1 00:00:00,666 --> 00:00:02,400 Good morning church. 2 00:00:02,400 --> 00:00:04,333 How's everyone doing? 3 00:00:04,333 --> 00:00:04,933 Good. 4 00:00:04,933 --> 00:00:07,433 Happy Sunday. 5 00:00:07,433 --> 00:00:09,633 If we have not met yet, my name is Michael. 6 00:00:09,633 --> 00:00:11,833 I'm on the team here at flipside. 7 00:00:11,833 --> 00:00:14,833 I serve our kids and youth. 8 00:00:15,166 --> 00:00:15,733 And it's actually. 9 00:00:15,733 --> 00:00:18,133 I've been here a year in July, which has been pretty cool. 10 00:00:18,133 --> 00:00:19,100 And so 11 00:00:19,100 --> 00:00:22,633 the first event I went to was a food bank service day, which we are doing tomorrow. 12 00:00:22,633 --> 00:00:24,333 And so crazy how time flies. 13 00:00:24,333 --> 00:00:26,233 Already been a year. 14 00:00:26,233 --> 00:00:27,766 But Pastor Carl is out of town. 15 00:00:27,766 --> 00:00:30,066 He is visiting grandkids. 16 00:00:30,066 --> 00:00:31,766 And so I said this the first year. 17 00:00:31,766 --> 00:00:34,766 I'm going to say it every time I'm up here is just my little bit of immaturity. 18 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:37,633 Send him a text if you have his number right now. 19 00:00:37,633 --> 00:00:40,233 I would love for him to get 30 texts this morning. 20 00:00:40,233 --> 00:00:42,133 And so just to kind of bother him and annoy him, 21 00:00:42,133 --> 00:00:43,766 but let him know you're thinking about him. You care for him? 22 00:00:45,300 --> 00:00:47,200 This morning, though, we're going to take a brief pause 23 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:51,000 from our current series, and we're going to jump into the Gospel of Matthew. 24 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:54,766 So if you have your Bibles or your smartphones, open up to Matthew five, 25 00:00:55,500 --> 00:00:58,833 Matthew chapter five, we're going to we're going to sit in this morning 26 00:00:58,833 --> 00:00:59,900 the sermon on the Mount. 27 00:00:59,900 --> 00:01:02,900 At least we're going to introduce it. 28 00:01:03,566 --> 00:01:06,566 We're going to talk about three things. 29 00:01:06,566 --> 00:01:09,766 The Beatitudes or these blessings that Jesus talks about. 30 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:13,566 And we're going to talk about salt, and we're going to talk about light. 31 00:01:15,300 --> 00:01:16,633 And really, 32 00:01:16,633 --> 00:01:19,933 what kind of prompted this doing this one off, although I hope it continues. 33 00:01:19,933 --> 00:01:20,100 Right. 34 00:01:20,100 --> 00:01:21,866 My challenge is that we don't just sit in this morning, 35 00:01:21,866 --> 00:01:24,533 but you will continue in Matthew in the coming weeks. 36 00:01:25,766 --> 00:01:26,900 Is the you and I my oldest? 37 00:01:26,900 --> 00:01:28,500 We I usually put him to bed 38 00:01:28,500 --> 00:01:30,633 and we'll do some kind of Debo will read from his Bible. 39 00:01:30,633 --> 00:01:32,400 We'll open up one of the devotionals he has, 40 00:01:32,400 --> 00:01:34,100 or we'll just read the verse today. 41 00:01:34,100 --> 00:01:34,866 And a couple weeks ago. 42 00:01:34,866 --> 00:01:37,466 And when Pascale hit me up about teaching, 43 00:01:37,466 --> 00:01:40,000 every day was Matthew, it was Matthew, Matthew, Matthew, Matthew. 44 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:42,633 And so our high schoolers and I, we went through the sermon 45 00:01:42,633 --> 00:01:44,833 on the Mount last fall, and we sat in it for three months. 46 00:01:44,833 --> 00:01:46,300 It was awesome, right? 47 00:01:46,300 --> 00:01:47,700 Just these red letter texts 48 00:01:47,700 --> 00:01:51,066 that Jesus has words on, on what it means to follow him. 49 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:55,500 And I thought it was so impactful and such a challenge. 50 00:01:55,500 --> 00:01:57,700 And so this morning, that's my my heart. 51 00:01:57,700 --> 00:01:59,800 There are two things I hope we could walk away with. 52 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:02,466 The first is that we'd have a value of Scripture. 53 00:02:02,466 --> 00:02:04,200 We have a heart for it. 54 00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:08,033 And the second is that we would understand what it means to follow Jesus. 55 00:02:08,033 --> 00:02:08,333 Right? 56 00:02:08,333 --> 00:02:11,333 That Jesus is challenging us in this text and saying, hey, it's not a mystery. 57 00:02:11,333 --> 00:02:14,533 And what I what I expect of you, what I, what I ask of you, it's right here. 58 00:02:14,766 --> 00:02:15,000 Right. 59 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:18,000 And so we're going to say it in Matthew five this morning. 60 00:02:18,233 --> 00:02:20,466 Eight Beatitudes and then salt and light. 61 00:02:20,466 --> 00:02:22,200 But here's the question that has been thrown in my head. 62 00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:23,366 Really for like 20 years. 63 00:02:24,633 --> 00:02:27,633 And it's why I want to start this morning. 64 00:02:27,700 --> 00:02:29,100 As I became a believer in high school. 65 00:02:29,100 --> 00:02:31,966 But, you know, there's not a ton of depth there. 66 00:02:31,966 --> 00:02:35,100 But but that's kind of when this faith journey started for me 67 00:02:35,533 --> 00:02:37,566 and this question all the way again, is elementary. 68 00:02:37,566 --> 00:02:40,400 It's kind of morphed and changed how I interact with it throughout the years. 69 00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:43,000 And I'll put it on the screen for you to look at. 70 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:44,533 It's this. And what does it look like? 71 00:02:44,533 --> 00:02:47,533 What does it feel like and what does it sound like to follow Jesus? 72 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:50,500 Again, kind of elementary, but I'm talking about like 73 00:02:50,500 --> 00:02:53,500 all in chips in the middle, like win or bust. 74 00:02:53,933 --> 00:02:54,866 Go home. 75 00:02:54,866 --> 00:02:56,466 What does it look like? Or does it feel like? 76 00:02:56,466 --> 00:03:00,066 And what does it sound like to follow Jesus with everything, 77 00:03:00,466 --> 00:03:02,000 every single second of every single day? 78 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:05,433 There's a dependance on him for for the thoughts you have 79 00:03:05,433 --> 00:03:07,833 and the actions you take. And just whatever you're doing in life. 80 00:03:09,666 --> 00:03:11,966 And so blessings salt and light. 81 00:03:11,966 --> 00:03:14,700 But kind of to 82 00:03:14,700 --> 00:03:16,566 position us well or posture us well. 83 00:03:16,566 --> 00:03:18,900 There's a couple of things I want to throw on the screen for you to think about. 84 00:03:18,900 --> 00:03:21,800 So, Pastor Carl and I, we're processing this week is this idea 85 00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:25,633 that Matthew five through seven there Kingdom values. 86 00:03:25,866 --> 00:03:28,100 But you might hear that phrase a lot at Flipside Kingdom 87 00:03:28,100 --> 00:03:29,833 that it doesn't mean to be a part of this kingdom 88 00:03:29,833 --> 00:03:31,700 when we're in the world, but not of this world. 89 00:03:31,700 --> 00:03:36,933 So five, six and seven are kingdom values, not cultural virtues, right? 90 00:03:36,933 --> 00:03:39,933 What culture says on what the kingdom and the values are, and what 91 00:03:40,066 --> 00:03:43,066 Scripture shares are very different. 92 00:03:43,066 --> 00:03:45,533 And the sermon on the Mount is not about chasing blessings, 93 00:03:45,533 --> 00:03:47,900 although that's where Jesus starts these beatitudes, 94 00:03:47,900 --> 00:03:51,533 but becoming the kind of person that God blesses, right? 95 00:03:51,533 --> 00:03:53,533 That we look more like Jesus every day. 96 00:03:53,533 --> 00:03:56,966 And in that way we live a fulfilled life, not a perfect life or always happy life, 97 00:03:56,966 --> 00:03:59,866 but a fulfilled life. I would say a blessed life. 98 00:03:59,866 --> 00:04:01,500 But as we go through these eight, you're going to 99 00:04:01,500 --> 00:04:03,733 you're going to realize that they're not what the world says. 100 00:04:03,733 --> 00:04:04,366 It's not, 101 00:04:04,366 --> 00:04:06,833 oh, you're so blessed with the house in the car and the kids 102 00:04:06,833 --> 00:04:08,866 and the health and the vacations and the whatever. 103 00:04:08,866 --> 00:04:11,433 Those things are amazing, right? They're such a blessing. 104 00:04:11,433 --> 00:04:12,733 But Jesus is talking about 105 00:04:12,733 --> 00:04:15,966 what it means to be blessed and live a blessed lifestyle. 106 00:04:16,466 --> 00:04:19,466 And so that's we're going to talk about, this morning. 