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Today's Music

How Great Thou Art - Midtown Worship

How Great - William McDowell 

Let Justice Roll - Sojourn Music

No Condemnation - Anthony Evans

New Wine - Todd Galberth

"Pulling Back the Curtain"

Jamaal Williams 

37 As he was speaking, a Pharisee asked him to dine with him. So he went in and reclined at the table. 38 When the Pharisee saw this, he was amazed that he did not first perform the ritual washing before dinner. 39 But the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and evil. 40 Fools! Didn’t he who made the outside make the inside too? 41 But give from what is within to the poor, and then everything is clean for you.

42 “But woe to you Pharisees! You give a tenth of mint, rue, and every kind of herb, and you bypass justice and love for God. These things you should have done without neglecting the others.

43 “Woe to you Pharisees! You love the front seat in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces.

44 “Woe to you! You are like unmarked graves; the people who walk over them don’t know it.”

45 One of the experts in the law answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things you insult us too.”

46 Then he said, “Woe also to you experts in the law! You load people with burdens that are hard to carry, and yet you yourselves don’t touch these burdens with one of your fingers.

47 “Woe to you! You build tombs for the prophets, and your fathers killed them. 48 Therefore, you are witnesses that you approve the deeds of your fathers, for they killed them, and you build their monuments. 49 Because of this, the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute,’ 50 so that this generation may be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets shed since the foundation of the world — 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. “Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible.

52 “Woe to you experts in the law! You have taken away the key to knowledge. You didn’t go in yourselves, and you hindered those who were trying to go in.”

53 When he left there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to oppose him fiercely and to cross-examine him about many things; 54 they were lying in wait for him to trap him in something he said.

Luke 11:37-54

 "Faith in Jesus transforms you—performative religion hides you."

  1. Looking Clean vs. Being Changed (Luke 11:39-41)
    • Pharisees focused on outward purity, but their hearts were filthy.
    • Jesus calls for inside-out transformation, not religious performance.
  2. Rule-Following vs. True Righteousness (Luke 11:42-44)
    • The Pharisees tithed meticulously but neglected justice and love.
    • Holiness is both personal and public—righteousness without justice is empty.
  3. Craving Attention vs. Seeking God (Luke 11:43-44)
    • The Pharisees loved status and admiration more than God.
    • Jesus invites us to find security in His love, not in the applause of others.
  4. Burdening Others vs. Leading Them to Jesus (Luke 11:45-52)
    • Religious leaders made faith harder instead of leading people to God.
    • Jesus exposes their hypocrisy: honoring dead prophets while rejecting living truth.
  5. The Ultimate Curtain Pull: The Cross (Luke 11:50-51)
    • The Pharisees rejected prophets—now they will reject the Son of God.
    • Jesus’ death is the ultimate unveiling—offering freedom from performance-driven faith.
  6. Conclusion: Stop Performing, Start Receiving
    • Jesus isn’t calling us to religious exhaustion—He’s calling us to rest in Him.
    • Communion & Prayer: A space to confess, reset, and walk in grace.
    • “Jesus is pulling back the curtain—not to shame you, but to set you free.”

Meet us After the Service

New? We'd love to say hi. Find us in the Connect Room, front right.

Announcements

Announcements

Sundays · Feb 16 & 23 @ 2:30pm Family Baptism Class

This version of Baptism Class is for people 18 and younger, along with their parents.

Sundays · Feb 16 & 23 @ 9am Membership Class

What's Midtown about? Why should I commit? Come for answers.

Feb 23 after the 11am Sent One Reception

Hear what our Sent Ones Mike & Hannah and Chris & Amy have been up to.

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About Us

Sojourn Midtown is a part of the Sojourn family of churches. Our mission is to reach people with the gospel, build them up as the church, and send them into the world.



Email Us

Sojourn Midtown  1207 S Shelby St Louisville, KY 40203 · info@sojournmidtown.com · 502 237 1122