Podcasts about Beatitudes

Do they deserve your kindness? Maybe not. But neither did we. Today's Daily Dose reminds us why mercy matters. Video available at: https://youtu.be/b-T8sS9fqE0 Message by Tracie Moss.

What are you really hungry for? Jesus says those who crave righteousness won't walk away empty. Listen in today. Video available at: https://youtu.be/sXNMaVncUF0 Message by DJ Trento.

TWL Summer Break AnnouncementGood afternoon and welcome to Truth Worth Living, where we seek to understand God's word so we can live in God's will.Last week, we finished up our series on the parables, and this week, we begin our summer study break. If you're new to the podcast, let me encourage you to go back through our feed and get caught up. We have a great series of books on James and Hebrews and studies on the Beatitudes, the Twelve Disciples, and others. We return with new episodes on Tuesday, September 9th, as we begin  study in Ecclesiastes, an ancient book that seems to have been written for our Secular Age. Until then, stay in the word. It is God's truth worth living! 

Is meekness just being a pushover? Not even close. Find out what Jesus really meant in today's Daily Dose. Video available at: https://youtu.be/AEIF0AnU-Nc Message by Lindsay Marsolais.

In this episode, we continue on with Luke 6:12-26. In these verses we read of Jesus' calling of the 12, healing the multitudes, and the Beatitudes. Together we discuss what can happen when we allow our focus to be Christ alone. Rather than allowing our differences to divide us, when our focus is Jesus alone, even the most diverse and different people can find unity in Him and for the sake of His upside down Kingdom. And further, as we focus on Jesus, establishing our dependence on Him alone, we find true blessing despite the circumstances of life that we may be facing because we have found what/Who is better.

Ever wonder where God is in your pain? He's right there with comfort in hand. Catch today's Daily Dose. Video available at: https://youtu.be/ZgLHlOAZHp0 Message by Rey Azofeifa.

Tuesday, 24 June 2025   And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” Matthew 11:6   “And blessed, he is, who if not he should stumble in Me” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus provided John's disciples with a list of things the Messiah was prophesied or anticipated to do, expecting them to hear and see if what He was doing matched what was anticipated. Next, he says, “And blessed, he is.”   It is the same word, makarios, that Jesus used nine times between Matthew 5:3 and Matthew 5:11 while proclaiming the beatitudes. As such, it doesn't appear this is a direct appeal to John's heart nor a subtle but tender rebuke to him. Rather, it appears to be a general statement intended for anyone who heard the words that discernment concerning Him and His role was needed.   Those things stated in the Beatitudes stand as much as a warning as they do a promise of hope. To say, for example, “Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy,” implies that those who are not merciful will not obtain mercy. If Jesus' words here follow that tone, the next words stand as an opportunity for blessing or judgment. Those words are, “who if not he should stumble in Me.”   Again, He returns to a word used twice during the Sermon on the Mount, skandalizó. It signifies to entrap, and thus to trip up. Jesus is saying that a person who is not tripped up because of Him and how He conducts His ministry will be blessed. The one who is tripped up will then, by default, not be blessed.   John was in the process of getting tripped up because he heard of what Jesus was doing for the people while he languished in prison. He assumed that the fulfillment of the prophecies concerning the Messiah meant all of the prophecies for all of the people.   However, it is apparent after the fact that this was not the case. For example, Acts 3 refers to a man who was lame and who was left at the gate of the temple called Beautiful. It says he was carried there daily, implying this was an ongoing thing for an extended period. Jesus surely would have walked by him, and yet, he wasn't healed.   That man's healing after Jesus' ascension served its own purpose, though. John was myopically looking at the events around him and comparing them to his own situation, and his mind was not rightly processing how Jesus was conducting His messiahship.   Life application: A similar statement could be made today concerning those in the church in relation to Jesus' words in this verse. The Bible is written. It has various truths in it which we are to consider immutable. It holds the instruction for numerous doctrines we are to consider inviolate. It presents various theologies we are to understand and consider as infrangible.   For example, the Bible presents the understood theology that Jesus is God incarnate. To accept that would be worthy of blessing. To reject it, then, would not be acceptable. The Bible instructs us concerning the doctrine of end-time events.   If Israel of the tribulation period is the Israel who has returned to the land today, to reject that would mean there is no blessing for holding to such a doctrine.   Likewise, the Bible presents the truth that man is created in God's image and that all men stem from one man, Adam. This reveals a further truth that Adam was... anyone? Yes, Adam was created. As such, to believe that one race is superior to others or that evolution is true will carry with it no blessing. These things are incompatible with what the Bible presents.   Despite there being a mentally exhausting number of truths, doctrines, and theologies in Scripture, do we want to ignore them and remain uneducated in our Christian lives? Do we want to be inaccurate in what we believe because we trusted a pastor or preacher, or a denomination's teachings, without checking?   How important is it to you to want to know God more intimately and fellowship with Him more closely? Are you happy to stand in a church spewing out gibberish and claiming it is speaking in tongues? Does that satisfy your deepest desires to impress God and others?   Think! We have the word of God written and ready to be studied. Is it more important to watch a second movie in the evening, or will one suffice so that you make time for the word? Where are your priorities? Put God first by learning about Him and His wonderful message of love and life guidance for you.   Lord God Almighty, surely Your word is big, complicated, and will require a lot of our time and mental exertion to grasp. But China built a great wall, the Egyptians built humongous pyramids, and we have sent men to the moon. Can't we expend our efforts on searching out Your word? What value is human endeavor if You are not included in it? Help us in our pursuit of You through the study of Your word. Amen.

Recorded live at Beatitudes Church in Phoenix, AZ on 6.22.25Preaching: Reverend Sandi AnthonyScripture: Luke 8:26-39If you like what you hear, consider donating at:  https://beatitudeschurch.org/donate/To watch the full service, click here: Service of Worship | June 22, 2025

Who knows the pathway to dealing with extremism? Jesus does. And he shared it with us all in the Sermon on the Mount. It turns out that living the Beatitudes is the antidote to this multifaceted societal ill—and we all can do it!