107 00:04:20,333 --> 00:04:22,800 And before we do, though, again, I want to kind of set this up, God, 108 00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:24,300 to be kind of stirring in my heart. 109 00:04:24,300 --> 00:04:27,800 This idea about our primary call in life. 110 00:04:28,233 --> 00:04:30,166 I think for a long time I've always struggled with what's my 111 00:04:30,166 --> 00:04:31,566 what's God's will for me. 112 00:04:31,566 --> 00:04:33,366 Right. We pray, father, your kingdom come. 113 00:04:33,366 --> 00:04:36,166 Your will be done on earth or in my life as it is in heaven, right? 114 00:04:36,166 --> 00:04:38,300 And so I try to give my career to the Lord. 115 00:04:38,300 --> 00:04:39,866 And I think I've stumbled a lot with 116 00:04:40,833 --> 00:04:43,666 like, what is God's call for me professionally? 117 00:04:43,666 --> 00:04:46,266 And that's when I'm living in God's will is when I'm in that role 118 00:04:46,266 --> 00:04:49,766 or I have that status, or I have a check that box or achieve this 119 00:04:50,100 --> 00:04:51,600 something in life. 120 00:04:51,600 --> 00:04:54,000 And I realized that I was missing it, I think, the whole time, 121 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:56,466 and this is our primary call, this is the Lord's will for our lives. 122 00:04:56,466 --> 00:04:59,466 It's it's our primary call for intimacy with the father, 123 00:04:59,533 --> 00:05:02,300 a closeness to him and a dependance on him. 124 00:05:02,300 --> 00:05:07,233 That's our primary call in life, not our ministry role, not the job that we have. 125 00:05:07,233 --> 00:05:10,200 Although we may still be living in God's will for us professionally. 126 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:12,266 I hope you are. 127 00:05:12,266 --> 00:05:15,066 But don't get stuck that when I get to that job or that promotion 128 00:05:15,066 --> 00:05:17,100 or I can check that box, then I'm living in God's will. 129 00:05:17,100 --> 00:05:17,333 Know. 130 00:05:17,333 --> 00:05:20,600 Don't miss the life that's happening all along, right? 131 00:05:20,666 --> 00:05:23,633 Living in God's will means a dependance on him and 132 00:05:23,633 --> 00:05:26,966 and a knowledge that His Word is beneficial to you. 133 00:05:29,700 --> 00:05:32,566 And I think one way in which we have that intimacy with God, 134 00:05:32,566 --> 00:05:36,100 one way in which we we draw near, is through God's word. 135 00:05:36,400 --> 00:05:38,166 Right? We need to know what God says. 136 00:05:38,166 --> 00:05:39,233 We didn't know how he interact 137 00:05:39,233 --> 00:05:42,233 with his creation, how he talked about us, how he views us. 138 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:46,200 We need to know God's voice. 139 00:05:47,266 --> 00:05:49,300 My father in law, he's sitting in the back, right? 140 00:05:49,300 --> 00:05:52,333 He used to ask a really funny question when we were in high school. 141 00:05:52,666 --> 00:05:54,400 We had a Tuesday night Bible study 142 00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:57,400 and he would he would ask, What's God's favorite flavor of ice cream? 143 00:05:57,900 --> 00:05:59,500 It was a silly question, the dumb question. 144 00:05:59,500 --> 00:06:03,366 But it gets to the heart of, do you know God's voice? 145 00:06:03,366 --> 00:06:04,800 Do you know God's character? 146 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:07,800 Do you know him intimately enough where you would know his favorite flavor 147 00:06:07,800 --> 00:06:10,800 of ice cream? Right? As silly as that is. 148 00:06:11,366 --> 00:06:14,033 And that's the kind of intimacy we need with God. 149 00:06:14,033 --> 00:06:18,033 A very close nearness where we can say, yeah, I know, I know what he likes. 150 00:06:18,500 --> 00:06:19,800 I know how he speaks. 151 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:20,833 I know what he says. 152 00:06:20,833 --> 00:06:23,833 I know his posture towards me, what he wants of me, what he does not want for me. 153 00:06:23,866 --> 00:06:27,933 I know these things because I meditate on his word day and night. 154 00:06:29,466 --> 00:06:32,633 And so that's my hope that we walk away this morning with a value of Scripture, 155 00:06:32,633 --> 00:06:35,633 a view of Scripture that is beneficial to you. 156 00:06:35,733 --> 00:06:38,733 And then also when it kind of looks like to live 157 00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:41,466 this very challenging walk as a believer, because the sermon on 158 00:06:41,466 --> 00:06:44,633 the Mount is not easy, it is challenging for sure. 159 00:06:45,900 --> 00:06:48,866 So eight blessings, eight beatitudes here. 160 00:06:48,866 --> 00:06:52,266 This is the sermon on the Mount is the longest recorded sermon that Jesus gave 161 00:06:53,500 --> 00:06:57,333 it. And what I love is he's talking to his disciples, right? 162 00:06:57,333 --> 00:06:58,433 But it's not just the disciples. 163 00:06:58,433 --> 00:06:59,966 2000 years ago, anyone in the room? 164 00:06:59,966 --> 00:07:02,033 This is Jesus, the Lord and Savior. 165 00:07:02,033 --> 00:07:04,600 He is my Redeemer, right? 166 00:07:04,600 --> 00:07:06,000 He has made me new. 167 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:07,333 You are his disciple. 168 00:07:07,333 --> 00:07:09,600 And so in that way he is speaking directly to you. 169 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:13,266 I believe in Matthew five six and seven and I thought, we have to know this text. 170 00:07:14,100 --> 00:07:16,133 We have to have to have to. 171 00:07:16,133 --> 00:07:19,866 And if I can humbly say this right, and if I could speak for Jesus, it's 172 00:07:19,866 --> 00:07:21,000 I think he's saying this. 173 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:24,433 You say, Michael, if you want to follow me, this is the standard. 174 00:07:25,633 --> 00:07:26,200 This is the standard. 175 00:07:26,200 --> 00:07:27,966 Matthew five, Matthew six, Matthew seven. 176 00:07:27,966 --> 00:07:31,200 This is the standard for following me and living a fulfilled life. 177 00:07:31,866 --> 00:07:32,066 Right? 178 00:07:32,066 --> 00:07:35,066 Because if you just look at the just the tops of these text, right. 179 00:07:35,066 --> 00:07:37,700 Salt and light talks about murder, adultery, divorce, 180 00:07:37,700 --> 00:07:41,433 oaths, eye for an eye, loving your enemy, prayer, fasting, worrying. 181 00:07:41,433 --> 00:07:42,500 Judging. 182 00:07:42,500 --> 00:07:44,666 True and false prophets, true and false disciples. 183 00:07:44,666 --> 00:07:47,500 He taught touches on the wise and the foolish builders. 184 00:07:47,500 --> 00:07:50,000 He touches on everything that we're going to interact with in this world. 185 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:50,300 Right? 186 00:07:50,300 --> 00:07:52,400 All the things we're going to rub up against, not the process. 187 00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:53,900 As believers. 188 00:07:53,900 --> 00:07:56,933 And so it is the standard at which you're called to live. 189 00:07:56,933 --> 00:07:58,700 If you're a follower of Jesus right here. 190 00:07:58,700 --> 00:08:01,166 So don't miss this text. 191 00:08:01,166 --> 00:08:04,233 I think we should come back to this every single year at minimum annually, 192 00:08:04,233 --> 00:08:06,233 every July. Just make it put on your calendar. 193 00:08:06,233 --> 00:08:07,366 Sermon on the Mount. 194 00:08:07,366 --> 00:08:08,700 Sermon on the Mount, sermon on the Mount. 195 00:08:08,700 --> 00:08:09,700 Come back to it. 196 00:08:09,700 --> 00:08:12,433 Because here's what Pastor God told me this week I've been processing it. 197 00:08:12,433 --> 00:08:14,366 Is that the sermon on the Mount? 198 00:08:14,366 --> 00:08:17,366 It's a radical redefinition of what it means to be blessed. 199 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:19,933 Right? Radical redefinition of what it means to be blessed. 200 00:08:19,933 --> 00:08:22,500 Again, we think of like these external things 201 00:08:22,500 --> 00:08:24,366 that we can acquire, and that's not a blessing. 202 00:08:24,366 --> 00:08:26,433 Those are just fun parts of life. 203 00:08:27,400 --> 00:08:27,866 Right? 204 00:08:27,866 --> 00:08:31,800 But these these blessed statements, they're not positions we earn. 205 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:33,600 We don't earn them from God. 206 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:35,066 They're just postures that we embrace. 207 00:08:35,066 --> 00:08:38,566 We try to live out every day and we're walking and doing and, 208 00:08:39,166 --> 00:08:42,266 you know, taking on, you know, with joy the responsibilities God's given us. 209 00:08:43,166 --> 00:08:45,600 And so eight, eight Beatitudes, eight characteristics. 