If baptism is a public proclamation of a private, internal decision to follow Christ, then persecution is the measuring stick by which a Christian knows the spirit of the living God dwells within him. Make no mistake; Jesus’ final installment of the Beatitudes carries with it the most bone-chilling of promises, that to live for righteousness’ sake, there is an assurance of persecution that validates a man’s life unto Him.
Read MoreWe live in a hostile world. It seems everywhere we turn today there are people, groups and nations at war with one another on a range of political, social, cultural and religious grounds. Yet this trend is nothing new to mankind, for opposition has stood the test of time and continues to thrive in a post-modernistic world that clings to self-truth.
Read MoreOne would be hard-pressed to find a passage of Scripture that is more difficult to apply than Matthew 5:8. Our fallen self, wretched of sin on a consistent basis simply wages war in opposition to it. Yet Jesus Christ did not hesitate in declaring that the ultimate prize of seeing God face to face will be reserved for those whose hearts are unconditionally pure.
Read MoreUp until this week we have studied Beatitudes that focus on the inner self of man—character attributes that reveal how the transforming power of Christ changes a man from the inside out. It is vital, though, that we know where we have come from in order to understand Christ’s proclamation that the merciful are indeed blessed. We need context for clarity’s sake to better grasp the depth and breadth that our Lord and Savior sets before us as we grow in our understanding of this prophetic sermon.
Read MoreThe pursuit of happiness is a concept that virtually every man can relate to. The choices we make and actions we take all seem to revolve around a purpose that life is meant to drive a man to seek happiness as his ultimate goal. Yet we find in our culture for example that personal debt is rampant, roughly half of all marriages (Christian and non-Christian) end in divorce, and post-modernistic thinking is monopolizing our culture and the church. Where have we lost our compass? Perhaps Matthew 5:6 gives us a glimpse into our dilemma.
Read MoreInstallment three of Jesus’ famous Beatitudes shifts the attention from an inner focus on man’s complete depravity and a proper attitude of how a true follower of Christ mourns over sin in response, to a quality that frankly is one of the most misunderstood of all the Beatitudes—meekness.
Read MoreMake no mistake, there is nothing wrong with leaning upon Christ in times of mourning for strength and comfort, but what Jesus is addressing in Matthew 5:4 is a passionate mourning over the issue of sin and how that impacts a man’s heart.
Read MoreGod always pursues a man’s heart, and in this case, his poverty of spirit which ultimately reflects a man’s attitude towards himself. The world today places incredible emphasis upon self-confidence and self reliance, and man is prey to falling into that trap if he is not humbling himself before an Almighty and just God in reverence.
Read MoreThe fifth chapter of the book of Matthew is rich with wisdom and casts an all-inclusive light on those who might feel exempt from various sin issues. Jesus leaves no stone unturned in this chapter, addressing not only actions but thoughts as well, and adding a layer of literal application that cuts as deeply to the heart of man as any within the entirety of Scripture.
Read MoreTransparency is perhaps the greatest opposing force to selfishness. For when we are transparent with our selfishness, we place a magnifying glass upon pride in our lives. This process can only take place within an honest environment where truth is supremely regarded and refuses to be compromised for the sake of self-protection.
Read MoreDo not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever
Read MoreFrom cover to cover beginning with Genesis 3, the Bible speaks on the issue of sin and its ramifications for fallen man till Christ returns to establish the new Jerusalem in Revelation 21. Sin is the reason why God sent his son, Jesus Christ, to die a criminal's death for our salvation and it remains the greatest obstacle that man faces because sin is at war against the holiness of God and aims to hold us captive, separated from our Creator.
Read MoreThe seventh and final woe Jesus proclaims to the scribes and Pharisees is perhaps the most interesting of them all. It summarizes the behavior of the previous six woes He declares and paints the big picture of their sinfulness against God and the consequential result of those sins in His imminent crucifixion.
Read MoreIn my opinion, this passage is the epitome of the human dilemma in relation to the sin of man and his consequential separation from God. It is one of the most recognizable quotes of Scripture known within the Christian church, yet it undoubtedly haunts the spiritual walk of each and every follower of Jesus.
Read MoreI love how God reveals a passage of Scripture that previously you skimmed over but suddenly are taken back by, as if you never read it before. This is one of those passages for me because Jesus is addressing a number of issues by taking a concept that practically all Christians are aware of (tithing), but adding a dimension that transcends our preconceived notions.
Read MoreAre you someone who can be trusted? Are your words and actions written in pencil or ink? Do you feel the need to make a hard sales pitch in order to make people believe in what you say, or do you receive the benefit of the doubt because your high countenance precedes your actions? These are a few simplistic, metaphorical ways of describing the point that Jesus is making to the scribes and Pharisees.
Read MoreThis passage is extremely intriguing to me because it directly addresses the topic of (what I personally refer to as) "Pharisaism" which I am extremely passionate about. In many instances, Pharisaism is virtually interchangeable with and more commonly referred to in our culture as "religion." I believe Pharisaism is perhaps the greatest detriment to Christianity and has caused those outside the church to repeatedly turn their backs on considering a personal relationship with Jesus.
Read MoreAfter laying a firm foundation in Matthew 23:1-12 on the conduct of the Jewish leaders, Jesus now begins one of His most direct admonitions in all of Scripture. Now begins the "seven woes to the scribes and Pharisees" that in contrast parallels the Beatitudes, commonly referred to as the most popular section of "The Sermon on the Mount" (Matthew 5:1-12).
Read MoreNo one possessed greater knowledge of God's Word, but as Jesus points out, they lacked the supreme understanding to implement the law into their own lives. Their spoken words were a testament to truth, but their inability to practice what they preached was perhaps their greatest downfall in the eyes of God.
Read MoreChristians are their own greatest asset to spreading the Good News of Christ and consequently their own worst enemy. Ultimately, we are held accountable to the very faith we publicly profess. If our doctrine is not pure and Biblically sound, it will collapse on all we have foolishly built our lives upon.
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