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 ofContinueContinue reading “Prayers of Praise (Matthew 6:9 & Luke 11:2)”
Tag Archives: Sermon on the Mount
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 littleContinueContinue 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 yourselfContinueContinue 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; justContinueContinue reading “The Purifying Pursuit of Perfection (Matthew 5:48)”
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 thanContinueContinue 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 anContinueContinue 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 “pinkyContinueContinue reading “The Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing but the Truth (Matthew 5:33-37)”
What Jesus said about Murder (Matthew 5:21-26)
Making a snowman is a lot of fun. It’s even more fun when you have a hill nearby! There is a phrase you may have heard of called the “Snowball effect”. It’s defined as “a situation in which something increases in size or importance at a faster and faster rate.” A snowball effect can beContinueContinue reading “What Jesus said about Murder (Matthew 5:21-26)”
Jesus and the Law (Matthew 5:17-20)
Can you think of a moment when someone or something greatly exceeded your expectations? Maybe it was a restaurant, job, company or product? Think of a time when you were blown away by how much better it turned out to be than you thought it would. Now try to imagine being in Israel duringContinueContinue reading “Jesus and the Law (Matthew 5:17-20)”
Christian Witness (Matthew 5:10-16)
Those who enter the kingdom of God do so through repentance and faith. God welcomes them into His kingdom; giving them a new heart that hungers and thirsts for righteousness (Matt 5:6). The Beatitudes, as we learned earlier, describe the character of a Christian; namely, what Christ is developing in them. In our next sectionContinueContinue reading “Christian Witness (Matthew 5:10-16)”
First Baptist Scott City, MO 