In a world where communication is often loud but shallow, where misunderstandings can divide families and churches, we’re turning to Ephesians 4 for a better way. The apostle Paul shows us how our words, when shaped by the gospel, can actually build up the body of Christ and bring unity to our homes. Whether you’re leading a family, growing in marriage, raising kids, or simply trying to live at peace with others, this series is for you. Paul’s wisdom applies to both our family and our church family, reminding us that communication is more than just talking—it’s about growing up together into Christ.
August 3, 2025 |
Ephesians 4:25-29 |
anger
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Today, we’re talking about a topic that every family—and every believer—must face: anger. Let’s be honest, anger shows up in every home, every relationship, and even in the church. It can flare up with a harsh word or simmer beneath the surface with a cold shoulder. But left unchecked, anger can wreak havoc on the relationships God has called us to nurture. Uncontrolled, sinful anger is a danger to our family communication and ultimately our unity.
Whether we’re talking about your family or the church family, the way we deal with anger will either strengthen or sabotage our relationships. Anger itself isn’t always sin, but what we do with it often is. We need God’s power and wisdom to respond in a way that builds up rather than tears down. In the apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he exhorted believers that they must control their anger as members of one another in Christ Jesus.
July 27, 2025 |
Ephesians 4:17-25 |
communication, conflict
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In families and churches alike, conflict and the need for correction are inevitable. But how we speak the truth, and how we receive it, makes all the difference. Without spiritual preparation, correction can wound instead of heal. We need Christ to shape us into people who can both give and receive correction with grace, truth and love.
Real peace doesn’t come from avoiding truth, it comes from speaking and hearing it in love, with hearts transformed by Christ. Paul knew that correction was essential for unity in the church, but it had to come from hearts shaped by Christ. In today’s text, he shows us how to prepare our hearts for those challenging, but necessary conversations.
In the apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he taught believers how to spiritually prepare themselves to truthfully give and receive correction in unity.
July 20, 2025 |
Ephesians 4:1-3,15-16 |
communication
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We often think of good communication as just getting our point across or being heard. But God’s vision is bigger: He wants our communication to lead to oneness. In both our families and our church family, the goal isn’t just to express ourselves—but to grow together in Christ, building unity through our words and attitudes. Yet so often, our communication leads not to unity, but to division.
Good communication for the Christian is more than hearing and being heard, it’s being at one with the Lord and with one another. Hearing and being heard is good start, but being at one is better. That’s the real goal of communication: oneness. In the apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he called believers to pursue oneness in the Lord as the goal of their communication.
July 13, 2025 |
Matthew 7:21-29 |
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Throughout this series, Jesus has described what life in His Kingdom looks like—what it means to live under His rule and reign. He has called us to a righteousness that surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees. And now, He closes His sermon with a sobering warning and a gracious invitation, a call to examine whether we truly belong to His Kingdom.
There are many today who assume they are right with God simply because they try to live a good life, say the right religious words, got baptized, and joined the church. But not everyone who claims to follow Jesus truly knows Him and are known by Him. The question is this: Do I have real assurance that I belong to the Kingdom of God? Can we have real assurance of our salvation?
As Jesus brings His sermon to a close, He contrasts those with a superficial faith with those who have a sincere and saving faith. He warns of self-deception and shows us how to be certain of our place in His Kingdom.
In Matthew 7:21-29, Jesus closed His Sermon on the Mount by both warning and inviting people to pursue a sincere faith that brings real assurance in God’s Kingdom.
July 6, 2025 |
Matthew 7:15-20 |
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Last week, we saw how He speaks of two different gates or paths and how one leads to life, but the other leads to destruction (7:13-14). Now today, Jesus moves the discussion from warning about the path of destruction to warning against the prophets of destruction. He calls them wolves in sheep’s clothing.
Why do we need this warning? Because not everyone who claims to speak for God is from God. Some are deceivers in disguise. And not only are they deceptive, they are dangerous. For claiming to be guides to the narrow gate, they actually lead people to the wide gate and destruction.
