Sermons by Michael Andrus (Page 38)
Luke 13:10-30
Clues to the Kingdom Introduction: Please turn to Luke 13 with me, and we will read verses 10-30: On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” Then he put his hands on her, and immediately…
Luke 14:1-24
Table Talk: Parables About Banquet Invitations Introduction: Four days from now most of us will be gathered around a table for Thanksgiving Dinner with our families. Some of us will invite others to enjoy that meal with us—perhaps some very special friends or a new family in the neighborhood or an international student. Suppose you invited a dozen guests for Thanksgiving Dinner. In the middle of the meal one of them did something really offensive to everyone else, then instead of apologizing he…
Luke 14:25-35
Come at All Cost, But Count the Cost Introduction: I love odd-numbered years because there are no national elections. I never cease to be amazed at the fact that so many politicians in our country, of both major parties, are so willing to tell people whatever they want to hear: lower taxes, inflation, and crime rates; higher Social Security checks, farm prices, and employment. Anyone teetering on the brink of indecision is wooed by grandiose promises of less work, more money, and a…
Luke 15:1-24
Lost and Found Introduction: Please give attention to the Word of God, as found in the 15th chapter of Luke: “Now the tax collectors and “sinners” were all gathering around to hear him. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the…
Luke 15:11-32
What’s So Amazing About Grace? Note: This sermon was preached at First Free St. Louis in a series on Marks of a Healthy Church. Please give attention to the Word of God, as found in the 15th chapter of Luke, beginning in verse 11. Jesus has just told two fascinating parables–one about a lost sheep and another about a lost coin: Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of…
Luke 15:25-32; 1 Timothy 1:12-17
The Other Prodigal Son Introduction: Today is Christmas Sunday. The music and worship have drawn our attention to Advent in a special way, but if you looked at the sermon title and outline, you might wonder whether the pastor even knows it’s Christmas. Yes, and before I’m done, I think you will understand why I’ve chosen to continue with Luke 15 this Sunday. While not in itself an Advent passage, I trust that the message of Christmas will come through loud and clear. Our…
Luke 16:1-9
A Bad Man’s Good Example Note: This sermon was preached at First Free Wichita in 2004 in a series on Finding Financial Freedom. Introduction: Every one of us in this room this morning has a set of priorities, a ranking, if you will, of those things that we consider the most important in the world. I’m sure if asked to put these priorities on paper, most of us would probably list God first, family second, then work, church, friends, and country in some…
Luke 16:19-31
Rich Man, Poor Man: Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus Introduction: Our Scripture text for today comes from the Gospel of Luke, chapter 16, verses 19-31. This whole chapter is about money. It opens with the parable about the Shrewd Manager–a parable we studied together last October. Jesus’ point in the chapter is to underscore the link between money and spirituality. He indicated that man must love God and use money instead of using God and loving money. But because of His teaching the…
Luke 17:20-37, 21:5-36
Remember Lot’s Wife Introduction: Surely one of the most fascinating stories in the Bible is the story of Lot and his wife, as recorded in Genesis 13-19. Lot was a nephew of Abraham, living about 21 centuries before Christ. He and Abraham grew very wealthy in livestock, and their herdsmen began to quarrel over grazing rights in the Negev. Abraham wisely suggested they split up before the conflict escalated, and he even gave Lot first choice of where to live. Lot rather selfishly chose…
Luke 18:1-14
Profound Parables on Prayer Introduction: I love the parables of Jesus. He was an incredible storyteller and the characters really come alive. But I don’t like His parables on prayer—they are so very convicting. Please follow with me as we read two back-to-back parables from Luke 18:1-14: Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. And there…
Luke 18:15-34
What Must I Do to Receive Eternal Life? Introduction: Anyone who takes seriously the responsibility of sharing his faith with unbelievers knows that one of the most important aspects of evangelism is finding an opening to bring the Gospel into a conversation. Last Tuesday I was returning from a short trip to Minneapolis and happened to be seated next to a man on his way to Fort Lauderdale for business. We struck up a conversation, first about the weather (that’s always a good…
Luke 19:1-10
Zacchaeus: Can You Change Your Reputation at Work? Introduction: The question posed in my sermon title today is one that may not seem relevant to everyone here, because some of you don’t have a problem with your reputation at work. But some of you may. And all of you know people who do. It is my hope that this message will give you hope that people can change. Of course, it works both ways. We need to be aware also that one bad decision, one careless act…