Praying for a Change

Matthew chapter 6 has more occurrences of the word reward than any other chapter in the Bible. After using it twice in chapter 5, reward occurs 7 times in chapter 6. God wants to reward believers as they live for Him!

Prayer and fasting that does not impress God V. 5, 16

If our motivation for praying and fasting is to impress other people, it doesn’t impress God, because it means our prayers aren’t really about God but about us.

Individual praying and fasting God will reward V. 6, 17-18

When you pray here in verse 6 is in the singular – when you as an individual pray.

Prayer is heartfelt conversation with the God you love and trust. It is both a listening to God speak through His word and Holy Spirit, and a speaking to Him that shows we value our relationship with Him above all others.

When you said, “Seek my face,” My heart said to You, “Your face, O LORD, I will seek.” -Psalm 27:8 (NKJV)

Fasting is when people miss one or more consecutive meals. In the Bible there were 2 main times they fasted – when they were mourning and when they had a spiritual burden and needed to focus their prayers.

“As soon as I heard these words (about Jerusalem’s troubles) I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of Heaven.” -Nehemiah 1:4

I believe Jesus is speaking about eternal reward, the reward He will give to prayer room warriors like James Betterton at the Bema seat of Christ. But I also believe prayer brings immediate rewards to believers as well.

Three things prayer changes:

Prayer changes YOU as you spend time with the God you love and trust and grow in your relationship with Him!

“I am the vine, you are the branches. Whover abides in Me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” -Jn. 15:5

“Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” -Jesus in Matthew 11:28

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. -Phil. 4:6-7

Prayer changes your PERSPECTIVE on what you want to happen, and confidence God will answer in the best way possible.

“Whenever God says ‘no,’ it’s for a greater ‘yes!” -Beth Moore

Prayer changes your SITUATION and gives you resolve to courageously act.

“Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” -Esther to Mordecai in Esther 4:16

God uses prayer to spiritually FORM me! God uses prayer to CONFORM me to His will! God uses prayer to TRANSFORM situations!

Corporate praying and fasting God will reward V. 7-8

When you pray here in verse 7 is in the plural – when multiple believers pray together corporately.

When you pray with other believers, don’t pray meaningless ‘prayer platitudes’ and don’t pray too long before you let the next person pray.

When individual Christians who pray regularly alone get together and pray – God moves in POWER!

Turn in your Bibles and join Gary Reynolds for his sermon from the Book of Acts, chapter eight. We pray that this recording is a blessing for you!

Going Above and Beyond Like King Jesus

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall be saved by His life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. -Romans 5:10-11

Matthew 5:43-48

Going Above and Beyond LIKE King Jesus

This is the last of the 6 times Jesus says, “You have heard it said, but I say to you.” Interestingly, it is the first of the specific things this sermon says Christians will be rewarded for, with 4 more coming in chapter 6.

The command they had corrupted V. 43

You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord. -Lev. 19:17-18

The words “hate your enemy” were not in the Old Testament. But that is how many of them had been taught to process Leviticus 19:18 by their leaders – Love your JEWISH neighbors, but hate your PAGAN enemies.

When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God. -Lev. 19:33-34

The command to love includes loving your enemies V. 44

The word love occurs 640 times in the Bible (227 times in the NT). The word for love here is Agapeo (G25), which occurs in 110 verses. It means to feel and exhibit esteem and goodwill to a person, to prize and delight in a thing. Here Jesus commands Agape love for all people, even enemies.

The word translated love is agape, which means a strong commitment of goodwill towards another regardless of whether or not they deserve it. -African Study Bible

If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you. -Proverbs 25:21-22

Reasons we are to love our enemies V. 45-48

We love our enemies not because of who they are but because of who God is (v 45)

“Loving enemies requires such an unnatural response that obeying it proves who belongs to God.” -David Jeremiah

We love our enemies because of who we once were, because of who we are now in Christ, and who they can become if they turn to Christ (v. 46-47)

If you who call yourself Christians still practice “tribal love” for your own rather than love for people of “all tribes,” there is no practical difference that shows the eternal difference Jesus Christ makes.

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. -Galatians 2:20

We love our enemies because doing so leads to growth and reward (v 48)

The word for perfect is teleios (G5046), which occurs in 17 New Testament verses – it can be translated perfect, complete, mature, having reached its end, fulfilled its purpose.

The fact is you and I won’t reach full ‘perfection’ until we are in Heaven, but our spiritual sights must be set on nothing less than living like Jesus by faith, striving to fulfill our God-given purpose through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Here Jesus introduces the word reward back into the mix, as He did back in verse 12 – the sermon on the mount has the first reference to reward in the New Testament, and the most references to reward in the N.T.

