Silent Service
Today we read
Matthew 6:1-18 and Pastor Henry talked about doing
acts of righteousness. Jesus warns us not to do these things-prayer, fasting or giving - for the wrong reason. He doesn't tell us not to do them, He just doesn't want us doing them up on the "stage". Our focus should be on Jesus from whom we get salvation, wholeness, life, purpose and not on the audience from whom we might get praise or applause. Our righteosness comes through faith in Jesus, not the stage. When our motivation is right, we'll live for Him whether or not anyone is watching us. We'll be the same even if there is no audiene clapping because we know our true reward is from our Father in heaven.
Labels: Sermon on the Mount
Revenge is Not the Answer
In
Matthew 5:38-42 we read about what Jesus had to say about the saying "Eye for and eye, tooth for a tooth" which people had been using as reason to use revenge against people who had done them wrong. We learned that this law of retaliation was given to civil authorities in measuring out punishment and was not intended to be used for personal revenge. Pastor Amy illustrated our approach to evil through the stories of the trees - the tree in their backyard that was cut down, the Giving Tree, and the tree where Jesus' died - His way to approach evil. Jesus' grace and mercy brought Him to the cross so we may serve others with that same grace and mercy.
Where do you think the feeling of revenge comes from? How do we counteract it?I think the feeling of revenge is a human response when people take something away from us against our will. We have a need to bring them down to get even. Unfortunately, this reaction often times is encouraged by world around us. But Jesus' shows us a better way! He came here and gave His life for us all - so we may live for the glory of it all. If we believe this, we will never be the same.
Labels: Sermon on the Mount
Your Word
Pastor Henry talked about the Jesus' inconvenient truth in Matthew 5 :31-37.Jesus summed it up by saying, "Let your 'yes' be 'yes' and your 'no' be 'no' ." When we make a promise, it's important to follow through with what we said we would do or people will lose their trust in us. The question of the week is: When is it hard to let your 'yes' be 'yes' and your 'no' be 'no'? In the Message, verse 37 reads "Just say 'yes' and 'no.' When you manipulate words to get your own way, you go wrong." If we are being self-centered and manipulative, we will embellish our words and say things we don't mean to get our own way. But if God is in the center, we will only say what we mean.
I was also thinking about how sometimes it's hard to follow through with our side of a promise if the other person has hurt our feelings. We try to justify breaking the agreement and it becomes terribly self-centered. The way to healing is not to hurt the person back, but to finding the wholeness and integrity Jesus promises when we believe in Him and do what he says.
Labels: Sermon on the Mount
The Elephant in the Warehouse
Pastor Henry today tackled the subject of Pornograhy at MCC after focusing on Jesus' inconvenient truth in Matthew 5:27.
27 "You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
The pastor in the video of the XXX Church made it clear from Romans 7 that Paul also struggled with sin which sabotaged his best intentions to do good. He concluded that Jesus is the one who sets things right with God. We should trust Him with our lives.
People often say that it's no big deal to view pornography because they're harmlessly looking, but the problem is that by wanting or needing to view it, they are turning the subject into an object of desire. This is what lust does. Lust takes, but love gives. And Jesus told us to love our neighbors.
So what is a healthy way to use the internet and what do you do when no one else is looking?
We have our computer right in the family room so this will make us all more accountable to each other about what we are doing. I also feel strongly that we as a church need to make as much available as we can on line that is good so there are positive options for people to view.
Labels: Sermon on the Mount
