Podcasts about Sermon on the Mount

In this eye opening Abounding Love episode, I share how others had to show me where to find well known Bible passages. You'll find great wisdom for yourself and wisdom to share with others as you study these passages. For example, we begin by looking at the Ten Commandments found in Exodus 20:1-17. The Lord begins by introducing Himself, "I am the LORD thy God . . ." But the Children of Israel were not able to keep these commandments or any other laws in the Bible, so the LORD provided a sacrificial system for them to seek atonement. All these sacrifices point to Jesus, Who is God's remedy for sin, for lawbreaking and disobedience. To overcome the Law, we must be born of the Spirit through the finished works of Jesus. In Matthew 22:36, we find Jesus in response to a Pharisee's question, explaining to him [and us] the two great commandments. Join me as we find out where these and other famous passages are found. It can improve your discipleship and your ability to disciple others. #1 The Ten Commandments, Exodus 20:1-17; Deuteronomy 5:6-22; Matthew 22:34-40; #2 The Lord's Prayer, Matthew 6:9-15; #3 The Beatitudes, Matthew 5:1-13; #4 The Sermon on the Mount, Matthew, chapters 5, 6 and 7; #5 The Golden Rule, Matthew 7:12; #6 The Great Commission, Matthew 28: 18-20; #7 The Prodigal Son, Luke 15:11-32; #8 The Good Samaritan, Luke 10:25-37. Of course, there are many more great Bible passages, such as Psalm 23 and Isaiah 53, that you will want to add to these for reference. Selah! [For more: Copy and Paste or Enter into ChatGPT.com, "Create a Study Guide for episode #238 Great Bible Passages from Abounding Love Ministries" ].     www.aboundinglove.org

The Gospel of John Week 21 Scripture: John 16:1-5. This week we head into more of the final hours before Jesus' arrest. We open with John 16:1-5 ""All this I have told you so that you will not fall away. They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God. They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. I have told you this, so that when their time comes you will remember that I warned you about them. I did not tell you this from the beginning because I was with you, but now I am going to him who sent me." He's telling them difficult days are ahead, but He wants to make certain that when difficult days come, they are not going to be taken off guard, that they will not fall away or lose their faith. He's telling them tough times lay ahead, be ready! Jesus continues to tell His disciples that He is teaching these things so they don't stumble, so that when even us today, see these things beginning to take place, that we look up because the time of redemption draws near. So Jesus says, to be awake and prepared for His return. And again He tells them the Holy Spirit, the Advocate will come after he goes away, that the Father will send the Holy Spirit to them. Jesus tells them it is to their advantage for Him to go away and the Spirit to come.  Why? Because this is fulfilling everything the prophets had predicted, and it is ushering in a new age, the age of the Holy Spirit. In Joel we read the Holy Spirit would be poured out. So Jesus is saying hang in there, don't stumble and the Holy Spirit will be with you when I'm gone.  Then Pastor shares a personal testimony about how reading the New Testament and only getting as far as the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7 how the Holy Spirit convicted him and how he realized he was a sinner in need of a Savior. The Holy Spirit convicts and convinces people about righteousness. The Bible describes our righteousness (we are sinners) as filthy rags. We cannot stand before a holy God, no matter how nice, how good we've been and say "Hey, God, let me in, I've done this and that." None of us is righteous, but Jesus is our righteousness.  He is the righteousness of God that by His perfect life, by His willing obedience, by His sacrificial death, by His resurrection, He has paid the price for our sin and rebellion.   The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin and point us to Jesus as our righteousness through faith in Jesus.  It is only because of the Lord Jesus Christ  and faith in Him that we are saved. When need to we realize that God is gracious and we that we need to rely upon Jesus and on Him alone. It is only In Him that we are protected from judgement. It's at the cross of Jesus that the punishment for our sin was paid. In Him alone is forgiveness, hope, peace and life ever after. Did the Holy Spirit only guide people in truth in the 1st century? No, there is nothing in the Bible that says the Holy Spirit was given at Pentecost and active for a few year and that once the New Testament was complete, that the Holy Spirit was gone. There is nothing in scripture to indicate the Holy Spirit has ever stopped working. The Holy Spirit still desires to guide and direct His children today.  Jesus says, "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you." Then Jesus goes on to say "in a little while you will see me no more and then again in a little while you will see me. You will weep and mourn while the world rejoices." He adds that they will forget the anguish and goes on to say that now is the time of grief but that He would see them again and that they would rejoice and that no one could take away their joy. In just a few hours the disciples will have their lives turned upside down. They will be in fear of their lives. And they are going to think everything is being taken away, the enemy has won, BUT Jesus tells them you will see Me again and no one will be able to take away that joy! Then He says "I have told you these things so that in Me, you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble but take heart, I have overcome the world!" Bottom line - we win because He's the Victor! Our website – https://www.awakeusnow.com Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01     ⁃    The Gospel of John study is part five of five of our Two Year Study of the Gospels.      ⁃    The Gospel of John may be one of the most powerful books ever written. Many people have come to faith after reading only this book of the Bible.  Scholarly and archeological discoveries in recent decades give us new insight on details in the Gospel of John. We can now understand it as the most Jewish rather than the most "Gentile/Greek" of the Gospels, and when we do that we see many things that we missed before. Our 2 year study of the gospels is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time!

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Matthew 5-7 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible podcast! In today's episode, Hunter invites listeners to reflect on the transformative message of the Sermon on the Mount, as found in Matthew chapters 5 through 7. Together, we explore Jesus' words about being "poor in spirit," seeking God in our need, and living a life rooted in love, forgiveness, and mercy. Hunter guides us through the Scriptures, encourages us to pray, and reminds us of our deep dependence on God. Whether you're carrying burdens or simply seeking to know God more, this episode offers space to encounter the living Word and the riches found in Him. Tune in and let God's love and wisdom renew your heart today! TODAY'S DEVOTION: Jesus just gave us his most well-known sermon, the Sermon on the Mount. I'm reluctant to offer commentary and more inclined to let it speak for itself. However, let me just leave you with this first word he offers us in the sermon: God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for Him. Everything else he elaborates on stems from this. Life begins when we realize how poor we are and how desperately in need we are of Him. That's when the Gospel can break through. We can begin to see him—and not just ourselves and our circumstances. Blessed are the poor, those who realize their deep need for God. That's why we come to the Word each day, to recognize the riches that we have in him and our absolute poverty apart from Him. And when we come to the living Word—to Jesus—we see that God is a Father and that he has invited us to know him and experience him as a child. Children have nothing on their own. They are utterly dependent upon their parents. It's there that we recognize the beautiful invitation to live in Him. He's made a way for us, friends. A way for the with-God life. There's a way for all the poor—all of humanity—to come and live in Him. Let the good news of the Kingdom of God wash over you today and every day. That's the prayer that I have for my own soul. That's the prayer that I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, my son. And that's a prayer that I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Lord God Almighty and everlasting father you have brought us in safety to this new day preserve us with your Mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose  through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen.   Oh God you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you, and find you. Bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit on all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.   And now Lord,  make me an instrument of your peace.  Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon.  Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope.  Where there is darkness, light.  And where there is sadness,  Joy.  Oh Lord grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.  For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life.  Amen And now as our Lord has taught us we are bold to pray... Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image. And nourishing us with spiritual food, now send us forth as forgiven people, healed and renewed, that we may proclaim your love to the world, and continue in the risen life of Christ.  Amen.  OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

In Matthew 7:13-29 Jesus concludes the Sermon on the Mount with a call to decision. It is an invitation, a challenge and a warning. Every human being has a choice to make. And that choice is about Jesus. What is the narrow way? And who do you trust to take you along the narrow way? The choice is yours to make.

Join hosts Rowan Miller, Don Patterson and Marcus Miller for a wide-ranging, candid episode of Relish that explores how Christians can talk across political and cultural divides with respect. The conversation opens with a personal story about a university professor who appeared on a conservative "watch list," the threats that followed, and the missed opportunity for real dialogue — a springboard into larger concerns about polarization in American public life and the church. The hosts reflect on practical ways to have better conversations: distinguishing arguments from personal attacks, rekindling biblical literacy, and modeling respectful disagreement. They quote Luke 4 and the Sermon on the Mount as reminders of the church's call to care for the poor, lift the oppressed, and hold a faith that speaks to social concerns without becoming merely partisan. Generational change is a major theme. The episode contrasts older patterns of institutional church life with Gen Z's different expressions of faith — decentralized communities, new worship forms (including music and online platforms), and a surge in Bible interest — while asking how discipleship, mentoring, and tangible care for neighbors can follow. The hosts celebrate young people's passion while wrestling with how to translate energy into sustainable social action. Practical parish stories illustrate the point: challenges keeping institutional events and volunteer leadership alive, the end of long-standing fundraisers, and hopeful examples like meat canning and new evening services focused on Scripture, praise, prayer and healing. The dialogue emphasizes that the church can evolve its practices to better serve mission and community needs. Throughout, Rowan, Don and Marcus offer wisdom about navigating disagreement within congregations, renewing mission focus, and creating intergenerational relationships that foster discipleship. They invite listeners to suggest guests and topics and close with an encouragement to share the podcast and support the ministry's goal: helping people grow deeper in their understanding of God and his calling in daily life.   Do you have questions for Pastor Don?  send them to tmadask@gmail.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbkAVsuqU5_zWnmGca-OYaw/videos Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RELISH319 Apologetics, Theology, Kalona, Wellman, Washington, Kalona Mennonite Church, West Chester Community Church, Jesus, Christianity, Christian, Church, Best New Christian Videos, Podcast, Relish 

Movin' into Matthew chapter 7 of the Sermon on The Mount tonight. In this portion, Chad covers the topic of judgement of others. Thanks for tuning in!

