St. Luke Columbus

This week we hear from some of our students and how God is working in their lives!

God opens doors when we feel confused about what to do next. We can devote ourselves to prayer and ask God to open doors for each of us to share the Gospel with people, especially those on our prayer list. When we spend time in listening prayer we will grow in wisdom and be able to more clearly see the doors that God is opening for us. With that wise foundation we will more likely make the most of every opportunity to share our faith and speak in ways that are full of grace, seasoned with sincerity and tact, and be confident that we are giving truthful answers to questions we are asked.   Next Step: Begin the practice of listening prayer by asking God, “What is a door you are opening for me to share part of my faith story?”   Lessons: Exodus 14:10-14, Colossians 4:2-6, Luke 11:1-13   Watch: stlukecolumbus.com/ondemand   Subscribe to our Youtube channel

When we allow the Word of Christ to dwell within us richly, the Lord connects us to others in life-giving and grace-filled ways.   What's Next?  Continually open your heart to the presence of Christ and the message of the Gospel.  Let God do the work in you to bring about a change in the relationships around you   Lessons: Genesis 4:1-12, Colossians 3:1-17, John 17:20-24   Watch: stlukecolumbus.com/ondemand   Subscribe to our Youtube channel

When I am rooted in faith in Jesus, I am virtually untouchable, free from worldly harm.   Next Step: Reflect upon what my roots look like and practice spiritual breathing to continually ensure we are being built up in Him   Lessons: Psalm 66:1-12, Colossians 2:6-15, Luke 11:14-28   Watch: stlukecolumbus.com/ondemand   Subscribe to our Youtube channel

God holds all things together when life is falling apart. God not only created all that exists, God also continues to preserve us. God protects and guards us from every evil. Because all the fullness of God dwells in Jesus, we can learn the extent to which God goes to hold all things together for us. Because of our corruption of God’s creation, our lives sometimes are falling apart, but through the work of Jesus God holds all things together for us.      Next Step: Identify one area of your life that you think is starting to fall apart. Be present with the feelings that come with this experience. But, trust the words that God is holding all things together. Pray the “God Holds All Things Together For Me” prayer when life seems to be falling apart.     Lessons: Psalm 33:1-22, Colossians 1:15-23, John 1:1-5, 14-18   Watch: stlukecolumbus.com/ondemand   Subscribe to our Youtube channel

As human beings, certain questions seem to constantly echo in our hearts and minds: What is God doing/not doing? What am I supposed to do with my life now that I have graduated/have kids/am at mid-life/am facing retirement/am retired/experience life with diminishing physical abilities? Is my life headed in the right direction?   As many of us take a vacation break from work during the summer, we have the great assurance that God continues to work for our good in all things. As we grow in our knowledge of how God works, we are compelled to love God all the more and respond by living a life that is pleasing to God, doing the fruitful work that God has for us.   Next Step:Commit to praying for someone in your life that God fill this person “with the knowledge of God’s will through spiritual wisdom and understanding” and he or she might “live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way.”   Lessons: Ezekiel 3:1-6, Colossians 1:3-14, Mark 1:14-28   Watch: stlukecolumbus.com/ondemand   Subsc

We all want our lives to mean something beyond ourselves. When we make time to help others through service, generosity, or telling them about Jesus, we experience what it means to unleash God's love. Next Step: Take one step towards establishing the habit of serving, inviting, and giving to meet the hopes and hurts of others. Do this in response to how Jesus has loved you and in the name of Jesus.   Lessons: Acts 2:1-21, James 2:14-17, John 15:1-7   Watch: stlukecolumbus.com/ondemand   Subscribe to our Youtube channel

There are times when we all feel lonely and disconnected from other people. God didn't design us to go through life alone. Studies today indicate that we live more disconnected than ever in our culture today. One way we provide the care and connection we all need is by forming life groups. Life groups are groups that become friends who live out their faith together, which is essential as we grow to become more like Jesus.   Lessons: Genesis 2:7-9, 15-23, Hebrews 10:23-25, John 17:20-26   Watch: stlukecolumbus.com/ondemand     Subscribe to our Youtube channel

We come to trust in Jesus through learning God’s Word. People can learn of God’s love in many ways. God is certainly notlimited to one way. The primary way, however, that people learn of God’s love is through the preaching of God’s Word. God’s Word is preached and people learn of God’s love during worship at St. Luke.  Worship is our primary churchwide ministry connected with learning God’s love. We also learn God’s Word through personal time with God in Bible reading and prayer which helps us to love God intimately.   Next Step: Increase the amount of time you spend in learning God’s Word.   Lessons: Deuteronomy 30:11-16, Romans 10:8-17, John 3:16-21   Watch: stlukecolumbus.com/ondemand   Subscribe to our Youtube channel

Paul tells the church in Ephesus that we are to be “imitators of God…and live a life of love” (5:1-2). In this increasingly fractured, divided culture, it is imperative that Christians live this “new command” from Christ. Love changes lives.    Next step: Pray for your enemies and intentionally do good to them.   Lessons: Acts 11:1-18, Psalm 148, Ephesians 4:25-5:3, John 13:31-35   Watch: stlukecolumbus.com/ondemand   Subscribe to our Youtube channel