210 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:46,500 It's a package deal, though. 211 00:08:46,500 --> 00:08:49,733 You can't all look at this one three, five all or nothing. 212 00:08:49,733 --> 00:08:52,433 Right. This is what it means to live a blessed life. 213 00:08:52,433 --> 00:08:54,900 What it means to live a fulfilled life. 214 00:08:54,900 --> 00:08:56,966 And so let's jump in. 215 00:08:56,966 --> 00:09:00,233 The first one Jesus highlights is Matthew five three 216 00:09:00,433 --> 00:09:03,500 says, blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 217 00:09:04,200 --> 00:09:07,566 I think Jesus starts here so wisely and intentionally. 218 00:09:08,300 --> 00:09:11,400 Blessed are the poor in spirit I mean sync with me. 219 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:13,500 I think Jesus wants us to start with this. 220 00:09:13,500 --> 00:09:16,500 This view and understanding of how desperately we need him. 221 00:09:16,733 --> 00:09:20,666 There's a desperate dependance on Jesus because think for a second, right? 222 00:09:20,666 --> 00:09:22,866 How how Jesus has made you new. He's transformed you. 223 00:09:22,866 --> 00:09:24,800 He's changed your outlook on life and who you become. 224 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:26,766 And you just what you do in life. 225 00:09:26,766 --> 00:09:28,633 Now remove that spirit. 226 00:09:28,633 --> 00:09:31,200 We would be the poorest of the poor. 227 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:34,200 There is nothing good I can do in this world apart from Jesus 228 00:09:34,266 --> 00:09:35,766 and the Holy Spirit working through me. 229 00:09:35,766 --> 00:09:37,133 Nothing, nothing, nothing. 230 00:09:37,133 --> 00:09:41,133 If I would be fully empty and without hope, right? 231 00:09:41,400 --> 00:09:45,600 And so in that it is blessed to acknowledge my huge and overwhelming 232 00:09:45,600 --> 00:09:48,733 dependance and need for Jesus and need for the Holy Spirit. 233 00:09:49,433 --> 00:09:52,766 And so we need to just say yes, it is a blessing to be poor in spirit 234 00:09:52,766 --> 00:09:55,933 because I need to acknowledge and live in the reality 235 00:09:55,933 --> 00:09:59,866 of how much I need Jesus every second of every day. 236 00:10:00,766 --> 00:10:01,900 That we need to embrace the idea. 237 00:10:01,900 --> 00:10:03,600 That's all you and none of me. 238 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:06,233 All the good I do is you and all the bad I do with me. 239 00:10:06,233 --> 00:10:08,433 All the selfish I do is me. We are poor in spirit 240 00:10:09,433 --> 00:10:11,300 and it just highlights this desperate need 241 00:10:11,300 --> 00:10:14,500 for Jesus, this desperate need for the Holy Spirit, his guidance 242 00:10:15,633 --> 00:10:16,633 and in his encouragement. 243 00:10:16,633 --> 00:10:18,000 So I love that Jesus starts here. 244 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:19,500 So you hate me, me, me, me. 245 00:10:19,500 --> 00:10:20,200 It's all about me. 246 00:10:20,200 --> 00:10:23,200 You need me to live this life well, 247 00:10:23,700 --> 00:10:25,866 second beatitude 248 00:10:25,866 --> 00:10:29,066 again, these are blessings that are not always part of what we view. 249 00:10:29,066 --> 00:10:32,066 But it says, blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 250 00:10:32,333 --> 00:10:33,366 We all mourn. 251 00:10:33,366 --> 00:10:34,800 You may be even in a season of mourning. 252 00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:38,666 Now mourning just angel transition or loss of a loved one or something 253 00:10:38,666 --> 00:10:40,600 that is just different in life. 254 00:10:40,600 --> 00:10:43,600 And what's interesting here, I think, is 255 00:10:43,733 --> 00:10:46,933 it's how we respond when we're mourning, right? 256 00:10:46,933 --> 00:10:49,933 As believers, we're called to mourn with hope, right? 257 00:10:50,033 --> 00:10:51,933 Because we have salvation, we have eternity. 258 00:10:51,933 --> 00:10:54,300 We have a future apart from this world. 259 00:10:54,300 --> 00:10:57,300 And so we mourn with hope. 260 00:10:57,433 --> 00:10:59,400 We certainly have to get the tears out. We have the process. 261 00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:03,600 We don't want our mourning to Lord over us and control us in that way. 262 00:11:04,533 --> 00:11:07,066 We have to give it to God 263 00:11:07,066 --> 00:11:10,100 and allow him to transform whatever we're going through. 264 00:11:11,333 --> 00:11:14,333 And I think as I process mourning really well biblically, 265 00:11:14,866 --> 00:11:17,866 I think of of just believing two things. 266 00:11:17,900 --> 00:11:21,933 First is that God is good because if he is good, then I can mourn with hope. 267 00:11:22,533 --> 00:11:27,133 And the second is believing that God is always working right. 268 00:11:27,133 --> 00:11:30,033 Scripture talks of the invisible hand of God where we see him working in real time. 269 00:11:30,033 --> 00:11:30,900 We feel the spirit. 270 00:11:30,900 --> 00:11:32,133 We feel God's encouragement. 271 00:11:32,133 --> 00:11:33,766 We can see him bring people into our lives 272 00:11:33,766 --> 00:11:36,666 and the church, the sermon, the teaching, whatever it is. Right? 273 00:11:36,666 --> 00:11:38,100 But then we often look back, 274 00:11:38,100 --> 00:11:39,533 right 2020 vision when we see like, 275 00:11:39,533 --> 00:11:42,000 oh God, was just working things out the whole time. 276 00:11:42,000 --> 00:11:43,500 But if you believe that he was working there 277 00:11:43,500 --> 00:11:46,500 and we can look back and see, then he was working the whole time, we missed it. 278 00:11:47,033 --> 00:11:50,033 And so we can believe that God is good always. 279 00:11:50,366 --> 00:11:53,033 And if we can believe that he's always working things out, 280 00:11:53,033 --> 00:11:54,300 then we can mourn with hope, 281 00:11:55,266 --> 00:11:56,100 because there's never a season 282 00:11:56,100 --> 00:11:59,100 or a second that God is not still working things out. 283 00:12:00,066 --> 00:12:03,166 I heard one pastor say, God can take a crooked stick 284 00:12:03,600 --> 00:12:06,433 and continue with his straight path, right? 285 00:12:06,433 --> 00:12:10,166 Our sinful desires, our sinful world, he takes the brokenness, but his path 286 00:12:10,166 --> 00:12:13,166 and what he wants is still going to be accomplished. 287 00:12:13,500 --> 00:12:16,833 And so we can mourn with hope because God is good and he's working things out. 288 00:12:16,900 --> 00:12:19,900 We can mourn with hope. 289 00:12:20,700 --> 00:12:22,633 The third beatitude, 290 00:12:22,633 --> 00:12:25,933 this blessing that Jesus highlights is is blessed are the meek. 291 00:12:26,466 --> 00:12:26,933 Pascal. 292 00:12:26,933 --> 00:12:29,133 I had a pretty good conversation about this one. 293 00:12:29,133 --> 00:12:31,866 Blessed are the meek, for they won't hurt the earth, right? Meek. 294 00:12:31,866 --> 00:12:34,866 Biblically it is strength under control, 295 00:12:35,333 --> 00:12:37,800 strength under control. 296 00:12:37,800 --> 00:12:39,133 And so we don't have to be weak. 297 00:12:39,133 --> 00:12:42,133 It's not meek and weak, it's we have strength, 298 00:12:42,466 --> 00:12:45,466 but we're going to be mindful of how we use that strength. 299 00:12:46,033 --> 00:12:48,233 It's not wielding power against others, 300 00:12:50,033 --> 00:12:51,133 although sometimes we might want to. 301 00:12:51,133 --> 00:12:51,600 Right? 302 00:12:51,600 --> 00:12:54,600 It's fun to have power, authority, and to be in control, 303 00:12:55,700 --> 00:12:57,166 but it's strength under control. 304 00:12:57,166 --> 00:12:59,666 So as believers, we should be strong. 305 00:12:59,666 --> 00:13:00,966 We should be confident. 306 00:13:00,966 --> 00:13:03,233 We shouldn't be shy or bashful or weak. 307 00:13:03,233 --> 00:13:03,666 Not at all. 308 00:13:03,666 --> 00:13:06,333 Like we have the the God of the universe who speaks. 309 00:13:06,333 --> 00:13:08,766 And this whole thing gets going living in us. 310 00:13:08,766 --> 00:13:11,766 We should be biblically strong. 311 00:13:12,900 --> 00:13:15,000 Pastor Carl said, when the when culture crowns 312 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:18,000 the strong, Jesus blesses the surrendered. 313 00:13:18,500 --> 00:13:19,666 So even though we have that strength, 314 00:13:19,666 --> 00:13:21,900 we still surrendered to God's will in our lives. 315 00:13:21,900 --> 00:13:24,900 And we surrender to Scripture and what it says of us. 316 00:13:25,033 --> 00:13:26,166 I heard one pastor say, 317 00:13:26,166 --> 00:13:28,466 if we have a complaint with Scripture, we have a frustration. 