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Matthew 6:9-34
Skip Heitzig

Matthew 6 (NKJV™)
9 "In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
14 "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15 "But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
16 "Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
17 "But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
18 "so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
19 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;
20 "but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21 "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 "The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.
23 "But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
25 "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
26 "Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
27 "Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
28 "So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;
29 "and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30 "Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31 "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'
32 "For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
34 "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

New King James Version®, Copyright © 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved.

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40 Matthew - 2011

Jesus taught His disciples to pray in this manner: "Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10). As we continue our study of the Sermon on the Mount, we learn that when we make God's kingdom our focus, He provides everything we need.

From its opening genealogy through its careful record of Old Testament prophecies fulfilled, Matthew's gospel forms a bridge between the Old Testament and the New Testament. In this in-depth study by Pastor Skip Heitzig we'll consider Jesus' ancestry, birth, public ministry, death, and resurrection, and we'll gain a clearer understanding of Jesus as both Messiah and King.

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Study Guide

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Matthew 6:16-34
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Matthew 6:33

PRAYER: Father, please teach me not to worry. As I study Matthew 6:16-34, please show me how much You care about all my needs.
Journal your prayer here:




PREVIEW: In Matthew 6:16-34, Jesus teaches His disciples about fasting and about how intimately God cares for their every need. We’ll learn how much God cares about what we do in secret. Apprehending these truths will help us make His kingdom and His righteousness our priority.

Matthew 6:16-34 Outline:
Fasting – Read Matthew 6:16-18
Wealth - Read Matthew 6:19-34
1. In this week’s text, Jesus again refers to hypocrites. What is the meaning of hypocrite? (See previous study guide.)







Fasting – Read Matthew 6:16-18
2. Jesus gave His disciples instruction on the discipline of fasting (v. 16-17). What can we infer from Jesus’ repeated statement “when you fast”?




3. When Jesus’ disciples fasted, they were to not be like the hypocrites in their fasting. What specific hypocritical actions were they not to emulate?


4. PROPOUND: How do you think the hypocrites “disfigured their faces” to appear to be fasting? (See Matthew 6:16.)


5. When Jesus’ disciple fasted, what specific actions were they to take and why (vv. 17-18)?




6. When fasting is done as Jesus instructs, what is the benefit (v.18)?




7. They hypocrites gave (Matthew 6:2), prayed (Matthew 6:5), and fasted (v. 16) to be seen by others. What did they receive for doing these good works in the manner that they performed them?




8. When we give, pray, and fast, how are we to do these good works?




9. PROMOTE: Jesus didn’t want His disciples to give, fast, and pray to be seen by others, like the hypocrites. In Matthew 5:16, He said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” What’s the difference?




10. What will be the results of doing these good works in the manner that Jesus specified (vv. 4, 6, 18)?




11. PROTECT: Jesus said three times, “God sees in secret” (Matthew 6:4, 6,18). Give some thought to what this means and how it should affect your life.


Wealth – Read Matthew 6:19-34
12. Jesus says that we should not treasure treasures, specifically temporal treasures of this earth. How does He describe the temporality of these treasures (v. 19)?






13. Instead of laying up earthly treasures, where should we strive to store up treasure for ourselves?




14. PROPOUND: What is Jesus implying by saying, “Where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal?”




15. PRODUCE: Describe how we can store up treasures in heaven. (See Matthew 10:42, Luke 14:12-14, 1 Corinthians 3:14, and Philippians 4:10-20.)




16. If the things we treasure are here on earth, where will our heart be? If we treasure things above, where will our heart be (v. 21)? (See also Colossians 3:1-4.)




17. PROCEED: Jesus commanded His disciples to “lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.” What can we infer from the fact that the word treasures is plural (v. 20)? Be prepared to share your answer with the group.






18. Jesus said, “The lamp of the body is the eye” (v. 22). Describe what our body will be like if our eye is good, and if it is bad.




19. PROPOUND: In Matthew 6:22, Jesus said the “eye” is the lamp of the body—not “eyes.” Why?






20. Jesus said that no one could serve two masters (v. 24). What masters did He specifically refer to, and what attitude(s) would a person with two masters have? (See also Matthew 13:22.)






21. PROPOUND: What can be learned from Jesus’ statement, “No one can serve two masters”?




22. Jesus told His disciples not to worry about their life (v. 25). What specific things did He say not to worry about (v. 25)?






23. What do the birds of the air not do? What happens to them despite the lack of these actions (v.26)? (See also Matthew 10:29.)




24. PROPOUND: Regarding the birds of the air (Mt. 6:26), Jesus refers to “your heavenly Father,” not “their heavenly Father.” Why?




25. PROPOUND: Answer the question Jesus asks (v. 27): “Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?”




26. What do the lilies of the field not do (v. 28)? Despite the lack of these actions, what do the lilies and grass of the field receive from God?






27. The things Jesus said not to worry about are essential to life. Why should Jesus’ disciples not worry about these crucial things (v. 31-32)?








28. Instead of worrying about these important things, what two specific things does Jesus instruct His disciples to do (v. 33)?






29. PRACTICE: What does it mean to seek first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33)?






30. PROCLAIM: In addition to seeking first the kingdom of God, true disciples are to seek first His righteousness (Matthew 6:33). What does this mean?






31. What are the results of doing these things (v. 33)?






32. PROPOUND: Will God "add all these things unto you" just because you are His disciple? If not, what's required of you?




33. Why are Jesus’ disciples not to worry about tomorrow (v. 34)?




34. PROPOUND: What does “sufficient for the day is its own trouble” mean?




PROCESS: Take some time to review what you’ve learned about God’s intimate care for your needs, and how you ought to focus on His kingdom and righteousness. Be prepared to share your insights with the group.
PRAY: Father, please help me to trust You for all my needs, and help me to seek first Your kingdom and Your righteousness in my life.
Journal your prayer here:


