If we aren't careful, we will read through Matthew 5-7 (the Sermon on the Mount) and come to the erroneous conclusion that Jesus is simply calling us to be good people. All He is saying is that we should try really hard to get rid of bad habits and replace them with good ones.
That conclusion would be dead wrong.
All that Jesus has said about anger, adultery, anxiety, prayer and fasting and everything else climaxes with Jesus' final point as He brings His sermon to an end. His final words contain what I believe are some of the most, if not THE most, frightening words ever spoken in Scripture. In saying those words, Jesus brings His hearers to a point of decision and calls for us to choose to follow Him.
To access online notes for this sermon, click here.
To access the sermon video, click here or view the video below.
All too often our prayer lives are stagnant. We know we should pray and pray much more often than we do. We are periodically plagued with guilt over what we know we should be doing and what we actually do.
Yet, we struggle to find the motivation to pray because we just don't see the results of answered prayer.
Jesus speaks to this "problem" in Matthew 7:7-12 when He tells us that persistence in prayer is absolutely essential. Among other things, this sermon will explain why persistence in prayer is so important to God.
To access online notes for this sermon, click here.
To access the sermon video, click here or view the video below.
We have all heard Matthew 7:1 recited: "Judge not that you be not judged!" Even many non-believers know those words and periodically speak them. Unfortunately, that verse is often misused to state that if I'm in sin you have no right to point it out. It is remarkable that the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:1-6 actually mean the very opposite. If we truly care about others and their pursuit of holiness ("without which no one will see the Lord" [Hebrews 12:14]) will will speak into each others' lives when we see sin. In Matthew 7:1-6, Jesus tells us how to do that. To access online notes for this sermon, click here. To access the sermon video, click here or view the video below.
While some people worry much more than others, we all suffer from this non-productive malady. Worry comes almost as naturally to us as breathing.
Whether we are concerned about more bills than money at the end of the month, or a wayward child, or the plight of a very sick loved one, or a ferocious dog that is racing toward us - all of us struggle with worry.
Fortunately, Jesus has spoken clearly about this issue. In Matthew 6:25-34, He exposes worry for what it is and the flawed thinking behind it. He further shows us a better way that would work toward our good and God's glory. This sermon focuses on Jesus' words on this matter.
To access online notes for this sermon, click here.
To access the sermon video, click here or view the video below.
It's wonderful to be recognized and rewarded for our performance in school or an achievement in the realm of athletics or our job. Yet, when we think about following Jesus, some folks may believe that it is wrong to be motivated by an award. Jesus doesn't think so, though. In Matthew 6:19-24, after Jesus has talked about how some eternal rewards are achieved (giving to the needy [Matt. 6:2-4], praying [Matt. 6:5-6], fasting [Matt. 6:16-18]), He tells us to make sure that we aren't living so that we are awarded for our godly behavior in this life. Instead, we are to live so that we are awarded in Heaven.
As I will show in this sermon, Jesus' words make it very clear that our eternal awards/rewards are intended to motivate us to live our life with purpose - for Him.
To access online notes for this sermon, click here.
To access the sermon video, click here or view the video below.
If you are prepared to embark on a potentially exciting and rewarding journey through fasting, let me provide you with some names of resources that I have found to be very helpful.
Bill Bright, who was the founder and revered leader of Campus Crusade for Christ (CRU) for many years was an avid proponent of fasting. CRU's website continues to provide easy to digest information on this topic. You can begin your research by clicking here.
I have also found a few books to be very helpful:
"God's Chosen Fast" by Arthur Wallis is very helpful. It is a short book that answers most of the questions that someone who is new to fasting would ask.
I found that doing the Daniel Fast (think "vegetarian") was much easier than a normal fast but also brought with it many benefits. The book I used was "The Daniel Fast" by Susan Gregory.
Fasting has fallen on hard times in our current Christian culture. In a time when waistlines are growing, any talk of denying ourselves a meal(s) is anathema. Yet, what initially seems so repulsive can be one of the most empowering and liberating practices we could ever engage in. There is spiritual power and freedom that awaits those who will take Jesus' words serious when He begins, "When you fast..." (Matthew 6:16). This sermon seeks to unpack the topic of fasting by answering some of the most basic questions, namely: 1) What is fasting? 2) Why should I fast? 3) How should I fast? To access online notes for this sermon, click here. To access the sermon video, click here or view the video below.
If we aren't careful, we will read through Matthew 5-7 (the Sermon on the Mount) and come to the erroneous conclusion that Jesus is simply calling us to be good people. All He is saying is that we should try really hard to get rid of bad habits and replace them with good ones.
