After two years through the gospel of Luke we come to the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry. But this is far from the end of his story. The exaltation of the risen Lord Jesus to the right hand of the Father, and the sending of the promised Holy Spirit, was the catalyst that sparked the […]

We know that forty days after his resurrection, and after appearing to over 500 people, Jesus ascended into heaven to the right hand of the Father. He now intercedes for us and will one day return in glory. But, with Jesus no longer physically in our midst, how can we know that Jesus is truly […]

Psalm 78 demonstrates that, from Moses to David, Israel repeatedly failed to believe God. Despite his abundant mercy and grace, they failed to trust his saving power, to keep the covenant, and to obey his law. And one of the fundamental causes behind Israel’s constant sin and rebellion was that they forgot the Lord their […]

A parable is a story or saying designed to teach a deeper truth through a comparison with every-day realities. Greg Lanier explains why Jesus told parables: “Like the prophets of old, Jesus used parables to reveal the mystery of the kingdom, to stimulate reflection on sin, to call people to repentance—and to produce the opposite […]

What is the church? A typical, modern-day conception of the church is that it is a building where you go to hear preaching and singing once a week (or at least on Christmas and Easter).  But the question is a bit misleading. The church is not so much a what but a who. According to Scripture, the […]

Throughout Luke, we’ve seen glimpses of Jesus’ divinity in his supernatural authority over sickness, demons, nature, and even death; he’s was not just a prophet or a good teacher but Immanuel, God with us. But in the event of his transfiguration, his humanity was peeled back enough for his divine glory to physically shine. As […]

The feeding of the five thousand is the only miracle recorded in all four gospels. This sign not only shows us Jesus’ compassion towards the crowds and his divine power to multiply the food, but—like every other miracle Jesus performed—points us to why he was sent into the world. In John’s gospel, speaking to the crowds […]

“A sower went out to sow his seed”—so begins one of the most familiar parables of Jesus, a profound teaching found in all three Synoptic gospels (Matt. 13:1-23; Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:4-15). Jesus frequently would illustrate kingdom truths and spiritual realities with images, stories, and experiences from everyday life that would relate to his hearers.  Yet the purpose […]

As if the events surrounding the outset of Jesus’ public ministry weren’t profound enough, Luke records yet another astonishing and pivotal moment in his gospel.  Having entered the local synagogue and read from the prophet Isaiah, Jesus rolls up the scroll and declares: “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:20-21). He was humbly […]