After the challenging parables of earlier chapters in Matthew, Jesus brings forth some thought-provoking words about tradition, righteousness, and a couple of confusing exchanges with a Gentile woman and with Peter about his new name and authority. This sermon clears those up, and connects them directly to us today.

Guest speaker Chris Zeigler, from BASIC, looks at what it means to keep our perspective on the promises of God. He uses the story of Moses and the Promised Land Numbers 3 to show how perspective can change everything. Every day we have the ability to choose who our focus is on and where our perspective is at.

Jesus moved strategically into speaking in parables in Matthew 13 and 14. We look at 7 of them, including three pairs that relate to one another. On the surface, they are intriguing little stories. Inside, they are powerful and challenging!

We've come to a place in our series of messages on Matthew, "The Best Life Ever Lived," where we have to take a detour! We jump ahead in our study to Matthew 27 and 28 and discover that the best life ever lived had two great substitutions in these last earthly chapters. One substitution was awesome but the other was not. Everyone on earth has embraced one of these two and you can know which one you've taken to heart!

This short message was the introduction of the idea of "substitution" as found in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Jesus substituted His perfect life for our broken lives and by way the way of faith we can live forever in His way of life.

His thoughts are not our thoughts (Isaiah 55), and Matthew 11 and 12 demonstrate that. Jesus is doing and saying things that confuse and anger some of the people around Him. That's often our experience with what God does and says to us, too. This sermon lifts our thinking and our hearts to view many life issues from God's perspective.

Servant Leadership by Christ Community Church - Brockport, NY

Guest speaker Michael Cotten uses the story of Zadok, King David, and the Ark of the Covenant to explain how you reach the fullness of God’s presence through faithfulness.

As we study the best life ever lived, we find ourselves in Matthew chapters 9 and 10. A series of miracles are recorded in these chapters and Jesus seems to be warning of difficulties to come. Are the two connected? Yes they are! This message is all about Jesus, the great dividing line. Which side of the line you stand on makes all the difference.

These chapters finish up the Sermon on the Mount but they don't finish challenging us with a series of comparisons and contrasts about judging rightly and wrongly, and about the real challenges of walking "the narrow way." This sermon equips you to be useful when you see others' faults, and to be real about building our lives in the right way.