Rolling Hills Community Church // Nashville West Campus

Jesus doesn’t always work according to our expectations, but He is always faithful to God’s plan. When doubts and questions come, bring them to Him and keep your faith rooted in who you are in Christ. Live with an open heart, reflecting Jesus in the way you live, and let His wisdom be evident through your actions.

Today we come to Matthew 10 in our study of the Gospel of Matthew. Up to this point, Jesus has been teaching His disciples the way of the Kingdom of God and doing all the ministry as they watched. Now, He will send them out to put into practice what they have been learning and seeing in Him. Jesus gives them a charge before they go to trust Him and to choose faith over fear in every situation. Just like the disciples back then, Jesus sends us out into the world today. We are called to choose faith over fear as we live out our faith and share Jesus with others. 

In Matthew 9, we truly see Jesus’ heart. We have heard Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5-7, seen His miracles in Matthew 8, and now we see His heart. Jesus’ heart is filled with love and compassion. Jesus loves all people. He invites everyone to follow Him. Regardless of your religious background or the mistakes in your life. Jesus invites us on the journey of a lifetime. And, in the process, we grow to become like Him - people of love and compassion. Are you growing spiritually? And are you sharing your faith story with others? Choose faith over fear.

We live in a spiritual battle. There is an epic struggle between good vs. evil. We have an enemy that wars against us. Yet, as Christians, we have the Spirit of God in us, so our enemy cannot possess us, but he can tempt us. He can try to distract us from living for the things of God. But our God is greater! Jesus defeated our enemy on the cross and through His Resurrection, so our victory is secure. How will you respond to Jesus? Will you recognize Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and live with confidence in HIm? Jesus has all authority! Choose faith over fear.

Jesus invites us to follow Him. But following Jesus doesn’t mean life will always be easy. Even as Christians, we go through storms. Some storms are small - a worry, a fear - a passing moment, but other storms are big - relationships, sickness - a longer battle to fight. But we must never forget that Jesus is in the storm with us. Jesus is greater than anything we will ever face, and Jesus is Lord over all. It is in the storms where our faith grows the most. Therefore, will you put your eyes on Jesus and not simply on the storms? Let’s choose faith over fear today.

God calls us to live with faith over fear. Yet, we live in a world of fear. We are bombarded every day with worries, doubts and fears. And, every day we must decide if we are going to live with faith or fear. When we bring our fears to Jesus, He hears our heart and answers our prayers. And, when He does, we are called to respond with worship, gratitude and service. What fears do you have today? Fears of the future, fears of failure, fears for your family or friends. Let’s bring all our fears to Jesus and ask Him to grow our faith. He is willing and able today.

Jesus ends His longest sermon with an invitation. A call to those listening to respond. There are disciples and there is the crowd. How will you respond today? Jesus said there is a wide gate that leads to destruction or a narrow gate that leads to life. Will you enter through the narrow gate of Jesus today? Will you enter into an eternal relationship with the One who came to give His life for you? And, will you build your life on the Rock of Christ? How will you respond today?

Jesus invites us to approach God with confidence, continually asking, seeking, and knocking. Prayer is about trusting our good Father, who knows what we need, transforms us through every season, and calls us to share His goodness with others.

Jesus teaches that while we're called to exercise discernment, we're not called to sit in God's seat as judge. Judgment condemns people, while discernment lovingly evaluates actions and seeks restoration. Before pointing out the faults of others, Jesus challenges us to examine our own hearts and recognize our own need for grace. As followers of Christ, our calling is not to condemn but to humbly help others, trusting God to do the work of transformation.

Worry is often fueled by a thousand "what ifs," but Jesus calls us to focus on what is true and trust in God's faithful character. In Matthew 6:25–34, He reminds us that the same God who cares for creation will care for us. As we build habits that strengthen our trust, we can respond to worry by bringing our concerns to God, seeking wise support, and choosing to trust Him one step at a time.

