JLP.church Sermon Podcast

When we think about the Virgin Mary, we mostly think about her youth, as women in that typically married in their early teens. Or we think about the responsibility of bearing a son who was doomed to die. But we should also remember her virginity. Why is the Virgin Birth important to Christians? Pastor Luke teaches from Luke 1:26-38 in "Expand," part 2 of his 4-part series, "Advent."

Among the other Christmas stories is the less familiar story of a man named Zechariah. While it might not be as well known as Mary and Joseph, the Wise Men, or the Shepherds and Angels, his situation is very common. It's the story of a man whose life (or a part of it) has been a disappointment. What can he teach us? Pastor Luke preaches from Luke 1:5-24 in "Hope," the first message in a new series...

In a year like 2020, what is there to be thankful about? Pastor Luke teaches from Colossians 1:11-20 in "Thanksgiving."

Christians believe in the Age to Come because Jesus said he would return and finish the work of renovation that he had begun. It's encouraging that our hope is grounded in his promise, but it leads to questions about the coming age. What will it be like? What will we be like? What can we know about it on this side of eternity? Pastor Luke preaches from Isaiah 65:17-25 in "Renovation," the concludi...

Christians believe that the coming age will lack sickness, poverty, violence, death and everything else that makes the current age so hard. But is this just wishful thinking? That's the question a group of Bible scholars asked Jesus. Pastor Luke teaches from Luke 20:27-38 in "Resurrection," the first message in a new series, "Resurrection."

Jesus crossed social boundaries with great ease, but it can be surprising difficult for us to do so. What can we learn from the time when Jesus' crossed the boundary around a man named Zacchaeus? Pastor Luke teaches from Luke 19:1-10 in "Reputation Management," the concluding message in his series, "Faith."

We often do things in order to influence other people. We might want them to help us, or give us jobs, or just to like us. Can we influence God? And if we can, how? Pastor Luke looks at Luke 18:9-14 in "Influencer," part 2 of his 3-part series, "Faith."

Faith is central to Christianity. But what is it? What does it look like? Jesus taught a series of lessons about faith to help us understand what kind of faith God desires. Pastor Luke teaches from Luke 18:1-8 in "Persistence," the first message in a new series, "Faith."

Since the Covid-19 pandemic began, we've been wondering about the "new normal." What will the new normal be like? How will we know when we get there? What should we do in the meantime? Centuries before Christ, God spoke through prophet Jeremiah to encourage people with questions pretty similar to ours. Pastor Luke teaches from Jeremiah 29:1,4-7,10 in "New Normal."

When the church in Thessalonica was facing many difficult challenges, the Apostle Paul gave them instructions to help them in their troubles. When we face our own challenges as so many are this year the same advice can help us. Pastor Luke preaches from Thessalonians 5:12-28 in "Engaging," the concluding message in his series, "Brand-New Testament."

Christians hope in the better world that Jesus will inaugurate when he returns. What sustains our hope between now then? Until Christ returns, how do we keep our hope alive in all the troubles of this world, amid all its sickness, violence, and death? Pastor Luke looks at Thessalonians 4:13-5:11 in "Rapture," part 4 of his 5-part series, "Brand-New Testament."

The Apostle Paul said that the Church the community of Jesus' followers was a family. What images does that bring to mind for you? What does it mean what ought it mean for the Church to be a family? Pastor Luke looks at Thessalonians 4:1-12 in "Dedicated to God," part 3 of his 5-part series, "Brand-New Testament."

Why do we take the Apostle Paul seriously? Or perhaps a better question is, why did people in the first century take him seriously? What can we learn from Paul about being taken seriously today? Pastor Luke preaches from Thessalonians 2:1-12 in "Being Serious," part 2 of his 5-part series, "Brand-New Testament."

Paul wrote the letters to the church in a Greek town called Thessalonica to encourage people he loved but could not be with. They found what he said was so encouraging, they kept the letter, and circulated to others who needed encouraging. They shared it in turn, and after a couple of centuries of being shared to encourage people, this letter -- likely the oldest surviving Christian document -- be...

We conclude our conversation about Christians and Society, with a lesson about economic inequality. How can Christians show God's love in a society where some are so rich, and others so poor? Pastor Luke looks at Luke 16:19-31 in "Economic Inequality," the concluding message in his series, "Counter Culture."

We continue our conversation about Christians and Society, and how we can show God's love in a society that is hurting. This week we're talking about the police power, and especially police violence. Pastor Luke looks at Romans 12:18-13:7 in "Christians and Civil Authority," part 2 of his 3-part series, "Counter Culture."

Jesus never used the words "race" or "racism." But his teaching is clear, from the opening of the Hebrew Scriptures to the close of the New Testament, that racism is a sin. Pastor Luke looks at Ephesians 2:10-14 in "The Sin of Racism," the first message in a new series, "Counter Culture."

Everyone experiences pain and hardship from time to time. How can we make sense of the troubles in our life, or even in the wider world? With the advantage of hindsight, we see the Apostle Paul as one of the most important people ever to have lived. But in his own era, people found him underwhelming, partly because he was a magnet for trouble. How did Paul see the troubles in his life? Pastor Luke...

Everybody's heard of Christmas, and almost as many people know about Easter. But Pentecost far less well-known, and even people who follow Christ may not fully appreciate it. Why is Pentecost important? Pastor Luke teaches from Acts 2:1-21 in "Inside Job."

Sometimes we know that things are going to change before we know what those changes will be. This is where we're at with reopening after the coronavirus pandemic. But Jesus' disciples faced the same kind of uncertainty after his ascension. But before he ascended to heaven, Jesus told his disciples what to do. How are those instructions relevant to us now? Pastor Luke looks at Acts 1:6-14 in "The N...

When Paul talked to the smartest people in the ancient world, he said they were ignorant. But he also talked about how they could fill in the gaps in their knowledge. What he said is just as useful today as it was then. What can we learn from him? Pastor Luke preaches from Acts 17:22-31 in "What You Worship."

The Acts of the Apostles tells about the death of Stephen. It is an ugly, brutal incident of mob violence. Granting its truth, does it have any redeeming value? If such incidents are unlikely in our own context, why read it? Pastor Luke teaches from Acts 7:54-8:1 in "Heaven On Display."

We've been learning how we can still be church when the church buildings are closed. So what purpose does a church building serve? Pastor Luke preaches from Acts 2:1,41-47 in "Some Assembly Required," the concluding message in his series, "Some Assembly Required."

We've been talking about how we can be church when church buildings are closed. Isn't it important that people do their worshiping in a particular place? What does our faith tell us about being on "Holy Ground?" Pastor Luke preaches from 1 Peter 2:4-10 in "Sacrifices," part 2 of his 3-part series, "Some Assembly Required."

Does God listen when his people can't gather safely in a worship center? Where is God when church buildings are all closed? Pastor Luke preaches from Exodus 25:1-9 in "404 Not Found," the first message in a new series, "Some Assembly Required."