Manna on the Mountain: Recent Episodes

Beth Jinkerson

Dr. Curtis McClane is an experienced Bible scholar and counselor with a passion for the Lord and people who want to know God. These lessons average 26 minutes in length and drop once a week.

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Matthew 8:1-17 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Leper, Centurion, & Mother-in-Law."

Chapters 8 and 9 of Matthew show us Jesus' "Framework for Ministry." At the end of chapter 9, the author summarizes these two chapters by spelling out that framework. This lesson introduces that framework and covers the first three instances of Jesus' ministry of compassion and proclaiming.

Lepers were by Mosaical Law "unclean" and had to live apart from society. Learn how Jesus not only spoke to this leper, but touched and healed him! Roman Centurions were gentiles and the ruling enemy invaders in Palestine. Learn how Jesus not only spoke to this Centurion, but also offered to visit his home to heal a beloved servant! Peter offered the hospitality of his own home in Capernaum to Jesus even as he was caring for his sick mother-in-law. Learn how Jesus healed her with a touch, and she immediately got out of bed (healed) and began to serve the guests!

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Matthew 7:24-29 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Doing Jesus' Teachings."

Remember the old Vacation Bible School (VBS) Song, "The Wise Man Built His House Upon a Rock"? Here are the words to the song:

Verse 1
The wise man built his house upon the rock.
The wise man built his house upon the rock.
The wise man built his house upon the rock,
And the rains came tumbling down.

The rains came down and the floods came up,
The rains came down and the floods came up,
The rains came down and the floods came up,
And the wise man’s house stood firm!

Verse 2
The foolish man built his house upon the sand.
The foolish man built his house upon the sand.
The foolish man built his house upon the sand.
And the rains came tumbling down.

The rains came down and the floods came up,
The rains came down and the floods came up,
The rains came down and the floods came up,
And the foolish man’s house went splat!

Verse 3
So, build your life on the Lord Jesus Christ!
So, build your life on the Lord Jesus Christ!
So, build your life on the Lord Jesus Christ!
And the blessings will come down.

The blessings come down as the prayers go up.
The blessings come down as the prayers go up.
The blessings come down as the prayers go up.
So, build your life on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Link to the song: https://www.tiktok.com/@dontdoitdad2/video/7276577918950591786

This passage is the end of the Sermon on the Mount. Here Jesus declares His authority for these teachings, showing us that His words provide the rock-solid foundation for us to face the storms of life. He also asks his listeners to make a commitment to act on His teachings.

The ideals Jesus has included in the Sermon give us the blueprint to build our lives on the rock-solid foundation of truth so we can withstand all the trials and troubles of life without falling. The alternative is to live on shifting sands that offer no protection from storms and lead to a great fall, crumbling under the pressures of life.

We learn that as this amazing sermon ended, the audience was amazed at the teachings and because of the unique authority with which he delivered the words. They FELT His unique power to speak truth.

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Matthew 7:15-23 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Good Fruit or Bad Fruit."

This part of the sermon on the Mount warns against false prophets and prophesying. One of the greatest litmus tests for determining if someone is a false prophet is by their fruits. Since the days of the Old Testament, there have always been false prophets. Sometimes false prophets look pretty good in what they do. Notice the contrasts in this section: sheep’s clothing vs. wolves, good vs. bad, doing the Father’s will vs. doing works of lawlessness.

Curtis explores what a false prophet is, what makes a false prophet so dangerous, and are false prophets and false teachers the same thing. He also goes into detail about what a false teacher is and what kind of fruit Jesus was looking for in the sermon on the mount.

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Note (this episode is out of order to accommodate a routine request and the series number will be updated later).

Matthew 11:28-30 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Jesus, Our Helper."

What happens when a foot slips? There's no warning, so we aren't prepared for it! And usually, someone is watching. the Bible talks about a foot slipping in But afterwards, you get back up and keep going. Psalm 94:17-19. "Unless the Lord had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence. When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O Lord, held me up. In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul."

When we experience a slip in our Christian walk, we need help to catch ourselves and keep going in the right path. The word “help” occurs 58 times in Psalms! The next closest competitor is Isaiah with 17! Curtis explores several Psalms, especially Psalm 94.

In Matthew, Jesus invites us to rest in His steadying fellowship. Accepting His offer of a yoke that is easy and light means we don't walk alone and unaided.

Jesus as our Helper!
1 Come--a condition and promise
2 Take--position
3 Learn--purpose, promise, person
4 Because--yoke is easy, burden is light

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Matthew 7:7-14 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Ask-Do-Enter."

This section of the Sermon on the Mount focuses on Prayer Life, Community Life, and Kingdom Life. Following Jesus into all aspects of our life--we have the image that he is at our side. Jesus teaches more about prayer, and then He lays down a universal principle for interacting with others. He also emphasizes the difficulty of choosing the way that truly leads to Life.

In summary, in our prayer life we ask, seek and knock knowing that God draws us near and understands. In our community lIfe, we follow the Golden Rule of doing unto others what we would have them do to us, loving our neighbor as we love ourselves. And in our kingdom life, we carefully choose every day to walk the narrow way that leads to life.

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Matthew 6:25-34 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Worry and Anxiety."

The verb "merimnaó" is used in the New Testament to describe a state of anxiety or worry, often in the context of being overly concerned about the necessities of life or future uncertainties. It can also imply a sense of distraction or being pulled in different directions due to concerns.

Life is more than the things we worry about. The birds do not sow grain, nor reap a harvest, and they do not
store up anything in barns. Yet, we are more important than the birds. The grass of the field is adorned in beautiful flowers. Yet we are more important than the grass.

"Oh, you of little faith" is a significant theme in Matthew, and Jesus is telling the crowd that the answer to anxiety and worry is faith--trust in God, talk to God in prayer, and choose God as your master. These things will lead to peace and victory!

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Matthew 7:1-5 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Jesus' Teaching Against Judging."

We hate to be judged.Have you ever been misjudged, or have you ever misjudged another to your chagrin or embarrassment? Remember, Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount is addressing the most important topics regarding “kingdom living” and what it means to be a disciple. It makes me wonder if Jesus himself has already been the recipient of some judging. Judging and discernment are not the same. Holding someone accountable is not the same a judging.

This lesson will answer the question, "what is the difference between discernment and judgment?" The we will explore what Jesus meant when he talked about the speck versus a log in the eye. And finally, we will see why Jesus tied the concept of hypocrisy to judgmentalism and legalism.

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Matthew 6:19-25 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Treasures in Heaven."

Jesus taught about values using the metaphor of storing our treasures not on earth, but in heaven. “On earth” refers to the sphere on which we live and encompasses all the places where people can store physical treasures, thinking they are secure. These treasures are meant to be understood as temporary and transitory in nature--they can be consumed (moth, rust) or stolen. In contrast the phrase "in heaven" refers to intangible things such as good works, kindness, service, actions of love, everything good in life because of God that you cannot put a price tag on!

Then the metaphor changes to parts of the body: the heart and eye. When your heart is in the right place, your entire existence will be blessed with your treasures being in the right place! If our eye is sending out light, we will see spiritual truth and value spiritual treasures.

You cannot trust earthly treasures to be safe and secure.
Laying up treasures in heaven incorporates all of the intangibles of the spiritual life that honor God.
When your heart is in the right place, your entire existence will be blessed with your treasures being in the right place!
You cannot serve God and mammon/material possessions! You have to make a choice!
Are we being a faithful steward of our earthly treasures?

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Matthew 6:9-13 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Lord's Prayer (Pt. 4) Forgiveness."

This portion of Jesus' prayer example teaches us why forgiveness is so important and the reciprocal nature of forgiveness. Curtis reviews what forgiveness IS and what it is NOT, as well as discussing the word "trespass" by exploring the Old and New Testament meanings of the words translated as "sin." He touches on the parable of the unforgiving debtor, Jesus' forgiveness of the sins of those he healed, and how forgiveness shows up at the Last Supper.

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Matthew 6:9-13 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Lord's Prayer (Pt. 3)."

"Daily bread" defined as encompassing both physical and spiritual sustenance.
1. Physical Bread: Our daily needs for food, shelter, and safety.
2. Spiritual Bread: The Word of God and spiritual nourishment from prayer and fellowship.

