Jesus and the Pharisees

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Jesus and the Pharisees

Jesus, Unexpected Encounters

May 16, 2024 • Dr. John Neufeld • Luke 7:29–50

Some reject Jesus because He doesn't dance to their tune. Since Jesus didn't fulfill the expectations of the Pharisees, they rejected Him. But Jesus didn't reject them. Jesus willingly went to the house of a Pharisee named Simon and accepted his hospitality. Dr. John teaches that this social occasion became a lesson on grace and gratitude. Even the enemies of Jesus were invited to grace.

Jesus and His Call

May 31, 2024 • Dr. John Neufeld • Luke 9:49–62

It is easy, too easy, to focus on those opposed to us. We are prone to devising tactics against them. Today we hear Jesus say that there are not as many enemies as we imagine, and those that truly are enemies do not require our vengeance. What is required is to follow Jesus in absolute surrender - even if it means a cross. We think we know people. We put them into boxes of our expectations and then treat them accordingly. Jesus is different. He responded not to stereotypes, but to people. He reached out to those who were on the periphery of cultural acceptance. In this series from Luke 7-9, Dr. John will show how Jesus dispensed with cultural walls. He came to save sinners regardless of who they were. That includes us.

Jesus and the Desire for Greatness

May 30, 2024 • Dr. John Neufeld • Luke 9:37–48

We all want to succeed. We want our lives to matter, to make a difference, even to glorify God. But our hopes for success can morph into a need to succeed. We can become competitive and vain. Repeatedly Jesus teaches the 12 about humility. In today's passage Dr. John points to the limitations of the disciples and shows Jesus turning to a child as the example for our souls.

Jesus and His Glory

May 29, 2024 • Dr. John Neufeld • Luke 9:28–36

Have you ever looked at someone you knew and saw them in a new light? Perhaps you see your son/daughter, no longer as a child, but a parent caring for their own children. Maybe your spouse is publicly honoured for a significant achievement. In these situations, your understanding grows of the one you know. Dr. John walks us through the transfiguration of Jesus. The disciples saw Jesus in a new light. They saw Him as He was, is and always will be - the glorious Son of God.