What does it really mean to be blessed? Join us for a journey through the Beatitudes—Jesus' surprising roadmap to a life full of meaning, purpose, and promise. Pastor Larry Osborne starts off with what it means to be poor in spirit. Video available at: https://youtu.be/pOmpcGemwRI

Check out Pastor Brett's message on the Beatitudes.No Youth this week, everyone is at camp! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us as we continue our series, Blessed: The Good Life According to Jesus—a journey through the Beatitudes and Jesus' surprising vision for a flourishing life in God's Kingdom.

Be Happy Attitudes (pt 1) Background: The “Beatitudes” represent the introduction of the Sermon on the Mount (28-30 AD), the first, formal teaching of Jesus with his followers. In these short, powerful, poetic verses, Jesus topples the traditional thinking of his day (and ours), by showing us how opposite the Kingdom of Heaven is from the Kingdom of Earth. And yet, he also suggests that succeeding God's way will help you master the art of everyday living in 2025. During this 3-week series, we will investigate 3 Beatitudes each week. Matthew 5:3-5 (NIV) “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Remember: The people Jesus spoke to on the Mount of Beatitudes were like us. We're cut from the same cloth. This is not some irrelevant, historic literature. It's as applicable in SoCal 2025. Be Happy Attitude #1: In God's Kingdom, filing for spiritual 

bankruptcy isn't the end, it's the beginning. 3 “You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. (The Message) The problem is trying to do life on our own Self-reliance is the DNA of sin; becoming “like the gods” Poor people can be self-reliant and wealthy people can be God-reliant, but resources tempt us to do life on our own Be Happy Attitude #2: In God's Kingdom, good grief is when we bring it to God and when it reminds us of a blessing we have experienced. 4 “You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you. (The Message) God wants to be involved in all of our life and emotions; don't exclude Him When we see God as our source, we thank him for His gifts; even when they leave Be Happy Attitude #3: In God's Kingdom, meekness is not weakness. Rather, it's about walking softly and carrying a big God. 5 “You're blessed when you're content with just who you are—no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought. (The Message) John Stott: “Meekness is not the absence of assertiveness, but the absence of self-assertion.” Tozer: “The meek person is not a human mouse, plagued by feelings of inferiority. Rather, one may be as bold as a lion in moral conviction, yet no longer deceived about themselves." N.T. Wright: “Jesus is promising the world to the people who refuse to grab it for themselves.”

Healthy, flourishing relationships start in the soil of our hearts, where God's truth, love, and the Beatitudes grow to heal, transform, and foster a life-giving presence in our relationships.

Send us a textWhat does it mean to be a peacemaker in a world that often chooses division? In Week 4 of our Summer on the Mount series, Pastor Reid explores the final Beatitudes from Matthew 5:9–12, where Jesus blesses both peacemakers and the persecuted. Peacemaking isn't about avoiding conflict—it's about actively restoring relationships, first with God, then with others. And often, it comes at a cost.Discover what true peace looks like, how Jesus modeled it, and why it's worth it—even when it leads to pushback.

Join us as Pastor Brandon continues the series on the Beatitudes. This week Pastor Brandon speaks on hungering and thirsting for righteousness.

In this episode, we explore what it means to not just admire Jesus' words—but to actually live them. The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7) isn't just good advice or poetic teaching—it's a radical call to a new kind of life under the rule of King Jesus. Jesus paints a picture of kingdom character, deeper righteousness, secret devotion, eternal priorities, gracious relationships, and rock-solid obedience. But how do we live this out in a world that prizes the opposite? Join us as we walk through the key themes and practical calls to action from the greatest sermon ever preached—and discover how it can transform your life from the inside out. Key Takeaways: • What the Beatitudes teach us about true blessing • Why Jesus raises the bar on righteousness and love • How to give, pray, and fast with sincerity • What it means to seek first the kingdom in your priorities • How to respond to Jesus' words with lasting obedience Whether you're new to the Sermon on the Mount or have read it a hundred times, this message will challenge you to move from hearing… to doing.

This week, we continue our journey through the Beatitudes by exploring Jesus' words about peacemakers and the persecuted. What does it mean to live as a child of God in a world filled with conflict, pressure, and misunderstanding? How do we hold onto hope when doing what's right feels costly?Pastor Byron helps us see that the way of Jesus isn't just about peacekeeping — it's about peace-making: stepping into broken places with courage, grace, and the presence of God. And when we face opposition for living this way, we're not abandoned — we're blessed."Blessed are the peacemakers... Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake..."

