Bent Oak Church

We are taking a closer look at Jesus' sermon on the plain. Jesus's warning about judgment is perhaps among his most well-known words. But do we really understand what Jesus was saying? We reexamine this section of Jesus' sermon and heed his warning to pay close attention to the log in our own eye. 

Having begun his sermon on the mount with the beatitudes, Jesus next turned his attention to the topic of love. And not just any love. Jesus commanded his followers to love their enemies. We take a closer look at how to love and Jesus' logic for the real source of loving enemies. 

Jesus went up on the mountain to pray. Coming down, he gathered his twelve disciples and, before the crowd, laid out a surprising series of blessings and warnings. Jesus spoke with remarkable clarity, neither distracted by the crowd's approval nor by the scribe's opposition. 

Controversy continued to build around Jesus. The Pharisees watched Jesus's disciples plucking grain on the Sabbath and asked why they did not keep it holy. The controversy grew worse when Jesus healed a man with a withered hand. But Jesus saw things very differently. Quoting from the scriptures, he explained that "the son of man was lord of the sabbath."

The Pharisees continued their objections. Jesus may have come to call sinners to repentance, but his ministry didn't look like one of repentance. Jesus's disciples were busy eating and drinking. So Jesus turned to the image of marriage and God's promise to restore his bride. 

As Luke records the crowds continuing to grow and the Pharisees increasingly suspicious, he also records Jesus's recognition of certain individuals whom he called to be his disciples. We have seen Jesus's call of Peter who was cleaning his nets, in this weeks passage we look at Jesus's call of Levi who sat at his tax booth.

Frank Kendrick shares his story of God's faithfulness as we wrap up our Immanuel series this Christmas season.

David Roush kicks off our Immanuel series by sharing his testimony of how God has been with him even in unseen times. 

Kristen Kansiewicz continues our Immanuel series by exploring what it means follow a "with us God," and how we can place our lives daily in his presence. 

The crowds came because Jesus was doing miracles. Even the religious leaders came having heard about his power and authority. But Jesus turned their attention to sin and his desire to forgive sins. We take a closer look at our tendency to overlook sin and why it was central to Jesus's ministry.