Revealing Christ

Sermon On The Mount Series Matthew 6:1 Don't do charitable deeds to be seen by others; examine your motivations for giving.   Alms was money, but in the OLD Testament, tithe laws were ONLY food, not money. You don't need to be a theologian to figure that out. I've been to churches where they have everyone march up the isle waving their money and lay it at the pastors feet... can you say cringe worthy? ...so embarrassing to admit I was even there. Jesus said when it comes to money "Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing and for pity sakes: don't "toot your own horn"!

Sermon On The Mount Series Matthew 5:48 You Shall Be Perfect.  Did Jesus mean that? Good luck. The Greek meaning of the word "perfect" is simply "being mature" or "growing up",  not about flawless performance.  Your proximity to Christ makes you holy.  Claiming exclusive connection to the "first-century church" does nothing.  External religious practices do not make you holy. Maturity means:   * Being merciful   * Forgiving others   * Loving enemies   * Turning the other cheek

Sermon On The Mount Series  Matthew 5:41 "Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two" Originally there was a Roman law allowing soldiers to conscript civilians to carry their armor for one mile... think about the context!  Think about the abuse that Rome inflicted on Israel! Would you obey this? Again, Jesus teaches a fundamentally different approach to dealing with enemies. The Kingdom of God is internal ("within you"), not external. God's Kingdom is not bound by human laws or political systems Christians are called to respond to oppression with love, not violence... This teaching emphasizes the previous verses just in case you wanted to pretend He didn't mean it. Christians are called to go beyond the minimum requirement, and seek redemption for enemies. God's Kingdom cannot be established through legislation, voting, or force.

Sermon On The Mount Series  Matthew 5:38-40 Jesus's teaching on nonresistance. Jesus teaches-and demonstrates- a radical approach to handling conflict by commanding followers not to retaliate against PERSONAL offenses. We are to respond with gentleness and spiritual strength instead of violence. This involves more transformation than most people (especially men) than we wish to endure. Important note: There is a huge difference between personal vengeance and necessary protection. The teaching is about personal response, not about failing to protect others, especially children from harm. Being a Christian is about becoming Christ-like, which means treating enemies with compassion to demonstrate transformative grace. A man who follows Christ must be willing to yield to Christ's commandments, whether your fists agree or not.

Sermon On The Mount Series Matthew 5:33-37 Jesus teaches against making oaths, especially potentially life-or-death scenarios!  What's the context?  Marriage!  There is no biblical command to take an oath 'to death', but some men kill their wife, and wrongly use the Bible to do so!   Great opportunity to look at the Jephthah Story (Judges 11). Jephthah made a rash vow to God: Sacrifice the first thing that comes out of his house if victorious in battle - but then his only daughter emerged, creating a real cunnundrum!  Do you believe Jephthah actually killed his daughter?  Does God approve of you vowing to kill your daughter? Of course not! Instead of making stupid oaths, let your "yes" be yes and "no" be no.

Sermon On The Mount Series Matthew 5:31-32 Divorce Shaming. Traditional church teachings shame divorced individuals, especially women. God made laws allowing for divorce, therefore divorce is not inherently sinful but abusing the law is. God's intention in allowing divorce was to set people free from bondage to abusive relationships. SELAH. It doesn't take much study to see discrepancies between Greek text and English translations.  Especially when labeling male/ female roles in the context. We've already learned that sexual immorality (pornea) is about heart condition and idolatry, not just physical acts. And we know that marriage is a sacred representation of our relationship with God.  You can't claim to love your spouse if you also love pornography. You can't claim to love your spouse if you demean and abuse them. SELAH!

Sermon On The Mount Series Matthew 5:27 - Lust and Spiritual Adultery Jesus defines adultery beyond physical act to include mental/spiritual intentions. The Devil's strategy is convincing people they know better than God. Temptation often starts with dissatisfaction and the belief "I deserve more" Cell phones make temptation easier, but there's no such thing as a 'private browser'- God sees everything! Laziness and wandering eyes are seemingly small failures but can lead to catastrophe for you and your family.  True satisfaction comes from loving God and maintaining spiritual integrity, not from worldly desires or temporary gratification.