Today,we're looking at Luke chapter 22:24-30. Jesus has just revealed that Judas isHis betrayer, who went out to gather men to arrest Him and take Him to the highpriest to be crucified. Now, Jesus is still at the table with His disciples,and an astonishing thing happens next. In verse 24, a dispute arises among themabout which of them should be considered the greatest. Thiswas not the first time the disciples had committed this sin (Matt. 20:20-28;Mark 9:33-37; Luke 9:46-48), but in the light of what their Lord had said anddone that evening, this latest exhibition was inexcusable. Perhaps the argumentgrew out of their speculating over who would betray Him, or there may have beensome jealousy over the way they had been seated at the table. When you areinterested in promoting yourself, it doesn't take much to start an argument. It'sremarkable that after Jesus washed their feet, shared the Passover, andannounced His betrayal, the disciples are arguing over who will be the greatestin the kingdom. It still hasn't dawned on them, despite Jesus telling themseveral times—back in Luke chapter 9—that He would be crucified. Their disputebegan even then, on the way to Jerusalem, about who would be the greatest. Ican imagine, with Judas among them, they were all thinking, "I'll besitting next to Jesus in His kingdom, ruling over others." They weretrying to position themselves above one another as disciples of Christ. It'ssad that this happens even in our churches today. As Jesus heard themdisputing, He taught them a lesson: "We're not to be like the Gentiles. Inthe Roman Empire, people promote themselves, legally or illegally, doinganything to gain places of honor, power, and authority." It almost soundslike today—people lie, cheat, steal, and act corruptly to get to the top, evenin the corporate world. Jesus said, "That might be the way of theGentiles, who are called benefactors and given titles of honor, striving to berecognized, to be somebody, to be famous. Yet when they get there, they findit's not what it seems." Jesuscontinued, "It's not going to be that way among My people. I'm theexample—I'm the one who serves." He pointed out that those who sit at thetable are honored, part of the authority, but He had just washed their feet,serving them. "That's how it's to be among you," He said. "In Mykingdom, the greatest is the one who serves."  OswaldChambers put it beautifully, saying we are to be doormats for people. Nobodylikes someone rubbing the dirt off their feet onto you, but Jesus said that'swhat we're to be. I've always thought, if someone rubs their dirt off on me,hopefully they're cleaner now, and thank God I have the opportunity to serve.It's not always easy to have that attitude, but we look to Jesus as ourexample. In His “Sermon on the Mount of Beatitudes” in Matthew 5:44, Jesus taughtus what our response should be to those who step on us: “But I say to you,love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you,and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you”.  Jesusclosed this lesson on servanthood by reminding them of their future reward inthe kingdom (Luke 22:28-30). In spite of their weaknesses and failures, thedisciples had stood by Jesus during His earthly ministry, and God would honorthem for their faithfulness. We should not mind being servants today, for weshall sit on thrones in the future kingdom! For that matter, our faithfulservice today is preparing us for the rewards we shall receive. Jesus has setthe example: first the cross, then the crown. Wehave something to look forward to, but for now, we are servants—doormats forJesus. I trust you'll be one for someone today as you serve them.  Godbless!

Help sustain the work of RLC: www.redletterchristians.org/donate/ To check out what RLC is up to, please visit us www.redletterchristians.org  Follow us on Twitter: @RedLetterXians Instagram: @RedLetterXians Follow Shane on Instagram: @shane.claiborne Twitter: @ShaneClaiborne

Episode 269 - End of the Season What would the Jubilee rest look like on your end? After 269 episodes, the friars are stepping away for a season of Jubilee, renewal, and obedience.  In this heartfelt season finale, they share honest life updates, reflect on God's invitation to deeper trust, and remind us that real rest isn't about burnout. It's about surrender. This one's full of laughter, brotherhood, and real discernment.  Thank you so much! See you in Season 2! The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Blessed are the broken. Matthew 5:1-12

Dr. Kay Daigle Dr. Sue Edwards In this second video in the series Leaders, Survive and Thrive in Conflict, Dr. Sue Edwards discusses women's tendencies in conflict with Dr. Kay Daigle. Knowing our womanly inclinations when confronted with conflict enables us to practice good peacemaking that will serve us well in such situations. As leaders, there will be times when conflict arises within our church or organization, and we need to deal with it well. Learning about women's tendencies in conflict will also help any of us to overcome our usual reactions and follow Jesus as peacemakers. After all, Jesus values them as he said in the Beatitudes, "Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God" (Matt. 5:9, NET). If you missed the first episode, access Get Ready for Conflict, Leaders.  Or watch all episodes on video. Recommended resources Oletha Barnett's podcast series, Fight Right: 1. The Nature of Conflict, 2. Biblical Resolution 3. Accepting Other's Differences. All are also available on video. All BOW videos on dealing with conflict Book:  Leading Women Who Wound: Strategies for an Effective Ministry by Sue Edwards & Kelley Mathews Elizabeth Woodson's short Leader Tip: Tell the Truth This episode is also available on video. Timestamps: 00:16 Introductions 00:58 What research shows 06:57 Women live in a relational web. 10:59 Approaching conflict with grace & strength TranscriptKay >> Hi. I'm Kay Daigle of Beyond Ordinary Women Ministries. And I'm welcoming you to this second video in our series on conflict with Dr. Sue Edwards. Our series is really focused toward leaders, and Sue is giving us some tips on how to survive and thrive through conflict as leaders. In the first video, we just talked about being ready, being prepared, that conflict is going to happen. And Sue shared some of her own personal experiences with conflict as I have. And in this one we're going to talk about women's tendencies in conflict because women have some tendencies that are a little bit different from the way men might handle conflict. As I told you in the first video, you can read Sue's full bio on our website as she is an Associate Professor at Dallas Seminary. And we are so thankful that she gave us the time to talk about this. So Sue in your experience, in your research, what can you tell us about women in conflict? Sue >> Well, I think, first of all, I would give a warning that we don't want to put everybody in the same box, that stereotypes are dangerous and misleading. But there are some tendencies that are real, and I've experienced them. You probably have as well. And as women and women leaders particularly we just need to be aware. Kay >> Some of them will apply to the leaders themselves. Sue >> Yes. Yes. Kay >> And if you're a leader, you need to know what your tendencies are. Sue >> Exactly. And you need to know that as a leader, often you're working with men. So if you don't understand how you may come at this differently, then you will possibly have some real problems. So this is helpful just to be aware. Kay >> I think of the story you told in the last video that the executive pastor gave you 15 minutes to mediate an entire conflict. That's a man's tendency isn't it? Sue >> Yes, and he ended up having to—then we had three or four more sessions as a result because there was no possible way because we were in this personally. That's something that we see Janet Lever has done research on children's playgrounds and she has spent large blocks of time watching children play together. And what she has observed is that the little boys will come together, and when there is a conflict, they will get into it physically and verbally. Then they'll be rolling in the dirt, and they'll be really going after each other. But she's watching and the next day, they're fine. They don't hold on to this at all. It's just a way to work things out.

