We read in Matthew 5:10-12 that Christians will be persecuted for two reasons. Christians will be persecuted for doing what is right (v. 10) and for following Christ (v. 11).
Jesus says, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." But what does it look like to receive a pure heart? And what does it look like to maintain a pure heart? The answers are the key to seeing God.
If you want to know what it means to be merciful to others, you must experience the saving mercy of Christ through repentance and faith.
The Creator of the universe, the Savior of sinners, the Lord of heaven and earth, rides to his death on the humblest of animals and is described as humble and meek. Of all the adjectives that could be used to describe our Lord, he is described as humble, gentle, and meek.
Mourning, weeping, and grieving are a response to pain and suffering. In this life, tears are inescapable, and Jesus knows your tears are inevitable. But Jesus says in Matthew 5:4, blessed are you who mourn for you will be comforted.
To be poor in spirit means to be empty before God. When a person is poor in spirit, there is an acknowledgment of one person's inadequacy before God. We should not be shocked that this is the first beatitude. If Jesus was about to preach into the hearts of his listeners, and now us, then we need to come to Jesus empty and needy.
Does Jesus have the authority to tell us what it looks like to flourish? If Jesus does not have the authority to teach us what it means to flourish, then what is the point of Christianity. But if we can see in the Bible that Jesus does have the authority to speak into our hearts…well, we better pay attention.
Three words from Matthew 2:15 trace the birth and early life of Jesus back to Israel's exodus from Egypt. The words "out of Egypt" also reference the spiritual exodus Jesus offers to those who believe in the incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection of Christ. Take a listen to this Advent sermon to hear how the Son of God, came out of Egypt to redeem.
The star in the sky did not rise for Herod but another king. This astrological sign, along with a prophetic word from Micah, confirms the work of God in history. These signs point to a king born to reign.
It’s become fashionable to accept the Jesus of the New Testament but to reject the miracles of the New Testament. We hear, Jesus is a great teacher who taught good…