But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” – Luke 11:28

GREEK
φυλάσσοντες/phylassontes: guard it, keep an eye on it

CONSIDER
Centerway has a Because and Therefore that reads like this: Because God gave his best we value EXCELLENCE therefore we bring our best to every environment, we don’t settle or just check boxes, and we steward our lives and resources thoughtfully and intentionally. That conviction resonates deeply with the words of Jesus in Luke 11:28. After a woman praises his mother, Jesus redirects the blessing: “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and phylassontes (guard it, keep an eye on it).” This word is often connected to someone who would protect a treasure or stand watch over a city.  When Jesus blesses those who hear God’s word and phylassontes, he is not referring to passive listening to a Bible story. Phylassontes refers to vigilant, intentional stewardship of God’s Word.
It’s been said that the gospel does not merely inform us, it reforms us. When we phylassontes we are neither showing off how important we are, nor are we checking spiritual boxes. We are allowing God’s truth to shape our instincts, priorities, and loves. So because God gave his best in Christ, we guard his word as our greatest gift. And as we keep it close, it quietly reorders our lives so that in every environment we bring our very best, formed by grace, anchored in truth, and motivated by love.

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Where will I step out in obedience to God’s word?

The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. – Luke 11:32

GREEK
ἀναστήσονται/anastēsontai: will stand up, will take a stand

CONSIDER
In any courtroom, guilt or innocence typically hinges on testimony. Witnesses are called, the evidence is presented, and at some point, someone stands to speak. In today’s verse Jesus says, “The men of Nineveh anastēsontai (will stand up, will take a stand) at the judgment with this generation and condemn it.” This is courtroom language, but it’s also resurrection language. The ancient Assyrians, who were notorious for their violence, will take the stand as witnesses. Their testimony? Repentance matters!
When Jonah entered Nineveh, he didn’t perform miracles. He reluctantly and begrudgingly preached judgment. And scripture tells us that the city believed God! From the king to the commoner, they turned and headed in a completely different direction. Wrath was announced, but mercy triumphed. Now Jesus says those very men anastēsontai in the final judgment as evidence against those who refuse him. The men of Nineveh stand as living proof that repentance diverts wrath. And if Jonah’s reluctance could awaken a city, how much more can Christ – the true and better Jonah – through the power of the gospel save all those who turn to him?

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Where will I step out in obedience to God’s word?

Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled. – Luke 11:14

GREEK
ἐθαύμασαν/ethaumasan: were stunned into awe

CONSIDER
In this first full week of Lent, we’re invited to slow down long enough to notice what we usually rush past. Yes, it is a season of repentance, but it’s also a season of wonder. When we trace the path of Jesus toward the cross, it’s like we’re relearning how to be astonished. See, the cross stands at the center of history, yet familiarity can dull its brilliance. Lent gently strips away the noise so that we can see with clarity what the Lord has done. We remember that deliverance does not come through trying harder but through Jesus’ self-giving love.
In Luke 11, after Jesus casts out a demon, Luke tells us, “the people ethaumasan (were stunned into awe).” This is the kind of amazement that happens when our reality breaks open and we glimpse something more than we expected. Throughout Luke’s Gospel, this word marks moments when heaven’s power quietly disrupts ordinary life. And here we see the invitation of Lent: to recover that same astonishment! The cross is the ultimate exorcism, the decisive defeat of evil. When we behold Christ crucified and risen, we are meant to marvel… not with passing curiosity, but with worshipful wonder.

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Who will I influence towards Jesus?

while others, to test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven. – Luke 11:16

GREEK
σημεῖον/sēmeion: validating miracle

CONSIDER
At the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, snowboarder Chloe Kim didn’t need her final run to win gold in the halfpipe. She had already posted an untouchable perfect score, but instead of coasting, she went for it and attempted a 1260 she had never landed in Olympic competition. Why? Because for Kim, her last run had the ability to point beyond a golden moment for herself and become a defining moment for her sport. The Olympics are filled with athletes chasing signs – scoreboards, judges’ numbers, split-second margins – that validate their years of preparation. But those signs are not the point; it’s to what they represent that world-class athletes often give their lives.
In Luke 11:16, some in the crowd responded to Jesus by “seeking from him a sēmeion (validating miracle) from heaven.” This Greek noun specifically refers to something that authenticates authority. Ironically, Jesus had just cast out a demon. The kingdom of God had broken in, and yet the crowd still wanted more proof. So here’s the tension: when we’re always chasing a sign, we can miss the Savior standing right in front of us. A sēmeion points beyond itself. It’s not the target, it’s the arrow. The cross is the ultimate sign from heaven – not just power on display, but love poured out! Lent is a reminder that if we demand constant confirmation apart from the cross, we could easily overlook the finished work of Christ. So as we prepare our hearts for Easter, may we see all the more clearly that our faith is anchored in the greatest sign ever given.