Beatitudes: Pure In Heart | Greg Simmons Mission, Vision & Core Values Our Mission is To reveal the goodness of God to everyone everywhere. Join us at 10 am every Sunday Morning or for our Livestream worship service at 10 am on Facebook and at UpperRoomOhio.com Find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/UpperRoomOhio/ Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/upperroomohio Give us a call: 937-667-5585 Address 648 N. Hyatt St. Tipp City, OH 45371

Recorded live at Beatitudes Church in Phoenix, AZ on 6.15.25Preaching: Reverend Sandi AnthonyScripture: Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31If you like what you hear, consider donating at:  https://beatitudeschurch.org/donate/To watch the full service, click here: Service of Worship | June 15, 2025

The good life. No matter who you are, chances are you have a picture of what it looks like—and how to achieve it.When Jesus opens His first sermon in the New Testament with the famous words, “Blessed are the poor in spirit,” He introduces a new paradigm for the good life—a stunning invitation to true joy in God's kingdom. The Beatitudes, eight powerful statements from Jesus, show us what following Jesus really means—and why it's the best decision we'll ever make. In this episode, we unpack Matthew 5:1-2, the introduction to the Sermon on the Mount, asking questions of the text and finding answers by searching Scripture. If you want to dig deeper into the themes of this episode, here are a few reflection questions and passages to consider:Which of the eight beatitudes surprises you the most right now? Why?Read Luke's account of the beatitudes in Luke 6:17-26. What differences do you notice? Does anything stand out that you're interested in learning more about? Why?Consider beginning our study of the beatitudes in prayer. Ask God to open your eyes to behold wonderful things about Jesus in His Word! To get you started, here's a guided prayer:Jesus, You are prophet, law-giver, teacher, preacher, and king—help me to see You with my heart.May I know You as my king, and follow You with joy.This is the blessed life—to be with You and bring You glory, now and forever. Amen. 

Parables can be a real pain to the brain, but at the same time, Jesus tackles the issue quickly if you're open to it. Solomon says in Proverbs 15: “…wisdom make knowledge acceptable,” that is, sometimes the way you say something makes all the difference. Jesus sometimes chose parables to tell us things that we need to understand. The context of the parable in Matthew 5:13-16 is the Sermon on the Mount. The Beatitudes found in the introduction of the sermon are about kingdom thinking, or the Kingdom Ethic. The Kingdom Ethic is what directs our lives as followers of Jesus Christ. This is the: “Thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” type of thinking. This first parable following the Beatitudes is about the practice of this Kingdom Ethic. It is about how Kingdom thinking is actually lived out. If I was to summarize the eight Beatitudes for you, it would be this: “I am not a god. I am a sinner. I am here to serve others by pursuing good. I am moved by compassion, committed to do the right thing before God, in peace, and without compromise.” The purpose of the following parable can be summarized with one word: influence! How does one human being influence another? It was John Donne who said, “no man is an island.” We all have an influence on people, but we do it one at a time. Whether we admit it or not, we all have influence on something or someone and it's either for good or for bad. We cannot live out the Kingdom Ethic in a private world. We cannot live our lives in splendid isolation. In this parable, Jesus uses two metaphors to show how we, his followers, leave our “fingerprints” on the world around us. Some Christians think our job is to curse the darkness, but instead, Jesus has called us to light a candle. It's been said that most Christians have been educated beyond their level of obedience. We need to remember James' admonishment to be “doers of the word and not merely hearers” (James 1:19-25).

June 15, 2025Pastor Matt KendrickSalt and LightMatthew 5:13-16The character that we see in the Beatitudes is what makes us salty and light. It's us living out Jesus' way: humility over arrogance, other-centeredness over self-centeredness, forgiving over holding a grudge. Those kinds of people change an office. They change a family. They change a school. They lift a city!Be salty this week! Shine your light! Taking risks for the sake of the gospel is not only acceptable… it's essential.Be bold as you share Jesus, invite people into your life, and serve others. Thank you for listening!For more info on Redemption City Church check out our website. If you'd like to connect with us further, please fill out a Connection Card and one of our staff will get in touch with you.Follow us on on social media: Instagram, Facebook and YouTube

Join us as Pastor John continues the series on the Beatitudes. This week John speaks on being meek and how that looks in our daily life.

In this message, we begin our journey through the Beatitudes by exploring the first four Kingdom postures: poverty of spirit, mourning, meekness, and hunger for righteousness. Jesus shows us that true blessing begins with brokenness — when we come to the end of ourselves, we find the beginning of the Kingdom.This sermon will challenge how you define success and help you reimagine what it means to live a truly blessed life.

In this video, JC Schroeder looks at the Greek text of the first Beatitude, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs in the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3 and Luke 6:20).Works Cited:Rebekah Eklund, The Beatitudes through the Ages (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2021).Wesley G. Olmstead, Matthew 1-14: A Handbook on the Greek Text, Baylor Handbook on the Greek New Testament (Waco: Baylor University Press, 2019).Jonathan T. Pennington, The Sermon on the Mount and Human Flourishing: A Theological Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2017).Charles L. Quarles, Matthew, Exegetical Guide to the Greek New Testament (Nashville: B&H Academic, 2017).Time Stamps:0:00 Introduction0:38 "Blessed"5:21 "the poor in spirit"7:41 "for theirs is the kingdom of heaven"10:56 "theirs"12:46 "kingdom of heaven"17:03 Comparison with Luke 6:20---------------

Episode 268 - The Beatitudes Is following Jesus just another self-help plan? The Beatitudes flip that idea upside down. This isn't about fixing yourself, it's about letting God meet you in your need. In this episode, the friars unpack how the Beatitudes aren't a checklist for spiritual success, but an invitation to deep dependence on God. They explore how true blessings often look like weakness, surrender, and a poverty of spirit because that's where grace breaks in.  The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

We kicked off our new series, The Rebel Way, by diving deep into the Sermon on the Mount—a message that's as radical and relevant today as it was when Jesus first preached it. Pastors Mike Breaux, Chris Kuti and Carlos Erazo unpack the Beatitudes and how this countercultural invitation leads us toward a life of freedom, purpose, and transformation.  From personal stories of brokenness to the beauty of surrender, we explored how Jesus flips the script on what it means to be truly blessed. Whether you're struggling with pride, searching for peace, or simply longing for a deeper relationship with God, this conversation reminds us that the narrow path is the one worth walking. As we follow Jesus upstream, we discover a faith that's authentic, compelling, and full of grace.

Father explains what the Beatitudes are and invites us to live them.

Let's talk about the Beatitudes.