In Matthew 6:19-24, Jesus cuts straight to the heart of where we place our trust. He warns us that earthly treasures are temporary, calls us to fix our eyes on what is eternal, and makes it plain that divided devotion is no devotion at all. Two treasures, two visions, two masters, but only one worthy of everything we have. Jesus alone is the treasure death cannot take, the light darkness cannot overcome, and the Master who never fails. He isn't asking for part of our hearts. He's worthy of all of it.

Jesus teaches us to call God, “Father.” This was unheard of back in that time with Jewish and secular culture. The word Jesus uses is “Abba,” which is translated as “Daddy.” Our God is the perfect Father. He provides, protects, teaches, guides and will always love you. As His child, our desire becomes to live for His approval and to know that He is always with us. When we know God like this, we have a boldness, confidence and trust that changes our lives forever.

Jesus teaches that the Kingdom of Heaven is not simply behavior modification, but heart transformation. Jesus comes to fulfill the Law and to bring us true righteousness through His sacrificial death on the cross. Jesus exposes the motives behind what we do and calls us to perfection. We can never be perfect on our own, but only when we commit our lives to Jesus and allow His righteousness to cover our hearts. Real love then becomes the identifying mark of all Christ-followers. Give your heart fully to Jesus and then live in His love and offer His love to others today.

Jesus calls His followers to be salt and light, preserving what is good, revealing truth, and pointing others to Him. We make the greatest impact when we live out our faith where God has placed us, using our work, relationships, and daily opportunities to serve others. As we reflect Christ and invest in the next generation, our lives shine in a way that helps others see God and glorify Him.

Jesus invites you to live “The Blessed Life.” In a world filled with external pursuits - money, beauty and success, Jesus tells His disciples that true blessing only comes from the inside. It all starts with the recognition of our need for God. Asking Jesus to be the Lord and Savior of our lives and then allowing Him to transform our hearts. As we experience His love and grace, He makes a difference in all our relationships. Jesus allows us to truly live “The Blessed Life.”

Just like Jesus called His first disciples, Jesus calls us to “follow” Him today. Many people settle for religion. The crowds want a little bit of Jesus to add into their life. But Jesus calls us to radical discipleship that transforms our lives. Jesus has a plan and purpose for each one of us. He calls us to leave our “nets” and live by His agenda. And, Jesus’ plan for our life is better than we could ever imagine. Following Jesus is where we see God do miracles! So, are you a “religious” person or are you a “disciple” of Jesus? Come, follow Him, every day.

In Matthew 4:1-11, we see that temptation is ultimately an invitation to shift our trust, worship, and allegiance away from God, whether through the pursuit of pleasure, pride, or power. Jesus, fully God and fully human, faced each temptation and defeated it not with willpower, but with the truth of God's Word. His example reminds us that a hard place is not necessarily the wrong place, and that faith trusts God without demanding proof or seizing control. Ultimately, Jesus didn't just model how to resist temptation, He lived the perfect life we couldn't, becoming the sacrifice we needed.

Baptism is an essential step in one’s spiritual journey. Jesus was baptized as an example for us. And, Jesus was baptized at the beginning of His earthly ministry - not at the end. Baptism is not salvific - meaning, baptism doesn’t save us. We are saved when we put our faith and trust in Jesus’ sacrifice for us on the cross and ask for forgiveness from our sins. Baptism is an outward expression of an inward faith. If you have yet to be baptized, then commit to do this today. If you have been baptized, then remember God’s affirmation over you and live each day in the Spirit. 

God invites us to experience "A Kingdom Life"—a journey that offers total redemption from your past, supernatural power for your today, and an unshakable hope for your future. This life begins with the essential step of repentance, which isn't just a feeling of guilt, but a complete transformation of your heart and purpose. Ultimately, we are called to move beyond outward rituals and embrace the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit, choosing the path of the Kingdom to avoid the emptiness of a life lived apart from Him.