JesusPeople it’s about…

what if there was a life available to us that looks much different than what most of us experience, but is exactly what God made us for, and exactly what our hearts long for? what if this life is not a life that constrains and restricts, but a life that is itself truly life – life outside the box

Character of Kingdom People Life Lived Unto Others Life Lived Unto God Life Lived Unto Eternity Sermon on the Mount “Love God; Love Others” Mt 5:3-12 Mt 5:13-48 Mt. 6:1-34 Mt. 7:1-27

A LIFE OF COMPASSION life outside the box

The Higher Call of the Kingdom ““But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!” (Matthew 5:20, NLT)

Matthew 6:1, (NLT) ““Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven.”

Two Dimensions of Right Living Others God Let your light shine… …in secret

“We are to show when tempted to hide, and hide when tempted to show,” (A.B. Simpson).

Two Dimensions of Right Living Others God Let your light shine… …in secret “that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” (Matthew 5:16, NLT)

Guard Your Motive “…to be admired by others…” (6:1) Masking as selflessness, pleasing others is an insidious form of selfishness – the origin of all evil.

The Guiding Principle of Our Lives “…this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8, NLT)

CALLED TO COMPASSION A Life of Compassion

Matthew 6:2, (NLT) “When you give to someone in need,”

Our Compassion Models His Compassion “He ensures that orphans and widows receive justice. He shows love to the foreigners living among you and gives them food and clothing.” (Deuteronomy 10:18, NLT)

Our Compassion Remembers His Compassion “When you are harvesting, leave what remains for the alien, the fatherless, and the widow. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt,” (Deuteronomy 24:19-22, NIV84).

GIVE FOR AN AUDIENCE OF ONE A Life of Compassion

Matthew 6:2, (NLT) “When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do— blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get.”

The Beginning of True Holiness “…your Father who sees,” (vv. 4,6,18) “…your Father who sees,” (vv. 4,6,18)

What We Do Matters “For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.” (2 Corinthians 5:10, NLT)

Pure Motives = Lasting Legacy “Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value.” (1 Corinthians 3:12–13, NLT)

Self-Serving Motives = Temporal Reward “I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get.” (Matthew 6:2, NLT)

GIVE WITHOUT A LEDGER A Life of Compassion

Matthew 6:3, (NLT) “But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.”

Subtle Sin of Self-Congratulation “The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’” (Luke 18:11–12, NLT)

The Reward of the Pure in Heart ““Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world.” (Matthew 25:34, NLT)

Let God Keep Track “Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” (Matthew 6:4, NLT)