The Gospel of Luke Mark Wittenmyer The Gospel of Luke Mark Wittenmyer

Cleansing the Temple: Jesus Drives Out Money Changers

In this sermon, we will look at Luke 19:45-48 where Jesus cleanses the temple by driving out those who were selling and buying in God’s house, thereby, turning it from a house of prayer into a den of thieves. We will learn why Jesus did this, what He did after this, and how He did this. We will also learn how to apply this story to our lives today.

We will see that Jesus cleansed the temple out of zeal for God’s glory, out of love for God’s people, and out of authority from God’s power.

He showed us what it means to live for God and not for ourselves.

He showed us what it means to be His disciples and not just His fans.

He showed us what it means to be His witnesses and not just His admirers.

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The Gospel of Luke Mark Wittenmyer The Gospel of Luke Mark Wittenmyer

The King Who Weeps

Join us as we explore the account of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem as He weeps over Jerusalem in Luke 19:28-44. In this sermon, we will examine the significance of Jesus’ tears and what they reveal about His character and mission. We will also explore why Jesus weeps over Jerusalem and why He weeps over us as well. Jesus loves us, knows our future, and offers us peace; how will respond to the King who weeps?

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The Gospel of Luke Mark Wittenmyer The Gospel of Luke Mark Wittenmyer

Using What God Gives Us: Overcoming Fear in Serving God

In this sermon, we will explore how to overcome fear in serving God. We will look at the Parable of the Ten Minas in Luke 19:11-27 and learn how to use what God gives us to serve Him without fear. Join us as we discover how to be good stewards of what God has entrusted us with and how to use our talents and resources to further His Kingdom. We will explore what it means to invest in the Kingdom and be encouraged to actively engage in expanding God's Kingdom.

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The Gospel of Luke Mark Wittenmyer The Gospel of Luke Mark Wittenmyer

The Transformational Power of Jesus: How Repentance Leads to Salvation

In this sermon based on Luke 19:1-10, we discover the transformational power of Jesus as we explore the story of Zacchaeus and how Jesus seeks out sinners and offers them salvation. We also learn how repentance leads to salvation by looking at 2 Corinthians 7:8-10. We see how Jesus searches for us, the significance of our encounter with Him, and the saving power that comes from knowing Him. This sermon provides practical application for how we can apply this transformational power to our lives.

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The Gospel of Luke Mark Wittenmyer The Gospel of Luke Mark Wittenmyer

Removing Our Blind Spots

In this message, we explore Luke 18:35-43 and discuss how we can remove our blind spots. Join us as we learn how to see ourselves and others more clearly through the eyes of Christ. We will examine how the healing of a blind beggar by Jesus in Jericho teaches us about our own spiritual blindness and how we can have our own blind spots removed to see God’s truth more clearly. This story teaches us about the power of faith and the importance of recognizing our own spiritual blindness.

We all have blind spots in our lives that prevent us from seeing the truth about ourselves and others. These blind spots can be caused by our own biases, prejudices, or fears. In order to grow in our faith and become more like Christ, we must be willing to remove these blind spots and see ourselves and others as God sees us. Join us as we dive into this powerful passage and learn how we can grow in our faith and understanding of God’s Word that results in following Jesus and praising God.

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Holiday Mark Wittenmyer Holiday Mark Wittenmyer

The Fatherhood of God: The Challenges of Fatherhood

In this powerful sermon, we explore the deep and meaningful concept of the Fatherhood of God. From a biblical perspective, we discover the many ways in which God as Father guides and lovingly cares for His children.
Drawing parallels between parenting and fathering, we delve into the challenges of fatherhood and beauty of the father-child relationship and how it reflects the love of God for us. Through this message, we hope to inspire and encourage fathers to take on their God-given role and to celebrate the fatherly love that permeates every aspect of our lives. So, join us in this special sermon, as we honor the Fatherhood of God and explore the transformative power of His love.

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The Gospel of Luke Mark Wittenmyer The Gospel of Luke Mark Wittenmyer

The Cost of Following Christ

Have you considered following Christ? Today, we will be looking at the subject of discipleship and the cost and the reward of following Jesus.

In this powerful sermon, we dive into Luke 18:31-34 to explore the cost of following Christ. Jesus calls us to surrender our lives completely to Him, to give up our own desires and plans and follow His will. We will discuss the sacrifice that Christ made for us and the obedience that He requires of us in return. We will also explore the persecution that often comes with following Christ, but remembering the promise that we will never be alone. Join us as we count the cost and respond to Christ's call to surrender our lives to Him.