Week 8 | The Sermon on the Mount (1995)This week, we're in Week 9 of a series Darrell taught on the Sermon on the Mount in 1995. Darrell is spending time unpacking the seventh beautitude, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.“ Darrell explains that when the gospel takes hold, Jesus bestows an incredible dignity on ordinary people, calling them to be active "makers of shalom"—not just peace-lovers, but agents of God's reconciling work. Darrell unpacks what this peacemaking vocation entails, emphasizing that peacemaking requires embracing the sacrificial love modeled by Jesus on the cross. Ultimately, Darrell shares that the gospel empowers each of us to take small steps towards shalom in our own spheres.__Give to the Ministry of Darrell Johnson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Darrell's Books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠—⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to Darrell's Mailing List⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠darrelljohnson.ca⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/darrelljohnson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Today on Leading The Way, Dr. Youssef invites you to hear the life-changing words in ‘The Sermon on the Mount' – in Dr. Youssef's series, Happiness is in You! To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/155/29?v=20251111

Dr. Michael Youssef invites you to experience the most powerful message EVER preached by Jesus, the SERMON ON THE MOUNT! Join him for a life-changing episode called, JOY SOMETIMES COMES THROUGH MOURNING on LEADING THE WAY! (Matthew 5) Support the show: https://au.ltw.org/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Youssef invites you to experience the most powerful sermon EVER preached by Jesus, the Sermon on the Mount! On the next Leading The Way! To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/155/29?v=20251111

In this episode the original four hosts begin a new series going through the sermon on the mount, starting with the beatitudes! This episode is a deep dive into being poor in spirit. Check out our website, Thehandlebarpodcast.com for more information, merch, how to partner with us and more. You can subscribe to our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@thehandlebarpodcastYou can purchase BIG JESUS here: https://upperroom.store/products/big-jesus

This Scripture meditation on Matthew 5:14–16 uses the lectio divina model to help you pause, breathe, and listen for God’s voice. Step 12 of the 12 Steps invites us to live out the hope and healing we’ve received and to share it with others. It says, Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to others and to practice these principles in all our affairs. When we experience the transforming grace of Jesus, the natural response is to let it overflow and share it with others. Or as Jesus said, “Freely you received, freely give.” In this meditation, we’ll reflect on Jesus’ words from the Sermon on the Mount, where He calls His followers the light of the world. Even the smallest light can break through darkness, and God’s invitation is simply to shine the light He has already placed within you. As you listen, you’ll be invited to: Reflect on what it means to be a light in the world. Notice how God may be calling you to share His hope and love. Rest in the truth that your light is enough, because it comes from Him. Take a deep breath, quiet your heart, and let Matthew 5 guide you into God’s presence. Helpful Links:Download your FREE companion journal for Rooted and Grounded: Scripture Meditations for Every Step of the Journey here.This journal includes:• All the Scriptures for this series• Weekly reflection prompts• Space to record what God is revealing to you Additional links: You can find out more about me, Jodie, at http://www.jodieniznik.com/ Follow me on Instagram @jodieniznik Follow me on Facebook @JodieGNiznik Learn more about Scripture meditation and download a FREE Guided Scripture Meditation Journal here. Join my Monday email newsletter here, where I send links to the newest meditation every Monday morning. Find out more about my partner, Life Audio, at lifeaudio.com. Download FREE sample chapters from my Bible studies here. Meditation Passage: Matthew 5:14–16, NLTYou are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

During his ministry, Jesus repeatedly referred to himself as the Bread of Life. His words would have stirred echoes of the Torah: "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." Just as bread sustains the body, the words of the LORD nourish the soul. Yet, Jesus's teachings were not always easy to digest. His words could be unsettling and paradigm-shifting, turning long-held beliefs on their heads. Some who heard him turned away. But Simon Peter recognized the truth. When others left, he confessed, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life" In this series, we will dive deep into one of Jesus's most famous teachings, the Sermon on the Mount. We will consider how these words of life nourish us, even as they challenge us, and how we might apply them to our lived stories today. This week, we considered Jesus's teaching about the narrow and wide roads. If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team. If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/

Send me a Text Message!I know sometimes "the church" is a mess & right now it's nowhere near the center of attention in central PA (or wherever you live). But "the church" is where eternity is aimed. If you hate the church, heaven's going to be a bit awkward. The sermon on the mount is the blueprint for the life of the church because it's all about becoming like Jesus.Could that be our greatest problem today? Can I tell you why we aren't the centerof attention in central PA? Why our neighbors aren't running to Jesus? Why each succeeding generation has been more skeptical of and less connected to church? Isn't it because, at least sometimes, we don't look a whole lot like Jesus? If that's the case, we don't need to restructure, reform or renew, we just need to reJesus!

from Matthew 7:13-23 Jesus' teaching in Matthew 5-7, we know as The Sermon on the Mount…but it is so much more than just a collection of wisdom and challenge and instruction from Jesus. It is at the heart of it, an invitation from Jesus to consider that there is another way, that there is a better way. To … Continue reading "(November 16, 2025) “Sermon on the Mount: The Way of Jesus”"

On Sunday, we continued through our series on the Sermon on the Mount. Pastor Ron preached out of Matthew 5:38-42 on the teaching of Jesus - to not retaliate. Have a good week!

Matthew 7:1-6; Charles Johnson, Senior Pastor at RMC; the 14th sermon in the series on the Sermon on the Mount, "He Sat and Taught."

If you want to give through Grace Church you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/grace-alone?src=hpp&r=monthlyJoin us for Pastor Rick's new sermon series, “Life's Healing Choices,” where we explore the transformative power of the Beatitudes from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. Discover the eight principles that lead us to true happiness and wholeness, guiding us toward healthier, more fulfilling lives. Each week, Pastor Rick will delve into how embracing these choices nurture our spirits and strengthen our relationships. Don't miss this opportunity to unlock the blessings that come from living in alignment with God's wisdom!Find out more about Grace Church here: https://gracechurchco.com/

Send us a text  What a wild roller coaster week that we recap with end of the shutdown, 8 senators caving , the broken healthcare system , the Epstein emails , who or what is “ Bubba “ ? Meghan Kelly is a disgusting opportunist who tries to justify underage sexual assault, Marjorie Taylor Greene's face turn, SNAP is back on for some , John Fugelsang's Pay Per View , the Sermon On The Mount, social media cred, COVID, Eddington, Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn and the New England Patriots are back  Follow us at Reality Redemption on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, BlueSky and Tik Tok

In a world obsessed with being seen, liked, and followed, we're invited to rediscover the transformative power of the secret place.Drawing from Matthew 6, this exploration of Jesus's Sermon on the Mount challenges us to examine our deepest motives: Are we performing our faith for applause, or are we pursuing genuine intimacy with God? The message unveils three essential spiritual practices: giving, praying, and fasting, not as religious obligations to showcase, but as sacred rhythms that reshape us from the inside out.

We all long for lives that can withstand the inevitable storms. We want our relationships to hold under pressure, our faith to stand strong when tested, and convictions to remain when circumstances shift beneath us. But what if the difference between a life that stands and one that collapses has nothing to do with how impressive we appear on the outside, and everything to do with whether we've done the hard, hidden work of building on solid ground? In this sermon, Julia Allan challenges us to move beyond merely listening to Jesus's teachings and actually living them, revealing that the Sermon on the Mount isn't meant to be admired from a distance but enacted in our everyday choices. The question isn't whether we respect Jesus's words or find them inspiring, but whether we're willing to do the costly, countercultural work of actually following them.

Ask, Seek, Knock

Links to Steven Webb's podcast and how you can support his work.Donate paypal.me/stevenwebb or Coffee stevenwebb.ukSteven's courses, podcasts and links: stevenwebb.ukIn this episode I explore a question many people quietly carry. Can you love Jesus and still practise awareness. Can the comfort of Christian faith sit alongside the clarity of Buddhist teaching. Do you have to choose one path or can they both live in the same heart.This conversation begins with the famous poem Footprints in the Sand and widens into a look at what truly carries us when life cracks open. I talk about Sunday school, my favourite childhood hymn, the years when I tried to get rid of all religion, and how awareness eventually softened everything.We touch on the sermon on the Mount, the beauty held in Corinthians thirteen, the voice of the Buddha, and the simple human truth that all wisdom traditions point toward compassion and presence. The episode is really about how to build a spiritual toolbox that actually works, without throwing away the tools that once held you through the hardest nights.If you have ever wondered whether your Christian faith can live peacefully beside meditation and Buddhist ideas, this episode will speak to you.Quotes from the episode“Anything that opens your heart and brings less suffering into the world is worth keeping.”“You do not need to choose between Jesus and awareness. You can hold both. The presence beneath them is the same.”“We suffer when we cling. We grow when we include.”“Whatever carries you in the storms, honour it. Add more tools if they help. Nothing precious needs to be thrown away.”“You can sit with Jesus and the Buddha at the same table. Trust me, they would get along.”Listen to my guided meditationsInner Peace Meditations is linked on the websiteSupport the podcast or buy me a coffeeAll links are at https://stevenwebb.ukTakeaways: In this episode, I explore the intersections between Jesus, Buddhism, and the Bible, sharing my personal journey with spirituality. I reflect on pivotal moments in my life that challenged my beliefs and how I came to appreciate different teachings. The idea that many religious teachings are not new but rather reinterpretations of universal truths is a central theme of my discussion. I emphasize the importance of community and support during difficult times, regardless of religious affiliation or beliefs. Compassion is key, whether in Christianity or Buddhism, and recognizing our shared humanity helps reduce suffering. I encourage listeners to embrace a diverse toolbox of beliefs, integrating various teachings that resonate personally.

Justin continues our series on the Sermon on the Mount.