Detailed Notes

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  1. Introduction
    1. "Those who preach by the yard but practice by the inch should be dealt with by the foot."
      1. Jesus seems to agree with that axiom
      2. "For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:20)
      3. Matthew 6 provides examples of what the scribes and Pharisees were doing that the people could see.
    2. Theme: Down with hypocrisy, up with integrity
      1. As if Jesus saying, "How dare you live like you live when you say what you say?
      2. Areas addressed
        1. Prayer life
        2. Fasting
        3. Giving
    3. Most every believer desires an effective, deeper, more intimate relationship with God through prayer
      1. We believe prayer works and is powerful, but when it comes to doing it, it's another story
      2. "The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." (Matthew 26:41)
      3. Some African converts taught to do daily devotions every morning: go into woods and create a pathway in the grass
        1. You could tell whether they were faithful to do devotions by the grass in their path
        2. "Grass is growing in your path, brother."
      4. Is grass growing in your path?
      5. Are you more sporadic than diligent?
    4. "And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.  Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him." (Matthew 6:5-8)
    5. 57% of Americans say they pray every day
      1. Programming
        1. "Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep."
        2. Our Father
      2. Guilt (not love or faith)
      3. Emergency (like a spare tire)
      4. Prayer should be deep, wonderful, fun
  2. The Lord's Prayer
    1. Better called The Disciples' Prayer
      1. He taught his disciples to pray this way
      2. Not a prayer Jesus recited
      3. Jesus' prayer is recorded in John 17
      4. Parallel passage Luke 11
        1. Same prayer in a different context
        2. Here a public setting: The Sermon on the Mount
        3. "Lord, teach us to pray" (Luke 11:1)
        4. Not: "Teach us a prayer."
      5. Not a prayer to memorize and recite
      6. A template
        1. "In this manner" (v. 9)
        2. An outline
    2. Two parts: Deal with God, then with us
      1. We are out of balance when we talk to God about our needs first
      2. Best way to pray is to begin with God and work toward yourself
      3. "I" problem
        1. I need...
        2. I want...
      4. Communication
        1. A baby's communication is limited
        2. It develops, advances (I want, give me, no!)
        3. As you grow, your communication develops (I love you, I appreciate you)
      5. Prayer is like that communication
    3. Perspective
      1. Who you are talking to: Our father in heaven
        1. Realize whom you talk to and where He sits
        2. Heaven is His vantage point: He sees what we don't
        3. Knows what we don't
        4. Consider your relationship with Him
        5. He has all the resources needed
        6. "So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: 'Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them,'" (Acts 4:24)
          1. Prayed boldly because they prayed with perspective
          2. The place they were was shaken (see Acts 4:31)
    4. Praise "Hallowed be Your name"
      1. I praise your name
      2. Your name is most awesome
      3. You are holy, righteous
      4. Ascribing worth and praise to God
    5. Prayer for the kingdom "Your kingdom come"
      1. Future kingdom
        1. Jesus return to earth: See Revelation 11
        2. "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!" (Revelation 11:15)
        3. When the tribulation has ended, the second coming is imminent, and the millennial reign is right around the corner.
      2. Personal reign in our lives
        1. Is He the authority in your life?
        2. "I want to be a part of that kingdom. I'm Your slave, Your servant."
        3. A true Christian has undergone a kingdom shift: from focus on the temporal to God's kingdom
        4. "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." (v. 33)
        5. His will accomplished in me; not my will accomplished in heaven.
    6. About Us
      1. "Give us this day our daily bread." (v. 11)
        1. Never outgrow our dependence on God
        2. Daily acknowledgement that the resources we enjoy are God-given
        3. God promises to take care of your needs
          1. Not your greed
          2. "And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content." (1 Timothy 6:8)
      2. "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. (v.12)
        1. Jesus intertwined vertical forgiveness with horizontal forgiveness
        2. With the forgiveness I stand in, I will be generous to overlook faults of others
        3. "And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:32)
      3. "And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." (v. 13)
        1. Don't let me be tempted above what I'm able to resist
        2. When we know something is tough we must change the activity
    7. "For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."
      1. The prayer ends like it begins
      2. This portion is not in all translations because it is not included in all of the earliest manuscripts
        1. It doesn't contradict any major truth or doctrine of the bible
        2. Fitting end to the prayer
  3. Forgiveness
    1. You must forgive
      1. "And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him." (Luke 17:4)
      2. Forgiveness is not optional
    2. The proof that we have been forgiven is that  we are forgiving
      1. Extend what has been extended to us
      2. I forgive because God has forgiven my unpayable debt
      3. "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear." (Psalm 66:18)
      4. When you hold on to sin, it hinders my relationship to God and my ability to have an effective prayer life
      5. A pack of grudges is the heaviest thing you can carry around in life
    3. Enemies
      1. Pray for them
      2. Forgive them
      3. Love them
    4. It doesn't say, "Feel like it;" It says, "Do it!"
  4. Fasting
    1. Pharisees
      1. Painted faces to look sick, sad, holy
      2. υποκριτής; hupokrités- stage actor, pretender
    2. "When you fast, anoint your head and wash your face," (v. 17)
      1. In church history sadness was acquainted with spirituality
      2. Shouldn't joy mark us?
    3. "When you fast" not if (the norm)
    4. Deliberately withholding physical sustenance to focus on spiritual realities
      1. Appetites become our slave
      2. We aren't slaves to our appetites
      3. A way to deny the flesh and focus on the spiritual
    5. Referenced about 60 times in the Bible
    6. Judaism fasted one day a year: Yom Kippur
      1. "You shall afflict your souls" (Leviticus 23:27)
      2. 1973 Yom Kippur war: Arab neighbors knew Israel was fasting, Egypt and Syria attacked, days later, Israel won
    7. Pharisees fasted twice a week
      1. "I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess" (Luke 18:12)
      2. Second and fifth day of the week
        1. Biggest market days
        2. Most people would be around
        3. To be seen fasting
  5. Giving: Treasures, finances
    1. Having money is not evil; Being wealthy is not sinful
      1. The Bible never says, "Money is the root of all evil."
      2. "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil" (1 Timothy 6:10)
        1. Do anything to get it; serve it; covet it
        2. Can have money and not love it
        3. Can have no money and love it
      3. Abraham: 318 paid staff members
      4. Joseph: may have been second wealthiest in Egypt
      5. Job: "Now the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning;" (Job 42:12)
    2. Hoarding
      1. Do not treasure treasures
      2. θησαυρούς; thesaurus - treasury
    3. Treasures in heaven
      1. Use your money now to send treasure ahead to heaven
      2. Use resources for kingdom purposes
    4. Compare King Tutankhamun's grave with Jesus' grave
      1. King Tut
        1. Ornate grave; gold sarcophagus
        2. Belief in the afterlife
        3. Hoarding treasure to take to the afterlife
        4. Entered eternity without his treasure
      2. Jesus
        1. Hewn rock, no body
        2. Life spent on eternal things
        3. Conquered death
        4. Enjoys the treasures of the Father
    5. "The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" (vv.22-23)
      1. Argument from lesser to greater
      2. Live in a dark world that is dark; if the darkness originates within you it's greater
      3. Greater darkness to be spiritually blind: when the focus is only on the temporal
      4. What we focus on determines how well we see
        1. Blind when focus is on material
        2. Focus on the spiritual, you see life as it ought to be lived
        3. Keep your eye on the ball!
      5. What is your focus?
    6. "You cannot serve God and mammon." (v. 24)
      1. It's not "What do you own?"—it's "What owns you?"
      2. What is your master passion?
      3. In Roman empire, half of all citizens were slaves
        1. Not part-time slaves
        2. Completely controlled by another will
      4. You cannot be a part-time Christian
      5. μαμωνã; mamonas (Aramaic) riches, money
  6. "Do not worry about your life"
    1. Stop an action that's already going on
    2. "Look at the birds" (v. 26)
      1. Your Father feeds them
      2. Not the bird's Father
        1. God is Creator of Birds
        2. God is Creator and Father of believers
    3. "Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?" (v. 27)
      1. Cubit is 18 inches
      2. Some translations: length of time instead of stature
        1. "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life ?" (NIV)
        2. "Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Of course not. (NLT)
        3. Cannot add length to life
        4. Worry will probably shorten life
        5. "Worry affects the circulation, the heart, the glands, the whole nervous system. I have never known a man who died from over work, but many who died from doubt."-- Dr. Charles Mayo
    4. "Why do you worry about clothing?" (v. 28)
    5. What were you worried about exactly one year ago?
    6. Solution: "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness"
      1. Redirect your energy from worrying about your life to working for God's kingdom
        1. Priorities: God, His will, His kingdom
        2. "If you make My kingdom your priority, everything you need will be added to you"
        3. We often seek everything we need and expect God's kingdom to be added to us
      2. "But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God." (Acts 20:24)
      3. Blessed is the one who is too busy during the day to worry and too sleepy at night to do the same.
    7. Only unbelievers should be worried

Greek Terms: υποκριτής; hupokrités- stage actor, pretender; θησαυρούς; thesaurus - treasury
Aramaic Terms: μαμωνã; mamonas (Aramaic) riches, money
Figures Referenced: Dr. Charles Mayo
Cross References: Leviticus 23:27; Job 42:12; Psalm 66:18; Matthew 5:20; Matthew 6:5-8; Matthew 26:41; Luke 11; Luke 17:4; Luke 18:12; John 17; Acts 4:24; Acts 4:31; Acts 20:24; Ephesians 4:32; 1 Timothy 6:8; 1 Timothy 6:10; Revelation 11:15

Transcript

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Father, the fact that we are here sitting in the chair that we have chosen to sit in tonight is evidence that we desire to worship you by listening to what you have to tell us.  We've worshipped in a number of ways, some of us by giving finances, some of us by giving our time, most all of us by lifting our voices in praise to you prior to this Bible study, and now Lord, our worship continues.

As we, like the prophet Samuel say, "Speak Lord, your servants are listening."  We want to hear what Jesus had to say on this fabulous sermon that has often been called the Sermon on the Mount.  Lord, give us ears to hear, hearts to comprehend, and wills to obey.  How we love the fellowship of believers when we gather like this, how encouraged we get every time we meet in this capacity.  I pray Lord that you break down any walls that might be erected in any lives that are here tonight.  If there's resistance to letting you in or letting you have control, take charge.  I pray that your spirit would move during the course of this message.  In Jesus' name, Amen.

There's an old saying that says, "Those who preach by the yard but practice by the inch should be dealt with by the foot."  And it seems that Jesus believed in that axiom, because he says in Chapter 5, the 20th verse, "Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and the Pharisees you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven."  And then he proceeds in Chapter 6 to give us some examples of what the scribes and the Pharisees were doing that the people could see.  These were the guys who preach by the yard but practice by the inch, so Jesus deals with them by the foot.