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Who will I influence towards Jesus?

But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. – Luke 11:20

GREEK
δακτύλῳ Θεοῦ/daktylō Theou: the finger of God

CONSIDER
Who will I influence towards Jesus? In Luke 11:20, Jesus makes a startling claim: “But if it is by daktylō Theou (the finger of God) that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” The English phrase is an exact translation from the Greek. It is a small phrase with a vast biblical story behind it. In Exodus, Pharaoh’s magicians concede defeat before Moses, confessing, “This is the finger of God” (Ex. 8:19). On Mount Sinai, the law is written by the finger of God (Ex. 31:18). Each time the phrase is used, the finger of God signals divine authority breaking into human history.
Now Jesus says that the same power is at work in him. The kingdom is not arriving through spectacle alone, but through personal presence. The One who in the Old Testament wrote on stone now writes freedom into captive lives. Dr. Tim Keller was fond of saying that Christianity is not good advice, but good news. The gospel announces that God has acted and the finger of God has touched the world in Christ! He confronts evil, forgives sin, and inaugurates a new kingdom. If that is true, influence doesn’t begin with our charisma but with his authority. Instead of pointing to ourselves, we point to the King whose touch changes everything.

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Who will I influence towards Jesus?

Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” – Luke 11:1

GREEK
δίδαξον/didaxon: cause [us] to learn the skill of how

CONSIDER
At the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, John Stephen Akhwari of Tanzania finished the marathon long after the stadium had nearly emptied. Injured and bleeding, he limped across the finish line well over an hour after the winner. When asked why he did not quit, he famously replied, “My country did not send me 5,000 miles to start the race; they sent me 5,000 miles to finish it.” There is something powerful about knowing why you are there. Purpose sustains perseverance. Clarity fuels endurance.
In today’s verse, one of the disciples made a simple, profound request: “Lord, didaxon (cause [us] to learn the skill of how) us to pray.” This Greek word is in the imperative form, meaning train, or shape. It assumes that prayer is not instinctive; it must be learned. Luke later opens Acts by reminding Theophilus that his Gospel recorded “all that Jesus began to do and teach” (Acts 1:1). The implication is stunning. What Jesus began in the Gospel, he continues through his Spirit-empowered people in Acts. The teaching on prayer in Luke 11 is more than a devotional aside, it is preparation for participation in God’s ongoing mission.
It’s important to note that the disciples did not ask for power, strategy, or influence. They asked to be taught. That humility is the starting line of every enduring work of God. If Acts is the continuation of what Jesus began, then prayer is the classroom where we learn how to join him.

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How will I be persistent with God this week?

and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.” – Luke 11:4

GREEK
ὀφείλοντι/opheilonti: has accrued debt

CONSIDER
In December 2010, dozens of families walked into a Tennessee Kmart struggling to pay for their layaway items. Many came prepared to offer what little they could, bracing for the awkwardness of not having enough for their Christmas purchases. But one by one, they were met with astonishing news: an anonymous donor had paid for their entire account in full. The ledger had been cleared. What they expected to negotiate, they instead received as a gift. What they could not pay on their own had been absorbed by someone else’s generosity. Financial debt has a way of shrinking our world. It follows us home, keeps us up at night, and until it is paid, often feels like it defines us. So these families did not simply receive debt relief, they received emotional relief.
In Luke 11, Jesus teaches us to pray, “forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who opheilonti (has an accrued obligation) to us.” Earlier in this verse, Jesus uses the common word for sins, but then he interprets sin through the language of debt. Sin is not merely a mistake; it is a spiritual liability before a holy God. It is a balance we cannot clear. Yet the gospel announces that Christ has paid what we could not. At the cross, our spiritual debt was not restructured… it was canceled! And herein lies the transforming power of that grace: forgiven debtors become forgiving people. When we grasp the magnitude of what has been absorbed on our behalf, we are freed from clinging to the smaller debts of others. We forgive not because the debt was small, but because the mercy we have received through Christ was immeasurably large.

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How will I be persistent with God this week?

