Mike Gordon guests today, and shares with us about what Jesus is saying when He tells us to be Salt and Light.

This week Bren wraps up the beatitudes by first noting that Jesus says 'blessed are you' instead of 'blessed are they.' He explains what it means to be persecuted or reviled, not because of something we did but because we follow Jesus. He wraps up by talking about what this looks like, and how it applies to our lives.

Guest speaker John Cole takes us through the next beatitude. He discusses the brokenness in this world, what it means to be a peacemaker in it and how it applies to our lives.

Jesus says that we can only see him when we are "pure of heart." But what does that even mean? Bren teaches what it means to have a pure heart, ultimately showing that it's only possible when we place our focus on Jesus and let him work through us.

Bren talks about the next beatitude: "Blessed are the merciful." He retells several stories from the Bible to show what mercy looks like, tying it into baptism and challenging us to consider who we've refused to extend mercy to (and how we should change that).

The next beatitude challenges us to consider if there's anything in our lives we crave more than knowing and following Jesus. Anything less than an all-consuming hunger for Jesus is less than what God asks of us. Bren explores this topic and discusses more in-depth what it means to our lives.

This week Bren breaks down the be-attitude on 'meekness.' He compares it to a wild stallion: while strong, it's relatively useless. Once tamed, though, it submits its will to that of the rider. In the same way, the meek submit themselves to God, coming under his will. Bren uses this comparison, and others, to explain what being meek means in our lives, and how it applies in our walk with God.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

At the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says that the poor in spirit are blessed. Bren spends the service focusing on what this means, mostly through examining other characters in the Bible. He explains that it isn't a 'feel good' philosophy but rather better and more fulfilling, and that it teaches us to focus on Jesus instead of our self sufficiency.