Midwest Bible Church

Christ’s glory calls us to rise and shine so that others can be brought out of darkness and into His marvelous light. In this sermon, we are going to see how the glory of Christ awakens us to rise up from spiritual sleep to shine for Christ and bring others out of darkness and into His transforming light as we conclude our series in Daniel. (Daniel 12)

The empty tomb is confirmed by three unlikely witnesses whose courageous devotion, faithful testimony, and personal wonder prove Jesus truly rose—and call us to rise up as living proof that He is alive and reigning today. Joseph’s courageous devotion in risking everything to honor Jesus, the women’s faithful proclamation in boldly sharing the truth, and Peter’s personal encounter in running to see and marvel for himself call us to embody their complete witness today. (Luke 23:50–24:12)

The death of Jesus didn’t just knock—it broke the door off its hinges from the inside out. And the access it provides not only has the power to heal broken relationships, but to sustain you in the One relationship that matters most.Jesus’ substitutionary death plunged Him and all the land into darkness as He bore sin’s penalty and separation, yet it tore open the way to God’s presence, bringing life, light, and longing for full redemption. (Luke 23:44-49)

The criminals on the cross crucified along with Jesus represent one who rejects the gospel and one whose heart is softened by His innocent suffering. Just as the believing thief was transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of God, all of us who are saved are sticks snatched from the fire. We are now called to snatch others while never forgetting our own charred past lest we slip into self-righteousness.

The cross of Christ drives us to pick up our own crosses daily and follow Him, to have a heart of compassion in the face of great suffering, and to outrageous forgiveness as we have been forgiven. (Luke 23:26-34)

There's more to the story of Pilate, Jesus, and Barabbas than you may have previously known. In this passage we see an emphasis on the innocence of Jesus, the peculiarity of bloodthirsty Pilate recognizing His innocence, and the deeper meaning of Barabbas' role here in the context of Jesus fulfilling the Passover and Day of Atonement. (Luke 23:13-25)

Are you wise because you’re willing to speak up? Or are you wise because you know when to shut up?There are times we need to speak up—this message isn’t excusing passivity or the “cover-up” we can fall into when we stay silent about an injustice that is harming others. But in a world that believes whoever screams the loudest wins, the wisdom and virtue of holding your tongue seems almost lost.The strongest response isn’t louder words—it’s the meek wisdom that trusts God’s sovereignty and lets character and Christ speak louder than words. (Luke 23:1–12)

The term "flying blind" comes from the early days of aviation, when pilots couldn’t fly safely in fog, clouds, or darkness—they had to see the ground or risk crashing. In our text, we see the Sovereign King of the universe flying blind for us. Blindfolded, mocked, beaten, taunted, Jesus could have drawn on His divine power to see, know, and strike back. But He refused. He entrusted Himself to the Father’s plan, laying down His life willingly. When you’re flying blind in the fog of evil and injustice, take heart: the Sovereign King sees, reverses, and redeems. (Luke 22:63–71)

Have you ever been deeply disappointed or discouraged by unmet expectations? Have you ever felt shaken to the core when life didn’t turn out the way you hoped—when a prayer went unanswered, a breakthrough was delayed, or a door was slammed shut? How you respond to those unmet expectations can have serious implications in your life. It can lead to discouragement, disillusionment, and even spiritual drift from the very One who holds your hope—a drift that often begins with following Him from a safe distance and then slowly progresses into compromise. But Jesus graciously pursues and restores us—so we fully depend on and delight in Him alone, bearing lasting fruit. (Luke 22:54–62)

In our darkest hours, when evil seems strongest, we stand firm not by understanding everything God is doing, but by clinging to what He has already shown us about who He is. We need to be reminded of three truths about Christ’s character that we must never forget—three truths that sustain us when darkness seems to be winning: 1. He sees you completely and loves you still, 2. We win only by surrendering, and 3. Even in the darkest night, He reigns sovereign. (Luke 22:47-53)

Have you become distracted from this one thing? Are you anxious? Troubled by many things? Sometimes we can get caught up in doing right things and forget the one thing that really matters--sitting at the feet of Jesus. (Luke 10:38-42)

I want to suggest to you this morning that prayer is the Cinderella in many churches today. It is beautiful, powerful, essential to everything God wants to do among us and through us. But too often, it’s unappreciated, neglected, and relegated to the corners while flashier things take center stage. Prayer is not optional or occasional—it is a disciplined lifeline marked by rhythm, raw honesty, resistance to temptation, surrender of will, and renewal in God’s strength. (Luke 22:39–46)

Emmanuel left heaven’s throne to prepare a place for us at His table—so that broken sons of men could become beloved sons of God, welcomed to know Him, be known by Him, and invite others to the feast. (Matthew 1:18-23)

Jesus doesn’t make disciples by shielding them from failure and suffering, but by praying them through it, prophesying it, and patiently forging them in it—until all their confidence is in Him alone. (Luke 22:31–38)

Jesus is in charge; and He proves it on the worst night of His life by turning it into the greatest night of ours. To unfold this theme, we’re going to walk through 3 truths that reveal how Jesus’ sovereignty was perfectly at work in His darkest hours—and how we can be utterly confident that this same sovereignty is at work in our lives today, bringing about His unstoppable redemptive purposes. (Luke 22:7–30)

Are we following the true Jesus, or following a Jesus that is a product of warped expectations? Let's unpack Judas' betrayal, which was fueled by unbelief and greed, and how God turns what is meant for evil, for good. (Luke 22:1-6)

In Luke 21, Jesus refuses to let His disciples stay comfortable or distracted. He gives them—and He gives us—the exact roadmap for how to live ready every single day. When Jesus returns, the only thing that will matter is whether you were ready to meet Him.

God is not impressed by the quantity of our giving, but by the quality of our hearts—revealed through faith, dependence, and worship. In Luke 21:1-4, we stand in that temple court with a woman who gave everything—not for the clatter of approval, but for God’s eyes alone. And her story answers three life-shaping questions:• What does God truly value in our giving?• What does our giving reveal about our trust?• And who, in the end, are we really worshiping?

As followers of Christ we are entrusted by God not only with our time, talents, and resources, but with the broader mission of advancing His kingdom. Believers must recognize their lives as a “stewardship” — meaning we are managers of what belongs to God — which challenges us to invest what we’ve been given in ways that reflect eternal significance rather than temporal gain. (Luke 5:1-11)

God is the unchangeable agent of change; change in us brings us closer to Him, whether that is change through obedience or through suffering. (Hebrews 12:25-29)