Called to Preserve
This week’s passage: Matthew 5 Now that we have read through and discussed Matthew chapter 5, I want to look at how we might apply this in our lives today. In verses 1-12 we learned that being grieved by the fact that in our own power we are sinners who should thirst for righteousness, and having an attitude of meekness, mercy, pureness of heart, and peace will bring us blessings from God. We also saw that believing in God’s righteousness would cause us to be persecuted by those who don’t, which should be a reason for us to rejoice because our reward in heaven will be great and our time on earth will be short. In verses 13-16 we learned our purpose here on earth (to preserve goodness through the work of the Holy Spirit and to glorify God), and in verses 17-48 we find out that contrary to the prosperity gospel movement, Jesus did not come to the earth as a man to tell us we were free to do whatever we please and that He was here to make us all rich and happy. ...