Every road leads somewhere. Some feel easy at first but end in ruin, and some feel costly at the start but lead to life. In this week's Radical message, Brad Kirby teaches through Matthew 7:13–29 and shows how Jesus ends the Sermon on the Mount with a call to choose wisely. The narrow road, the healthy tree, the true disciple, and the firm foundation all point to one simple truth. Life with Jesus is the only road that lasts. If you've ever wondered how to tell the real thing from the fake, or how to build a faith that stands when pressure hits, Jesus gives the answer right here. He is not offering suggestions. He is offering life. Sermon notes and discussion questions available at: https://www.citybridgechurch.org/messages Subscribe for weekly Sunday Messages on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Questions or feedback? DM us @citybridgecc or email info@citybridgechurch.org. Enjoyed the message? Leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

In this episode, Fr. Anthony reflects on Christ's call of St. Matthew as a revelation of the Lord's pastoral wisdom, patience, and mercy. Drawing on St. John Chrysostom, he shows how Christ approaches each person at the moment they are most able to receive Him, gently leading sinners to repentance while shielding the weak from the self-righteous. The homily invites us to imitate this divine pedagogy—offering mercy before rebuke, healing before judgment, and a way of life that draws others to the knowledge of God. +++ Mercy, Not Sacrifice: Christ's Pastoral Method in the Calling of Matthew St. Matthew 9:9-13 At that time, as Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax office; and He said to him, "Follow Me." And he rose and followed Him. And as He sat at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and His disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" But when Jesus heard it, He said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."  When looking at this encounter, it is important to know the context.  Jesus had been at this for a while.  He had already called at least four of the twelve; Andrew, Peter, James and John, to be his disciples.  Moreover, in addition to them, many others were following him.  He had already been baptized, been tempted, given the Sermon on the Mount and performed several public miracles. Knowing this allows us to better appreciate Christ, how He operates, and therefore how we might better imitate Him as we claim to operate in + His name. Example One: Calling the disciples Let's go back to His calling the disciples.  Why didn't He call Matthew at the same time He called Andrew, Peter, James, and John?  St. John Chrysostom indicates that it was Christ's pastoral heart that determined when we called each of His disciples.  Remember, as the Logos, He shares the Father's will that "all be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth." (1 Timothy 2:4).  This means that He addressed people in the time and manner they were most likely to hear.  St. John Chrysostom points out that Matthew's heart was not open to Christ's call at the same time as Andrew, Peter, James, and John.  It took miracles and profound teaching to soften His heart for the encounter.  And He didn't just do this for Matthew, look how long it took for the Apostle Paul!  And perhaps, we can look at long he waited for us! We should learn from this lesson from Christ's earthly ministry and imitate Him.  We may need to live among some people for a while, showing the miracle of God's love working in and through us in the way we act and the things we say, before they are ready to accept an invitation to join us in The Way that heals and perfects.  Many of us jump the gun; skipping the vital step of living a public life of miraculous love – and then are surprised when the call to "follow Christ" goes unheeded.  Yes, there are times when the modern equivalents of scribes and pharisees need to be confronted, but once again, let's imitate Christ and let them out themselves when they question our motives and sanity for performing acts of sacrificial compassion.  If we skip the step of imitating Christ in His love for mankind, not only won't we win converts, we may also be indicating that we aren't really working in His Name at all.   Example Two: Leaving, not owning the opposition Speaking of which, Christ also demonstrates his pastoral care at the very beginning of today's lesson.  You may remember that today's lesson begins with something that seems to be a throwaway line; a transitional clause that lets the reader know that the narrative is moving on to another scene.  St. Matthew writes; "At that time, as Jesus passed on from there,…" and then segues into this lesson about how Christ called him, the author, to be His disciple.  But what did He leave and why?  What did He "pass on" from in the previous scene? Let me share that with you; just prior to this, Jesus had publicly corrected some scribes - leaders in the Jewish community - by healing a man of his paralysis after they doubted His ability to forgive sins.  Do you see how they out themselves as fools?  But Christ doesn't want them to remain in ignorance.  He desires that they, too, be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth …  but He also knew that they were not ready to accept the truth, so He left before they could double down on their sin and thus become even less likely to change their way of thinking and eventually answer His call to discipleship. As St. John Christostom puts it; For when He had performed the miracle, He did not remain, lest, being in sight, He should kindle their jealousy the more; but He indulges them by retiring, and soothing their passion. This then let us also do, not encountering them that are plotting against us; let us rather soothe their wound, giving way and relaxing their vehemence. Jesus could have owned those scribes!   This is what our polarized and self-indulgent culture seems to require of us: to immediately jump on any perceived weakness to show the superiority of our way.  We even manufacture offenses so that we have an opportunity to score points and play to the crowd.  But that's not what Jesus did; there was a real offense and a real weakness – but He didn't want or need to impress anyone.  Again, his desire is that of His Father; that all be saved and come to a knowledge of the Truth.  And so He forbeared and gave them an opportunity to cool off and repent while He moved off to spend time with someone who was ready to hear Him. These are the kinds of lessons that are obvious to those who have "eyes to see and ears to hear," but for the rest of us, it takes time.  As we have discussed previously, we still see the Gospel "through a glass darkly" and only see reality as "trees walking."  But we want to learn, and so we ask those who have made this journey successfully before us, men like the Holy Apostle and Evanglist Matthew, whose memory we celebrate today and St. John Chrysostom who shares the deeper Truths that St. Matthew shared – we ask them to guide and pray for us as go deeper into The Way. Let's see what more we can learn about Christ's approach to evangelism and pastoral care in today's lesson.  It is worth remembering that Matthew was a tax collector.  When Jesus gave him the invitation to "follow me", he responded with hospitality.  He opened his house to the Lord, his disciples, fellow tax collectors, and unspecified sinners.  Just to make sure everyone had a good time, this was all done within view of some local Pharisees.  The Pharisees spent their whole lives dedicated to righteousness (as should all of us).  I am perfectly willing to believe that they were sincere in their devotion to the Law.  In fact, it was probably their devotion to the Law that led to their revulsion at seeing an alleged rabbi (Jesus) eating with sinners.  They shared their righteous indignation with the Lord's disciples and He overheard them.  We can learn a lot about how to pastoral ministry by looking at Christ's response. First, He said (e.g. St. Mark 2:17); Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick do. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.  This is the most obvious point: God was explaining what His mission to these sinners (and the world) was:  He had come to bring them to repentance.  This would hardly satisfy any ultra-Orthodox takfirists – they always want their pound of flesh!  After all, they say, repentance requires tears, and the best way to bring someone to tears is not to eat with them and provide them a living example of the better way; no, surely it is more effective to beat them over the head with the Sin-Stick, right?!  Evidently not, at least according to the all-knowing and all-loving God-man Jesus Christ. After acknowledging the sinfulness of His dinner companions and their need for repentance, He corrected the Pharisees' dubious pedagogical and evangelical instincts with this (e.g. St. Matthew himself in 9:13); Go and learn what it means, 'I will have mercy, and not sacrifice': for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Christ is quoting Hosea when He says; "I will have mercy, and not sacrifice".  The full passage (which was implied) continues with (Hosea 6:6); "… and [I desire] the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings."  This is huge.  The Pharisees knew the full quote and its context; they would have seen that Christ was telling them that they were guilty of the very same sorts of things that went against God throughout the Old Testament.  He was telling them that they were more concerned with fulfilling the letter of the law (i.e. doing the "burnt offerings" well) than they were with knowing God or bringing others to Him.  At that meal, He was doing something that they should have been doing themselves. How Christ Discipled His Sinners cum Apostles More importantly, along with His entire response, Christ used this quote to describe His method for bringing the "knowledge of God" to sinners; He would use mercy to lead them to repentance, which would in turn allow them to grow in the knowledge of God.   St. John Chrysostom brings this point out at the end of his homily on this passage; What Christ is saying through his words and deads is this, "The disciples have not yet become strong; they still need a lot of condescension. They have not been renewed by the Spirit yet.  You really shouldn't put a lot of injunctions on people who are still weak."  And He said all these things in order to set laws and rules for His own disciples, so that when it was their turn to train disciples, they would deal with them very gently.  To reiterate St. John Chrysostom's point, God is showing His disciples how the Gospel is to be taught: gently and with mercy … while protecting the weak from the attacks of the self-righteous.  This is important for us as Christian leaders: we are called to follow Christ!  We are called to take His Gospel to sinners so that they might repent,  come to the knowledge of God, and be saved.  Keep the Sin-Stick ready, but use it the way Christ Himself did; to defend the weak from the attacks of the self-righteous. There is a temptation to bring sinners to a full awareness of their sin in order to drive them towards repentance, but be careful with this.   Psalm 129: 3-4 (which we often repeat as a prokimen so that we will master it – or rather so that it might master us);  If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee. And later in that same Psalm, we learn from the Psalmist, in the Spirt, what the purpose of this merciful forgivness is; so that He might bring salvation to Israel (129:8). Repentance, kenosis, and discernment are fostered over time.  It is an iterated and communal process.  The wounds this world inflicts on God's children are serious and it takes time for Him to heal them.  This means that you may not be able to see the process through to its conclusion, but it is okay to simply begin the treatment; the Church has trained other physicians that can continue the process, just as you will be called to continue the work others have begun.  As Christ said "One soweth, and another reapeth." (St. John 4:37:4) Conclusion Saint Matthew's life is a testimony to the efficacy of this gentle discipleship process.  He was a sinner.  The Lord protected Him and showed Him mercy.  Over time, through His example, His holiness, and His teachings, He brought Matthew through repentance to the true knowledge of God.  As a recipient of this grace, St. Matthew could do nothing else but offer it to others.   It is true that the Church is a hospital, and that Christ is the Great Physician; and it is also true that St. Matthew found healing in the Church under the Doctor's care.  But it is also true that He did not stay in the hospital bed. After a lifetime spent spreading the Gospel, this "good and faithful servant" earned the martyr's crown in Ethiopia. May the Lord transform us into the kind of patient, merciful, and holy pastors who can do the same.

Today we reach the edge of the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus brings everything to a choice. There are different ways to live. Which story will we trust? Which foundation […]

