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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!

Reconciliation

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation." 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 The ministry God gave us...

8. Peacemakers

The roots of faith (humility, repentance and submission) enable us to grow in Christ as we hunger and thirst for righteousness, all of which will produce the fruit of faith: mercy, purity and the ministry of a peacemaker. The beatitudes are sequential and build on one...

7. The Pure in Heart

The blessing for the pure in heart is that “they shall see God.” Unfortunately, no one can be completely pure in heart since our loyalties and commitments are so divided. Yes, we love God with some of our heart, soul, mind and strength, but can we ever honestly say we...

6. Blessed are the Merciful

The first three beatitudes establish the roots of faith in Jesus (humility, repentance and submission). The fourth beatitude shows us how to grow in Christ, by hungering and thirsting after righteousness. Now in the fifth beatitude we begin to see the fruit of faith....

Mercy

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the...

5. Hunger and Thirst

In between the roots of faith (humility, repentance and surrender) and the fruit of faith (compassion, purity, ministry and endurance) is the central beatitude: to hunger and thirst for righteousness. This is how we grow to become more like Jesus: first we rest and...

4. The Meek

Meekness is often thought of as “weakness,” but the opposite is true in Scripture. Meekness is power under control. Moses was the Old Testament example of meekness. Jesus was the ultimate example. Neither of them was weak! Both were submitted to the guidance and plan...

3. Those Who Mourn

The blessing for those who mourn is not for people who are generally sad or depressed but for those who are grieved by their sin and turn from it to receive grace and comfort from the Savior. As Jesus begins to change us we will mourn first for our own sin, then for...

Momentum

https://youtu.be/AOTmQKSBGMU?si=Ys9CM1ZqeR59MlfQ “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger...

2. Poor in Spirit

The beatitudes are the famous and beautiful introduction to Jesus’ sermon on the mount. Nine characteristics of a citizen of His kingdom, these are not commandments to obey in order to earn citizenship, they are descriptions of things that are already (and...