Jesus indicates that the illness of thanklessness poses a greater threat than leprosy. Thankfully, there is a remedy available.

Main Text: Romans 1:21 (ESV)

Gratitude is a powerful tool that softens our hearts to receive God’s word and experience joy. It aligns our thoughts with His goodness, fostering trust instead of negativity. Each expression of gratitude prepares our hearts, making them open to the fullness of God and the Spirit’s fruit.

Main Text: Ephesians 5:20 & Philippians 4:6 (ESV)

Paul encouraged the Colossian Church to cultivate a grateful heart—a crucial trait of the Christian life. The word Paul uses for this thankfulness, “abounding,” comes from a common Greek word, “perisseuo.” In other parts of Scripture and various English translations, its root is translated as “overflowing.” Paul’s message is clear: when people encounter these believers, the outpouring, he stresses, should be one of gratitude.

Main Text: Colossians 2:6-7 (ESV)

Could you imagine living near a cemetery where a man lived among the tombs? Could you imagine him crying out all day and all night in torment? Could you imagine nothing being strong enough to bind him? His only hope was God’s unmerited grace.  

Key points

1. Grace made the enslaved free. In many of Jesus’ miracles, we see faith, belief, or both in operation.

2. Grace brought deliverance. Our biggest problems are no match for God’s grace. 

3. Grace responds unexpectedly. The man from the tombs begins spreading the gospel throughout the Decapolis. This man becomes a forerunner of Jesus in the Decapolis (Mark 7:31–37). By the time of the apostles, Christianity would have spread. 2 Corinthians 4:15: For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. 

Main Text 

Mark 5:1-20 (ESV)

Recently, someone shared a story they read about a dog sleeping through a neighbor being shot in his backyard by an intruder, but the same dog went ballistic, barking and staring out the window, ready to attack a small squirrel. The dog slept through the gunshot but was alert and barking at this non-lethal tree-dwelling rodent. How often are we like this dog? How frequently do we “bark” at the wrong things?

Main Text: Matthew 6:24-34 (ESV)

Today, I want to consider the question: What if God grants my desire or dream in a way I do not expect?

Main Text: Psalm 37:4 (ESV)

Today, I want to consider the question: What if God grants my desire or dream in a way I do not expect?

Main Text: Psalm 37:4 (ESV)

Scripture teaches that if we delight ourselves in God, He will grant us the desires of our hearts (Psalm 37:4). This verse can be misinterpreted in two distinct ways. We will cover the second way today.

Main Text: Psalm 37:4 (ESV)

Scripture teaches that if we delight ourselves in God, He will grant us the desires of our hearts (Psalm 37:4). This verse can be misinterpreted in two distinct ways. We will cover the first way today.

Main Text: Psalm 37:4 (ESV)

Righteousness isn’t celebrated in our culture. We don’t give awards for meekness or being poor in spirit. However, these virtues are celebrated in heaven, where our true citizenship lies. Remember from week one, when we said there is a flow to the Beatitudes? We must go through this process of growth before we can arrive at being persecuted without acting in our human nature.  

Key points

1. What’s Celebrated in Heaven? Jesus said: “Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10). Blessed are the poor in spirit. 

2. Human Nature versus the New Spiritual Nature. We find Jesus, we grow in the authority of His teaching, and His atoning work at Calvary saves us. We experience the promise of the Faith, and we receive the indwelling presence of His Holy Spirit. We follow the flow of the beatitudes and are now positioned to receive persecution without acting in the flesh. 

3. The two “Blessed Are’s” That Result from Spiritual Growth Also Come with Promise: The first blessing of persecution is for doing right spiritually. The promise is that we will receive the kingdom of heaven. Second, after salvation, we can be persecuted for receiving Jesus. The promise is that when we are persecuted for Jesus’ sake, our reward is great in heaven.

Main Text 

Matthew 5:1-12 (ESV)