John 5:16-23 

The Pharisees professed love and service to God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Jesus told them they were whitewashed sepulchres, clean on the outside but full of dead men's bones inside. If we Know Jesus, we know the Father. He who rejects Jesus, rejects the Father. The Pharisees rejected the Son and so did not know the Father.

Matthew 5:13-16 

After delivering the principles of the Beatitudes to His disciples and desiring in the face of the persecution He warned them would come, Jesus encourages them by telling them that even in the midst of persecution, they were to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world.

Part 2 of 2 Regarding the Sabbath Day and the Lord's Day. 

Matthew 28:1-8 

The Lord Jesus Christ rose again on the first day of the week. Sunday. He finished His work on the sixth day (Good Friday, "It is Finished), He lay in the grave on the Sabbath day (Rested) and rose again to make the sabbath ceremonial law obsolete, creating a brand new day. What is the responsibility of the Church on this joyful new day?

Matthew 5:11-12 

Jesus Tells the disciples how difficult their live will become. That persecution will arise and come upon them for His sake. If they hated Him, they will hate them! In this, they are truly blessed to be honoured to walk the same path as their Lord and Saviour and He assures them that their reward in Heaven will be great!

In Exodus 20:8

Matthew 5:10

Ephesians 3:20-21

 The end of Paul's prayer for the Ephesians is a well loved and much used scripture. How often is this quoted will little thought? Is it something we just say and nominally believe or do we really think upon the omnipotence of our Almighty God and actually begin to expect great things of a great God? We may often find ourselves asking with the disciples, "Lord increase our faith."

Matthew 5:9

Blessed are the Peacemaker, for they shall be called sons of God. The nation of Israel had waited centuries for their promised Messiah. Here is Jesus, the prophet they believed had come into the world. Is He the One who will restore Israel, releasing them from the oppression and tyranny of Romes control?  They wanted a military Messiah. One who would fight for them against the Romans. How surprised were they when Jesus taught of a different kingdom. A kingdom of peace rather than war? Why is there war? What is at the root? And what are the Peacemakers Jesus speaks of?

John 5:1-15

Matthew 5:8 

Blessed are the Pure in Heart for they shall see God.  Jeremiah 17:9 tells us that our hearts are deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, who can know it? Jesus tells us that out of the heart come all kinds of wickedness. What is this purity of heart and how does one attain to it?