Pathway Community Church

In this passage, Luke records Jesus explaining the Kingdom of God to people. That fact that Jesus was explaining it suggests that it was something that required explaining. So, he uses common language to help people connect with the meaning of the Kingdom of God.

JESUS WANTS HIS LISTENERS TO UNDERSTAND THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Why would Jesus want His listeners to understand the Kingdome of God?

• Seek first His Kingdom.
• Understand the purpose of it and our role in it.
• Learn how to live in the reality of it.

Jesus’ perspective on the Sabbath as a day for deliverance is vindicated, as Luke recounts the humiliation of Jesus’ opponents and the joy of the crowds at his wonderful (healing) deeds (Luke 13:17).  

Although we do not hear about the woman who has been healed at the end of the passage, the praise she offers to God echoes with the crowds’ rejoicing. Both themes of praise and rejoicing are emphasized by Luke as appropriate responses to God’s work in Jesus. 

OUR PERSPECTIVE DOES NOT DETERMINE GOD’S PERSPECTIVE. 

Isaiah 55:8-9 

8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” 
declares the Lord.  9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. 

So let us be careful to lead people towards freedom rather than remain in bondage. 

If the tomb of Christ was indeed empty, it is the most significant event in all of human history. The Roman soldiers, the disciples, and us today all are effected by that empty tomb.

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Here's the deal, Pathway Community Church cares about one thing more than anything else: Jesus Christ. Pathway is a family of individuals that have found life in Jesus, and simply want as many people as possible to experience that exact same thing!

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If you describe a man as the king of something, you mean that he is the most important person doing that thing or he is the best at doing it. He was the king of the cowboys. 

That is about as close a relationship as we have to the term “King”, in our modern experience.  We did not grow up in a country with a king.  There is no ultimate authority in Canada that would be like a king.  There isn’t someone that we would all run out into the streets and pledge our allegiance to.  So how do we connect with the concept of Jesus as King as Israel would have understood it, and in addition to that Jesus as Savior King. 

A parable is, literally, something “cast alongside” something else. Jesus’ parables were stories that were “cast alongside” a truth to illustrate that truth. His parables were teaching aids and can be thought of as extended analogies or inspired comparisons. A common description of a parable is that it is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.  

What would we expect a farmer to do with a plant that did not produce any fruit? We would expect him to cut it down and try again with a different plant. That only makes common sense. Jesus recognized the sense of such an approach and used this very same concept in a parable on repentance in Luke 13:6-9. Jesus’ parable is frightening but also comforting.  

The invitation to repent is a call to absolute surrender to the will and purposes of God. It means to turn to the Lord and live in constant awareness of him. Jesus issued this radical call to all people, saying, "Unless you repent, you will all perish!" (Luke 13:3). Jesus called urgently and repeatedly for repentance: 

Mark 1:15 

"The time has come," Jesus said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!" 

Discernment of the times that we live in is not much different for us than it was for the Jews of Jesus' time. We have to be watchful and study His Word to be able to see what He is doing right in our midst.

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Here's the deal, Pathway Community Church cares about one thing more than anything else: Jesus Christ. Pathway is a family of individuals that have found life in Jesus, and simply want as many people as possible to experience that exact same thing!

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Today I want to try to clear some things up about baptism. I don’t want you to miss what baptism means, and my goal is to give you an understanding of what we do here, why we do it, and what the Bible has to say about it. 

For Some – refresher, that’s alright! For others, I hope it will answer some of the questions that you have. 

Following our Lord Jesus Christ will assuredly divide many families and reconciliation, in this instance, is impossible, unless all come to faith in Christ.  

People are responsible for their decisions concerning Jesus. It is best that people seek to be reconciled to Christ before that final day of judgment arrives, when it will be too late.  

May none of us be a part of this second group. Jesus in His first coming has already endured the “fire” of God’s wrath. He has already died for the sins of men. Trust in Him and you will never need to fear His second coming.  

Be reconciled to God through Christ and do it before you face Him as your judge, and before you face the fire of His wrath.  

2 Peter 3:9 

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 

There are two kinds of people that have knowledge of Jesus. 

1. There are those who seek to live faithfully, passionate for the Lord?  

1. There are those who have hearts convinced that the master is delayed and are living for themselves, obeying their desires and lusts?  

If you were to do a life inventory, where do you land?  The encouragement from this passage is to stay dressed for action, keep the lamps burning, and live every day in expectation of our master’s coming.  