Biblical examples of God’s provision, including:
1. Manna in the wilderness (Exodus 16). God provided “What is it?” as the brand!
2. Jesus feeding the 5,000 (John 6).

We must not overlook the communal aspect of "us" in the prayer.
1. The “us” provides supplies to support others in need.
2. We have local ministries and ways to get involved.

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Matthew 6:9-13 is the text for this sermon entitled, "The Lord's Prayer (Pt. 2)."

We all long for a better world. God’s kingdom breaks into the kingdoms of the world in a transformative way. The kingdom is not the same thing as the church. They do overlap, but they are not equal.

Think of it like this…The kingdom of God is the ruling/reigning of God from his sovereign capacity over the entire world. The church is the visible kingdom of God made up of Christians who compose the body of Christ. What this basically recognizes is the visible and invisible nature of the kingdom of God!
The focus of our sermon is two-fold: to look at the dynamics of the kingdom of God, and to explore why it is an important part of our prayer life.

As a congregation of God’s people, in this prayer, Jesus challenges us to reflect on our own lives and to consider how we can participate in the advancement of God’s Kingdom.

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Matthew 6:9-13 is the text for this sermon entitled, "The Lord's Prayer (Part 1)."

Jesus had just condemned the hypocritical way of praying. He had also talked about the concerns about prayer and how to pray. In today’s passage, Jesus now provides a model or framework on how to pray.
In Christian history, there has been much discussion on whether this is only an outline, or if it should it be prayed word for word in order to be effective. Our lesson today explores the first part of this iconic prayer.

OUR FATHER
God is first presented as the “distant” creator in Genesis 1. But then in Genesis 1:26, God says, “Let us make man in our own image.” This is a glimpse into the Godhead, or Trilogy: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Though not used often, the Father image of God is presented in the Old Testament. Our lesson explores why this identification of God is so important.

…WHO IS IN HEAVEN
Literally, the one who is the heavens. Jesus came preaching the kingdom of heaven, and in this prayer, distance between heaven and earth is closed! The words, “in heaven” remind the one who prays of God’s spiritual, heavenly nature.

…HALLOWED BE YOUR NAME
The hallowing of something makes it sacred--to sanctify, to make holy, to consecrate, or to set apart. Curtis discusses the historical and cultural aspect of this phrase, and then its usage in the Old and New Testaments. Psalm 20:1-7 is great biblical foundation for understanding the power of God’s name.
When we pray, we remember the very personal and near God we are praying to, and we offer Him reverence and worship by intentionally “hallowing” God’s name and recognizing His Majestic Being when we pray!

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Matthew 6:16-18 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Jesus' Teaching on Fasting."

To understand Fasting, we start with a definition: fasting is to deny physical eating or pleasure to draw closer to God. Three Biblical examples are David, Esther, and Jesus.

The purpose of fasting is to seek God's guidance (Acts 13:2-3) and to express repentance and sorrow for sin (Joel 2:12-13).

Curtis summarizes the history of Christian practice and the spiritual benefits of fasting.
1.Fasting encourages closeness with God by deepening our relationship and dependence on Him
2.Fasting can give us clarity and focus in prayer, helps clear distractions and brings about spiritual breakthroughs
3.Fasting together can strengthen the community
4.After 4 references to fasting in Acts, fasting disappears from the rest of the New Testament and presumably falls out of practice.

Curtis provides some practical guidance for fasting. (1) There are three types of fasting: Absolute, Partial, and Corporate. (2) It is helpful to incorporate prayer and reading of scripture during fasting. (3) Setting goals and intentions when fasting. (4) Approach fasting with grace, not legalism.

Concluding the lesson with practical applications, Curtis calls us to examine our motives and practices concerning fasting as well as any other religious practice. This is an invitation to pursue a deeper, more genuine relationship with God through fasting. Note that fasting is not a spiritual practice such as baptism or the Lord’s Supper (communion), but it is one among other spiritual practices that have room for flexibility.

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Matthew 6:5-8 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Jesus' Teaching on Praying."

We are not to pray like the hypocrites, a word for actor that comes from ancient Greek theater. Jesus listed two places where those seeking attention would go to pray: synagogues and street corners. And Jesus instructs Christians to pray in secret, spending alone-time in communication with God. Another admonition was not to pray with empty phrases as did some pagan religions who tried to "wear down" their gods with numerous repetitions of the same request over and over (to fatigue the gods).

We pray because God knows us inside and out, and He understands the limitations we humans have. He knows and loves and responds.

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Matthew 6:1-4 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Jesus' Teaching on Giving."

A. Jesus addresses 3 acts of piety/righteousness that can be exaggerated for show. These are giving alms, praying, and fasting (or other acts of devotion).
B. The wrong motivation is repeated three times: to be seen by men, and to be praised by others.
C. If you approach your faith this way, you will receive no reward from our Father in heaven.
D. External practice of religion means they “have received their reward.”

Jesus’ teaching on giving emphasizes…
1. Giving is part of our religious life and practice.
2. Giving is not to be done in order to show off
3. Giving should never draw attention to self
4. Giving is not kept track of to show others what we have been doing.
5. Giving properly engaged, done in secret, will be rewarded by God.

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Matthew 5:43-48 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Be Perfect As God Is Perfect."

Continuing his sermon on the mount, Jesus turns the audience toward a hard truth. God expects them to be better than the examples they had at that time--most Pharisees were NOT good examples of God's expectations for His people. They were harsh and exacting, particularly when it came to Gentiles and the occupying tyrants of Rome. Jesus contrasts their pitiful examples with the real expectations of God.

Curtis provides 9 practical examples of how to put this lesson into our lives. He also goes into the word study of what Jesus meant by "be perfect."

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Matthew 1:18-2:12 is the text for this sermon entitled, "The Birth of Christ."

As Christmas approaches, Curtis brings us the old story of Joseph, Mary, and the birth of the Son of God into our world. When we began the study of Matthew, we skipped over this passage to save it for this week when so many around the world think back to the coming of Emmanuel, "God with us." The lesson opens with the reading of the history of Gabriel's announcements to Mary and to Joseph. As they tried to wrap their minds around this astonishing news, in another part of the world a small group of scholars were drawn to the prophecies of a coming king far to the West. They observed a heavenly phenomenon in the form of a wandering star. They began a journey to follow that star and find the birthplace of the Messiah.

Herod's attention was caught as these wise travelers entered his realm and began asking questions about the star and the baby king. He lies to them and asked for any information they turned up in their search "so he could worship him." Thankfully, God saw to it that the seekers saw through Herod's perfidy and dodged him after they finally found the object of their search. When the star came to a rest where the baby--now a toddler--was living in Bethlehem, they met him, honored him, and presented him with gifts. First, the wise men fell down and worshipped little Jesus. Then, they offered their gifts to Mary and then went on their way.

Here are the seven key take-aways from this narrative.
1. God is with us in each and every moment of our days.
2. We must constantly seek the Word of God, Jesus.
3. Honesty in worship must be our goal, open to God's revealed truth.
4. Exceeding joy is ours as we know and follow Jesus daily.
5. Our every day lived for him is our constant gift to Him.
6. Gold, frankincense, and myrrh have been replaced by our offering our golden heart to God, our worship as sweet smelling incense and oil.
7. Worship is our reverent daily response to Jesus as God with us.

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Matthew 5:9 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Seventh Beatitude: The Peacemakers."

This beatitude connects with our self-identity as sons of God! The term "peacemakers" is only used here in the entire Bible. Peace-making is intentional in nature and goes to the core of both covenant thinking and a ministry of reconciliation. The apostle Paul expresses it this way in Romans 12:18, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.”

This idea of peace is a Jewish Hebrew Bible concept: shalom. There were many instructions in the Hebrew Bible for "Peace offerings." The New Testament book of Romans has numerous references to living peaceably. The angels sang with joy for the peace on earth that the newborn child Messiah would bring.

Practical application for us today for being a peace-maker.
1. Violence and the sword are not the tools for peacemaking.
2. Peace begins with my heart right with God.
3. When my heart is right with God, and at peace, I can have peace with
you.
4. We pray for peace in the church, and local congregations.
5. We pray for and seek peace as ministers of reconciliation.
6. Our language, our thoughts, and our behaviors should all exhibit
peaceful offerings of the gospel.
7. Sometimes, we have to speak truth in the “prophetic voice” before
peace can come.
8. When we intentionally live out being a peacemaker as a ministers of
reconciliation, God is so please with this that He calls us one of his very
own children!
9. Think about how God is “with us” in the peacemaking process!

