Messages

A sermon from the series “The Sermon on the Mount.” In The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness, Timothy Keller describes the human ego as empty, painful, busy, and fragile. We chase validation in all the wrong ways – always striving, always comparing, always needing to be seen. This week in Matthew 6, Jesus turns our attention to the heart behind our actions. He invites us to examine our motives—especially in our practices of spiritual devotion— calling us to serve and seek God from a place of love, not self-promotion. Join us as we learn together what it means to pursue the Lord with a humble and authentic heart.

A sermon from the series “The Sermon on the Mount.” Mark Twain once said, “It isn’t those parts of the Bible that I can’t understand that bother me, it’s the parts I do understand.” Matthew 5:38-48 is one of those passages. Jesus’ command to love our enemies is clear, but putting it into practice is another story. Today, we’ll explore Jesus’ teaching on surrendering our desire for revenge and loving those who persecute us. Sound impossible? It’s said that returning good for good is human; returning evil for good is devilish; returning good or evil is divine. Jesus not only commands us to love our enemies—He empowers us to do so.

A sermon from the series “The Sermon on the Mount.” In today’s culture, it’s becoming harder and harder to know who to trust and what to believe. The news, social media, and countless online voices are filled with distortions, half-truths, and outright lies. Studies show that the average American lies one to two times a day—a sobering reminder that deception isn’t new.

Even in Jesus’ time, truth was under attack. Yet in the midst of a dishonest world, He called His followers to be people who speak and live truthfully. Join us this Sunday as we explore what it means to be truth-tellers in every part of our lives.

A sermon from the series “The Sermon on the Mount.” They were constantly plotting against Him. The Pharisees looked for opportunities to test Jesus so they could find fault in Him. In Matthew, they asked Jesus about divorce. If Jesus said it was lawful, they could condemn them. But if He said it wasn’t, they could still judge Him. They thought they had Him either way. But Jesus surprised them all by focusing on marriage—its meaning, sanctity, and its divine origin. Tomorrow, Jesus will take us back to the Garden of Eden to see marriage as God’s good gift.

A sermon from the series “The Sermon on the Mount.” In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus reverses the world’s value system. The poor are blessed, mourners find comfort, and the meek are honored. While this is a great source of encouragement, Jesus also says things that aren’t as easy to accept. For instance, He said harboring anger toward someone is akin to murder. And, if we look lustfully at another person, we’re committing adultery in our hearts. These are hard truths. But Jesus speaks these words to set us free from the prison of resentment and bitterness, and free from the pain of searching for love in superficial relationships. Join us as we hear the hard—but liberating—teaching of Jesus.

A sermon from the series “The Sermon on the Mount.” Anger is an emotion many of us experience. It creeps up when someone steals our parking space, smears our name, or hurts us in some way. We may become angry over a cultural issue or injustice in the world. Anger happens. But Jesus says anger is a serious issue that should not be taken lightly. In fact it often leads to God’s judgement. Why is Jesus so hard on the issue of anger? Is there ever a time for it? And what are we to do when it rears its ugly head? Join us as we take a deep dive into the topic of anger and learn about God’s heart for reconciliation.

A sermon from the series “The Sermon on the Mount.” Out with the old, in with the new. This is a common theme in our throw-away culture. When Jesus came into the world, He established a new covenant, inaugurated a new kingdom, and gave His followers a new heart, but does that mean that He let go of everything from the past? Is the Old Testament still relevant for us today? Join us as we gain a deeper understanding of the words of Jesus, “I have not come to abolish… but to fulfill.”

A sermon from the series “The Sermon on the Mount.” The darker the night, the brighter the stars” is a phrase attributed to Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky, a fellow believer. Though written over 100 years ago, it is timely for our day and age. Today, Jesus will tell us that in a world shrouded in darkness, Christ followers are its only hope. “You are salt. You are light,” he says of his followers. Join us as we’ll learn how to put the words of Jesus into action.

A sermon from the series “The Sermon on the Mount.” Jesus begins His Sermon on the Mount by blessing those who recognize they are utterly helpless without God’s help. He blesses the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, and those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Today, we will hear Jesus pronounce more blessings. His final blessing is for those who are persecuted because of Him—and that should include all of us. Living as fully devoted disciples means the world will hate us. How are we to respond when persecution comes?

A sermon from the series “The Sermon on the Mount.” “Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them, saying: ‘Blessed are…’” [Matthew 5:1-3a] What follows is the greatest sermon ever preached by the greatest preacher who ever lived. In it, Jesus teaches us what it means to follow Him as His fully devoted disciples. But before He tells us what we’re to do, He blesses us. He blesses the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, and more. This is why God the Father sent Jesus to us—to bring good news to the poor, comfort the brokenhearted, and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. Join us for the beginning of Jesus’ life-transforming sermon.