Watermark Fort Worth

Tyler Briggs continues this week’s sermon series The Gospel of Luke, Part III: A Journey through Galilee in Luke 15:25-32. Today, we focus on the older brother and his self-righteousness. Tyler starts off sharing a personal check engine light story that ultimately ended the life of his car. Because the situation was ignored and not repaired, the simple repair turned catastrophic. Much to the same accord, a self-righteous heart screams “check engine” (heart) and requires immediate attention. It is God’s kindness that leads us ALL to repentance, and we ought to rejoice and celebrate for ALL, who were once dead and are now alive in Christ.

Tyler Briggs continues this week’s sermon series The Gospel of Luke, Part III: A Journey through Galilee in Luke 15:11-24. Today’s biblical text shares the story of the prodigal son, and Tyler starts off by summarizing the younger son’s initial belief: His life of sin would be better than life with his father. Another way to state this initial belief is that his preferred life choices with total freedom from any other authoritative rule other than his own is the best kind of life to live. (Or, is it?) What does life look like on our own apart from God? What does life look like with true repentance and faith? In today’s sermon, we learn the loving arms of God embrace every prodigal that returns to Him.

Just seven days after Jesus’ ascension, Pentecost, a Jewish covenant celebration and feast, drew large crowds to Jerusalem from all over. Who could have imagined that this would be the day God’s promise of sending the Spirit would be fulfilled? Luke’s account of the preaching and power at Pentecost in Acts 2, teaches that Jesus is the Messiah, and that all who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved!

We continue this week’s sermon series, The Gospel of Luke, Part III: A Journey through Galilee in Luke 15:1-10. In this passage, Jesus illustrates His heart for the lost through the telling of two parables where we see the glorious beauty of the love of God. This passage beckons us to find our rest and peace not in our love for God, but rather in the unchangeable, unfathomable depth of the love that God has for us.

Parker Haines continues this week’s sermon series The Gospel of Luke, Part III: A Journey through Galilee in Luke 14:25-35. Parker reminds us of our journey through Luke thus far and how Jesus fixed His eyes on the cross and the fulfillment of His earthly ministry. Jesus’ tone becomes one of warning, and He describes what it really means and looks like to follow Him. In the life of believers, God’s warnings are a means of grace to us.

As the world measures greatness in terms of power, position, and possessions, this week's sermon (a part of our current series: The Gospel of Luke Part III: A Journey through Galilee) reveals to us the true measure of greatness as exhorted and exemplified by Jesus Christ. Sacrificial service, not status, emerges as the path to true significance and satisfaction within the Kingdom of God. As we love one another, we more fully realize the blessing of our union with Christ and His Church.

Here again, on our Journey through Galilee, we encounter Jesus flipping the script on what really matters in his incorruptible Kingdom. While staunch observers of the law flaunt their righteousness before others and test the LORD himself on the law, Jesus shakes up the status quo, confronts pius superiority, and gently teaches upside-down Kingdom ethics. In Luke 14:1-14, we get yet another meal-time illustration on our way to the culminating table scenes of the Lord’s Supper and the road to Emmaus (spoiler alert). What could Jesus be showing us with all of this table talk? 

We continue this week's sermon series, The Gospel of Luke Part III: A journey Through Galilee, in Luke 13:22-35. In this passage, Jesus encounters a man who asks "Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?" Jesus does not directly answer the question, but instead, His response causes the one who questions to consider not just if "few will be saved", but to consider "if you will be saved." Jesus then gives us live application points to consider. 

Drew Zeiler continues this week’s sermon series The Gospel of Luke, Part III: A Journey through Galilee in Luke 13:10-21. Drew highlights a significant truth in this message: Jesus provides liberty. Jesus, the most significant person ever to walk this earth, impacts everything and everyone. The healing of this woman on the Sabbath, His response to His adversaries, and the teaching of the Kingdom of God afterwards all serve as evidence of His notorious impact on our broken and fallen world. His life-giving liberty, what that looks like in life, and our future hope are the focus of this sermon.