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Matthew 5:10-12 is the text for this sermon entitled, "The Eighth Beatitude: The Persecuted."

This blessing is a reminder that the Christian life is not an easy one. Primary reference to the context of this persecution is within God’s covenant people: religious leaders against the prophets; religious leaders against Jesus; religious leaders against Jesus’ followers. This is important because we tend to think only of persecution from pagans toward Christians.

Curtis discusses what format our current-world persecutions can take, and points out that regardless of the earthly motivations of our persecutors, we are actually experiencing this suffering because of Christ. The reward for enduring the slings and arrows hurled against us is that we possess the kingdom of heaven - a present-tense blessing!

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Matthew 5:17-20 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Fulfillment of the Law & Prophets."

A. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus underscores why he came.
B. Jesus indicates his relationship to the Law and the Prophets
C. His coming did not threaten the practice of the law and prophetic messages.
D. Significant insight regarding Jesus’ roll of fulfillment.
E. He clearly understood his role.

Instead of thinking about the Old Testament as something that was done away with, it is more correct to think of the Israelite covenant pointing to and finding its fulfillment in Jesus, who inaugurated the new covenant.

"Fulfillment” theme is most prominent in Matthew’s gospel.
A. The law will not pass away until heaven and earth pass away.
B. So permanent a part of God’s revelation that it will not disappear.
C. Even a jot, tittle, yod, hashmark under a vowel will remain.
D. Interesting tip of the hat by Jesus to the meticulous method of scribes copying the law.
E. Fascinating that God historically used the scrupulous copying methods of the scribes to make sure that Scripture has come down to us, transmission by God’s attendance.

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Matthew 5:21-26 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Jesus' Teaching about Anger."

Anger is mentioned 14 times in the New Testament. Here are a few for us to look at:
•Galatians 5: 19-21 – Works of the flesh (include wrath, hatred, strife)
•Eph. 4:26 – Put a time limit on anger
•Eph. 6:4 – parents, don’t provoke your children to wrath
•1 Tim. 2:8 – pray without anger
•James 1:19-20 – slow to wrath, man’s wrath doesn’t work God’s righteousness.

Rich Walters wrote a book called Anger: Yours, Mine, and What to Do about It, 1981. He wrote that Anger is a form of communication: emotion carrying information which you can interpret and them make use of.

When Jesus delivered the sermon on the mount, he used the concept of leaving an offering at the altar to represent worship. Worship must be done with a “right heart.” How we translate our emotions, say anger against or from another person, needs to be righted by translating that anger into information that we can then use to resolve the conflict positively. That’s part of “taking every thought captive.”

Setting up educated priorities based on the New Testament and then applying them is a prerequisite of worship, according to this section of Jesus’ sermon. Jesus is warning us that we must come to terms to settle the “debt” (or issue, disruption, dispute).
What happens to debt that is deferred or ignored?
•Gets larger
•Becomes a glaring problem
•Unlawful and unethical
The long-range effect of unresolved anger comes with parallel impacts. It negatively affects your worship (and possibly that of others).

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Matthew 5:13-16 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Salt and Light."

This portion of Jesus' sermon on the mount introduces the metaphors of salt and light. This passage follows just after the Beatitudes, a crucial placement to turn the attention of the audience outward toward the world exuding the influence of Christians. Like his parables, the reference to simple salt and light teach profound spiritual truths. Salt is very powerful as a preservative, a booster of savory flavor, and in Bible times represented wealth.

The second metaphor is Light. This truth focuses on the universal nature of salvation--"the gospel is for all." Jesus places the metaphor as a city on a hill for all to see. We aren't to hide our light, but position it to be seen and thus influence the world for God. Light has a purpose - to guide, to give hope. The world is full of darkness, and thus it needs the light desperately. We are light-bearers for Jesus, and we should be shining intentionally to influence others! We are to live our lives "before others." Our lives are lived in front of others to demonstrate what the godly life looks like as we glorify God. Note, later in the sermon, Jesus will talk about Christians who do things publicly to glorify themselves--very difference motivation and outcomes!

Our challenge as Christians is to be salt and light to others. We do this purposefully, intentionally. Here are the main take-aways from this lesson:

Practical Application
1. Never underestimate the power of our example.
2. We influence and do not coerce others.
3. Challenges us to reflect on how we are in the world.
4. Salt and light can become useless.
5. We “flavor” all the lives we touch!
6. We help other people “see” the light of Jesus!
7. Our example does not point to us, but to God!

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Matthew 5:7 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Fifth Beatitude: The Merciful."

The Christian principle of mercy brings blessings. Mercy could be called a “boomerang” moral principle since the exercise of mercy tends to elicit mercy from God and others. Notice again the divine passive form of the verb, "They shall receive mercy." We must be open to receive it as God’s gift!

"Merciful" is an adjective meaning "full of pity, compassionate, acting consistently with the revelation of God's covenant. Matthew's gospel opens with the story of Joseph's mercy toward Mary as he heeds the angel's instruction about the coming Christchild. The story known as the Good Samaritan is filled with mercy. We can learn these five lessons about mercy:
1. Mercy without accountability and faithfulness is not mercy. In Matthew’s terms, it is "anomia", i.e., lawlessness for selfish reasons.
2. Jesus' acts of mercy in his ministry guide us in our own application of ministry.
3. Jesus' acts of mercy are encapsulated in the concept of a “cup of cold water.” What is the “cup of cold water” that we need to offer this coming week?
4. If we do not extend mercy and forgiveness to others, we will not receive it ourselves!
5. The most difficult act of mercy is to extend forgiveness to our enemies.
6. Do I have the attitude of desire for mercy, and not a ritualistic faith that condemns others because they cannot match my own practice of legalism?

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Matthew 5:8 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Sixth Beatitude: Pure in Heart."

This 6th beatitude emphasizes the importance of purity of heart as a core value for Christians, contrasting it with the first century Pharisees' focus on ritual rather than true spiritual presence. The biblical meaning of "heart" in both the Old and New Testaments is the center of one's inner self, mind, and will. A "pure" (katharos) heart is clean, guiltless, and free from sin, both in a literal and spiritual sense.

The happy reward of a pure heart is seeing God, a blessing that it has both present and future dimensions. This, too, contrasts with the Pharisees' belief that only spiritual leaders could see God, implying that only they controlled the information/blessings of God.

How do we maintain a pure heart? Curtis explores sound practices such as focusing thoughts on God, avoiding contaminating influences, and maintaining a heart filled with thanksgiving and forgiveness. The pure heart is one that is grace-forgiven and the person who maintains this pure heart will experience God's presence.

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Matthew 5:6 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Fourth Beatitude: Spiritual Hunger and Thirst."

What did Jesus mean when He proclaimed a blessing for those who "hunger and thirst after righteous"? In this Beatitude, Jesus provides the insight of how blessed disciples are when they partake of spiritual manna! He represents himself as the living bread that we can eat and never die!

Spiritual thirst is built by God into every human heart. A thirsting and craving for God is a reversal of what the normal human being thirsts for. We need to note that righteousness is not a state of perfection. Rather it is a journey of walking hand in hand with God in the right direction with His divine approval. Look how the rest of the Sermon on the Mount describes how we are filled:

Spiritual satisfaction and filling is found in Laying up treasures in heaven instead of on earth (Matthew 6:20).
Spiritual satisfaction and filling is found in seeking first the kingdom of God and not being anxious (Matthew 6:33).
Spiritual satisfaction and filling is found in asking, seeking, and knocking (Matthew 7:7).
Spiritual satisfaction and filling is found in living by the Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12).
Spiritual satisfaction and filling is found in building your house on the solid rock of Jesus’ teachings (Matthew 7:24ff).

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Matthew 5:5 is the text for this sermon entitled, "The Third Beatitude: The Meek."

The Bible provides rich examples of the virtue known as "meekness". Curtis explores several examples in Matthew, in the rest of the New Testament, and then finally in the Old Testament that show the force of a person who controls their strength with compassion and forbearance. He describes 10 beautiful applications of this beatitude in our lives today.

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Matthew 5:4 is the text for this sermon entitled, "The Second Beatitude: Those Who Mourn."

