Sunday Morning Podcast | The Moody Church

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?” Luke 9:23–25   Know God through Worship • We find ourselves, not within, but in worship.   Feed Your Soul through Community • We find fulfillment, not in autonomy, but in community.   Grow in Love through Service • We find meaning, not in success, but in service.   Change Your World through Mission • We find purpose, not in monuments, but in mission.   Takeaway: Jesus is inviting you on The Journey of a Lifetime… How will you choose to respond?

God is a missional God. The Father sends the Son to redeem the world. And Jesus sends us, His disciples, to the ends of the earth with the message of salvation by grace through faith in Him. We are commissioned by Jesus to show and share the love of God wherever we go.   All of us are sent out on mission by Jesus, and there are valuable lessons we need in this passage...   1. The Plan Jesus appoints 72 disciples, puts them into 36 pairs, and sends them out on mission into the towns and villages ahead of Him. This mission requires dependency. Go as Ambassadors of Kingdom Peace. 2. The Stakes As the 72 disciples go as ambassadors of kingdom peace, what’s on the line? With great light comes great responsibility. Go with a Message of Eternal Consequence. 3. The Joy From the weight of woes, now we turn to see the joys of blessing. Your name is written in heaven as a free gift of grace from your Father though the Son by the Spirit. Go in the Beloved Security of Divine Intimacy. Takeaway: Go

Have you ever come down from grand moment in life? You’re on this high and then you come down. Back to reality and it’s business as usual. It can be quite disorienting!   That’s similar to what’s happening with Jesus in Luke 9. He goes from glory on the mountaintop and then back down to this broken world. As this chapter closes, Luke narrates a raft of discipleship failures in rapid succession. You see, Jesus will soon depart. And the disciples are going to be the ones who will carry on this Gospel movement to the ends of the earth. But they’ve got a whole lot to learn from Jesus.   And they say the best way to learn is to learn from other peoples’ mistakes. So as the disciples get mired inthese pitfalls along the path, let’s lean in and learn from their mistakes. Because we need to learn the same lessons that Jesus is teaching them. So let’s join up with the twelve on the road with Jesus.   There are 6 Pitfalls on the path that can mire us as we seek to follow Jesus…   Pitfall #1 – Self-Reliance (Luk

“Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail th’ incarnate Deity! Pleased as man with man to dwell, Jesus our Immanuel.” - Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - Charles Wesley   In the incarnation, Jesus is God incognito. He is undercover, veiled, and among us in secret. Until Luke 9:28-36, when the veil is lifted and His glory is revealed.   1) The Glory Jesus is Gloriously Transfigured Moses and Elijah appear on the mountain and see Jesus for who he really is.   2) The Tents The Kingdom is Gloriously Tangible Peter asks to put up tents for Moses, Elijah, and Jesus. But he had forgotten that Jesus’ path to the crown must first pass through the cross.   3) The Cloud The Father Gloriously Testifies “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!” Peter followed Jesus through the cross to the crown!   Takeaway: Jesus is our Transfiguring Glory You will be glorious in Christ! C.S. Lewis once preached a sermon called “The Weight of Glory”: “...There are no ordinary people. You have never talk

Chapter 9 of the Gospel of Luke forms a hinge in the narrative. Up to this point, the key question has been, “Who is this Jesus?” And in Luke 9, that question begins to be answered and we see His glorious identity be revealed.   From this point on, Jesus is moving inexorably toward Jerusalem and to the crucifixion that awaits him there. So here we are, On the Road with Jesus. Up to Jerusalem, to the cross, and to glory. And He says to each one of us, “Come, follow me.” A Glorious Confession A Sobering Clarification A Dangerous Calling   A Glorious Confession Jesus is the long-awaited Davidic King   A Sobering Clarification Jesus’ path to the crown runs through the cross The Royal Road passes through suffering on the way to glory. Jesus is the One who shall wear the crown because He is the One who bore the cross.   A Dangerous Calling Jesus bids us follow Him through suffering into glory You must learn to die to yourself, in order to truly live. There’s no glory without s

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you” (John 20:19-21).   1. Fear is the Opposite of Faith (John 20:19a). “On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews” 2. Peace is the Christian Response (John 20:19b). Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). 3. The Cross Is Our Hope and Motivation (John 20:20). “When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when th

As we wake up in this universe, we find ourselves in the midst of a story that is already unfolding. But what is the story about? And how do we find our place in the story?   The Bible tells us we’re living in God’s story. It’s the story of a God who is on a mission to glorify His name by redeeming all people. It is a story that began at the dawn of creation and will continue until the renewal of all things.   When we discover God’s Story and realize what the Story is all about, we can find our place in the story. 6 Acts Creation, Fall, Israel, Redemption, Church, Renewal   Act I – Creation Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” From the very beginning, God’s heart beats for the entire world. Act II – Fall Genesis 3:15 This Promised Seed will reverse the curse and restore all that has been lost. God’s heart still beats for all His lost children, scattered amongst the nations. Act III – Israel Genesis 12:1-3 God is creating a people for Himself. Israel ma