When he comes, we will be blessed and will sit at the banquet table, life forever in the house of the Lord. 

I am confident that if you ask people around me, you will learn that I am independent. I would say that I am independent to a fault. Asking for help is a very difficult thing for me. I would rather offer help than receive it. I grew up unable to depend on my parents due to the abuse in the home, which has caused me to struggle to depend on others.

According to D’Amore Mental Health:

When referring to Adults who were abused as children.

"They become overly independent because they don’t have to rely on others for anything ever again. Other ways childhood issues play a role in an adult’s life are they become anxious and exhibit signs of social anxiousness. They will create relationships with people but never feel 100% secure in these relationships.”

How does this connect to those who have not been abused? An Ipsos survey from February 18 to March 4 of 2022 finds that, on average across 30 countries and 22,534, 30% of adults say most people can be trusted.2  Of course that means that 70% said most people cannot be trusted.

It would seem that regardless of environment, most people would say they have difficulty trusting. The truth is that lack of trust does lead to worry. According to Diane E Dreher Ph.D., in an article from Psychology Today where she quotes The Edelman Trust Barometer report, when discussing the erosion of trust in the world today:

“This lack of trust coincides with escalating rates of loneliness,  anxiety, and depression worldwide (American Psychological Association, 2022).

THE ANSWER TO WORRY IS TRUST IN GOD

The only real way for us to move from worry to trust is found in moving from self-reliant to God-reliant.

Luke 12:22 22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: 

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 

If you internalize this teaching, you will experience Isaiah 26:3. Isaiah 26:3

" You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you."

If you do not internalize this teaching, the opposite is true.

You are more likely to experience:

* Increased anxiety and depression.

* Damaged relationships because you may turn more judgmental

and cynical about people.

* Loneliness because you have difficulty with vulnerability.

* Distance with God because you may be too independent.

All of this will lead to a lack of joy, some irritability, perhaps anger. It is likely that you will not connect well in your faith and possibly push God even further to the side.

THE ANSWER TO WORRY IS TRUST IN GOD

Jesus is after something significant in this story about the "Rich Fool". In this success story, there is something tragically missing. God is never found in his story or even acknowledged in any way. Greed had replaced God in his life with things. In other words, money and possessions had become his gods. Instead of wanting more and more of God it was more and more of things. Success is a wonderful thing, but getting acquainted with God is even better.

Hypocrisy is not something that we are to hold in our lives. It leads to entire corruption of our soul. Jesus encourages us to deal with it and rely on His saving grace instead.

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Here's the deal, Pathway Community Church cares about one thing more than anything else: Jesus Christ. Pathway is a family of individuals that have found life in Jesus, and simply want as many people as possible to experience that exact same thing!

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Look deep into your heart and ask the question when your friends are your neighbors see you do they see a faith that represents what you say? Or, are you saying one thing and showing another?  

Are your actions and your motives lining up with one another? If not, whether you even realize it, you’re doing exactly what these Pharisees, these experts in the religious law did in Luke chapter 11. 

How could we miss Christmas, when we spend so much of our energy purchasing things for Christmas?” Yet I am convinced so many millions will miss Christmas this year. Today I want to talk to you about four groups of people who did not welcome Jesus that first Christmas and 4 who did. 

One of the things we learn from the book of Genesis is that sin is progressive. Genesis 3 records mankind’s first sin. Genesis 4 records mankind’s first murder. It doesn’t take long for sin to start its downward spiral. And because of sin, we are all wanderers on this earth. 

We are going to look at several examples of wandering in the scriptures this morning. We will look at Cain as an example of wandering as punishment for sin. We will look at Israel as an example of wandering due to lack of faith. And then we will look at Christians as wandering sinners found by God who are now citizens of heaven and wanderers in this world. 

Watching for the return of Jesus is not a staring at the sky but an active, hopeful, watch that will go on until His glorious return!

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Here's the deal, Pathway Community Church cares about one thing more than anything else: Jesus Christ. Pathway is a family of individuals that have found life in Jesus, and simply want as many people as possible to experience that exact same thing!

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Waiting seems to be one of those things we dislike from a young age. We get impatient when there is something we want and especially when it is something very important to us. Israel was waiting for their Messiah to arrive to ushing in His kingdom and free them from oppression. We are waiting for the return of the Messiah who will ultimately complete His mission.