What does the New Testament mean by the verb "to mourn"? We review the basic meaning of the Greek word and look at a number of verses that provide examples of mourning for the harm to or loss of people, tragic events, poor spiritual health, and sin.
- Mt. 9:15 wedding guests mourn when the bridegroom is taken away
- Mt. 24:30 tribulation of spiritual warfare
- I Cor. 5:2 sexual immorality

And what does Jesus promise to those who mourn? He offers the promise of God's comfort.
- Genesis 24:67 Isaac after his mother Sarah's death
- Psm. 23:4 Comfort of the shepherd and his tools
- Psm. 77:2 In the day of my trouble
- Psm. 119:50, 52, 76 God's promises, the rules of old, God's steadfast love
- Mt. 2:18 The death of the male infants ages 0-2 years
- Acts 9:31 The church experienced peace
- 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 sharing in Christ's sufferings and comfort
- 2 Corinthians 13:11 Christians should comfort one another

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Matthew 5:1-3 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount & First Beatitude: The Poor in Spirit.

The purpose of the lesson is to help us embrace the “kingdom mindset” that sees the world differently on behalf of Jesus. A person poor in spirit is one whose humility characterizes the heart of discipleship, who depend completely on God and His mercy. Totally missing is the notion of arrogantly relying on self alone. Jesus' own example of humility--from the King of Heaven to the One who stooped to heal, to comfort, to wash the feet of followers.

Note that the first and the last beatitude offer blessings tied to the kingdom of heaven, a bracketing that surrounds us in kingdom life. As the old hymn declares, "Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!"

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Matthew 4:23-28 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Jesus and the Crowds."

Jesus' ministry was in a very limited geographical area (Galilee, Decapolis, Judea, Jerusalem, trans-Jordan). His ministry was also teaching in their synagogues. In His ministry, He healed people who came to Him in crowds, towns, roads, etc. This healing was miraculous--immediate and indisputable! He healed the body, mind, soul, and relationships. In the gospel of Matthew more than the other three, the emphasis was on Jesus' interactions (ministry) with large crowds.

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Matthew 4:18-22 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Jesus Calls Four Fishermen."

Discipleship begins with answering the call. What does “Come, follow me” mean?
a. They had to leave the old life.
i.The called came immediately.
ii.They left boat, father, family.
b. English author A. B. Bruce called “The Training of the Twelve” asked the question, “What did Jesus do to train
the called Apostles?”
c. Great commission (Mt. 28 19-20) – Go into all the world and make disciples.
d. It includes teaching as planting seeds. You cannot reap a harvest unless you have planted seeds to grow a crop.

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Matthew 4:2-17 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Jesus, the Light-Bearer, Begins His Ministry."

The purpose of this lesson it to remind us to live out the ministry of being a “light-bearer” as we follow in the steps of Jesus. Being a light-bearer means:
A. We are attentive to the darkness and chaos around us.
B. We sometimes withdraw instead of confront.
C. We let our light shine in the power of the Spirit.
D. We carry our light straight into the darkness
E. We bear the message of the good news!

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Matthew 4:1-11 is the text for this sermon entitled, "The Temptation of Jesus."

We can successfully overcome temptation by following the pattern and example Jesus provided for us. This testing came right after He was baptized. This confrontation was a verbal battle between Jesus and Satan, in which the tempter tries to divert the obedient Son of God from his path. One Christian writer contends that the underlying aspect of the conflict between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of this world is the whole plot of the gospel of Matthew!

Jesus was led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit. He prepared for the battle ahead by fasting. Satan is pictured as Accuser (satan), tempter (pieradso), and devil (diabolos, accuser/slanderer/defamer). Later in Matthew we find out that Satan is also the “evil one” and Beelzebul/Lord of the flies. The devil tempted Jesus with three if statements, such as "If you are the Son of God..." and Jesus responded with scripture each time.

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Matthew 3:1-12 is the text for this sermon entitled, "John the Baptizer."

Note - Curtis skips chapter 2 to save it for the December sermons on Jesus' birth. John who is called 'the baptizer' could be referred to as the Harbinger of Hope. He cried out to the people to repent of their sins, for the Messiah was coming. He called them to be baptized in the Jordan River for repentance. His baptism was different from Jewish and Graeco-Roman ceremonial and ritual washings.

John was different from other Jewish teachers of the day. He lived outside the city, in the wilderness. He wore strange clothing and ate strange foods, all to accentuate that his message was very different from the traditional teachers. He, being a herald, was not the author of the news he proclaimed--the news came from God. John also fulfilled the prophecy in Isaiah 40:3, “A voice cries out in the wilderness..." Learn more about John's message and his promise that Another was coming soon!

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Matthew 1:1-17 is the text for this sermon entitled, "The Genealogy of Jesus."

Matthew turns a dull genealogy to a reasoned defense for the universal nature of evangelism and the good news! He lays out the case to demonstrate that the Christ-promising God worked through Israel’s history to bring about his divine purposes. We learn a great deal about God the Father from this genealogy.

Christ means the “Anointed One” or Messiah, a royal title rather than a last name. The Jewish Messianic expectation of the first century was a combination of Divine vindication against Israel’s enemies, and a military leader, the “Righteous One,” who lead Israel to final victory and conquest over Rome. Yet, Matthew must present a different Messiah as he records the ministry of Jesus.

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This sermon is an introduction to the Gospel of Matthew. We will work through a verse-by-verse study of the gospel, holding the second chapter in reserve for our services in December.

The word "Gospel" is in the title of the first four books of the New Testament, and it means "good news." Each gospel has a unique perspective and is directed toward a different audience, ensuring that we have the fullest picture of Jesus' life possible within the limitations of literature.

The theme of Matthew is "God with us," or Immanuel. It opens with preparation for discipeship and ends with the Great Commission. It addresses loneliness (humanity's need for connection with God) and moral center (a mission from Him). It was written for the church, likely between 70-80 AD.

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Revelation 14:1-5 is the text for this sermon entitled, "The Lamb and the 144000."

The number 144000, like the number of the beast, is symbolic rather than literal. God redeems the 144,000 from an irredeemable situation, and He separates them from those who are not redeemed. These redeemed are blameless! And yet they are not perfect humans, but rather they have been made into acceptable offerings. Only in Christ, and because of Christ can we stand faultless and blameless, not of our own accord!

Revelation 13:11-18 is the text for this sermon entitled, "The Number of the Beast-666."

The beast represents Satan's ways in our world. The good news is that satan is not triumphant against God's people. The number "666" is not literal, but symbolic. For Christians, this number is intended to make us aware that evil in high places can threaten our commitment to Christ! Instead, we look to Christ and the Word for spiritual truths and moral principles to live by.

Matthew 28:5-7 is the text for this sermon entitled, "He Is Risen."

Our text is Matthew 28:5-7. Listen to the old, old story of Jesus' resurrection from the dead and what it means for us today. Curtis takes us through the unique viewpoints of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John showing us how different people reacted to this miracle!

Revelation 12:10-12 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Triumph over Satan."

Our text today can motivate us to remember that the church and God’s people have and will ultimately triumph over Satan, the dragon. We will see what led to Satan's downfall and how we know he is defeated. Here are the four contributing factors:
1) Salvation - given to us by God on His throne and by His Lamb, Jesus.
2) Power - throughout Revelation, God is shown as radiant, shining like the sun, which is a symbol of his power and might.
3) Kingdom - God's kingdom pours out darkness over Satan's "kingdom" (Rev. 16:10)
4) Authority - God has all authority which led to Satan's downfall amd banishment from heaven (Rev. 12:7)

And so we see Satan, overthrown by God in this chapter! God hurls Satan down with force, violently displacing him from his former position in God's throne room. The signs of his fall are the blood of the Lamb and the testimony of witnesses. The witnesses accepted their own mortality knowing that everlasting security awaits them. The heavens rejoice over Satan's defeat and God's triumph!

Revelation 13:1-10 is the text for this sermon entitled, "God's People Stand Their Ground."

We learn from our biblical text abut the First Beast, and what it takes to stand up to him. This first beast (representing Satan’s ways in the world) are not ultimately triumphant against God’s people. The passage also reminds us that persecution and hard times will definitely come. Then it asks the question: are we ready? John's vision affirms that there is indeed a way to stand up to the beast who is a spiritual bully cannot stand up to God.

