​Before sending us to minister in His name, Jesus addresses the issues of hoarding, coveting, and worrying as He expresses certain concerns about our hearts, minds, and physical bodies.

Our way of handling worry leads to hoarding, coveting, and even more worrying. When we try to manage worry in our own way, it ultimately leads to life-taking bondage. But God has a better way—one that gives life. God’s way is the antidote to our way. And in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus provides us with the antidote to reestablish the right order of things in our hearts. 

This past Sunday, we considered what it means to seek God’s kingdom above all else. Watch our study of Matthew 6:19-34 as we meditate on God’s way of living by faith.

​Why we pray is important. Jesus tells us that we shouldn’t pray to get noticed or to appear more spiritual to others (Matthew 6:5-7). Prayer is to further our fellowship with our Heavenly Father. We can talk to Him anywhere at any time about anything.

God, who is so good to us every day wants to talk with us—every day! And yet, Jesus recognized that this might be difficult for us. So to help His followers, Jesus provides talking points to help us construct our communication with the Lord—things that encourage dialogue.

This daily discussion is not to be filled with vain repetitions with words we mumble over and over, but a thoughtful exchange directed to a person (our Father) in a place (in Heaven) who is pure (“holy is Your name”). We can talk with Him about purpose (“You will be done”) and provision (daily bread). And we can ask him for pardon (“forgive us our trespasses”) and protection (“deliver us from the evil one”). 

Pour out your heart to God. Tell Him your hopes and fears, your concerns and burdens, your joys and sorrows. Ask Him questions, then read His answers in Scripture—not just to obtain information or attain spiritual status, but so that you can know Him.

​In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus addresses the proper motivations for everyday activities. As He teaches about the right motivations for prayer, He provides a primer on prayer—an elementary introduction to the construction of our communication with God. 

In what’s commonly referred to as “The Lord’s Prayer”, Jesus provides topics of conversation for His disciples as they constantly converse with their Heavenly Father. These conversations aren’t just vain repetitions, but real and honest that further our fellowship with God.

Watch our study in Matthew 6:7-15 as we ask the Lord to teach us to pray.

​Jesus teaches us that motivation for ministry in everyday activities is important. 

If you give, pray, or fast to be seen or to seem more spiritual than others, that is all you will get. You trade an eternal and enduring reward for something fleeting. More importantly, you won’t experience a deeper fellowship with your Heavenly Father. Why would you pass up on something so valuable for something so fleeting as the praise and admiration of others?

When you give, pray, or fast, find the secret place where no one knows except for God. He will see you in the secret place and reward you openly with fellowship with Him. 

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us that our motivation for ministry in everyday activities is important. In Matthew 6:1-18, Jesus addresses the motivations in three specific ministry activities (giving, prayer, and fasting) and He helps us understand the right motivation for doing these things. 

If we’re motivated by what we get from these activities, then what we get is all we’ll get. There will be no eternal reward if getting is our motivation. But even more important than the motivation for eternal rewards is fellowship with God. There is nothing greater or more valuable than fellowship with our Heavenly Father.

Watch or listen to our study in Matthew 6:1-18 as we meditate on the right motivation for ministry in everyday activities.

Read ahead for this Sunday! We jumped over verses 7-15 of Matthew 6 this week, but we will consider these verses on Sunday. Hope to see you then!

​Jesus expects His disciples to have certain attributes. His followers must be honest, have grit, and be more than a conqueror. But what if we don't have these attributes? What if we fail? What if we fall short?

Repent and cry out to Jesus. Ask the Holy Spirit for help. This is the only way that we will have the attributes Jesus expects of His followers. Jesus would never expect us to do anything that He didn’t already intend to empower us to do. He expects us to have the attitudes, actions, and attributes He defines in the Sermon on the Mount, and so He will empower us to have these attitudes, actions, and attributes as we follow Him.

This doesn’t come from trying harder. It doesn’t come from minimizing or rationalizing our inherent inabilities. It doesn’t come from outsourcing this to “religious professionals”. It all comes from Him. As a disciple of Jesus, you are a living example of what it looks like to follow Him. Receive help from the Holy Spirit and rest in the loving power of Jesus. Only then will you see this manifest in selfless love that glorifies our Heavenly Father. 

​As we work through the Sermon on the Mount, we discover the attitudes, actions, and attributes we must have to continue to be Jesus’ disciples. 

These are not unattainable ideals but the basic expectations for the disciples of Jesus. Jesus expects His followers to be honest, to have grit, and to be more than conquerors. 

But what if these attitudes, actions, and attributes aren’t in us? What if we fail and fall short? It’s what we consider as we meditate on the attributes Jesus expects from us. Watch or listen to our study of Matthew 5:33-48 as we continue through the Sermon on the Mount.