Jesus spoke these words to call believers living in this age of grace, this church age, to live like He lived, and to love like He loved! A new standard for reward – loving like Jesus loved, even your enemies!

Going Above and Beyond for King Jesus

Jesus goes from a person’s head to their feet in today’s passage to illustrate how He calls believers to go above and beyond the law so they can impact others with the gospel!

Read Matt. 5:38-42 Going Above and Beyond for King Jesus Let’s Pray!

The law teaches that punishment should fit the crime V. 38

Jesus is referring to the Law of Retribution spoken of in places like Ex. 21:24, Lev. 24:20, and Deut. 19:21. The Law of Retribution was never meant to sanction personal retaliation, but gave guidance to leaders to ensure both that justice was done and that punishments fit crimes.

He shall confess his sin that he has committed. And he shall make full restitution for his wrong, adding a fifth to it, and giving it to him to whom he did wrong. -Numbers 5:7

Jesus taught believers to go beyond the law for gospel impact V. 39a

Everything Jesus taught and did in Matthew’s gospel is building toward His giving us the Great Commission in Matthew 28.

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in Heaven and earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” -Matt. 28:16-20

Why did the first Christians take the gospel even to ‘evil’ people who opposed them? They knew that they too had once been ‘evil’ sinners, opponents of God.

“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.” -Luke 11:13

Non-believers don’t have the Holy Spirit living inside them – all they have is the old sin nature, which like gravity pulls them back toward carnal actions. Lost people act lost because they are lost.

What is Jesus calling us to do?

Show the same kindness to others God has shown to us!

God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance. -Romans 2:4b

3 ways believers go beyond the law V. 39b-42

Believers are not to react to every insult (v. 39b)

Turning the other cheek DOES NOT MEAN you would be doing the right thing if you stood and did nothing while your family or neighbor or even a stranger was attacked, or that Christians should decline military service.

Turning the other cheek DOES mean you are not personally looking to answer every insult with an insult, perpetuating a conflict.

Believers are willing to give the shirt off their back (v. 40)

Jesus here is telling believers to extend the patience they would show a brother to non-brothers also, even thought it was underserved. They had received underserved grace, they were to show it to others.

To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? -1 Cor. 6:7

This does not mean believers should not set boundaries to avoid harassment, abuse, and excessive financial loss. It does mean the default setting of believers is to be “for people” and try to work things out.

Believers are willing to go many miles out of their way (v. 41)

Why does Jesus call believers to ‘go the extra mile?’

Because it’s in the second mile when others start believing there is something to your faith.

Now here’s where we need wisdom – because the same Paul who was willing to endure insults for the gospel also at times DID utilize his citizenship rights to avoid further mistreatment (Acts 16:35ff).

When non-Christians see Christians act and react in ways that are above and beyond what’s expected, and what they themselves don’t have the spiritual power to do, they want what we have and ask about Jesus.

Are you prepared to give to help others the way Jesus gave to help you?

Psalm 63 Worksheet

Let’s see if wilderness themes show up as we read the Psalm!

M_____________________________ V. 1-2

“Give the first hour of your day to God.”

The key is that we have some time of concentrated ___________________ of God during our days!

And if David wasn’t careful a root of bitterness could arise in his spirit that made him dry spiritually in this physically dry place. Instead, he seeks the Lord who can refresh him spiritually in hard circumstances.

We can’t always manipulate our circumstances to be good ones, or the actions of others toward us, but we can make sure our __________________________ keep us spiritually focused.

The physical Temple had not been built yet, so perhaps David has in mind looking to God in Heaven, seeing His power and glory there. Or perhaps David understood what Christians now do – that any _________________ we seek God can become a sanctuary – even the wilderness!

D______________________________ V. 3-5

You guessed it, the word for lovingkindness is the great word Hesed. God’s steadfast live is greater than the ups and downs of life, the good and bad ___________________________ we face.

In 1 Timothy 2 Paul said he wanted the men in every church to be known for lifting up holy hands to the Lord without wrath and dissention. He was only calling for what Israel’s great king had _________________!

I hope you are _____________________ by your relationship with the Lord throughout the day like David was, and can testify that God’s love is better than life! John 14:6 John 10:10

E_____________________________ V. 6-8

David ends the day as he began – meditative prayer with God. David was a shepherd, but he wouldn’t recommend counting sheep before you go to sleep – he would have us talking to the Great _______________________!

What things should characterize Christian meditation?

David could get a good night’s sleep knowing God was his ‘night ______________________!”

O_____________________________ V. 9-11

David doesn’t use the word Sheol in verse 9 – he refers to tahti erets – lower parts of the earth. David’s enemies want to destroy David, but he is confident he will _____________________ them.

They shall fall by the sword; they shall be a portion for jackals.