318 00:13:28,466 --> 00:13:29,133 We don't agree with it. 319 00:13:29,133 --> 00:13:30,900 Then change your mind right? 320 00:13:30,900 --> 00:13:32,966 Change your mind because you're wrong. 321 00:13:34,900 --> 00:13:35,733 And so biblically, we're 322 00:13:35,733 --> 00:13:38,733 called to be meek, strong, but have self-control. 323 00:13:39,733 --> 00:13:42,833 Our fourth blessing that Jesus shares is five six. 324 00:13:42,833 --> 00:13:44,300 It says, blessed are the. 325 00:13:44,300 --> 00:13:47,633 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled 326 00:13:48,233 --> 00:13:49,200 is an interesting question 327 00:13:49,200 --> 00:13:52,200 I ask myself last couple of weeks is what do I hunger and thirst for? 328 00:13:52,400 --> 00:13:56,533 What are you constantly craving in life, or pursuing or viewing or wanting 329 00:13:56,533 --> 00:13:57,466 or just what are you? 330 00:13:57,466 --> 00:14:00,300 What do you hunger and thirst for in this world? Right? 331 00:14:00,300 --> 00:14:01,933 What has your attraction? What has your eye? 332 00:14:01,933 --> 00:14:03,866 What has your your your gaze like? 333 00:14:03,866 --> 00:14:05,000 What is it? 334 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:05,733 Not just bad things. 335 00:14:05,733 --> 00:14:08,633 Good is what is it across the board, right. 336 00:14:08,633 --> 00:14:12,600 The religious leaders, they back in Jesus's day, it was all me, me, me. 337 00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:14,200 Look at me. I'm doing it, I'm doing it, I'm doing it. 338 00:14:14,200 --> 00:14:16,466 Let us self righteousness, not righteousness. 339 00:14:16,466 --> 00:14:18,600 But Jesus says, blessed are those who hunger and thirst, 340 00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:20,466 and he is righteousness, right? 341 00:14:20,466 --> 00:14:25,333 So those who hunger and thirst for Jesus have this unquenchable thirst for Jesus. 342 00:14:25,333 --> 00:14:26,800 That's what what's what Jesus is saying here. 343 00:14:26,800 --> 00:14:30,466 I think that we want more of us and less of me. 344 00:14:30,933 --> 00:14:35,500 I want to hunger and thirst for you this unquenchable way 345 00:14:36,500 --> 00:14:38,300 where I need to wake up and spend time with you. 346 00:14:38,300 --> 00:14:41,366 I need to have lunch with and I need to go to bed and spend time with you. 347 00:14:41,366 --> 00:14:45,300 I just I need to hunger and thirst for the God of the universe 348 00:14:45,300 --> 00:14:48,300 who is good and always working things out 349 00:14:49,500 --> 00:14:49,800 right. 350 00:14:49,800 --> 00:14:52,900 Not a self righteous, but there's a righteousness. 351 00:14:52,900 --> 00:14:57,366 We just seek and desire and demand more of Jesus and less of me. 352 00:14:58,833 --> 00:15:02,033 Our fifth, fifth beatitude this morning is, five seven. 353 00:15:02,666 --> 00:15:03,500 Blessed are those 354 00:15:03,500 --> 00:15:07,000 who are, or blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 355 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:10,800 This one I think, is challenging as well, but I think it starts 356 00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:13,800 with this acknowledgment and this reality of 357 00:15:13,800 --> 00:15:16,900 of just a self-assessment of how much mercy I've been shown. 358 00:15:17,400 --> 00:15:18,766 We know the depth of our sin. 359 00:15:18,766 --> 00:15:21,566 We know the depth of our hurt and our frustration. 360 00:15:21,566 --> 00:15:24,566 We know the depth of our wickedness at times. 361 00:15:25,266 --> 00:15:30,000 And when we can sit and reflect and acknowledge how much mercy we've been shown, 362 00:15:31,300 --> 00:15:31,600 right. 363 00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:34,600 Even though it's difficult at times to to to give it out, 364 00:15:34,733 --> 00:15:37,733 we can't not just extend that out, 365 00:15:38,300 --> 00:15:38,833 right. 366 00:15:38,833 --> 00:15:41,833 We don't get to receive mercy and then not, not give it out. 367 00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:43,066 And so that's the challenge here 368 00:15:43,066 --> 00:15:46,833 because we are always quick to receive and not always quick to give, 369 00:15:47,266 --> 00:15:48,766 right? When it comes to mercy and grace 370 00:15:48,766 --> 00:15:51,766 and forgiveness, it's just not always our default. 371 00:15:52,566 --> 00:15:55,566 So we have to acknowledge how much mercy we've been shown, 372 00:15:56,133 --> 00:15:59,733 and let that just be an important reality for you so that you can extend it out 373 00:16:00,733 --> 00:16:03,600 to your wife, to your kids, to your your coworkers, your friend, 374 00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:04,833 your family, your neighbors. Right? 375 00:16:04,833 --> 00:16:05,900 Show that mercy. 376 00:16:05,900 --> 00:16:08,066 Extend that mercy. 377 00:16:08,066 --> 00:16:09,733 Right. 378 00:16:09,733 --> 00:16:12,733 The sixth this morning beatitude is Matthew five eight. 379 00:16:12,733 --> 00:16:14,400 It says, blessed are the pure in heart. 380 00:16:14,400 --> 00:16:16,433 Blessed are the pure in heart. 381 00:16:16,433 --> 00:16:18,000 For they will see God. 382 00:16:18,933 --> 00:16:20,466 I don't know about you, but I want to see God. 383 00:16:20,466 --> 00:16:22,200 A time 384 00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:25,800 and in as we process Pharisees and this lack of internal 385 00:16:25,933 --> 00:16:30,066 transformation, I think pure heart is all about the internal why do I do what I do? 386 00:16:30,066 --> 00:16:31,100 Why do I say what I say? 387 00:16:31,100 --> 00:16:33,600 Why do I think what I think, what I pursue, what I pursue, 388 00:16:33,600 --> 00:16:35,466 like, is just getting down to this base level 389 00:16:35,466 --> 00:16:38,566 of what is my motivation for all the things me. 390 00:16:39,333 --> 00:16:42,766 And if it's not Jesus and it's not for others, and it needs some tweaking 391 00:16:43,200 --> 00:16:46,433 and needs some adjusting, it needs, you know, a reconfiguration, 392 00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:49,566 inward transformation. 393 00:16:49,566 --> 00:16:52,033 I want to look more like Jesus and less like myself. 394 00:16:52,033 --> 00:16:56,533 I have to believe and actually like walk confidently in this reality 395 00:16:56,533 --> 00:17:00,733 that I am a new creation and you are all in Christ, a new creation. 396 00:17:00,966 --> 00:17:03,066 Scripture says the old has gone, the new has come. 397 00:17:03,066 --> 00:17:04,633 You're not even the same Michael anymore. 398 00:17:04,633 --> 00:17:05,800 You're not the same person anymore. 399 00:17:07,066 --> 00:17:10,066 And so live confidently in that reality 400 00:17:10,600 --> 00:17:11,800 and have a pure heart, right? 401 00:17:11,800 --> 00:17:13,633 And that's where it comes down to, I got to believe this, 402 00:17:13,633 --> 00:17:16,033 and I'll be confident because I have to walk in purity. 403 00:17:16,033 --> 00:17:18,100 The world's going to say, that would be fun and that would be cool. 404 00:17:18,100 --> 00:17:19,400 And you might really enjoy that, 405 00:17:19,400 --> 00:17:22,500 but it's not going to be a part of that fulfilled life. 406 00:17:22,500 --> 00:17:26,266 That's a roadmap of what it means to experience a blessed life 407 00:17:26,800 --> 00:17:29,366 according to the scriptures. 408 00:17:29,366 --> 00:17:30,133 So pure in heart. 409 00:17:30,133 --> 00:17:31,866 It's a challenge for us. 410 00:17:31,866 --> 00:17:34,933 Our seventh beatitude, our blessing this morning is is five nine. 411 00:17:34,933 --> 00:17:37,833 It says, blessed are the peacemakers. 412 00:17:37,833 --> 00:17:40,166 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 413 00:17:40,166 --> 00:17:42,833 I want that title a Child of God. 414 00:17:42,833 --> 00:17:44,666 Embrace that role in life. 415 00:17:46,333 --> 00:17:48,000 And so I think the challenge here, right? 416 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:51,500 I was talking with John B, he helped serve our junior highers on Sunday morning. 417 00:17:51,700 --> 00:17:53,400 He shared last week. 418 00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:57,200 He can't wait to hear the words, well done, my good and faithful servant. 419 00:17:57,200 --> 00:17:57,500 Right? 420 00:17:57,500 --> 00:18:00,833 What an embrace to hear that from the God of the universe who can speak 421 00:18:00,833 --> 00:18:04,566 and change and do insert himself in the humanity and died for us, like 422 00:18:05,133 --> 00:18:06,900 to hear that from him. 423 00:18:06,900 --> 00:18:09,900 There's nothing better you can experience. 424 00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:13,300 And so we have to look to him and say he is the ultimate peacemaker. 425 00:18:13,300 --> 00:18:15,500 He took the sting of death 426 00:18:15,500 --> 00:18:18,500 and the sting of sin away by going to the cross and dying for us. 427 00:18:18,766 --> 00:18:20,166 Jesus is the ultimate peacemaker. 428 00:18:20,166 --> 00:18:23,066 And so I think he's challenging us then to be peace, peaceable people. 429 00:18:23,066 --> 00:18:25,733 I mean, walk into our homes. Do we bring peace? 430 00:18:25,733 --> 00:18:27,200 Sometimes I do, and sometimes I don't. 431 00:18:28,500 --> 00:18:28,733 Right. 432 00:18:28,733 --> 00:18:29,700 And my sense of 433 00:18:29,700 --> 00:18:32,966 peace this morning, a sense of peace with our junior high students, my kids 434 00:18:33,666 --> 00:18:36,666 do I bring a sense of peace in the rooms that I'm in? 435 00:18:37,466 --> 00:18:40,900 That's a really challenging question, because if not, why not? 436 00:18:41,833 --> 00:18:42,733 What do we need to work on? 437 00:18:42,733 --> 00:18:43,566 What do we need to submit? 438 00:18:43,566 --> 00:18:46,566 What do we need to do differently, 439 00:18:46,566 --> 00:18:49,633 or call to facilitate peace and be peacemakers in this world? 440 00:18:51,100 --> 00:18:53,100 Again, in a world where we sometimes feel like you deserve 441 00:18:53,100 --> 00:18:56,866 what you got, why you made your bed, we're still called 442 00:18:56,866 --> 00:19:01,133 to forgive and extend mercy and grace and provide some level of peace. 443 00:19:01,600 --> 00:19:02,466 It's grace and truth. 444 00:19:02,466 --> 00:19:05,100 There's a there's there's a balance there. 445 00:19:05,100 --> 00:19:07,866 And then the last one wouldn't we wouldn't call this a blessing. 446 00:19:07,866 --> 00:19:12,266 But Jesus says, blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, 447 00:19:13,233 --> 00:19:16,133 for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, 448 00:19:16,133 --> 00:19:16,700 right? 449 00:19:16,700 --> 00:19:19,800 Fortunately, we live in a country where we don't face a lot of persecution 450 00:19:20,066 --> 00:19:21,100 for our faith. Right? 451 00:19:21,100 --> 00:19:24,766 We might get like a comment or a side eye or something here and there, but 452 00:19:24,900 --> 00:19:27,900 for the most part, we're not persecuted, and that's a blessing. 453 00:19:28,500 --> 00:19:30,633 But Jesus is saying, if you are persecuted, it's a blessing. 454 00:19:30,633 --> 00:19:32,500 And so I want more blessings. 455 00:19:32,500 --> 00:19:35,400 So if I have to be persecuted, I mean, I want to stand on and be next 456 00:19:35,400 --> 00:19:37,500 to that name of Jesus as much as I can, 457 00:19:37,500 --> 00:19:38,833 because again, it's going to make me a better 458 00:19:38,833 --> 00:19:40,933 me and I'm going to live a more fulfilled life. 459 00:19:40,933 --> 00:19:42,766 So if it's persecution, it's persecution. 460 00:19:42,766 --> 00:19:45,766 So maybe we should be ready for a little persecution in this life. 461 00:19:45,766 --> 00:19:47,700 As much as we don't want to experience pain, 462 00:19:49,033 --> 00:19:49,266 right? 463 00:19:49,266 --> 00:19:52,033 Jesus name, blessed are you because of righteous, because of me. 464 00:19:52,033 --> 00:19:53,233 Jesus saying because of mine. 465 00:19:53,233 --> 00:19:56,233 If you are attached to my name and you are persecuted, that is a blessing. 466 00:19:56,700 --> 00:19:58,300 Embrace it. 467 00:19:58,300 --> 00:20:01,300 Give it to me. 468 00:20:01,400 --> 00:20:04,900 And so as we think about blessings, as we think about persecution, 469 00:20:04,900 --> 00:20:06,233 if you think about what it means to walk 470 00:20:06,233 --> 00:20:08,200 this faith out this morning, I think I want, 471 00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:11,200 I want to I don't think we're going to sit in this idea of salt and light, 472 00:20:12,166 --> 00:20:13,933 salt and light. 473 00:20:13,933 --> 00:20:17,533 And it's interesting that Jesus calls us salt and he calls us light. 474 00:20:18,666 --> 00:20:20,600 We're going to read Matthew 475 00:20:20,600 --> 00:20:23,500 five verses 13 through 16. 476 00:20:23,500 --> 00:20:25,066 I'm on the screen for us. 477 00:20:25,066 --> 00:20:28,533 But this is the only time that Jesus uses this metaphor to describe us. 478 00:20:29,333 --> 00:20:32,733 He says, Michael or anyone else, you are the salt of the earth 479 00:20:33,900 --> 00:20:36,900 and you're the light of the world. 480 00:20:37,266 --> 00:20:38,966 And so here's what the text says. 481 00:20:38,966 --> 00:20:40,766 It says 482 00:20:40,766 --> 00:20:43,200 you are the salt of the earth. 483 00:20:43,200 --> 00:20:46,800 But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? 484 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:50,466 It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out 485 00:20:50,466 --> 00:20:53,466 and trampled underfoot. 486 00:20:53,866 --> 00:20:56,266 Verse 14 says, you are the light of the world. 487 00:20:56,266 --> 00:20:59,300 A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 488 00:20:59,900 --> 00:21:02,100 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. 489 00:21:02,100 --> 00:21:06,633 Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 490 00:21:07,533 --> 00:21:08,900 16 wraps up in the same way. 491 00:21:08,900 --> 00:21:12,233 Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds 492 00:21:12,533 --> 00:21:15,533 and glorify your father in heaven. 493 00:21:16,233 --> 00:21:18,166 Is. This is interesting. 494 00:21:19,433 --> 00:21:22,433 I think our call as believers 495 00:21:22,933 --> 00:21:27,133 is to influence and impact the world around us 496 00:21:28,200 --> 00:21:30,300 in the name of Jesus. That's our call. 497 00:21:30,300 --> 00:21:33,800 And I would even be bold enough to say that this is a mandate. 498 00:21:34,200 --> 00:21:35,833 It's not an option. 499 00:21:35,833 --> 00:21:39,700 He didn't say, Michael, will you think and pray about being light and being salt? 500 00:21:39,766 --> 00:21:40,800 He didn't say that, right? 501 00:21:40,800 --> 00:21:45,100 He said very specifically, you are salt, you are light. 502 00:21:45,100 --> 00:21:48,200 So the really honest, sobering question this morning 503 00:21:48,200 --> 00:21:51,200 is am I effective salt in my effective light. 504 00:21:51,966 --> 00:21:54,100 Right. That's the challenging piece. 505 00:21:54,100 --> 00:21:56,333 It's not a am I doing it? Am I not doing it? 506 00:21:56,333 --> 00:21:57,900 Should I do it should I not? You already are salt. 507 00:21:57,900 --> 00:21:59,066 You already are light. 508 00:21:59,066 --> 00:22:02,033 It's are you effective in those phases? 509 00:22:02,033 --> 00:22:03,900 Are you salty? Are you helpful? 510 00:22:03,900 --> 00:22:05,133 I'm going to unpack salt and light. 511 00:22:05,133 --> 00:22:07,500 But but it's it's a mandate. 512 00:22:07,500 --> 00:22:10,066 But here's why. It's not burdensome. Right? 513 00:22:10,066 --> 00:22:11,400 Jesus has people in Africa. 514 00:22:11,400 --> 00:22:13,000 He has some people in Asia, some people in Europe. 515 00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:15,633 Like he's saying, Michael, right here, where you live, where you sleep, 516 00:22:15,633 --> 00:22:17,766 where you work, where you go to school, where you go to the gym, where you coach. 517 00:22:17,766 --> 00:22:20,633 Whatever you do, be salt and be light. 518 00:22:20,633 --> 00:22:21,566 So it's not a burden. 519 00:22:21,566 --> 00:22:23,533 It's it's just a blessing and a responsibility 520 00:22:23,533 --> 00:22:26,433 to walk in the ways of Jesus and to influence this world in his name. 521 00:22:28,166 --> 00:22:28,333 Right? 522 00:22:28,333 --> 00:22:29,866 To say yes to the call 523 00:22:29,866 --> 00:22:33,366 and yes to step up to the plate and say, all right, Jesus up. 524 00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:35,633 I'm good. Let's go. 525 00:22:35,633 --> 00:22:37,066 I'm not embarrassed. I'm not scared. 526 00:22:37,066 --> 00:22:38,266 I'm not. 527 00:22:38,266 --> 00:22:40,300 I'm not burdened by this. 528 00:22:40,300 --> 00:22:42,466 It's a responsibility. 529 00:22:42,466 --> 00:22:45,066 So think this morning, 530 00:22:45,066 --> 00:22:48,066 how can you impact the name of Jesus right here where you live? 531 00:22:48,200 --> 00:22:48,966 What does that look like? 532 00:22:48,966 --> 00:22:50,700 Tangibly feed it for you to. 533 00:22:50,700 --> 00:22:51,433 What does that look like? 534 00:22:51,433 --> 00:22:54,400 Like what are some action steps you can do? What can you what can you do? 535 00:22:54,400 --> 00:22:56,300 Who can you bless? Who can you pray for? What can you? 536 00:22:56,300 --> 00:22:57,433 What does that look like for you? 537 00:22:57,433 --> 00:23:00,200 Right here in the Ranchos, wherever you wherever you live. 538 00:23:00,200 --> 00:23:03,200 And so salt want to talk about salt for a second. 