Malachi 3:1-5 | Psalm 6 | 1 Corinthians 13 | Matthew 7:21-23

Introduction: Romans 14:12 – So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. Revelation 22:12 – Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. How to Have a Successful Building Campaign (1 Corinthians 3:10–17) Build on the right FOUNDATION. (1 Cor 3:10–11) Matthew 16:15–18 – He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Use the right MATERIALS. (1 Cor 3:12) 2 Corinthians 5:10 – For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. Pass INSPECTION. (1 Cor 3:13–17) Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Small Group DiscussionRead 1 Corinthians 3:10-17What was your big take-away from this passage / message?Your works will be tested by fire (1 Cor 3:13). What determines if a work is good or useless (precious metal or straw)?Is it wrong to be motivated by rewards? How much do rewards motivate you to serve Christ?How would you answer the question: “What exactly is the reward Jesus is giving in 1 Cor 3:14?”?BreakoutPray for one another. AUDIO TRANSCRIPT Open up those Bibles.The 1 Corinthians chapter 3.1 Corinthians chapter 3.Just pause for a second.As we so often do, I'm just going to ask you to take a moment and pray for me to be faithfulto communicate God's Word, and I will pray for you to be ready to receive what it is thatthe Lord has to say today.Let's pray.Father in heaven, your Word tells us that faith comes by hearing and hearing throughthe Word of Christ.Father, I pray today that you would increase our faith as we sit under your Word, and thatyour Word would not just encourage us, but it would move us.To be the people that you've called us to be so that we would do the things that you'vecalled us to do, Father, for your glory and honor.We praise you in Jesus' name.All of God's people said, "Amen."1 Corinthians chapter 3.My wife, Erin, loves gardening.And if there's a story that sort of encapsulates Erin's gardening experience, it would bethis one.Several years ago, somebody gifted Erin a little greenhouse, and she was so excited.She spent so much time building this greenhouse, and then inside the greenhouse, you know,she had to build - it wasn't like this massive structure, but it was a pretty nice structure.And then inside the greenhouse, she built all these shelves, and then there were allthese, you know, those little plastic trays, and you fill them with the dirt, and she wentthrough.But some of them, you know, you had to have the pots, and she had the most magnificentgreenhouse.She spent so much time, and I'm like, "We are going to have such a harvest.We're probably going to have to hire people to come and harvest this bountiful crop.We're probably going to have to buy like machines."There was so - I'm like, "This is awesome."Well, one day, we were out somewhere, we returned home.There was a really, really bad storm.And when we got in the house and went about our business, and at one point we looked outthe window and saw her greenhouse was completely leveled.And everything was strewn across the yard.Literally nothing was salvageable.You thought this was going to be funny, didn't you?Trust me, I didn't laugh.Husbands, in a moment like this, you do not laugh.She spent so much time and so much work and so much energy building this thing, and itwas all for nothing.She at the end had nothing to show for it.And you know, the Bible says, Christian, that your life can be like that.Did you know that?That you can live your whole life doing lots of things, lots of energy, lots of time spenton things.And at the very end, you find out that you have nothing to show for it as you enter intoeternity.That's what this passage is about today.We're going to be picking up in verse 10, but I want you to drop down for a second andlook at verse 16, because we're going to grab this so that we understand this passage.Some of you probably know this verse off by heart.1 Corinthians 3.16 says, "Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God'sSpirit dwells in you?"And what I want to point out here is in the Greek, that word you is plural.And a lot of times when we talk about you are the temple of the Holy Spirit, we thinkabout individual salvation.Yes, absolutely God's Spirit and dwells in the individual who receives Christ.Absolutely.But listen, at the same time, I want you to hear me very closely on this.There is a corporate aspect of salvation, meaning this.You are saved to be a part of a community.And that is cover to cover in your Bible.Look at Old Testament Israel.God dealt with them as a community nation.Look at the New Testament church in the book of Acts.It is a community.Look at the description of heaven in Revelation.What is it?It is a community.It is a community of people that are saved together worshiping.So salvation yet it is an individual choice to receive Jesus Christ.Yes, it is going from death to life individually, but we are always, always, always called tocommunity.Always.We are God's temple.That's why this unity issue is so important.Salvation is not just a me thing.It's a we thing in the church.And in this passage we are looking at today, we have a new analogy.Last week Pastor Taylor walked us through the previous analogy that Paul gave us.That was the farm.Planting and watering and harvesting.We are moving today from the farm to the construction site.And in this passage we are going to see that you are each a part of God's building project.And the inspector is coming to evaluate your work.And Christian, you are going to be judged.You are like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, time out, time out.Pastor Jeff, this isn't my first time at this church.And I've heard you say that a Christian will not be judged.You will not be judged for your sin.You will not.But I want you to understand that when the Bible talks about judgment, there are many,many, many, many, many, many, many kinds of judgment the Bible talks about.For example, the Bible talks about the judgment of the nations.Matthew 25, the Bible talks about the judgment of demons.Jude 6, the Bible talks about the judgment of the unsaved, the great white throne judgment,Revelation 20.The believers will be judged.And if you are a follower of Christ, you will be judged not for your sin.Jesus took care of that on the cross.If you are a follower of Christ, sin is in the rear view mirror forever in God's perspective.That is a done deal.But you will be judged for your works in terms of receiving rewards.Jesus is the judge, John chapter 5, and He will judge you for rewards according to whatyou do after you are saved.The Bible is so clear in this.There are so many verses.Here's a couple that just highlight this.Romans chapter 14, verse 12, there it is.So then each of us will give an account of himself to God, each of us.He's talking to the church.He's talking to us.We will give an account to God.And look what Jesus says, end of the book, right?Revelation 22, Jesus said, "Behold, I'm coming soon, bringing my recompense with me to repayeach one for what he has done."Each one.And you look at the context of that passage.He's talking for the bad, and He's also talking for the good.He's going to repay.Alright?So in this passage we're looking at today in 1 Corinthians, believers works.Listen, this is the whole theme.This is the whole, I don't know, is it a metaphor?Is it a simile?Is it an analogy?Whatever the whole word picture here is construction terms.And in this passage the Bible is talking about your good works in terms of building something,building a structure.And your works will be judged.Are they worthy of a reward?So on your outline, this is very timely for us as a church.It's all straight from the text here.This isn't gimmicky or campy.This is all straight from the text.How to have a successful building campaign.You want to enter heaven someday with something to show for your time here on earth?That's what this passage is about.And it's actually exactly like having a regular building campaign.Same principles.How to have a successful building campaign.Number one, write this down.Build on the right foundation.That's where it has to start.You get a build on the right foundation.Look at verse 10.Paul says, "According to the grace of God given to me like a skilled master builder,I laid a foundation and someone else is building upon it.Let each one take care how he builds upon it."Paul here talking about himself, he planted the church in Corinth.He spent 18 months laying the foundation.And he refers to himself as a skilled master builder.He wasn't exalting himself.He wasn't bragging.He just said in the previous passage that he is nothing.We already established that.All Paul is pointing out here is, "Look, I know how to plant a church.I know how to do that."Like, have you ever read the book of Acts?He wasn't bragging.He's like, "I know how to plant a church."He had a technique and it worked.And he planted many churches that we're still talking about today.He knew what he was doing.And he says, "Someone else is building upon it."Pastor Taylor talked about that a little bit last week.That's Apollos.The next pastor, Apollos is building on the foundation of Paul-Aid.But notice he says here, verse 10, "Lest you think..."Well, you know, good for preachers, right?Good for them.He says, "Each one..."Look at that.Look at that in your Bible."Each one, take care how he builds upon it."Each one.You know what that phrase, "Each one" tells me?This passage isn't just for pastors.This passage isn't just for the clergy.Each one.Each one.Look, you serve in this church in any way.Church Academy, teaching the kids.Guess what?You're one of the each one.You're a small group leader.Each one.Are you a ministry team leader?Each one.Are you serving on one of the ministry teams?Each one.This is for all of us here.Each one of us have to take care on how we're building on the foundation.Every single one of us.You know what the problem is?It's too often the church is like Pendant.Some of you already know what I'm going to say.And if you work for Pendant, I'm certainly not talking about you.But how many of us?Come on, let's just be honest.We've been driving by Pendant, road work.What do you see?One or two people working and eight or nine people watching.True or false?Don't leave me up here.Pastor Jeff hates Pendant?No.Pastor Jeff is just observant.You've seen it too.But you have one or two guys like really working.And then you have eight or nine guys just standing around watching and eating a sandwichor smoking a cigarette and like hanging out on their cell phone.That's the church, honestly.That's what you have at the church.You have a small percentage that are working really hard in so many ways and you have alot of people that just kind of sit around and watch.Maybe contribute with some occasional criticism.The church is too much like Pendant.Look, if we're going to build, we're going to start with a foundation.And you're like, "Okay, well Paul said he laid a foundation.Are we just going to go with the one that Paul laid?"Yeah, I would recommend that because look at verse 11.He says, "For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is JesusChrist."The church, listen, the church only has one foundation.And the foundation of the church is Jesus Christ.This is what he talked about in Matthew chapter 16.I'm going to paraphrase here.But Matthew chapter 16, Jesus said basically like, "What's the word on the street?Who do people say that I am?"And the disciples are like, "Well some people think you're John the Baptist or Elijah, oneof the prophets."Jesus says to his disciples, "But who do you say that I am?"And then Peter spoke up.Look at that."You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."That's what Peter said.And Jesus blessed him for that.Jesus said, "And I tell you, you are Peter and on this rock I will build my church.On this rock I will build my church."They're like, "Well what is the rock?"Well, some people believe that Peter is the rock because the name Peter means rock.But there's a lot of Greek linguistic reasons why that isn't