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*The Personal Question: What did Jesus do FOR you? *The Passage’s Point: Third, being judged by His own people who study the Scriptures but miss the point... *The Passage’s Proof: Jesus proves they really don’t understand the Scriptures by confronting them with:   1.)            THE TRUTH ABOUT THEMSELVES (vv. 66-68) – (Take-Away: Jesus EXPOSES how dead set they are AGAINST Him. All people are born this way and thus live for LIES, just like the Sanhedrin.)   2.)            THE TRUTH ABOUT HIMSELF (vv. 69-71) – (Take-Away: Jesus EXPOSES how their opposition to Him has LED them into LIES. Therefore, their hearts are MURDEROUS. Without Christ, our hearts are too.)   Final Take-Away: The human heart naturally inclines toward making LIES to DEFEND against its own self-perceived vulnerability. Since we see Jesus, who is THE way, THE TRUTH and THE life, our hearts incline toward the MURDER of Jesus, just like the Sanhedrin. There is no NATURAL way out of this. The only way out is intervention of the Holy Spirit to BREAK our naturally hardened hearts to move from wanting to murder Jesus to wanting to embrace Him as our first real love. How’s your heart: murderous or embracing of Jesus?

*The Personal Question: What did Jesus do FOR you? *The Passage’s Point: Second, being held in custody by some of the most degenerate men of His day. *The Passage’s Proof: Jesus took their blasphemy by allowing their arrogant:   1.)            STRIKES (vv. 63-64a) – (Take-Away: Jesus ABSORBED the punishment of these degenerate men, NOT according to the demands of justice, but according to the demands their DEPRAVED nature.)   2.)            STATEMENTS (vv. 64b-65) – (Take-Away: Jesus ABSORBED the pronouncements of these degenerate men like THEY were the judges, jury and executioners.)   Final Take-Away: To understand the gospel means you understand God’s law. By God’s law Jesus didn’t deserve this treatment... WE do! These degenerate men thought that having power over Him meant they had a RIGHT to do these depraved things to Him. They are no different than us. Apart from the work of the Holy Spirit’s revealing to you that Jesus went through this humiliation for you, you would’ve acted the same way. Do you TRUST in Jesus’ suffering for you?

Luke 22:47-62 — *The Personal Question: What did Jesus DO FOR YOU? *The Passage’s Point: First, He was arrested like a criminal and betrayed by friends. *The Passage’s Proof: Jesus Went through the SHAME of Arrest and Betrayals with:   1.)            TRUTH (vv. 47-53) – (Jesus told His disciples “Permit this…” betrayal. He knew the cross was the CUP He alone could and therefore, HAD TO drink it. There was NO OTHER WAY to save His people.)   2.)            MERCY (vv. 54-62) – (Take-Away: Jesus’ look at Peter was a look of mercy. Jesus had already prepared Him for His own BIG SIN. Jesus seems to be willing over to Peter the message He had already given him.)   Final Take-Away: Two betrayals of Jesus… Two different ways to deal with them. What’s the difference? The two types of hearts in Judas and Peter. Judas: A hardened heart that needs direct, truthful confrontation. Peter: A failed heart that needs a merciful, if painful, look. What do you need from Jesus – a direct, truthful confrontation or a merciful, painful look? Either way, you NEED the LOVE and GRACE of Jesus!

Luke 22:35-46 — *The Personal Question: What did Jesus have to face FOR YOU? *The Passage’s Point: Sixth, He had to face the coming agony of the cross. *The Passage’s Proof: Jesus FACED the Coming AGONY of the cross by:   1.)            PRAYER (vv. 36, 41-44) – (Take-Away: This is Jesus’ darkest hour before the cross; He is human and looks for relief, but regardless of His agony, He submits to the Father’s will FOR YOU!)   2.)            PASTORING (vv. 37, 45-46) – (Take-Away: At His darkest hour before the cross, Jesus STILL pastors His people showing You the resoluteness of His grace FOR YOU!)   Final Take-Away: What kind of love is this? It is a love unknown to any love ever experienced or will ever be experienced in the history of this world, fallen as it is now. And yet it’s all yours in Jesus if you receive it? Will you receive it?