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The Gospel of Luke Mark Wittenmyer The Gospel of Luke Mark Wittenmyer

Selling Everything for the Kingdom

Do you want to live a life that is devoted to Christ? Today, we will be looking at the subject of discipleship and the cost and the reward of following Jesus. Have you ever considered selling everything for the kingdom of God?
In this powerful sermon based on Luke 18:18-30, we explore the story of the rich young ruler who comes to Jesus asking about eternal life.
What follows is a challenging exchange that leaves the young man struggling to choose between his wealth and following Jesus.
Through this passage, we will learn about the high cost of discipleship, what it means to follow Christ, and the priceless reward that we will receive if we are willing to let go of everything for the sake of the kingdom. Join us as we discover the true value of wealth and learn how to live a life that is devoted to serving Christ, no matter the cost.

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Holiday, Stand Alone, Mother's Day Mark Wittenmyer Holiday, Stand Alone, Mother's Day Mark Wittenmyer

3 Characteristics of a Godly Mother

In this sermon, we explore the virtues of a godly mother as outlined in Proverbs 31. As we look at the character of this woman, we discover three key traits that every mother should embody to follow in her footsteps and live a life pleasing to God. The qualities of a godly mother extend beyond the three characteristics we see in Proverbs 31. Scripture teaches us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10), and this principle applies to mothers as well. When a mother fears God and seeks Him in all her ways, she will be able to teach her children to do the same. In Proverbs 1:8, we see that a son is to heed his mother’s instruction and not forsake his father’s teaching. A godly mother will teach her children the ways of the Lord and instill in them a love for God and His Word. Additionally, sacrificial love is a hallmark of motherhood. Just as Jesus laid down His life for us, a mother sacrifices her time, energy, and resources for the sake of her children. Join us as we delve into Proverbs 31 to study these three characteristics of a godly mother. Whether you are a mother or not, this message will inspire and encourage you to live a life that honors God.

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The Gospel of Luke Mark Wittenmyer The Gospel of Luke Mark Wittenmyer

Childlike Faith

As we continue in our sermon series from the gospel of Luke, we see that people are bringing their little children to Jesus to be blessed by Him and He welcomes them. His disciples try to keep the children from coming to Jesus, but He rebukes the disciples and tells them to "let the little children come to me for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." Jesus shows the importance of children as He tells the people that unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
We learn in Luke 18:15-17 how to have childlike faith. Entry into the kingdom of God requires us to have a childlike faith. What is childlike faith? The faith of a child is characterized by trust, innocence, and a willingness to learn. Childlike faith involves obedience, surrendering, and entrusting oneself completely to God. Is your faith childish or childlike?

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Stand Alone Mark Wittenmyer Stand Alone Mark Wittenmyer

God Knows My Heart

David praises God for His intimate knowledge of him and asks God to search and know his heart and reveal any offensive ways in him. Being conscious of our sinfulness and having a repentant heart, like David, is important to receive God's forgiveness and salvation.

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The Gospel of Luke Mark Wittenmyer The Gospel of Luke Mark Wittenmyer

A Lesson in Humility

Jesus teaches a lesson of humility by telling a parable of two men who go to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. In this parable, we will learn the dangers of self-righteousness and the power of humility. When you pray, are you more like the Pharisee or the tax collector?

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The Gospel of Luke Mark Wittenmyer The Gospel of Luke Mark Wittenmyer

The Importance of Persistent Prayer

Jesus teaches the disciples a parable about a persistent widow, who seeks justice from the unjust, uncaring, and ungodly judge in her town. He told this parable to teach them to always pray and not give up.
In today's message, we will see three important aspects of persistent prayer and how it impacts our lives.

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Road to Redemption Mark Wittenmyer Road to Redemption Mark Wittenmyer

The Call to Redemption

In John 21:15-19, Jesus reinstates Peter to the ministry of God by reversing his previous denial of knowing Jesus three times by asking him three times, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Jesus now offers both encouragement and a dire prediction.
Peter is once again called to follow Jesus. However, Jesus notes that one day Peter will be forcibly "led," with outstretched arms.
This is an indirect reference to crucifixion. While a terrible fate, this prophecy also confirms that Peter's faith will never again fail.
Jesus calls each one of us who have lost our way or are damaged due to sin to also find redemption and reconciliation in Him.
Are you ready to answer the call to redemption?

