In some of His last moments with His disciples, Jesus expresses both the status of a humble servant and the posture of prayer. Through His promises, providence, and prayers we have the assurance of Jesus both now and forever. Our Savior is in heaven right now advocating for us before the Father, a powerful and profound thought in our day to day liv…

When we come to the table of the Lord, we're reminded that just as certain as Jesus was about all the details in that upper room, He's just as certain of the details of our salvation.על ידי Rivercrest Presbyterian Church | Adam Williams

As Jesus observes people giving in the temple, there are those who give out of their abundance. This isn't true giving, as it required no faith or trust. Yet, Jesus seems encouraged as He observes a widow put in two copper coins. This was all she had, and although the world would claim this to be unwise, Jesus commends her for her remarkable act of…

Jesus treats those who are actively against Him with love, boldness, and truth. We follow Christ knowing that He defeats both His and our enemies, allowing us to not fear man's authority, arguments, or approval. The freedom we have is in the fear of God, the one who took our sin and shame on the cross and gives us newness of life.…

Jesus is approached by chief priests and scribes who are trying to trap him, yet Jesus profoundly evades their verbal attempts with a question and parable. Everything the Christian life is built upon is Jesus himself, the Cornerstone, who is rejected, despised, and killed. The vineyard parable shows the terrible lengths to which sin has corrupted t…

על ידי Rivercrest Presbyterian Church

Jesus enters Jerusalem on a colt; a public display of His lineage to David and of His divine kingship. Jesus comes with peace and sorrow as He weeps for the people He would die for who reject Him. As Christ-followers, we are the exemplify the traits of our Savior, concerned for those who have yet to repent of their sin and turn towards the Prince o…

Jesus teaches about stewardship in a parable of servants entrusted with minas. It's important for Christ followers to invest what God has given them - the good news of the gospel. And Christians are to be faithful in witnessing the gospel because God commands it, He empowers us to do it by His Spirit, and because He promises to come again.…

Zaccheus was rich and a chief tax collector; thus he was very unliked by others. Yet Jesus looks up at him, calls him by name, comes to his house, and ultimately transforms Zaccheus the greedy and dishonest man into a new creation. Jesus does this for all who believe in Him, and He always acts first. It's not that Zaccheus or anyone wanted a relati…

Jesus, looking towards the cross, tells His disciples what is to come, yet they don't understand. A blind beggar hears of Jesus passing by and cries out in desperate faith to recover his sight. The bling beggar couldn't see with his eyes but recognized his need for a Savior, recognized how important it was for him to see Jesus. A followers of Chris…

As a rich young ruler approaches Jesus, he asks one of the most important questions anyone can ask, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" Instead of rebuke, Jesus tells the man to follow him, just as His disciples have. We're called to treasure Christ, not the fleeting treasures of the world because Jesus exchanged the richness of heaven and be…

Jesus teaches us through the parable of the persistent widow, that while we should pray without ceasing, we cannot forget Who hears our prayers and acts upon them in His good will. God is the only good and just being, therefore when we pray to Him we have assurance of His receiving them. So we pray in faith to the God who sits on the throne, knowin…

As Jesus heads towards Jerusalem, He is met by ten lepers. Leprosy is a struggle as it removed people from society, made them outcasts and unclean, and separated them from their families. Their hope was in Jesus alone, so they ask Him for healing. Jesus tells them to go show themselves to the priests, a bold act, and they are cleansed as they go. O…

The spiritual entitlement of the rich man in the parable comes from pride, produces indifference, and leads to torment. Yet Jesus teaches this parable with the rich man in contrast to a man named Lazarus, someone polar opposite to the rich man. The entitlement and prideful life has no place in the kingdom of God, and by His grace He reverses our si…

In a parable often misunderstood, Jesus teaches about eternal perspective, priority, and purpose. Christians are to be clever stewards of worldly possessions for the glory and kingdom of God, serving Him only.על ידי Rivercrest Presbyterian Church

To describe God's nature, character, and essence Jesus teaches in parables of lost things. The care of God is so great and so complete towards wandering and lost people, for He will seek them, find them, and rejoice over bringing them back to Himself. God will do this for all of His elect, not letting any fall away. And this is all by grace, theref…

Jesus is invited to a meal with Pharisees and challenges them as they watch Him closely. He heals on the Sabbath, knowing that it would stir controversy, to show love, care, and humility. Christians are to serve those in need, the poor, the lame, the blind in order to be blessed. As we belong to God, may our lives be a reversal of worldly pursuits …

God takes sin seriously. Because sin is injustice against God, He must uphold justice by punishing those guilty of sin. There is hope for everyone in the generous grace of the Lord, who calls us to repentance and faith while we're still here on earth, though we shouldn't wait to turn from sin and turn towards the saving power of Christ.…