Sermon Text: Luke 6:20-26 Sermon Title: Introducing the “Backwards” Kingdom *The Big Question: How does Jesus, the Messiah/King, expect his subjects to live? *The Central Point: He Expects His Subjects to Live with “Backwards” Expectations: 1.) JOYFUL SUFFERING (vv. 20-23) – (Take-Away: The world expects that if you live “right” you’ll end up “right.” Jesus is saying if you live rightly for me, you should expect setbacks… Why? He’s NOT of this world.) 2.) UNNATURAL INSIGHT (vv. 24-26) – (Take-Away: The world expects that if you’re rich and happy NOW, you’ve “MADE IT!” Jesus is saying if you know me you can judge rightly what will make you truly rich and happy in eternity.)

The Main Idea: God wants us to show Christ-likeness to the world by truly loving our eternal family. *The Big Question: How do we we TRULY LOVE our eternal family? *The Central Point: By Godly WISDOM we REFLECT the GOSPEL by: 1.) LIVING UNTO THE LORD BY FAITH (vv. 1-12) – (Application: Love means we live in light of the Lord’s love to us in the GOSPEL of Christ.) (THIS WEEK) 2.) LIVING WITH ONE ANOTHER BY FAITH (vv. 11-14) – (Application: Love means we love one another as Christ loved us in the GOSPEL: by sacrifice.) (NEXT WEEK)

The Main Idea: God wants us to show Christ-likeness to the world by truly loving others. *The Big Question: How do we know we TRULY LOVE others? *The Central Point: By STARTING with a RIGHT relationship to God’s Law: 1.) LOVE AND LAW COOPERATE (vv. 8-10) – (Application: Love means nothing unless it’s measured by the standard of God’s law.) 2.) LAW GIVES WISDOM TO LOVE (vv. 11-14) – (Application: Love only means something if we are going to be held accountable to the standard of God’s law.)

The Main Idea: God is leading us into Christ-likeness in the context of the world to show his reign. *The Big Question: What does SANCTIFICATION look like in the world? *The Central Point: SANCTIFICATION looks like SUBMITTING: 1.) TO AUTHORITIES (vv. 1-3) – (Application: The authorities serve because of God’s designation, so submitting to them is integral to our witness to the world.) (LAST WEEK) 2.) TO GOD (vv. 4-5a) – (Application: God works his will through the authorities so respect them and submit to them as God’s sovereign servants.) (LAST WEEK) 3.) TO CONSCIENCE (vv. 5b-7) – (Application: Support your authorities in every way possible as a Christian and you won’t have a noisy conscience) (THIS WEEK) a. Avoiding God’s Wrath (v. 5b) b. How You’re to Be Good (vv. 6-7)

The Main Idea: God is leading us into Christ-likeness in the context of the world to show his reign. *The Big Question: What does SANCTIFICATION look like in the world? *The Central Point: SANCTIFICATION looks like SUBMITTING: 1.) TO AUTHORITIES (vv. 1-3) – (Application: The authorities serve because of God’s designation, so submitting to them is integral to our witness to the world.) (THIS WEEK) 2.) TO GOD (vv. 4-5a) – (Application: God works his will through the authorities so respect them and submit to them as God’s sovereign servants.) (THIS WEEK) 3.) TO CONSCIENCE (vv. 5b-7) – (Application: Support your authorities in every way possible as a Christian and you won’t have a noisy conscience) (NEXT WEEK)

The Main Idea: God is leading us unto Christ-likeness in the context of the church to show his glory to the world. *The Big Question: What does SANCTIFICATION look like? *The Central Point: SANCTIFICATION looks like LOVE: 1. LOVE ONE ANOTHER (vv. 9-13) (Application: Sanctification looks like a deep affection full of love for all the saints.) (Last Week). 2. LOVE YOUR ENEMIES (vv. 14-21) (Application: Sanctification looks like an unexpected love for those who could, would and do hurt us.) (THIS WEEK) a. The Unnaturalness of God’s Love in Christ for Us (vv. 14-16) b. The Unnaturalness of God’s Love Flowing out to Our Enemies (vv. 17-21)