Bethlehem - Christmas by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100307Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Jesus is the light that shines through the darkness to cleanse us from the sin that so easily ensnares us.

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Here's the deal, Pathway Community Church cares about one thing more than anything else: Jesus Christ. Pathway is a family of individuals that have found life in Jesus, and simply want as many people as possible to experience that exact same thing!

Social Media

Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/wearepathway

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We are all look up to someone. Maybe it is an athlete, a tech mogul, a movie or TV star. The Israelites also looked up to people in the Bible as being great. In this lesson we learn that Jesus is greater than anyone we can look up to.

Calvin Smith, the Executive director of Answers in Genesis Canada joins us for a Sunday morning message covering the 7 C's of Christianity.

In this study we look at what God expects out of His leaders in the church and what we should then also expect.

We must either stand with Jesus or against him, there is no non-aligned position. The prince of this world (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11) seeks to neutralize our witness, to silence our testimony, to undermine our credibility. We cannot compromise our stand. We must stand with Jesus and laborers in his harvest work, or by our example we help to scatter and weaken Jesus' church and kingdom. 

This passage reminds us that Jesus is the Stronger Man who has the power to overcome the lies, enticements, and deception of the enemy that you and I face. In Him is power for you for deliverance. He is your Savior. He is your Rescuer. He is the power of God working in you who believe (1 Thessalonians 2:13; Philippians 2:12-13). As the Apostle John put it many years later, 

1 John 4:4 

"You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." 

Some of us may remember reciting the Lord's prayer in school growing up. I didn't know it at the time but this incredible prayer Jesus taught us had a great deal more depth than I understood. In Luke's Gospel, we learn through Jesus' teaching this prayer that we are to pray shamelessly, persistently and expectantly.

There are so many practical examples in the Bible of how life is lived and how it could be better. Luke tells us of a woman named Martha who does something really good and God honoring, who needed to be directed to enjoying the presence of God rather than only focusing on doing deeds for God.

The parable of the Good Samaritan is one that is well known but, do we fully understand that Jesus was pointing us to a better understanding of why He came. He came to save us from our own pride. News | https://www.pathwaycc.net/news Giving | https://www.pathwaycc.net/give Website | https://www.pathwaycc.net/ Here's the deal, Pathway Community Church cares about one thing more than anything else: Jesus Christ. Pathway is a family of individuals that have found life in Jesus, and simply want as many people as possible to experience that exact same thing! Social Media Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/wearepathway Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/wearepathway

In this message we learn that Jesus is bringing people back together by uniting them under 1 God as 1 people with 1 language. This is the mission that He sends His disciples forward into, including us.

At the end of His ministry in Galilee, Jesus focuses His attention on Jerusalem in a resolute way. The indication from the passage is that Jesus was focused and headed toward the cost He would pay for salvation. In this context He challenges would be disciples to count the cost of following Him.

Jesus is bringing His ministry in Galilee to a close and is about to set His eyes on Jerusalem. At the closing of this time of His ministry, He speaks to His disciples regarding His death for a second time.

The disciples do not understand what Jesus is saying and being to argue amongst themselves about who it the greatest. Here we see the disciples needing to grow in their likeness of Jesus and we see our own need to check our perceptions, pride and prejudices.

Belief is an interesting thing. We often rely so heavily on our beliefs that studies show they inform our behaviors. In this study we look at the belief of the Disciples, a father and a demon.

The Transfiguration completes a section of Scripture that looks at who Jesus is, His purpose for coming to Earth and an assurance that He is the Son of God. News | https://www.pathwaycc.net/news Giving | https://www.pathwaycc.net/give Website | https://www.pathwaycc.net/ Here's the deal, Pathway Community Church cares about one thing more than anything else: Jesus Christ. Pathway is a family of individuals that have found life in Jesus, and simply want as many people as possible to experience that exact same thing! Social Media Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/wearepathway Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/wearepathway

Carrying our cross and following Jesus isn't easy. It was never meant to be. We are to sacrifice and give up our lives so we can follow Him.

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Here's the deal, Pathway Community Church cares about one thing more than anything else: Jesus Christ. Pathway is a family of individuals that have found life in Jesus, and simply want as many people as possible to experience that exact same thing!

