When Jesus conversed with the Father it was in genuine conversation about realities occurring in real life. Those around Him who thought prayer was formal or formulaic were invited to disappear from sight having been freed from the need to impress others in order to speak freely with God having been freed from a mechanical process to impress God. This kind of genuine conversation is still available to all who rely on Jesus and afford themselves to the way of genuine relationship and conversation in His kingdom.
Sermons from September 2019
Prayer is a conversation with God. Anything other than conversing with God is something other than prayer. In this move in the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus is coaching us on how to experience God throughout each day, we discover His practical guidance for secret prayer. Spoiler Alert: Secret Prayer is an essential habit for all desiring to experience the daily intermingled life with God in His kingdom.
As Jesus continues his Sermon on the Mount, He builds on what being “perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” means. Doing righteous things is a natural outcome of living in awareness of the Kingdom and participating as a part of it, but Jesus us warns us that our motives must also match The Father’s and not get caught up in the response and reaction of others. Jesus is asking His listeners “where do you want your reward to come from?”
The bumper sticker reads, “Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven.” Jesus says, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” – WHAT? Is this God’s standard? In this message we discover that this is not a summons to perfectionism but God’s vision for us to become all He created us to be as we live with Him today, tomorrow and forever.
If you have ever felt excluded, Jesus’ Beatitudes are GREAT NEWS! Those who don’t fit elsewhere are included among those who belong with God in His family. Rather than telling us how we need to behave to receive the good life with God, the Beatitudes are God’s declaration that all who embrace Jesus as Lord (King), including those who are excluded elsewhere, are welcomed into God’s home and invited to His table.