Sermons on Matthew 5:4-14:

It Begins With Mourning Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Nov 24, 2022

Mourning is the first step on the journey back to God.

Mourning is what happens when your eyes are opened, your heart is opened, to something so manifestly wrong with your world that you can neither bear it, ignore it, or affect it. Mourning is the first step on the journey back to God. I recently listened to a very interesting conversation about ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:4

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Neither Wimps Nor Wolves Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Nov 24, 2022

The wolf who has learned to guard the sheep has a permanent place at the master’s fire.

Do any of you remember the old musical Camelot, about King Arthur and the Round Table? It was popular back in the early 60's, it’s one of the reasons the Kennedy White House started being called Camelot. The reason I bring it up is because of Lancelot. Remember Lancelot? Until he and Guenevere ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:5

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

A Healthy Appetite Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Nov 24, 2022

The proper response to mourning over the reality of suffering, and the key to meekness, is not conquering desire, but learning to desire the right things.

How many of you are planning to watch a football game today? How many of you are mourning the defeat of the Packers??? Anybody care about the fate of the Titans? Have you since switched your allegiance to the Rams or the Bengals? Now, who’s not going to watch anything? Who doesn’t much care one ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:6

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Unstrained Mercy Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Nov 24, 2022

None of us can forgive the wrongs done to someone else. We can, however, show mercy to anyone who is suffering - whether forgiveness is involved or not.

Every week it seems like there’s another new disaster. The 10 plagues that Moses visited on Egypt to convince Pharoah to free the Israelites almost pale in comparison. Talk about plagues? We hoped that 2021 would see the end of Covic19 but noooooo. And as if that weren’t enough, an earthquake ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:7

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Heart-Eye Coordination Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Nov 24, 2022

"To an impure heart, God cannot be seen anywhere; but to a pure heart God is to be seen everywhere.” -- Charles Spurgeon

How many of you wear glasses? I’ve worn mine since I was seven years old. I was able to wear contact lenses for about 20 years but after about 40 they don’t work so well. And since I got cataract surgery and don’t need glasses for distance, I’m using reading glasses – so I have to take them on and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:8

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Peace Work Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Nov 24, 2022

God’s peace is not the same as the world’s peace - even though people filled with God’s peace DO bring peace to the world.

We human beings are not naturally peacemakers. On the contrary: we’re naturally trouble-makers. A few years ago a group of people tried walking across America on a mission of peace. They couldn't get along and divided into two groups by the time they were half way across. According to the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:9

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Gift Of Persecution Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Nov 24, 2022

Persecution is the flip side of peace-making. If we live out the first 7 beatitudes, this one, the 8th, follows on their heels as surely as water flows downhill.

About 35 years ago, a Romanian pastor came to visit the church I belonged to, a nice white church in a rich western suburb of Minneapolis. He had gotten to know my pastor, who had been involved in a Bible-smuggling ministry when the Iron Curtain was still up. Pasor John asked him what he thought ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:10

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Change Agents Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Nov 24, 2022

Salt goes into the body. It is necessary, and good, and contributes to the health of the body. It changes the body – for a time. But for lasting change to occur something has to go into the mind and heart as well. And that is where light comes in.

How many of you keep a watch on how much salt you eat, buying the low-sodium versions of things like canned soup and cold cuts and avoiding high-sodium treats like pizza and potato chips? It’s an article of faith that salt is hazardous to your health. And it’s very difficult to avoid, since most ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:13-16

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Hope And Light - Carrying Forth The Mysteries Of God (Advent)

Contributed by William Akehurst on Nov 26, 2022

As we approach Christmas, let us remember that it is time to shine forth the message of JESUS. The HOPE and LIGHT of this World. We carry the Torch of HIS LIGHT and HOPE as Stewards of the Mysteries of GOD.