Revelation 12:7-17 is the text for this sermon entitled, "The War in Heaven."

There is so much going on in this narrative about the war that broke out in heaven. There was in heaven an ongoing battle, not just a sudden war. In our text for today, Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. The dragon fought back. When we talk about Satan, he is pictured in Scripture as fighting back against God and his people. Satan is not going to take defeat lying down! This fighting back is, “warring against” someone.

People only fight about what is important to them. What here was important to Satan? We get two small clues in verse eight. He was not strong enough, and he lost his place in heaven. Three times in this narrative, we hear that Satan was hurled to the earth! The red dragon was defeated in heaven and hurled down to the earth in defeat with force, divine power, and intention. His heavenly presence is demoted to an earthly presence.

We get the picture over and over that Satan’s plans are always thwarted by God. No matter what Satan plans to do, God always outmaneuvers him!

Revelation 12:1-6 is the text for this sermon entitled, "The Woman, The Dragon, and the Child."

This section of book of Revelation shows us that the church and God’s people will be victorious over Satan, the dragon.
We read about that three characters who appear in this part of the vision: the woman, the child, and the dragon. First, the woman:
The woman is clothed with the sun, which symbolizes a heavenly nature (cf. 1:16; 10:1)
The phrase “under her feet” signifies dominion and authority over creation. (cf. Ps. 8:6; Mal. 4:3).
Cannot be literal Mary!
The woman may represent the entire Davidic line & prophetic fulfillment of Christ coming into the world.
Second, the Child:
The language in verse 5 echoes the messianic promise in Isaiah 7:14 that a virgin would bear a son named Immanuel.
The male child is Jesus.
Third, the Dragon:
“Dragon” (δράκων, drakon; note we get our English word “draconian” from this.
The same word in the Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) is used for serpent in Ex. 7:9; leviathan in Job 41:1; dragon in Jer. 51:34.
* In Rev. 2, the names Satan, Devil, Serpent, and Dragon are used interchangeably, with the goal of personifying the persecuting powers hostile to the church and Christians.

Revelation 11:15-19 is the text for this sermon entitled, "The Seventh Trumpet (God's Great Power to Reign)".

This passage in John's prophecy contrasts God's Kingdom with the kingdom of the world, a singular collection of all earthly kingdoms and what they represent). God will reign for ever and ever, in contrast to earthly kings that will reign only shortly. Note the significant statement that He “has begun to reign” must not be overlooked. This is the powerful note of encouragement in the midst of earthly kings and kingdoms acting as if their reigns are all powerful and will last forever!

We remember these things:
• God is already at work in his kingdom.
•Worship is thanksgiving to God for who He is & what he has done.
•Time has come for judgment, both wrath and reward
•Our God is a covenant God.
•God’s messages are serious, and he means what he says!

Revelation 11:1-14 is the text for this sermon entitled, "The Measuring Rod."

This passage recounts John's vision of the sixth trumpet sounding and the vision that comes with it. The vision is largely symbolic, not literal, and describes in sweeping terms what will happen to God's church. John received a measuring rod like a staff. God commands that John measure three things: the temple of God, the altar, and the people worshipping there. This lesson explores the message that Christians will undergo hardships, but they will be victorious in the end through God's grace.

Revelation 10 is the text for this sermon entitled, "The Mighty Angel and the Little Scroll."

When the first mighty angel appears in 5:2, he asks John who is worthy to open the sealed scroll. Once the seventh seal is opened (8:1), that scroll is not mentioned until this chapter 10. Now, the mighty angel holds the little scroll. After making an oath to heaven, the angel declares to John that time (chronos) will be no more.

Next, the voices of the 7 thunders speak. John is told not to write down these prophecies. But toward the end of Revelation, God commands John NOT to seal them up because the time is near. This refers to the distinct differences in the two types of prophecy. The ongoing spiritual warfare in this earthly life will go on until God's final judgment arrives and earthly time will end. John must write about that prophesy.

The sweetness of God’s word will sustain us and remain in us eternally, no matter what brief bitterness in this ungodly world initially results. The final prophecy is universal—the call of the gospel.

Revelation 9 is the text for this sermon entitled, "The Seal of God on Their Foreheads."

This passage teaches that being “marked” means we are one of God’s people, and we are protected from Satan and a sinful lifestyle. The Old Testament background for this imagery is found in Ezekiel 9:3-6 where only those with God's mark on their foreheads were spared death.

Interpreting this mark as baptism means we are identified as God’s people, imprinted with His Holy Spirit, waiting for the day of redemption, a deposit guaranteeing what is to come, and a firm foundation of belonging to the Lord and turning away from wickedness. It means we have repented.

Revelation 8 is the text for this sermon entitled, "All the Prayers of God's People."

Revelation 8 offers encouragement and hope by the image of the “prayer angel” bringing prayers of all the saints up before the throne of God. This angel stands in the throne room before God and in front of the altar. The angel brings the prayers before God and offers them with incense to God. The incense was given to the angel, who lit it with fire from the golden altar, all symbolizing the purity of this offering.

The offering of prayers sets the stage for seven angels with trumpets, heralding the events of spiritual warfare affecting part of the earth (1/3). The trumpeting angels are taking part in the judgment of the devil and his works.

Revelation chapter 7 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Washed in the Blood of the Lamb."

This chapter is the immediate answer to the question at the end of chapter 6: “For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can withstand it?” The answer is that the blood of the Lamb seals two groups:
(1) the faithful Jews, who followed God throughout their lives under the Old Testament law, and
(2) the world-wide multitude of believers who know and follow God under the new and final testament.

The chapter also refers to great tribulation that will come to believers, pressures to renounce the faith or suffer consequences. These times of spiritual warfare will come and go, and the faithful can take comfort that a crown and white robe await those faithful.

Revelation 6:1-17 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Opening the Six Seals."

The vision of the opening of the six seals represent God’s plan unfolding, even with the calamities and woes that come upon the earth. Note this chart:

Revelation 6 Matthew 24
1.False Christ (v.2)........................................False Christs (v.4-5)
2.Wars (v. 3-4) ..............................................Wars (v. 6-7)
3.Famine (v. 5-6)...........................................Famine (v. 7)
4.Pestilence (v. 7-8) ......................................Pestilence (in Luke)
5.Persecutions (v. 9-11).................................Persecutions (v. 9-10)
6.Earthquake, solar eclipse, ..........................Solar & lunar eclipse,
blood red moon, stars heavenly bodies shaken
falling (v.12-13) (v. 29)
7.Heavenly silence (8:1)................................Son of Man appears (v.30)

So we can see this close correlation between the first 6 seals and Jesus’ prediction of events to be fulfilled within a generation in the gospels. Today, in the face of unfathomable earthly events, God and the Lamb are in control.

Luke 1:1-20 is the text for this sermon entitled, "The Meaning of Christmas."

Curtis preached his 50th sermon on Christmas today, having completed his golden anniversary as a gospel minister. He asks and answers these seven questions:
1 - Is it even okay to celebrate Christmas?
2 - What do we make of this intersection between faith and culture?
3 - Why do we celebrate Jesus birth in the "Christmas season?
4 - What are some healthy spiritual practices that can be observed with Christmas?
5 - Why do we look forward to Christmas so much?
6 - What would happen if Christmas just disappeared?
7 -What is the core message of Christmas?

Revelation 4:1-11 is the text for this sermon entitled, "In Heaven's Throne Room (You Are Worthy, Lord)."

This fourth chapter of the book of Revelation has been called a picture of heaven's throne room. Curtis looks at the powerful imagry of John's vision and shows us what we Christians today can learn from the worship that is done in heaven. Everything centers on God and praising his power, glory, honor and giving thanks to him. The acts of worship that we often focus on (teaching, praying, giving, communion, singing, etc.) are acceptable channels of worship, but our entire focus should be on God.

We are now invited into God's presence without needing a priest to intervene for us. Jesus has broken down that barrier and made each of us priests, welcome into the throne room. There we can worship the Almighty God, fully worthy of our adoration!

Revelation 3:14-21 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Laodicea, the Lukewarm Church."