Sermon On The Mount Series Matthew 5:25-26 Agree with your adversary quickly while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny." Your main adversary is "the law", not the devil.  We make ourselves enemies of God by breaking divine law. Some people mistakenly believe they have unlimited time for reconciliation, but judgment is imminent!  The word "quickly" means, immediately, without delay, speedily! Make a full commitment to Christ before it's too late!

Sermon On The Mount Series Matthew 5:21 - "Murder in Your Heart".  Jesus teaches that murder begins in the heart, with emotions like anger, bitterness, and a desire for vengeance. if you long to see the demise of another instead of their salvation, then you have murder in your heart. Jesus uses the law to reveal the thoughts and intentions of the heart and serve as a "tutor" to bring people to repentance and spiritual development in both believers and non-believers. God judges the heart's condition, not just external actions, and a heart sensitive to God will be sensitive to the roots of potential sin.

Sermon On The Mount Series Matthew 5:20 - "Unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." The biggest mistake people make is comparing themselves to others as a standard of goodness.  Religious observance does not equate to true righteousness, and sometimes fosters pride and self-righteousness. True righteousness requires humility. Righteousness is not earned, but received through humble acknowledgment of one's need for God's grace.

Sermon On The Mount Series Matthew 5:17-18: "Do not think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill." Romans 10:4: "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes." The term "end" or "fulfillment" of the law does not mean abolishment, but culmination. The Greek word "teleo" is central to understanding this concept. "Teleo" means reaching the limit, the apex, or completing something. Jesus' statement from the cross "It is finished" (using the word teleo) signifies the beginning of the New Covenant. Christ fulfills the law, not by destroying it, but by completing its purpose, but only specifically "for everyone who believes". This sermon provides theological clarity on Christ's relationship to the law, emphasizing fulfillment rather than abolishment.

Sermon On The Mount Series  Matthew 5:14-16 - "You are the light of the world"  Wait what? Me? Kinda...Christians are called to REFLECT Christ's light in the world through their actions and character. Being a "light" isn't just about proclamation, but about living out Christ's teachings authentically, even when no one is looking.  We can expose darkness through our example of genuine Christ-like behavior.  We need to avoid the hypocrisy of being religious.  True spiritual illumination comes through love, humility, and authentic living.

Sermon On The Mount Series Matthew 5:13 "You Are The Salt Of The Earth". Christians are called to be "salt of the earth" - Just because you're salt doesn't mean you can't become quite useless.  Salt can lose its effectiveness if you don't engage with the world outside your "Christian compound". The people who need Christ are the ones on the outside. Salt does not change anything until it comes in contact with it. Christians have a significant spiritual influence, even when they might not feel like it. The Spirit within believers is "greater than the spirit of the world," and God often does His work through people who approach the world with meekness and humility.

Sermon On The Mount Series  Matthew 5:11-12 "Blessed Are Those Who Are Persecuted For His Name's Sake" This usually occurs in personal settings like workplace or family, sometimes from those who also name Christ.  Surprisingly, it often happens for believing in Christ's teachings of non-violence and loving enemies. Forgiveness is crucial, but it doesn't mean continuing to enable abuse, but we must return reviling for reviling. You have permission from God to leave abusive situations in order to protect yourself and family while maintaining a Christ-like attitude. Remain faithful to Christ's teachings, even when facing personal persecution, and trust God's process of redemption and justice.

Sermon On The Mount Series Matthew 5:10 "Blessed are those who are persecuted" Persecution means you're being 'persued' and Satans best trick is to persue you with spiritual confusion about what God's kingdom is. Satan persues believers with carnal means of spiritual growth through materialistic, carnal substitutes. True persecution is about maintaining spiritual integrity, denying self, and following God's will, not about politics or material prosperity. God's sanctifying work is mainly this: breaking your will and replacing it with His will.

Sermon On The Mount Series  Matthew 5:9: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God" Where are the peacemakers? They're out there but their efforts just don't make the news.  James 3:18 says "The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace" We know Christ laid down His life in order to make peace, but many Christians would rather kill... even each other. Nothing has cost this country more than brother killing brother. Vengeance belongs to God, not us.

