The final verse of the Lord’s prayer, as recorded by Matthew, reads like this (Matthew 6:13): And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. Whereas the previous verse was a plea for God to forgive us for the things we’ve done wrong, this one shifts focus to ask for God’s …
Continue reading “Matthew 6 – How to pray – The Lord’s Prayer part 5”
This week we’ll look at verse 11, the third line of the Lord’s prayer as described by Matthew. Matthew 6:11 reads: Give us today our daily bread. At first glance this might seem to be a very simple request – namely for God to provide you with enough food to get you through the day …
Continue reading “Matthew 6 – How to pray – The Lord’s Prayer part 3”
Behold, for we have reached the end of Matthew 5 and it’s only taken just over half a year! I’d like to continue with the rest of Jesus’ teaching in what’s traditionally called the Sermon on the Mount, with the same underlying theme always in mind: how do these teachings of Jesus enable us to …
Continue reading “Matthew 6 – Don’t be a hypocrite – Giving to the poor”
Let’s read Matthew 5:43-48You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends …
Continue reading “Being counter-cultural in Matthew 5 – Love your enemies”
Let’s read Matthew 5:38-42You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over …
Continue reading “Being counter-cultural in Matthew 5 – An eye for an eye.”
Let’s read Matthew 5:33-37’Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for …
Continue reading “Being counter-cultural in Matthew 5 – Oaths”
Last week I mentioned that a sin as serious as adultery rarely happens in a vacuum. It can lead to all sorts of other deceptions and, if discovered, can destroy a marriage entirely. What should you do in that kind of situation if you’re a Christian? It just so happens that the next concrete example …
Continue reading “Being counter-cultural in Matthew 5 – Divorce”
Let’s look at the second concrete example Jesus gave of what it means to be counter-cultural. Once again he taught that obeying God means understand his commandments much more deeply than just at the surface level and changing your life accordingly. Once again, it’s not easy for any of us! Let’s read Matthew 5:27-30You have …
Continue reading “Being counter-cultural in Matthew 5 – You shall not commit adultery.”
In the last few weeks we’ve seen Jesus teach the importance of Christians being counter-cultural. That means standing out and being different from the world around us. He didn’t mean that we should simply be different for the sake of being different. He also made it very clear that this is not so we can …
Continue reading “Being counter-cultural in Matthew 5 – You shall not murder.”
Let’s read Matthew 5:17-20 Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear …
Continue reading “Being counter-cultural in Matthew 5 – the Law and the Prophets”
Nihilist to Christian