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Road to Redemption Mark Wittenmyer Road to Redemption Mark Wittenmyer

The Cost of Redemption

Just like our national freedom, our redemption isn't free; it comes at a price. Jesus Christ paid that price by dying on the cross, shedding His blood, to free us from the bondage and captivity to sin. The death of Christ was the price He paid to redeem us. It was a “propitiation,” i.e. the means of appeasing God’s holy wrath at sin. In the second message in our series, Road to Redemption, we will look at the Cost of Redemption. We must respond to His offer of redemption with faith in His blood and offer our bodies as "living sacrifices," holy and pleasing to God.

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Road to Redemption Mark Wittenmyer Road to Redemption Mark Wittenmyer

The Need of Redemption

One of the closest disciples to follow Jesus was Peter. He loved Jesus and took great pride in his dedication and devotion to the Lord. He stated that he would never desert Jesus even if all others did. He would die with Jesus if need be, but he would never disown Him. Within hours of making those claims, Peter denied Jesus three times before the rooster crowed, just as Jesus had predicted. Peter felt devastated at his denial of Christ and believed that he could never be used of God again, so he went back to what he knew he could do and that was fishing. Eventually, Jesus reinstated him to follow and serve Him again. Like Peter, we all are in need of redemption. Today, we will examine the need of redemption as we look briefly into Peter's life, as well as, the lives of Adam and Eve. When you fail, does it make you want to go to God, or does it make you want to stay away from Him? You can find redemption through the grace, mercy, and forgiveness of Jesus.

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The Gospel of Luke Mark Wittenmyer The Gospel of Luke Mark Wittenmyer

Kingdom Come

The main theme of the Gospel of Luke is the Kingdom of God. As Jesus teaches about the Kingdom of God, He raises some questions. First from the Pharisees and then from the disciples. The Pharisees ask the question, "When will the kingdom come?" and the disciples ask, "Where will this happen?" Jesus' teaching isn't full and detailed and contains some statements that are vague and cryptic in nature. Be we can understand that Jesus is talking about a present and future kingdom. Along with the coming of the Son of Man will come swift and complete judgement because of the sin and disobedience of mankind. The Kingdom is now in the Person and presence of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, in our midst. But it is also coming in completeness and fullness and quickness in the future, when Christ's reign will be complete. The question for us is this: Are you ready for his swift coming? Are you ready for God's final judgment? If not, get things right with God now before it is too late.

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The Gospel of Luke Mark Wittenmyer The Gospel of Luke Mark Wittenmyer

Be the One!

In today's message, Jesus has an interaction with ten lepers as He is on His way to Jerusalem to go to the cross to die for the sins of mankind. Jesus commands the ten lepers to go show themselves to the priests before they are healed and they go. As they are going on their way, they are healed. When one of them notices that he is healed, he returns to thank Jesus praising God in a loud voice. Jesus shows us the importance of gratefulness and praise to God for what He has done for us.

Jesus expects us to show gratitude. Jesus is clearly angry at the ungratefulness of the nine lepers who didn't return. We must train ourselves to show thanks, to give thanks, to be filled with thanksgiving. Without being thankful disciples we won't be pleasing to Jesus. Gratitude is an important component in our salvation. Be the one who returns giving thanks and praise to God when the nine continue living in ungratefulness.

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The Gospel of Luke Mark Wittenmyer The Gospel of Luke Mark Wittenmyer

Increased Faith or Increased Obedience?

Jesus is warning His disciples about the condemnation of scandalous teachers who cause stumbling-blocks that lead people to sin. He then tells them about the necessity of forgiveness and the power of faith, which prompts the apostles to say, "Lord, increase our faith." An increased amount of faith is not what they need, rather, they need to use what amount of faith they already have and increase their obedience to what God has commanded. What Jesus teaches in this passage is not random, but four lessons in humility necessary for them to avoid falling into the trap of self-righteousness as had the Pharisees. Humility is a protection against falling into the sin of self-righteousness.

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The Gospel of Luke Mark Wittenmyer The Gospel of Luke Mark Wittenmyer

The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus

Jesus tells a parable describing the deceptiveness of riches and the discomfort of poverty and the reversal of conditions in the afterlife. The story centers on the reversal of fortunes that takes place after Lazarus and the rich man die. It links agony or comfort after death with how we treat the less fortunate around us. This reversal after death is ultimate. An unbridgeable chasm exists between Lazarus at Abraham’s side (Heaven) and the rich man in Hades (Hell). In this story, God’s eternal judgment has everything to do with how we use wealth in this life and whether we help those less fortunate in our midst. God will ultimately justify the cause of the poor. But the message has been clearly stated. Like the rich man’s five brothers, we have been given all the warning we need.

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