SERMON NOTES:

Prayer Requests
Y Pray that many quality people will apply for the Music Leader position. Y Hannah asks to pray for Father Tom so that he will live in Gods hands. Y Pray for Tawny Zbanski, a co-worker of Sally Leitch, who is struggling. Y For Sheri Varshos son who is struggling with headaches. Y Pray for radical healing of cancer for John Leggate whos been fighting for several years. Y For Kevin & Nancy Amundsens nephew, Wyatt LaBaw, to be safe in combat zones over the next 8 months in Afganistan. Y For Kaelyn Owens mother Miah as she has had 5 surgeries in the past month and a half, and is not doing well. Pray for recovery. Y For the recovery of Pam & Kevin Van Meters son Steven, who broke his leg and fractured his ankle. Also please remember him as a Marine currently in Yorktown, VA. Y For two of Gary Wassams former students at Peace Presbyterian Church. Katie Twedell, 22, who is recovering from brain surgery. Andy Hall, 24, who is recovering from two surgeries to combat his testicular cancer. Y For Ward Sessing who was recently diagnosed with cancer. Y For Josh Dochniaks Uncle Tim who will be receiving surgery for prostate cancer. Y David Weems, who is struggling with job and personal issues. Y Pray for Kevin & Nancy Amundsens brother-in-law Harold Martin who was diagnosed with cancer and will be having 35 radiation treatments.

Y Tom Umscheid, the husband of Pastor Pauls cousin, who is going through cancer treatment in Rochester. Y Pray for John Thiessen as he undergoes chemo for his ureter/kidney/lymph-node cancer. Y Pray for Angelicas friend Ann, a friend and colleague, who is receiving treatment for breast cancer. Y Pray for persons and process involved in property purchase for COL.

DEVOTION
For the next four weeks were going to read one chapter of Luke a day. This is a wonderful way to become familiar with this excellent gospel and learn more about the New Testament. Enjoy! Comments about the devotion can be Emailed to pastor@colpres.org

Monday, April 30 Read Luke 1

This is the longest chapter of Lukeeighty verses. Dont get discouraged by its length! A lot happened in this chapter. At the start Luke shared the reason that he wrote this gospel. He wanted to write an orderly account so that Theogpilu8s would know the truth concerning the things about which he had been instructed. Luke then went on to contrast the story of Johns birth with the story of Jesus birth. Why do you think that Luke chose to make this contrast? Why was it important for him to do that? Look at Marys song of praise in verses 4657. Look at the phrases that she used to describe God, looked with favor/done great things; scattered the proud/brought down

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the powerful/lifted up the lowly/filled the hungry with good things. As you pray today take one of these phrases and use it to praise God. You could say, I praise you God for and then use one of the phrases.

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to place John in a historical context. Not only that, but Luke wanted to show the connection to the past. In mentioning the Isaiah passage Luke placed the story of John into the past. Johns message was an ethical message. The crowds asked John a specific question, what should we do? John told the people to share a coat if they had two; to collect no more taxes than the amount prescribed; to not extort money from people. These are meaningful lessons for us. God wants us to live this type of ethical life. A life where we share what we have, take no more than is ours, and not to threaten or extort others. As you pray, pray that you can live these ethics today.

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he calls and asks us to livea life where we are always willing to love and help others. As you pray today, pray that you can love and help others todayperhaps even in an unexpected way!

Friday, May 4 Read Luke 5

In this chapter Jesus began the task of developing his leadership teamthe disciples. Jesus started by calling Simon or Peter. Simon was very willing to do what Jesus wantedeven though he had tried to catch fish all night he went back into the deep water and put down his nets. When the nets became full of fish some of Simons partners signaled to others that they needed to come help load all the fish. Simon didnt do this. Instead he got down on his knees in a posture of worship and confessed his sins to Jesus. Its unclear why Simon felt the need to confess his sins, thought his does display something about his character. If Jesus came into your room and asked you to do something unexpected would you be willing to do it? Simon was and he became the right hand man of Jesus. As you pray today, pray for the openness to do whatever Jesus wants from you.

Tuesday, May 1 Read Luke 2

This chapter contains the story of Jesus birth, his presentation in the Temple, and the one story about Jesus as a teenager. Look at the last verse of the chapter. Jesus increased in wisdom and in years (or stature) and in divine and human favor. Im guessing that we want this for our lives. We want to increase in wisdom and stature. We can understand this happening to Jesus as he was the Son of God. But Jesus also practiced his faith. In this chapter we see Jesus being taken to the Temple to be circumcised; he went to the Temple every year. He was instructed in the faitheven though he was the Son of God. As you pray today, pray that you will grow in wisdom and stature.

Thursday, May 3 Read Luke 4

This chapter really begins the story of the ministry of Jesus. It starts with Jesus being tempted by the devil and Jesus almost being killed by the people from his hometown. One of my (Pastor Pauls) favorite stories is the story of Jesus healing the man with an unclean spirit. Jesus was willing to rebuke the spirit in the man who recognized Jesus. Note how the unclean spirit recognized Jesus as the Holy One of God. Even the spirits saw the authority of Jesus. In other places Jesus got in trouble for healing in a synagogue and on the Sabbath. Jesus was not going to let convention or religious practice get in the way of his helping people. This is the type of life that

Saturday, May 5 Read Luke 6

The last part of this story is called the Sermon on the Plain. It is similar to the Sermon on the Mount which is in Matthew 5. In this sermon Jesus shared a terrific vision for the world. It was an ethical vision one where we love our enemies, dont

Wednesday, May 2 Read Luke 3

The story suddenly moved ahead in years as John the Baptist appeared on the scene. Notice how Lukeas a historianattempted

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judge others and look at our own sins before acknowledging the sins of others. Living out the vision of the Sermon on the Plain is one way that we can be a disciple who impacts the world. As you pray today, pray that you can live out this vision.