I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs.  – Luke 11:8

GREEK
ἀναίδειαν/anaideian: shamelessness

CONSIDER
How will I be persistent with God this week? In Luke 11, Jesus tells of a man knocking at his neighbor’s door at midnight asking for bread. Traditionally, the focus has been on the bold persistence of the knocker. But the phrase “yet because of his anaideian (shamelessness)” can just as naturally describe the sleeper. In an honor and shame culture, refusing hospitality would bring deep disgrace upon the household and even the village. In light of this, the neighbor decided to get up and act… not merely because of the knocking but to avoid the shame of being seen as inhospitable. His response to the request served to protect his honor.
Armed with this truth, Jesus’ point becomes even clearer. If a reluctant, sleepy neighbor will act decisively to avoid shame, how much more will our heavenly Father act out of his generous, faithful character? God does not respond to prayer to preserve his reputation, he responds because steadfast love defines his reputation! Persistence in prayer, then, stops being about overcoming divine reluctance and begins to be a reminder to trust God’s divine goodness. That confidence fuels our mission to “Cultivate a movement in which people become Gospel-centered influencers in every sphere of life.” Gospel influence begins with people who believe that God’s heart is bound up with caring for his children. We knock expectantly and persist resolutely because we know that the heart of the One who answers is already inclined toward mercy.

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How will I be persistent with God this week?

But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” – Luke 10:40

GREEK
περιεσπᾶτο/periespato: was dragged in multiple directions at once

CONSIDER
In the late 1990s, Kodak engineers actually invented one of the world’s first digital cameras. The technology worked, the moment was right, but Kodak’s leadership hesitated. Why? Because film sales were booming, quarterly numbers looked strong, and protecting the current business felt urgent. Kodak stayed busy refining what already existed while the future quietly passed by. Within a decade, the company that once defined photography filed for bankruptcy. It is a sobering reminder that it is possible to be productive, sincere, and hardworking, yet still miss the most important thing. Distraction is not always marked by laziness… sometimes it is devotion to the wrong priorities.
Luke 10:40 introduces Martha with a single, poignant word. Luke says “Martha periespato (was dragged in multiple directions at once) with much serving.” This woman was not doing anything wrong on the surface. Hospitality mattered. Service mattered. But Martha was being stretched thin by good things that eclipsed the best thing. Her sister Mary was seated at Jesus’ feet, fully present, while Martha was divided. In essence, Martha neglected to keep First Things First. Busyness can crowd out attentiveness. Activity can replace intimacy. Jesus did not shame Martha’s service; instead, he lovingly exposed her distraction. His invitation was not to do less things out of guilt, but to choose better things out of trust. When the center holds, everything else finds its proper place. This week’s challenge is not to identify whether our life is full, but whether it is rightly ordered around him.

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How will I practice the discipline of stillness this week?

But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, – Luke 10:41

GREEK
θορυβάζῃ/thorybazē: loudly disturbed, inwardly noisy and agitated

CONSIDER
Today’s verse captures Jesus’ gentle but piercing diagnosis of Martha’s heart. In it, he says, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and thorybazē (loudly disturbed, inwardly noisy and agitated) about many things.” Jesus knew that Martha wasn’t simply busy, but that her soul had become crowded and clamorous. The pursuit of good things had produced an audible unrest within her. Scripture is honest about this dynamic. When our lives are organized around performance, control, or the fear of falling behind, the result is often exasperation rather than peace. The noise keeps rising, even when the intentions are sincere.
Jesus did not respond to Martha by adding another task or offering a productivity hack. He offered himself, and he does the same for us today. The hope of the gospel is that stillness is not something we manufacture through discipline alone, but something we receive when we come to rest in Christ. Timothy Keller once wrote, “The only person who dares wake up a king at 3 a.m. for a glass of water is a child. And we have that kind of access.” Martha was acting like a servant trying to earn approval, while Mary rested like a child who already belonged. Stillness flows from that security. So how will I practice the discipline of stillness this week? The answer begins not with doing less, but with trusting more, believing that in Jesus, the loudest anxieties can finally be quieted.