If I were to give this chapter a theme, Chapter 6 of Matthew, I mentioned it last week, it would be "down with hypocrisy, up with integrity", or to state it a different way, Jesus is saying, "How dare you live like you live when you say what you say."  And he goes through a few different areas where they were preaching by the yard but practicing by the inch.  He talks about their prayer life, he talks about fasting and it's something they like to do and they like to make a display of it, and he talks about giving.  Those areas Jesus hones in on.

Now I think it's safe to say that probably every one of us here tonight or even those who are joining us on the webcast or by radio would all agree that if there's one area of their lives that could stand a little bit of freshening up, it would be their prayer life.  If there's one area that when we hear the word we get a little antsy, it's prayer.

All of us desire to have an effective, deeper, more intimate relationship with God through prayer.  We instinctively believe that prayer works, that it's powerful.  But when it comes to doing it, it's another story.  Jesus said it well, the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak, and he was speaking to his disciples in regards to prayer.

I heard a story years ago about when the Gospel first came to an African nation that the new converts were taught every morning to have daily devotions with the Lord.  "Go out and pray before starting the day.  Get up early."  And what they did in this particular village is the new converts were told to go out from the village, somewhere out in the woods by themselves, find their own spot and there begin their day.  So over time, as these new converts would get up in the morning and they would scatter from the village to different parts of the surrounding jungle, the grass where they had walked out to their spot was killed.  You could see the pathway that was created by their daily walking back and forth.  Well worn grooves in the soil as they made their prayer journey for their devotions.  Well, because the grass grew and because people would walk on that little path, you could also tell if somebody was slacking off in their devotions because the grass would grow back in that area.

And so, one of the elders of the churches who was in charge of discipling the converts would simply say to a brother or to a sister, if that were the case, and their devotional life was slacking off, he would say, "Grass is growing in your path brother."  Hey, is grass growing in your path, sister, brother?  When it comes to relating to the Lord in prayer, would you say, "Yeah, there are some grass growing there.  There are some weeds growing there.  I'm not always at it.  I am more sporadic than I am diligent at it."

Well, when we get now into Chapter 6 and we'll review just a few verses because we really begin with Verse 9, we left off at Verse 8.  As Jesus is addressing the topic of prayer, something that they had seen scribes and Pharisees do ostentatiously, they also noticed that these same scribes and Pharisees like to use a lot of words.  They sort of treated prayer like "holy chewing gum."  They wanted to see how far they could stretch it, and they would stretch their prayers and use repetitive phrases and flowery speeches.  And so Jesus says, "When you pray," Verse 5, "you shall not be like the hypocrites for they love to pray standing in the synagogue and on the corners of the streets that they may be seen by men.  Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.  But you, when you pray, go into your room and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place, and your Father who sees in secret, He'll reward you openly.  And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions or flowery speech, or ramble on and on as the heathen do.  For they think that they will be heard for their many words.  Therefore, do not be like them, for your Father knows the things that you have need of, before you ask Him."

I read something that interested me.  It said in this article, 57% of American say they pray everyday.  Well, that sounds pretty encouraging.  That's over half.  Fifty-seven, that's close to 60.  Boy, we're batting pretty good then, aren't we?  Not always.  Don't be deceived by the number, because the article went on to say why certain people pray, some do it out of programming, that's how I learned to pray.  My first prayer for years was "Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep."  That was it, man.  That was as deep as I got.

Every now and then after I learned the Our Father, I throw one of those babies in as well and kind of stretch it out a little bit longer, but I prayed out of program, out of rote.  Others pray out of guilt.  They should say something because they don't have much of a prayer life, so at least I can say I do it and so they'll do it not out of love, not because they believe it's really effective but simply because they feel guilty doing it, and so they will pray.

Then there are an awful lot of people, I would say in that 57% that pray, out of emergency.  They treat prayer sort of like a spare tire.  Now you probably, when you drove here tonight, probably, you didn't think much of your spare tire.  That wasn't in your mind when you get in your car.  It never is until you get a flat tire.  Then you think about your spare.  That's how people often will treat communicating with God.  "He is there whenever I'm in an emergency.  He is a spare tire I can throw on, 'God, help!'"  That's about as deep as it gets.  It ought to be deeper.  It ought to be more intimate.  In fact, it ought to be wonderful and fun, and it should be and it is.

Now, beginning in Verse 9, we have what has been called the Lord's Prayer, and that's where we really begin tonight.  A better term is the "disciple's prayer".  This is a prayer Jesus taught His disciples to pray.  It's not a prayer that He himself recited or said.  His prayer is in John, Chapter 17, something we've been covering on Sunday morning the last month.  This is something the disciples were taught to pray, and there's a parallel passage to the one we're looking at, and that's in Luke, Chapter 11.  It's where Jesus teaches this prayer again to His disciples but in a different context.  Here, it's more in a public setting on the Sermon on the Mount.

He taught it again on a different occasion when the disciples noticed that Jesus was praying by Himself.  So one of the disciples went up to Him in Luke 11 and said, "Lord, teach us to pray."  Notice, he didn't say, "Lord, teach us a prayer," but "teach us to pray."  Not "teach us a prayer to memorize and recite", but "teach us to be about the business of praying."  Teach us to pray."  And so Jesus gave them this, which we're about to look at, beginning in Verse 9.

You can recite it but I see it better as a template.  It's a template.  In this manner, Jesus will say "pray", not "say these exact words", but it is a good template and it's a template I follow when I pray.  If you've ever prayed with me, I will often take this as an outline and I will expand upon it and fill in some specifics using this as my guideline and template, and it's a beautiful template.  You'll notice there are two parts to it.  There's the first part that deals with God.  "I recognize who you are.  I know where you are.  I know what you see.  I know that you have a kingdom and a will, and I submit to that."  That's the first part.

The second part is about us.  "Give us this day our daily bread", et cetera.  One of the problems we have is that we are out of balance when we talk to God.  We skip the first part and immediately go to the second part.  "Lord, I will need help now."  It's the spare tire approach.  That's out of balance.  The best way to pray is to begin with God and then work your way toward you.  That's a beautifully balanced prayer.  One of our problems is simple.  We have an "I" problem.  "I need this.  I want that.  I should..." et cetera, et cetera.  So we begin with God.

When I was a baby, my communication with my parents was pretty limited.  It was something like this --. That's about all I knew.  Am I right?  Right?  You did that.  Your kids did that.  That's about all a kid -- my grandson does that.  He's so cute but that's his communication.  He doesn't articulate words.  He didn't say, "Grandpa, I was thinking just how neat it is to hang out with you."  No, right now it's --.  Now pretty soon, his communication with his parents and grandparents will develop.  It will advance.  It will be something like this, "I want that."  "Give me that."  "No."  Right?  It's better than just --.  You now have something more specific, but you have to admit, it's still pretty limited.

That's how I began life.  That's how I talk to my parents.  But as I grew, my communication grew, and there was a time in my relationship with my parents that the only thing I longed for was just to be with them.  And I remember how beautiful it was just to say, "Mom, dad, I just want you to know how much I love you, how much I appreciate you, how great you've been as parents."  That's because my communication had developed.  Prayer is like that.  We might begin saying, "I need... I want..." Help now", but hopefully, it will advance beyond that and it will sound more like this.  Beginning in Verse 9, in this manner, therefore, pray.  "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.  Your kingdom come.  Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.  And do not lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.  For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.  Amen."  Now let's break it apart.

We begin our prayers with perspective, the right perspective.  Who are you talking to?  It's not just, "Hey God, I need this.  I want that."  It's "Our Father who art in heaven."  Now, I've discovered when I approached God with the right perspective, that is, I realize to whom I'm praying and I realize where he sits.  He has a vantage point that I don't have.  He's in heaven.  I'm on earth.  He sees what I don't see.  He knows what I don't know.  I find that when I pray with that perspective, I have more faith.  I can pray with more faith.  As I pause to recognize who exactly I'm talking to, I'm not talking to Joe, or Fred, or George, or my relatives, I'm talking to God.  I'm talking to God who is my Father.  I have a relationship with Him.  I'm His child.