David’s confidence reminds me that God has a purpose and plan for all His children, and we are __________________ until God Himself decides it is our time to die and join Him. In light of that we can praise God continuously, trust God unswervingly, and serve Him courageously!

Say What You Mean - Matthew 5:33-37

"The Body of B. Franklin, Printer; like the Cover of an old Book, Its Contents torn out, And stript of its Lettering and Gilding, Lies here, Food for Worms. But the Work shall not be wholly lost; For it will, as he believ'd, appear once more, In a new & more perfect Edition, Corrected and amended By the Author."

“I have seen your Epitaph…Believe on Jesus, and get a feeling possession of God in your heart, and you cannot possibly be disappointed of your second edition finally corrected, and infinitely amended.”

Consider that a recent poll found that 63% of Americans said religion was somewhat or very important in their lives. But over half of them who said that do not go to religious services more than once a year. And this is actually truer of older conservatives than younger people.

In today’s passage we are going to see Jesus command His disciples to say what they mean and do what they say without making excuses.

Read Matthew 5:33-37

Jesus didn’t want His disciples to be like the Pharisees, who obeyed outwardly but didn’t have real relationship with God. They had even added silly loopholes to commands, setting aside the “spirit” of full obedience.

Jesus brings two commands together - V. 33

You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. - Ex. 20:16

If a man vows a vow to the LORD, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth. - Numbers 30:2 (see also Deut. 23:21)

Notice there it speaks of two things: an oath made with the Lord, and bringing God into YOUR oath with somebody else.

One thing I told you a few weeks ago is that sometimes in the Old Testament God regulated what he didn’t endorse, and I think that applies to flippantly bringing God into YOUR vows with others.

Don’t misuse God’s name when making promises to others - V. 34-36

The leaders in Jesus’ day didn’t want to blaspheme, but they did want to leave themselves wiggle room to break their word. And so they said it was okay to swear by lesser things. Jesus rejects all that as sinful duplicity.

What Jesus was forbidding here was duplicity – especially religious duplicity – using God or things of God as an excuse.

Just say what you mean and do what you promised! - V. 37

The precept in this passage is keep your word; the principle is people need to be able to count on you to have healthy relationships; The person is that we can count on God to keep every promise He has made!

How to make good decisions (Informed ‘yeses’ and ‘nos’):

1. All important decisions should invoke a 1-day waiting rule, particularly those that involve a lot of money.

2. Pray about every important decision.

3. Analyze your decision with scripture.

4. Grow close enough to God that you heed Holy Spirit ‘red flag’ warnings.

5. Seek godly counsel rather than making decisions in isolation.

Keeping our word is the default setting of believers – but there are times you do need to break your word, especially when God is convicting you about something you never should have said yes to. In those cases you may want to talk with a strong believer about the best strategy going forward.

Did you catch what Jesus said at the end of verse 37? – Not keeping your commitment is evil.

In the Time We Have Left

The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. -Psalm 90:10 (Moses)

Currently, the average life expectancy in Virginia is 79.1 years (76.8 for men, 81.3 for women); in North Carolina it is 77.6 years (75.0 for men, 80.1 for women).

“I have heard that if we remain healthy, that our most productive decade is in our sixties and our second most productive decade is in our seventies. The Bible doesn’t say anything about retiring. I am a big believer in Ephesians 2:10, which says, ‘For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.’ I want to be able to stand before the Lord and hear him say, ‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant.’” -Christian Philanthropist Dr. Terry Douglas, inventor of the PET Scan

5 G Living – Do everything you do…

For the Glory of God.

For the Good of your fellow man.

For the Growth of your fellow believers.

To get the Gospel to non-believers.

With a Grateful heart.

Ephesians 4:11-16

God gifts the church with leaders to equip us for ministry V. 11-12

Notice something profound from verses 11-12: It is not the job of church leaders to do the work of the ministry; no, their ministry is to equip their church members to do the work of the ministry.

Biblically speaking, how many ministers does a church have?

According to Ephesians 4, a church has as many ministers as it has members!

The mission of the Tabernacle is to reproduce faithful and fruitful followers of Jesus Christ. We seek to do this through:

Teaching the Scripture

Adoration and Prayer

Baptist Principles

Evangelism and Missions

Radical Generosity

Nurtured Partnerships

Age-appropriate Ministries

Congregational Love and Encouragement

Leadership Development

Excellence and Fun

The first big result of letting yourself be edified and equipped is growth!

There is growth in doctrinal understanding.

When the New Testament says “the faith” it is referring to the biblical doctrines that define true Christians. True believers are united on the essentials of “the faith.”

There will be growth in our personal relationship with Jesus.

The second big result of letting yourself be taught and equipped is impact!

