The Truly Blessed Life (Part 3)

Today, we finish the Beatitudes by looking at peacemaking and persecution, both of which should be hallmarks of Kingdom citizens.

The Truly Blessed Life (Part 2)

Building on last week, we continue through the Beatitudes. While the cause-and-effect is not quite as much of a paradox as the first three, these next three were counter to the culture when Jesus said them, and they still are today.

The Truly Blessed Life

Jesus opened the Sermon on the Mount with the Beatitudes. In the first three of these, we hear paradoxes; Jesus was already turning their understanding upside down. In a way, we need our understanding turned upside as well; we typically refer to being “blessed” as things that we have. But, how can we have a truly blessed life?

He Began to Teach Them

Today, our focus on the kingdom of God shifts from the parables to the Sermon on the Mount. However, there is much to learn before we even get to Jesus’ words starting in verse 3. What is required for us to be able to learn kingdom principles?

(NOTE: The first few minutes are scratchy again this week; our apologies.)

Lessons from Samuel

Today was our AWANA awards day for the 2013-2014 year. After the awards, TJ Sipes, our AWANA missionary, encouraged both young and old to learn from Samuel and Eli’s reactions to God calling Samuel.

(NOTE: The first minute and a half are scratchy; our apologies. The recording didn’t start exactly as it should have this morning.)

Dependence in the Life of a Follower

After a storm, you sometimes see branches on the ground. While they may still have leaves on them, those leaves will die, and the branch becomes little more than kindling. This is the picture that Jesus uses to illustrate our need to depend on Him not just for salvation, but for everything.

The Need for Readiness

Watch. This imperative was a recurring theme in Jesus’ teaching, and today, we look at one of those teachings. We do not know how long we have, and we do not know when Christ is returning, so we should live the way we want to be found when our time on earth is through.

A Sure Foundation

The wise man and the foolish man both built great houses. One fell, and the other remained. Of all of Jesus’ parables, this one is not hard to understand at all; we simply need to do it.

A Comparison of Hearts

In the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, we find a parable that was not explained itself, but the reason that it was told was written. Jesus once again emphasized the importance of the heart in becoming a citizen of the kingdom of God.

The song “Better Than the Pharisees” was performed by Jay Rustin.

Dragnet: Just the Facts

The Parable of the Net was one that Jesus explained, so we do not have to speculate as to what He meant by it; “just the facts” are enough for us to be both convicted and motivated by this description of the kingdom of God.