Matthew 6:1-4 — Practice Righteousness the Right Way from the Right Motivation — Example of Giving Alms
PRACTICING RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR PUBLIC ACCLAIM FORFEITS HEAVENLY REWARD – TRUE VS HYPOCRITICAL PIETY -- EXAMPLE OF GIVING ALMS
Matthew 5:43-48 — Love for Enemies without Partiality
THE TRANSCENDENT TEACHING OF JESUS REGARDING THE GREATER RIGHTEOUSNESS OF KINGDOM CITIZENS CLIMAXES WITH THIS COMMAND TO LOVE OUR ENEMIES WITHOUT PARTIALITY
Matthew 5:38-42 — Going the Extra Mile Instead of Retaliation for Personal Wrongs
KINGDOM ETHICS REQUIRE GIVING UP OUR RIGHTS WHEN WE ARE WRONGED INSTEAD OF RETALIATING
Matthew 5:33-37 — Integrity Should Make Oaths Unnecessary in Normal Speech
OATHS ARE UNNECESSARY IN NORMAL SPEECH SINCE GOD DESIRES SIMPLE TRUTHFULNESS BASED ON PERSONAL INTEGRITY
Matthew 5:31-32 — Dealing with Adultery as Related to Divorce and Remarriage
WHEN A DIVORCED PERSON REMARRIES THE RESULTING UNION CONSTITUTES ADULTERY
Matthew 5:27-30 — Dealing with Lust as Related to Adultery
AVOIDING ADULTERY DOESN’T GIVE YOU A PASS TO INDULGE IN LUST
Matthew 5:21-26 — Dealing with Anger as Related to Murder
UNRESOLVED ANGER EXPRESSES MALICE TOWARDS OTHERS (SIMILAR MOTIVATION TO MURDER) WHILE ACTUALLY HURTING OURSELVES
Matthew 5:17-20 — Jesus Fulfilling the Law — Sharpening the Focus . . . Raising the Bar
WHEN IT COMES TO UNDERSTANDING THE RIGHTEOUSNESS REQUIRED BY GOD, CHRIST BOTH SHARPENS THE FOCUS AND RAISES THE BAR
Matthew 5:13-16 — Salt and Light — Impacting the World around Us — Or Good for Nothing?
KINGDOM CITIZENS SHOULD HAVE A POWERFUL INFLUENCE ON THE WORLD
- TO COUNTERACT DECAY BY STANDING FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS … AND
- TO SHINE THE TORCH OF TRUTH AND LIFE TO THE DARKNESS AROUND US
OUT OF A MOTIVATION TO BRING GLORY TO GOD
Matthew 5:1-12 — The Beatitudes Tied to Kingdom Distinctives
LIVING OUT KINGDOM DISTINCTIVES MEANS THAT ONE WILL ENJOY BIG-TIME BLESSINGS EVEN WHEN PERSECUTED FOR THE SAKE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
Matthew 4:12-25 — Summary of Powerful Impact of Early Galilean Ministry
MANIFESTING THE LIGHT OF JESUS TO A WORLD LOST IN DARKNESS REQUIRES COMMITTED DISCIPLESHIP, EFFECTIVE SOUL WINNING AND IMPACTFUL KINGDOM WORDS AND WORKS
Matthew 4:1-11 — The Temptation of Jesus Christ
JESUS AS THE SECOND ADAM DEFEATED THE TEMPTATIONS OF SATAN BY RELYING ON THE WORD OF GOD IN THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT