house is still fresh in Jesus’ mind, so he takes the opportunity to first speak to his disciples about deadly influence the Pharisees have. He goes on to warn them that these leaders will be held accountable and are not to be feared. Instead, the Lord’s disciples are to bravely confess their allegiance, entrust themselves to God through persecution, and rely on the Holy Spirit to equip them in the presence of their enemies. Themes include: Unashamed discipleship, the Lordship of Jesus, the help of the Holy Spirit, Judgement, God’s faithfulness, the fear of the Lord.

Luke 11:37-54 Jesus receives a dinner invitation from a Pharisee and because he has made a practice of 'eating with sinners', he accepts. The night spirals south so quickly, it seems no one had time to even taste the food! The host is shocked to see Jesus reject their traditions concerning ‘washing'. In response, Jesus dishes the host and guests a 6-course serving of woes! Jesus was meek but he wasn’t mild. He exposes their hypocrisy and unmasks their uncleaness. It’s a tense encounter but it’s not without a purpose. Jesus isn’t having a bad day, he’s confronting bad men. Strong illnesses need strong medicine and so Jesus confronts their malady of hypocrisy head on…..

Luke 11:27-36 On the heels of an extraordinary exorcism and two illuminating parables, the crowds remain untouched. The Pharisees are blaspheming and others are demanding more proof. In the centre of this is a woman who stands in contrast to the masses and proclaims that she is ‘pro-Jesus’! Her understanding is incomplete and Jesus wants her and everyone listening to know for certain that siding with him involves both hearing and responding to His Word. Still, his exhortations and charges fall mostly on deaf ears and the constant refrain from the many is “Show us a sign from heaven!” His Word continues to go unheeded, as man will rather live by sight than by faith. The irony is, the people have chosen to close their eyes to the signs before them. Thus, Jesus reverses O.T. expectations and warns that Gentiles from the past will be their future judges… Themes include: Light and darkness, the sufficiency of God’s Word, faith and obedience, the superiority of Jesus, the certainty of final judgement.

Luke 11:14-26 Following his teaching about how to pray, Jesus encounters a demoniac who is severely oppressed. The people bring the darkness before the light, and the light overcomes it. The man is powerfully delivered and there is a buzz amongst the crowd. Can Jesus be the long awaited one? The Pharisees scramble to denounce him as darkness masquerading around as light. Jesus uses this exorcism as an opportunity to give a parable about his generation. Jesus draws a line in the sand. Who is with him? Who is against him? There are only 2 parties. The reader is forced into taking a position concerning this miracle-worker.

Psalm 73 When believers question their faith because they envy the prosperity and power of unbelievers, they can regain a proper perspective on life and confirm their faith by seeking God in the sanctuary (at Church, among his people), where they will be reminded of their glorious and eternal relationship with the LORD, in contrast to the sudden destruction of the wicked.

2 Cor 5:1-10 Paul is speaking with eternity in full view. He describes our earthly home as a tent. Whilst we live in that home we groan, longing to be clothed in our heavenly dwelling. A building not made with hands. Like Paul we wait with anticipation to stand before Jesus to receive our "Crown of Righteousness".

James 1:1-4 Themes: trials, hope, and salvation through Jesus

John 15:18-16:4 From the time of Abel to the present, the world has raged against Christians and sought to silence them through violence. Why does the world do this? What is it about Christians that makes their blood boil? How can we make sense of devastating persecution befalling God’s children every day? The night before the world would murder the Son of God, Jesus explained to the disciples why these things are so, and why they will continue to be until the end...

Matthew 21:12-22 - Worship, God's Way Easily overlooked, the passage about the cleansing of the temple; tells us much about God's intentions for worship. Jesus knew that a genuine relationship with God must be founded on unhindered worship and centred in sincere prayer. Jesus' actions urge us, in turn, to prioritise worship, prayer, and devotion to God in our lives. We must be constantly on the lookout for anything - even driven by seemingly good motives - that might stand in the way of spending time with God.

2 Cor 1:1-11 God of Comfort Paul faced much suffering as part of his serving Christ. He begins the passage with praise for God because He is the Father of mercy and comfort. Whilst he suffered physically for his service, the thing that brought him to tears was his concern for the church. Paul acknowledged the fact that the more he suffered for Christ the more he knew God's comfort. Because he experienced God's comfort, he was able to comfort others with the same comfort.   Whilst I think this passage says a lot about suffering in Christ in His service and we receive God's comfort, I think it also includes comforting those who suffer in life. We all suffer in life to a degree; we are then able to comfort others because of our relationship with Christ. Paul repeatedly asked for prayer support.

Matthew 6:19-24 Serve God instead of money and his heavenly treasures will be ours. We have to choose between earthly dollars and eternal treasure, earthly darkness and eternal light, and between the earthly master and the eternal master. And, we must choose wisely because we can’t choose both!

Luke 11:5-13 Having shown the disciples what the ‘priorities' of prayer are, Jesus now teaches them what our ‘attitude' toward prayer must be. To bring the point home, Jesus gives a memorable parable about a neighbour at midnight and fathers tending to their needy children.

’The School of Prayer Pt.2’ Luke 11:1-4 Last week we saw Christ directing us to the Father when it comes to prayer. He desires that believers remember their newly-gained privelege of being able to address God personally as ‘Father’. The opening of the prayer is all about God - “hallowed be your Name, your kingdom come.” Having submitted ourselves to God’s priorities first, we can them bring before the Lord our needs. Jesus instructs us to seek from the Father - provisions, pardon and protection.

Luke 11:1-4 As the clock ticks closer and closer to Calvary, Jesus remains committed to training and equipping his disciples. Last week, through the example of Mary, He taught them the importance of listening to His Word. Here, He teaches them how to pray. First things first, the disciples need to appreciate the reality that they can call God their Father! And let us realise, The Lord’s Prayer was given to us as a model not a mantra.