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How will I practice the discipline of stillness this week?

but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” – Luke 10:42

GREEK
χρεία/chreia: essential, urgently demanded

CONSIDER
Philipp Raimund’s story sounds almost unbelievable. A German ski jumper who is afraid of heights, he stepped onto the ramp at the Milan Olympics knowing that every instinct in his body would tell him to stop. This athlete even had to drop out of an event just last year because of his fear of heights. Ski jumping is designed to be exposing. There is no hiding from the height, the speed, or the risk. Yet Raimund learned to focus on what mattered most. He could not eliminate fear, but he could choose where to place his attention. He committed himself to the essentials of his craft, blocking out what threatened to overwhelm him. That focus carried him not just down the hill, but onto the top step of the podium with a gold medal around his neck.
In Luke 10:42, Jesus gently redirects Martha with similar clarity. He says, “but one thing is chreia (essential, urgently demanded).” Jesus was not dismissing Martha’s service. He was naming the danger of confusing urgency with importance. Martha was surrounded by many demands, but only one thing was truly needed. Mary chose that better portion because she recognized what deserved first place. The gospel invites us into that same reordering. In Christ, we are freed from proving ourselves and invited to sit at his feet. When we live with first things first, the noise quiets, fear loosens its grip, and our lives begin to take shape around what is eternally necessary.

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How will I practice the discipline of stillness this week?

And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” – Luke 10:25

GREEK
ποιήσας/poiēsas: I execute, I produce

CONSIDER
In Luke 10:25, a scholar stood up to test Jesus with a familiar question: “What shall poiēsas (I execute, I produce) to inherit eternal life?” This important verb means to do or accomplish. The assumption beneath the question was clear: eternal life was something to be achieved through disciplined effort, carefully constructed from the inside out. It was a project that was produced through the right actions.
Jesus did not deny the importance of obedience, but he did reveal the deeper misunderstanding. His response showed this man that eternal life is not something we manufacture. It is something we receive. Scripture consistently frames life with God as a gift flowing from his generosity, not a wage earned by our performance. For example, Paul echoed this truth when he wrote that eternal life is the free gift of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:23). And if it cannot be produced by poiēsas, it must be received by grace.
Centerway has a Because & Therefore that states, Because God gave us everything… we value GENEROSITY… therefore we are open-handed and happily go above and beyond with our time, our talent, and our treasure. We steward our spiritual gifts and serve. We are contributors not consumers.
The generosity Jesus illustrated with his parable is simply a response to the extravagant generosity of our Father. Instead of giving us instructions and then standing back, God gave us himself. In Jesus, God moved toward us, offering life where we had only limits. Because eternal life flows from the open-handed heart of our Creator, our generosity becomes a reaction, not a strategy. We give, serve, and love because we have already received everything.

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How can I love my neighbors the way Jesus has loved me?

But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” – Luke 10:29

GREEK
δικαιῶσαι/dikaiōsai: to exonerate, to vindicate

CONSIDER
In 16th-century Europe, Martin Luther was tormented by the question of justification. As a young monk, Luther was trained to earn his right-standing with God. But as he studied New Testament theology on his own and with friends, he began to grow in Biblical literacy. Instead of trying to vindicate himself through religious effort, Luther was undone by the discovery that righteousness is received, not achieved. Romans declared him free. Galatians taught him that God justifies the ungodly. Vindication does not come from proving ourselves right, but from trusting the One who is righteous.
The parable Jesus tells in today’s verse provides a vivid contrast. In it, a lawyer “desiring dikaiōsai (to exonerate, to vindicate) himself” pressed Jesus with another question. This verb carries the sense of being declared right, even vindicated. This lawyer was not really searching for truth, he was searching for clearance. He wanted to walk away morally affirmed without being spiritually transformed.
Jesus responded to the lawyer not with a loophole, but with a story. The Good Samaritan exposed how far self-justification falls short of kingdom love. And instead of trying dikaiōsai his way into Heaven, Martin Luther spent the last decades of his life defending the truth that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone, made possible by Christ alone. We are not vindicated by better arguments or cleaner records. We are justified simply because Jesus took our place!

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How can I love my neighbors the way Jesus has loved me?

But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. – Luke 10:33

GREEK
ἐσπλαγχνίσθη/esplanchnisthē: was stirred to action due to heartfelt mercy

CONSIDER
In this week’s parable, Jesus deliberately chose a character his listeners would have resisted. Jews and Samaritans shared a long, painful history. After the Assyrian exile, Samaritans were viewed as ethnically compromised and religiously impure. They accepted only the Torah, worshiped on Mount Gerizim instead of Jerusalem, and were seen as Israel’s betrayers. By Jesus’ day, the hostility was mutual and deeply ingrained. Jews traveled miles out of their way to avoid Samaritan territory. Shared meals were unthinkable. Trust was nonexistent. So when Jesus said, “But a Samaritan…,” the story already felt wrong. The audience would have expected danger, indifference, or cruelty. Compassion was the last thing they anticipated.
Luke went on: “But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he esplanchnisthē (was stirred to action with heartfelt mercy).” This verb describes a gut-level, visceral compassion that moves someone to act. It is only used in the New Testament to describe Jesus or someone in a parable of his. Shockingly, here it is applied to a Samaritan. The outsider feels with his whole being and responds with costly mercy. Jesus redefines holiness not by boundary keeping but by love that crosses all boundaries. And this is where the gospel shines through. Jesus is the true and better Samaritan. He saw us broken on the road, felt deep compassion, and moved toward us at great cost to himself. At the cross, mercy bridged the greatest divide of all. God’s compassion did not avoid us. It came close, healed us, and brought us home.