exactly accurate.But Peter is not the foundation of the church.The foundation of the church is Peter's confession.Because we see here what the foundation of the church is.The foundation of the church is Jesus.The foundation of the church is Jesus.So it is Peter's confession, meaning the church is built when people confess that Jesus isthe Christ.That's the foundation of the church.Churches abandon the mission when they try to build on another foundation.And listen, when a church is built on a foundation other than Jesus Christ, then it's not reallya church.Well we believe the church is here to go after social causes or focus on politics or tryto entertain people.We're on the wrong foundation.But I want you to listen very closely.Yes, the church is called to be salt and light.Yes, the church is called to influence every arena where God puts us.Absolutely.But any of that stuff that's happening has to come from the foundation that we are acommunity that believes in Jesus Christ.We are a community that has been transformed by the spirit of Jesus Christ.And we carry out the mission of Jesus Christ to make more disciples of Jesus Christ.So I have to ask you, have you personally made that confession?Have you confessed in your own heart and mind with your own mouth that you believe thatJesus is the Christ?You believe that Jesus is the Son of the living God?Have you made that confession?Because Jesus must not only be the foundation of this church, he has to be the foundationof your very life.So the first step in having a successful building campaign, you've got to make sureyou're building on the right foundation.We could spend so much more time on that, but we recently had a whole sermon about buildingon the rock, not on the sand.Right?So build on the right foundation.Number two, successful building campaign means you've got to use the right materials.You've got to use the right materials.Look at verse 12.He says, "Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood,clay, straw, stop right there."All right, building project.Let's say you're putting up a structure.All right?And let's say money is no object.What kind of materials would you want to use to build your structure?Have the three little pigs taught us nothing?The materials matter, don't they?You'd obviously want to use the highest quality, right?Marble, gold, silver.What's Paul's point here?The quality of materials.Listen, if you miss this, you're really going to be confused for a few minutes.The quality of materials speaks to the quality of your service.Are you teaching biblical doctrine representing the Word?Are you led by the Holy Spirit?Are you rightly motivated by the glory of God?Are you putting forth your best effort serving the King of the universe with excellence?That's not about the show.It's about dazzling people.We already talked about that.The question that you have to ask yourself, you have to evaluate yourself, it's this,what kind of an effort am I putting in to glorify in Christ by doing His work?What kind of effort are you putting in?Because some people settle to build out of wood and grass.Well, it's easier, quicker, right?You want it a building, here's a building.I did my job.You have to understand that Christ considers that type of effort to be worthless.I want you to look at Paul talks about this again in 2 Corinthians.Look at 2 Corinthians 5-10 on the screen.It's the same teaching, but I'm going to point something out here.He says, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each onemay receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil."Now there's a problem with this translation.The problem is the word evil.That is not the right translation of that word.You can do the Greek study yourself and you'll find that that word evil should be translatedworthless.He's not talking about something morally evil like from the devil.He's not talking about that.He's talking about something that's worthless.Things done even in the name of Jesus that ultimately end up being worthless.What in the world are you talking about?Things like things done for Christ only in human effort.How about that?Not spirit-led.Not really motivated by God's glory.I mean, I'm doing this and I'm doing it in the church, but I'd really be happier ifpeople noticed me.Those kinds of things aren't really evil as much as they are worthless.Just building out a straw.And you know, church, we can fill up the church calendar with all kinds of busyness that hasnothing to do with the mission of evangelism and discipleship.And at the end of the day, do you know what it is?Straw.It's just straw.On the other hand, when you are motivated by God's glory, when you are dedicated to maximumexcellence, when your heart is in the right place because you're being led by the HolySpirit, that's like building with gold and silver and precious stones.And you're like, oh, okay, so being part of a big church means big reward, right?No.Look, we're not speaking negatively of big churches, but I do have to point out thatsometimes we think that size equals value, and that's just not true.A handful of diamonds is much more valuable than a truck full of logs, despite the obviousdifference in size.But if you want a successful building campaign, better use the right materials.You're like, man, wow, this might be new information for some of you, and you're like, how do Iknow?How do I know?How do I know I'm using the right materials?Well I know one thing for sure we're going to find out, because number three is you'vegot to pass inspection.You've got to pass inspection.Look at verse 13.Paul under inspiration, the Spirit goes on, he says, "Each one's work will become manifest,for the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will testwhat sort of work each one has done."The day is coming.You know the day, the day.And the inspector is coming to test by fire.You're going to see here throughout the rest of this passage, there's three kinds of people.Let's look at the first one, verse 14.He says, excuse me, "If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he willreceive a reward."There is a reward for the faithful worker.Again, we went through the sermon on the Mount.We talked quite a bit about this.From Matthew chapter 6, verse 20, "Jesus commanded us to lay up for ourselves treasuresin heaven."And anytime we talk about rewards and treasure in heaven, people say, "Well, what is it?What are the rewards?"And I'll tell you the same thing I always say.Not really sure.But we can't imagine that it's a kind of reward like earth, like cash.Right?What is the reward?And again, I would suggest to you that maybe God's word isn't specific because it's somethingthat we wouldn't fully understand on the earth.But we do know quite a bit about eternal rewards.We know a lot about them.First of all, we know they're eternal.We know this is something you're going to have for eternity.And something else we know is it's better.It's better than anything that we know of on earth.And if every good and perfect gift comes from above, don't you trust when God says, "Thisis awesome.You should work for this."Don't you think that it's going to be good?You're like, "No, it's going to be awesome."Right?So we know that.We also know there's no second chance to earn rewards after we die.According to the Bible, this is your chance.If you're hearing this message right now, you are in prime opportunity to earn rewards.We also know that this is a motivator.It's a motivator.We build with excellence because it's going to result in eternal reward.How are you doing?Some of you are going to get a huge reward.Some of you are.Who is?Those of you who have spent the money that God has entrusted you on missions, on the church,on gospel purposes, Jesus said you're going to get a huge reward.Those of you who know your spiritual gift and you have used it to bless the church, you'veused the time that God has given you here.You've taken your opportunity.There is a huge reward coming for you.On the other hand, let's look at the second group of people, verse 15.He says if anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will besaved but only as through fire.Okay, so we talked about the person that's working, giving, serving, faithfully, usingthis opportunity.Now we're going to talk to some of the rest of you.On the other hand, some of you are saved but you're lazy.You're irresponsible.God gave you two things to use for him, time and money, and you have spent both of thoseon yourself.You attend church but that's really about it.Your contribution to the kingdom is warming a seat.You didn't invest much money into the kingdom.You don't really serve the church in any way.You're like, am I still going to heaven?Yeah.If you truly believe in Christ, if you've truly been born again, yes, yes, he says righthere.He's still saved but it's like jumping out of a burning house and then watching it burnto the ground.You lost everything and you got nothing to show for it.Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.You're telling me.You're telling me, Pastor Jeff, everything I worked for in my life is ultimately goingto be nothing in eternity.Are you telling me that when I cross over into heaven that I'm going to have nothingto show for my time on earth?That's what he said.I think that's also why he said in verse 10, "Take care how you build."So take care.Take care, pewsitters, God tippers, and part timers.Take care, ear scratchers, bench warmers, and buck passers.Take care because today you should examine the quality of the work that you're puttingin to serve Jesus because He's coming to test it.Salvation in Christ is a gift.But what we do with it, it's on us.There's a third group.Look at verse 16.He says, "Do you not know that you are God's temple and God's spirit dwells in you?"Do you realize how precious you are to God?Do you realize what you are to God?You're not some she-shed.You are His temple.You are the place where God resides.You individually, and again, this is plural.He's saying you corporately.This is where God chooses to dwell.Therefore, verse 17, "If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him.For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple."This is the third group.And I think it's pretty obvious, right?He's talking about unsaved people here, right?People that destroy what others build.We're talking about false teachers, obviously.But you know what else we're talking about?Those in the church who aren't saved but are divisive.Those who hinder the work of the church.Those who are constantly causing problems for the leaders of the church.Are you protective of your house?If you went home from church today and there was somebody inside your house destroying it,what would you do?Well, God is pretty protective of His house, too.And when He looks down and He sees His house and He sees somebody that's trying to destroyHis house, God says, "I'm going to destroy Him.I'm going to deal with Him severely."Any building campaign, really, at the end of the day, any building campaign can onlybe said to be successful if it passes inspection, right?I'd like to invite the worship team and our communion servers to come up because we'vegot to close a passage like this by gathering around the Lord's table.Why?Well, the Lord's table for the Christian, for the church, it means so much.A couple of things in particular means that we are reminded as we gather around.First of all, this brings us back to our foundation.Lest we ever be tempted to build a foundation on anything else, the Lord's Supper bringsus back to the place.You know, this is the foundation of the church, the Lord who died for His church, who rosefrom the dead for His church.So not only is it our foundation, but I think another huge aspect of the Lord's table isour motivation.Because look, the Bible talks about rewards.Should we be motivated by rewards?Absolutely.But rewards should be a motivator, not the motivator.The motivator is the God who died for you, the love that He poured out on the cross.He died for you.So we are motivated to live for Him.

