May 2nd, 2023
Tuesday, May 2
Differently
By: Pastor Mark White
“You have heard it said… But I say to you…”
“Do not be like them...”
Matthew 5:21; 6:8
Toward the beginning of Jesus’s ministry, He taught about how life is to be different in the Kingdom of God. In Matthews's Gospel, we see Jesus growing in popularity, and He sits them down and begins to teach them. We call this the “Sermon on the Mount.”
Jesus was making these comparisons of how they have been taught and were currently living to a new way of living. In other words, He’s saying - Be Different. Live differently than how you have previously been taught. We see this repeated phrase over & over… “You have heard it said… But I say to you…” He would even go so far as to say, “Do not be like them...”
That life in the kingdom of God is different. Followers of Jesus will give to those who are in need differently. That they will pray to their Heavenly Father differently. They will Fast differently. They will love differently.
Jesus saw through all the pride and hypocrisy of the religious leaders and how they distorted the way to God. He was determined to instill in His followers humility in their approach to God and authenticity in living life in the Kingdom.
Those same words are true today. We hear what the culture is saying … but The Spirit of Christ is saying to our spirit, “But I say to you…” and “Do not be like them...”
Serve God with a reverent fear and pray to him as your Father. Love others like Christ loved the outcast and discarded. Forgive as you have been forgiven. Treasure Christ and the things above… and your heart will follow. We are called to live differently!
Differently
By: Pastor Mark White
“You have heard it said… But I say to you…”
“Do not be like them...”
Matthew 5:21; 6:8
Toward the beginning of Jesus’s ministry, He taught about how life is to be different in the Kingdom of God. In Matthews's Gospel, we see Jesus growing in popularity, and He sits them down and begins to teach them. We call this the “Sermon on the Mount.”
Jesus was making these comparisons of how they have been taught and were currently living to a new way of living. In other words, He’s saying - Be Different. Live differently than how you have previously been taught. We see this repeated phrase over & over… “You have heard it said… But I say to you…” He would even go so far as to say, “Do not be like them...”
That life in the kingdom of God is different. Followers of Jesus will give to those who are in need differently. That they will pray to their Heavenly Father differently. They will Fast differently. They will love differently.
Jesus saw through all the pride and hypocrisy of the religious leaders and how they distorted the way to God. He was determined to instill in His followers humility in their approach to God and authenticity in living life in the Kingdom.
Those same words are true today. We hear what the culture is saying … but The Spirit of Christ is saying to our spirit, “But I say to you…” and “Do not be like them...”
Serve God with a reverent fear and pray to him as your Father. Love others like Christ loved the outcast and discarded. Forgive as you have been forgiven. Treasure Christ and the things above… and your heart will follow. We are called to live differently!
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