The Mountain Message

Firm Foundation

October 22, 2023 • Josh Rollins • Matthew 7:24–29

The Mountain Message : Recognized

October 15, 2023

Mountain Message- The Two Ways

October 8, 2023

Ask, Seek, Knock

October 1, 2023 • Tim Wilmetti • Matthew 7:7–11

God wants to give good things to those who ask, but we need to be careful what we ask for. We should always pray for God's will to be done and we should always seek first His kingdom. Jesus just finished telling the crowd that they should lay up treasure in heaven and that God will provide for our needs. God does not promise to answer every prayer, but He desires to give us good things. Sometimes, He's just waiting for us to ask.

Judge Not!

September 24, 2023 • Tim Wilmetti • Matthew 7:1–6

Jesus calls His followers to avoid a judgmental spirit. While we're certainly expected to decide if actions are morally good or evil, we're not to be condemning. After all, all of us have fallen short of God's glory. Rather, we seek to demonstrate grace to those who are lost in sinful behavior.

Treasures

September 10, 2023 • Tim Wilmetti • Matthew 6:19–24

Jesus wants the crowd to consider what they treasure in life. Are they living for God and the treasure of heaven that awaits those who have been saved by His grace through faith? Or are they trying to build heaven on earth, which will ultimately pass away?

When You Pray...

September 3, 2023 • Tim Wilmetti • Matthew 6:7–15

Jesus explains that we should not pray in a manner that draws attention to ourselves, nor in an effort to persuade God to get what we want. We pray to ask for God's help, not to control Him. Jesus teaches those in the crowd to pray in a manner that demonstrates both our intimacy with God and our reverence. We're to pray for God's will to be done, our needs to be met, and for strength as we face the challenges of an earthly life.

For Glory or God?

August 27, 2023 • Tim Wilmetti • Matthew 6:16–18, Matthew 6:1–6

Jesus calls us to practice our righteousness or our spiritual disciplines in a private, not public way. If we're not careful, we might end up using our piety to glorify ourselves rather than our God. These practices are meant to honor and draw us closer to Him, not draw attention to ourselves. If we do these things to be recognized by others, then they have no other purpose in God's eyes.

An Uncommon Love

August 20, 2023 • Tim Wilmetti • Matthew 5:43–48

Jesus calls His followers to not just love those who love them, but to love even their enemies. This is an uncommon love. It's not instinctive. But this supernatural love is what makes God so good and holy, and it's a quality that He desires from His children. He loves everyone, even those who reject Him and rebel against Him, and we're meant to do the same.

Unresistant

August 13, 2023 • Tim Wilmetti • Matthew 5:38–42

Disciples of Jesus should be prepared to endure the evil actions of individuals with a positive attitude, not with retaliation. We should be more concerned with the person than with our honor, our materials, or our time and energy. We should willingly give help to those who ask us for it.

A Simple Yes or No

August 6, 2023 • Josh Rollins • Matthew 5:33–37

Mountain Message: From Two to One

July 30, 2023 • Tim Wilmetti • Matthew 5:31–32

God created marriage to be a lifelong covenant between a man and a woman, but in our falleness we have failed to honor His design. We need to take marriage seriously and recognize that it is a prosperous partnership. Most importantly, we need to recognize how a marital relationship reveals Jesus' relationship with the church.

Root Causes

July 23, 2023 • Tim Wilmetti • Matthew 5:27–30

Jesus explains that the root cause of outward sexual sin is the inward desires of our hearts. If we look at someone with lust, we have already committed adultery with them in our hearts. If we want to avoid sinful behavior, we must first address the root. Jesus calls us to pursue sexual purity by cutting off anything that causes us to sin. In that way, we can better worship our Creator and not that which He has created.

The Mountain Message: Be Reconciled

July 16, 2023 • Matthew 5:21–26

Jesus emphasizes the commandment "Do Not Murder" but delves deeper into its essence, addressing the root cause - anger. He urges followers to seek reconciliation with others, highlighting the transformative power of love and understanding in creating a harmonious community. Jesus' message goes beyond mere laws, but reflects his own reconcilation with us through the cross.

Fulfill Not Abolish

July 9, 2023 • Matthew 5:17–20

Jesus said He did not come to abolish the Law and the Prophets, but to fulfill them. As His followers, Christians cannot unhitch themselves from the Old Testament. Rather, we look back on how God revealed Jesus through the Law and Prophets. The Law and Prophets still have their purpose as God's revelation, but ultimate it's faith in Jesus that makes us righteous before God.