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How can I love my neighbors the way Jesus has loved me?

Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” – Luke 10:20

GREEK
χαίρετε/chairete: joyfully celebrate

CONSIDER
In Luke 10:20, Jesus gently redirected the joy of his disciples. They had returned amazed that demons submitted to them in his name, but Jesus said, “Do not chairete (joyfully celebrate) in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but chairete that your names are written in heaven.” This Greek word comes from charis, the root word for grace. That connection matters. When people meet Jesus, joy is no longer meant to float free from grace. Joy is the spiritual response to receiving a gift that could never be earned.
Jesus was not minimizing what God had done through the disciples. Rather, he was re-centering their joy. He knew that power can thrill us, success can intoxicate us, and spiritual fruit can quietly shift from gratitude to self-congratulation. So Jesus pulled the disciples back to the deepest source of joy. Their identity was to be anchored in what God had graciously done for them, and their names were written in heaven because of grace.
This is where chairete finds its true home. Joy flows most freely when it is rooted in charis. Grace creates joy because it assures us that we are safe before we are successful. Ultimate rejoicing does not come from what happens through us, but from what has been given to us in Jesus.

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How can I foster a lifestyle of Gospel-centered worship?

In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. – Luke 10:21

GREEK
εὐδοκία/eudokia: kind intention

CONSIDER
Paul Goldschmidt is known for being an elite hitter, a Gold Glove winning first baseman, and the 2022 National League MVP. But to those who know him best, he will be remembered for something far more meaningful. In a profession that often seems to reinforce “looking out for number one,” Goldschmidt has a reputation for putting the needs of others ahead of his own. As the St. Louis Cardinals were about to begin their season at Spring Training in Florida, Goldschmidt noticed that his coach, Oli Marmol, was visibly anxious about leaving his wife and newborn daughter in Missouri. Without being prompted, Goldschmidt took it upon himself to hire an overnight nurse to care for their baby every night for the 30 days Marmol would be away. Blown away by this act of generosity, Marmol emotionally declared this about his first baseman: “There are guys that care, and then there are guys who have an elite awareness of things around them.” Paul Goldschmidt has been the latter to an innumerable amount of people throughout his career.
As a Christian, Goldschmidt attests to the fact that situational awareness doesn’t originate with himself. In fact, Jesus himself rejoiced in the Father’s eudokia (kind intention) in knowing exactly how to reveal himself. This noun is often connected to the reality that God’s kindness is never accidental. It flows from perfect awareness. What the Father withholds or gives is shaped by love, not distance or indifference. Eudokia reminds us that God sees what we need before we ask and delights to meet us there. His pleasure is not abstract. It is perfectly aware, authentically intentional, and always for our good.

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How can I foster a lifestyle of Gospel-centered worship?

Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see!  – Luke 10:23

GREEK
ἰδίαν/idian: separately, apart from anyone else

CONSIDER
In today’s verse, Luke records this about Jesus: “Then, turning to the disciples, he said idian (separately, apart from anyone else), ‘blessed are the eyes that see what you see!” This Greek term carries the sense of what belongs to one’s own circle, something set apart. From this root we eventually got the English word idiōtēs, which later drifted into idiot. In the ancient world, an idiōtēs was not an insult. It simply described someone who was private, untrained, or outside the public sphere. But over time the word lost dignity and became derogatory. Luke is using the older, richer meaning. Jesus was not speaking carelessly or broadly. He was actually being intentional, focused, and relational.
This matters because Jesus knew that not every word was meant for every moment or every crowd. He drew his disciples close and taught them about the privilege they were living inside. They were seeing what kings and prophets longed to see. The gospel is not only public proclamation. It is also personal invitation. The Son of God revealed the kingdom openly, yet he also formed people slowly, privately, and patiently. In a very real sense, salvation itself followed this pattern. Christ entered the public chaos of our world through the manger and died publicly to address that chaos at the cross. But when we come to him today, he meets each heart with personal grace. The hope of the gospel is that the God who redeems the world also speaks a personal word idian, directly and lovingly, to those who follow him.

