Paragon Church

Jesus, THE TRUTH, is THE ONLY FOUNDATION we should build our lives upon. Matthew 7:24-29.

In Matthew 7:13-23 Jesus brings us to a choice. Live for Him or not. YOUR CHOICE - Narrow gate or broad one? YOUR CHOICE - False Prophets or the Truth? (vs 24-27 - next week) - YOUR CHOICE - build on the rock or build on the sand. As the sermon on the mount comes to a close, application abounds - what will you choose?

"Whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them" (Matthew 7:12) - In response to God's gracious goodness, treat others as you want to be treated.

Matthew 7:1 says... "Do not judge, so that you won't be judged." This is a verse found in the Sermon on the Mount that it seems every sinner knows. Whenever someone needs to be corrected in their life or in their thinking, this is too often the first response, judge not. - but are they right in their interpretation of this teaching of Jesus or have they taken it out of context?

We have arrived at Matthew 6:25-34 - where Jesus says "Don't worry about your life" - tying that statement together with the previous statement of "you can't serve two masters" - so the question is... why do we worry? We all know it is counter-productive - we all know it doesn't lengthen our lives - we all know it actually hurts our health and may even shorten our lives - in the very least it sucks the joy out of life... so why do we do it anyway?

Life is a series of choices and decisions we make. These decisions shape our character and guide where we end up in the future. With every "fork in the road" we must ask ourselves... "which path will I take?" - Will I "invest" my time, energy, and finances into (A) or (B)? A, God, or B, the world? A, right, or B, wrong? A, light, or B, darkness? A, eternal treasures, or B, earthly treasures? They are tough questions with potentially eternal consequences. What will we choose to invest in?

In Matthew 5, we saw Jesus challenge the teachings of the Pharisees... in Matthew 6, we see Him challenge the hypocritical practices of the Pharisees... including prayer. He calls out the hypocrisy of the religious when they pray as well as the emptiness of the pagans when they pray. Instead of praying "like them" be sincere, be real, be honest, be thoughtful and be aware of Who you are praying to.

There is a question we should continually ask ourselves when we "do good works" - that question is... why am I doing them? It is from the desire to honor and glorify God in everything I do... or is it my desire to receive glory and praise for myself? Looking at Matthew 6 (1-8 and 16-18) Jesus looks at three things that that religious do, but with what motivation?

In this world, revenge is king. We don't just want to get even, we want to get ahead. In Matthew 5:38-48 there is a FLIPPED way of living that Jesus presents to those who follow Him... Don't respond to personal insult. Give more than asked. Go the second mile. Love your neighbor as yourself.

In Matthew 5:21, Jesus begins a section of the sermon on the mount where He is correcting the misinterpretation of Old Testament Law. The Pharisees were about the outward actions (murder, adultery, divorce, etc) but Jesus said it goes deeper than the exterior. We have to look at the root cause - the heart. Murder starts with anger in the heart. Adultery starts with lust in the heart. Divorce starts with a wrong heart towards marriage. This week we look at empty promises that start with a heart lacking integrity, truthfulness and character. Matthew 5:33-37

As we continue in looking at how to "live the good life" Jesus ventures into the topic of divorce... but like anger was the root of murder and lust was the root of adultery, what is the root of divorce? Could it be a flippant view of the importance of marriage? Join us as we look at Matthew 5:31-32 in the Sermon on the Mount

Sin isn't just what we do, it is rooted in who we are. The Sermon on the Mount isn't just focusing on the external, but also the internal. The heart of the matter is it is a matter of the heart. In Matthew 5:27-30 we find the second of the six "opposing" teachings of Christ to what the Pharisees and Scribes were teaching. Adultery and Lust.

A special event with Author and speaker Steve Gregg. He starts off answering a "millennium" question from Revelation 20.

When it comes to following Jesus and living righteously... it is not just a list of do's and don'ts - it It's a matter of the heart. In Matthew 5:21-26 Jesus talks about being in right relationship with God and with man.

When someone says "I think I'm a good person" whose standard are they measuring by? When we talk about living the Good Life, who defines what is "good?" Jesus says in Matthew 5:20 "For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven." what did he mean?

Come as you are. Be changed. Go change the world. That is our Battle Cry. In Matthew 5:13-16 Jesus calls his followers to "influence" the world for good. What does it look like to be an "influencer" in this world? How can we effectively change the world?

Righteousness (living your life aligned with God's will and plan) is a magnet for persecution. It started with Cain and Abel and has continued throughout history right up to today. Righteousness is the light on the hill that cannot be hidden. The problem is, darkness hates the light. Jesus tells us in our passage today to BE GLAD & REJOICE (instead of the opposite natural reaction of discouragement or anger). Live for Him with no regrets.

Matthew 5:9 says "Blessed are the peacemakers." Who are the peacemakers? What does it biblical peacemaking look like? Why will they be called sons of God? This Beatitude gives us a lot to think about especially when it comes to our duties as followers of Christ.

What does it mean to be pure in heart? What should it look like in our daily lives? Matthew 5:8

The shift in the Beatitudes from "vertical" to "horizontal" takes place in Matthew 5:7. While the first four are "vertical" between us and God... the rest of our Beatitudes will flow from the heart change that comes from a relationship with God to our "horizontal" relationships with others.