2022.11.27 The Wilderness Experience Stewards of the Mysteries - The LIGHT of our HOPE William Akehurst, HSWC 1st Sunday of Advent…HOPE and LIGHT. The advent candle of HOPE is lit. JESUS is OUR HOPE. And we are to not only serve HIM, but care for the message, the mysteries of GOD, which are all ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 4:1-2, Isaiah 9:2, Hebrews 11:1-3, Matthew 5:14-16, Isaiah 60:1-2  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

2. Mountain Politics Series

Contributed by E. True Neilson on Nov 26, 2022

Watch the message video on YouTube at UCSZ0yPUBE_3382Mlb5fE8og

Check out the book "The Upside Down Kingdom" by Donald ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:3-10, Matthew 5:1-10

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Are You Useful To God? Series

Contributed by D. Dewaine Phillips on Mar 24, 2022

God does not want believers to isolate or insulate themselves from the world and those who are lost. Like salt, Christians are called to make the world tastier; and like light, believers will shine the brightest only in the darkest places.

Are you useful to God, or have you made yourself useless? When we come to know Jesus Christ, we are transformed into a holy instrument to be used by the Lord. We all have a purpose, but some of us choose to make ourselves useless by not allowing the Lord to touch us with His hand. To put it ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:13-16

Denomination: Baptist

The Eighth And Ninth Beatitudes Series

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Mar 26, 2022

Like it or not, being persecuted is in Jesus' list of the characteristics of the Christian. If we follow Jesus, it's inevitable that we'll be persecuted. But the persecution proves the genuiness of our faith. And it leads to great reward.

Jesus starts the Sermon on the Mount with nine Beatitudes – sayings that start ‘Blessed are’. Jesus wants us to be blessed – meaning, happy or fortunate. In the Beatitudes, Jesus presents us with the key characteristics of the Christian. Some people have said they’re the blueprint of the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:10-12

Denomination: Baptist

Holding On To Our Past - Resentments, Regrets And Remorse

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Apr 4, 2022

"Holding on to our Past" is something that can inhibit not only our relationships, our outlook on life, but also our sense of identity and spiritual growth in Jesus.

If you are not familiar with an Anglican Service there are 4 readings prior to the Sermon. The assigned readings for this day were: Isaiah 43:16-21; Psalm 126; Philippians 3:7-16 and Luke 20:9-19. I will be Drawing from our New Testament reading in Philippians this morning. And I would like to ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:7-16, Luke 9:62, Ephesians 4:31-32, Job 5:2, Job 18:4, Psalm 51:10, Hebrews 12:14-15, Ecclesiastes 3:4, Matthew 5:4, John 11:35, Romans 8:28, 2 Corinthians 7:9-10, Matthew 27:3-5, Matthew 26:75, 1 John 1:9  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

Zechariah's Fifth Vision: Empowered For Service Series

Contributed by Richard Tow on Apr 19, 2022

How will we finish the assignments God gives us in life? In this vision, God gave Zechariah the timeless principle that answers that question. This vision in Zechariah 4 has a lampstand and two olive trees. What do they represent? What message is God sending His people in this vision?

Intro Zechariah 4 records this prophet’s 5th vision. As in the previous vision (chapter 3), God is addressing the concerns Zechariah and his companions had in their assignment to rebuild the temple and restore worship in Jerusalem. The concern dealt with in the previous visions was how can we be ...read more

Scripture: Zechariah 1:9, Zechariah 2:3, Exodus 25:31-40, Matthew 5:14, John 9:5, Isaiah 60:1-3, John 8:12, Mark 11:22-23, Luke 4:18-19, Acts 1:8  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic

Walk Worthy Series

Contributed by Michael Mays on Apr 26, 2022

In the times and cultures of the Colossian church, hope was a commodity hard to come by. In his letter to them, Paul instructs them where they can find the kind of hope no one can rob from them.

I. Intro A. This is another of Paul’s “prison epistles,” written from the barracks in Rome (as he did with his letter to the Philippians) and in the company of Timothy B. Points out Epaphras (not Epaphroditus, a messenger for the Philippians), likely founder and pastor C. He expressed ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:9-14, Romans 11:33, Philippians 1:27, Philippians 4:14-17, 2 Peter 2:2, 2 Peter 3:18, Ephesians 3:16-20, James 1:2-4, Matthew 5:12, Revelation 2:10, Romans 8:17, Psalm 103:12  (view more)  (view less)