The Moody Church Sunday Morning Podcast

How should we begin our prayers? Jesus demonstrates a model for prayer that pleases God. In this passage, we learn about the importance of adoration in prayer. Our human inclination is to reduce God to a deity that is there for our needs; but what we need to realize is that God loves us as Father, rules over us as King, and is worthy of all praise. Correct prayer ultimately aligns us under the awesomeness of God.

 

Matthew 6:9

How does our view of God as Father shape the way we approach prayer? Pastor Stetzer reminds us that self-centered faith distorts our view of God and receives only a temporary reward. Father-focused faith receives a lasting reward.

 

Matthew 6:5-8

We live in a nation of open hearts, but our churches have closed mouths. Dr. Stetzer challenges us in ways to increase our evangelism temperature: to be a church of warmth and witness, we will need to add more action, labor, and focus. There's a call on our lives to recklessly sow the seeds of the gospel. In what ways can you commit to raising your evangelism outreach temperature this year?

 

2 Timothy 4:5

Throughout history, evangelism was the lifeblood of the Church, a common element that grew Christendom rapidly. However, what was once normative has become incredible today as fewer and fewer Christians share their faith with others. Dr. Root encourages us to share our faith more regularly, pointing out that it's far easier than we realize. Why should we share our faith? Because there’s a level of spiritual intimacy that cannot be known without sharing your faith with others. Only then will we experience the full understanding of what we have in Christ. Philemon 6

We only get one shot at life. How will the Lord remember your legacy? Would you live your life differently if you know there would be a reckoning on your deeds? In this sermon, guest speaker Dr. Mark Hitchcock discusses the Judgement Seat of Christ and its impact on the rewards that believers will receive in heaven. Pastor Hitchcock challenges us to reflect on seven questions Jesus may ask of all believers at the end of the age. 2 Corinthians 5:9-11

There is an unmistakable difference between righteousness for the sake of self-praise and righteousness that causes others to praise God. In this passage, we continue our study of true righteousness; hypocrisy is Jesus' concern, and He uses giving as an example. Jesus' goal is to motivate us to be godly, even though our sinful nature motivates us to appear godly before others. The difference is a matter of the heart; good deeds can be done in the wrong way for the wrong reasons.

 

Matthew 6:1-4

On this Easter Sunday, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. To some, this is a foolish pursuit. Why should we put our hope in Him? What does He offer us that's secure and trustworthy? Don't check your brain or your heart at the door, because the message of Jesus fully satisfies both. In this passage, we find that Jesus offers us three things: Jesus offers us forgiveness, Jesus offers us new life, and Jesus offers us Himself, the greatest gift of all. When we put our hope in Jesus, it changes everything. Titus 2:11-14

Palm Sunday begins a week of anticipation that culminates on Easter Sunday. It reminds us that Jesus was the coming king foretold in the Old Testament and fulfilled in the New Testament. But what kind of King was he anticipated to be? In this passage, we learn three character prophecies that Jesus fulfilled: He is a righteous king, He is a humble king, and He is a king who brings peace. Zechariah 9:9-10

Loving our enemies is antithetical to sinful human nature. Yet this passages encourages us to do just that: forgiving our enemies and praying for those who are at odds with us. This radical revelation once again shows us that the heart of the law is the heart of God. It's not easy to put this into practice, but when we are obedient to this command, our hearts tie into the heart of the Father and we exemplify the very message of the gospel. For we too were once enemies of God, but because of Jesus' sacrifice for us, we've been forgiven and offered eternal life. As believers, we should reflect the character of God to others.

 

Matthew 5:43-47

Conflicts can escalate quickly, sometimes over things of little to no importance. How we react to injustice is critical to avoiding the consequences of excessive outrage. Old Testament law taught equal retaliation for injustice; the law was intended to limit the level of retaliation, to avoid conflict escalation. In this passage, Jesus teaches us not only how to de-escalate conflict but also how to respond as Jesus would respond to injustice.

 

Matthew 5:38-42