Fellowship Bible Church, Tacoma - Weekly Sermon

How could your life be transformed in the coming year if you began to know God better? In this exposition of 2 Peter 1:1-11, Yuri Karpenko helps us see how the knowledge of God's excellence through Jesus can lead to the cultivation of cascading virtues in the lives of believers in Jesus.

It's natural to reflect on the passage of time around Christmas: past, present, and future. This can also be unsettling (right, Scrooge?). In this sermon, we'll see from the scriptures how the incarnation of Jesus Christ can change forever how we experience time. We'll learn to see our past without guilt, our future with hope, and our present with a deep sense of comfort - because Jesus is with us...

In Luke 15, Jesus tells a series of three stories: the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son...or is it "sons"? What we'll see as we walk through this passage is that there is more than one way to be lost. These stories call us to look in the mirror, assess our hearts, and turn to Jesus for grace.

In this passage, we hear a clear call from the lips of Jesus: consider the cost. Prospective followers will be warned - and current followers reminded - that following Jesus means putting him #1. Over family, over reputation, over possessions...even over your very life. We'll consider this cost as we go through this passage, then end with four additional considerations that help us see: 1. The cos...

It's Thanksgiving week - so why not talk about feasting? In our passage today, we hear Jesus (at a feast!) talk about the great Messianic feast. What constitutes true honor? Who should you invite when you throw a party? What kind of people will God invite to His great party? These questions and more are answered by Jesus, leading us to a place of thanksgiving as we consider the mercy of God in mak...

Why did Jesus die? This is one of the driving questions throughout Luke's gospel, and quite possibly the most significant question in all of scripture. In our little passage today, we see the outlines of several answers to this question - leading us to understand not just why Jesus died, but believe that he died for YOU. And therein find freedom and rest for our souls. BONUS: a brief sidebar on wh...

In this section of Luke's gospel, we hear a classic question and a cryptic answer: why is one person saved and another not? To those of us who live in an age of unlimited choices, Jesus's response may sound surprising and unsettling. After all, is it all up to God to determine who gets rescued and who doesn't? Or is human choice the primary factor? Bruce walks us through the tension in this passag...

It's election week in the United States. There's an ambient sense of dread in our communities. So what topic does the text draw us to consider today? The kingdom of God. In this text, we see the heart of God regarding people with disabilities. We also hear teaching from Jesus that should lead us to recognize two realities: 1. The kingdom of God is big. 2. The kingdom of God is certain. When these...

There is a clear call to repentance running through Luke's gospel. But what is repentance? And is repentance just for unbelievers - or people who are already following Jesus, too? Westin answers these questions and more as he walks us through the words of Jesus in Luke 13:1-10, helping us see that on the other side of repentance is rich, transforming grace.

It's possible to be both very smart and very wrong when it comes to the question of Jesus. Why? How do we explain why the most obviously compelling and beautiful person that has ever been laid before the eyes of men can be rejected by a majority of logical, even brilliant, minds? The words of Jesus in Luke 12:54-59 provide some insight on this question and point us toward some compelling indicator...

If you were to sit down in a counseling office with Jesus and admit, "I'm anxious about money"...what would Jesus say to you? In Luke 12:22-34, we get an idea of what his answer might sound like. And for those with ears to hear, we find the basis to relate to money in a way that is progressively 1.) less anxious 2.) more generous with each passing paycheck.

The Bible has a lot to say about about money, greed, and covetousness. So how come so few of us confess the sin of greed? Or see greed as a major spiritual threat? In Luke 12:13-21, Jesus tells the parable of the rich man and his bigger barns to expose the foolishness of our perspective on money - and point us to something of eternal value.

How can we live as faithful followers of Jesus in a culture that might view Christians with suspicion? Or mockery? Or outright hostility? In Luke 12:1-12, Jesus warns his followers of the dangers they will face, but also equips us to faith in these challenges courageously, faithfully, and joyfully - because the Triune God is with us.

"Pharasaism" is one of the most deadly sins because it's so hard to see in yourself. It's like carbon monoxide: deadly, but invisible. So what's the solution? In Luke 11:37-54, we hear some of the strongest words from Jesus in all of scripture as he rebukes the Pharisees for their pride and hypocrisy. We'll consider ourselves in light of these words ("am I a Pharisee?"), and then consider how the...

In this oft-neglected section of Luke's gospel, we see how Jesus is both greater than Solomon, greater than Jonah - and worthy of our full and attentive listening. Bruce ends with telling us why he wants, more than anything, to see Jesus personally someday.

We are in a battle between good and evil. In this section of Luke's gospel, Jesus confronts this evil head on, and - in a preview of what's to come - wins. In doing so, he offers each of us a choice: are we with Jesus or not?

Why should we pray? What sort of God do we pray TO? In Luke 11:1-13, Jesus teaches us to pray. As we go through this passage, we'll address questions like: is the "Lord's Prayer" only for Christians? Do I really need to ask God to forgive my sins if I've already been been forgiven? What about unanswered prayer? Do I need to just "wear God down" until He finally says yes? In the end, what we'll see...

Mary and Martha. You know this story, right? Well, maybe not. With twists as surprising and subversive as the "Good Samaritan" just before, Luke challenges our expectations in this passage by showing us: 1. Jesus welcomes women as disciples. 2. Service is not bad. 3. We need to guard the priority of listening to Jesus. 4. The problem is in our hearts. and 5. The tender patience of Jesus with sinne...

What does it mean to "love your neighbor?" And who is my neighbor, anyway? In this section of Luke's gospel, Jesus answers these questions with a surprising, subversive story that not only challenges familiar categories - but presses us to appreciate the merciful, self-giving love of Jesus for all of us who fail to love others as we should.

What is our purpose in life? In this section of Luke's gospel (10:1-24), we see Jesus send out a large group of kingdom workers - giving modern followers insight into the mission to which he's called us in the process.

What would Jesus say if you walked up to him and said, "I want to follow you"? Would he be impressed? Or evaluative? Or...what? In this section of Luke's gospel, we see this scenario play out over the course of three separate dialogues. Whether you're a prospective follower of Jesus or a longtime following of Jesus who's getting discouraged, the answers Jesus gives will help us 1. Consider the cos...

In Luke 9:37-50, we see a series of three failures on the part of the disciples. Nevertheless, Jesus patiently offers correction and instruction - doing the same for us in the process.

What does it mean to follow Jesus? Is it worth it? Really? In this passage, Jesus answers these questions with clarity and power, leading us to re-examine what it means to live a life of sacrificial allegiance...and to rejoice in the sacrificial commitment Jesus Christ has made for us.

Who is Jesus? And what does it mean to be his disciple? These questions begin to find their answer in Luke 18-22, leading to an unavoidable point of self analysis: who do I say that He is?