In Luke 6 Jesus declares himself Lord of the Sabbath and challenges the Pharisees’ understanding of what the day is for. This message asks whether Christians are still commanded to keep the Sabbath as law, argues that the New Testament gives believers freedom from compulsory Sabbath observance, and then considers what we can still learn from God’s gift of rest: stopping work and trusting God, making room for worship and enjoying his gifts, and helping others rest while remaining ready to do good.

Luke 6:1-11

Using Caravaggio’s The Calling of Saint Matthew as a visual thread, this message explores Jesus’ call of Levi in Luke 5:27–32. Jesus calls Levi before he has changed, but his grace leads Levi to repent, leave his old allegiance behind and place his whole life under Jesus’ authority. Yet Levi does not abandon the people and resources from his former life; he uses his home, wealth and relationships to bring others to Jesus. Through Levi’s banquet and the later example of William Wilberforce, the message challenges us to consider what we must leave behind, what we must surrender to Christ, and what God has already placed in our hands that can now be used for his purposes.

Jesus uses a wedding, a patched garment and new wine to challenge how we respond to him. We can be busy with religious routines while avoiding the obedience he asks of us. We can also look to him to fix one part of our lives while keeping control of the rest and lastly we need to let Jesus and his Word determine what we hold on to and what we let go.

Luke 5:33-39

The Gospel of Christ creates a Spirit-filled people, whose shared life in community demonstrates most convincingly the reality of Christ to the world.

I urge you to give yourself fully to being a living, breathing, committed, conscientious, everyday working part of this imperfect, but powerful, community known as St Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Geraldine.

Please try to live as an integral part of it!

Please don’t try to live apart from it. Acts 2:42-47