And He's in heaven.  He has all of the resources needed for whatever I'm going to bring before him.  Now when I realize that, I pray with faith.  You remember, the early church was persecuted, threatened really.  After they were threatened, told not to preach the Gospel, they'd be imprisoned.  They were threatened.  The church gathered for prayer and they began their prayer saying, "Lord, you are God.  You made the heaven, the earth, the sea and everything that is in them."  Now, they got to their request and they prayed with boldness, but because they prayed with perspective recognizing to whom they were talking.  Boy, did they pray a prayer of faith, and the Bible says the place they gathered was shaken.

Sometimes we pray so languidly, "Oh God, hi."  I won't take advantage.  I could go on, but I won't.  Notice the next little phrase, "Hallowed be Your name."  Holy, sanctified, separate, your name is great.  It's tantamount to saying, "I praise your name.  Your name is awesome.  You are most holy.  You are righteous."  It's describing praise in words to God.

Verse 10, "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."  What does that mean?  What does it mean when I pray, "Your kingdom come"?  Well, in one sense, it's my prayer for the future kingdom that He promised.  He promised a kingdom.  He promised that King Jesus would return to this earth and set up shop.  And I'm praying for that.  I want that to come.  And we know when that's going to come.  We know, probably, if you're familiar with the Book of Revelation, Chapter 11 of Revelation, when the seventh angel sounded the seventh trumpet and anthem breaks out in heaven.  And a great multitude says, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ, and He will reign forever."

This is toward the end of the tribulation period.  And then it says, "The twenty-four elders who sit before God on their thrones fall on their faces to worship saying, 'We give thanks to you, oh God Almighty.'  The one who is, who was and who is to come for, you have taken your great power and it began to reign."  The tribulation has ended.  The second coming of Christ is eminent.  The millennial kingdom is right around the corner.  His kingdom is about to come.  That's true.  That's included when I pray "your kingdom come."  Let's get a little closer.  Let's get a little more personal than that.

When I talk to God about His kingdom, I'm really talking about Him ruling in my life.  Is He ruling in your life?  Does He have authority in your life?  Have you surrendered your life to Him?  Is He the king of you?  When you say, "Your kingdom come," what you're saying is, "I want to be a part of that kingdom and I'm one of your slaves.  I'm one of your servants.  I want your kingdom to come here, now, to me, and your will to be done here, now, with me and in me."  You see, a true Christian is someone who has undergone a kingdom shift.  They have shifted from focusing on the "here" and the "now", and the "temporal", and it's all about them and their agenda, and their happiness to God's kingdom.

Jesus will say at the end of this chapter, if we get to it tonight.  But seek first, the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.

So, notice the flow of the prayer.  I began recognizing that I'm talking to God.  I know where He sits.  He's in heaven.  He has the grand advantage and perspective of all.  He knows and controls everything.  Then I filter every request through His ownership of the world, of me and I want His will accomplished in me, not my will accomplished in heaven, His will accomplished on earth.  That's the flow of this prayer.

Verse 11, there's a change now.  Notice the change in the possessive adjectives from "yours" to "us."  The first part is about God.  The second part is about us.  The first part is, "Hallowed be your name.  Your kingdom come.  Your will be done."  And now, you'll notice it's, "Give us this day our daily bread.  Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.  Do not lead us into temptation."

There's a change that takes place.  "Give us this day our daily bread."  At first glance, that little phrase in this prayer seems really irrelevant for us living in modern America.  "Give us this day our daily bread"?  Usually, we don't have a problem with our daily sustenance.  Usually, our problem is "We're on diet, so God, restrain me from eating that.  Keep that dessert away from me.  Help me, Lord, not enter into temptation."  But in that day and age, when they live day-by-day, hand to mouth, the idea was, "I never outgrow my dependence upon God."  I like that.  He never taught us to pray, "Give us this month our bi-monthly paycheck, but give us this day our daily bread.  A daily acknowledgement that the meals, the money I spend, the friends I have, the resources I enjoy, God has given them to me today.  Here I am with them.  Give me what I need, Lord."

Now, God promises to take care of your needs.  Do you realize that?  Whatever you need in life, God promises to care for your needs.  He never promises to care for your greeds, but your needs.  I know, you're saying, "Oh, but Lord, I need the new iPhone 4S.  I need it.  It's a real need.  I can't survive without it."  I know it's going to be tough, but you can.  Whatever you need, God will provide.  Timothy said, "With food and with clothing, with this, we will be content."  Will we?  "Give us this day our daily bread."

And Verse 12, "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors."  It's interesting that Jesus intertwined vertical forgiveness with horizontal forgiveness.  "Lord, as you forgive me, I'm forgiving others."  "Forgive me, Lord, and with that forgiveness that I receive from you in standing today, with that, I will be generous to overlook faults, misgivings, bad words of other people.  Vertical and horizontal forgiveness are linked.  Ephesians 4:32, "Be kind one to another."  Tenderhearted.  Forgiving one another just as God and Christ has forgiven you.  And He'll amplify that in, in just a few verses.

"And do not lead us into temptation" is the next phrase, "but deliver us from the evil one."  "Don't let me be tempted, Father, above what I'm able to resist.  I trust in the leading of your spirit, not to put me in a place that is too tough for me."  Now, some places, you know are too tough for you.  Something like you have to say, "Lord, I really have a problem dieting and I'm going to walk into that bakery, so Lord..." — walk the other direction.  Some of you who deal with lust, don't pray that as you're walking toward the magazines or flipping late night channels.  Turn it off.  Change activities.

The idea here is don't let me get into a situation where I'm tempted above my ability to resist.  Now notice the prayer ends like it begins.  "For Yours is the kingdom and the power, and the glory forever.  Amen."  Now, not all of your Bible translations -- if you don't have a New King James, if you have an NIV, NLT, et cetera, New American Standard doesn't include that.  It's because that last little part is not in all the ancient manuscripts.

So some versions leave it out.  Mine includes it.  I prefer it.  I prefer it for this reason.  Number one, it doesn't contradict any major truth or doctrine of the Bible.  Number two, it's perfectly fitting to end as we begin.  I begin with God.  I work my way into my needs, filter through His will and His kingdom, asking Him for forgiveness, et cetera.  But I close and worship again to Him.

Verse 14, "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."  Now, can we stop the argument about that person that God calls you to forgive not being worthy of forgiveness?  Can we just not go there?  "Well, I don't think their repentance is genuine, so I'm not going to forgive."  Or "Well, they said that, but then they did it again and again.  They keep repeating the offense.  I'm not going to forgive them."  You must.  You must.

Jesus said, "If a person sins against you and says he repents," he doesn't even repent, just says it, "you forgive him."  Even if he does it 70 times in a day.  Now, imagine that.  If I were to walk up to you after the service and slug you, and I go, "Oh, I'm so sorry.  I have this impulse sometimes.  I pray about them.  I'm not always in control of them.  Would you forgive me?"  "Oh sure, no problem, Skip."  And then as soon as you're walking away, I slug you again, harder.  "Oh, I'm so sorry."  Now, if we keep this up after a few times, you're going to go, "You are not sorry, you're a nutcase, you're dangerous and I'm out of here, and I don't forgive you."  You might be tempted to do that.

Forgiveness is not optional.  It's intertwined.  Vertical and horizontal forgiveness.  Let me put it to you this way.  The proof that we've been forgiven is that we are forgiving.  We forgive.  We extend what has been extended to us.  "I forgive you because God has forgiven me an unpayable debt.  I could never pay it back.  I could never earn my way to heaven.  I could never work my way.  God has cleared the slate.  Because He's done that, I will forgive you."

David said in Psalms 66, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me."  If I hold on to sin, sin hinders my relationship with God and sin hinders my ability to have an effective prayer life, my holding on to an unforgiving heart."  I mentioned last week, "A pack of grudges is the heaviest thing you can carry around in life."  So as soon as you feel that feeling come up, you pray for your enemy as we've covered last week.  You tell the Lord, "I forgive you."  You write that person, or when you see that person, "I love you.  I forgive you", if it comes up.  Just keep extending that.  "Well, I don't feel like it."  You didn't say, "Feel like it."  Just said, "Do it."  Those are your marching orders in mind.

"Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites," get this, "do not be like the hypocrites with a sad countenance for they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting.  Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward."  Some Pharisees in those days would actually paint their face, sort of a white makeup, so they would look kind of sickly, kind of, kind of white-gray makeup.  They'd put it in certain places so that when you look at them, they just look sick, sad, and so you would think, "Oh, they haven't eaten in a while.  Man, are they holy."  That's what they wanted you to think.  They were doing it to be seen, so they would disfigure their faces.  They put on a show.  That's what the word hypocrite means, remember?  It means a stage actor.  Hypokrites, one who puts on the face on a stage before people.  Don't do that.  Don't disfigure your face.  Jesus said, "When you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that you do not appear to men to be fasting.  Your Father who is in the secret place and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly."

It's very unfortunate that there was a time, even in church history, when sadness was equated with spirituality.  If you look sad, if you look mean, if you look mad, you must be a Christian.  So, people wore black, not because it was the new blue, it was like a fashion statement.  It was slimming.  They wore it because it was a garment of mourning.  So they wore black because it's what holy people wear.  "Black robes.  Don't smile.  Act mean.  Sadness is next to godliness."  No, it's just weird.

Shouldn't joy be what marks us?  The joy of the Lord is your strength.  "Blessed, oh, how happy are the poor in spirit.  Those who mourn shall be comforted, the meek," et cetera.  Those aren't God's rules.  Those are men's rules.  An outward appearance of looking sad or disconnected, they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting.

Now, something else, you'll notice that Jesus said, "When you fast" not "if you fast."  It appears that fasting is the norm, not the exception.  What is fasting?  Fasting is deliberately withholding a meal or a portion of food.  There was the Daniel fast.  There are different kinds of fast, but "deliberately withholding physical sustenance that I might focus upon spiritual realities.  I'm denying my flesh.  I'm denying my appetite so that my appetites become my slave.  I don't become their slave."  That's what it is.  It is not a holy diet.  It's not a way to lose weight in Jesus' name.  Fasting is a way to deny the flesh that I might focus on spiritual things, and it's not easy.  The Bible speaks about it about 60 different times.

Now, do you know that there's really no direct commandment to fast.  In fact, even in Judaism, even in the Old Testament, the Jews never had to fast except for one day a year.  One day a year on the day of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, there's a phrase in the Old Testament that says, "On this day, you shall afflict your souls."  That's all it says, "Afflict your souls", and they took that to mean, "We must withhold food from our body", so they went on a fast, a 24-hour fast, one day a year.

Now that becomes interesting to us in modern day history because back in 1973 was the Yom Kippur War.  Have you heard of that in Israel, the Yom Kippur War of '73?  What happened is on that day, when some of the Arab neighbors, chiefly the ones who attacked were Syria and Egypt, knew that Israel would be fasting, that the nation would be shut down.  There would be no public transportation, no taxis, no buses, no communication, no broadcasting.  Twenty hours into the Yom Kippur fast, Egypt and Syria attacked Israel.  Wanting to catch them off guard to attack them and get the land of Israel back under their control.  A few days later, Israel won that war but it was based upon the whole idea of the afflicting of the souls, that one time of year when they fasted.

Okay, by Jesus' time, many of the Pharisees, guess how often they fasted?  Any clue, any idea, any guesses?  "Twice a week", who said that?  You get an A.  Twice a week they fasted.  You remember in Luke, I think it's 18.  The Pharisees said, "Lord, I thank You that I am not like other men, especially the tax collector.  I fast twice a week and I give tithes of all that I possess."  He boasted in the fact that he fasted.  Now, the two days they usually chose to fast were the second day of the week and the fifth day of the week, and that is because those were the biggest market days when the most people would be around, so they would see them fasting.  They disfigure their faces, walk through the market, people would think they're Holy Joe or Holy Shmuel(ph) or whatever their name would be.  Jesus said, "You don't be that way."

In Verse 19, He talks about giving, about treasures.  He's speaking about their finances.  "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys."

"Where thieves do not break in and steal for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  The lamp of the body is the eye.  If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.  But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.  If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!"

Okay, a few ground rules about this whole giving and money thing.  Number one, having money is not evil.  Being wealthy is not sinful.  The Bible never says, "Money is the root of all evil."  I've heard that quoted by so many people for way too long.  The Bible never says that.

It says in I Timothy, Chapter 6, "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil."  It sounds very different, isn't it?  It's not the root, it's a root of all kinds of evil.  And it's not money, it's the love of money.  I know lots of people who don't have money, but they love it, and they will do anything they can to strain and get it.  I'm not talking about making ends meet and providing for your family.  I'm talking about the whole mindset that they serve it.  They want it so badly, they coveted.  You can love money and not have it.  You can love money and have it.  But Abraham was wealthy.

If you think about Abraham in the Old Testament, he was on a par in terms wealth, in terms of his personal state with the Kings of Canaan.  He has 318 people on his paid staff that was his own militia, his own army.  He went to war with them.  Paid soldiers, 318 paid out of his pocket.  The boy had bucks.

Joseph in the Old Testament, very wealthy.  Probably, if I'm not mistaking, maybe the second wealthiest in the world if the Pharaoh of Egypt -- there were other kingdoms at that time, but Egypt was probably the most wealthy at that time.  He was second in command.  He was prime minister.  He probably, with what he had access to do, was the second wealthiest person on Earth.  It wasn't wrong for him to have that.  He used it for Godly means.

So Abraham, Joseph, and then there was Job.  Job was exceedingly wealthy.  God prospered him.  He lost it all, but even after he lost it all, the Bible says, "God prospered him more in the latter days than at the beginning."  God blessed him.  It's not money.  It's not wealth.  It's the love of money that's a root of all kinds of evil.

Now, going back to the text, Jesus says, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures."  The idea is hoarding.  In Greek, it reads this way, literally, "Do not treasure treasures."  It's a play on words.  And the word for treasure is thesaurus.  Ever heard of a thesaurus?  Do you have a thesaurus at home?  I live in those babies.  Those little word finders.  A thesaurus means a treasury of words.  That's what it means to us, but in Greek, it just means a treasury or an abundance of something.

So the idea is hoarding or treasuring, or serving finances, goods, resources.  "Don't treasure treasures on Earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven."  In other words, use your money now to send ahead into heaven treasures waiting for you and your heavenly reward.  Use your money now for kingdom purposes.  Spend your money now to expand the kingdom of God, to do God's work.  And in so doing, you are sending your treasures ahead, where neither thieves or moth, nor rust can destroy, where thieves do not break in and steal, for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Here's a fun little comparison.  Compare tonight in your mind two graves, two tombs.  You've heard of the Tomb of King Tut, the boy king of Egypt, King Tutankhamun.  A very ornate grave was found, a very ornate sarcophagus, or wooden casket overlaid with gold.  Egyptian pharaohs, including this one, King Tut, believed in the afterlife and believe that you could bring treasures from Earth into heaven.  So they overlaid the walls and the ceilings with gold, silver and bronze, precious metals and porcelain, and ornately inscribed gold-covered sarcophagi.

That's plural for sarcophagus.  You don't say sarcophaguses.  Just an F.Y.I.  And so the whole idea is "I'm hoarding up treasures because I'm going to bring them with me in the afterlife."  Compare that tomb with the tomb of Jesus.  A simple rock-hewn tomb.  No gold in it.  No silver in it.  No treasures in it.  No body in it.  He rose from the dead.  His whole life was spent on something eternal, far outstripping, which is mortal, material and temporal.  One died and made it into eternity without his treasure.  That was King Tut.  One conquered death and enjoys all of the riches, all of the treasures of heavenly worship at His father's right hand and will give to us rewards when we get there.

So, it makes perfect sense.  Use your money for eternal purposes.  "Lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven, for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  The lamp of the body is the eye."  Now, the context doesn't break.  He's still dealing with riches.  He's still dealing with your money, your resources you're giving.  "The lamp of the body is the eye."  If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.  But if your eye is bad, your whole body would be full of darkness.  If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!"

It's an argument from lesser to greater.  If you have bad eyesight or if you have blindness in one or both eyes, you live in a dark world.  You don't get much light transmitted in.  You are incapacitated or partially so.  But arguing from lesser to greater, if the darkness originates from within you, it's not from the outside, not getting in your eyes, that's the lesser.  The greater is if there's darkness originating from within you, how great is that darkness.