From this passage, we learn that we should be self-aware as a church and ask the hard question as to whether or not we are lukewarm.This is the 7th and last of the letters to churches in Asia Minor that are included in Revelation. This collection has a collections of commendations and condemnations. There are also several commands, and all of these items are messages to the universal church of the Lord. Curtis goes over these lists and makes application.

In the end, Jesus counsels the Laodiceans to "buy refined gold" by learning from the martyrs tried with fire. They should wear white clothing by practicing purity and following the Lord's commands. And they need to put eye salve on their eyes, because they are seeing themselves as rich and righteous...but that's not what God is seeing.

Revelation 2:18-29 is the text for this sermon entitled, "To the Church in Thyatira."

The letter to Thyatira had both positives and negatives. The congregation was doing more then than at the beginning. However, they were tolerating the false prophet Jezebel. Thyatira needed to persevere and hold on in spite of Jezebel. If they decided to persevere, they would be victorious to the end and Jesus would give them "the morning star."

Revelation 3:7-13 is the text for this sermon entitled, "The church with an open door: Philadelphia."

Christ told John to write to the congregation in Philadelphia, a church which he said had an open door of opportunity. He acknowledges that they have little strength, but that they have not denied the name of Jesus! A huge problem for them was a group who had come claiming to be Jews, but who were not Jews. Jesus promises that the Philadelphia Christians will overcome and their enemies will fall at their feet, acknowledge that they are beloved of God.

Revelation 3:1-6 is the text for this sermon entitled, "A Church with a False Reputation: Sardis."

Jesus' letter to the church at Sardis teaches us that we need to be self-aware as a church. We must stand ready to hold on and persevere, knowing that God wants us to be alive and not dead spiritually.

Curtis goes over the history of the city of Sardis and summarizes the characteristics of the church that met in that city. The members of the church thought they were a thriving, alive congregation--but they were wrong. God saw things differently. Revelation calls on Sardis to wake up, to remember, to repent, and to be prepared for Jesus' return. The good news was that Sardis DID have some faithful people whose names are in the book of life and who wear robes of white. We today need to evaluate ourselves.

Revelation 2:12-17 is the text for this sermon entitled, "The Church Who Had a Faithful Witness: Pergamum."

In this Revelation passage, Jesus acknowledged the faithful witness of Antipas the martyr at Pergamum. He held Antipas up as a model for the church at Pergamum.

Curtis goes over the history of the city and the church in the first century AD. Revelation calls Sardis a place where "Satan had a throne." That fallen angel was active in the city, working to corrupt Christians and prevent the gospel from spreading. To counteract that, Jesus remembers the amazing faith of Antipas who died rather than deny Jesus. We need to have before us the stories of the martyrs to strengthen and give us courage.

Revelation 5:1-5 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Who Is Able to Open the Scroll?"

John continues with the scene in the throne room of heaven, showing the hand of God holding out a scroll sealed with seven seals. Curtis discusses the significance of seven seals in first century AD life, securing an important document such as a contract or a deed. Jesus Christ is worthy to open the seals and come into an inheritance of the Earth. Satan will no longer be the "prince of the powers of the air." He is defeated. Christ is the victor!

Revelation 1:12-16 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Vision of a Son of Man."

This passage shows us the importance of Christ who is the conqueror in a world of evil. His portrayal as a ‘son of man” in John’s vision in chapter one demonstrates his sovereign rule.

This son of man image…(picturing the risen Lord)
1. Portrays the unique incarnation/resurrected Jesus
2. Portrays his presence among the lampstands
3. Portrays him garbed in his priestly robe
4. Portrays his commanding presence
5. Portrays his paraphernalia with destiny and accountability in mind

Revelation 2:1-7 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Abandoning our First Love: The Church in Ephesus."

Christ lists several positive things about the Ephesian church:
-Deeds, hard work, and perseverance
-Exposing false teachers
-Endured hardships, not grown weary
-Rejected the Nicolaitans
Yet, He also has negative thigs to say, as well:
-Lost their first love
As a result, if they do not repent and rekindle that original zeal, Jesus will remove their church's candle from the lampstand.

Revelation 2:8-11 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Message to the Church in Smyrna."

Christ's letter to the church in Smyrna urges us to be self-aware as a church and realize how rich we are! Smyrna was a small church that didn't realize how rich they were. Every church needs to be encouraged in face of its own obstacles and challenges, particularly when they are going through struggles. Smyrna was going through the trial of being slandered. They had people pretending to be Jews but who instead were satanic in nature. They were going to face persecution, but had no need to be afraid even unto death, because they would never suffer the "second death" which only comes to the lost soul.

They would wear the victor's crown, just as we will.

Revelation 1:9-11 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Exiled and in the Spirit."

In today’s lesson, we will look at the emphasis on John, the writer of the book. We learn from our biblical text at least four significant things about John that help set the stage for our entering into his world of prophetic visions.
1. He was exiled.
2. He was "in the spirit" on the Lord's Day.
3. He was to take actions: See, hear, write, send the experience.
4. He lived in a time where Rome opposed Christianity.

May God grant us the wisdom, courage, and steadfastness of faith to let His divine power give us what we need to live a life of blessedness in the face of opposition and challenges.

Revelation 1:4-8 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Jesus the Almighty".

This lesson helps us to understand the Almighty power of Jesus and how it becomes the basis of our own faithfulness.

John is identified as the author of the book, and he gives us the detail that he is banished on the Isle of Patmos for his belief and teachings about Jesus (persecuted). He also identifies himself as a servant of the Lord. Jesus tells him that He cares about the seven churches and will use a 9-part structure to pronounce an assessment of these churches. Jesus, as the message giver, demonstrates his love for the churches, His forgiveness for their mistakes as He rescues them from Satan. That rescue means every saved Christian becomes a part of the Kingdom.

John ends his prologue with a doxology praising Jesus Christ, our redeemer, as the Alpha and Omega, eternal God.

Our new study of the book of Revelation starts with this lesson. Revelation 1:1-3 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Worthy Art Thou!"

As we carefully and prayerfully walk our way through the book of Revelation we will be answering these questions:
1.What is a revelation? How does understanding Jewish apocalyptic literature help us understand it?
2.Who is Jesus Christ in the book of Revelation?
3.What role do angels play in the book?
4.Who is this servant John and why is he on the isle of Patmos?
5.What does it mean to testify about Jesus?
6.What are the sevenfold blessings in Revelation, and how I can claim them?
7.What is the significance of specific numbers used?
8.What does the phrase “the time is near” mean?
9.Is the book of Revelation only about the past, or only about the future?
10.Why is the book of Revelation at the end of the Bible canon?
11.Why is the book of Revelation so often misunderstood and misused?
12.Historically, what are the main systems of interpretation toward the book of Revelation?
13.John testifies to what he saw. What do we make of his visions and dreams?
14.What was going on in the 7 churches of Asia that prompted this revelation?
15.Are we to interpret the book of Revelation literally or figuratively, or at times both?
16.How is the cataclysmic battle between good and evil portrayed in the book of Revelation?
17.How does Satan operate in the book of Revelation, and what is his destiny?
18.How can we understand the book of Revelation when it seems to have repetition and new material all woven together?
19.When was the book of Revelation written--late 60s or 90s of the first century?
20.What is the new heaven and new earth?
21.What are the end times like?
22.Specifically, how does the book of Revelation offer hope for us today?

Mark 1:40-45 is the text for this sermon entitled, "The Compassion of Jesus"

Good news spreads quickly! This story of Jesus cleansing a leper demonstates the compassion of Jesus. Compassion is more than empathy. The leper came to Jesus humbly, kneeling, and broken in body and spirit. He beseeched help and needed comfort. This impacted the Savior and He touched the sick man. He was willing to do what most others wouldn not do. Throughout Mark, we read of Jesus "touching and being touched". May God give us the courage to offer the compassion of Jesus to those in need.

2 Peter 3:17-18 is the text for our final sermon in the 2 Peter series and is entitled, "Take Care and Grow."

Spiritual stability is the goal of Christian daily living. What does spiritual stability mean and how do we achieve it? It means having knowledge and experience to be prepared for what life may bring us, and being so well-founded in the faith that we won't be carried away by error. We achieve this stability by growing in grace and knowledge, and by living a "doxological life" of praise to God.