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How can I foster a lifestyle of Gospel-centered worship?

And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. – Luke 10:2

GREEK
ὀλίγοι/oligoi: insufficient, puny

CONSIDER
In Luke 10:2, Jesus looked at the crowds, “And he said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are oligoi (insufficient, puny). Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.’” This was not a comment on strategy or organization. It was a spiritual diagnosis. There was a gap between the need and the amount of people available to meet it. This word reminds us that the problem of God’s mission has never been a lack of opportunity. The same Greek root appears in the word oligarchy, rule by a few. It carries the idea of limitation, of power or responsibility concentrated because there are not enough willing (or trusted) participants. Jesus confronted this instinct directly. The kingdom of God was never meant to be advanced by a small group of spiritual elite. It was meant to grow through everyday disciples who knew they were not enough on their own and therefore depended fully on God.
Here is where the gospel meets us today. Jesus did what we were oligoi to do. Our obedience is often woefully incomplete, but his was perfect. Our compassion can run thin, but his never fails. Even when he knew our courage would falter, Jesus pressed on to the cross. He accomplished our salvation because we could not accomplish it ourselves. Discipleship begins when we stop pretending we are sufficient and start responding to grace. And the call is not to manufacture strength, but to offer up our “yes.” As those shaped by the finished work of Christ, we are invited into his mission. The question before us is simple and searching. How will we contribute to this disciple-making environment that God is building among us?

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How will I contribute to this disciple-making environment?

Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. – Luke 10:3

GREEK
ἀποστέλλω/apostellō: I am commissioning

CONSIDER
When Pope Julius II summoned Michelangelo to paint the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, Michelangelo initially resisted. He did not see himself as a painter but as a sculptor. The task felt overwhelming, ill-suited for him, and risky to his reputation. Yet after a time of prayer, he sensed that the commission mattered more than his comfort or preferences. He submitted to the call, worked for years in obscurity and physical pain, and ultimately produced something that still lifts hearts toward heaven centuries later.
In Luke 10:3, Jesus said, “Go your way; behold, apostellō (I am commissioning) you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.” This Greek word means to be sent out with purpose and authority, to be commissioned on behalf of another, carrying their intent rather than our own. The disciples did not volunteer themselves into their assignments. They were sent by Jesus, entrusted with his mission and sustained by his presence.
Much like Michaelangelo’s commissioning, the disciples were not the obvious candidates at first. They were not powerful or polished. Yet they were chosen. To hear Jesus say apostellō does not mean feeling ready, it means trusting the One who sends. This verse reminds us that Christian life is not self-directed spirituality. It is a commissioned call. We are sent into real places with real risks, not to display our ability, but to reflect the heart of Christ. Like Michelangelo on the scaffold, faithfulness begins when we say yes to the sender and faithfully step into the work he assigns.

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How will I contribute to this disciple-making environment?

“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. – Luke 10:13

GREEK
δυνάμεις/dynameis: powerful miracles

CONSIDER
How will I contribute to this disciple-making environment? Turns out, our answer will likely be more straightforward than we expect. In Luke 10:13, Jesus pronounced a sobering warning over Chorazin and Bethsaida. He said that “if the dynameis (powerful miracles) done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago…” Dynameis comes from the Greek root for power, the kind of effective, active power that actually brings about change. It is neither spectacle nor raw force. It is God’s own energy at work, moving history and hearts toward his purposes.
What is striking is not simply that miracles happened, but that miracles alone did not guarantee transformation. Jesus made clear that the problem was not a lack of power on God’s part. The dynameis were present. The issue was the human heart. Only God can awaken repentance, humility, and trust. The Assemblies of God Fundamental Truth on Salvation says it this way: “Man’s only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God.” Changed hearts are not achieved through pressure or persuasion, but through divine power applied by divine grace.
Luke 10 reminds us that the kingdom of God advances through dynameis, yet those works always point beyond themselves. The good news is that the same power that confronted those Galilean towns is still at work today. God has not withdrawn his power! He continues to pursue hearts with mercy, offering real change through Jesus. Our hope rests not in our ability to respond perfectly, but in God’s power to redeem, restore, and make all things new.

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How will I contribute to this disciple-making environment?