Check out week one in Pastor Brett's series on the Beatitudes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Introduction: Leviticus 19:18 – You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD. Leviticus 19:34 – You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God. I Love My Enemies... (Matthew 5:43–48) ...because of WHO I AM. (Matt 5:45a) ...by WHAT I DO. (Matt 5:45b) ...because I Am CALLED TO BE DIFFERENT. (Matt 5:46–47) Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Small Group DiscussionRead Matthew 5:43-48What was your big take-away from this passage / message?What does it mean to be persecuted? When Jesus said we must pray for those who persecute us, what / how exactly should we pray?Can you genuinely love your enemy if you don't really feel like it? Why or why not?Explain Romans 12:20. How exactly does loving your enemy lead him to repentance? See also Romans 2:4.What did Jesus mean in verse 48 when He said we “must be perfect”?BreakoutPray for one another. AUDIO TRANSCRIPT Open up those Bibles to Matthew chapter 5.As we go through our series, the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew chapter 5 verse 43, Jesussaid, "You have heard that it was said."Stop there for a second.This whole section that we're in right now, if you've been following this series at all,I'm sure you've noticed that that has come up.What is it like?Six total times pastor?Like, "You have heard that it was said, but I say to you."What Jesus is dealing with here is correcting some garbage beliefs.And I've shared with you before, that's my biggest concern for this church is the areaof discernment.We live in a day that there is so much bad teaching out there.And thanks to the Internet, we have access, right?And look, I'm not saying it's all bad, but I'm saying probably for every good teachingyou can find online, you can probably find ten other garbage teaching online.And my concern for the church is people not knowing the difference.And it gets back to what did Jesus actually say?It's the issue that He was dealing with in His day, lack of discernment.Last week we saw Jesus said, "You've heard that it was said, and I for an eye."And Jesus said, "No, no, no, no, no, no."Jesus, as I say to you, I'm paraphrasing, He says, "Do not retaliate."You can walk away from last week's message and say, "Got it.Don't retaliate."So I'm just going to ignore the people that I can't stand.Well, let's keep reading.Verse 43, "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate yourenemy.'But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."Oh, no, no, don't ignore your enemies.You have to look for ways to be good to them.You're like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.You're saying that I not only don't get to get even with them, but I have to proactivelylove them?Yeah, that's what He said.All right?It's a hard word.So I think we should just stop and pray right now, shouldn't we?I'm going to ask that you would pray for me to be faithful to communicate God's word,accurately and clearly, and I will pray for you to have a heart open to receive what ourLord is teaching us in this part of His Sermon.All right?So let's pray.Father in heaven, as we go through this sermon from our Lord, it's just wave after wave ofthings that really confront our selfish, sinful, fleshly tendencies.And I don't know of one that's bigger than this one.I'm asking, please God, please, by the power of Your Word, Father, by the power of YourSpirit that You would change our minds today, Father, change our hearts and that we wouldn'tjust leave here knowing some things, but we leave here deeply convicted and moved to dosome things.For Your glory and honor, Father.We pray in Jesus' name.And all of God's people said, Amen.All right, let's break this down here.Jesus says in verse 43, "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighborand hate your enemy.'"You have heard.You have heard.That's what we've seen in this series.The scribes and the Pharisees in Jesus' day did what's still happening today.They twist verses in the Word of God to justify whatever it is they want to justify.For them, Jesus called them out.They were justifying their lust.They were justifying their hatred.They were justifying their getting even with people.He calls them out again.You've heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy."That's what the scribes and the Pharisees said.And you're like, "Well, was that in the Old Testament?"Well, the first part was, kind of.Here's what I mean.Here's what's actually in the Scripture.Leviticus 19-18.Look at this."You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but youshall love your neighbor as yourself.I am the Lord."So you see, with the way that they sort of restated that, they ran into four problems.Four problems.The first problem is the scribes and the Pharisees left out the "as yourself" part.Did you notice that?Well, I love my neighbor, but as myself, that's a bit too much.Let's keep it vague.Because if we keep love vague, then whatever we do, we can just say it was love, right?So keep it vague.God never kept it vague.That was their first problem.Second problem is the scribes and the Pharisees redefined neighbor.And their definition of neighbor was, "Those I choose to love."That was their definition.So do you realize...the reason I'm laughing is, do you realize what that made the command?God's command is, "Love those you choose to love."That's convenient.Third problem, the scribes and the Pharisees totally added the "hate your enemy" part,right?Totally added that.You're not going to find that anywhere in the Old Testament.My vague love is for my Jewish neighbors.What about the foreigners?Hate them.And that leads us actually to the fourth problem.Because that whole love your neighbor as yourself, that was in Leviticus 19, 18.But if you go down a few verses to verse 34, it says, "You shall treat the stranger whosojourns with you as the native among you.And you shall love him as yourself."For you are strangers in the land of Egypt.I am the Lord your God.See the scribes and the Pharisees, they thought that they were honoring God by hating foreigners.And we get asked this question a lot."Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait."In the Old Testament, didn't God tell the Israelites to exterminate the nations thatwere living in the Promised Land?And don't we have all these imprecatory psalms?Like what's up with that, huh?Well, it's like the eye for an eye thing that we talked about last week.The scribes and the Pharisees took a thing that was designed for Israel as a nation andthey turned it into a personal thing.So the whole exterminate the enemies in the Promised Land.Yeah, absolutely.Israel's wars weren't personal vendettas.They were commanded by God to wipe out those nations because those nations did horriblethings.And God says, "You are not going to pollute my nation Israel."So Israel, you're going to wipe them out.And if you have a hard time with that, I would just like to lovingly remind you that Godis allowed to make those calls because vengeance belongs to Him.Okay?And God's whole purpose in that was to protect Israel as a nation in that land.That's why when you turn to your New Testament, you don't see any imprecatory language inthe New Testament.It's for Israel.And individually, we're talking about personally now, what about the people that hate me?What about the people that are my enemies?Love them.Love them.Look at verse 44, Jesus says, "But I say to you," pretty clear, isn't it?Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.You see the whole loving your neighbor command includes everyone around you, including yourenemy.Now breaking this down, when He talks about enemy, He's talking about your personal enemy.Okay?It's not this collective group idea.It's somebody who personally hates me.And Jesus says our response is to love them.That's the word agape.That is the highest form of love.That's self-sacrificing love.That's the kind of love that we should have for our enemy.And the verb tense here is constant.It's continually.You need to continually love your enemies.And you're like, well, who is my enemy?Who is it that hates you?Who is it that you know that if you tried to call them, they wouldn't answer the phone?If you sent them a text, they wouldn't reply.Or vice versa?Who is it that has been slandering you, making accusations against you?Jesus says we not only love our enemies, but you notice He ratchets it up even more whenHe says pray for those who persecute you.Those who persecute you.Those are your worst enemies.Where Jesus is speaking about your enemies who they don't just hate you.They actively hate you.These are the people that make an effort to show you how much they hate you.And as we've been going through the Sermon on the Mount, we see that a true believerin Jesus Christ is someone who is defined by the Beatitudes.And if you were here for the Beatitudes here, do you remember what the last one was?The highest