It's the idea of something that is physical and something that is spiritual.  It's greater spiritually to be blind and we're blind when we focus on that, which is only material, temporal and physical instead of eternal.  What we focus on determines how well we see.  People are blind because they only focus on the material, the temporal, the physical.  But when you can focus on that, which is eternal, you can really see life as it ought to be lived.  You make proper choices.  Your eye is good.  You see clearly.  You're not shortsighted, focus just on the here and the now.  You have perfect 20/20 vision, up close and far away.

Sort of like in sports, you know.  They use to tell me, sometimes in vain, "Keep your on the ball."  Sometimes I'd connect when the baseball was thrown over the plate and I had enough hand-eye coordination, I could build that thing.  But even when the ball wasn't moving, like in golf, keep your eye on the ball because whatever your eye is on, you tend to hit what you look at.  So what are you looking at?  What are you aiming at?  How do you live your life?  Where are you putting your focus, your emphasis, spiritually or materially, temporally?

Here's the bottom line principle.   Verse 24, "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and mammon."  So here's the bottom line.  Bottom line isn't what do you own.  The bottom line is, are you ready?  Who owns you, or what owns you?  Have you become enslaved to a lifestyle?  Have you become enslaved to a pursuit?  Have you become enslaved to the temporal, to a relationship?  Or does God own you?  Are you serving Him?  Is He your master?  What is your master passion?  What is your overarching goal?  "No one can serve two masters."  It's a basic principle of life.

The Roman Empire had lots of slaves.  In fact, the imagery of Jesus' use, "No one can serve two masters", everybody in that crowd, they picked up on that right away, because it is estimated that half of all citizens in the Roman Empire were slaves owned by masters, half.  Something about being a slave or a servant in those days, there were no part-time slaves

You can say, "Well, I'm a slave part-time and I own a business part-time."  You can't do that.  If you're a slave, if you're a servant, you are completely, utterly and totally controlled by another will.  You can't serve two masters.  You can't be a part-time Christian.  You can serve the Lord God, or notice the word, "You cannot serve God and mammon."  That's an Aramaic word.  Mamuna is the original word.  We say mammon.  It simply means riches, what you store up, material stuff, money you could say.  "You can't serve God and money."

"Therefore I say to you..."  "Therefore I say to you", I love this part.  It's the best part as we close up this chapter.  "Do not worry about your life, what you will eat, what you will drink nor about your body, what you will put on.  Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds at the air, they neither sow nor reap nor gather in the barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not of more value than they?"

Now you notice the command.  Jesus tells you not to do something.  He says, "Therefore, I say to you, do not worry."  Now, the way it is written originally in the original Greek language is to stop an action that is already going on.  Boy, does Jesus know human nature.  It's as if to say, "I know most of you folks out there are worrying, so stop it."  Seize that activity.  Stop encumbering your mind.  Stop being way down by anxious thoughts and worry.  He says, "Look at the birds.  Look at the birds.  They neither sow..."  Have you ever seen a worried bird?  Sweating, ringing its little claws, saying, "Honey, the rent on this nest is getting astronomical."  I'm not trying to marginalize any financial difficulties you may be going through with your housing.  I understand the market, but you have a God who promises to take care of you because when you begin praying, you say our, what?  Our Father in heaven.  He is your Father.  He is not the bird's father.

Notice what He says, "Look at the birds of the air, they don't sow, they don't reap, they don't gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them."  God is not their heavenly Father.  He's not the heavenly Father of birds.  He's the creator of birds.  That's the relationship a bird has with God.  Creator, that which is created.  You on the other hand have the relationship of creator, the one who is created but also father, child of God.  Different playing field, different rules.  If your Father feeds them, don't you think your Father is going to take care of you?  That's the implication.  He's your Father.

Verse 27, here's a question.  Which of you by worrying could add one cubit to a stature?  A cubit is 18 inches.  If a person was worried because here she is short, "Men, I wish I was taller."  Now let me just say I'm 6'5".  I have bumped my head throughout my entire life.  Flying on airplanes is murderous.  Most cars, I don't fit in well.  Okay, so you're thinking, "I want to be taller.  I want to be taller."  Is that going to make you taller?  Are you going to grow 18 inches if you worry about it?  No.

Now, some translations prefer to see this as length of time rather than length of physical stature.  And so they will say, like the NIB, "Which of you by worrying can add one day to his life?"  Or the New Living Translation, I believe, one moment to his life.  You're not going to add length to your life by worrying about it.  In fact, the last time I checked, you'll probably live less if you worry a lot.  All the studies say that stress and worry will shorten your life.  Ever heard of Dr. Charles Mayo?  He started a little clinic called the Mayo Clinic.

He said something interesting.  He said, "Worry affects your circulation, your heart, your glands, your nervous system.  I have never met a man or known anyone who has died from working too much but I've know plenty who have died from worrying too much."  That's a direct quote.  Which of you by worrying -- it does no good.  It's fruitless activity.

Verse 28, "So why do you worry about clothes?"  Boy, that's a good question.  Just tuck that away in your mind next time you're at the store looking at the latest fashion, and just getting stressed out because, "It didn't look quite right.  It didn't fit quite right."  Okay.  So why do you worry about clothing?  Now husbands, be careful with that one.  I know you're tempted to go, "I'm going to underline that one.  I'm going to quote that scripture next time we go shopping."  Don't do that, or we'll see you for marriage counseling the next week.

"Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow.  They neither toil nor spin and yet I say to you that even Solomon and all his glory was not arrayed like one of these."  Come to Israel with us in the spring and see the wildflowers, amazing.  And yet, in this day and age, that day and age, they had a short lifespan.  They grew up.  They blossom.  A couple of days later, the sun would scorch them and they would dry up.  They would be then picked up and used as fuel in bread ovens.  That's it.

"If God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is and tomorrow it's thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?  Therefore, do not worry saying what shall we eat?  What shall we drink?  What shall we wear?  For after all these things, the Gentile seek, for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things."

Test your memory.  What were you worried about exactly one year ago today?  Now some of you will be able to answer that because of the immense trial you were in.  But I would wager that most of you here are not able to give me a clear answer what you were worried about exactly one year ago today.  Now you get the understanding.  It's fruitless activity.  Why bother engaging in it?  Now, what is the solution to it?  Quickly, and we'll end with this.  "But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."  Now that's the cure.  Notice it begins with the word "but."  In other words, a word of contrast.

Stop worrying about what you're going to eat, what you're going to drink, what you're going to wear.  Don't do that, but rather -- and here is the cure, "Seek first the Kingdom of God."  In other words, redirect your energy from worrying about your life to working for God's kingdom.  If I were to paraphrase Jesus saying this, "First thing's first.  Live by priorities."  First thing's first.  What's first?  God.  His will.  His kingdom.  Here's the deal Jesus says, "I'll make you a deal.  If you make your priority my stuff, I'll make as my priority your stuff."  All these things will be just added to you.  I'll give them to you.  If you seek first the kingdom, you're thinking about spiritual things, how to expand my kingdom, how to win people to Christ and how to further with your life, your finances, et cetera, my kingdom, I promise you that everything you need will be added to you."

Now, we reverse that.  We seek first our kingdom.  We seek first what we need, all this stuff and then just expect the kingdom of God to be added to it.  Jesus said, "Here's the deal.  Just seek first me and my kingdom and I'll give you everything you need."  That's a great deal.  That's a great exchange.  Keep your focus and God says, "I will provide what you need."  When was the last time you made the kingdom of God your ultimate priority?  You filtered your life to the kingdom.  You start to bring people into the kingdom.  You start to expand and disciple people within that kingdom.

May I remind you what Paul said in Acts, Chapter 20, when they said, "Paul, don't go to Jerusalem.  They're going to kill you there."  He said, "Why are you crying?  You're breaking my heart.  I'm ready to die.  I'll even give up my life."

And he said in Acts, Chapter 20, "Neither do I count my own life dear to myself that I might finish my course or race with joy and the ministry that I have received of the Lord Jesus Christ.  He has given me a task.  I want to finish the task.  I don't care what happens.  My life isn't mine.  It's His.  I've given it to Him.  I'm seeking first the kingdom and I trust that this will be fulfilled."  Therefore, we close it out.  Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about its own things, sufficient for the day is its own trouble.  Blessed is the one who is too busy in the day to worry and too sleepy at night to do the same.  Work for God.  Serve the Lord.  Expend your energy for eternal things and fall asleep in peace.