As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” – Luke 9:57 ESV

GREEK
ὅπου/hopou: whichever spot, any place at all

CONSIDER
People tend to do some incredible things when they’re passionate about something. Heinrich Schliemann’s quest for Troy in the 1870s was just that – incredible. Convinced that Homer’s epics reflected real history, Schliemann ignored prevailing skepticism and traveled to a remote hill in northwestern Turkey known as Hisarlik. The site was rugged, poorly mapped, and dismissed by most scholars as insignificant. Undeterred, Schliemann began extensive excavations, peeling back layers of earth to finally reveal ancient ruins. His discovery confirmed that the legendary city of Troy was not mere myth but a historical reality, reshaping archaeology and proving that great truths can lie hidden in the most unlikely places.
In Luke 9, someone passionately promised Jesus, “I will follow you hopou (whichever spot, any place at all) you go.” It sounded admirable, even heroic, yet Jesus responded by naming the cost. Foxes had holes and birds had nests, but the Son of Man had nowhere to lay his head. In other words, following Jesus did not come with predictable locations or guaranteed comforts. Discipleship meant trusting him in places that felt uncertain, inconvenient, or overlooked. Schliemann was willing to dig in an unlikely hill because he believed something true was hidden there. Jesus asked for a deeper kind of trust. He invited followers to believe that God’s kingdom would be revealed not in secure or impressive places, but in obedience that said yes before knowing the destination. Hopou reminds us that faith is not anchored to a map but to a person. Wherever Jesus leads, even into the unfamiliar, is where life and truth are ultimately found.

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In what area of my life is God asking me to move forward?

And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” – Luke 9:60 ESV

GREEK
διάγγελλε/diangelle: announce widely and publicly

CONSIDER
Throughout history, moments of renewal have often begun with people who believed the message was too important to keep to themselves. After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, ordinary citizens crossed borders that they had feared for decades, telling stories of freedom and reconciliation. Even in an emerging digital age, news spread not through official channels alone, but more powerfully through joyful witness. When something truly life changing happens, it demands to be shared.
In Luke 9:60, Jesus gave a startling command. He told a would-be follower, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and diangelle (announce widely, publicly, and with urgency) the kingdom of God.” This was not quiet reflection or private belief. It was a call to speak, to testify, to let good news move outward. Now, Jesus was not dismissing grief or family responsibility. He was revealing that life itself had arrived in him, and that nothing was more loving or more necessary than announcing that reality.
Jesus did not merely speak about the kingdom, he embodied it through his life, death, and resurrection. That’s why we have a Because & Therefore statement that goes like this: Because of what Jesus has done… we value CELEBRATION… therefore we talk about Jesus a lot, rejoice over life-change, readily encourage and honor one another, and uplift our local communities. Proclaiming the kingdom is not a grim duty! It is joyful overflow. So when Christ brings us from death to life, our most natural response will be to speak, celebrate, and invite others into that same hope.

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In what area of my life is God asking me to move forward?

Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” – Luke 9:62

GREEK
εὔθετός/euthetos: useful, appropriate, properly aligned

CONSIDER
In Luke 9:62, Jesus offered a farming image that would have landed with force in an agrarian culture. “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is euthetos (useful, appropriate, properly aligned) for the kingdom of God.” A plow only worked when the farmer fixed his eyes forward. Looking back did not just slow progress; it warped the furrow and wasted the field. Jesus was not condemning memory or reflection. He was warning against divided allegiance.
Later in Luke 14:35, Jesus used a related word to describe salt that had lost its usefulness (eutheton). Salt that no longer did what salt was meant to do was discarded. The point was the same. Purpose requires focus. Discipleship demands intentionality. We cannot move forward into the kingdom while constantly rehearsing what we’ve left behind. If we are not careful, nostalgia or fear can quietly pull our attention backward while we assume we are still moving ahead.
The hope of the gospel is that Jesus did what we could not. He set his face toward Jerusalem and never looked back. Because of his finished work, we are not trapped by our past or paralyzed by regret. In Christ, we are made euthetos again, realigned for God’s purposes. And when our eyes are fixed on him, the ground ahead becomes fertile, and the future is shaped by grace rather than fear.

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In what area of my life is God asking me to move forward?