Does the cross change God, or does it change us? Where was the Holy Spirit during the cross?  Did Jesus drink the cup of Gods wrath or was it something else?  Is it reasonable to infer our own interpretation as 'gospel truth'.  Why did it take 1,000 years for the doctrine of PSA to become accepted as mainstream theology? What did theologians believe before that?  How does the wrath view of the cross compare with the Christus Victor view?

Have you ever wrestled with any of these questions? Was the wrath of God put on Christ? Does God need an object to put His punishment on? Did God forsake His Beloved Son so He wouldn't need to forsake you?  Did Jesus become 'sin'?  Was the Trinity broken during the cross? Was the cross punishment or a demonstration of grace?  Was the cross retribution or redemption? It takes a good study and some honesty with the Hebrew and Greek to bring clarity to our understanding. The   

The moment when Jesus cried out in Matthew 27:46 "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" He couldn't feel the presence of God for the first time in all eternity past, or future. This cry is often interpreted as confusion, but I believe it is a deliberate quotation of Psalm 22.  Jesus knew exactly why. What do you think? Did God "turn His back" on His Only Son? Or was the Father broken also? Psalm 22:24 states when Jesus cried, the Father heard Him. God heard it, and it broke his heart also…   

Shaming Eve for humanity's fall from grace is an lame excuse for yourself. Adam and Eve were responsible for their own actions not yours.  Using scripture to shame or blame others, especially women, highlights your own hypocrisy. 1 Timothy 2:14 shows us: Adam was not deceived- he knew exactly what he was doing was wrong- Eve was decieved- but he still blames her!  Don't fall into that trap!

Luke 24:13-35 God meets us in our deepest moments of doubt and despair. Christ draws near to the broken-hearted, even when we fail to recognize Him. Jesus doesn't force Himself on those who aren't seeking Him and He would have passed by if the disciples hadn't constrained Him to stay - a sobering reminder that encountering Christ requires a genuine desire to know Him.

The Ark (coffin) of the Covenant reveals the attributes of Jesus Christ.  The acacia wood, beaten gold, the manna, the angels, the mercy seat, Aaron's rod, it all points to Christ. The Ark also symbolizes our need for mercy, transformation, and the danger of religious performance without genuine relationship.

God didn't dismantle the Most Holy Place to be replaced with religious trinkets, but with something far more profound: Christ in you, a living, breathing sanctuary in human hearts. The torn temple veil reveals God's ultimate plan, how through faith in Jesus, every believer becomes the new holy place, in dwelt by the living God. Hebrews 10:19-20 declares, we now have boldness to enter His Presence through Jesus Christ! No additives needed!

Christ's ministry began with turning water into the finest wine at Cana, surrounded by joy and love, yet ended with unbearable bitterness, receiving sour wine from those who hated Him, all to fulfill Scripture and accomplish our redemption with a triumphant "It is finished!"

When Christ died, the earth itself trembled. Discover how one moment of ultimate sacrifice shook the world—literally and spiritually—and how sometimes it takes an earthquake to transform a soul.

In a world full of men, Jesus the Christ chose Mary Magdalene to be the first to witness and proclaim to them that Christ had risen from the dead, and they didn't believe her.  They needed to have their own eyes behold it.  Do you believe in the resurrection of the dead?  How will God do that?  What will our new bodies be like?

There is great significance to the Triumphal Entry of Christ to Jerusalem.  Jesus usually walked everywhere, but today He's riding a donkey?  Have you ever seen a Jerusalem Donkey?  They bear a cross on their backs.

Did you know that after Christ revealed Himself to Peter and Andrew, they still went back to work and didn't follow Him right away? Many people claim to know God but have no desire to follow Him full time. Even demons believe and tremble before Him, yet many people have no fear that someday their opportunity to truly follow Him will be over!

Jesus goes back to His hometown of Nazareth.  They know Him there as the 'Carpenter'.  He gives His first sermon that's recorded in the Bible, less than a minute long and  He was rejected immediately by His own people!

Why would Jesus help this guy out?  Why would one of Herod's elite seek Jesus?  Because he has bigger problems than politics, his child is dying.

She's a lesser race and a lesser gender!  Why's Jesus talking to her?  She's about to win the prize of salvation though, and the apostles are about to get schooled.

The religious world considered her worthless because she was a foreigner and she'd been married 5 times.  

Luke 2:35 "…a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."

