First Love Church

Acts 10:9-38 There is power in this account of the Apostle Peters vision and subsequent obedience, power to challenge our ways of thinking. The gospel the good news is so much better than we dared imagine, and it's for everyone.   Support the show This podcast is made possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors.  If you would like to support the ongoing work of First Love Church you can...

Acts 10:9-38 This account challenges our thinking the same way today as it did when the church was young. Peter has a divine encounter and obeys what He acknowledges is God's direction. And subsequently Cornelius and the large congregation in his home hear the good news and are filled with the Holy Spirit. There is a challenge today that asks us to hear the message and open wide our gates.  T...

Romans 15:4-13 2nd Sunday of Advent From the beginning of the letter Paul has argues that the Gospel is for both Jews and Greeks (Romans 1:14-17). So we have here a climax both to Paul’s argument and to his way of arguing. Paul makes it clear in Romans 15:4 that the past (“whatever was written in former days”) was meant for this very present time (“written for our instruction”), in order to give h...

Creating your world through prayer.  Joseph uses 2 new testament stories to remind us about the power of prayer.   Support the show This podcast is made possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors.  If you would like to support the ongoing work of First Love Church you can donate at https://www.firstlovechurch.org/giving In the service of LOVE, Pastors Dennis and Heather Drake

Thomas Drake offers a sermon  Support the show This podcast is made possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors.  If you would like to support the ongoing work of First Love Church you can donate at https://www.firstlovechurch.org/giving In the service of LOVE, Pastors Dennis and Heather Drake

Luke 17:11-19 Jesus heals the ten lepers- one- the Samaritan- returns to give thanks.   When we recognize the work of God in our lives and in the world the response should be return and give thanks.  The practice of gratitude allows us to be mindful and to practice kingdom influence and rule in our lives. Support the show This podcast is made possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors.  If y...

Luke 16 In response to the scandal of His table practices and the anger of the religious establishment,  Jesus continues to offer alternate narratives on what God is like and what is blessed.   Lazarus lives everyday in poverty and need, the unnamed rich man lives in luxury.  Eventually both the rich man and Lazarus die, as all do, regardless of social position (Luke 16:22). Our social status and...

Luke 16 In response to the scandal of His table practices and the anger of the religious establishment,  Jesus continues to offer alternate narratives on what God is like and what is blessed.   Lazarus lives everyday in poverty and need, the unnamed rich man lives in luxury.  Eventually both the rich man and Lazarus die, as all do, regardless of social position (Luke 16:22). Our social status and...

1 Timothy 6:6-19          2 Corinthians 9:6-13 2 Corinthians 9:13 says this, “Through the testing of this ministry you glorify God by your obedience to the confession of the Gospel of Christ and by the generosity of your sharing.” The pairing of confession with generosity is the culmination of two chapters of reflection on generosity in giving and sharing. It is useful to quote from 2 Corinthians...

Luke 15:11-32 The table practices of Jesus were scandalous and getting Him into further trouble with the Pharisees.  This parable is part of the set of three, the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son, that offer a new perspective on the God that Jesus knows.  This portion of the parable tells the story of the prodigal son - but more importantly invites us to become like the Father in welcom...

Luke 15:11-32 The table practices of Jesus were scandalous and getting Him into further trouble with the Pharisees.  This parable is part of the set of three, the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son, that offer a new perspective on the God that Jesus knows.  This portion of the parable tells the story of the prodigal son - but more importantly invites us to become like the Father in welcom...

Luke 15:1-10 Jesus tell us what God is like.  God is like a Shepard, God is like a woman.  These parables tell us things about our Father that we had gotten wrong.  Sheep wander but we are reminded that coins do not lose themselves.  A Father who looks for us even when those who were supposed to care for us, value us and protect us failed.  In our places of brokenness, lostness, that we ourselves...

Luke 14:25-33 Follow Me- into a life where family means more than those who look just like you. Carrying the cross is a daily struggle and the commitment must be renewed every day when confronted with the temptation to lay it down (Luke 9:23-25). Perhaps what Jesus means by hating family is to refuse to live by narrow, exclusive ideas of family when it comes to meeting human needs and contributing...