John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.” – Luke 9:49 ESV

GREEK
ἐκωλύομεν/ekōlyomen: we were blocking, forbidding​

CONSIDER
In Luke 9:49, John told Jesus that the disciples had seen “someone casting out demons in your name, and ekōlyomen (we were blocking, forbidding) him because he does not follow with us.” This is a surprisingly physical word. It carries the sense of actively blocking forward movement. It’s not just disagreeing but stepping right into the path. Jesus’ response revealed something about kingdom priorities. The disciples were focused on boundaries and belonging, but Jesus was focused on participation in God’s work. A version of this same verb appears again in Matthew 19:14, when Jesus said, “Do not forbid the little children to come to me.” In both scenes, well-meaning followers became barriers to grace because they were protecting the wrong “first thing.”
Luke’s gospel keeps returning to this tension. He shows that clarity about Jesus did not always lead to alignment with his heart. The disciples knew his name, but they were still learning his priorities. The kingdom of God invited rather than restricted.
As we begin our First Things First journey, this first verse asks us an honest question. Where might we be unintentionally blocking what Jesus is trying to do? Reordering our lives around Jesus means removing obstacles, not adding them. When Christ is truly first, our instinct shifts from guarding access to making room for others to encounter him.In Luke 9:49, John told Jesus that the disciples had seen “someone casting out demons in your name, and ekōlyomen (we were blocking, forbidding) him because he does not follow with us.” This is a surprisingly physical word. It carries the sense of actively blocking forward movement. It’s not just disagreeing but stepping right into the path. Jesus’ response revealed something about kingdom priorities. The disciples were focused on boundaries and belonging, but Jesus was focused on participation in God’s work. A version of this same verb appears again in Matthew 19:14, when Jesus said, “Do not forbid the little children to come to me.” In both scenes, well-meaning followers became barriers to grace because they were protecting the wrong “first thing.”
Luke’s gospel keeps returning to this tension. He shows that clarity about Jesus did not always lead to alignment with his heart. The disciples knew his name, but they were still learning his priorities. The kingdom of God invited rather than restricted.
As we begin our First Things First journey, this first verse asks us an honest question. Where might we be unintentionally blocking what Jesus is trying to do? Reordering our lives around Jesus means removing obstacles, not adding them. When Christ is truly first, our instinct shifts from guarding access to making room for others to encounter him.

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What will I be resolute toward this year?

When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. – Luke 9:51 ESV

GREEK
ἐστήρισεν/estērisen: resolutely solidified his intention; affixed his desire to a strong and solid foundation

CONSIDER
It’s been said that clarity precedes courage. Although this isn’t a quote from the mouth of Jesus, his life embodied this very principle. Jesus knew exactly where the road he took led, and still he leaned into it. He did not negotiate with fear or delay because of discomfort. He trusted the Father’s plan more than his own desire for ease. That kind of resolve will reframe how we think about following Jesus. Discipleship is not about avoiding difficulty. It’s about staying faithful.
Luke tells us that, “When the days drew near for Jesus to be taken up, he estērisen (resolutely solidified his intention; affixed his desire to a strong and solid foundation) to go to Jerusalem.” This was far from stubbornness rooted in pride. This was holy resolve anchored in purpose. Jesus was not drifting toward the cross. He was bound and determined. He chose obedience even when it meant suffering.
This moment in Luke’s gospel connects so naturally to our Because & Therefore statement: “Because God sees what we can’t, we value GOD-RISKS… therefore we respond when God speaks, pursue efforts that require supernatural intervention to succeed, and – while we aren’t irresponsible – we resist the comfort zone and don’t maintain or play it safe out of fear.” Jesus embodied this concept as he taught it. As we resolve to keep first things first, it will mean fixing our lives on what truly matters most. Not recklessly or impulsively, but steadfast and unwavering.

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What will I be resolute toward this year?

And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” – Luke 9:54 ESV

GREEK
ἀναλῶσαι/analōsai: utterly destroy; char with fire until nothing remains [of]

CONSIDER
What will I be resolute toward this year? In Luke 9:54, James and John watched a Samaritan village reject Jesus and harshly asked “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and analōsai (utterly destroy; char with fire until nothing remains [of]) them?” This Greek verb implies the act of burning something until nothing remains. Their resolve was real, but it was dangerously misdirected. These brothers were committed to defending Jesus, yet they misunderstood the way Jesus intended to bring his kingdom.
This moment exposes a quiet temptation in the human heart. We often believe that if our cause is right, then harshness must be what faithfulness looks like. Yet Jesus rebuked the “Sons of Thunder” and kept walking. His kingdom advanced not by consuming enemies but by absorbing hostility and transforming it through grace. Paul later echoed this wisdom with a similar word when he warned the church that if they kept biting and devouring one another, they would be consumed by one another (Gal. 5:15). The truth is that the same fire that feels righteous can quietly destroy a community. Jesus refused to let zeal override love.
As we begin a new year focused on First Things First, may we be resolute about the right things. Not toward consuming others, but toward becoming people whose convictions are shaped by the patience, mercy, and self-giving love of the cross.

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What will I be resolute toward this year?