The second time John exclaimed "Behold the Lamb Of God"! The First Disciples Were Andrew and ???  Jesus asked them "why are you following Me?"  Why did I come to Christ?  Why do you follow Him?  

Most people don't know that John the Baptist said this two days in a row.  John states "I did not know Him".  Even later on John struggled with who Jesus was.  How many of us struggle to 'know' Him?

Greedy church leaders turning church into money!  That's a good way to make God mad.  This is the first time Jesus Cleanses the temple, at the beginning of His ministry.  This was prophesied in the book of Malachi, ironically a book that money-loving preachers twist to collect money to this day.

What's the difference between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven? Why are people so confused about what the 'Kingdom' is?  Is there such a thing as 'Kingdom money'?  Are we called to take dominion over the kingdoms of this world?

Luke 4:16-30, today's episode is about why Jesus went to church—even when it was full of hypocrites, doubters, and those who'd rather throw Him off a cliff than hear His truth. He showed up to preach to the poor, heal the brokenhearted, and set captives free, because that's where the hungry and the hurting are. If Jesus didn't walk away from a flawed church, why should we? Join us as we explore what it means to stay faithful, stand up, and share the Gospel, even when the world pushes back.

Is your church better than others? Jesus is just getting started in His 3-year ministry, and there are already problems among believers who see each other as 'competition'.   John The Baptist has the cure "He must increase, but I must decrease".

If anyone didn't need to partake in the baptism of repentance, it's Jesus.  John tried to stop Him.

The cross Jesus was crucified on... it belonged to Barabbas.  That cross should have been ours.  It should have been written over it "Murderer".   What would be written over your cross as your crime?   Instead, that sin was erased and replaced with this inscription: Jesus Christ, The King of the Jews.  Pilate took credit for it, "What I have written, I have written".  For once he was correct.  Written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. 

Two sisters married to the same guy?  What a mess.  Rachel was hot. Leah was not... is that true?  Did Leah have the face of a horse?  No.  Study it with me and you may be surprised to see how God worked this out for Leah to be greatly loved by Jacob.

As Jesus stumbled through the streets carrying His cross, He said something very terrifying!  Luke 23:27-29 And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him. 28 But Jesus, turning to them, said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!'

My favorite text in all four gospels.  The greatest worship service the earth had ever seen, and not a word was spoken!  No longwinded prayers, no music, no flag-wavers, no drums, no fog machines.  Just Jesus and one woman who knew Him and knew who He really was!  In a room full of men and not one of them joined in, all they did was judge.  

The slavery of kidnapping someone and forcing them into chains is an abomination and condemned by God.  Becoming a bond servant -as the bible mentions- has nothing to do with the crime of slavery this country was guilty of almost 200 years ago.  Give this short teaching a chance to show you some of what the bible actually says about this sensitive subject.  You'll be glad you did!

Genesis 24:67 ...and he took Rebekah and she became his wife, and he loved her.  This is the first mention of a woman being loved in the bible.  This marriage is a beautiful picture of Christ's love for His Bride, the church.  The imagery in this text reveals multiple infallible typologies that testify of Jesus' perfect love and what it requires to have a relationship with Him.

This world is made a mess by people claiming to follow God's plan.  My own family included.  None of this mess with Abraham was Hagar's idea.  She was abused, used, and rejected... Yet she was dearly loved by God and blessed by Him.  It makes me sick when some preachers disparage her and also her son because of the symbolism applied to them thousands of years later.  How many times did God appear to her?  How many times did God appear to you?  Don't be a jack wagon.  Get over yourself.

The first to be with Christ at His birth... a woman.  The last to be with Christ at His death... a woman.  The first to be with Him at His ressurection... a woman.  The first to declare a risen Christ... A woman!

Deep Dark depression.  Darkness that hurts so much you'd just assume die.  I can't feel God anymore!  Ever feel like you're getting the silent treatment from God?  Jesus can relate.  Psalms 88:14 My soul cast off, Your face is hidden from Me.  Why does God allow it?  For what purpose?

Do you ever feel like God is far from you?  Christ experienced the same thing… but did the Father really forsake Him?  Did Jesus need to be 'perfected'?  Did Jesus have a lesson He needed to learn?  Here we take an honest look at some of the most disturbing texts in the bible.