In Matthew 7:7-12, Jesus gives us a glimpse into the heart of God. Much of the Sermon on the Mount to this point has focused on the character and behavior of those walking in God’s “upside-down” kingdom. The encouragement offered in this text both refreshes and inspires: our God is a Father who gives good gifts to those who ask him.

Judge Much? That’s the title for this week’s message from Matthew 7:1-6, where Jesus starts by saying, “Do not judge others, or you too will be judged.” As we will see, this is not an admonition to be non-discerning, but rather a reminder to safeguard the attitude and approach we take to those whose path is straying from the things of God. Including ourselves.

As we look at the last of the Ten Commandments, what can it teach us, today, about what it means to covet? And what can we do about that, as Christ-followers? Listen now!

Jesus is eminently practical once again in Matthew 6:25-34. If we are to think and act as citizens of heaven, then he presses us by asking, effectively, “Why Worry?” After addressing where we invest our treasure, he now connects our faith with our anxiety. Underneath our tendency to fret about basic provision and the future is an anemic trust in God. So, how do we deal with worry? Jesus offers several insights in this passage which we will unpack together this week!

Scripture speaks on wealth more than any other topic, as there are real dangers that come with desiring and having wealth. This week we are continuing to reflect on Christ’s teaching about the character of kingdom citizens. Here in the Sermon on the Mount, Christ instructs his followers how to relate with reaches. We, who are invited to be part of the kingdom of heaven, are called to practice the discipline of not accumulating temporal possessions, living on less to protect our hearts from materialism and giving more to kingdom work.

Fasting and prayer are often linked throughout the Bible, so it is no surprise that immediately after the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus addresses fasting in Matthew 6:16-18. Similarly, he highlights the importance of fasting for the right reasons – not to be honored by men, but rather to draw nearer to God. Christ speaks as if fasting is a normal part of kingdom citizenship, “When you fast…” On Sunday, then, we will explore together what godly fasting might look like, and it is a fitting text given our call to corporate fasting previous to each first Sunday of the month.

This week's text is the remainder of the Lord’s Prayer, found in Matthew 6:11-13, where we find three petitions: the first for daily bread, the second for forgiveness, and the third for deliverance from temptation. As we noted last week, the previous verses focused on the grandeur and majesty of God and his kingdom while the closing phrases give attention to humanity’s needs. Thus, we find in prayer both the “Majestic and the Mundane.” Jesus teaches us to pray about the glorious and the ordinary! Due to a recording technicality, the remainder of this sermon is posted as Part 3. Don't miss that!

Continued from our previous upload, "Life in the Majestic and the Mundane, Part 2)."

This week's text is the remainder of the Lord’s Prayer, found in Matthew 6:11-13, where we find three petitions: the first for daily bread, the second for forgiveness, and the third for deliverance from temptation. As we noted last week, the previous verses focused on the grandeur and majesty of God and his kingdom while the closing phrases give attention to humanity’s needs. Thus, we find in prayer both the “Majestic and the Mundane.” Jesus teaches us to pray about the glorious and the ordinary! Hopefully, this reality shapes our own prayers as a church in 2022.

We are spending the first few weeks of 2022 reflecting on prayer, picking up in Matthew 6 with our continuation in the Sermon on the Mount series. Last week, Jesus spoke about the reward found in private, sincere, and intimate prayer. This Sunday, we consider verses 9-11, where we find the opening words of the Lord’s Prayer. Jesus, turning from the singular to the plural, teaches us a model corporate prayer which covers both the majestic and the mundane, the sacred and the common. Hopefully, this shapes our own commitments to prayer both individually and as a community of faith.

Given our prayer focus for 2022, we are going to fast forward in our Sermon on the Mount series and spend a few weeks in Matthew 6:5-15. This Sunday, our time will be spent on verses 5-8, where Jesus explores the motive of our prayers and gives some instruction on the quality and benefits of them as well – we are calling it, “Sincerely Rewarding.” May the Spirit move our hearts to genuine and straightforward intercession in the days ahead!