We are coming to a climax today as we finish the last of the beatitudes in our series on the Sermon on the Mount. 10 "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11 "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.Matthew 5:10-12 Sinclair Ferguson ... continue reading...
EP 102: Blessed are the Peacemakers (Sermon on the Mount Series – Matthew 5:9)
Being peacemakers is important to God. Our God is the God of peace. He has made peace for us through Christ, has reconciled us to Himself, and He now calls us to be peacemakers. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of GodMatthew 5:9 To be a peacemaker we need to be at peace with God. It starts here. We must no longer be God's enemy. God is the supreme peacemaker and now as his children, we should resemble our Father and be peacemakers. Peacemakers will be people ... continue reading...
EP 99: Blessed are the Pure in Heart (Sermon on the Mount Series – Matthew 5:8)
The gift of physical sight is wonderful. Yet we are talking today about a seeing that surpasses that of even someone being blind and seeing for the first time. We are going to see God. Today we are on the sixth beatitude in Matthew 5:8: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. I don't know about you, but I can't even imagine what that will be like. The joy will be unimaginable as we leave this world when God calls us home and we see Christ face to face. Our sixth ... continue reading...
EP 92: Blessed are the Merciful (Matthew 5:7 – Sermon on the Mount Series)
Showing mercy to others is a sign we have been redeemed. And as the verse, Matthew 5:7 states: Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. If we are truly in Christ, we are then objects of His mercy, and we will then be merciful to others, and we will, in the end, receive mercy. Being merciful to others is evidence we have received mercy. The word merciful here is eleemones, and it's used here and in Hebrews 2:17 in this form. It comes from ele'eo and it means to have ... continue reading...
EP 90: Hungering and Thirsting After Righteousness (Matthew 5:6 – Sermon on the Mount Series)
We all know what it feels like at times to be hungry or thirsty, but there are a hunger and thirst that should be far more concerning to us that we are going to dig into together today, and it’s not talking about physical hunger but spiritual hunger. It’s a hunger that will not be satisfied by food or water but only by God. Augustine said: "Thou has made us for thyself, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in thee." The good news is Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:6 ... continue reading...