539 00:23:03,300 --> 00:23:05,000 So back in Jesus's day, right? 540 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:06,466 Couple thousand years ago, salt was rare. 541 00:23:07,933 --> 00:23:09,766 It was precious. 542 00:23:09,766 --> 00:23:12,000 It was a commodity. 543 00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:15,000 Soldiers, Roman soldiers were often at times paid with salt. 544 00:23:15,100 --> 00:23:17,100 Right. So it had value. 545 00:23:17,100 --> 00:23:19,733 So think about that now for you and your faith. 546 00:23:19,733 --> 00:23:22,800 You're called to be rare, called be precious. 547 00:23:23,433 --> 00:23:25,466 You're called to be a commodity. 548 00:23:25,466 --> 00:23:27,966 You're called to add value to this world. 549 00:23:27,966 --> 00:23:30,166 In Jesus's name. 550 00:23:30,166 --> 00:23:32,066 Are you doing that? 551 00:23:32,066 --> 00:23:35,066 Are you a rare, precious commodity that adds value to this world? 552 00:23:36,366 --> 00:23:38,366 If you think about salt as well, salt it can. 553 00:23:38,366 --> 00:23:39,633 It can preserve, right? 554 00:23:39,633 --> 00:23:41,633 Are you preserving life? 555 00:23:41,633 --> 00:23:43,066 Are you preserving life? Right? 556 00:23:43,066 --> 00:23:46,800 In the name of Jesus, salt can also limit the decay that happens. 557 00:23:46,800 --> 00:23:49,233 This world is decaying. It is. It is broken. 558 00:23:49,233 --> 00:23:51,600 It is filled with sin and hurt and brokenness. 559 00:23:51,600 --> 00:23:54,266 Are you slowing the decay in the name of Jesus 560 00:23:54,266 --> 00:23:56,733 is a challenging idea, is to be salt and to be effective. 561 00:23:56,733 --> 00:23:57,133 Salt. 562 00:23:59,500 --> 00:23:59,700 Right. 563 00:23:59,700 --> 00:24:00,266 Think about that. 564 00:24:00,266 --> 00:24:04,266 You're grilling thrown steak on the grill or whatever, right? 565 00:24:04,266 --> 00:24:06,733 You eat it without a flavored blend is still pretty good, 566 00:24:06,733 --> 00:24:08,200 but you put a good salt blend. 567 00:24:08,200 --> 00:24:10,066 It's very good. Right? 568 00:24:10,066 --> 00:24:13,066 So you your call to add flavor or to enhance the world around you 569 00:24:13,133 --> 00:24:15,100 in the name of Jesus. 570 00:24:15,100 --> 00:24:17,000 Rare. Precious. Helpful. 571 00:24:17,000 --> 00:24:17,733 Sacrifice. 572 00:24:17,733 --> 00:24:20,733 Sacrificial. Slow the decay, add value. 573 00:24:21,033 --> 00:24:21,733 Flavor. 574 00:24:21,733 --> 00:24:25,100 Enhance in the name of Jesus. 575 00:24:25,800 --> 00:24:28,800 But then Jesus also has a warning to us. 576 00:24:29,233 --> 00:24:31,500 He says, but if salt loses its saltiness, it's 577 00:24:31,500 --> 00:24:34,766 not good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 578 00:24:35,800 --> 00:24:37,200 Right? 579 00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:39,200 So we're processing that a little bit this week. 580 00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:41,200 And I was processing the idea 581 00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:44,533 that I think salt loses its saltiness when it's diluted. 582 00:24:45,066 --> 00:24:47,633 When we are a believer, we are walking with him. 583 00:24:47,633 --> 00:24:49,200 But maybe we allow culture to influence us 584 00:24:49,200 --> 00:24:51,633 to just as much as Scripture, just as much as Jesus, where 585 00:24:51,633 --> 00:24:53,000 we're diluting ourselves. 586 00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:56,833 We're watering down our morals, our values, who we are as believers. 587 00:24:56,833 --> 00:24:58,666 This new creation might get called, pulled back. 588 00:24:58,666 --> 00:25:03,600 That old creation right when we get watered down where the saltiness is gone. 589 00:25:04,266 --> 00:25:07,500 So don't let culture and the world and the virtues and the values 590 00:25:08,500 --> 00:25:10,433 influence who you are, right? 591 00:25:10,433 --> 00:25:12,866 We're in the world, but not of the world. 592 00:25:12,866 --> 00:25:14,100 That's the challenge for you and me. 593 00:25:14,100 --> 00:25:17,866 If you want to be effective, salt is to not lose sight of 594 00:25:17,966 --> 00:25:20,000 of of kind of our compass. 595 00:25:20,000 --> 00:25:21,833 And who gives us what we need 596 00:25:21,833 --> 00:25:24,833 the strength, the wisdom, the discernment as we live our lives. 597 00:25:25,633 --> 00:25:27,633 So be salt that then Jesus says, what? 598 00:25:27,633 --> 00:25:29,066 You're the light of the world. 599 00:25:29,066 --> 00:25:29,800 Light is mentioned. 600 00:25:29,800 --> 00:25:32,800 I did some research over 250 times in Scripture 601 00:25:33,633 --> 00:25:35,433 Genesis let there be light, right? 602 00:25:35,433 --> 00:25:36,200 First book of the Bible. 603 00:25:36,200 --> 00:25:38,733 Revelation talks about God, how God gives light. 604 00:25:38,733 --> 00:25:41,000 So kind of book in Scripture. 605 00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:42,533 First on God's God is light. 606 00:25:42,533 --> 00:25:43,900 It says Jesus. 607 00:25:43,900 --> 00:25:46,100 In John it says, I am the light of the world. 608 00:25:46,100 --> 00:25:48,100 I mean God in light, God and light. Right? 609 00:25:48,100 --> 00:25:51,500 We need you to lean into that a little bit because what is light? 610 00:25:51,500 --> 00:25:54,500 Do light exposes darkness? 611 00:25:54,566 --> 00:25:58,100 A lot of darkness in our world, and we're called in Jesus name 612 00:25:58,766 --> 00:26:01,100 to get rid of as much darkness as we can. 613 00:26:03,200 --> 00:26:03,466 Right. 614 00:26:03,466 --> 00:26:06,066 And that can be overwhelming and that can be difficult 615 00:26:06,066 --> 00:26:07,533 and that can be messy. 616 00:26:07,533 --> 00:26:10,166 But you are the light of the world. 617 00:26:10,166 --> 00:26:12,400 So our call in life, 618 00:26:12,400 --> 00:26:14,866 I'd also illuminate our path, our steps. 619 00:26:14,866 --> 00:26:17,066 Scripture talks about this, right? 620 00:26:17,066 --> 00:26:18,800 That we would not stumble and we would not lose focus. 621 00:26:18,800 --> 00:26:20,933 We would not. We would not veer off left and right. 622 00:26:20,933 --> 00:26:21,333 We would. 623 00:26:21,333 --> 00:26:24,333 It would illuminate our path, but also the path of those around us. 624 00:26:24,900 --> 00:26:27,500 Let it help those who are walking shoulder to shoulder with us, right? 625 00:26:27,500 --> 00:26:30,700 Our spouse, our extended family, our friends, our neighbors, students, 626 00:26:32,100 --> 00:26:34,166 whoever. 627 00:26:34,166 --> 00:26:34,866 I love this idea. 628 00:26:34,866 --> 00:26:37,200 To that light can't be hidden by darkness. 629 00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:37,533 Light. 630 00:26:37,533 --> 00:26:39,033 Darkness cannot overcome light. 631 00:26:39,033 --> 00:26:41,033 It just can't. It physically can't. 632 00:26:41,033 --> 00:26:43,800 I had a flashlight here, but you can't cover it with darkness. 633 00:26:43,800 --> 00:26:45,200 So in that way we should be confident. 634 00:26:45,200 --> 00:26:46,900 As believers, we're light of the world. 635 00:26:46,900 --> 00:26:49,466 Then go into these dark spaces and live for Jesus and proclaim his name. 636 00:26:51,600 --> 00:26:53,333 Because darkness cannot overcome 637 00:26:53,333 --> 00:26:56,333 the light. 638 00:26:57,800 --> 00:27:00,800 Pascale shared this cool quote, and if it is or we found it. 639 00:27:00,933 --> 00:27:04,766 But this idea that light doesn't apologize for being bright, 640 00:27:06,000 --> 00:27:08,466 light does not apologize for being bright. 641 00:27:08,466 --> 00:27:11,233 So lean in and embrace this call 642 00:27:11,233 --> 00:27:14,233 of being a light in this world. 643 00:27:15,166 --> 00:27:16,200 So start where you sleep. 644 00:27:16,200 --> 00:27:16,500 Sorry. 645 00:27:16,500 --> 00:27:20,066 We go to school and where you work again. 646 00:27:20,066 --> 00:27:21,966 I already asked that, already said this morning. But. 647 00:27:21,966 --> 00:27:24,133 But how can you be salt and light in these places? 648 00:27:24,133 --> 00:27:27,033 Just start here. 649 00:27:27,033 --> 00:27:29,833 You know, I heard one friend 650 00:27:29,833 --> 00:27:32,833 talking about man that, you know, you hear this conversation a lot. 651 00:27:32,900 --> 00:27:34,266 There's so much darkness and evil in this world. 652 00:27:34,266 --> 00:27:35,566 How can a good God be in control? 