We continue this week’s sermon series, The Gospel of Luke, Part III: A Journey through Galilee in Luke 13:1-9, with this passage where Jesus teaches that all tragedies in life remind us that we face an even greater tragedy of eternal separation from God if we do not repent of our sin and turn to Him.

Tyler Briggs continues this week’s sermon series The Gospel of Luke, Part III: A Journey through Galilee in Luke 12:49-59. Tyler poses the question, “Why did Jesus come?” In the first few minutes, we discover multiple answers to this question from biblical texts in these ways: Jesus came to give abundant life, to serve and give His life as a ransom, to be King, bear witness to the truth, and to cause those of the truth to listen to His voice. In today’s sermon, we learn that Jesus also came to bring and bear judgment for sins. His actions and follow-through commitment with these things are born of love and have eternal significance for us all.

“With great power comes great responsibility.” –Uncle Ben to Spiderman. Also, Jesus: “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded.”You are a parent. You leave your teenage kids home for the weekend. You return home to a strong odor, a broken lamp, trash everywhere, a pile of dishes, and a hungry dog. While you were away, you entrusted your home and responsibilities to your people and it was abused and squandered. Or– upon your return home, you’re greeted by a happy, healthy dog, trash cans emptied and brought back in from the curb, the smell of warm bread in the oven, happy siblings, and warm candlelight.Once again Jesus has used a parable (a metaphorical story), that connects with the people he is among, to help teach them about the Kingdom of God. They are about to witness his death and endure his absence for a time. Jesus wants to equip them to be ready, to be watchful for God’s movement, and to be attentive to the work of the Kingdom in their waiting. What’s more is that the hypothetical story above, of teenagers caring for the home while the owners are away, only begins to depict the abuses incurred by vulnerable people in Jesus’ example in Luke 12:41-48. Here, Jesus teaches that his leaders have a great responsibility, that abuses will be punished, and that our role in stewardship matters in this life and the next.

Tyler Briggs continues this week’s sermon series The Gospel of Luke, Part III: A Journey through Galilee in Luke 12:35-40. The return of Christ is certain, and we, as faithful children of God, must be expectant and ready for this magnificent event. Tyler provides an example of a tuning fork and how it is used to properly measure and set pitch in the musical key of C. Comparatively-speaking, our lives need to be set in tune with the assured return of Jesus Christ. 

We continue this week’s sermon series, The Gospel of Luke, Part III: A Journey through Galilee in Luke 12:22-34. Elder Jarod Cox expounds upon the central theme of this passage: do not worry. If we’re honest with ourselves and each other, there are many things that occupy our hearts and minds and tempt us towards worry and anxiousness. We must remind each other of these precious truths: God’s provision is sufficient, He knows exactly what we need, and He cares for us more than we realize or think. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:33

We continue this week’s sermon series, The Gospel of Luke, Part III: A Journey through Galilee in Luke 12:13-21, with this passage where Jesus tells a parable to highlight the foolishness of greed and the wisdom of being rich toward God.

We continue this week’s sermon series, The Gospel of Luke, Part III: A Journey through Galilee in Luke 12:1-12. John Baptiste, the Pastor of Mustard Seed Community Church in Africa, helps us realize that we are deeply significant to God. As such, Jesus wants us to have open eyes and a pure heart, so we can be free from hypocrisy and the fear of man and to live significant and worthy lives unto Him.

As the world measures greatness in terms of power, position, and possessions, this week’s sermon series The Gospel of Luke, Part III: A Journey through Galilee reveals to us the true measure of greatness as exhorted and exemplified by Jesus Christ. Sacrificial service, not status, emerges as the path to true significance and satisfaction within the kingdom of God. As we love one another, we more fully realize the blessing of our unionwith Christ and His Church.