2 Peter 3:11-14 is the text for this sermon entitled, "What sort of Persons Ought You To Be?"

Peter urges that we allow the coming "Day of the Lord" (the end times) to be our inspiration for living the kind of lives we ought to live. We live intentionally to the glory of God, and by the power of His Spirit, and the power of the risen Lord, we choose to live lives of:
holiness,
godliness,
patient waiting,
without moral spot or blemish,
at peace.

2 Peter 3:5-10 is the text for this sermon entitled, "The Day of the Lord."

Peter write to Christians about five significant things about the Day of the Lord, filled with good news for believers:
1.We anticipate with joy the day of the Lord knowing it is on his timetable.
2.We rest in peace knowing God’s promise will be fulfilled.
3.We sense the heart of God and his desire that all come to him with a believing repentant heart.
4.Unlike those without faith, we will not let the day of the Lord come upon us a thief in the night.
5.The day of the Lord ushers in the new heaven and the new earth.

2 Peter 1:10-11 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Make a Diligent Effort in Christian Virtues." The word "diligent" means to make haste, to be diligent, to be eager, to be zealous; to exert oneself with a strong endeavor. The result, Peter tells us, is that we will be able to confirm our calling and never to stumble. Today's lesson focuses on the four important things that our diligence affords us:

1. Confirms our calling
2. Confirms our election
3. Is the actual practice of the Christian virtues
4. Is richly provided with an eternal welcome

2 Peter 1:8-9 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Abounding in These Things." Peter shows us that we must supplement our faith with the Christian virtues because when we possess these things, they can keep us from being spiritually "off," or lacking spiritual growth. We learn four specific reasons that we need to possess the Christian virtues we've studied the past few weeks.

1. Keeps us from being ineffective
2. Keeps us from being unproductive
3. Keeps us from being nearsighted and blind
4. Keeps us from forgetting

2 Peter 1:5-7 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Adding to our Faith—Christian Virtues (3)."

Faith can become so used up, challenged, confronted, overworked, etc., that if not supplemented can lead to atrophy. This is a muscular metaphor. Actually, in the next verse or two, Peter will use an ocular metaphor! Some have seen a progression of these last three virtues, with agape being the crowning jewel.

We supplement our faith with godliness.
2.We supplement our faith with brotherly affection.
3.We supplement our faith with agape love.

2 Peter 1:6 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Adding to our Faith—Christian Virtues (2)." Peter builds on his theme of supplementing our faith by adding the virtues of self-control and patience.

Self-control is a fruit of the spirit and Christians do well to apply self-control in the areas of sexual appetites, food, emotion, and our language. The virtue of patience, or endurance, entails remaining in Christ despite the challenges that come our way in life. God does not always rescue us, rather God enables us to ‘remain under” or endure what we are going through!

2 Peter 1:5 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Supplementing Our Faith." Peter writes about how important it is to build up our faith by supplementing it with virtue and knowledge.

Since God has used His divine power to give us the gift of life and godliness and rescued us from the corruption of the fallen world, we need to work to maintain our spiritual health. We must seek growth with all earnestness. How? By working to grow in virtue and knowledge. And of course, the list will continue in the next verses.

Virtue is moral goodness and purity where the inner and outer person reflect the image of Christ. Knowledge is intelligence and understanding the truths that God has revealed to us in the Bible. But it is more than just knowing about it. It goes beyond conceptual knowledge into experience with the truth, having applied the concepts to our everyday lives.

2 Peter 1:4 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Absolutely Terrific Promises!" God’s divine power has granted to us precious and very great promises.
1.God’s promise of love
2.God’s promise of presence. I will be with you always and never forsake you.
3.God’s promise of fellowship with others.
4.Covenant with the earth—rainbow, no more universal flood
5.Covenant with Christ—baptism, forgiveness of sin and brought into relationship with God.
6.New heavens and new earth/heaven
7.Always a way out of temptations!

2 Peter 1:3 is the text for this sermon entitled, "His Divine Power Has Granted to Us." God’s divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness. Peter's purpose is to stimulate wholesome thinking—this is crucial to a healthy spiritual life as represented by “deep knowledge”.

This single verse informs us of seven things:
1) God has divine power.
2) God freely grants things to us.
3)God has granted "all things."
4) God has granted what pertains to life.
5) God has granted what pertains to godliness.
6) This granting comes through a deep knowledge of Him.
7) This granting is to those who have been called.

James 5:7-11 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Patient Endurance in Suffering."

The book of James tells us how important it is to possess the virtue of patient endurance when we are going through suffering. We learn five Bible truths about endurance:
(1) This patient endurance helps us wait for the Lord’s coming
(2) This patient endurance helps us in our relationships with one another.
(3) This patient endurance helps us in the face of suffering.
(4) This patient endurance is best illustrated by the prophets and Job.
(5) This patient endurance comes from the Lord.

James 5:1-6 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Injustice and the Ears of the Almighty."

James teaches that God cares about how we get our money/wealth/riches and what we do with it. This almost always involves other people, so there is a strong religious center to the entire topic of business dealings. God cares when people are victimized and treated unjustly so that someone else can become rich.

As the lesson concludes, we realize that it does make a profound difference in our Christian life how we handle money, how we handle people, and how we bring the two together.

2 Peter 1:1-2 is the text for this sermon entitled "A Like Precious Faith."

This like precious faith will have three overarching themes that will be developed in various ways throughout Peter’s letter.
(1) Reminder of the content of our faith.
(2) Ethics—how we live out faith in view of the end times.
(3) Heresy—contending for the faith (similar to Jude) and watching out for threats that could distort the faith.

James 4:11-12 is the Bible text for this sermon entitled, "Who Are You To Judge Your Neighbor?"

Judging is the basis of slander, as we see in Proverbs 10:18, “Whoever conceals hatred with lying lips and spreads slander is a fool.” Note what James wrote earlier in 2:8, "If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.” When we come to Jesus, embracing the converting power of the gospel through the cross, and the Spirit of God is living in us, we give up all claims to judge others.

All judging is to be replaced with the royal law!

James 4:1-3 is the text for this sermon entitled, Why Do Some of Our Prayers Go Unanswered?

We need to have a vibrant prayer life that is correctly focused on serving God and others, instead of being viewed as an online wish list where we can order what we want, and angelic Amazon service delivers to our front door whatever we want. A.Motives in our prayer life are crucial. Selfish motives involved in prayer do not help us grow spiritually.

If some of our prayers go unanswered because of the fact that our relationships are terrible, we force answers instead of waiting on God, we ask with wrong motives, or we don’t even pray…then what is the answer? The answer to this question anticipates James 5:16, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”

James 3:13-18 is the text for this sermon entitled Two Kinds of Wisdom.

It is a huge step in the life of wisdom and spiritual growth to own up (don’t deny the truth) that we are harboring a bad thought toward another person, and planning on doing something against them. James uses three words to describe this kind of “wisdom”—earthly, unspiritual, demonic. The opposite is true of heavenly wisdom, as James concludes that the fruit of this wisdom is, "peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness."

Peace is something we actively pursue, not just long for. The life of wisdom from above is able to make peace with others, bringing order and goodness to lives messy with earthly, unspiritual, demonic lives.

James 5:13-20 is the text for this sermon entitled, "The Prayer of Faith."

This is the final lesson in our series on the book of James. Here, Curtis urged us to pray all the time, no matter the circumstances. James asks four questions, and the answer to each is, "The prayer of faith." He asks, "Is any among you in trouble? Is any among you happy? Is any among you sick? Is any among you wandering away from the Lord?"

James 2:14-26 is the text for this lesson entitled, "Living Faith". In this passage, James contrasts a living, useful faith with a dead, useless faith. Living faith responds to the needs of others and is not satisfied with well-meaning words that are not followed up with commitment to be involved.

So, our faith is not something we just have or hold. Instead, we embrace faith as a way of life that responds and is not satisfied with just a claim!

James 3:1-12 is the text for this 12th lesson in the James series, entitled "Can the Tongue Be Tamed?" This is probably one of the most important lesson ever on Christian living! We can extend James’ definition of true, useful, and valuable religion to this: "True religion watches its tongue to bless others and praise God.”

This lesson recognizes the power of the spoken word. James focuses on the negative so we can see the need for the positive!

James 2:8-13 is the text for this sermon entitled "Mercy Triumphs Over Judgment."