653 00:27:35,566 --> 00:27:38,400 And, you know, you hear this, this rhetoric a lot. 654 00:27:38,400 --> 00:27:39,833 And why is our brokenness and why is our pain 655 00:27:39,833 --> 00:27:42,100 and why is there suffering? I think the reality is, 656 00:27:43,300 --> 00:27:44,933 even as believers, we can fall into the trap of God. 657 00:27:44,933 --> 00:27:45,833 Where are you at? 658 00:27:45,833 --> 00:27:46,766 Where are you at? 659 00:27:46,766 --> 00:27:48,433 Look at what's happening. Where are you at? 660 00:27:48,433 --> 00:27:50,266 And here's our challenge. Here's our posture. 661 00:27:50,266 --> 00:27:54,100 It should be at least I think God saying, well, like I said, I'm sending you. 662 00:27:54,100 --> 00:27:57,100 I given you my spirit. Go. Right. 663 00:27:57,266 --> 00:27:59,100 Why are you asking me to do it? I already died for you. 664 00:27:59,100 --> 00:28:01,566 I went to the cross. I answer to myself in humanity. 665 00:28:01,566 --> 00:28:02,733 And then I'm giving you my spirit. 666 00:28:02,733 --> 00:28:04,166 Go, go. 667 00:28:04,166 --> 00:28:06,766 Alleviate the hurt, the pain, the suffering, the brokenness 668 00:28:06,766 --> 00:28:09,366 you have my spirit, your soul and your light. 669 00:28:09,366 --> 00:28:12,233 Go and do stop looking at me. 670 00:28:12,233 --> 00:28:14,500 Right? All right. God is saying, go, go, go. 671 00:28:14,500 --> 00:28:17,866 You have the power of of of the resurrection living in you. 672 00:28:19,100 --> 00:28:19,800 You're meek. 673 00:28:19,800 --> 00:28:22,800 Your strength with control. 674 00:28:23,433 --> 00:28:25,200 You're a precious commodity. 675 00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:28,200 Add value to this world in the name of Jesus. 676 00:28:29,633 --> 00:28:32,633 And as I was processing this week, it was interesting 677 00:28:32,866 --> 00:28:36,000 as we're leaning into who we are as believers and what we're supposed to do. 678 00:28:36,166 --> 00:28:38,533 I think we also have to acknowledge 679 00:28:38,533 --> 00:28:42,300 what we're in, what what's not true, right where Scripture speaks 680 00:28:43,033 --> 00:28:46,333 that the Holy Spirit is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance, guaranteeing 681 00:28:46,333 --> 00:28:49,933 like the forever, the amazingness of of eternity with God. 682 00:28:50,533 --> 00:28:52,233 But we can't stop there. 683 00:28:52,233 --> 00:28:55,233 It can't only be a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance. 684 00:28:55,333 --> 00:28:57,100 The Holy Spirit is saying like, I want to use you here 685 00:28:57,100 --> 00:28:59,133 and I want to use you now. 686 00:28:59,133 --> 00:29:01,333 And here's kind of the reality I had this week 687 00:29:01,333 --> 00:29:04,333 is that both salt and light, they don't go unnoticed. 688 00:29:04,900 --> 00:29:05,700 You can taste it. 689 00:29:05,700 --> 00:29:08,466 You can see the light. They don't go unnoticed. 690 00:29:08,466 --> 00:29:10,466 And so as believers, we're not supposed to be silent. 691 00:29:11,533 --> 00:29:14,066 I'm not supposed to be passive. 692 00:29:14,066 --> 00:29:16,733 We're not supposed to be embarrassed for our faith or 693 00:29:16,733 --> 00:29:19,833 or unsure of how to share it. 694 00:29:20,400 --> 00:29:23,000 Let God go and speak and do. 695 00:29:23,000 --> 00:29:26,200 A lot of the battle is just just the front and saying yes. 696 00:29:26,600 --> 00:29:29,433 And then God working it out on the back end. 697 00:29:29,433 --> 00:29:32,800 Believers who are salt and light, we and you have to engage the culture, 698 00:29:33,300 --> 00:29:36,100 speak truth, share Jesus, 699 00:29:36,100 --> 00:29:39,333 serve those around you well, right this grace and truth lifestyle. 700 00:29:40,066 --> 00:29:41,100 Because here's the reality, right? 701 00:29:41,100 --> 00:29:44,133 I think this is why I just use these metaphors, is that both salt and light 702 00:29:44,633 --> 00:29:47,633 sustain life. 703 00:29:48,400 --> 00:29:50,333 And I like asking a lot of questions when I teach. 704 00:29:50,333 --> 00:29:53,400 And and so one that I just kept coming to my mind all week was, 705 00:29:54,533 --> 00:29:57,700 am I sustaining life around me and start with my spouse. 706 00:29:57,700 --> 00:30:01,733 Start with my kids, my neighbors, cousins, whoever 707 00:30:01,733 --> 00:30:04,733 is like the close in laws, my mom, my brother, right? 708 00:30:05,700 --> 00:30:08,433 How am I sustaining life around me? 709 00:30:08,433 --> 00:30:11,433 How am I leading? 710 00:30:11,733 --> 00:30:14,100 Because both salt and light result in change, right? 711 00:30:14,100 --> 00:30:15,733 As we've talked about, darkness is gone. 712 00:30:15,733 --> 00:30:18,733 Meat is flavored right? 713 00:30:20,400 --> 00:30:21,333 So how are you changing 714 00:30:21,333 --> 00:30:24,333 the environment around you? 715 00:30:24,600 --> 00:30:27,533 How are you living for others? 716 00:30:27,533 --> 00:30:28,600 How are you saying yes to what? 717 00:30:28,600 --> 00:30:31,133 Are you saying yes to 718 00:30:31,133 --> 00:30:34,133 when it comes to sacrificing for our Lord? 719 00:30:35,233 --> 00:30:38,233 I mean, our charge is to not be apathetic in our faith. 720 00:30:38,833 --> 00:30:41,833 Scripture says, don't lose your first love. 721 00:30:42,633 --> 00:30:44,966 Don't live for yourself. 722 00:30:44,966 --> 00:30:46,500 Five, six, and seven in Matthew. 723 00:30:46,500 --> 00:30:50,933 It is a roadmap to a fulfilled life and it's right here in front of us. 724 00:30:51,900 --> 00:30:52,866 It's not a mystery how are 725 00:30:52,866 --> 00:30:55,866 supposed to live our lives. 726 00:30:57,133 --> 00:30:59,666 Who can you share the gospel with this week? 727 00:30:59,666 --> 00:31:02,566 Who can you pray for? Who can you serve? 728 00:31:02,566 --> 00:31:04,166 Who can you forgive? 729 00:31:04,166 --> 00:31:07,166 Who can you extend mercy to? 730 00:31:09,533 --> 00:31:11,266 I think Paul, 731 00:31:11,266 --> 00:31:14,333 as you know, right, God, use him in a mighty way. 732 00:31:14,966 --> 00:31:18,066 Ton of the New Testament and just his testimony alone, 733 00:31:18,066 --> 00:31:19,966 and how he lived for God in such a radical way. 734 00:31:19,966 --> 00:31:23,700 I think he was he was on to something because Paul recognized 735 00:31:23,700 --> 00:31:26,700 this reality that sin still lives in us. 736 00:31:26,966 --> 00:31:29,700 There's this warning we still have a sin nature. 737 00:31:29,700 --> 00:31:30,933 It's still there. 738 00:31:30,933 --> 00:31:32,300 We also have the spirit. Right? 739 00:31:32,300 --> 00:31:35,300 And so they're at war as they should be. 740 00:31:35,333 --> 00:31:38,600 And so Paul recognizes that sin still dwells and where it lives. 741 00:31:38,600 --> 00:31:41,133 Sometimes it bubbles up and it comes out. 742 00:31:41,133 --> 00:31:42,900 And we live in a very selfish way. 743 00:31:43,966 --> 00:31:44,400 And that's why 744 00:31:44,400 --> 00:31:48,266 Paul, I think in his from his perspective, he's going to be salt and light. 745 00:31:48,533 --> 00:31:50,600 He said, I got to die to self daily. 746 00:31:50,600 --> 00:31:53,600 I have to die to self daily. 747 00:31:53,633 --> 00:31:56,600 I have to crucify my flesh daily. 748 00:31:56,600 --> 00:31:57,833 When he wakes up, it's 749 00:31:57,833 --> 00:32:01,166 more of you, Jesus and less of me that we have to start there. 750 00:32:01,966 --> 00:32:03,966 Otherwise we won't do it on our own accord, 751 00:32:03,966 --> 00:32:06,066 our own strength, our own understanding. 752 00:32:06,066 --> 00:32:07,066 We got to die daily. 753 00:32:07,066 --> 00:32:10,600 Our prayer should be God, make me just as alive today as you made me yesterday. 754 00:32:11,366 --> 00:32:12,800 Show me where I can be salt. 755 00:32:12,800 --> 00:32:13,866 Show me where I can be light. 756 00:32:13,866 --> 00:32:15,933 Show me where I can I can speak truth. 757 00:32:15,933 --> 00:32:18,933 Where I can blot out the darkness. 758 00:32:19,600 --> 00:32:21,066 So process that for your life. 759 00:32:22,500 --> 00:32:22,766 What does 760 00:32:22,766 --> 00:32:25,766 it mean to die daily to self for you? 761 00:32:25,800 --> 00:32:27,100 It's going to be different for all of us. 762 00:32:27,100 --> 00:32:28,200 We all have different, 763 00:32:28,200 --> 00:32:32,766 different responsibilities, different, different burdens in life, if you will. 764 00:32:32,766 --> 00:32:36,966 Different challenges from, you know, a junior high or a high school student 765 00:32:36,966 --> 00:32:40,066 to grandparents and aunts and uncles or parents in the thick of it, like, 766 00:32:41,466 --> 00:32:44,466 what does it mean to die daily for you? 767 00:32:44,700 --> 00:32:47,700 And here's just where it really hits me, is 768 00:32:47,866 --> 00:32:50,466 your kids need to see you being salt and light. 