Sermons

S.R. Luke 4:16-19

Introduction

1. We come together each week to remember the sacrifice of a fallen and risen soldier, savior and king.
2. Luke 4:16-19 Christ announces His identity and purpose.

Outline

1. Your Concept of Church: A Hospital or a Resort Hotel?
   1. Hospital:
   2. Resort:
   3. How we see the church makes a difference in how we respond.
2. Example from Luke 15:11-32 (Two brothers)
   1. Younger brother:
   2. Older brother (Luke 15:25-32)
      1. At home – working like he should.
      2. Running the farm, doing his duty he feels, while his brother is out wasting the father’s inheritance on prostitutes.
   3. One son knows who he is and what he deserves.
      1. He is sin sick, stinky and starved.
      2. He comes back only seeking a servant’s place in order to find food.
      3. He is not seeking a position.
         1. He has no right to consider the position as a son, but begs as a servant.
         2. He understands he is not worthy to be called a child of the father.
      4. He has come to the hospital for the people who know they are broken and sullied and soaked in the putrid slime of sin.
      5. He is grateful to receive anything that can be given to him by the grace of a forgiving father.
   4. The other son is self-righteous, condemning and unforgiving.
      1. He trusts that he is righteous – never having neglected a command.
      2. He is the Pharisee who looks at others with contempt (Luke 18:9f.)
3. Hospital View of the church
   1. A place where really sick people can recover.
      1. Luke 5:30 “A great physician
      2. Saul of Tarsus – a sinner (1 Timothy 1:15)
      3. We, the people of God, have all sinned – all are under condemnation.
   2. Sinners are at ease with Jesus.
      1. Jesus received them to lead them.
         1. He did not approve of their sinful behavior, but He cared deeply about them as a person made in the image of God.
         2. He maintained his holiness and communicated his friendship toward sinners.
      2. They know who they are (Luke 15:1-2; came to the sick sinners)
      3. Came to heal the sick – a great physician.
      4. Luke 7: Sinner woman – she knows who she is
         1. These are the ones who came when He called
   3. Amnesia about out past (Ephesians 2:1-5)
      1. Kingdom citizens are people who desperately need to be healed
   4. Titus 3:1-6
      1. We should be humble, remembering our past.
      2. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
   5. Who is it that you want to be with as family?
4. Transformed and Changed People
   1. Romans 12:3-8
      1. To “each one”
         1. I have no ability – not true
         2. Significant acts of service can be provided by every family member.
      2. If any desires to be great – servant, slave
         1. (Mark 10:43-45) “⁴³Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,
         2. ⁴⁴and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.
         3. ⁴⁵For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
5. Conclusion: Will you live for Christ, having died to self?
   1. Die to self and sin and live for Christ as a new person. (2 Corinthians 5:14-15)
   2. Death to self and sin results in a new life. (Romans 6:4)
   3. By the power of Christ you were rescued from you old master (Romans 6:17-18)