Now, the only one tonight who really should be worried is the unbeliever.  You who have not surrendered your life to Christ, you're not serving Him as your master.  You've got another master and it's probably yourself, your agenda.  You've got your life.  "This is my deal.  I want to do my thing."  You have become your own God.  You worship that God quite regularly.  You're all about attending to that God quite regularly.

I'm going to ask you tonight.  I'm going to challenge you to make a kingdom shift, from your kingdom to His kingdom.  You want an exciting life.  You want a life that will be filled with peace and adventure, seek first the kingdom of God.  I mean, really, and then buckle your seatbelt.  You will be on one crazy, awesome ride, one wonderful journey.  But if you don't know the Lord tonight, you really should be worried.  And if you're not, that's the scariest place I can imagine.

Let's all bow our hearts and our heads.  Father, the words that Jesus' spoke, they lived.  They are powerful.  They're sharper than a two-edged sword.  They pierce our emotions down to our very spirit, our very core.  We are evaluated by them.  We are judged by them.  I thank you Lord for your provision.  We bless you and worship you that the kingdom that you set up inside of us will eventuate in a worldwide literal, physical, reality one day.  Until that day Father, may your will be done in us.  May Your kingdom be realized in us as Your subjects.

Now Father, we pray for those who may be with us tonight who don't know Jesus.  They've heard about Him.  They like songs about Him.  They like listening even the messages about Him.  It brings them sort of a comfort.  But some who have gathered here tonight or watching via the live stream or even listening by radio have never made that step over the threshold of saying, "Jesus, be my savior and my Lord.  Forgive me of my sins.  I'd give you my life, my heart."  And tonight, you are calling them.  Lord, I pray that they would find the peace, the satisfaction, the richness of life that they've longed for and they find it tonight as they make Jesus their Lord, their master.

If you've come tonight and you don't know Christ yet, but you want to know your sins are forgiven, that if you were to die, you would be directly in the presence of God.  You can live without fear.  You can face everyday without fear.  You can live with hope.  We want to give you that opportunity to know Jesus or if you remember being close to Him at one time but you've walked away from Him and you need to come back to Him tonight and dedicate your life afresh, raise your hand up in the air right now as we close.  Just raise it up right now and hold it up for a moment.  God bless you and you and you toward the back on my right and on my far right over here.  Anybody else?

Yes sir, you.  Yes ma'am.  The man over on the left and toward the back.  Raise your hand up.  If you're in the family room or in the balcony, God bless you.  Lord, for hands that are all around this auditorium, every one of these are individuals, God bless you way in the back.  How thankful we are and we pray that their lives would never be the same, that there would be incredible change that happens, not only tonight, but as they grow, they become more like Jesus and help us all that that would be true with us.  In His name we pray, Amen.

Let's all stand.  As we sing this final song, several of you tonight raised your hands up.  I want you to get up from where you're standing, just say "Excuse me" to the person next to you, find the nearest aisle and come stand right up here.  Our pastors will be here to gather and greet with you.  Come right up here right now.  I'm going to lead you in a prayer tonight to receive Christ as your savior.  Don't waste any more time.  Don't linger.  Come right now.  Just get up out of your seat, where you're standing and stand right up in the front.

I saw people raising their hands just a moment ago.  Follow that up.  Put feet on that faith.  Those of you who have walked forward, I'm looking at a whole bunch of you right up here in the front.  I want to give you this opportunity now to receive Christ.  I'm going to lead you in a prayer and I'm going to ask you to pray this prayer after me.  I'm going to pray it out loud.  I'd like you to pray it out loud.  I want you to say these words from your heart.  When you say this to the Lord, you're asking Him to come in and to take control.  Are you ready?  Let's do it.  Let's pray.

Lord, I'd give you my life.  I admit I'm a sinner.  Please forgive me.  I believe that Jesus died on the cross, that He shed his blood, that He paid for my sin and that He rose from the dead.  And so I turned from my past.  I leave it all behind and I turn to You as my savior, and my Lord, to seek Your kingdom.  In Jesus' name, Amen.