Reputations are fragile things...you can spend a lifetime crafting a good reputation only to see it shattered by a moment of weakness, a lapse in judgment, and by sin. What do we do with our past? Are we always under the cloud, the indictment of our past actions?   Today, in John chapter 4, we have the privileges of pursuing what we hear from God and hopefully gain a kingdom perspective regarding reputations.   The context: The shortest distance to return to Galilee would be to go through the territory known as Samaria. But here’s the rub. The Jews and the Samaritans do not like each other.   Jesus did not go through Samaria to save time, Jesus did not go through Samaria to save steps; Jesus went to Samaria to save a Samaritan woman.   Takeaways: Who is Jesus to you? What does Jesus say to you, about you? Why share the Gospel?

Listening to God. Barriers to hearing from God. Be transformed by the Word.   Takeaway: Be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to become angry.

In the Book of Acts—which is the second part of Dr. Luke’s two-volume set of historical works—we find Jesus’ core disciples, the Apostles, turning the world upside down. They’re boldly preaching and going to the ends of the earth to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus!   But that’s not where they began. Before Jesus showed up, the twelve disciples were just ordinary people. But what we’re seeing, in these Gospel accounts, is Jesus training up His twelve disciples.   And we too have been sent out by Jesus to change our world! But every mission requires training. Today, we get to listen in on Jesus’ Masterclass as He prepares His disciples for their mission. There’s so much we can learn from The Training of the Twelve.   This is Jesus’ Masterclass where he gives three crucial lessons: A Lesson in Dependency A Lesson in Vulnerability A Lesson in Inadequacy   1. A Lesson in Dependency When you step out into the unknown, I will take care of you. When we live on mission, Christ is our provision. 2. A

Have you ever noticed that the heroes we most admire—in the books we read and in the films we watch—always combine the paradoxical traits of grit and grace?   And the paradox of those traits is important. It’s easy to be strong and grow hard and calloused. It’s easy to be sensitive and grow soft and battered. In other words, choosing one side of the paradox is the usual course of things. But to put both sides of the paradox together, therein lies true heroism.   In chapter eight of the Gospel of Luke, we find Jesus embodying this kind of paradoxical heroism. Not only is He mighty and strong, but He is also tender and compassionate, full of mercy and care.   Let's walk slowly through these three stories, each of them in the care of Jesus. A Distraught Father A Desperate Woman A Devastated Child   1. A Distraught Father (Luke 8:40–42) Jesus hears our heart’s cry. Our Triune God is quick to respond to our heart’s cries with deep compassion. Won’t you bring your heart’s cry to Jesus?   2.

You know that moment in a superhero movie where all of a sudden the hero’s true identity is revealed, usually to a close friend? As an audience member, in that moment it’s like you’re in on the secret.   In the Gospel of Luke, we’ve seen Jesus revealing bits and pieces of who He is. Everyone’s asking, “Who is this Jesus?” But today marks a pivotal moment in the story because the hero’s true identity begins to be unveiled.   Jesus is with His closest friends and decides to let them in on the secret of His cosmic power. Jesus is lifting the veil, revealing His true identity, and we get to be part of the inner circle.   1. The Uncontrollable Storm Jesus is the Commander of nature At His Word, the wind and waves respond.   2. The Unassailable Captive Jesus is the Commander of the supernatural. Satan and his demons submit to Jesus.   3. The Untamable Lord Jesus is the Commander of all. Jesus is doing the work of God himself.   Takeaway: Jesus commands our attention   This is more th

It's human nature to not hear as well as we think we do. Even though our ears are open, we’re not very good at listening.   In our marriages, parenting, friendships, or with colleagues; If we could just learn to listen well, it would transform our relationships. If that’s true when it comes to our human relationships, just imagine how true it must be when it comes to our relationship with God!   In this passage, Jesus is going to teach us how to listen to the Word of God using parables. He’s showing us that the Word of God is like: A Seed in the Soil A Light in the House A Bond in the Family   1. A Seed in the Soil God is the sower, His Word is the seed that brings life, and our hearts are the soil. Hold fast to the Word.   2. A Light in the House God’s Word is like a lamp that shines upon our lives, exposing everything. Open up to the Light.   3. A Bond in the Family When we choose to listen to the Word of God, we show ourselves to be children of God and members of His family. Be part