Jeremy continues in the series on the Sermon on the Mount with a message on the heart.

Kelsie continues in week 12 of our series through the Sermon on the Mount.

Group Guide Use this guide to help your group discussion as you meet this week. TranscriptGood morning. My name is Spencer and I'm one of the pastors here. We are continuing through our Remember series. We're in the last couple of weeks of this series. We're walking through our membership commitments and what binds us together and belief and practice as a church. We're in the 13th commitment. Today we've got this and then next week our 14th commitment. And then we'll launch into our gift series for December. But I want to read the 13th commitment before we begin. It says, I will practice and grow in generosity by financially supporting Jesus mission in church in our city and the world. Therefore, I will consistently and sacrificially give to Mill City Church of Cayce and to Mill City Church of Cayce family as they may have need. So this is what our church commits to. But this really embodies the people of God for centuries. This is our story. If you haven't thought about this before, much of actually Western culture is impacted and shaped by the generosity of Christians. Like the majority of hospitals over time were started by churches and denominations. That's why so many in many cities have a Baptist hospital, a Methodist hospital, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Dartmouth, all at one point were they begun as seminaries. They were training grounds for pastors and educating laypeople in theology. The Salvation army was started by Christians in an effort to wage war on poverty in the London's east end over 100 years ago. The YMCA and the 19th century began as an effort to help Christian men. So it's the Young Men's Christian Association, Christian men who've been negatively impacted by the Industrial Revolution. Samaritan's Purse was started to wage to help kids that were affected in Korea by starvation. Habitat for Humanity was started by Christian missionaries who were building homes and then brought that back to America and has impacted many people for the last few decades. The majority of orphan care, orphanages, adoption agencies were started by Christians that have been run by Christians into the day. The examples go on and on. If you just think locally for a moment, the organization that's had the most impact on homelessness in the city of Columbia, without a doubt has been Oliver Gospel Mission. They've been doing it for over 137 years, since 1988, started by a Methodist minister. Our own hospital, Baptist Hospital, was started by the denomination that we belong to, the South Carolina Baptist convention, years over 100 years ago. So this is a part of the people of God. This is our story. And there are many examples of how this shows up. And our 13th commitment is in line with what God's people have done for Thousands of years. So today I want to show you where this comes from in the Scriptures and why we're called to live with sacrificial generosity. We're going to do a fairly quick blitz through the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation to see this theme. This is going to be a biblical theology of generosity, this theme that gets pulled from Genesis all the way through Revelation, the end of the Bible. So we're going to see where this comes from, where we're commanded to live like this. And then I want to take a step back and examine ultimately why and how we're supposed to, as the church, live this out. So let me pray for us, and then we'll walk through this together. Heavenly Father, I pray that you might help us see the gift that it is to live a life that is generous, that is not about self, but about ultimately you and your purposes here and beyond. And I pray that you would speak to us in a way that would disarm us and instruct us, and we wouldn't just be hearers of the Word, but would leave here as doers. And that's going to come through your work. So we ask this in Jesus name. Amen.Okay, so starting in the book of Genesis. One of the earliest examples we get of generosity in the Bible is in Genesis 14, when Abraham is. He wages. He's in a battle. And after they win that battle, there's a king and a high priest named Melchizedek that comes to him. In Genesis 14, it says,> And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. (Genesis 14:18–20, ESV)And Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. So this is one of the earliest examples we see of giving up your material blessings. Abraham gives up a tenth of what he has in response to this priest. This type of generosity gets enshrined into the Old Testament law When you read past Genesis, into Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy, Numbers. When you read these books, you see throughout the law, this type of commanded generosity of the people of God. When you get to numbers 18, it's one of the places that commands the people of God to give of their finances to support the work of the priesthood. You see, the Levitical priesthood, that tribe did not have an inheritance from the Lord. That was land Their inheritance was to serve the Lord. And the people of God and the promised land were commanded to give to sustain the work of the Levitical priesthood. So you see this in the Book of Numbers and other places. In Leviticus 19, you see that the giving that God calls us is not just to help those who are priests, like Melchizedek, like the Levitical priesthood, but it is also to help one another. As you read Leviticus 19, this command to be holy as I am holy, there's a bunch of different parts in it. But one of the things that shows up in verses 9 and 10 says,> “When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the LORD your God.” (Leviticus 19:9–10, ESV)It's just built into the law that as you harvest, don't take all of it. Don't be about the enrichment of self, but realize that there are the poor, the widows, the sojourners among you that do not have food and make sure that they can come and take part in the harvest as well. You see this in other places, like Deuteronomy 15. Deuteronomy 15 says,> “If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be.” (Deuteronomy 15:7–8, ESV)Do not harden your hearts against your brothers who are in need. Throughout the law, you just see how God is commanding his people to think about one another in a way that is beautiful. And when you read the law, I'm picking places that I can't go to, all of it. But you read it. You read about the redemption laws, you read about the year of jubilee, you read about all these things that God commands of his people so that they might take care of one another, take care of the priesthood, who ministers on behalf of you, and then also take care of one another together. That's all over the Old Testament law.As you keep flipping through the Old Testament, you see examples of how this is lived out. But one of the places that you'll get to is in the wisdom literature. You won't just see that generosity is commanded, but generosity is also wise. It is wise to be someone who lives generously. In Proverbs 3, 9 and 10, it says,> “Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.” (Proverbs 3:9–10, ESV)I so appreciate that it's proverbial, which means it's not a promise or a guarantee. But what he just said there is that if you honor the Lord with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your produce, that first fruits language shows up in the Old Testament law as well. That is the idea that you take the first of your harvest, not the leftovers. And that theme carries throughout the Bible as well. Don't give the Lord your leftovers, give him the first fruits, the first and best of what you have. If you do this, then your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will be bursting with wine, which means, again, proverbial. Generally, if you will be willing to be generous, the Lord will provide for you over and over again. So we don't treat it like a formula, but we see that it's wise that those who live generously, the Lord provides for them again and again and again. We see this in 11:24.> “One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.” (Proverbs 11:24, ESV)Again, proverbial. But the idea here is that if you are giving freely, the Lord is taking care of you. But if you are greedy, if you withhold, if you are self interested, you will only suffer want. And there are plenty of other proverbs that hit different aspects of what it means to the wisdom that is bound up and not living for the enrichment of self, but living generously.Now, the Old Testament law, you see this from start to finish in the Old Testament law. This theme of God's people who were called to live generously. Then we get to the New Testament and then Jesus comes and begins teaching. And one of the most consistent teachings that Jesus has is on money and generosity over and over again. And Jesus doesn't just get to the commands, he gets to the hearts behind the commands. Because when you get to Matthew chapter six in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says,> “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19–21, ESV)So Jesus gets the heart of the matter, which is, do not, do not live for the riches of this present world. Everything that your heart so quickly desires, all the shiny objects and things in this life, all of it will end up in a landfill. It will decay. But if you will put your heart where God's heart is and the kingdom of God in eternity, you will store up riches that will never spoil or fade. Put your heart there. He gets to the heart of it. And this teaching that we get in Matthew 6 that is so helpful, helps us see, this is what we're called to be, is to put our heart in the things that God cares about that last into eternity. And listen, if you just do the Gospel of Matthew, I'm gonna do just some quick hits of just how he teaches this over and over again. But if you go back to Matthew 5:3, he says,> “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3, ESV)You get to Matthew 5:42. He says,> “Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.” (Matthew 5:42, ESV)You get to chapter six, verses one through four. He says,> “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,” (Matthew 6:1–4, ESV)which is the teaching that we should give not to be seen. That we should not strut to the offering box and say, look at what I have done. That we should not let everyone know on GoFundMe that I'm the one that has given. We shouldn't make it known to everyone that I am giving, but we should do it in secret, because ultimately our giving is to the Lord and not to be seen by others. And he continues, I mean, 6:19, 24, we just read do not lay up treasures in heaven. 6:24 we read earlier is,> “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” (Matthew 6:24, ESV)6:25–34 he says, do not be anxious about material needs. Seek first the kingdom of God. In Matthew 13:22, when he's teaching the parable of the sore sower, talking about the seeds of faith that are sown, one of the seeds that gets choked out is by the thorns, which is the riches and the cares of this present world. And that's a warning that if we care so much about material blessings in this life, we care so much about money and riches here, it will snuff out our faith. In Matthew chapter 19, we get an example of what that looks like. When a rich young man comes to Jesus and says, I want to follow you. And he gives his resume of all he's followed the law. And then Jesus goes straight to the heart and he says, okay, so sell everything you have. Come, follow me. And he says, no, it went away sad because he had great wealth. And then Jesus goes on to say in teaching that he says, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. And listen, that's the eye of a sewing needle. Have you ever heard some prosperity? False prophets say, that's a tiny little door in Jerusalem. That's a lie. The whole point there is that, no, you cannot be saved as a rich man in your own, your own self. It comes through faith in Jesus Christ and him shaping us and our approach to how we think about money. That's just the Gospel of Matthew, but if you keep reading the Gospel of Mark, the Gospel of Luke, the Gospel of John, Jesus continuously, repetitively, aggressively, at times teaches on riches because there's a lot at stake now.Jesus goes to the cross, he dies for our sins. He rises from the grave, conquering the power of death and its grip on us. And then when he ascends to the right hand of God the Father and the Holy Spirit descends upon the church. In Acts 2. We've been in this passage multiple times throughout this Remember series. We see the early church embody Christ's teachings on generosity. In Acts 2:44, it says,> “And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.” (Acts 2:44–45, ESV)They believe it. They are all in on what Christ taught. And they just say, give it away. I'll sell this and I'll give it to you. Make sure that the saints are taken care of, make sure that the gospel can go forward. They believe this wholeheartedly and they begin to live this out. And when you read the rest of the book of Acts, you see this. And when you read the rest of the New Testament letters, Romans all the way through, you're going to see this over and over again. I can't hit all of it, but I just want to show you a few different parts of the New Testament letters that teach this theme of generosity. In Second Corinthians, chapter eight, Paul put he's talking to the church at Corinth, which is a very wealthy church and a wealthy city. And when he's talking to them, he uses the Macedonian church, which is in a different area that is not as wealthy, as an example to spur them on to generosity. And in chapter eight, verses three and four, it says,> “For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints.” (2 Corinthians 8:3–4, ESV)That little phrase is one of My favorite phrases on generosity in the Bible, that this church was begging, they were eager. We cannot miss out on this. Can we give? The saints in Jerusalem were struggling, they needed help. And they said, I want all in on this. Can we be a part of this? And he's trying to help the Corinthian church. Do you not see how we're called to live? And if you read different parts of the New Testament in the letters, you're going to see this call to give to the efforts of gospel ministry and give to one another, to take care of one another. I mean, when you read the book of Philippians, y', all, we spent time a couple years ago in the book of Philippians, wonderful, beautiful theological insights, wonderful, beautiful passages. But when you get to the end, you see that it wraps up like a support letter because he's thankful for their partnership with him in the gospel. In 4:15, he says,> “And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only.” (Philippians 4:15, ESV)And he's just thankful, thankful for the church at Philippi and how they've invested in his ministry efforts. Paul at times had to be a tent maker, but he did need money to live on. He needed money to travel. And in First Corinthians 9, at one point when he's talking to the church at Corinth, he makes the point that it is my right as a minister of the gospel to be paid. And it makes that clear in the New Testament. Ministers of the gospel, those who do gospel work, should be paid to make their living by the gospel. But he tells the church of Corinth, I'm not demanding that of you because I know that's a stumbling block for you. I want you to believe the gospel. I don't want you to think I'm money hungry. And that is something that even shows up today. It's hard for pastors at times to talk about money because you don't want to fall into the category of money hungry pastors. But God talks so much about it and it's so important. So we will. Throughout the New Testament, you see this commanded generosity, these examples of generosity for the advancement of the gospel, moving forward through caring for one another, and all of that. As you read through the N terminates in the Book of Revelation. And if you were with us the last year as we walked through the Book of Revelation, those final three chapters is a vivid picture of where all this is going, that God's people get to experience the eternal generosity of God unendingly, that we get to have a feast with our God, that He provides for us, that we get to have eternal dwelling with our God, that He provides life and light and riches beyond imagination. Our God freely, lovingly, joyfully, gives to his people forever and ever and ever. Amen. And that is how the Bible ends. And you see from start to finish this thread that is pulled of generosity, of how God's people have been shaped by this and really how we've lived this out for thousands years.But all these examples that are wonderful and beautiful, all these commands that are powerful and all these teachings that shape us, it is also important to realize it's pretty dang hard to live this out. It just is because we're just so self interested. We're just self interested people. I know I am. I mean, I see it like I y', all, I see when my. Give you an example. When my kids, when there's a dessert in our household, they, they, they become feral. It's it's mine. Like you ever seen a, you ever seen a raccoon that's eating trash pizza? You come up on a raccoon eating trash pizza and you try to meet my children with a dessert, it's theirs. Do you know where they got that from? My wife? No, I'm just kidding. They got that from me. One of the most infamous stories in my family is when I was in college, I was home for Thanksgiving, my mom made this chocolate pie and she made it for me to take it to college back for exams. And I had it and my stepdad and my sister saw it and they said, ooh, I want a bite. And I grabbed it and I licked the whole thing. Which in my family was claiming it. I know in your family that might not have stopped anyone, but in my family that stopped everyone because this was mine. And that self interested instinct is all over how we think about riches. It's all over how we think about money. This is what we do, y'. All. That's why when the pandemic hit, what was the first thing to leave the shelves? Toilet paper. That's just everyone's like, gotta get it. I gotta get in my house. It's what we do. This is a human infection that we pass down from generation to generation, from forefathers to their children and grandchildren. This desire for the enrichment and care of self. We have a Bible reading plan that anyone in our church is welcome to go through, but a few of us have gone through over the last few years and I'm in this Bible reading plan the other few weeks ago, and we come up to 1 Timothy, chapter 6. And I'm reading it, and I just. Was just slayed. I read it, and I just want to read. Gets right at the heart of this. It says,> “But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” (1 Timothy 6:6–10, ESV)Do you hear that? That's a warning. That riches can become your ruin. The desire for them can become a ruin for you. Verse 10. