Highrock Church

While eating dinner at the home of a religious leader, Jesus continues to develop the image of the kingdom of God as a great feast to which all are invited -- especially the last, the lost, and the least. God's invitation continues goes out into the world through us. To whom might Jesus want you to extend that invite and welcome?Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/

Luke 14:1-11: "I don't deserve to be here!" It could be a proud demand to be elevated to a better place or it could be a humble statement of gratitude and wonder that we were included at all. Jesus tells the Pharisees and us to take the second approach. Elevate others, bring them closer to God, and that Jesus-like posture of humility will bring us closer to God than any effort at self-promotion!

Pastor John and Dave on Luke: 13:31-35: Jesus is warned that Herod is coming for him to take his life. Rather than react with fear, Jesus displays resolve. He will complete the purposes that God has given him. Yes, he will give his life like a hen that protects her chicks, but it will be in according to God's will, not anyone else's, not even Herod's.

Pastor Walt Quick preaches on Luke 12:13-26 as part of our Luke: Kingdom Costs sermon series.

John Mury and Greg Hsu discuss Luke 13:22-30: "On the way to his destiny in Jerusalem, Jesus is asked a question: 'Lord, will only a few be saved?' Rather than satisfy this curiosity, Jesus directs this person to turn their attention to their own walk with God. This invitation is for us all — we are all invited, right now, to pursue God rather than worry or wonder what God has in store for everyone else. This invitation goes out to everyone; how will you respond?"

Pastors John Mury and Chris Gredenius discuss Luke 13:10-21: "After a confrontation over healing on the Sabbath, Jesus tells two stories—one about a mustard seed that grows into a great tree and the other about a pinch of yeast that transforms the entire mound of dough. Both stories illustrate how God uses small things to make big impacts. Jesus is pointing out that he (and we) might seem small, but God can use our faithfulness to make an outsized impact on the world."

Pastors John Mury and Chris Gredenius discuss Luke 13:1-9: "In the musical "Hamilton" (and in actual history), George Washington refers to a hopeful vision of peace and delight under one's own vine and fig tree. This image actually comes from the Bible, referred to in numerous places in the prophets. God is the gardener and God's people are the fig tree, intended to supply sweetness and delight to the world. But are we producing fruit? Or do we resist the work of the gardener?"

Pastors John Mury and Taylor Burgoyne discuss Luke 12:49-59: "The moment of decision can be difficult. Choosing one path can mean separating with people who choose a different path. Jesus warns us that following him is like choosing a path will often bring division between friends and family. In the meantime, we must leave no debt of love or forgiveness unpaid as we never know when our paths will come to an end."

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim discuss Luke 12:35-48: "On this final journey to Jerusalem, Jesus knows that he will soon leave his disciples. He teaches them to be watchful for his return. In the meantime, what we do matters. How we treat one another, especially how leaders treat everyone else, matters. Rather than living for our own advantage, the example of Jesus is to humble ourselves and serve one another with joy!"

Pastor Taylor Burgoyne preaches on Luke 10:25-37 as part of our Luke: Kingdom Costs sermon series.

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim discuss Luke 12:13-34: "Rather than give in to our worries about money, Jesus encourages us to remember our value to God and God's faithfulness to us. Just as importantly, Jesus encourages us to provide for one another rather than simply worry about ourselves. Faith can transform worry into genuine care for one another!"

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim discuss Luke 12:1-12: "As the surrounding crowds grow in size, Jesus warns his disciples of the real danger of the Pharisees. A hypocrite is an actor, a person wearing a mask and playing a part. The Pharisees had fallen into this trap and Jesus warned his disciples that this trap threatens all of us. Attention and the approval of others can easily lead any of us into playing a part rather than truly following the path of Jesus."

Pastors John Mury and Taylor Burgoyne discuss Luke 11:42-54: "Perhaps one of the greatest challenges Jesus had with the religious leaders who opposed him was how they had twisted God's Law into an excuse to condemn rather than love others. They were engaged in a culture war and anyone who didn't fall in line was an enemy to be judged and punished. Are we so different? Does our version of faith provide us with reasons to judge and condemn like the Pharisees, or does our faith compel us to love in costly ways like Jesus?"

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim discuss Luke 11:29-41: "The Pharisees seem to see everything Jesus does in a negative light. Jesus explains that the darkness they see is really the darkness in them. For this reason, Jesus tells them (and us) that we must allow God to clean the inside, and then the outside might finally be clean as well."

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim discuss Luke 11:14-28: "In the first of several hostile encounters, Jesus squares off against a group of Pharisees — popular religious leaders who opposed Jesus. Their accusation might sound silly to us but it was the worst of all possible slanders at the time, that Jesus was in league with the Devil himself!"

Pastor Dave Swaim preaches on Luke 9:23-25, 57-62 (NIV) to launch our new sermon series, Luke: Kingdom Costs.

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim discuss Luke 11:1-13: "Answer? Like we believe God actually cares! When Jesus teaches his disciples to pray, he stresses the importance of persistence. We must be persistent, we must not give up, because we have every reason to believe that God wants to bless us even more than our best friends and even our parents!"

