What becomes of those who do not heed Jesus’ teaching? As Jesus wraps up the Sermon on the Mount he turns to his hearers and presses home the urgency of his teaching and the danger of being entertained by Jesus’ words and yet holding his demands at arms’ length. Four illustrations drive home the importance of heeding Jesus’ words and not merely hearing them. Let us not be like the crowds who are astonished at one moment and cry out “Crucify him!” the next.

How do I love my neighbor as myself? Just as Jesus leaned into our love for God, so now he turns to press us with regard to our love of neighbor. As he begins to draw the Sermon on the Mount to a close he reveals the hypocrisy of a condemning spirit, the necessity of discernment, the help the Father is ready to provide, and a handy rule of thumb to help guide our interactions with one another. Misunderstandings multiply when we consider parts of this passage in isolation; let us give attention to the flow of Jesus’ thought.

How does Jesus help calm our worries? Like a tender shepherd Jesus knows his sheep, and he knows his preceding words about worldly wealth may exacerbate our anxiety. Join us as we see him remind us of the fullness of our life, our value in our Father’s eyes, and the futility of our anxiety to give us anything of value. Drawing on his words in this and earlier paragraphs we also consider the practical means he provides us to combat the worry and anxiety that beset us. May God increase our faith!

Hard words from Jesus about where our hearts lie as he confronts us with two treasures, two visions, and two masters. While we may think we can follow Jesus part time, he bids us choose—and reveals to us the slavery inherent in pursuing earthly wealth. Join us as we weigh his words and their challenge, and join us next week as Jesus goes on to address the anxiety that his commands may produce in us.

How does one pray? In the midst of a passage on hypocrisy Jesus provides us instruction on prayer. First he tells us how (not) to pray, then he provides us a prayer that we may both pray ourselves and use as a model. Join us as we consider the six petitions of the Lord’s Prayer, of how to pray for God’s glory and our good, together with some further reflection on growing in prayer.

As Jesus begins the next section of the Sermon on the Mount we meet instructions that appear to stand in tension with something he said earlier. Are our good works supposed to be observed by others, or not? As we work through Jesus’ words we see him answering three “how” questions: how do we resolve apparent contradictions, how do we understand hypocrisy, and how do we walk in obedience? Join us as we make this first pass through Matthew 6!

What does Christian love look like? What makes it unique? In this challenging paragraph we consider the object of the love the Lord requires, its nature, and its motivation. We also look at the practical help offered, as well as the examples of Jesus and Stephen.

How would Jesus transform our response to adversity? Where can we find the strength to show the meekness he calls blessed? Join us as Jesus confronts our confusion of justice and revenge, as we explore the meekness he requires, and as we look to him as our example and so much more.

What would it look like if we consistently loved the truth in thought, word, and deed? In this passage Jesus puts his finger on the problem of broken word and broken oaths, lays bare the aggravation of mincing words and finding loopholes, and calls upon us to love the truth in thought, word, and deed, even as he who is the way, the truth, and the life helps us by his Spirit.