769 00:32:50,466 --> 00:32:52,300 Your kids need to see that. 770 00:32:52,300 --> 00:32:55,166 Your kids need to see parents sacrificing. 771 00:32:55,166 --> 00:32:57,166 Your kids need to see aunts and uncles sacrificing. 772 00:32:57,166 --> 00:33:00,166 Your kids need to see grandparents sacrificing. 773 00:33:00,700 --> 00:33:01,533 And it's not always fair. 774 00:33:01,533 --> 00:33:03,666 It's not always easy. 775 00:33:03,666 --> 00:33:05,833 Needle on the cross right? 776 00:33:09,000 --> 00:33:10,200 And so die to self. 777 00:33:10,200 --> 00:33:13,566 Daily process what it means for more of Jesus and less of you. 778 00:33:14,866 --> 00:33:17,166 I love what Psalm 1123 says. 779 00:33:17,166 --> 00:33:19,000 It says this. 780 00:33:19,000 --> 00:33:21,000 It says, blessed is the one 781 00:33:21,000 --> 00:33:24,800 who does not walk in this in step with the wicked, or stand 782 00:33:24,800 --> 00:33:27,800 in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, 783 00:33:29,033 --> 00:33:31,333 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, 784 00:33:31,333 --> 00:33:34,333 and who meditate on his law day and night. 785 00:33:35,133 --> 00:33:38,133 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water 786 00:33:38,833 --> 00:33:42,266 which yielded fruit in season, and whose leaf does not wither. 787 00:33:42,733 --> 00:33:45,533 Whatever they do prospers. 788 00:33:45,533 --> 00:33:48,833 We are called to meditate on God's Word day and night. 789 00:33:50,233 --> 00:33:53,000 Know his voice, know the flavor of ice cream 790 00:33:53,000 --> 00:33:56,400 that he likes to know how he views. 791 00:33:56,400 --> 00:33:58,733 You know what he's done for you. 792 00:34:02,266 --> 00:34:03,466 And know that 793 00:34:03,466 --> 00:34:06,900 not only is God saying we should do it, but it will. 794 00:34:07,000 --> 00:34:08,866 It will make you a better person. 795 00:34:08,866 --> 00:34:11,700 It will make you more patient and more graceful than we understand him. 796 00:34:11,700 --> 00:34:14,633 The more we realize the depths at which God has. 797 00:34:14,633 --> 00:34:16,200 He went to save me. 798 00:34:16,200 --> 00:34:18,400 He went to save you. 799 00:34:18,400 --> 00:34:22,266 It just gives us this greater appreciation for God, his heart, his desires, 800 00:34:22,266 --> 00:34:25,400 his motivation for, for, for seeking us, 801 00:34:25,400 --> 00:34:28,400 for saving us, for pursuing us. 802 00:34:29,133 --> 00:34:31,433 We are to meditate on God's Word. 803 00:34:31,433 --> 00:34:33,666 We're going to die to self daily, because if we don't, 804 00:34:33,666 --> 00:34:34,666 we're not going to be effective. 805 00:34:34,666 --> 00:34:37,133 Saul. We're not going to be effective light. 806 00:34:37,133 --> 00:34:39,533 Here's my hope for for my life, for my wife, 807 00:34:39,533 --> 00:34:43,500 for my kids, for you and and your families is three things, right? 808 00:34:43,500 --> 00:34:44,900 That you would have a heart for a God, 809 00:34:46,066 --> 00:34:46,233 right? 810 00:34:46,233 --> 00:34:48,866 And just like a God, what do you have for me? 811 00:34:48,866 --> 00:34:51,066 A heart for who God is. 812 00:34:51,066 --> 00:34:54,066 Two the you would have a submission to his word 813 00:34:55,166 --> 00:34:58,766 and know that this is priority one 814 00:35:00,033 --> 00:35:03,033 and three that you would blame blameless and testimony. 815 00:35:03,733 --> 00:35:03,966 Right? 816 00:35:03,966 --> 00:35:07,100 Because so often, I mean, you'd hate this to be the reality, right? 817 00:35:07,100 --> 00:35:08,800 Where you're sharing the good news, sharing the gospel. 818 00:35:08,800 --> 00:35:10,600 God's really working through someone's heart. 819 00:35:10,600 --> 00:35:12,666 But then like, but Michael, you talk like that, or Michael, 820 00:35:12,666 --> 00:35:15,200 you act like automatically you pursue those things, right? 821 00:35:15,200 --> 00:35:16,266 You're not blameless in testimony. 822 00:35:16,266 --> 00:35:18,900 You almost like getting in the way of the gospel. 823 00:35:18,900 --> 00:35:21,600 And that's really challenging, right? 824 00:35:21,600 --> 00:35:24,366 And how am I walking the walk? 825 00:35:24,366 --> 00:35:26,900 How am I walking in purity 826 00:35:26,900 --> 00:35:29,800 when friend want to go do this or they want to go indulge in that? 827 00:35:31,666 --> 00:35:33,233 That's the challenge. 828 00:35:33,233 --> 00:35:37,333 Heart for God, submission to His word and blameless in testimony. 829 00:35:38,133 --> 00:35:42,233 And then I think just this umbrella over this whole conversation is 830 00:35:42,600 --> 00:35:45,500 and have grace for yourself and seek 831 00:35:45,500 --> 00:35:48,500 God's face when you do mess up and repent, 832 00:35:48,600 --> 00:35:51,600 because you're going to mess up and you're going to need to repent. 833 00:35:51,866 --> 00:35:54,100 That's a huge part of this. 834 00:35:54,100 --> 00:35:57,100 I said my hopes were two, you'd value Scripture 835 00:35:57,166 --> 00:36:00,000 and you'd know kind of the start of this roadmap for what it means 836 00:36:00,000 --> 00:36:03,733 to live a fulfilled life, to walk in the ways of Jesus. 837 00:36:04,166 --> 00:36:06,866 So my challenge to you is a couple things one. 838 00:36:06,866 --> 00:36:09,300 Read chapter five this week 839 00:36:09,300 --> 00:36:10,866 said in Matthew five. 840 00:36:10,866 --> 00:36:13,866 The rest of this week process it a couple of times two. 841 00:36:14,133 --> 00:36:16,633 Read chapter six next week and three read chapter seven the following week. 842 00:36:16,633 --> 00:36:19,633 Just just sit in Matthew five, sit in Matthew six, sit in Matthew 843 00:36:19,633 --> 00:36:23,033 seven and come back to this at minimum annually. 844 00:36:23,033 --> 00:36:24,633 Every you like, put on your calendar. 845 00:36:24,633 --> 00:36:27,166 I'm going to read the sermon on the Mount because here's the reality, right? 846 00:36:27,166 --> 00:36:29,933 We Scripture says this that God's Word is good 847 00:36:29,933 --> 00:36:33,133 in all situations, in all occasions, for teaching and rebuking and correcting. 848 00:36:33,133 --> 00:36:34,866 And just because you've read it once doesn't 849 00:36:34,866 --> 00:36:37,133 mean God's done using that in your life, right? 850 00:36:37,133 --> 00:36:40,600 How many times we read something at 20 and it hits different at 25 or 28 851 00:36:40,600 --> 00:36:43,600 or 30 or 35, because now you're not the same person you were. 852 00:36:44,033 --> 00:36:46,533 You're married with kids as opposed to when you were a young man on your own. 853 00:36:47,533 --> 00:36:50,533 And so come back to this every single July. 854 00:36:50,566 --> 00:36:55,333 Make this a priority, this red letter text of what it means to live a fulfilled. 855 00:36:55,600 --> 00:36:58,600 And I think blessed life 856 00:36:59,066 --> 00:37:00,433 sound good. 857 00:37:00,433 --> 00:37:02,133 Sweet. Here, I'm going to pray for us. 858 00:37:02,133 --> 00:37:05,133 We're going to sing one more song together this morning. 859 00:37:05,866 --> 00:37:08,966 Father, I thank you for your grace and your mercy and your love. 860 00:37:09,166 --> 00:37:12,166 The truth of your word for Matthew chapter five. 861 00:37:12,333 --> 00:37:15,233 For what it means to be blessed. 862 00:37:15,233 --> 00:37:18,233 I am grateful that you pursue us and that you 863 00:37:19,100 --> 00:37:21,066 forgive us. 864 00:37:21,066 --> 00:37:24,033 I'm grateful that you challenge us to be salt and light. 865 00:37:24,033 --> 00:37:25,866 Lord, 866 00:37:25,866 --> 00:37:27,900 father, please convict our hearts 867 00:37:27,900 --> 00:37:30,900 and show us the ways in which we can serve this world. 868 00:37:31,233 --> 00:37:33,900 Show us the ways in which we can sacrifice for this world. 869 00:37:35,700 --> 00:37:36,966 I pray for a deep conviction 870 00:37:36,966 --> 00:37:40,200 that we die to self daily and that we live for you. Lord 871 00:37:41,633 --> 00:37:43,033 God, I do pray for everyone in this room. 872 00:37:43,033 --> 00:37:46,033 That and we could support each other well 873 00:37:46,066 --> 00:37:48,000 and that we could 874 00:37:48,000 --> 00:37:52,200 honor the commitment to sacrifice for each other 875 00:37:52,200 --> 00:37:54,166 and to pick each other up, and to forgive each other 876 00:37:54,166 --> 00:37:56,200 and to have grace and to serve this community well. 877 00:37:56,200 --> 00:37:57,866 Lord, 878 00:37:57,866 --> 00:38:01,733 please help us to take the steps we need to take 879 00:38:02,800 --> 00:38:03,600 to live for you. 880 00:38:03,600 --> 00:38:06,233 Got to be an effective, salt and effective light. 881 00:38:06,233 --> 00:38:07,533 We thank you Jesus. 882 00:38:07,533 --> 00:38:09,366 We pray this all in your name. Amen.