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and have pierced themselves with many pangs. And it's like, I just. I read that. I went, oh, my God, woe is me. If you, if you don't read that and tremble if you don't receive that and go, I. Where. Where have I fallen in love with riches and, and money in a way that is. That is literally risking me walking away from the Lord, then we're. We're not reading it correctly. It's a. It's a real danger. And if you, if you realize the danger of our. Of our. Of our besetting sin in our hearts. It's not enough just to look at the whole Bible and look at all the examples, because those examples, enough, even those commands are not enough for us to take our eyes off of the riches of this present world. We have to get to the heart of why. Why are we commanded to live this out? Why should we do this? And the example that we have of why is found in, in Jesus Christ. When you read 2 Corinthians, chapter 8, it says,> “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9, ESV)That teaches that Jesus Christ, the second member of the Trinity, left the glory and the comfort and the heaven to become man and dwell among us in poverty. That he left the riches and the comforts of heaven to live a lowly human life in need constantly. And then he goes to the cross where he has nothing. The garments that he has are divided amongst the people below and he's crucified for our self interest and greed and desire for the riches of this present world. And he resurrects to conquer the power of sin so that we might not be slaves to riches, we might be slaves to our desires for this present world, but we might be resurrected in faith to have new eyes and a new heart. That we might see that he is better and that following him and putting all of our hopes in eternity is better than anything this present world could have to offer. And that by the power of the Holy Spirit he might break us of a desire for things that will spoil and fade and fix our eyes on eternity. We read 1 John 4:19 the why is we love because he first loved us.> “We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19, ESV)The only hope we have to grow in being generous people is to look at the example we have in Jesus Christ and put our faith firmly in him as our only hope. That is one and that is the why which shapes our commitment. I will practice and grow in generosity by financially supporting Jesus mission and church in our city and the world. Therefore I will consistently and sacrificially give to Mill City Church of Cayce and to Mill City Church of Cayce family as they may have need. God, who loves us, who came to rescue us, who saves us from our own selfish desires, sets us apart to follow him and calls us to trust him, to yield to him open handedly that he will provide for us and to lift our gaze to the heavens, to store our riches there, where one day we will taste and see of things that we could not passively dream, possibly dream or imagine about. That is what guides us and the hope that we have in this commitment as a church.So if that is why I want to end with how. How do we practically take steps to grow in this? It begins with giving. And one of the things that we say is in the language we have in our commitment is to is to sacrificially give. We use the language of sacrificial giving in our Give series in a few weeks. That's a language that's going to show up. That's a language we've used for years. We do not use the language of tithe. And if you grew up in the church, that's a very common phrase. It shows up all over the Old Testament law. Tithe, that just means a tenth. It goes back to the example of Melchizedek and Abraham. But you read the Old Testament, it says to give a tenth. The New Testament actually doesn't command the tithe. It embodies the heart of generosity from the Old Testament. But the language we see consistently in the New Testament is one of sacrificial giving. Therefore we command from the scriptures. You need to sacrificially give. And I think that's more helpful language than the time I do. I think that calls us to consider what we should give before the Lord in a way that is, that is meaningful. And I think for some whom God has blessed in this church, making money that you never thought you could make, if you say that giving is the tithe, you have limited yourself and you are not actually growing in sacrificial giving. For some of you, the tithe is the floor, it's not the ceiling. And you should be looking for ways to continue to grow in giving. And for others, like that's. If we just use the language of tithe, that's a hard place to get to. If you're not giving anything at all, that's a tough thing to accomplish. We want us to take steps of faithfulness and growing and sacrificial generosity. We do not dictate how much you should give. We do not dictate exactly where you should give. You see, the language that we got here is I will consistently and sacrificially give to Mill City Church of Cayce and Mill City Church of Cayce families. And above it, it says I will financially supporting Jesus mission in the church and the city and the world. So we're not saying that you've got to give all of your money to formally the local church though I would caution, I have heard and seen this over the years that some folks will say, ah, I just, I, no, I'm not, I don't know if I can, I don't know what the church is doing. I want to be able to dictate where my money can go. So I'm going to give to people in my church, I'm going to give people to my community. I'm going to give to orphan care, I'm going to give to missions. But I really, I don't know if I can give formally to the local church. I just, I don't know how. And I just want to caution you, if you have any bit of that zone in your heart, I want you to consider what functionally that means. It means that you do not trust the leadership of this church and work with our boss team, our boss Business Oversight and Sustainability Squad, that's our team that oversees finances in our church. So the elders and our boss team, I don't trust them to be able to give to the local church. And I just want to caution you on that, because I'll be honest, if I was a part of a church and I didn't trust the leadership of that church to handle the finances, I wouldn't be there. I just. I was like, if I can't trust you with money, then I can't trust you, period. And if that's the position of your heart, I want you to evaluate that and I want you to reckon with that argument, because I think you should trust the leadership of this church. You should formally give. You should give in the give boxes, you should give online. You should give to the local church and the ministry efforts entrusting us to figure out what is the best use of how these gifts have been given to use and distribute in a way that accomplishes the purposes of the local church. You should also give to your church family. You should be saving up regularly to give to your church family. You should be looking eager, like that Second Corinthians language. If I'm eager to jump in and give at a moment's notice to someone who is in need, y'. All. One of the benefits I have as a pastor is that I regularly get to see people who are embodying Matthew 6, not being public, letting the left hand know what the right hand is giving. So they come to one of the pastors and say, hey, I just. I want to be able to bless this person. Can you make sure they get this? Can you make sure that this person gets this? I see this all the time. I've lost count of how many cars have been given away in this church, how many washing machines, how many medical bills have been paid off. I've watched people just live it out in beautiful and wonderful ways. We should do that. You should be looking for ways to just bless people in our church who are in need and to see the beauty and the wonder and the glory of just joining in in God's mission and caring for his people, just as they did in Acts Chapter two.And beyond that, we should be eager to give beyond our church, beyond the local mission. That's one of the reasons why we give regularly to 1040 HOPE. 1040 HOPE is the mission organization that Ben Johnson, one of the members of our church, leads. It's on the meets on the third. They have office space on the third floor of our building. And we give to them, and we encourage you to give to them because we want to see the gospel Reach every nation, tribe and tongue and the areas of the world where there are not Christians or anyone that even knows the gospel. We want to be about all of it. So we. That's what. That's what it means to. That's how we should do this. We should give, firstly, meaning of your first fruits. Do not give your leftovers. We should give consistently, which means that some of you should set up regular giving and we should give sacrificially, meaning we should be considerate of giving in a way that we feel it, that it actually is a sacrifice. This is something we should grow in and take steps of faithfulness in. So if you're in a place where you're like, I just, I can't. I just. I literally can't give right now. I want to say very clearly that's a problem. But that's a problem we'd love to help you with. We have a financial care team that will sit down with you, that'll sit with you in your budget, that will help you figure out how you can take steps of faithfulness here. We want to help you to be able to do this. And when I'm coaching people up on this, that's why I think language of tithe can be discouraging at times. Because if you're like, I'm going from 0 to 10, I don't know how I'm going to get there. Just take steps of faithfulness. Start by giving 40 to 50 bucks a month. Do that and commit to it. And you might have to cut things out. But of how much you spend on Starbucks and Amazon prime and Netflix, and if you total all of that up, and that's more than what you give to the mission of God, that's a value statement. That is a problem and it needs to change. So we need to do some soul work in this. And I say, take steps of faithful. So I'm coaching people on this. I'm like, start here. Maybe next year you can carve out 1% of your budget and maybe the following year you can take a step of faith and double it at 2%. And maybe in three years you could double it again and get to 4%. Maybe in four to five years, if you're really figuring this out, you could jump up to eight. Figure this out before the Lord and ask the Lord what he wants you to give. But we can take steps of faithfulness and growing in this. It's worth it for our own souls to not fall in love with the riches of this present world. Some people will Say, like, I don't know if I can get. I don't know when I'm gonna have enough to give. I don't know if I'm gonna get there. And I will say to you very clearly, we have to be trusted with the small things that we're given so we can step into the greater things. The idea that if I make more down the road, I'll be able to give. It's not how we logically work. It's not how the scriptures teach this. We need to be faithful with little so we can later be faithful with much. We need to take steps of faithfulness to grow in this. I was talking with Raz Bradley. Raz, one of our pastors, was in Florida for a conference a few weeks back, and he got to meet a guy and hear his story, and I got to watch this video of this guy's story. But this. This man was. Him and his wife, years ago, were going to be missionaries. They're excited to go on the mission field. And as they're gearing up, ready to go on the mission field, his father sits down with him and his brother and says, hey, I'm retiring. He had a small mom and pop crane company. Because I'm retiring, and it's either y' all are taking this over or it's gonna end. But, like, I mean, we're. And he had a decision to make, and he prayed, do I go on the mission field or do I take over this business and use it for the glory of God and funding missions? And much to his wife's dismay, they didn't go on the mission field. Him and his brother took over this crane company, and they started out from the very beginning. They said, this is what we're going to do. We are not going to build this company for the enrichment of ourselves. We are going to take the profits. So about half invest it back into the company itself, and the other half we're going to give away. We're going to invest in gospel efforts. Now, a normal company, you do the first half, you've got to invest money back into the company, otherwise it won't make it. But the other half is yours. You get to keep the profits. And that's what it means to be a small business owner. And they said, no, we're going to take salaries and we're going to grow this company, and we're going to see the Lord grow this company over the years. We're going to see what he's going to do with this. And they did this for Years and tens of thousands turned into hundreds of thousands of profits, which turned into millions of dollars in profit to this year. They've given away over $70 million this year to mission efforts across the world. And it's like all along the way, it took salaries, they took decent salaries for a long time. He had $100,000 salary. You see the video of his house. It's a normal house. His car, it's an old beater car. And they had their most need. They had, you know, kids are going to college. He had a good salary of $150,000. And then when his kids were done with college, he went back down to $100,000. But they are handling tens of millions of dollars a year. And they're saying, I don't want it. I want to put that in the kingdom of God. And to think if this continues that for years to come, that they might invest a billion dollars into mission efforts across the world. Can you imagine the riches that they are storing up in heaven? What a life to live. What a legacy to leave behind. And y', all, the heart that is bound up in those men and their story is the same heart that is bound up. If you remember the story of Jesus and the widow's mite, the widow who comes to the temple and has only a few pennies to give, and she gives all of it. And Jesus points to her and says, look at it, look at her heart. This is what it means to be generous. And she gives all of it away. That's the same heart that was embodied there. It's the same heart that is bound up in the Christian who is looking at their budget and they're saying, you know what? I want to grow in generosity. I want to give to the church, to orphan care, to missions, which means I might drive the same car for the next 10 years and my co workers might have nicer trucks and nicer cars. But I'm going to take it on the chin here. I'm going to drive this thing until the wheels come off because it matters that I have the margins to give to what God wants us. This is the heart, the same heart that is in that. And that man is the same heart that sent a young Christian who's figuring out money for the first time. And they realize that the normative pattern that we've just accepted, that I just upgrade a phone every two years doesn't have to happen. So I'm holding this phone for three, four and five years so that I can have the ability to give and give generously to others. This is the same heart that's in the Christian right now that's looking at their budget and looking at inflation and going, I don't know how we're going to make ends meet, but I'm not cutting my money to this missionary. I'll cut my Starbucks habit before that happens because it matters to invest in the kingdom of God. That is the heart that shapes this commitment. Let me read it one more time. I will practice and grow in generosity by financially supporting Jesus mission and church in our city and the world. Therefore, I will consistently and sacrificially give to Mill City Church of Cayce and to Mill City Church of Cayce family as they may have need. Let's be a people that forsake the love of money and the love of riches in this present world, that look to Christ as our hope to change us and then take steps of faithfulness to be the generous people that God has called us to be.Let's pray. Heavenly Father, I pray that you might help us submit something that is so dear to our flesh, something that we don't like to talk about, something we don't like anyone else talking to us about. But let's take seriously the teachings about money and riches in this life and let's be a people that embody the heart of generosity that flows throughout the scriptures that you perfectly exampled and that you hold out for us all the way to the new heavens and the new earth. In Jesus name, amen. The band's going to come up. We're going to sing one final song together. I hope as we consider these teachings this week, as they may be difficult for us to receive and even more difficult to live out, that we would seriously consider them, that we would not hear them and discard them, but we would actually let the Holy Spirit, as we sing right now, do some work in our heart that as we leave this place, we would sit quietly before the Lord and ask God, how do you want me to grow? What steps do you want me to take? And if you need pastors or financial care or anyone to help you figure that out, we'd love to sit down and help you do that.

