Prayer is a powerful thing that has somehow become an awkward thing for most Christians. Many Christians feel like prayer is something that they should know how to do, but they just don’t feel adequate. Jesus gives us the model prayer in Matthew 6 and in doing so shows us just what prayer is for- and it begins with the glory of God.
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
Jesus continues his assault on the checklist religion. Now he shifts from morality to religion and tells his disciples that pretending won’t cut it in the new kingdom. Instead, perfection is the goal and the heart is what matters.
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
Turn the other cheek. Go the extra mile. Give to those in need. Love your enemies. All things we’ve heard before, but they were revolutionary when Jesus taught them. Today they are no less difficult. Why would Jesus tell us to love our enemies? What’s the point? Doesn’t that just make us a doormat? What’s really at stake is not our egos, but the gospel. (To see the video used in this sermon go here. )
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
To say that marriage is under assault in American culture today would be an understatement. How did we get to this point? Why is it such a big deal anyway? Isn’t it just a declaration that two people like each other? Jesus’s teaching in the Sermon on the Mount highlights the importance and the permanence of the marriage covenant. His teaching challenged the purpose and meaning of marriage then, just as it does now.
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
Jesus teaching in the Sermon on the Mount confronts us at every turn. There’s no escaping the universal truth that Jesus puts before us. As he teaches, he shows us the nature of sin and, in turn, the nature of our own heart and the power of God. Sin is a powerful foe that relentlessly attacks us. Our priority is to fight it with all we have and to trust the one that has ultimately defeated sin and Satan.
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
Inside out- that’s the essence of Jesus message in the Sermon on the Mount. Checking boxes and looking like a good guy just isn’t enough. Jesus begins the process of tearing down the external religion built by the pharisees and showing us that God demands more. It’s challenging teaching, but it’s the heart of holiness. Jesus wants us to see just what it means to live in his kingdom.
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
Easter is the day that changed the world. When Jesus walked out of the tomb, he accomplished more than we can ever fully understand. What we do know is that his crucifixion and resurrection were the picture of a kingdom that is both victorious and unexpected.
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
There is no greater example of how unexpected this kingdom is than the events of Palm Sunday and the week that follows. A beautiful picture of how Christ fulfills the law in perfection, Palm Sunday shows us the King on the way to take his throne—it’s just not the throne we’d expect.
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
The Gospel According to Matthew sounds so familiar, but there’s nothing expected about the man writing this book. Being a tax collector made him an odd choice to join a group of other Jews and certainly wouldn’t be the first choice for his moral choices. So what does Matthew’s story tell us about our own lives? How can we learn the power of grace and redemption from Matthew’s own story? Al Lang teaches us that there’s a powerful story behind the one writing the story.
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
Jesus teaches us that his role here on earth was not to abolish, but to fulfill the Old Testament. What did he mean by that? Does this mean that we are to practice everything in the OT? If not, then what did Jesus have in mind? It’s the difference between shadows and substance.
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
Two simple word pictures provide us with a clear mission and some important warnings. What do two common things like salt and light have to do with eternity? What is the Christian’s role in the world? Should we run and hide? Dive right in? Try to play both sides? Jesus gives us a clear mandate that shows the reality that we have a dual citizenship, but only one ultimate allegiance.
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
The Sermon on the Mount is some of the most profound teaching the world has ever known. What makes these lessons so powerful? Jesus begins with the beatitudes which set the stage for everything else that follows. Listen to find the heart of this teaching that is so life-giving and completely unexpected.
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
Follow me. Two words that have tremendous implications for us and for the world. Matthew continues to drive home just who it is that we’re following…the messiah, the promised one, the king. As Jesus begins his ministry, he sets out to establish this group of men that would be his disciples. What does it look like to be one of those that call ourselves followers? Matthew helps us as he paints this picture.
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
As we look at Jesus third temptation, we get a look at our hearts and the nature of sin. This exchange makes it clear: it’s more than just breaking rules, it’s choosing who we worship. What we value goes a long way to determining what we worship.
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
For many, the basics of Christianity revolve around a set of rules that we must follow. The rules may differ from church to church and location to location, but that’s the gist. Follow the rules and you’ll be a good person. Well, in Satan’s attempt to tempt Jesus to sin while out in the desert, we see that the “rules” have little to do with Satan’s agenda and much more to do with our appetites.
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS