Counter Culture

The Persecuted

March 13, 2022 • Sean Gasperetti • Matthew 5:10–12

Jesus knew a thing or two about hatred. He was spit on, beaten, whipped, called names, lied about, brutalized, and murdered. If Jesus himself - the most loving, compassionate, inspiring, generous person to ever walk the earth - knew this kind of rejection, so will we.

The Peacemakers

March 6, 2022 • Curtis Hall • Matthew 5:9

We, by nature, don’t want someone ruling our lives, but the only way to have peace in this world is by having peace with God. As we reconcile ourselves to God, we must also reconcile with those around us.

Pure In Heart

February 20, 2022 • Piko Neal • Matthew 5:8

This week, we unpack what Jesus meant when he said, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God" (Matthew 5:8).

The Merciful

February 13, 2022 • Sean Gasperetti • Matthew 5:7

Mercy is a central component to God’s nature. Because God is a merciful God, it means your failure doesn’t get the final word! Because we've received God's mercy, He invites us to extend that mercy to others. The whole point of the Christian life is that the character of Jesus will be reproduced in our lives.

Those Who Hunger and Thirst

February 6, 2022 • Sean Gasperetti • Matthew 5:6

There’s something that happens to us when we turn our lives over to Jesus. We begin to realize that the things we craved before Christ could never ultimately satisfy. We begin to see just how fueled our hearts have been by cravings that lead us nowhere (the need for approval, experiencing pleasure, achieving promotion, the allure of a pain-free, comfortable life). The counter-cultural reality for Christians is not that our blessing is found in chasing satisfaction, it’s found in our pursuit of God who is our ultimate satisfaction!

The Humble

January 30, 2022 • Sean Gasperetti • Matthew 5:5

We’re not called to be the most powerful, the most wealthy, the most influential in the world’s eyes - we’re called to be humble. To Jesus, humility doesn’t look like being on top or being the best. It doesn’t look like boasting in your strength, or bringing attention to yourself - that’s not where blessing lies. At the end of the day, Jesus is clear that the way of humility is the way to victory in our relationships, in our workplaces, and ultimately, in the Kingdom.

Those Who Mourn

January 23, 2022 • Sean Gasperetti • Matthew 5:4

The radical, moral vision of the upside-down kingdom of God is that rather than celebrating sin, or simply living apathetically towards it, we would mourn it. When we get real about where things are at, and particularly, where we’re personally at, that’s where God shows up and ushers in comfort that we won’t find anywhere else.

The Poor in Spirit

January 16, 2022 • Sean Gasperetti • Matthew 5:3

There is blessing in realizing you're broken. That's not just some self-help affirmation. This is the way of Jesus.

Introduction to the Greatest Sermon

January 9, 2022 • Sean Gasperetti • Matthew 5:1–12

This week, we began a new series, “Counter Culture” looking at perhaps the most famous words recorded from the mouth of Jesus Christ known as “The Sermon on the Mount” recorded in Matthew’s Gospel, chapters 5-7. Before both spectator and disciple, Jesus sat down to teach what participation in God’s Kingdom actually looks like. The Sermon on the Mount is not just some moral code that can be applied across cultures regardless of religious affiliation. If you want to follow Jesus, what you need to realize is that he’s not interested in you following some legalistic system of morality, rather, recognizing and responding to your need for new life that can only be found in him.

Matthew 5:1-12