rung on the ladder of following Jesus Christ is when we're persecuted.And here's the part where we stop and ask, are we persecuted?Are we really persecuted?Because here's the thing.I think for a lot of us our knee-jerk reaction to that would be I'm not persecuted, but thereality is you probably are.But you just haven't realized it.Here's what I mean by that.Here's what I mean.Persecute doesn't just mean somebody physically attacks you.Somebody murders you.Somebody gets you arrested, thrown in jail.Yes, that is persecution, but those are the most graphic manifestations of persecution.The word "persecute" literally means to pursue.That's what it means.And listen, listen to this.Persecute means somebody is chasing after you to constantly criticize and condemn you.So I imagine most of you are being persecuted right now according to the true definitionof persecution.Think about it this way.Was Jesus persecuted?If you're like, "Oh yeah, when He was crucified."Of course!But He was persecuted His entire ministry because what were they constantly doing?The proper definition.They were constantly - read the Gospels.They were constantly pursuing Jesus.They were - how would we say it?They were out to get Him.That's what persecution means.I mean, read your Gospels.They were constantly looking to criticize Jesus and assaulting Jesus, accusing Jesus."You did this in the Sabbath and you shouldn't be doing healing this way and your disciplesdidn't wash your hands and what's up with the fasting?"They were constantly, constantly, constantly after Him.That's what persecution means.And if you really follow Jesus, you have people pursuing you in that way too.Don't shout out any names.But do you have somebody at your workplace, for example, that's always watching you,always looking to get their little remarks in, get their little digs in,always looking to criticize anything you say or anything you do.That's persecution according to the proper definition.They're pursuing you.Maybe you have that family member.Never approves of a thing you do.The bum just can't do anything right and they're always vocal about it.Getting their little shots in, their little passive aggressive comments, they're alwaysout to get you.That's persecution.Maybe it's on social media.You know anything you post.You know that person is going to show up with their snarky little comment.That's pursuing.That's persecution.Jesus says we need to pray for the people to do that to us.The people that are out to get you.Jesus said pray for them.So when was the last time you did that?I don't know about you but I have a list of people that I regularly pray for.When was the last time that you loved your enemy?And you're like, why in the world would I do that?Well let's keep reading.Jesus says in verse 45, "So that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven."Why would you love your enemy?Why would you pray for people that are constantly out to get you?It's not because of who they are.It's because of who you are.That's the sermon that our Lord gives.That you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.It's not because of who they are.It's because of who you are.We just confess that so much of our lives, our attitudes, our moods are determined byother people, good or bad.People have a way of just like governing our lives.Here's what I mean.Your service, you go over to a giant eagle and you run into an old friend that you haven'tseen in years."Oh, that puts you in a good mood.Oh, it was so great catching up."That's going to put you in a good mood for the rest of the day, right?Or somebody makes a really jerky comment to you at work intentionally wanting to getunder your skin.Then that's just like wreck your day and you're in a bad mood for days over one jerky comment.And I would bet if you had a bad day last week, if you could point to a day last weekor like, "Oh, that was a bad day," I would be willing to bet that it had something todo with people.You're laughing because it's true.And Jesus here is saying, "My people don't react to people.My people act according to the Word of God."So let's unpack this for a few moments, shall we?When you're outlining, I want you to jot some things down.I love my enemies.Can you say that?You're like, "Not now."You will in a few minutes.I love my enemies.Number one, we already touched on this.We're going to drill a little deeper here.Number one, I love my enemies because of who I am.Look at this again.This is Jesus' whole rationale.Why would I love my enemies, Jesus?Lord, why would I pray for the people that are constantly out to get me?So that You may be sons of Your Father who is in heaven.This is where Jesus starts Your identity.You love Your enemies not because of who they are, but because of who You are.Jesus is in essence saying, "You love Your enemies because..."It's a family tradition in our family.You have family traditions.You have family traditions.You know what I mean?Every family has on brand things that they do, right?Like some families, they're like, "We're campers.We go camping."Yes, we have a house, but for a while we like to pretend that we don't.That's just what we do in our family.We live in a canvas enclosure in the wildlife.Okay, but that's your family thing.For some families, it's like, "We're beach people.We love the beach."Our family loves the beach.We love the beach.That's our family thing, right?Some families are sports families like, "Oh, we're baseball.We're a baseball family.We love the box and we're on the church softball team."And we're like, "We love baseball."Every family's got their thing, right?I mean, I remember growing up, our family.Our family had our thing.I remember when we were teenagers, Aaron actually came over to our house for Thanksgiving.And they had the stuffing out and the turkey and all the dressing and all that stuff.And I just remember our family was passing around the table a bag of funyons.And I just remember Aaron sitting there going, she looked like she saw a ghost.I'm like, "What's the matter?"She goes, "Why are you passing around a bag of funyons?It's Thanksgiving."And I'm just like, "What's Thanksgiving without funyons?"Like, "We're not the weird ones here."And then I got older and realized that we were.Every family's got their thing.That's what Jesus is saying here.Like, "Hey, hey, hey, we're in God's family."He said, "You know what we do in God's family?Do you know what we do?We love like God."And God loves His enemies.You're like, "Who are God's enemies?"Everyone.Do you realize that?Literally every single person on the planet is an enemy of God until they are reconciledto God in Jesus Christ.That's what Paul said in Romans 5, right?"If while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son."See that's the glorious reality of the gospel of Jesus Christ.When you receive Jesus Christ by faith, when you believe that He died to take away yoursin, when you believe that He rose from the dead to give you eternal life, when you turnfrom your sin and receive Him, God changes you from an enemy of God to a child of God.And now we are a child still living among enemies of God, child of God.Ephesians 4, spilling over to Ephesians 5, says, "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted,forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you.Therefore be imitators of God as beloved children."This is what we do in our family.We love like God.And as His children, we imitate our dad.Do you ever notice that kids love to imitate?Do you ever notice that?Kids loved to imitate adults.It was made painfully aware to me, oh, many, many years ago, a couple decades ago at thispoint we had foster kids.Before we had any of our own kids, we had foster kids.And I remember, one little boy, he was five years old, his name was Walter, and we'd beplaying the PlayStation.We were sitting there, playing the PlayStation, and look, I was a perfect gamer back in theday.But sometimes the stupid game would glitch or something, and my guy would get killed.And when that happened, I remember I'd put the controller down, and I'd be like, "Oh,for Pete's sake!"Well Walter would be playing video games with me, and I remember he'd be playing a videogame, and he'd just randomly throw his controller down and go, "Your pee stinks!"Like no, no, no, no, no, no.No, it's for Pete's sake.But he was...It never clicked with him.He was constantly commenting on the smell of urine.Your pee stinks.Why did he do that?He was just imitating me.Right?Kids love to do that.And as a child of God, we naturally, we supernaturally want to imitate him.So when that guy at work is constantly out to get you, and you love him, and you repayhis nastiness with kindness, and then somebody else comes in and says, "Well, what are youdoing?You love that guy?That guy's a real jerk to you!"And your response says, "Yeah, I get that from my dad."You see, I see people as dad-season.Lost.Blind.Slave to sin.Heading to hell.You know what my heavenly dad taught me?He taught me that I don't need