REFUGE KENOSHA

In Matthew 5:43-48, Jesus calls us to a radical love—one that extends even to our enemies. This love transcends mere affection and seeks the well-being of those who oppose us. Jesus challenges us to reflect the character of our heavenly Father, who shows grace to both the righteous and the unrighteous. As followers of Christ, we are called to love and pray for those who persecute us, striving to live as true children of God.

Have you ever considered the power of emptiness in your spiritual walk? In Matthew 5:38-42, Jesus challenges the instinct for revenge, urging us to respond with humility instead. What if true spiritual fullness comes from emptying ourselves of pride and retaliation? As we dive into this passage, we will reflect on how Jesus calls us to be transformed from within.

In today's message from Matthew 5:33-37, Jesus challenges us to reflect on the integrity of our speech. He calls us to let our "yes" mean yes and our "no" mean no, avoiding empty oaths and manipulative language. Are we truly people of our word, or do we dress up our speech to impress or deceive? What does it say about our hearts when we feel the need to bolster our words? As you listen, ask yourself: Does your speech reflect a heart of truth and trust in God, or are you masking deeper dishonesty?

Divorce is such a heavy and scarring topic for many, yet Jesus Himself actually chimed on in it. And one of the challenges we face, as many did in Jesus’s day, is to focus on the technicalities and overlook the heart of God. Today, as we look at the difficult topic of divorce out of Matthew 5:31-32, we will see that when we miss God’s heart on any matter, we often miss His blessing.

America has become such a highly sexualized country. Statistics on premarital sex and people’s general opinions on sexual behavior are jarring, but what does Jesus have to say about sexual purity? Today, as we look at the topic of sexual immorality (Matthew 5:27-30), we will see that in our lives, we are either actively feeding or starving out lust.

Anger is a massive problem and a huge burden to deal with. But what if we were to understand that Jesus holds anger to be a form of murder? Today, as we continue through what’s called The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:21-26), we will see that the spirit of anger and the spirit of worship are separate paths.

Today is the second part of our talk on Jesus, the Law, and me. Today we will be looking at what the ultimate purpose of the Old Testament Law was, and how it is related to Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection.

What does the Old Testament Law have to do with Jesus? How relevant is it for Christians today? As we look at Jesus’s words in Matthew 5:17-20, we will see that whatever God reveals ultimately stands the test of time.

Influence is a word that is common in our culture. What is the Christian’s relationship tot he world in terms of influence? Today, as we look at Matthew 5:13-16, we will see that our job as believers is to influence the world in preserving God’s design and proclaiming the light of the good news of Jesus.

Today we are talking about persecution. Jesus ends His Beatitudes by saying that the happiest people are those who are mistreated because of their righteous living. What exactly does He mean by that? Today, as we study Matthew 5:10-12, we will be challenged to live a life that is marked, not by this world, but by the Kingdom of Heaven.