Social Media

Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/wearepathway

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Geographical location was poignant in this watershed passage where Peter sums up the Christian faith in one powerful statement. News | https://www.pathwaycc.net/news Giving | https://www.pathwaycc.net/give Website | https://www.pathwaycc.net/ Here's the deal, Pathway Community Church cares about one thing more than anything else: Jesus Christ. Pathway is a family of individuals that have found life in Jesus, and simply want as many people as possible to experience that exact same thing! Social Media Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/wearepathway Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/wearepathway

Feeding 5,000 people is a miracle. What can we learn from this account on how to love others, take rest and show compassion? News | https://www.pathwaycc.net/news Giving | https://www.pathwaycc.net/give Website | https://www.pathwaycc.net/ Here's the deal, Pathway Community Church cares about one thing more than anything else: Jesus Christ. Pathway is a family of individuals that have found life in Jesus, and simply want as many people as possible to experience that exact same thing! Social Media Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/wearepathway Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/wearepathway

Nobody is surprised when we talk about the idea that Jesus needed to train the Disciples to carry on the ministry after He went back to Heaven. What we do not always connect with is what we are to learn from the Disciples "leaving the nest" as it were.

There are no second class children of God. All are equal and Jesus wants to meet everyone face to face. He is also the only one that reaches out to make the unclean...clean.

Jesus is the God of the before and after. He takes all who are willing and changes them from the inside out. Nobody is ever out of His reach. The demon possessed man at Gerasene was out of the reach of people, but Jesus restored his home, his voice, his clothing and his well being.

Jesus surprises the Disciples with His authority over the storm they were in. The truth is that even now, though we understand who Jesus is with the benefit of hindsight, we still have difficulty realizing that Jesus is Lord over the storms. This message is intended to help us connect with both the sovereignty and love of Jesus.

Jesus talks about the different types of heart conditions that are present when His word goes out. Our challenge is to be the kind of soil that receives His word and live it out.

Washing people's feet was a cultural custom that was common in Jesus' day. What was not common was for a prostitute to do the washing with her tears. News | https://www.pathwaycc.net/news Giving | https://www.pathwaycc.net/give Website | https://www.pathwaycc.net/ Here's the deal, Pathway Community Church cares about one thing more than anything else: Jesus Christ. Pathway is a family of individuals that have found life in Jesus, and simply want as many people as possible to experience that exact same thing! Social Media Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/wearepathway Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/wearepathway

John the Baptist was a great prophet of God. He knew who Jesus was and even proclaimed Jesus' identity on the day of his baptism. Even he experienced some insecurity and doubt. Learning what he did in the middle of his anxieties, doubts and trials can be an encouragement to us on how to function in ours.

In a world that can often cause us to feel invisible and alone, Jesus "sees" us and through the Holy Spirit is present with us.

The Centurion in Luke 7 shows us what it means to have a faith that is completely reliant on Jesus Christ versus what it looks like to try and earn our way into God's favor.

In Luke 6:46-49, Jesus finishes up his sermon by talking about what it means to build your house (life) on the rock so that when storms come you will be able to stand.

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus talks about people as trees and the fruit as the evidence of the kind of tree the person is. There are good trees and bad trees; good fruit and bad fruit. There are good people and bad people, people of the kingdom of heaven and people of the world. We are told to take stalk of ourselves and see if our conduct and our words match what tree we desire to be.

Jesus challenges us to live and think in a way that is contrary to our sin nature. How we love, forgive and interact with others should reflect Him.

Sometimes it's hard to see Jesus when we are experiencing hardship and lows in life. Jesus offers a way forward for two disciples and us as He walks the road to Emmaus with them.

The face of Barabbas is truly the face of good fortune. He had the best day of his life when Jesus took his place on that Friday. When we consider what happened that day we can see how we have much in common with Barabbas. We have an: 1. Undeserved Fortune 2. Unsought Fortune 3. Unrestricted Fortune

Today we see the revelation of Jesus as the coming King. It involves both a false concept and a true concept of His coming. In the same way, we also lean into either a false concept or a true concept of why Jesus came.

When we learn the "Golden Rule", there can be a familiarity that comes with it that allows us to sort-of practice it. Jesus speaks to the people in this passage that loving others, including our enemies, is not only good, but required. News | https://www.pathwaycc.net/news Giving | https://www.pathwaycc.net/give Website | https://www.pathwaycc.net/ Here's the deal, Pathway Community Church cares about one thing more than anything else: Jesus Christ. Pathway is a family of individuals that have found life in Jesus, and simply want as many people as possible to experience that exact same thing! Social Media Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/wearepathway Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/wearepathway