Unchained Challenge: Luke 3

Scripture: Luke 3:4 “A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him’.”

Observation: Luke uses the quote above from Isaiah to describe John the Baptist’s ministry as a mission of proclamation, aka preaching. John came to preach during a dry desert-like time for the Jews. The Jews were being oppressed by the Roman government. They Jewish race was demoralized and desperate. Many of them were poor and all of them under the thumb of the Roman government, except those who sided with the Romans against their own Jewish people. John’s preaching was primarily aimed at raising people up who have been brought low by life. John was called to preach in a way that would help demoralized Jews see themselves not through the eyes of their Roman oppression but through the lens of the rule and reign of God.

Application: I believe God has called me to preach in a way that elevates those brought low. Good news sets captives free. A preacher is called to be a “voice calling in the desert” that helps hopeless and hurting people to see “God’s salvation” in Christ. I want to preach in a way that causes a hopeless case to become hopeful, a racist to see people as God’s creation, a legalist to find love, an addict to get clean, etc.

Prayer: Lord, when I am tempted to use preaching to bring people low or beat them up, remind me of this verse. When I cry out in the desert of life’s dryness, please empower my voice to set captives free by the power of Christ.   

Unchained Challenge: Luke 2

Scripture: Luke 2:40 And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom and the grace of God was upon him.

Observation: I am not only struck by this verse, but by the entire section (Luke 2:8-51). There are three words that jump off the page at me throughout this chapter- grace, Spirit, and wisdom. It seems that God graces certain people with the presence of his Spirit which brings wisdom. God favors the shepherds with his grace and they immediately possess a wisdom that enables them to recognize Jesus as the cosmic King. Simeon and Anna, two saintly seniors, experience the grace of God and “get” the identity of Jesus as the promised Messiah. Jesus experiences the gracious favor and Spirit of God so that he grows in “wisdom” (2:40, 52). The bottom line is that God decides to grace certain people with his Spirit of wisdom that gives these graced ones eyes to see what they could never see on their own.

Application: I have some significant decisions to make in the weeks ahead. I am so desperate for God’s gracious Spirit that brings wisdom. I think of James 1:5 and hunger for wisdom from God. Today, and the days to follow, I will express to God my lack of wisdom and need for it consistently. Maybe, he will decide to grace me with the wisdom to see and know, just like he did with some shepherds, seniors, and the Savior!

Prayer: Lord, as I lean into your love, would you give me the grace to discern your “good, pleasing, and perfect will.” I am afraid that my eyes are sometimes blinded to what you are “up to” in the world and in my life. Give me the wisdom to see and the courage to respond to your will. Amen

Unchained Challenge: Luke 1

Scripture: Luke 1:25 Elizabeth said, “The Lord…has taken away my disgrace among the people.”

Observation: Being barren was a disgraceful lot in life for women of Elizabeth’s day. It still has a stigma for women even to this day. People, maybe even Zechariah himself, looked down upon Elizabeth for her inability to conceive children. But she still “walked upright” (v.6) regardless of the bitterness of being barren and the shame it piled on her. She did not abandon the God she might have been tempted to believe abandoned her. But God took away the “disgrace” of Elizabeth and enabled her to conceive a child who would “prepare the way for the Lord.” Not only would she give birth to a boy, that boy she birthed was the “birth” of Pre-Advent! She is excited and she should be. Mary feels some of the same joy for a similar reason. God “has been mindful of the humble state of his servant” (1:48). Two women, one barren and one obscure, have the shame taken away by the one and only God who could remove it! And this is the Gospel, thanks be to God. No more shame, no more disgrace, that was outside of the bounds of her control. I feel some of the same excitement as I reflect upon the shameful circumstances that have disgraced me and how God took it away.

Application: God is challenging me to be grateful and remember how he has removed my disgrace. Today, when I am tempted to feel the shame of my past or the disgrace of not measuring up in the present to the standards of myself or others, I will resist it by the power of the Spirit. I will not allow my mind to play the tricks on me that will lead me back to shameful disgrace.

Prayer: Lord, there were things outside of my control that disgraced me for too long. I felt the sting of shame that sent me into a downward spiral of insecurity, inferiority, and inadequacy. But then You came near and did for me what I could not do for myself- you took away my disgrace! Jesus Christ, you set this captive free! Amen

Asbury Theological Seminary Features My Work with Wesleyansermons.com

Check out this article from Asbury Theological Seminary's Alumni Link: http://www.asburyseminary.edu/alumni-elink/beeson-alumnus-puts-wesley-on-the-web

It May Be Time for a Pastor to Resign If...

