Luke

Lifting Up the Very Old and Very Young

February 26, 2023 • Pastor Mark Reynolds • Luke 1:46–53

This is the first message in our 2023 Lent series on Jesus in the Gospel of Luke. Some of the most beloved stories and parables are found only in Luke, including the story of Zacchaeus, the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, the parable of the good Samaritan, the parable of the prodigal son, and Jesus’s resurrection appearance on the road to Emmaus. As we pay close attention to the stories that are only found in Luke, we begin to see something unique about Jesus, namely his empowering relationships with outsiders, outcasts, and outlaws. In this message, we reflect on how God chooses the very old, the very young, and those of low status.

How Jesus Elevated Women

March 5, 2023 • Pastor Mark Reynolds • Luke 8:1–3

March is Women's History Month, and in this message, we continue our Lenten series on Jesus in the Gospel of Luke by focusing on the vital role that women played in Jesus' ministry and continue to play in the church today.

Lifting Up the Humble, Lost, and Poor

March 12, 2023 • Pastor Mark Reynolds • Luke 18:9–14

In this message, we look at three parables unique to the Gospel of Luke: (1) the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, (2) the Prodigal Son, and (3) the Rich man and Lazarus. In these stories, we see how God longs to lift up the humble, the lost, and the poor.

Lifting Up the Sick, the Outcast, and the Other

March 19, 2023 • Pastor Mark Reynolds • Luke 17:11–17

Human beings tend to demonize difference, and this sometimes causes us to dehumanize "the other," including the religious other, the racial other, and the political other. It can also cause us to treat people more as contaminates than persons of sacred worth. But his mission to lift up the lowly, Jesus teaches us to love our enemy and treat all people with human dignity and respect. Who is "the other" for you and what is God asking you to change in the way you see them and treat them?

Lifting Up the Wealthy Who Are Lowly

March 26, 2023 • Pastor Mark Reynolds • Luke 23:32–49

When we think of people who are lowly, we usually think of the poor, but wealthy people can be lowly too. Check out this message to see how and what Jesus does to lift them up and offer a life that is truly abundant.

Lifting Up the Outlaw and Criminal

April 2, 2023 • Pastor Mark Reynolds • Luke 23:32–49

In this message, we see how Jesus continues to lift up the lowly even while dying on the cross. Just as he included the outsider and outcast, in his final hours he included the outlaw, showing that no one is beyond the reach of God's forgiveness and saving grace. A church member named John wrote to us, "After hearing this message on Sunday, especially the illustration Pastor Mark used to help us understand the power of forgiveness, I immediately decided to forgive someone who did something horrible to me 30 years ago."

The Crucified and Resurrected Life

April 9, 2023 • Pastor Mark Reynolds • Luke 24:1–35

What does the death and resurrection of Jesus mean for us today? How does it transform us? How does it invite us to a new way of life? In this message, Pastor Mark shows us how Jesus lifts-up the lowly to the very end by defeating the powers of sin, evil, and death and giving us a hope that can sustain any season of suffering. You don't want to miss this inspiring Easter message!

First UMC of Cocoa Beach

Jesus and the Outsiders, Outcasts, and Outlaws