Jesus closes the Sermon on the Mount with a warning about false prophets. He asks us, “Whose voice do you listen to?” False prophets are a reality that we often don’t consider, but Jesus says they are deceptive and come to us in sheep’s clothing. Why does Jesus close his Sermon with this warning and what does he call us to do as his followers?

Jesus said, "Narrow is the gate and hard is the way that leads to life." What makes the discipleship road so narrow and how does it relate to the Golden Rule? What do our relationships have to do with the narrowness Jesus is talking about? Soften your heart so that your faith will be made stronger and be encouraged by this sermon from Matthew 7 on the Golden Rule from Zach Pummill.

Jesus says, “Don’t judge,” but does that mean we aren’t allowed to make judgment of others? Does he mean the same thing as our surrounding culture that preaches non-judgmental acceptance of everyone else? Jesus teaches us in this passage how to be a people that offer the truth of Christ and the embrace of Christ at the same time. We hold truth and love together in a way that’s different than the surrounding world. His teaching is deeply convicting and challenges us in how we view others but also ourselves.

Why fast? When was the last time you thought about storing up treasure in heaven compared to the last time you thought about buying something new? "Lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven" can seem so simple on the surface right, but the problem is we are not that simple. Jesus teaches us about fasting and money and connects them in a powerful way to challenge what we value.

What motivates you? Whose approval do you seek most? These questions might at first seem disconnected from a sermon about righteousness, but in this part of the sermon on the mount, Jesus challenges everything the people thought about righteousness in just a few powerful words! Join us on our journey to know God, to walk with Him, and to cultivate a love Him over all other things.

What do you do when you're wronged? Does revenge free you from those feelings? In this passage Jesus challenges our cultural norms and preconceived ideas about justice, revenge, and love. The Cross gives us permission to be wronged. The Cross says there is not a single wrong that escapes the gaze of God. The Cross says to let go of retaliation and rest in God's justice.

What does Jesus have to say about divorce? Or better yet, what does Jesus have to say about marriage? The Pharisees asked Jesus to weigh in on a debate around divorce, but Jesus points to the institution of marriage and calls his people back to covenant love. We look to the Sermon on the Mount to seek answers to these questions and more as Pastor Zach Pummill offers this sermon on divorce from Matthew 5:17-26.

Why is the world so angry? What does your own anger have to do with your relationship with God? In this passage Jesus teaches us the heart of anger in light of the heart of God so that we might understand what it looks like to live by a different set of values than the surrounding world. We look to the Sermon on the Mount to seek answers to these questions and more as Pastor Zach Pummill offers this sermon on Matthew 5:17-26.