Jesus graciously addresses the issue of covetousness and anxiety by reminding us that we are deeply loved and therefore cared for by our loving Heavenly Father. The Lord Himself is our treasure, He is our provider, our Good Shepherd. What then should we fear?על ידי Rivercrest Presbyterian Church

Jesus teaches on the severity of the gospel. It is true good news for all, yet it will not be received kindly by everyone. Followers of Christ are to stand firm on what is true and everlasting, able to withstand anxiety and fear because of the power of the Holy Spirit. Deeply cared for by God, Christians carry the good news wherever they go, and th…

As Jesus is walking with His disciples, they ask Him an important lesson, "Lord, teach us to pray." With an example prayer and a parable, Jesus teaches us a fundamental aspect of Christian life. We pray because Jesus prayed, because He made it a primacy, priority, and promise for us - not to do when we feel like it or at our most desperate times on…

As Jesus is in Mary and Martha's home, He begins to teach. With Mary at His feet and Martha anxiously hosting, Jesus' focus is on His ultimate priority. He is the Word that speaks, shapes, stirs, and secures. Often we forget God has spoken, and the importance of carving out intentional moments with the Lord. Mary did the best thing, Martha chose to…

Jesus responds to a lawyer trying to test him with a parable. His teaching continues to marvel and astonish the crowds. In the parable, the Good Samaritan helps the hurt man out of compassion. For us, we are certainly called to show mercy to others, but must remember that Jesus showed mercy to us first. He is the true and better Good Samaritan who …

Jesus sends, He promises, and He glorifies. To be a disciple is to follow Christ in complete dependence, knowing that He is equipping us to go into the plentiful harvest. Therefore we are to be prayerful and obedient to both being disciples and making them for the kingdom of God.על ידי Rivercrest Presbyterian Church

The day after the Transfiguration, Jesus is met by an unbelieving crowd. Even the other nine disciples were lacking in their dependence upon the Lord. Jesus still heals a demon possessed by and points His disciples towards His death. To be great is the way of God, of the cross, of humility.על ידי Rivercrest Presbyterian Church

The Transfiguration is a powerful moment in the ministry life of Jesus. Peter, James, and John join Jesus on Mount Herman where Jesus' appearance is radiant, they are joined by Moses and Elijah, and they are overshadowed in a cloud with a voice who says, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!”. Divine presence, divine authority, and divine …

Jesus gives us a profession, promise, and pathway for discipleship. Everyone must address the question that Jesus poses to His disciples; "Who do you say I am?". Knowing He is the Christ of God, the disciples follow Jesus but don't fully know what He means when talking about His death on the cross. As we pursue the pathway of Jesus, we are to pick …

Jesus sends out his disciples with the priority and task of sharing the gospel. Just like Christ, the disciples are to go and tell of the good news of eternal life. As 5,000 people gather to hear Jesus teach, they are amazed as all are fed from an initial meal of five loaves of bread and two fish. There is always enough room and food at the King's …

A woman is healed and a young girl is raised to life. Jesus is the only one who can do such miracles. There is no physician, no medicine, no cure to death and the pangs of this life except in Christ. He is gracious and willing to heal, intent on having a personal relationship with those He saves. It's by faith these women are made well; the same is…

Jesus calms a storm. In this miraculous event, Jesus is with His disciples, understands their feelings, and quickly rebukes the storm so it ceases. Then He asks them, "Where is your faith?". The same question is for us today. Who do we trust in? Where is our hope? Where is our faith? May it be in the One who is powerful enough to calm powerful stor…

In the parable of the sower, Jesus is explaining the importance of receiving the gospel message. The sower, who is Christ, and the seed, which is the gospel, are constant and true. It's the soils the seed lands on that are different; the hearts of everyone who hears.על ידי Rivercrest Presbyterian Church

Jesus is a friend of sinners, drawing close to us and extending grace. Though the woman is known to be sinful, she approaches Jesus with humility and faith, while Simon the Pharisee treated Jesus as if he doesn't need Him. There is no one too sinful for God's grace, and no one too far from the feet of Jesus.…

Jesus is a good friend, one who reminds John and others of the eternal hope and healing they have in Him by faith. John the Baptist gets high praise from Jesus above all other people, and still as he sits in prison he doubts the Messiah. And it's Jesus' response that is remarkable; He is gentle and patient. The same is true for us in our doubts, th…

In two accounts, Jesus heals and helps loved ones of individuals. For the centurion it was his beloved servant, and for the widow it was her only son. Jesus marvels at the faith of the centurion, healing his servant from afar with authority. It's a testament to how powerful and capable Jesus is in our helplessness. And then Jesus sees the mother in…