The Main Idea: God is leading us into Christ-likeness in the context of the church to show his glory to the world. *The Big Question: What does SANCTIFICATION look like? *The Central Point: SANCTIFICATION looks like LOVE: 1.) LOVE ONE ANOTHER (vv. 9-13) – (Application: Sanctification likes like a deep affection full of love for the saints.) (THIS WEEK) a. The Outward Flow of Love (vv. 9-10) b. The Practical Marks of Love (vv. 11-13) 2.) LOVE YOUR ENEMIES (vv. 14-21) – (Application: Sanctification looks like an unexpected love for those who could, would and do hurt us.) (Next Week)

The Main Idea: God is leading us into Christ-likeness in the context of his body, the church. *The Big Question: Why is the church SANCTIFICATION’S PRIMARY context? *The Central Point: Because SANCTIFICATION is not merely a “me” thing, but a “we” thing: 1.) IT STARTS IN YOUR MIND (v. 3) – (Application: In order to be Christ-like, seek God for SOBER JUDGMENT about your role in his body, the church.) 2.) IT MOVES ON TO THE BODY (vv. 4-5) – (Application: In order to be Christ-like and have sober judgment, think schematically about how GOD ENVISIONS his body, the church.) 3.) IT POINTS US TO SERVING (vv. 6-8) – (Application: In order to be Christ-like think strategically how you can SERVE and BUILD UP others in his body, the church.)

The Main Idea: God doesn’t merely save us from hell—he saves us unto life. *The Big Question: If SANCTIFICATION is simple, then why isn’t it easy? *The Central Point: Because Sanctification Aims at Total Transformation by: 1.) EXTENDING GOD’S MERCY (v. 1a) – (Application: God’s TRANSFORMING GRACE flows from his heart of compassionate mercy to us —so REST in his commitment to you sealed by the blood of Christ.) 2.) CALLING US TO SACRIFICE (v. 1b) – (Application: God’s TRANSFORMING GRACE puts you on a collision course with the world—so expect some PAIN.) 3.) COMMANDING US TO SEEK GOD’S WISDOM (v. 2) – (Application: God’s way TRANSFORMING GRACE opens up the way of wisdom—so DISCERN its way by God’s word and Spirit.)

The Main Idea: God Reveals the Mystery of Salvation in Christ to Cure Conceit. *The Big Question: What’s the cure for conceit? *The Central Point: Understand the Mystery of How God Works to Save in Christ: 1.) ELECTION AND REPROBATION (vv. 25-27) – (Application: God only sees two kinds of people: MAKE SURE YOU’RE “IN ISRAEL” [in other words: IN CHRIST].) (TWO WEEKS AGO) 2.) SOVEREIGNTY AND RESPONSIBILITY (vv. 28-32) – (Application: God’s mercy can only be extended to a disobedient people: ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR SIN AND RECEIVE JESUS.) (LAST WEEK) 3.) WISDOM AND WORSHIP (vv. 33-36) – (Application: God’s way of salvation in Christ is beyond our imagination: STAND IN AWE.) (TODAY) a. Curing Conceits by Fascination with the Wisdom of God (vv. 33-35) b. Curing Conceits by Reflecting His True Glory Back to Him (v. 36)

The Main Idea: God Reveals the Mystery of Salvation in Christ to Cure Conceit. *The Big Question: What’s the cure for conceit? *The Central Point: Understand the Mystery of How God Works to Save in Christ: 1.) ELECTION AND REPROBATION (vv. 25-27) – (Application: God only sees two kinds of people: MAKE SURE YOU’RE “IN ISRAEL” [in other words: IN CHRIST].) (LAST WEEK) 2.) SOVEREIGNTY AND RESPONSIBILITY (vv. 28-32) – (Application: God’s mercy can only be extended to a disobedient people: ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR SIN AND RECEIVE JESUS.) (TODAY) a. Curing Conceits by Removing Confidence in Self (vv. 28-29) b. Curing Conceits by Acknowledging No Other Hope Except in Jesus (vv. 30-32) 3.) WISDOM AND WORSHIP (vv. 33-36) – (Application: God’s way of salvation in Christ is beyond our imagination: STAND IN AWE.) (NEXT WEEK)