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim discuss Luke 10:38-42: "Immediately after the parable of the Good Samaritan, we encounter a living parable with Mary and Martha. Jesus uses both occasions to tear down the barriers that we use to keep our distance from the 'other.' We all fall into the trap of judging others for not being like us, or just as dangerous, we judge ourselves for not being like others! Jesus wants us to delight in our differences rather than denigrating or dismissing them."

Pastors John Mury and Chris Gredenius discuss Luke 10:25-37: "Who is my neighbor? Jesus answers this question with the Parable of the Good Samaritan. The story is rich and deep and has multiple applications but at the very least, it shows us that being a neighbor is to love those whom God puts in our path. With this mindset, interruptions can become opportunities to love in the way that Jesus has loved us. Could this Lent could be an opportunity to let go of something that keeps us too busy to love our neighbors?"

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim discuss Luke 10:17-24: "What we choose to celebrate reveals what we truly consider important. Jesus celebrates the return of the 72 but he also teaches them that the things we wish to celebrate might not be the most important in God's eyes. What truly matters to God? What truly deserves to be celebrated? Let's explore that together in today's passage!"

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim discuss Luke 10:1-16: "We all value hospitality but why would Jesus want us to eat anything set before us? Really? Anything?! In a set of widely-ranging instructions, Jesus directs the 72 to help others experience the love of God so they might actually want to hear about the love of God — and maybe even believe in it! Even what we choose to eat could be part of the picture."

Pastor Meghan DeJong preaches on Luke 9:10-20 to conclude our Luke: Kingdom Life sermon series.

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim discuss Luke 9:46-62: "Imagine calling out to someone, 'You're heading the wrong way!' and hearing in response, 'Yes, but I'm making great progress!' In a series of conversations and encounters, Jesus redirects those of us who are going the wrong way. The question is: 'Will we follow Jesus' way or continue on our way?'

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim discuss Luke 9:28-45: "Jesus knows that he must soon leave his ministry and legacy in the hands of these twelve disciples — these same disciples who clearly display that they do not understand who Jesus is and are clearly not ready for the task. God the Father must enter in, once again, to testify that this Jesus is truly God the Son and we must 'listen to him.'"

Pastors John Mury and Taylor Burgoyne discuss Luke 9:18-27: "Who wouldn't want to be the hero of the story? According to Jesus, none of us want to be the kind of hero that God requires. The path of Jesus leads to the cross and if we are to follow him, we also must pick up our own crosses, daily. Why might we want to walk this path with Jesus?"

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim discuss Luke 9:1-17: Jesus leads the disciples to level up in their partnership with him. Jesus actually sends them out to teach and to heal. They had started by watching, moved up to helping, and now they were actually doing the ministry of Jesus! Might Jesus be inviting us to level up as well?

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim discuss Luke 8:40-56: "It is easy to value children. But sick, destitute, outcast women? Such a woman touches Jesus with a desperate faith and Jesus sees her, makes everyone else see her, restores her, and calls her 'daughter' —much like the child Jesus had been on the way to heal. Indeed, children are precious, and through Jesus, we discover that God sees us all in the same light."See also: Pastor Dave's sermon on this passage

Pastor Dave Swaim continues our Luke: Kingdom Life series with a sermon based on Luke 8:41-48.

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim discuss Luke 8:26-39: "'The Fear of the Lord' is a phrase used to describe faithful people who revere God. When Jesus healed a demon-possessed man, the reaction wasn't reverence but terror. Jesus honored their wishes by departing but not before leaving them with a messenger to spread the truth about Jesus. Has Jesus given you a similar mission?"

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim discuss Luke 8:16-26: "Today's passage contains three scenes that might be connected by a theme. Perhaps more importantly, each represents a challenge to be willing to share God's truth, to embrace our family of faith, and to surrender our fears to Jesus."

Pastors John Mury and Chris Gredenius discuss Luke 8:1-15: "Jesus tells a story about seed that falls on four kinds of soil. The seed fails to flourish in the first three soils but produces an incredible harvest in the fourth. What makes that difference, and why does Jesus tell the story without explaining it? The answer is the same for both questions and it highlights something we must do if we want God's goodness to take root in us!"

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim discuss Luke 7:36-50: "While Jesus is reclining at dinner in the home of a religious leader, a woman of shameful reputation intrudes and almost literally pours love upon Jesus. Everyone seems shocked, except for Jesus. Contrasting her effusive love with the religious leader's stingy hospitality, Jesus says, 'A person who is forgiven little shows only a little love.' Our 'goodness' (self-righteousness?) can sometimes be a greater barrier than our sin to experiencing God's love!"

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim discuss Luke 7:18-35: "In prison, John the Baptist wonders if he got it all wrong. Was Jesus really the Messiah? He perhaps doubts himself more than he doubts Jesus—after all, John sends his question directly to Jesus! Jesus' response is to praise and reassure John. Jesus stands ready to bring light into our dark places of doubt, even places where we begin to doubt ourselves."

