Blessed
The Beatitudes
Blessed are the Persecuted
November 26, 2023 • Todd Nettleton • Matthew 5:10–11, Acts 5:41
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.” —Matthew 5:10-11 This is not a blessing for which we often pray, but Jesus knew persecution would come to many who follow Him. Persecution is real, and it is happening today around the world. Watch/listen as Todd Nettleton, from The Voice of the Martyrs, tells stories of real life people experiencing imprisonment or worse because of their faith in Jesus. Todd's message will give you hope and stretch you in ways you didn't expect.
Blessed are the Peacemakers
November 19, 2023 • Chris Taylor • Matthew 5:9, 2 Corinthians 5:18–21, Romans 12:15–21
God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. —Matthew 5:9 This beatitude is not talking about those who live in a peaceful manner, but those who bring about real, lasting peace, those who work to bring people to Jesus so that they can live in peace with God. As Christians, we are called to bring peace to the world. Watch this message by Director of Worship Arts Chris Taylor to see how and why we should bring peace to the world.
I Want to See God!
November 12, 2023 • Jeff Maness • Philippians 3:12–21, Matthew 5:8, Leviticus 20:8
God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. —Matthew 5:8 Everyone wants to see God, and if you are in Christ, you will see Him in heaven. But those that are pure in heart will see God now, here on Earth. So how do I make my heart pure? The answer is: you can't. A pure heart is received from Jesus, not achieved for Jesus. It's not based on what you do. Our hearts are made pure only by shed blood of Jesus, by accepting His sacrifice for our sin. But just because only God can give us a pure heart, does not mean there aren't expectations to live a pure life. Watch/listen to "I Want to See God!" to find out what those expectations are and see how we live up to them.
Lord Have Mercy
November 5, 2023 • Jeff Maness • Matthew 6:14–15, Matthew 5:7, Proverbs 19:17, Matthew 25:40, James 2:13
Mercy is more than an attitude, it is an action toward others, fueled by love. Jesus taught us to love one another and to show mercy to others, just as the Father has shown mercy to us. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, "God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy" (Matthew 5:7 NLT). There are over 2,000 passages in the Bible that say God wants us to take care of, feed, and clothe, those that need it. Forgiveness is also part of showing mercy to another, as is sharing our faith with others. Watch/listen to this message, "Lord Have Mercy" in which Pastor Jeff Maness addresses showing mercy to others and how it blesses us when we do.
Satisfy the Crave
October 29, 2023 • Jeff Maness • Matthew 5:6, Psalm 63, Psalm 42:1–2, Psalm 119, John 17:17
We all have cravings from time to time, and we try to appease those cravings (within reason). But even following our most heartfelt longing doesn't really leave us feeling satisfied. It is only in seeking God's righteousness will that we can be filled and truly, deeply satisfied. In this message we talk about the fourth Beatitude: "God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice (righteousness), for they will be satisfied." —(Matthew 5:6). Watch/listen as Pastor Jeff Maness teaches what it looks like to seek after righteousness, and the benefits that come from this journey.
Meant to be Meek
October 22, 2023 • Jeff Maness • Matthew 5:5, 1 Peter 5:5–11, Matthew 16:24–26
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. -- Matthew 5:5 (NKJV) Meekness is generally equated with weakness, but it means quite the opposite. Meekness is power under control. Being meek is not the same as being weak; it is demonstrating God’s power under control. At any time on the way to the cross, or even from the cross, Jesus could have used His power to call down legions of angels to defend him. But He didn't. This is meekness. It took unimaginable strength to take the punishment for our sins when He, Himself, was completely innocent. Watch this message, "Meant to be Meek", to see what it looks like to be meek in this world. After you do, you may ask God to show you these three things: 🔹 Where in my life do I need to be clothed in humility? 🔹 What worry or care in my life do I need to cast upon You? 🔹 What part of my life do I need to let go of in order to follow You?
Blessed In Our Mourning
October 15, 2023 • Jeff Maness • 2 Corinthians 1:3–11, Psalm 34:18, Psalm 56:8, Psalm 103:10, Matthew 5:4
The second Beatitude in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount is: "God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted." (Matthew 5:4 NLT) The Greek word for mourn here is Penthéō, and it means, "To grieve over a death; to grieve over a personal hope that dies. A manifested grief so severe it takes possession of a person and cannot be hid." Have you felt this way? Are you grieving now? In this message, Senior Pastor Jeff Maness teaches that God doesn’t always stop what causes our mourning, but He does always want to comfort us in it. Watch and see the ways God comforts us in our mourning, and find out why He doesn't just fix the cause of it.
Blessed with Poverty
October 8, 2023 • Jeff Maness • Matthew 5:3–10, Colossians 1:15–17, Romans 11:36, John 15:5, Ephesians 1:3
Everyone wants to be happy. Everyone wants to be blessed. Jesus presented some values that describe a life that is blessed. The problem is, these values are not of this world. They are upside down and backwards. In this series we’re going to walk through eight values Jesus taught called “The Beatitudes”. These eight values lay out the pathway for those who desire to live "ᗡƎSSƎ⅂ꓭ.” At the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives us the most important point first, that we are to be poor in spirit. In this message first message of the series, Senior Pastor Jeff Maness explains what it means to be "poor in spirit" and gives us ways to examine ourselves to see if we possess the poverty required to gain the Kingdom of Heaven. “God blesses those who are poor in spirit and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.” —Matthew 5:3