to retaliate.And my heavenly father taught me I don't need to ignore them.My heavenly father taught me that people like that need compassion.And I know right now somebody's thinking, "Yeah, I love your enemies.I see it.I hear it.Pastor Jeff, you don't know what this person said to me.You don't know the horrible things that they said to my face.You don't know the horrible things they said behind my back.Pastor Jeff, you don't know this person for years has been just out to get me."Look.You're right.They don't deserve it.You're right.They've been miserable.But you, you love them not because of who they are, but because of who you are.You're a child of God.And your heavenly father, he loves his enemies.Right?So I love my enemies because of who I am.Secondly, number two, write this one down.I love my enemies by what I do.I love my enemies by what I do.And you might be sitting here going, "Ah, yeah, this love your enemy thing.I ain't feeling it.I ain't feeling it."And I would say, "That's okay.You don't have to feel it."But you do have to do it.Because look, when the Bible talks about love, agape love, it's not an emotion.Listen, you don't have to like them.But you do have to love them.And biblically, love is an action.Here's what I mean.Love is an action.First, John 5.3 says, "For this is the love of God that we keep His commandments."Jesus said the same thing.What is it?John 14, 15.Jesus said, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments."John 15, Jesus said, "Abiding in Him is keeping His commandments."Notice the Bible never calls us to stir up some kind of emotion.Loving God is a choice.And yes, we worship God with our emotions in song and worship, yes, but that is thefruit of a choice to love God.The proof that you love God isn't based on your feelings.The proof that you love God according to our Lord is based on your actions.And listen, church, love works the same way with your enemies.You are not called to love your enemies by conjuring up gushy feelings.You're called to love them by your actions.You're called to love them by actively blessing them.Why?Because that's what God does.Look at verse 45, the rest of it.He says, "For He makes His Son rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on thejust and on the unjust."God is so kind to sinners.Did you ever stop and think about that?Have you ever stopped to just marvel at the glorious truth that somebody can live theirentire life and completely ignore God?And they can still have a pretty good life on the earth.Isn't that astounding?Isn't it amazing that somebody can live their entire life hating God, speaking against God,speaking against God's people, speaking against God's truth.They can live their whole life and do that, and they can still have a good life on theearth.In God's kindness, He still lets them have sun and rain and a million other good things.You can hate God, still have food and friends and laughter and family and health.And yeah, the heart hearted may refuse to be thankful or acknowledge this, but regardless,God does it anyways.God's kindness says little about them, but it says much about Him.And Jesus says, "Take note, children of God, you show love for your enemies by what youdo for them.You show love for enemies by actively seeking their good."Like, well, what does that look like, Pastor Jeff?What does that look like?Okay, so you've got a nasty, older family member who's always hated you.Go do your yard work.You got a jerk co-worker always looking to get their little shots in on you?Look for ways to sincerely and genuinely compliment their work.You got a nasty neighbor?Find out what they like and treat them.Hey, I saw your garden, and the other day I was at the store and I saw that there wasthis magazine about gardening, and I picked it up for you.I thought you might be interested.I don't know.Just get on your face and ask God to show you how you can show kindness to your enemy.Romans 12.20, Paul quotes from Proverbs 25.He says if your enemy is hungry, feed them.If he is thirsty, give him something to drink.For by so doing, you will heat burning coals on his head.When I was a young Christian, when I read this, I had this idea that if you do goodto people that aren't good to you, like if you meet their needs, they're going to havethis like mini Sodom and Gomorrah experience on their head.Like I'm going to be nice to you, and it's going to rain lava on your head.I'm burning!Like that will show them.And then I learned that that's not what that means at all.It was actually an Egyptian symbol that they would put hot coals in an insulated pot andcarried around on their head.It was a sign of repentance.See, Israel had the sackcloth and ashes.Israel had the pot of coals on their head.And that's what God's Word is driving us to.Because no one's ever been one to Jesus because a Christian matched their pettiness.No one's ever been one to Jesus because a Christian just flat-out ignored them.It's kindness that leads to repentance according to Romans 2-4.Show love to them.Actively show love to them.Why would I do that?Because it's not about who they are.It's about who you are.And one more.I love my enemies because of who I am by what I do.In Romans 2-3 we get to another because I love my enemies because I'm called to be different.Look at verses 46 and 47.Jesus says, "For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have?Do not even the tax collectors do the same?And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doingthan others?Do not even the Gentiles do the same?Stop there.If you're like, "You know what?I love the people that I like.I love the people that I like."Well, then you do what people who don't even know Jesus do.And our Lord here is saying, "What's so special about that?"Oh, so you think you're great because you do what's normal.Well hang on a second.Let me shine up your participation trophy.Why is it that we want applause for doing what's expected?Here's an example.Well Aaron and I, we always look at each other and kind of laugh.When we hear a dad say, "Yeah, I had a baby sit my kids last Monday."Do you hear somebody say that?You're not going to say it anymore.I had a baby sit my kids last Monday.I believe that's called being a father.You didn't baby sit your kids.What did your wife pay you $10 an hour?Like look, I'm not giving you a cookie because you did what was expected.That's what our Lord is saying here.You're expected to be different because Christians have something that no one else in the worldhas.Do you know what that is?Like the Bible?Not everybody has that.Like compassion?No, a lot of people have that.Christians have something that nobody else in the world has.You know what that is?God living in them.In other words, you should be different.I mean, anybody can go one mile.That was the law.That's expected.Anyone can give up a shirt that they lost legally in a lawsuit.That's expected.And here our Lord is saying, "Anybody can say hi to their friends."That's expected.But God expects and empowers us to do more, to be like Him.So do you do what the world expects?Or do you do what God expects because God's called you to be different than the world?Do you have a heart like God?We'll find out.We'll find out because it's revealed not in how you treat your friends, it's revealedin how you treat your enemies.You love them.Not because of who they are, but because of who you are.Oh yeah, there's one more verse.One of the most deeply convicting and challenging verses in the whole Bible.Jesus says, "You therefore must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect."In the context of this teaching, obviously, he's talking about the way we love, right?You must love perfectly the way your heavenly Father loves perfectly.That's what Jesus is saying here.And look, you and I, we look at that verse and we say, "I failed.I failed."We all have.And actually, remembering the beatitudes, step one and two of the beatitudes was recognizingthat you failed.And you're like, "Man, I'll never be perfect."But God says you must be perfect.You know what that means?It means I always have room to grow.And today we're talking about loving your enemies.And maybe right now you're saying, "You know, I knew that.I knew that, but today I'm encountered by this calling in a fresh way and I realizenow I need to grow.I want to grow in this area."It's grace.It's grace.God has made us perfectly righteous in Jesus Christ.God has adopted us as His children, and He is constantly changing us.We don't deserve anything, but God has given us everything, even though we were His enemies.It's grace.You get that?Then like your Father, give it.In just a moment, we're going to be gathering around the Lord's table as a church.And it is the Lord's table that reminds us that we are grace people.Because in essence, what we are remembering, what we are celebrating, what we are declaringwhen we take the Lord's supper together is the Lord is saying, "I saved you."Not because of who you are, but because of who I am.