Pastor Walt Quick continues our Luke: Kingdom Life series with a sermon based on Luke 7:1-10.

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim discuss Luke 7:11-17: "When Jesus heals the widow's dead son, we see two powerful emotional displays. First, we see Jesus' great compassion for the grieving mother. Second, we see the great fear of the crowd at this display of power. The power and compassion of Jesus leads the people to immediately give glory to God. Are we experiencing Jesus' compassion and power? Or are we missing one or both in our lives?"

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim discuss Luke 7:1-10: "In a highly unusual encounter, Jesus heals the servant of a Roman military officer. This centurion was unusual in his love for the Jewish people, the Jewish elders approval of this Roman occupier was unusual, and what is perhaps most unexpected is Jesus' praise for the faith of this foreigner. What is Jesus showing us about himself, his authority, genuine faith, and God's outrageous love?"

Pastors John Mury and Chris Gredenius discuss Luke 6:39-49: "Jesus warns us to not judge (v.37) and then immediately gives several examples of how we ARE to judge one another (judging a tree by its fruit, etc.). Are we to judge or not? The context seems clear. In our natural state, we judge others in a way that excuses us from loving them. Jesus needs to train us to judge in a way that is loving and leads to healing for everyone."

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim discuss Luke 6:27-38: "Jesus calls for a radical love, one that does good to those who hate us! How is such love even possible? The truth is that we do not know how to love this way until we first receive this kind of love from God. What we receive from Jesus, we can then give to others through the power of the Spirit."

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim discuss Luke 6:12-26: "Jesus speaks about true happiness and sorrow in a shocking series of blessings and woes. But are they really that shocking? Recall your own times of greatest happiness. Were those times more the result of pleasure and self-indulgence or more the result of deep love and purpose? Why is it so difficult to pursue the kind of happiness that Jesus calls us to seek?"See also: Pastor John's sermon on this passage

Pastor John Mury continues our Luke: Kingdom Life series with a sermon based on Luke 6:14-26.

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim discuss Luke 6:1-11: "Jesus continues to break the rules about the Sabbath, sending his opponents into a rage. In truth, he is only breaking the religious leaders' misunderstanding of God's rules. Jesus' honoring of God's rules and the breaking of human conventions both come from the same place—to bring about flourishing for the people he loves."

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim discuss Luke 5:27-39: "Jesus continually challenges and stretches those who are with him. Those who are too rigid have their expectations shattered and end up opposing Jesus bitterly. Like new wineskins, we must be flexible and willing to stretch as Jesus transforms us from within."

Pastors John Mury and Chris Gredenius discuss Luke 5:17-26: "Several friends, desperate to get their paralyzed friend to Jesus, discover that people already close to Jesus are making it impossible. Their solution? Tear a hole in the roof and lower their friend down in front of Jesus, who praises their faith. What are we willing to do to get our friends closer to Jesus, especially when people already close to Jesus get in the way?"

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim discuss Luke 5:12-16: "Or too busy not to pray? Jesus heals a leper and despite the call to secrecy, news of this almost-unprecedented miracle spreads and the burden upon Jesus increases dramatically. In such times, we might think we are too busy to pray. Jesus has a different perspective—he's too busy NOT to pray."

Pastor Dave Swaim continues our "Kingdom Life" series with a sermon based on Luke 5:27-39.

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim discuss Luke 5:1-11: "Jesus grants Simon Peter his greatest day of professional success but instead of celebrating, Peter breaks down in repentance! What happened? Unlike the crowds, Peter looks beyond the gift to the giver and the encounter wrecks Peter's world. Peter's wrecked world is not a problem for Jesus, as he calls Peter to leave his old world behind to follow him into a better one!"

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim discuss Luke 4:31-44: "If you point to something and say "look!", a dog may just stare at the finger doing the pointing. The same is true with us and God. The people in this passage are fixated on Jesus' miracles, which are meant to serve as signs that point to what truly matters."

Pastors John Mury and Taylor Burgoyne discuss Luke 4:14-30: "Have you ever felt disappointed by God? Perhaps you didn't react by trying to throw Jesus off a cliff, but has God ever seemed to let you down? Like the Nazareth crowd, perhaps instead of blessing you, God blessed someone else who seemed to deserve it less. Such disappointment undoubtedly says more about us than about God, so what can we learn from such moments?"

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim discuss Luke 4:1-13: "Faced with the full force of Satan's temptations, Jesus does not deny that the devil has the power to give whatever the world has to offer. Instead, Jesus wants more. The world cannot give him what he truly wants. What he wants, only God can give. Anything else means being too easily satisfied!"

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim discuss Luke 3:21-38: "Jesus is baptized by John and God the Father and God the Spirit show up, speaking words of incredible affirmation and love. What's surprising is that this love comes before Jesus' mission starts rather than as a reward. Are our lives similarly lived from the foundation of unconditional love and grace? Or do we chase after what we crave and yet can never attain?"