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The Jesus Way

The Lord’s Manifesto in the Sermon on the Mount

Early in his public ministry Jesus described what a citizen of his kingdom looks like in the eight beatitudes. He closed the sermon with a call to wisely apply his teachings and not foolishly ignore them. In between these eloquent and memorable bookends, the Master Teacher summarized how he would fulfill the Law and call his followers to do the same. 
Nothing less than a complete transformation of identity and purpose would be sufficient to make his early followers (and us today) capable of being salt and light in this dark, broken world; of replacing worry with a commitment to God’s kingdom above all; of loving our enemies and learning to genuinely pray “your kingdom come.” Come to hear these familiar teachings in a fresh way and with a heart ready to be challenged and changed as we walk “the Jesus way” together!

17. Love Your Enemies

This week we complete the sixth and final “But I say to you,” as Jesus completes His section on righteousness and calls His followers to “be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect” (v. 48). Though God’s people are to be different from the non-believers around us,...

16. Radical Generosity

“Turn the other cheek,” is one of the most famous sayings of Jesus. “Give to everyone who asks of you,” may not be as famous but is certainly as radical a command. How can we achieve such radical generosity? Only with wisdom, guidance and power from the Lord Himself!...

It’s All Yours

This Sunday, we will have a special time of worship as we sing praises to God for all He's done, have a time of reflection and surrender, and hear a short message from Pastor Darin from 1 Chronicles 29:10 - 16 (from which we get the doxology at the end of the Lord's...

15. Keep Your Word

As with most stories in Judges, Jephthah is a cautionary tale (Judges 11-12), and his story features a foolish and disastrous vow. Another featured oath in the Bible appears in Mark 6 when “an opportunity came,” and King Herod’s mistress took advantage of her...

14. God’s Design for Marriage

Jesus did not come to abolish the Old Testament Law but “to fill it full.” So far in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus has addressed murder and the problem of anger beneath it; also adultery and the lustful coveting that produces it. Now we come to the Old Testament...

13. Our Struggle Against Sin

Jesus did not come to abolish the Old Testament Law but to “fill it full.” He did not soften the righteous requirements of the Law but instead dug deeper, right to the heart of the human condition, calling us to “be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Jesus’...

12. Anger

Six times in Matthew 5 Jesus says, “You have heard it said, but I say to you,” to illustrate His rabbinic approach to righteous living. In short, He makes it clear that the main issue is our hearts (Luke 6:45). And what is in your heart will come out in your emotions,...

11. Righteousness

As a new rabbi on the scene in Israel, calling disciples to follow His way, what did Jesus present as His central teachings and practices? Did He reject the Law of Moses and abandon the Old Testament? Strikingly Jesus made it clear, “I did not come to abolish the Law...

10. Salt and Light

At the very beginning of His public ministry, Jesus began to instruct his disciples in what it meant to follow Him and live as citizens of His kingdom. This section about being salt and light shows the life of a disciple is first about a new identity in Christ and...

9. Endurance

Jesus concludes the beautifully balanced beatitudes with a special blessing on those who are persecuted for His name and for righteousness. As those who follow a Master who was severely persecuted, why should we expect different treatment than He received? This week...