Over and above the shine of worldly trinkets, our Heavenly Father, our kind and loving Father has the good gifts of restoration, and life, and eternity for us. We can't get blinded by the counterfeit gods of the world like money, and comfort, and security. These are fleeting. But we must remember that our Savior is here with us. May we be found her…

To be a disciple of Christ we must know Jesus, become like Jesus, and act as Jesus did. He prays, He unifies, He helps, He gives hope. The apostles and the great crowds all go to Him because there is no other person in which they can live. Christians today are to live in the same manner, showing their faith to a watching world.…

Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath, He is the Law-Giver, the Healer, and the Son of Man. Accused and despised by the Pharisees, Jesus does what is right in their midst even though they believe His actions during the Sabbath are against the law. They are blind to Him and His mission; to seek and save the lost. Today, we can be blinded too. It's important …

Jesus cleanses a leper and gives mobility back to a paralyzed man. These miracles point to Jesus' power in restoring and healing the broken and hopeless at a deeper level, a sin level where our greatest need is. Forgiving sins is mankind's greatest need, and Jesus does that for all who believe in Him by faith. Now, those who believe, like the paral…

Jesus calls His first disciples after performing a miracle in their midst. Simon Peter expresses fear before Jesus when they catch an abundance of fish, but Jesus calmly comforts him and then calls him to respond. Discipleship isn't a hobby, it's a lifestyle of surrender and trust in the Almighty God of salvation - the One also concerned with our s…

Jesus rebukes fevers and demons in His public ministry. His authority as the Son of God is unmatched. People with various diseases are coming to Him and everyone of them is healed. Though He is serving, healing, giving, and blessing all of these people He doesn't let His tiredness keep Him from doing His Father's will. For us today, Jesus can heal …

Jesus continues His ministry by teaching in the synagogue of Capernaum. A demon-possessed man interrupts His teaching, but Jesus calmly rebukes and casts the demon out. Through holy authority, righteousness, and reverberation Jesus is bringing truth and salvation.על ידי Rivercrest Presbyterian Church

After being tempted in the wilderness, Jesus returns to Nazareth to proclaim the gospel in His hometown. At first the people marvel at Him and anticipate what He will do as His fame has grown. But Jesus, after reading Isaiah in the synagogue and teaching about His identity as Lord, is rejected. Not only are we today to follow Jesus and know the gos…

Jesus enters into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil for 40 days. While anyone else would have failed, Jesus never gave in to the lies and schemes of Satan. Being well prepared and in full trust of the Word of God and His Heavenly Father, Jesus succeeds. He is truly able to sympathize with our weaknesses as one tempted in every way as we are…

Luke provides a genealogy of Jesus just as He begins His earthly ministry. From the line of David and Abraham, Jesus fits the requirements of being the Messiah, but Luke's record traces Jesus' roots all the way to Adam and ultimately to God. Being the Second Adam, Jesus does was the First couldn't. He lives a perfect and obedient life so that all c…

As John the Baptist preaches from Isaiah about the coming Messiah, many wonder how they can live according to the high standard of the law. True heart change doesn't come from behavior modification, it isn't earned or found within someone's own willpower; it is only through Jesus Himself.על ידי Rivercrest Presbyterian Church

Jesus grew in favor with God and man. As any human grows, so did the Son of God. He perfectly honored His earthly mother and father, while also perfectly honoring His Heavenly Father. Jesus at the age of 12 stays behind at the Temple to keep growing in wisdom and stature in the Lord, having an understanding of His role in the plan of redemption and…

As the angels appear to the shepherds, there is a humbling and beautiful reality taking place. Though Joseph and Mary are to listen to Caesar Augustus, the real King is being born in a stable. And the command from the Lord to His angels isn't to go tell it to the Roman leaders, the people in positions of power - but to the least of these. Shepherds…

The Lord comes, not just to the affluent, and not just to the most prominent, but the witness of Scripture is that He comes to the needy, He comes to those who understand that without Him coming to us, we'd have no way of getting to Him. And Mary serves as a model for us, not for how to earn the favor of the Lord, but as a model for receiving the g…

In the ordinary life of Zechariah and Elizabeth, the Lord remembered them and His promises to His people. God meets us in the same way, in our lives to love Him with our heart, soul, mind, and strength; and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Zechariah is sent home to tell the truth and good news to his wife, not change the world. Christians today …

The gospel of Luke begins with the goal of a witness and his pattern for presenting the truth of Jesus Christ. Luke is believable not because of his convincing arguments or intelligent writing, but because of his real-time witness of the Son of God. And why does he write this? So that all who read his account will have certainty about Jesus.…