By Ray Luck
Pastor, Oak Grove Baptist Church, Athens

Focal Passage: Matthew 13:1-13 (NKJV)

Jesus used parables as a medium for His teaching ministry. Parables are stories that depict real life, with a spiritual meaning attached. They were designed to provoke thought, calling for action on the part of the hearer.

Parables have always been a strength to me over the years including this one. Since Israel was primarily an agricultural country Jesus focused many of His parables around that theme. To discuss the four types of soil and how they receive seeds sown upon them was something the people within His hearing could understand, maybe. It is interesting that His disciples consistently had difficulty grasping the true meaning of His parables. [Read more…]

By Ray Luck
Pastor, Oak Grove Baptist Church, Athens

Focal Passage: Matthew 12:38-42, NKJV

Lucy, Linus, and Charlie Brown were lying on a hill looking at the clouds. Lucy asked Linus what he saw in the clouds to which he replied, “I see what looks like Honduras and that one is the profile of a famous painter and sculptor and that group makes me think of the stoning of Stephen with the Apostle Paul standing nearby.” Lucy then asks Charlie Brown who replied, “Well I was going to say I saw a ducky and horsie, but I changed my mind.”

When I was young, and even now, I like to look at cloud formations to see if they remind me of anything. Some people look at clouds or other things and try to glean a message or a sign from the Almighty. [Read more…]

By Ray Luck
Pastor, Oak Grove Baptist Church, Athens

Focal Passage: Matthew 11:20-30, NKJV

During the course of our lives we will receive several invitations to do a variety of things. Sometimes the invitation is very specific, other times it is open ended. When an invitation is given the one issuing the invitation usually, if not every time, will expect a response as to whether the invitee will or will not accept (RSVP).

During Jesus’ earthly walk He issued several invitations such as, “Come to Me” or “Abide with Me” or “Follow Me.” Many, over the years have responded positively to His invitations resulting in a changed life, a growing faith walk, and the promised eternal life with Him. However, there are many who refuse what Jesus offers as did those in John 6:66 — “From that time many of His disciples went back, and walked with Him no more.” [Read more…]

By Ray Luck
Pastor, Oak Grove Baptist Church, Athens

Focal Passage: Matthew 9:35-38; 10:1-8 (NKJV)

I think all of us at some point in time have a desire to be like someone else. If you are a Peanuts cartoon junky like I am you no doubt have noticed how many characters Snoopy thinks he is — a famous fighter pilot in World War I, or a famous attorney, or an ice skating coach, etc. The one thing he rarely wants to be is himself. As we think of this in the spiritual realm it should ever be our desire to “Be Like Jesus” in service. In order to be like Jesus we must study His life and incorporate into our life those things worthy of emulation. R. G. Lee, the late great pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis said, “What Southern Baptists need more than anything is to be like Jesus.” That statement still rings true today, but the issue we all face is how we use the time we have to make that a reality. The passage in Matthew teaches us four things about Jesus that if appropriated into our life would help us to draw closer to Jesus and thus become more like Him in service. [Read more…]

By Ray Luck
Pastor, Oak Grove Baptist Church, Athens

Focal Passage: Matthew 8:5-13, NKJV

One of my all time favorite cartoon strips is “Peanuts” by the late Charles Schulz. The other day I ran across one that I felt fit this lesson. Linus had built a small army of snowmen and he walked in front of them and said, “I am your leader, if you will follow me, you will be invincible! There is nothing that can stop us! Nothing!” In the last frame, the sun melts his army. [Read more…]