...the treasurer is related to the head trustee who is related to the custodian who is related to the board vice-chairperson who is related to the assistant pastor.
...the pianist and organist debate the right key for "Old Time Religion" during the worship service.
...the board members leave the sanctuary when you stand up to preach your sermon.
...weekly offerings triple when you're on vacation.
...your administrative assistant vetoes your bulletin announcements.
...only one member showed up for the "all-church" outreach event but everyone came to the potluck hymn sing.
...even the newborn babies in the church don't seem cute to you anymore.
...several fist fights broke out during the Communion service and the lay care leader sucker punched the pastor at the prayer meeting.
...your house gets egged and TPed (toilet papers) weekly during Pastor Appreciation Month.
...and only if God releases and calls you to another place of ministry.

Preaching What Ifs...

-What if sermon preparation was more like a spiritual discipline than a rhetorical task?

-What if the preaching event began to feel more like an experiential encounter with God than an informative lecture?

-What if the sermon could be, like Christ, "full of grace and truth" (Jn.1:14)?

-What if preachers became more concerned with being captured by the text than mastering the text?

-What if the sermon preparation process was as holy as the sermon content?

-What if preachers spent as much time exegeting the congregational context as we spend exegeting the biblical text?

-What if preachers learned to vary their sermonic forms to align with the sermon goal and listener needs instead of forcing every single sermon into a point by point propositional box?

-What if preachers learned to communicate as one among and not one above the people?

-What if God through the biblical text really had the lead in the homiletic dance with the preacher?

-What if preachers became less concerned with what people think of us and more concerned with what people think of God?

-What if preaching was driven more by compassion and less by ego?

-What if preachers stopped imitating the delivery style of others and invited the Word of God to be incarnated through our unique, God-designed "voice"?

-What if preaching was less about instructing Christians and more about liberating captives?

-What if preaching began to transform people who transform their community?

-What if preaching the word was joined again with feasting at the table of Communion in the context of worship?

-What if preachers were as theologically reflective as we are rhetorically consumed?

-What if preachers developed a deep reliance upon the Holy Spirit like we had when we preached our first sermon?

-What if the words of preachers painted inescapable, unforgettable, and compelling pictures of God's kingdom in the hearts of people?

-What if preaching was so brutally honest about the bad news that people craved the good news?   

-What preaching "what if" would you add??? 

Sermon Feedback Form

Content (Logos- What did the sermon say about God and the Gospel?)

• Theology: What did the sermon say about God- Father, Son, or Holy Spirit?


• Gospel: Describe whether or not the sermon captured the essence of the Gospel by dealing with both the problem of human sin and the grace of the divine Son?


• Expository: Could you see clearly how the sermon flowed from the biblical text? Explain.


• Structure: Explain whether or not the structure of the sermon had focus and flow.


• Clarity: In one complete sentence, write the focus of the sermon:


• On a scale of 1(low) to 10 (high) rate the logos of the sermon: _______


Connection (Pathos- How well did the sermon connect with the context?)

• Images: Did any illustrations, stories, or metaphors from the sermon connect with you at a significant emotional level? If so, which ones and how did they appeal to your emotions?


• Relevance: Did the sermon connect with the situations of your life in a relevant manner? If so, how?


• Application: Did you come away from the sermon with a clear sense of why and how to live into the Gospel reality it proclaimed? Explain.


• Passion: Do you think the preacher spoke with passionate conviction? If so, why?


• On a scale of 1(low) to 10 (high) rate the pathos of the sermon: _______


Character (Ethos- Was the preacher congruent with the Gospel? )

• Competence: Do you think the preacher was spiritually and mentally prepared for the preaching event? Why or why not?


• Authenticity: Did the preacher communicate in a manner that was genuinely congruent with her/his personality? Explain.


• Delivery: Did the preacher’s eyes, body, and voice help or hinder your receptivity to the sermon? Explain.


• Love: How did the preacher, through the sermon, evidence love for God and for people?


• On a scale of 1(low) to 10 (high) rate the ethos of the sermon: _______


Words to the Preacher:




© 2010
Lenny Luchetti
Permission is granted to copy and use