We live in a busy world and our own lives can often be hectic. With endless to-do lists and booked up calendars, Jesus reminds us that there is one thing necessary: to sit at His feet and listen to His Word.

Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan reminds us who our neighbour is, while also calling us to worship the One who supremely showed neighbourly compassion by rescuing sinners from their sin.

The foundation of joy is our salvation by the God who delights to save. Whatever the season – the ebbs, flows, valleys and mountains of our walk with God – this is one joy that will never disappear and never disappoint. 

Being on mission, proclaiming the kingdom of God's arrival in Jesus and calling people to peace with God in Him - this is labour. Yet, we have the assurance that the harvest is plentiful and God is in the business of raising up workers and redeeming souls. The fallout of people's response to our witness will either be judgement or salvation.

Jesus puts a cost on living. Previously, he had taught His disciples that to lose one’s life for His sake is to save it. To truly live, Jesus says, is to deny yourself and follow Him. Jesus explains that this will cost you your reputation, rest and relationships. The only way we will pay this price is if we've fixed our gaze on the One who first set His face toward us. 

To follow Jesus means that He is in control; our life plays out on His terms. Like Jesus’ first disciples, we find this a difficult reality to accept. So, what exactly does it look like to follow Jesus on His terms? Jesus explains that it looks like faith and humility.  

The Transfiguration was an assurance to Jesus of His glory, mission and identity. It was through this event like that Jesus was prepared to suffer for our salvation. The Transfiguration also reminds us of the importance of hearing Jesus and hoping in Jesus. It’s because of Him that we’re assured and destined for glory; destined to step from the foyer of this world into the spectacular, all-consuming, indescribable beauty of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ.

In a culture that believes self-denial is a morally wrong and lives by the creed ‘our chief purpose is to glorify and enjoy ourselves for all the time we have,’ Jesus' call in this passage is a hard sell. What exactly, then, does being Jesus' disciple look like? Jesus explains that to follow Him, our life will look like daily dying and unashamed living.

Our entire destiny - heaven and hell - hinges on how we answer the question Jesus asks: who do you say that I am? Jesus is both the Son of Man and the Suffering Servant; the One who brings salvation through suffering, dying and rising for His people. 

What are your defaults in finding satisfaction? To find satisfaction in Jesus alone will look like remembering His power and provision, asking Him to supply what we need without presuming we know best and resting in His ability to satisfy us with more of Himself.

We've all experienced on-the-job training. Jesus' apostles are no different. After a period of watching and listening to Jesus, they are sent out to preach, cast out demons and heal. As followers of Jesus, we are also on a mission to proclaim the arrival of God's kingdom in the Person and work of Jesus. This mission has a particular message (the gospel), means (God's Word and Spirit) and effect (accept or reject).

Who can you depend on to come through for you when you’re faced with difficulty? Whoever or whatever we lean on, things like disease and death leave us helpless and hopeless. In Luke's account of the bleeding woman and the bereaved man, we learn that when circumstances are overwhelming, when the situation goes from bad to worse and when all hope is lost, only those who put their faith in Jesus will never be let down.

The most dangerous men are those who have power with no restraint. In Luke 8, Jesus comes face to face with the demonic powers of darkness that have possessed a man. We see that all powers bend their knees to Jesus and Jesus uses His authority to save.

The disciples find themselves in danger in the place they felt most confident. Similarly, suffering has a way of revealing just how weak, vulnerable and dependent we are. Yet, faith's strong light in our stormy nights is Jesus. When your life hits the fan, Jesus’ settled sovereignty is the solid ground for your feet.

Jesus presses on the question of whether we’re serious about Him. In our relationships, someone reveals they’re serious by making the other person a priority and following through on what they say. In other words, being serious and committed is an issue of priority and practice. Jesus explains, similarly, that we show we’re serious about Him by the priority and practice of His Word.

Jesus tells us in the parable of the sower that how we hear God's Word is critically important. Good listening is needed as much as good preaching! The parable encourages us to ask if God's Word has taken root in our hearts and is bearing fruit in our lives.

Great forgiveness ought to lead to great change; to complete surrender and gratitude. If we’ve truly received God’s forgiveness we will be profoundly, truly changed. We see in Jesus’ interaction with a sinful woman and a Pharisee that His forgiveness changes how we see ourselves, we respond to Him and we relate to others.

To be human is to have expectations. We expect certain behaviour from our children, particular treatment from the waiter at a restaurant and definite quality in the purchases we make. What are our expectations of Jesus? What are our expectations of His messengers? In John the Baptist's question to Jesus and Jesus' teaching the people about John, we learn that Jesus may not do what we expect, but we are blessed when we trust Him.