In this section of Jesus’ prayer, He tells His disciples to pray “and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” In this prayer Jesus teaches them about Prayers of Confession: the need to be forgiven and to forgive. Forgive Us Our Sins When we become a Christian, God forgives all our… Continue reading Prayers of Confession (Matthew 6:12,14-15)
Category: Sermon
Prayers of Dependence (Matthew 6:10-11 Luke 11:2-3)
After instructing His disciples to pray “Father, hallowed be Your name”, He tells them to pray “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread.” In this section we shall learn about Prayers of Dependence. Let’s take a closer look at this prayer. Your… Continue reading Prayers of Dependence (Matthew 6:10-11 Luke 11:2-3)
Prayers of Praise (Matthew 6:9 & Luke 11:2)
After providing examples of how His disciples ought not to pray, Jesus provides an example of how they should pray. What follows is often called “The Lord’s Prayer” or “The Model Prayer”. This prayer is not meant to be recited word for word (though it is a great prayer), rather it is an example of… Continue reading Prayers of Praise (Matthew 6:9 & Luke 11:2)
How to Pray (Matthew 6:5-8)
Last week we learned that selfish giving (even if generous) is not pleasing to God. A selfish attitude pollutes everything it comes into contact with. This week, we will learn how selfish prayers are not pleasing to God. We must be very careful about how we pray and to whom we are speaking. A little… Continue reading How to Pray (Matthew 6:5-8)
Charity that is Pleasing to God (Matthew 6:1-4)
Have you heard about the recipe for misery? Chas Kingsley once said, “If you wish to be miserable, think about yourself; about what you want, what you like; what respect people ought to pay you; and then to you nothing will be pure. You will spoil everything you touch; you will make misery for yourself… Continue reading Charity that is Pleasing to God (Matthew 6:1-4)
The Purifying Pursuit of Perfection (Matthew 5:48)
Max Lucado once shared a story about the dangers of comparison. His mother would tell him and his brother to clean their rooms. One time, when Max’s mother told him that his room was not clean, he took her to his brother’s room (which was much messier) and said, “See, my room is clean; just… Continue reading The Purifying Pursuit of Perfection (Matthew 5:48)
The Lord of the Harvest (Matthew 9:35-38)
You are in line at a grocery store and, while there seem to be 50 checkout lines, it seems as if only 3 are open. What are you most likely thinking while you stand there with your items? What are you most likely feeling? I confess that I too often find myself irritated and frustrated.… Continue reading The Lord of the Harvest (Matthew 9:35-38)
Extraordinary Love (Matthew 5:43-47)
Is there anybody you just don’t like? What do find yourself thinking about when you think of them? Jesus calls His disciples to be His ambassadors (2 Cor 5:20) and witnesses (Acts 1:8). As witnesses, we testify to the extraordinary power, love, and goodness of Christ. In other words, we testify about something better than… Continue reading Extraordinary Love (Matthew 5:43-47)
Turn the Other Cheek (Matthew 5:38-42)
We now turn our attention to the portion of the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus teaches us to “turn the other cheek.” Before we begin an in-depth discussion of what this means and how to properly apply it, we must be clear about what it does not mean. First, Jesus is not telling an… Continue reading Turn the Other Cheek (Matthew 5:38-42)
The Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing but the Truth (Matthew 5:33-37)
Have you ever made a “pinky promise”? When I was growing up, the “pinky promise” (or “pinky swear”) was the most serious and binding promise any child could make. We made it by interlocking our little fingers together and making a promise. We were not exactly sure what would happen if we broke our “pinky… Continue reading The Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing but the Truth (Matthew 5:33-37)