Have you ever wondered what it really looks like to live under the reign of Jesus? Through the Sermon on the Mount, He gives us more than ancient wisdom. It's His Kingdom manifesto—a revolutionary vision for a new humanity. Not a list of impossible rules, but an invitation to a new way of being human. A way that leads to freedom, blessing, and fullness of life. Each week, we'll expose the broken systems that shape us—anger, greed, judgment, misplaced identity—and discover how Jesus flips them upside down, calling us into His narrow path that satisfies the soul. And you don't have to walk that path alone. Join a Life Group and explore the Sermon on the Mount in community—where questions, encouragement, and shared stories will help you live what Jesus is teaching.

One of the most well-known, well-loved, oft-used, most-memorized passages of all of scripture is the part of the Sermon on the Mount commonly called The Lord's Prayer. Pastor Jon steps us through the passage, examining what it expresses about God, and what it calls us to do as members of God's Kingdom.  Speaker: Jon Thompson Publication: November 16, 2025

Welcome to our series on the Sermon on the Mount!Throughout this term, we will be looking at the greatest sermon ever preached.For more info about Grace Church and to find other talks and resources, visit www.greenwich.church.If you're enjoying GRACE POD don't forget to subscribe or even leave a review!

Welcome to our series on the Sermon on the Mount!Throughout this term, we will be looking at the greatest sermon ever preached.For more info about Grace Church and to find other talks and resources, visit www.greenwich.church.If you're enjoying GRACE POD don't forget to subscribe or even leave a review!

Week 8 | The Sermon on the Mount (1995)This week on the podcast, we're in Week 8 of a 6-month series on the Sermon on the Mount. In today's episode, Darrell examines the eighth beatitude, where Jesus declares, "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Darrell begins by noting that this is the only "double beatitude" in the set, with Jesus repeating it. He suggests this may be because it's the one we most don't want to hear. Darrell explores why Jesus would "congratulate" being persecuted, noting that it is a mark of those who have truly embraced the gospel. He examines how Jesus' perfect righteousness and his bold claims about Himself led to his own persecution. Finally, Darrell encourages us that while persecution may be difficult, Jesus calls His disciples to rejoice, knowing that the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.__Give to the Ministry of Darrell Johnson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Darrell's Books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠—⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to Darrell's Mailing List⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠darrelljohnson.ca⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/darrelljohnson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Matt Nicoll preaches through Matthew 7:13-23.

Welcome to our series on the Sermon on the Mount! Throughout this term, we will be looking at the greatest sermon ever preached. For more info about Grace Church and to find other talks and resources, visit www.greenwich.church. If you're enjoying GRACE POD don't forget to subscribe or even leave a review!

Welcome to our series on the Sermon on the Mount!Throughout this term, we will be looking at the greatest sermon ever preached.For more info about Grace Church and to find other talks and resources, visit www.greenwich.church.If you're enjoying GRACE POD don't forget to subscribe or even leave a review!

from Matthew 7:7-12 Jesus' teaching in Matthew 5-7, we know as The Sermon on the Mount…but it is so much more than just a collection of wisdom and challenge and instruction from Jesus. It is at the heart of it, an invitation from Jesus to consider that there is another way, that there is a better way. To … Continue reading "(November 9, 2025) “Sermon on the Mount: Ask, Seek, Knock”"

During his ministry, Jesus repeatedly referred to himself as the Bread of Life. His words would have stirred echoes of the Torah: "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." Just as bread sustains the body, the words of the LORD nourish the soul. Yet, Jesus's teachings were not always easy to digest. His words could be unsettling and paradigm-shifting, turning long-held beliefs on their heads. Some who heard him turned away. But Simon Peter recognized the truth. When others left, he confessed, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life" In this series, we will dive deep into one of Jesus's most famous teachings, the Sermon on the Mount. We will consider how these words of life nourish us, even as they challenge us, and how we might apply them to our lived stories today. This week, we considered Jesus's invitation to a genuine personal relationship with the Lord on prayer. If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team. If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/

As we continue through the sermon on the mount, hear Pastor Michael preach out of Matthew 5:33-37 on oaths. Our words have substantial weight - and being a follower of Christ means being a person of our word. Be challenged!

If you want to give through Grace Church you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/grace-alone?src=hpp&r=monthlyJoin us for Pastor Rick's new sermon series, “Life's Healing Choices,” where we explore the transformative power of the Beatitudes from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. Discover the eight principles that lead us to true happiness and wholeness, guiding us toward healthier, more fulfilling lives. Each week, Pastor Rick will delve into how embracing these choices nurture our spirits and strengthen our relationships. Don't miss this opportunity to unlock the blessings that come from living in alignment with God's wisdom!Find out more about Grace Church here: https://gracechurchco.com/

Matthew 6:25-34; Matt Clegg, Associate Pastor at RMC; the 13th sermon in the series on the Sermon on the Mount, "He Sat and Taught."

Father Edward Looney reads and comments on The Life of Jesus Christ and Biblical Revelations: From the Visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich.Day 159Volume 3PREACHING AND MIRACLES OF JESUS IN CAPHARNAUM AND THE SURROUNDING DISTRICTSChapter 11: The Sermon on the Mount, Cure of a ParalyticLEARN MORE - USE COUPON CODE ACE25 FOR 25% OFFThe Life of Jesus Christ and Biblical Revelations: From the Visions of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich Four-Book Set - https://bit.ly/3QVreIsThe Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ: From the Visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich - https://bit.ly/4bPsxRmThe Life and Revelations of Anne Catherine Emmerich Two-Book Set - https://bit.ly/3yxaLE5The Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary: From the Visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich - https://bit.ly/3wTRsULMary Magdalen in the Visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich - https://bit.ly/4brYEXbThe Mystical City of God Four-Book Set - https://bit.ly/44Q9nZbOur Lady of Good Help: Prayer Book for Pilgrims - https://bit.ly/3Ke6O9SThe Life of Jesus Christ in a Year: From the Visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich is a podcast from TAN that takes you through one of the most extraordinary books ever published. Follow along daily as Father Edward Looney works his way through the classic four-volume set, The Life of Jesus Christ and Biblical Revelations, by reading a passage from the book and then giving his commentary. Discover the visions of the famous 19th-century Catholic mystic, Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, a nun who was privileged by God to behold innumerable events of biblical times.Anne Catherine's visions included the birth, life, public ministry, Crucifixion, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, as well as the founding of His Church. Besides describing persons, places, events, and traditions in intimate detail, she also sets forth the mystical significance of these visible realities. Here is the infinite love of God incarnate and made manifest for all to see, made all the more striking and vivid by the accounts Blessed Anne has relayed.Listen and subscribe to The Life of Jesus Christ in a Year: From the Visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich on your favorite podcast platform or at EmmerichPodcast.com.And for more great ways to deepen your faith, check out all the spiritual resources available at TANBooks.com and use Coupon Code ACE25 for 25% off your next order.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us not to judge one another and not to get caught up worrying about other people's issues when we have plenty of […]

On this episode it's just Litha and he continues with the fifth instalment of the Sermon on the Mount series. Litha takes you through the second of six case studies, where Jesus unpacks the ancient laws in order to reveal the wisdom behind them. Today's topic is Jesus's very(!) challenging teaching on sexual desire and adultery, as always we hope it helps you thrive in your life and faith. If you'd like to get in touch with us. Please touch base with us on the website. https://thriveinlifeandfaith.wixsite.com/mysite  

Welcome to River of Life Church's podcast! We are a body of believers who gather together to worship God & grow in His grace. We are a church of His presence, His promises and we are for all people. More info can be found at www.rol-ag.com.

Abby continues our series on the Sermon on the Mount.