You have heard that it was said to those of old, "You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment." But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, "You fool!" will be liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering your gift at the altar … [Read more...] about The Heart of the Kingdom
Kingdom - Explorations of the Sermon on the Mount
The Law of the Kingdom
"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 say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the … [Read more...] about The Law of the Kingdom
The Light of the Kingdom
"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."Matthew 5:14-16 In 1990, I began my first stint with … [Read more...] about The Light of the Kingdom
The Salt of the Kingdom
"You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet."Matthew 5:13 Salt is undoubtedly one the most common chemical compounds on the earth. It comes in many forms and in multiple chemical combinations. The most common of which is NaCl - … [Read more...] about The Salt of the Kingdom
Dying for the Kingdom
“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."Matthew 5:11-12 I find it interesting that in the Beatitudes that Jesus speaks three times to the issue of persecution, especially … [Read more...] about Dying for the Kingdom