HPUMC - Cornerstone Sermons (Contemporary Worship)

Rev. Dr. Abe Smith

Rev. Matt Tuggle

Rev. Dr. Abe Smith | Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus challenges us to examine not only what we do but also why we do it. He assumes that his followers will give, pray, and fast, but he warns against turning these acts of faith into performance designed to earn the admiration of others.

This week’s sermon used the image of a wedding cake that looked beautiful on the outside but was mostly made of styrofoam on the inside. In the same way, many of us can be tempted to present a polished version of ourselves while hiding our struggles, doubts, and shortcomings. We put "frosting" on our lives so others will think we have it all together.

Jesus invites us into something deeper. He calls us to authentic faith rather than performative faith. Instead of seeking approval, recognition, or praise from others, we are called to live from the secure knowledge that we are already seen, known, and loved by God. Because God knows us completely and loves us fully, we no longer need to prove our worth to others.

When God is in His proper place at the center of our lives, our purpose shifts. Our actions are no longer about gaining admiration but about bringing glory to God and loving others well. Authentic faith is not something we perform; it is someone we are becoming.

Hannah Buchanan | Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide.

In this week's message, we encounter two of the most challenging teachings in the Sermon on the Mount: adultery and loving our enemies. Jesus continues to show that righteousness is not merely about outward behavior but about the condition of our hearts. Just as anger is the root of murder, adultery begins long before an action is taken. Jesus calls his followers to address sin at its source and to cultivate hearts that are transformed by God's grace rather than simply controlled by rules.

Jesus then challenges his listeners to go beyond loving those who love them. Instead, he calls us to love our enemies, pray for those who oppose us, and reflect the character of our Heavenly Father, who shows kindness to both the righteous and the unrighteous. This kind of love is not natural, but it is a powerful witness to the world.

These teachings feel difficult because they run against our instincts and the values of our culture. Yet Jesus reminds us that his way often seems upside down compared to the way of the world. The kingdom of God calls us beyond mere behavior modification to lives transformed from the inside out. As we learn to follow the way of Jesus, we discover that what appears upside down is actually the path that leads to freedom, wholeness, and life.

Hannah Buchanan

Rev. Matt Tuggle | Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide.

Jesus saw the people who sat with him on the hillside as “the light of the world.” They were meant to reflect Jesus’ light in the world around them. What was true for those who heard Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount first is true for those of us who hear it today: Jesus sees us as “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14).

In this sermon, we’ll look at some of the practical examples Jesus gives. The topics covered first by Jesus include anger, marriage, promises, retaliation, and dealing with enemies. Jesus has clear thoughts and straightforward direction on how to live our lives in a way that reflects his love and light. As we continue in the Sermon on the Mount, we see how Jesus animates righteousness and teaches and encourages us to do the same.

As we continue to build good lives on the solid foundation of the person and teachings of Jesus, our look at the second half of Matthew 5 is an important stop! We are given clear, practical guidance on how to live righteous lives like Jesus. We are encouraged to hear the teaching and live out the teachings.

Rev. Matt Tuggle | Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide.

Who are you? 

Once we move beyond the polite answers such as our names, occupations, accomplishments, or even our collegiate football allegiances, the question becomes much more personal. It's a question many of us struggle to answer. Yet at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus offers a remarkable response. 

Speaking to an ordinary, ragtag crowd gathered on a hillside, he tells them, "You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). What was true for them is still true for us today.

Using the images of a city on a hill and a lamp on a stand, Jesus teaches that God's people are meant to reflect His light into the world. Just as the lights of a city shine far beyond its borders, what God is doing in our lives reaches far beyond us. The way we live becomes a witness to others, revealing God's character and love. 

This passage challenges us to stay focused on what God has placed before us rather than becoming distracted by the many things competing for our attention. As we fix our eyes on Christ and allow him to transform us, our lives become a light that impacts others in ways we may never fully see. 

If you've ever wondered, who am I? Jesus' answer is both simple and profound: You are the light of the world and a city on a hill that cannot be hidden.

Hannah Buchanan

Rev. Matt Tuggle | Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide.

When we read the Beatitudes, it is easy to miss how radical Jesus' words really are. Many of us have heard them so often that they sound familiar, but to Jesus' first audience, they would have seemed completely upside down. In a world where power, strength, status, and success appeared to determine who won and who lost, Jesus declared that the poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful, the peacemakers, and even the persecuted were blessed. His vision of life stood in sharp contrast to both the values of the Roman Empire and the assumptions of everyday people.

This week’s sermon invites us to consider whether Jesus is actually the one who sees reality correctly. If Jesus is truly the Son of God, then his teachings are not simply good advice; they are the words of the one who understands life better than anyone else. What appears upside down to us may actually be right side up, while the values of the world may be the ones that are inverted. Jesus calls us to trust his authority even when his teachings challenge our instincts or seem impractical.

Most importantly, Jesus did not merely teach this way of life; he embodied it. He lived out the Beatitudes through his humility, mercy, righteousness, peacemaking, suffering, death, and resurrection. Because Jesus lived the life he calls us to live, he invites us to follow him into the upside-down kingdom that may not always make sense to the world but ultimately bears the fruit of a more abundant life. As we grow in faith and trust that God is with us, we are invited to embrace his way and allow him to transform us from the inside out.

Rev. Matt Tuggle | Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide.

Every preacher is playing for second place. The greatest sermon ever preached was delivered by the greatest preacher who ever lived. The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) has shaped history, influenced cultures, and continues to transform lives today. 

Many of Jesus' most famous teachings come from these three chapters: being the salt of the earth, a city on a hill, loving our enemies, and treating others as we want to be treated. Yet before Jesus teaches people how to live, he begins somewhere even more important.

When Jesus sat down on a hillside overlooking the Sea of Galilee and began to speak, he saw a diverse and often overlooked crowd. They’d heard the world declare who was blessed: the wealthy, powerful, healthy, and successful. Jesus turned those expectations upside down. He announced that the poor in spirit, the mourning, the meek, and the struggling were the blessed ones, not because of their circumstances, but because they were loved by God.

The foundation of the Sermon on the Mount is not a list of rules for earning God's approval; it is the announcement that God's grace is unmerited and immediately available to everyone. Jesus teaches us how to live, not so that we can become loved by God, but because we already are. 

The Beatitudes remind us that our identity is rooted in God's love, and from that secure foundation we can live the life Jesus calls us to live.