Jesus calls His followers to live in a way that has an effect on the world around them. Their speech and action should point others to Christ and the Gospel. Like a lighthouse guiding the way to safety, Christians should live with a purpose of bringing others to the loving God.

Jesus begins the greatest sermon ever preached, known as "The Sermon on the Mount." He opens with the Beatitudes, a name that comes from the Latin word for "Blessings."

Jesus showed us exactly who He is as He performed many miraculous works. These miracles drew a very large crowd. However, some were just there for the miracles, while others knew the miracles' purpose: to point us to the one who is worthy of worship.

Jesus called a few regular fishermen to follow Him. He didn't look for the most educated or the trained teachers; He found those who had a heart broken over sin and willing to leave everything in His hands.

Have you been broken over your sin? Have you repented and followed him with everything you have?

Jesus set up his ministry headquarters in the midst of a people lost in spiritual gloom and darkness. He became a light in the darkest corner of Israel.

To this day, Jesus continues to shine a light into the darkest corner of the earth and calls the lost, broken, and sinful to Him.

Jesus' victory over temptation by Satan is about more than just how we can face temptation. It is about how the Son of God defeated sin for us and accomplished righteousness on our behalf.

You have the opportunity to stand blameless before God because Christ won victory over sin.

Jesus submitted Himself to the will of the Father. Namely, He identified with sinners though He was not one Himself.

He identified with your sin and shame and took the penalty for your sins upon Himself. Now He has risen from the grave and calls you to identify with Him.

God has given fathers unique roles and has equipped them be an example of Christ to those under their care.

John the Baptist's ministry prepared the way for Christ by preaching the need for repentance. However, not everyone thought they needed repentance, and many thought that they are God's people simply by blood or by merit.

John the Baptist shows us that God calls for repentance. All who repent will be saved. But those who do not repent, even descendants of Abraham, will be removed from the covenant people of God.

Matthew uses the Old Testament in some peculiar ways in this passage. In this, he is showing us that in Jesus Christ, the promise of a new and restored Israel is fulfilled.