When three people from totally different worlds collide together in one space, you never know what’s going to happen!   Well, something like that is happening at the end of Luke 7. A Pharisee, Jesus, and a Sinner all end up at the same dinner. Who knows what’s going to happen? Whatever it is, it’s going to be crazy.   Throughout this passage, let's look at each of the main characters in turn... The Sinner The Pharisee The Forgiver And together we’ll discover The Grace Awakening.     1.The Sinner When Simon the Pharisee invited Jesus over to his home, a sinful woman walked in, fell at Jesus’ feet, and washed them in perfume ointment and her tears.   God eagerly welcomes every repentant sinner. No one is beyond the forgiveness of God!     2. The Pharisee For Simon, it was a risk to his religious moralism to invite Jesus over for dinner because of his reputation of eating with sinners and tax collectors.   God is never impressed by our religious moralism. There is no one righteous, no n

  In these early days of His ministry, Jesus has been disclosing more and more of His authority and power. He’s cast out demons, forgiven sins, and most recently he’s raised the dead.   Everyone is asking the question: Who is this Jesus?   Some consider Him a healer; others think He’s a great prophet. Still, others wonder if He’s the Messiah who would restore the Kingdom and make all things new. And just when it seems like there can be no doubt of who this Jesus is, doubt arises from the most unlikely source, John the Baptist.   John the Baptist began to wonder out loud if Jesus really was the Messiah. What gives rise to this doubt is stemming from John the Baptist’s Disappointment with God. John had all these expectations and Jesus wasn’t delivering on them.   Disappointment with God is something many of us can relate to. In this passage we find three scenarios in which disappointment with God so often arises. When Hope is Deferred When Prayers go Unanswered When Desires are Frustrated   Wh

1,991 years ago, a Galilean carpenter turned Rabbi, who’d been crucified and buried for three days, arose and walked out of his tomb alive! In a moment that changed history forever, Jesus revealed His death-defying life for all the world to see!   Let’s go back 3 years before that Resurrection morning to the early days of Jesus’ ministry. Jesus has performed miraculous signs. Everyone marveled at His authority and power; they’d never seen anything like it!   And now, Jesus is about to reveal His astonishing authority over death and His power of resurrection life! And for some, this was the day they got their lives back!   In this passage we discover Jesus as... The Rescuer The Restorer The Resurrection   The Rescuer: Jesus banished death to rescue life. He simply speaks and death flees! Jesus is the Word made flesh. His word is life. The Centurion and his servant got their lives back.   The Restorer: Jesus plundered death to restore life. He reached down into death and reclaimed

What is a good person? It’s quite an important question. Have you ever felt like you knew someone who seemed like such a good person and then one day, it all came crashing down?    Have you ever wondered if you are a good person?    Consider these 4 parables that Jesus preaches in the Sermon of the Plain:  The Blind Leading the Blind  The Speck and the Log  The Fruit and the Tree  The House Built on a Rock    In each of these 4 parables, Jesus offers a critique and a calling, as he teaches us what it means to be a good person.    The Blind Leading the Blind  Critique: You’re helplessly lost in the dark. You can’t see to save yourself.  Calling: I’m here to lead you into the light.  If you want to become a good person, you need to step into the light.  Jesus is here to lead you into the light.    The Speck and the Log  Critique: You’re obsessed with the problems of others.  A symptom of our spiritual blindness is easily identifying the sins of others while remaining oblivious t

When comparing Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain in Luke with Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in Matthew, we get the same core message. But in Luke, Jesus is much more efficient and to the point.   This means in Luke, we’re getting the core of Jesus’ central message. There are 3 major elements: The Blessings and Woes What is the good life? The Ethics of Love What is the good way? The Closing Parables What is a good person? Today, our focus is on that middle section - Jesus’ Ethics of Love: What is the good way?   We will be following three key phrases that build into one complete sentence: Love your enemies as your Father does, with overflowing mercy. Love Your Enemies By loving your enemies you are: Embracing the Kingdom of Heaven. Breaking the cycle of violence. Reclaiming your agency. Opening up a window of grace. The good way overcomes evil with good. As Your Father Does The good way to love your enemies is to love even when it’s not reciprocal. We were once God’

Jesus has been causing quite a stir up in Galilee. Many are drawing near in astonishment and faith. While others are recoiling back in skepticism and disbelief. Jesus’ own followers are starting to feel the heat. They’ve left everything and followed Him. Now the Pharisees are starting to question where their loyalties lie.   Of course, we know the answer. Because in Luke 6:12-16, we read that Jesus called his disciples to Himself and chose twelve of them to join His inner circle as Apostles. They’ve decided to go “all in” with Jesus.   And with these words, Jesus begins what scholars call “The Sermon on the Plain.” It bears many similarities to the Sermon on the Mount recorded in Matthew. In both sermons, Jesus begins the same, “Makarios!” Which means blessed, happy, well-off, and favored. It’s the Good Life!   In these opening verses, Jesus is answering three crucial questions: Who has the Good Life? What is the Good Life? Where is the Good Life?   1. Who has the Good Life? The good life be

A Personal God The God of History The God of Liberation A Holy God Takeaway: God – not nature – is the ultimate foundation of our existence. And, as he has shown us in history, he is on our side.