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Discover the insight and realities that Jesus shared with His disciples regarding the process of sharing the Word of God with those around you.
God’s biblical plan for marriage would seem to be on the endangered species list. It has been devalued by a sinful society and left unprotected by those who call themselves disciples of Jesus. What does Jesus say about marriage?
Relationships are a part of every day for all of us. We can do relationships well or poorly but we will live each day in relationship to other people. Those people will be imperfect, difficult, in process – just like each of us. Jesus cares about your relationship with God and He cares about your relationships with other people.
There are sixty-six books in the Bible. There are 39 books in the Old Testament and 27 books in the New Testament. We call the book the “word of God.” We may say we believe it cover to cover as God’s perfectly revealed truth. But does our practice validate our profession? In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus declares a high view of God’s word that challenges us to step up our commitment to it.
For Christians today, it has become common to retreat from the madness and disengage from the world around us. We enjoy lamenting the darkness of our world and the sinfulness that is so prevalent. Sadly, we have become content to curse the darkness. Jesus calls us to engage the world around us as salt and light.
The first four Beatitudes focused largely on inward qualities of right relationship to God. The last four focus more on social qualities of living out relationship to God in ways that are so counter-cultural as to be beacons of light in a dark, lost world. It’s more than just religion.
Today we continue our series from the Sermon on the Mount. What serves as the driving force in your life? What motivates and moves you? Jesus calls us to follow after the eternal things of God.
The third of Jesus’ Beatitudes leads us to a distinctively Christian characteristic. It seems contrary to modern success philosophy. It serves as a reminder of God’s word to us, “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts’” (Isaiah 55:8-9, NIV).
The Bible is filled with teachings that are counter-cultural and other-worldly. Few are more unusual than the second Beatitude. What meaning can we mine from “blessed are they that mourn”?
Our world longs for fulfillment, contentment, and happiness. Where is it to be found? Today we begin our walk through the Beatitudes – the “blessed” saying of Jesus. In the truth of His teaching, we will find all we need to live the life that prevails in joy.