Luke 14:1,7-14  The Seating Chart-  Give up your VIP tickets...... Jesus is invited to dinner at the Pharisees house..... At dinner the Pharisees closely watch Jesus; this was not first time (Luke 14:1; refer to 6:7 to see if Jesus would heal on the Sabbath). Likewise, Jesus is very observant of the behavior of the dinner guests (14:7). Their problematic snobby and exclusive behavior prompts Jesus...

Luke 14:1,1-14 Jesus is invited to dinner at a Pharisees house, there he sees trouble.  People clamoring for the good seats, seats of honor, and Jesus offers us another way. Luke’s Gospel begins with this theme of lifting up the marginalized and oppressed. When Elizabeth, a childless married woman, conceives, she declares that God took away her social shame and exalted her (Luke 1:24-25). Mary, a...

Luke 13:10-17 This account where Jesus heals a woman on the Sabbath is really an instance of God’s kingdom breaking into the present world. Jesus explains his actions: “He said therefore , ‘What is the kingdom of God like?”” (Luke 13:18). It is like a tiny mustard seed that grows into a tree for sheltering birds, or like yeast that leavens bread for provision and fellowship (Luke 13:19-20). Notice...

Luke 13:10-17 This account where Jesus heals a woman on the Sabbath is really an instance of God’s kingdom breaking into the present world. Jesus explains his actions: “He said therefore , ‘What is the kingdom of God like?”” (Luke 13:18). It is like a tiny mustard seed that grows into a tree for sheltering birds, or like yeast that leavens bread for provision and fellowship (Luke 13:19-20). Notice...

Hebrews 11:29- 12:2   ...So great a cloud of witnesses.....  The letter recounts over and over again how it was “by faith” that Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses’s parents, and Moses endured. The list of names, clearly intended to inspire and encourage the letter’s readers, surely would have caused them to recall the stories of these biblical figures in all their compl...

Hebrews 11:29- 12:2   ...So great a cloud of witnesses.....  The letter recounts over and over again how it was “by faith” that Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses’s parents, and Moses endured. The list of names, clearly intended to inspire and encourage the letter’s readers, surely would have caused them to recall the stories of these biblical figures in all their compl...

Luke 12:32-40 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32). These words speak an unqualified promise about God. They root God’s generosity in God’s desire. Jesus has just spoken (in 12:22-31) about trusting God while also seeking the “kingdom”; now he reminds everyone that the point isn’t to coax a grumpy or frugal deity into being ni...

Luke 12:32-40 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32). These words speak an unqualified promise about God. They root God’s generosity in God’s desire. Jesus has just spoken (in 12:22-31) about trusting God while also seeking the “kingdom”; now he reminds everyone that the point isn’t to coax a grumpy or frugal deity into being ni...

We don’t need to reject Martha in order to understand Luke’s point about Mary, who is portrayed as a disciple sitting at the feet of Jesus and listening to him. She violates the cultural expectations in ways that Martha does not. This is the sort of thing that Jesus does, breaking the cultural constraints and setting people free for the kingdom. That’s necessary if we are actually going to love ou...

What must I do to inherit eternal life? The lawyer asks a legitimate question, a question that appears to want a real answer. He engages in dialogue with Jesus that seems to desire an honest response. What does it really mean to follow the law? To live the law? We need regular reminders, constant instruction, of what it means to be a citizen in the Kingdom of God. We wonder every day. We question...

Luke 10:25-37   The question and Jesus' shocking answer.  The question we should ask ourselves, and reevaluate our lives based on what the Good Creator has invited us to join with Him in.  How lives and the whole world is renewed.  Join us as we discuss this important passage. On a narrative level, Jesus is the one who tells the story. On the theological level, however, the image of God is ca...

Luke 10:1-20  The offer of peace to every house. This discourse begins what is another of Jesus' direction to repent (change our thinking). Jesus sends out disciples with the first proclamation that sounds simple: “Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house!’” (verse 5). Notice that Jesus does not tell them to do any sort of assessment before making this proclamation. He doesn’...