The “How To” Part of the Sermon on the Mount Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. — Jesus (Mt. 6:1) The Righteousness of peacemaking, pure heartedness, and inclusive mercy, is developed by intentional disciplines. “Self-righteousness” is such an effective term for…

Blessed are the peacemakers. They’ll be recognized as their father’s child. “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call…

Persecuted for Righteousness (Matthew 5:11–20) The Sermon on the Mount deconstructs religious assumptions and frees us to grow and flourish. Deconstructing faith has become a bit of a buzzword over the past few years. It shows up in articles, social media posts, and in no small number of personal conversations. Church growth experts are worried by it, prophetic voice types are encouraged. How can deconstructing…

Into: Blessed, but not how we might think. Matthew 5:1–10 What does it look like to grow toward living God’s ways? Persecuted for blowing the corruption curve. 5:11–20 Peacemaking is a practical path between aggression and avoidance. 5:21–26 Pure in heart is character that doesn’t rely on PR. 5:27–37 Merciful because of who you are, not what others do. 5:38–48 How do we make progress without getting tangled in religious weirdness?

The blessed life, according to Jesus, is experienced as we grow in responding graciously to the struggles of this mysterious life. — Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who crave righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. These first 4 beatitudes are…

Matthew 4: 40 days in the wilderness and the adversary tempts Jesus to rationalize in order to get his physical, relational, and spiritual needs met. Jesus rejects the shortcuts. John the Baptist got arrested (the powers and principalities don’t like being called out). …

As we follow Matthew’s build-up to the Sermon on the Mount, we can see a trend that threatens the fanciful notion of blessing putting one beyond the brutal stress tests of life. Mary’s miracle pregnancy brings great anguish to Joseph, but with the help of an angelic visit, he is reassured. Jesus is born and blessed by noble visitors, only to…

Clearing a Path to the Sermon on the Mount John, the one who baptized people, including Jesus, was a prophet. John dressed like Elijah, but he was referred to as “the Elijah that was to come” more for his message than his appearance. Elijah challenged those who had the lineage…

Preparing to Return to Basics via the Sermon on the Mount *Crown Heart World is a gathering of disciples to Jesus and his teachings. We used to meet together here in Houston, but like so many in these trying times, we now meet via Zoom. We welcome all who would…