Being poor in spirit means being able to admit that you have nothing and you are nothing without Jesus.   If you realize you are utterly helpless without God, though, and put your whole trust in His goodness, His mercy, and His love, that’s when you’re really blessed.

Repentance isn’t about sinning less so that you can impress God with your goodness – It’s about

John the Baptist was a polarizing figure, and stirred things up, but Jesus who was on the way, would divide people in a way that not even John the Baptist could – Luke 3:17 says His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.  The winnowing fork was like a large wooden shovel, and the farmer would toss the grain into the air with it – the

Adam in the Garden lived in a one-rule world – don’t eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, or you will die – and Adam was disobedient to God’s Word, he didn’t trust God’s will – you know why? Scripture says the fruit looked like it would taste good – Because Satan said God was holding out on him, and there was something better than what God had given him.  Adam fell for the temptation of the devil.  God was true to His character and true to His promise – Adam did die one day – But not that day.  God continued to let him live, because God is merciful, and he showed Adam grace, and He made clothes for Adam, to cover his nakedness and his shame.

Jesus in the wilderness was tempted with all the physical pleasure, all the power and possessions and popularity, and all the health and wealth and prosperity and protection that a man could ever desire – But He trusted God the Father.  He trusted God’s plan for His life, and He

Jesus' Mission - He came to free those held in the bondage of their sins – people who can’t shake their

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There’s a great dividing line happening here – The Gospel, this good news about Jesus makes blind people see; it makes people who are slaves to their sin free; it