Additional Messages in this Series

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9/7/2011
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Matthew 1:1-18
Matthew 1:1-18
Skip Heitzig
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Message Summary
As we turn our attention to the New Testament, Pastor Skip explains what transpired during the 400 years of silence since the Old Testament. Our firm grasp of the political setting, language, and Matthew's purpose and perspective establishes a solid foundation for understanding his gospel. In Matthew 1, we see Jesus revealed as the royal Heir to the throne of David—the Messiah, Immanuel: God with us.
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9/14/2011
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Matthew 1:18-2:23
Matthew 1:18-2:23
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Every year people around the world recognize the birth of a poor Jewish child born in an insignificant city. The birth of Jesus Christ, as recorded in the Scriptures, beckons us to worship and obey the King of the Jews. Let's examine Matthew's account of the miraculous circumstances of the nativity and the prophecies it fulfilled.
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9/21/2011
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Matthew 3
Matthew 3
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Jesus called John the Baptist the greatest man among those born of women. John saw himself in the light of who Jesus is: not even worthy to loose His sandal. From the womb, he was filled with the Spirit, continually pointing people to Christ. Let's consider this powerful prophet, his ministry, and the message he preached.
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9/28/2011
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Matthew 4:1-17
Matthew 4:1-17
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Prior to the start of Jesus' public earthly ministry, He was led up to be tempted by the devil. As we review His encounter with Satan, we uncover important principles of spiritual warfare. We consider not only when and how Jesus was tempted, but also how He fought—and the ministry that began on the heels of the battle.
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10/5/2011
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Matthew 4:18-5:4
Matthew 4:18-5:4
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Leaving life as they knew it, the disciples followed Jesus and became intimate witnesses of Jesus' teaching, preaching, and healing. As we dive into this portion of Matthew, we turn our attention to their calling and listen in as Jesus begins the greatest sermon ever preached.
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10/19/2011
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Matthew 5:5-16
Matthew 5:5-16
Skip Heitzig
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The economy in God's Kingdom is quite different from that of the world: it's paradoxical; it's progressive. Let's consider the Beatitudes and discover what kingdom living looks like, and how it impacts those around us.
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10/26/2011
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Matthew 5:17-32
Matthew 5:17-32
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The multitudes listening to Jesus teach were undoubtedly shaken by His powerful statement: "Unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:20). How, then, could one be saved? As we continue our study of the Sermon on the Mount, we remember that salvation is not available through human achievement--only by divine accomplishment.
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11/2/2011
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Matthew 5:33-6:8
Matthew 5:33-6:8
Skip Heitzig
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As we continue our study of the Sermon on the Mount, we'll grow in our understanding of the contrasts between the world and the kingdom of heaven. Followers of Jesus are called to a righteousness that exceeds that of the scribes and the Pharisees—a righteousness based on our genuine relationship with Christ, rather than mere outward obedience.
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11/16/2011
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Matthew 7
Matthew 7
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Jesus calls His followers to live differently from the world -- to live a kingdom lifestyle. In this study from the Sermon on the Mount, we consider what kingdom living looks like in both our relationships with others and our relationship with God.
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12/7/2011
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Matthew 8:1-26
Matthew 8:1-26
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Throughout his gospel account, Matthew presents Jesus as the Messiah. Building upon the foundation of fulfilled prophecy, Jesus' identity is authenticated by miraculous signs. As we examine Matthew chapter eight, let's consider the compassion and grace Jesus demonstrates.
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1/18/2012
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Matthew 8:23-9:9
Matthew 8:23-9:9
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Matthew carefully crafted his gospel to speak directly to the hearts of his Jewish audience. Through his detailed record of Jesus' genealogy, fulfilled prophecy, Jesus' actions, instructions, and miracles, Matthew proves that Jesus is Messiah. Let's take a close look at several of those miracles, and gain a firm grasp of His Deity.
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1/25/2012
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Matthew 9:10-31
Matthew 9:10-31
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To the Pharisees, tax collectors and sinners were part of a lower, unpleasant class. But Jesus longed for fellowship with all people. He shared intimate meals with them, ministered to their needs, and reached out to the unlovely. As we study this passage in Matthew 9, we learn how we are also called to be heralds of the good news that brings spiritual health and enduring joy.
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2/1/2012
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Matthew 9:32-10:31
Matthew 9:32-10:31
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The Lord calls His followers to proclaim His message to the world—we are appointed to carry out a divine purpose. We learn in this study that we, like the apostles, find abundant life only in letting go of our own ambitions, plans, and comfort.
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2/8/2012
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Matthew 10:32-11:19
Matthew 10:32-11:19
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In His second major discourse of Matthew, Jesus equips and instructs His apostles about going into the world and reaping the spiritual harvest. In this passage, Jesus expounds on the courage needed to complete the mission and warns His followers of certain persecution. He reminds us that while not all who hear will believe, God's wisdom is powerfully demonstrated in changed lives.
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2/15/2012
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Matthew 11:16-30
Matthew 11:16-30
Skip Heitzig
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In order to truly worship God, you must know Him. Speaking clearly and openly in this passage, Jesus proclaims some of His strongest warnings and makes some of His most intimate promises. He reveals the Father to His followers and assures us that life lived under His rule yields peace and rest.
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2/22/2012
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Matthew 12:1-21
Matthew 12:1-21
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Though God intended the Sabbath to be a day of rest, keeping the Sabbath became difficult work by New Testament times. The oral traditions of the Pharisees had become weighty burdens-burdens the Lord did not mean for His people to bear. In this passage, Jesus demonstrates mercy and the true intent of the Sabbath as He and His disciples meet physical needs in the face of strong opposition.
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2/29/2012
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Matthew 12:22-42
Matthew 12:22-42
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Though our current culture embraces a form of spirituality, the biblical view of God, Satan, and good versus evil has been dismissed by most. Ignorance and indifference cause them to relegate Satan to the stuff of fairy tales and myth. In this study from Matthew 12, Jesus demonstrates His authority over the devil and his minions--giving us a glimpse into the supernatural and a reminder that, "He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4).
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3/7/2012
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Matthew 12:43-13:17
Matthew 12:43-13:17
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Jesus consistently brought His message of hope to the common man: He spoke in parables to bring revelation to His followers and to conceal heavenly truth from the hard-hearted. In this message, we examine parables of our Master Teacher and Holy Judge, and discover that truth can be a blessing, but also a curse--we must be diligent to understand and apply God's Word to our lives.
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3/14/2012
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Matthew 13:18-52
Matthew 13:18-52
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Jesus often used parables to explain spiritual truth to His followers. In Matthew 13, His seven kingdom parables are recorded--word pictures which explain the beginning, opposition, expansion, and culmination of His kingdom. Let's consider His teachings and apply these lessons, so that we may be fellow workers with Him in spreading the good news.
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3/21/2012
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Matthew 13:53-14:36
Matthew 13:53-14:36
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In this passage from the gospel of Matthew, we see powerful examples of the results of both faith and the lack of it. Those who might have known Jesus best failed to trust in Him and missed out on His work in their lives, while others were carried through the storm in His care. As we consider our own trials, we should rest in His hands, knowing He has power to change us and use our lives for His glory.
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3/28/2012
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Matthew 15
Matthew 15
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God is less concerned with the outward appearance than He is with the inward attitude. In this passage, Jesus boldly proclaims truth in a confrontation with the Pharisees, warning his followers to avoid hypocrisy. We also witness His tender response to the persistent faith of a Gentile woman, and His mercy for the multitudes. As we study Matthew 15, let's consider our own approach to Him: Do we recognize that we cannot live without Him?
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4/11/2012
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Matthew 16:1-20
Matthew 16:1-20
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Through stern rebuke, gentle prodding, and powerful teaching, Jesus instructs those around Him about who He is and how we can know and serve Him. Matthew 16 records several lessons in faith - warnings and wisdom which encourage us in our own spiritual journey.
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4/25/2012
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Matthew 16:21-17:27
Matthew 16:21-17:27
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Jesus calls His followers to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him. From this passage, we gain a clearer understanding of what it means to exalt Him as King in our lives and also get a preview of His future glory, when He will reign over all the earth.
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5/2/2012
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Matthew 18
Matthew 18
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How should sin be dealt with? As we examine Matthew 18, we learn not only to deal radically with sin in our own lives, but also the steps toward reconciliation with a sinning brother.
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6/13/2012
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Matthew 19
Matthew 19
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In the U.S., the lifestyle of Christians often mirrors that of unbelievers--divorce, self-indulgence, misaligned priorities. Using God's Word to teach lessons about divorce and eternal life, Jesus exhorts his followers to enter the kingdom of heaven--to live in wholehearted faith and obedience to the Him. Let's consider what Scripture says about godly living and the reward Jesus promises to His faithful followers.
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6/20/2012
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Matthew 20
Matthew 20
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As followers of Christ, what awaits us in eternity? In this study, we consider not only our eternal home but also our eternal reward. Saved by grace through faith, we must see beyond the circumstances and status of this world, and look toward our future glory.
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7/11/2012
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Matthew 21:1-32
Matthew 21:1-32
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In this intriguing passage, Jesus enters Jerusalem in a precise fulfillment of prophecy. It's an exciting study, where those who know they need forgiveness find refreshment and hope—and those who rely on their own righteousness receive a stern rebuke.
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7/18/2012
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Matthew 21:33-22:22
Matthew 21:33-22:22
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Jesus taught with complete authority, denouncing the misconceptions of the religious leaders of the day. With skill and precision, Jesus uses parables and their own words to silence their challenges and expose their motives. Let's consider His words, heed His warnings, and remember that He alone is righteous and worthy of praise.
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7/25/2012
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Matthew 22:23-23:39
Matthew 22:23-23:39
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In dealing with the Pharisees and Sadducees, Jesus speaks wisely, uncompromisingly, and with the authority of heaven—His Words shoot straight to the heart. Though many try to fit Jesus into their pre-conceived mold—to accept Him and His Words only as far as they are comfortable—we learn here danger of that the perilous position.
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8/1/2012
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Matthew 24:1-30
Matthew 24:1-30
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In this passage—the Olivet Discourse— Jesus provides a summary of end time events: the future of the world. We look forward to the Rapture and the Second Coming of Jesus, but those found outside of Christ face unparalleled suffering and judgment. Let's contemplate the wrath of God that's in store for this world—and share the hope of the gospel with those who don't yet know Him.
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8/8/2012
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Matthew 24:31-25:46
Matthew 24:31-25:46
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In this section of the Olivet Discourse, we consider Jesus' Warning Parables. As we examine the text, let's remember that while the church escapes judgment, many are left to suffer the Great Tribulation. We must be righteous, be ready, and be responsible.
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8/15/2012
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Matthew 26:1-30
Matthew 26:1-30
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As Jesus gathered with His disciples to observe the Passover one last time, He brought fresh meaning to a festival which had been celebrated for thousands of years. Rather than a memorial to their physical deliverance from bondage in Egypt, the meal represents His broken body and shed blood—and spiritual deliverance from sin for those who believe.
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8/22/2012
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Matthew 26:31-75
Matthew 26:31-75
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Following the Last Supper, Jesus entered the Garden of Gethsemane and willingly surrendered Himself to the will of the Father: Jesus was crushed for our sin, abandoned to the Cross, so that we might have fellowship with Him. As we study Matthew 26, we consider the spiritual battle before us, the choices we make, and the ultimate victory that is ours through Jesus Christ.
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8/29/2012
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Matthew 27:1-50
Matthew 27:1-50
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In this message, we see the ultimate demonstration of God's love—the cross. Jesus, the King of the Jews, was betrayed, falsely accused, illegally tried, scourged, and ultimately crucified. As we consider the details of His crucifixion and death, how could we be anything except amazed and humbled?
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9/19/2012
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Matthew 27:50-66
Matthew 27:50-66
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As He hung on the cross, betrayed by his friends and separated from His Father, Jesus declared "It is finished!" Victorious, not defeated—He completed the work the Father gave Him to do. In that dark hour, the grave gave up some of her dead, the earth quaked, and in the temple, the curtain that separated men from God was torn from top to bottom. As we study this text, let's consider the price Jesus paid to redeem us and the personal, intimate fellowship with God now available.
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9/26/2012
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Matthew 28
Matthew 28
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Jesus' resurrection: great news for His disciples—troubling news to his enemies. As the chief priests grappled with a cover up, the disciples met with the risen Lord and were commissioned to "Go and make disciples of all the nations." As we consider our text, we discover the good news for ourselves: Jesus is not dead—He's alive and has all authority in heaven and earth.
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There are 36 additional messages in this series.
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