“He breaks the power of canceled sin, he sets the prisoner free; His blood can make the foulest clean; his blood availed for me.”
—Charles Wesley, “O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing”
What God Intends to Do With Us in Each Others Lives (Colossians 3:12-17)
“There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”
—The Apostle Paul to the Christians in Ephesus
Jesus Rules Over the World, the Flesh, and the Devil (Luke 4:16-37)
“Lord, while we see whole nations die,
Our flesh and sense repine and cry,
Must death for ever rage and reign?
Or hast thou made mankind in vain?
Where is thy promise to the just?
Are not thy servants turned to dust?
But faith forbids these mournful sighs,
And sees the sleeping dust arise.”
—Isaac Watts
Jesus: Faithful Humanity, Faithful Servant, Faithful Son (Luke 4:1-15)
“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”
—Psalm 119:11 (NIV)
Jesus: Son of God (Luke 3:21-38)
“When He took the three disciples to the mountainside to pray
His countenance was modified, His clothing was aflame
Two men appeared, Moses and Elijah came
They were at his side
The prophecy, the legislation spoke of whenever he would die”
— Sufjan Stevens, “The Transfiguration”
The Fruit of Repentance (Luke 3:1-22)
“Repentance exhorts people to be fair with others and meet basic needs with fundamental aid. This is what God desires of those who know he is present and coming: a concern for him is expressed through concern for others.”
—Darrell L. Bock, A Commentary on Luke
The Certainty of Jesus (Luke 2:41-52)
“Crown Him with many crowns,
The Lamb upon His throne;
Hark! how the heav’nly anthem drowns
All music but its own!
Awake, my soul, and sing
Of Him who died for thee,
And hail Him as thy matchless King
Through all eternity.”
—“Crown Him with Many Crowns”
Wait and Hope (Luke 2:22-40)
“All human wisdom is contained in these two words — Wait and Hope.”
—Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo
The Good News (Luke 2:1-21)
“Christian humanism is not based on the presumption that our humanity is self-justifying. Rather Christians are humanists because God showed up in Mary’s belly.”
—Stanley Hauerwas
God Is a Promise-Making and a Promise-Keeping God (Luke 1:57-80)
“Memory is power. The person who says that history is bunk, or that the past is gone and all that matters is today, just doesn’t know much about real life. In real life memory has tremendous power to inspire and guide.”
—John Piper, Pastor & Author