Jesus began His Sermon on the Mount not with commands, but with a promise: “Blessed are…” In week one of Summer on the Mount, we looked at how the Beatitudes aren't just a list of virtues—they're the characteristics of a life surrendered to the King. In a world chasing status and success, Jesus shows us the way of the kingdom: humility, mercy, purity, and peace. This kind of life may go unnoticed by the world, but it's marked by true blessing and eternal reward.

Jesus began His Sermon on the Mount not with commands, but with a promise: “Blessed are…” In week one of Summer on the Mount, we looked at how the Beatitudes aren't just a list of virtues—they're the characteristics of a life surrendered to the King. In a world chasing status and success, Jesus shows us the way of the kingdom: humility, mercy, purity, and peace. This kind of life may go unnoticed by the world, but it's marked by true blessing and eternal reward.

In this message from Pastor Abigail, we take a fresh look at the Beatitudes and discover that true blessing and happy living comes in the most unexpected places. Whether you feel broken, weary, overlooked, or spiritually empty, Jesus says the kingdom of Heaven is for you.

The random turning for today comes to us from Matt 5: 1-30: The Sermon on the Mount! The Beatitudes, like I have been referring to for the past week! WOW! Outstanding continuation of topic for this week, and today will be part 1 of a 4 Part mini-series on the Sermon on the Mount that spans the full red-letter teaching of Jesus from Matthew chapters 5-7! So hold on to your hats as the re-visitation to this crucial teaching is re-visited by the Holy Spirit today! There is nobody better to lay things out straight for you than Jesus Himself through 3 solid chapters of red-letter teaching! Hurray! If you are blessed by today's Bible study, please support my channel by liking, subscribing, commenting, and sharing with your friends and family! I am not a Pastor, and agree with God's word that women are not supposed to be Pastors. However, all people are called to share the gospel. It is perfectly acceptable and Biblical for women to lead Bibles studies outside the church as an ancillary addition to the church, and especially if it is a viable avenue for study of the Word on a daily basis, like I'm doing on this show, and paving the way for all of us to be closer to the Lord and become more knowledgeable of the Bible. If you care to contribute to my work with the Daily Bible study and sharing the Gospel, as part of your tithes and offerings, you can do so through PayPal by sending it to my PayPal address of: ReneHoladay@gmail.com Thank you for watching and God Bless you all! ;() --------------------- The primary study bible that Rene' uses is the 'Spirit-filled Life Bible, by Jack Hayford, and is available in hard cover or faux leather on Amazon at:  https://amzn.to/434fBnQ You can watch this episode on Youtube at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2v9ekffu7ds Please be sure to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, COMMENT, and SHARE!