Awake Us Now

Luke 4:14-30: "Hometown Visit." This story of Jesus going to His hometown appears to be a different trip than those told in the other gospels. This is a story of those listening to Jesus in Nazareth (His hometown) in comparison to those hearing Jesus in Galilee and who willingly received what Jesus had to offer. But those in Nazareth because of their pride and arrogance and boastfulness and being...

Luke 2:41-52: "Jesus at the Age of Twelve." Today we ask, "Why is this story of Jesus at age 12 in the Bible?" There is no mention of Jesus from age 2 -30 except this one story in the Gospel of Luke. Here's how this story goes: In the one and only account we have of Jesus as a child we're told he went with His parents to Jerusalem to worship and praise the Lord at Passover. This story is a foresha...

Luke 1:1-25. Today we begin a study of the Gospel of Luke with a look at Zechariah who was a devout man who thought he was prepared to meet the Living God - but reacted with fear and doubt when God showed up. God graciously gave him a second chance to respond with faith, and extends that same grace to us when we falter and fail. This story of Zechariah is a story that still speaks to us today. The...

Luke 16:1-13. Jesus warns that no one can serve two masters. Will you be devoted to God - or to "stuff?" This Parable of the Shrewd Manager is one of Jesus' most controversial parables and one of the most difficult parable to understand. Join us a Pastor Dodge digs deep into this parable and pulls out some amazing nuggets of the wisdom Jesus is sharing in the challenging parable. Luke 16:8, Jesus...

Luke 18:9-14, Romans 3:23, Isaiah 57:15, Psalm 51:15, 1 Corinthians 1:31, Micah 6:8. There is incredible danger in pride. God requires humility. Jesus told this story of two prayers - and the two pray-ers. One prayed about his own righteousness, the other prayed in humility and repentance. Which man went home forgiven? "To those who were confident of their own righteousness and look down on everyo...

Scripture - Luke 16:19-31, Luke 16:14. "The Rich Man and Lazarus" is a parable in which Jesus portrays two ways of living — and two destinies after death. What will your destiny be? This is many times a misunderstood parable. Jesus told this parable in response to the laughter and scorn of the pharisees. Pastor sets the stage for this parable sharing that no one is saved by: 1. Right Doctrines - W...

Luke 15:11-32; Exodus 34:6; Numbers 14:18; Psalm 86:5, 15; Psalm 103:8; Psalm 145:8; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2; Luke 15:10. This parable is called The Prodigal Son, but perhaps a better name for it is: "Prodigal Son - Prodigal Father." Why? The dictionary has 2 definitions for prodigal: 1. Wasteful - One who recklessly squanders what he has been given (This is the youngest son in this story) 2. Extrava...

Luke 12:13-21, Psalm 19:7ff. It's not what you posses that matters, but what possesses you. Our treasures are destined for a garage sale or a dumpster. What has enduring value? It's not what you possess that matters, it's rather Who possesses you. That is at the heart of what Jesus is talking about today in the story we are going to examine together. It is recorded in the gospel of Luke chapter 12...

Luke 11:5-13, John 7:38. When asked about prayer, Jesus told his listeners to ask God boldly - even "audaciously" - for the fulfillment of His promises. In this parable, The Friend at Midnight," Jesus takes a humorous story and converts it into a dramatic promise and powerful pledge. Because the friend at midnight, knocking on a neighbor's door asking for food, would not relent until the friend fi...

Luke 10:25-37. Jesus often answered a question with a question. But when asked "Who is my neighbor?," He answered by telling a story - a story that asks the same question of us. Today's study is The Good Samaritan, a 2000 year old parable from Jesus that still speak into our culture today. This story starts with an expert of Jewish law asking Jesus a question. Jesus answered the question with a qu...

In the parable of the sower, Jesus compares the Word of God to seed falling on four different kinds of soil - hardened, shallow, thorny, and productive. Which soil does God's Word find in you? Pastor shows us a picture of a wheat field in Israel that is actually a battlefield, in the Valley of Elah, where David battled Goliath. It's an amazing battle in which God won the victory. The picture of th...

Luke 6:47-49, John 3:16, 1 John 3. Is your life built on a solid foundation, or on a shifting, unstable one? What did Jesus say was a solid foundation? In our continued Two Year Study of the Gospels, we now move from the Gospel of Mark into the Gospel of Luke, specifically taking a look at the Parables of Jesus. The first parable Pastor Dodge examines is the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builder...

Week 30 - Mark 15:40 - 16:8 (including 9-20). Death and burial of Jesus; The Resurrection; Women, the first witnesses to the Resurrection. In this study we finish the final chapter of Mark by taking a closer look at the women at the foot of Jesus' cross when he dies and the women who were on their way to anoint Jesus on Sunday morning and find Him gone and also a look at the woman who was the firs...

Mark 15:22-39. Roman crucifixion; meaning of INRI; Crucifixion in Old Testament prophecy; Sacrifice of Jesus. This study is an in depth look at Jesus' crucifixion on Golgotha (Calvary). Pastor shares pictures of the present area of Golgotha and the archeological discoveries that are happening. He explains the true nature of crucifixion: a most brutal, demeaning, ghastly, immoral, unholy, merciless...

Mark 15:1-21. Unjust accusations and punishment; Crucifixion; The Cross. If you ever doubt God cares, or if in the midst of difficult times you say, "Does God really care what I'm going through," take a look at Mark 15. This chapter is short but it is powerful. It says loud and clear, here's how much He loves us: He stretched out His arms, and He took it all for you and for me. And that is the hea...

Mark 14:63-72. A look at Caiaphas the High Priest. Jesus: charged, tried, convicted and sentenced. Peter's denial. Pastor talks about repentance, and restoration and how God forgives anything and everything when we repent and He welcomes into His kingdom.

Mark 14:27-64. God offers us forgiveness and hope and meets our deepest needs in Jesus our Savior; The Lord's Supper and the "New Covenant in Christ's blood," Blood of the Covenant; Betrayal, arrest and denial of Jesus; Jesus claims He is the Messiah and Son of God.

Mark 14:1-26. Jesus' anointing during the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the significance of this anointing and how it ties into a kingly anointing; observations that point to God being in control of every detail of the plan for Jesus, nothing was by chance and Pastor shows the consistent truth of the Bible; the betrayal of Jesus by Judas is set into place; Passover and its picture of Jesus as the...

Mark 13. Topics: the last days; an overview of each of the views of Jesus' return: Pre-, Post-, and A- Millennialism; the first resurrection; and the second resurrection.

Mark 13:19-31. The Last Days; Tribulation, Rapture, and the Second Coming; Pre-, Post-, and A-Millennialism; Be Awake! We do not need to fear. Jesus has left us warning so that we will be prepared, filled with the Holy Spirit and trusting in His promises.

Mark 13:1-19. Signs of the End; Jesus shares the warnings of the signs of the times not to scare us but to prepare us; the abomination that causes desolation; the Olivet Discourse; false Messiahs and prophets; preaching the Gospel; "Abomination of Desolation."

Mark 12:1-43. Topics: rejecting Jesus; obey God or the state?; resurrection; the greatest commandment; offerings to God.

Mark 11:15-33. God's Temple; temple cleansing; lip service or true worship?; authority of Jesus.

Mark 11:1-14. Topics: Jerusalem; the 7 days from Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem through his resurrection; How does Messiah reveal Himself?

Mark 10:13-53. Topics: child-like (not child-ish) faith; "What must I do?"; difficulty of riches and a deeper study of riches; the healing of the blind man; following Jesus through suffering to glory.