James tells us that God's royal law provides for mercy over judgment. There is a difference between doing right things and being a right person, one who cares for the priorities of the kingdom. Jesus faced religious leaders who did not have mercy. It is quite extraordinary, and almost unbelievable, that he stirred up so much controversy with the Jewish leaders every time he engaged in an act of mercy that did not meet their criteria! G.Jesus offers mercy to those who feel that they are not worthy of such forgiveness and acceptance.

James 2:1-7 is the text for this sermon entitled "Favoritism Forbidden."

This passage urges us to realize how important it is as we live out our daily Christian life not being guilty of favoritism. From the time we become Christians, we lose our lens of discrimination: Galatians 3:28 teaches “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Text of the lesson is James 4:13-17 for the sermon entitled, "A New Year's Message."

Because this sermon fell on New Year's Day 2023, Curtis skipped forward in James to chapter 4 verses 13-17. We remember to temper our prayers with humility and ask for God's will to be applied in greater measure than our own limited, human viewpoint. Only in this way will our plans be blessed by divine wisdom.

James 1:26-27 was the text for this lesson entitled, "What Is Real Religion?" Curtis spoke on this topic to remind us all that real religion takes into account our “word-life” and our reaching out to the less fortunate, as well as keeping ourselves unspotted from the world. We must guard against merely "appearing" to be religious, because that makes us more useless than a car without wheels. We must keep ourselves pure, and we must help the helpless.

Text: John 20:11-12, Jesus Lives! Curtis explored the tender history of Mary Magdalene meeting Jesus in the garden of the cemetery where Jesus' body had been laid. But the body wasn't there, and the emotional impacts went from despair and discouragement to exaltation and rejoicing.

Text: James 5:12

In his letter to Christians, James reminded believers that their way of life should be based on true honesty where a simple 'Yes' or 'No' means just that. As God's people we do not need to and should not call upon any basis for swearing to back up our communications.

Texts: Matthew 28:5-7; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:6. He has been raised and is living still! The proclamation of the resurrection of Jesus is central to our faith. This lesson looks at the 6 basic proclamations in which the resurrection of Jesus functions as the foundation of our faith. Because Jesus really was raised from the dead by God, human
history has forever been changed. Fundamentally, Easter is a proclamation, and today we want to highlight 6 basic proclamations we never want to forget!

This proclamation affirms the sovereign will of God being fulfilled.
This proclamation means it is a past event with current impact.
This proclamation was made by those who actually saw the empty grave.
This proclamation is one of triumphant victory.
This proclamation is one of faithful memory.
This proclamation is one of work and worship.

Text: Hebrews 5:1-10. One of the roles Jesus held in his Earthly Life is described in this text as being a priest "after the order of Melchizedek." God had called this man, Melchizedek, to be a High Priest long before God's written laws established that a High Priest must not only be from the tribe of Levi, but must be specifically in the lineage of Aaron, brother of Moses. This tells us that Jesus (who was in the lineage of Judah, not Levi), was also a special high priest similarly called by God. Both were called prophets, priests, and kings.

Priesthood was designed by God to be Representational (of the spirituality of the people), Presentational (to relay God's truth to the people), Sacrificial (offer sacrifices for sin on behalf of the people), and Pastoral (dealing with people with empathy that is not too severe and not too tolerant). We see Jesus's earthly life of prayer as frequent, fervent, reverent and submissive.

Text: Hebrews 5:11-14. Don't Be Sluggish! The purpose of this lesson is to be reminded that when enough time passes, we should be mature enough in our faith to teach the word. The word used in Hebrews is translated here as "sluggish" and was used to talk about the numb limbs of a sick lion. If we are spiritually sick because we've neglected opportunities to grow and work, we will be ineffective. Laziness is too tame a word, although laziness might be the motivating factor behind the lack of growth. It is vital to grow in our Christian lives.

The writer of Hebrews notes that he is concerned that their sluggishness may keep the readers from understand this spiritual meaning. If Christians never grow in understanding, they won't be able to teach others. Some of the basic principles are listed in chapter six verse one:

Repentance from dead works (Old Testament law)
Faith toward God.
Instructions on washings/baptisms
The laying on of hands
Resurrection of the dead
Eternal judgment
Above list not meant to be exhaustive

Finally, we read that the lack of growth is compared to babies who need milk versus older children and adults who need meat and heartier food to grow. This mature Christian is described as someone who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

Text Hebrews 4:14-16. Hebrews calls Jesus our "High Priest" who can sympathize with us because he lived a fully vulnerable human life, tempted as we are. One result of this mysterious and amazing life--divinity plus humanity in one being--we can approach the throne of Heaven with confidence, assured of a loving response to our faith, our needs. So, we can hold fast, firmly, take hold of, never let go of our faith.

Text Hebrews 4:12-13. The purpose of this lesson is to remind us that the Word of God is embodied in Jesus, energized by his Spirit, and revealed in His Word. That word is active, and alive! This lesson looks at the essential nature of the Word of God. It is energized by the Spirit and embodied by Jesus. There are four things unique to Scripture coming from God. The Word of God is (1) living/active, (2) penetrating, (3) judges us, and (4) exposes sin!

Text Hebrews 4:1-11. The purpose of this lesson is to motivate us make every effort to enter into the rest God has provided.

The lesson examines six specific ways that we can think about the promise of entering the rest God has offered us. God rested from his labors in the creation. The Law of Moses established the Sabbath day of rest for the Jewish faithful. Today, in the Christian Age, the promise stands sure that our rest is waiting for us in the next life.

Text Hebrews 3:7-19.

Many “testings” in the Bible occurred in the wilderness. Sometimes it is God’s people testing God. And sometimes it is God’s people being tested in the wilderness.

Why did such momentous occasions occur in the wilderness? In this lesson we learn that the “fathers” of Israel tested God in the wilderness for 40 years. All during those years, they saw God’s works and abundant provisions. However, they griped, grumbled, hardened their hearts, and became rebellious. Today, let us remember that we who share in Christ can recognize the "wilderness" of trial and choose to lean on the Lord and on each other.

Text Hebrews 3:1-6.

Today we are asked to consider and choose from many options. Every advertisement asks us to consider a certain brand or lifestyle decision. The most important thing we will ever consider is Jesus.

This section of the book of Hebrews calls Jesus our Apostle, meaning that He came to earth on a mission for His Father. Jesus is our high priest (2:7). He appeases God's wrath against sin. We can see in Jesus God's sympathy with our weaknesses, having known what it is like to walk on earth as a human being.

Text Hebrews 2:10-18.

Jesus came to earth and was physically born to a virgin, Mary, fulfilling all of God's prophecies and promises to send us a Messiah. He came as the Son of God, the only being to leave the throne of heaven to become a little lower than then angels: fully human and yet divine. Because of this miracle of "God among us," Jesus is our brother. This is an enormous achievement, an incredible gift. He was born of a woman, and at the end of his earthly life, he experienced physical death. Then God brought Him back to physical life by resurrecting him from the grave, a second birth.

Text Hebrews 2:1-4.
God's last will and testament describes His biggest blessing, the graceful offer of salvation for all sinners who decide to follow Him. This is the only path, the single effective way, His has given to provide a home in heaven for every person who has sinned. What happens to the one who rejects this offered mercy?

Text Hebrews 1:5-24.

A look at the role of faithful angels, those that did not follow Satan in that rebellion against God's sovereignty but remained faithful to God. God has charged these faithful angels with, among other tasks, ministering to humankind, especially the faithful Christians.

Text Hebrews 1:1-4.

We begin our study of the book of Hebrews with some introductory material on the book itself. This book is a rich study that shows how the Old Testament scriptures points to the New Law of the Spirit that opened with the life, death, and resurrection of the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

These first four verses of the text beautifully describe God's view of the timeline of His communication with humankind in this physical world. First, God spoke His will to the patriarchs (heads of families) and prophets so they could relay orally the word of God. Then God through Moses gave us a written law. And finally, God sent a Son to bring a law of the Spirit. Hebrews opens with God's perspective of Jesus as the final revelation of His will and word.

Jesus is unchanging and His name is supreme.

Welcome to our podcast, Manna from the Mountain.

As we begin a new year, Curtis disusses the text, Isaiah 43:18-21, where the Lord declares that he is doing a new thing. This year we will be studying the book of Hebrews, beginning next week. The theme of the study is Jesus, He who never changes.