There will be impact as we speak.

There will be impact as we serve.

Notice the implication if you as a member fail to do your part – if every member doing their part means the church will grow, what will happen if you don’t do your part? The growth of the church will be hindered.

But notice also for each church to have full impact each member needs not only to be working at their part but working properly. In the context of this passage that means with true love for their fellow members (v. 16) and under the leadership of their God-given leaders (v. 11).

Since January 1st, our members have spent over 2,750 hours in community ministry engagement (outside the church walls).

Here at the Tabernacle, we’re glowing, we’re growing, and we’re going into our community and around the world! What do you have your name on as part of the Tabernacle ministry?

Psalm 62 Worksheet

There are 3

The main

The 2

God keeps

What 3

What kind of

In contrast

What

God will

Verses 1-2

When you

Like David

David calls

The ___________________

In verse 9

David has

Wicked

Note the

David

Notice the

Honoring Marriage

Every time I preach I want people to think and feel love, truth, and hope.

Jesus always extends kindness and grace to repentant sinners desiring to build and rebuild their lives around faith and the Bible’s truth. But He also allows unrepentant sinners to continue in their sin and experience the built-in consequences each sin has.

Matthew 5:27-32 Honoring Marriage

Josh McDowell taught us that behind every precept is a principle based on God’s Person.

So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him, male and female He created them. -Genesis 1:27

Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. -Genesis 2:24-25

The biblical plan for human flourishing includes the home as the foundational unit for the entire earth. Sex is only supposed to happen between a husband and his wife for bonding and possible procreation.

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the Kingdom of God. AND SUCH WERE SOME OF YOU. BUT YOU WERE WASHED, you were sanctified, your were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of God. -1 Cor. 6:9-11

All sexual sin dishonors marriage V. 27-28

The other commands spoke of the external things you can make a law about. But the 10th command and Jesus’ words here focus internally on what only God can see – what’s going on in your heart.

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for Gods holy people. -Eph. 5:3

Get serious about fighting sexual sin at its root V. 29-30

Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. -1 Cor. 6:18

“You must always be a killin’ sin, or sin will always be a killin’ you.” -John Owen (1616-1683)

Don’t take a casual attitude about divorce V. 31-32

Sometimes in the Old Testament God regulated what He didn’t endorse so the most vulnerable in Israel would be protected by the hard-hearted actions of others.

The marriage vow is serious enough that you should not divorce your spouse and marry another unless your spouse committed adultery (Matthew 5, 19), has abandoned you (1 Cor. 7:15), or abused you.

I love the wisdom found in Philippians 3:13 & 16. Verse 13 says “forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead.” Verse 16 says “Only let us live up to what we have attained.”

3 Tips to bolster your marriage/ friendships:

“We” before me.

Wag.

Work.

Psalm 61 Worksheet

This is a simple Psalm of ________________________ and prayer

A sweet opening ________________________ V. 1-2

Synonymous parallelism like that in verse 1 is a frequent device in Hebrew _______________.

What do you think of when you think of God as a High Rock?

Verse 2 led William O. Cushing to pen the hymn “Hiding in Thee.”

O safe to the Rock that is Higher than I, My soul in its conflicts and sorrows would fly.

The Lord is my Rock and my Fortress and my Deliverer. -Psalm 18:2

Faith in Jesus and living according to His words will be a rock-like _______________________ in the believer’s life, getting us through the storms of life intact (Matthew 7:24-29).

A precious ___________________________ V. 3-5

What 4 kinds of refuge does David compare God to in verses 3-4?

Note the reflections of verse 3 lead to the ________________________ of verse 4!

God is everywhere, but these words mean even more to those who intentionally ________________ near to God and sense Him raising His “wing” to let us underneath!

Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” -James 4:8a

David continues his testimony in the first person in verse 5, which is why I put it with verses 3-4 as testimony.

Vows are serious commitments made to the Lord that we want to carry out by faith in Him and through the _____________________________ of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

The Hebrew word for heritage is the word yerussa (H3425), and occurs 14 times in the Old Testament. It is translated as possession, inheritance, and heritage. It is used primarily of the Promised Land as _______________________’s possession.

According to Ephesians 1:3, how has God blessed believers in Jesus Christ?

With ________________________ spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.

A sweet ___________________________ V. 6-8

David led a hard life and then died when he was 70 years old (2 Sam. 5:4-5). That was a long life by their standards, but I think David has in mind __________________________ life, as in Psalm 23 – I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever!

David asks for God’s Hesed (mercy, steadfast love) and God’s Emets (Truth, faithfulness) to be given him and ______________________ him.

AHA! Here we see that one of David’s vows was to daily ________________________ the Lord! May we make that one of ours as well!