In Christ we have all received, as John says, “grace upon grace” (John 1:16). Doubts, fear, shame, guilt, temptation, sin, etc. threaten to disqualify us from God’s grace, but they cannot remove God’s favor from us.   Next step: Define yourself as beloved.   Lessons: Acts 9:36-43, Psalm 23, Romans 8:31-39, John 10:22-30   Watch: stlukecolumbus.com/ondemand   Subscribe to our Youtube channel

This Sunday, we are pleased to welcome Rev. Bob Abrams, Assistant to the Bishop, to install Pastor Mike into service at St. Luke. He preached on the challenges of sharing the gospel in a culture which is increasing living without it. Lessons: Acts 9:1-6, Revelation 5:11-14, John 21:1-19 Watch: stlukecolumbus.com/ondemand   Subscribe to our Youtube channel

Our eternal relationship with God is based on trust. There can be no other basis for an eternal relationship. God must trust us to remain obedient to his values and we must trust in God to provide what we need for eternity. When what we are counting on in this life is shaken and we can no longer walk by sight, we enter the faith zone.   Next Step: Each day this week, pray the Walking By Faith prayer.   Lessons: Genesis 15:1-18, 2 Corinthians 5:1-8, John 20:19-31   Watch: stlukecolumbus.com/ondemand   Subscribe to our Youtube channel

This podcast features confirmation students sharing their essays, "Who is Jesus to Me?"

The Word of Forgiveness - "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." Luke 23:34 - Speaker: Ron Dimmerling   The Word of Promise - "Today you shall be with me in paradise." Luke 23:43 - Speaker: Peter Chang   The Word of Love - "Woman, behold your son! Behold your mother!" John 19:26-27 - Speaker: Greg Osborne   The Word of Loneliness - "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Matthew 27:46 - Speaker: Charlotte McCullough   The Word of Suffering - "I thirst." John 19:28 - Speaker: Kari Brown   The Word of Victory - "It is finished." John 19:30 - Speaker: Laura Whistler   The Word of Trust - "Father, into Your hands I commend my spirit." Luke 23:46 - Speaker: Pastor Steve Brown

We all have times when we neglect, betray, abandon, or deny from following Jesus. In a short period of time on the night when Jesus was arrested all of the disciples either neglected, betrayed, abandoned, or denied faithfully following Jesus. In this sermon we will explore how we do the same and turn that into a confession of our sin.   Next Step: Identify how you have neglected, betrayed, abandoned, or denied following Jesus and then ask God to forgive you.   Lessons: Luke 22:1-6, John 13:21b-8, 16:32-33, Mark 14:26, 32-54, 66-72

When Jesus raises us out of our dead self-centered existence, he gives us the new life of living for others. With the new hope of eternal life before us, we can live this life focused on meeting the hopes and hurts of others. Nothing that happens to us in this life can take away the hope we have and therefore we are free from the cares of this world to serve, invite, and give to meet the hopes and hurts of others.   Next Step: Meditate on the eternal life that you have in Jesus and let that lead you to be less concerned for your present life and more concerned for the eternal destiny of others.   Lessons: Isaiah 65:17-19, Romans 6:1-5, John 20:1-23   Watch: stlukecolumbus.com/ondemand   Subscribe to our Youtube channel

We are simultaneously fully justified and fully sinful. Simul justus et peccator.The juxta position of Palm Sunday and Good Friday well illustrates this theological truth. On one day the crowds shouted praise to Jesus and then a few days later they shouted “Crucify him!” Beyond a pedantic theological formula, this truth is practically helpful and encouraging for us in honestly understanding our condition before God and our need for Jesus. To live within the tension of this truth is to honestly walk the path of understanding that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. This helps us to avoid two great holds of the evil one, shame and pride.         Next Step: Say to yourself, “I am fully made right with God and fully a sinner deserving God’s punishment.   Lessons: Psalm 51:3-12, Ephesians 2:1-10, Matthew 21:7-11, Mark 15:1-15   Watch: stlukecolumbus.com/ondemand   Subscribe to our Youtube channel

It has been sixteen years since we welcomed an ordained pastor into our church family. The coming of Pastor Mike Weaver will work best if we all fully accept him as a pastoral leader that God has called to St. Luke. This Sunday, Pastor Steve will preach a sermon titled Accepting A New Pastoral Leader. This sermon will offer teaching and guidelines for welcoming Pastor Mike and his family and help us accept that he will share equally with Pastor Steve in the preaching, pastoral care, and leadership of our congregation.     Pastor Mike will begin his ministry at St. Luke on Tuesday, April 23. Next Step: Begin to accept that Pastor Mike will equally share with Pastor Steve in the preaching, pastoral care, and leadership of our congregation.      Lessons: Numbers 27:15-23, 2 Timothy 4:1-5, John 13:3-17, 20   Watch: stlukecolumbus.com/ondemand   Subscribe to our Youtube channel

When God has brought you through the wilderness, live the new life God has for you. Once God has delivered us from our old, fearful, self-centered, and sin-dead life, we are free and equipped to bring God’s reconciliation to others.   Next step: Stop looking back at your old sin-dead life.   Lessons: Joshua 5:9-12, 2 Corinthians 5:16-21, Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32   Watch: stlukecolumbus.com/ondemand   Subscribe to our Youtube channel