What we need is spiritual discernment. If we don’t exercise spiritual discernment, we risk being led astray. Without discernment, we could follow someone who ultimately leads us away from Christ and into destruction. In Matthew 7:15-20, Jesus warned His Kingdom citizens to beware false prophets by being spiritually discerning of their fruit. As kingdom citizens, we can exercise spiritual discernment to recognize false prophets.
June 29, 2025 |
Matthew 7:13-14 |
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As we’ve studied His sermon, we’ve seen how Jesus has laid out what it looks like to live as citizens of the Kingdom of God. Now, as He closes, He calls us to a decision, to a choice. Whose kingdom will you choose? And it’s this choice that we’re discussing today. It’s a simple choice. For Jesus only offers two options: the wide gate or the narrow gate.
That confronts our desire for spiritual autonomy. It challenges the mindset that we can take a little bit of Christianity, a little bit of self-help, and maybe sprinkle in some Eastern philosophy and end up just fine. But Jesus doesn’t leave room for a middle path! And that’s why we need this message today. Because the narrow way isn’t just hard to find—it’s easy to reject. Not because it’s unclear, but because it’s unpopular. And yet, it’s the only way that leads to real and lasting life.
In Matthew 7:13-14, Jesus began to conclude His sermon by warning His first-century Jewish audience that there were only two spiritual paths, the broad way that leads to destruction and the narrow way that leads to life, and He instructed them to enter through the narrow gate.
June 22, 2025 |
Matthew 7:7-12 |
exposition
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The world says, “You get what you earn.” The world’s currency is merit—performance, success, hard work, self-reliance. But the currency of the kingdom is asking. It’s coming to God not trying to earn His blessing, but as children depending on a generous Father.
Now, that goes against everything we’re taught from an early age, doesn’t it? Many of us were raised to be self-sufficient, to never ask for help, to earn our way forward. And that’s why we need this message today. Some of us have grown weary in prayer. Others have stopped asking because we think God isn’t listening, or that we don’t deserve an answer. Some of us have tried to live the Christian life in our own strength and we’re running on empty. Today’s message is a gracious reminder from Jesus: You don’t earn God’s favor—you ask for it.
In Matthew 7, Jesus continued His Sermon on the Mount by teaching kingdom citizens how to experience the generous provision of their heavenly Father. We can experience the generous provision of our heavenly Father.
May 18, 2025 |
Matthew 6:1-6,16-18 |
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In today’s world, appearance often trumps authenticity. Social media thrives on applause. Our culture encourages us to project a curated image—whether through photos, achievements, or even spiritual acts, like saying we’ll pray for someone or give to some cause we say we care about. But what if the pursuit of human recognition corrupts our faith? What if God isn’t impressed by our outward acts at all, but is instead watching our hearts? Watching our motives?
That’s really been the theme of the Sermon on the Mount—Jesus shifting the focus from outward behavior to inward transformation. He’s moved the emphasis of the Law from external compliance to internal motives. And now, in Matthew 6, He turns to our spiritual practices, not to say we shouldn’t do them, but to teach us how and why we should. He challenges us to examine not just what we do, but why we do it. For in the Kingdom of God, the heart and its motives and attitudes matter most.
In Matthew 6:1-6; 16-18, Jesus warned His disciples against practicing acts of righteousness with the motive of human recognition rather than God’s.
May 11, 2025 |
Matthew 5:38-48 |
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Have you ever been wronged so deeply that your first instinct was to strike back? Maybe it was a harsh word, a betrayal, or someone who simply made your life miserable. The world teaches us to stand our ground, defend our rights, and get even. But in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus offers us a different way—a kingdom way.
Jesus calls His followers not to live by the law of retaliation but by the law of love. Kingdom love doesn’t play by the world’s rules. It refuses revenge. It reaches across enemy lines. And it reflects the heart of God. What does love in the kingdom look like according to Jesus?
In the gospel of Matthew 5:31-37, Jesus taught His disciples that true righteousness in the kingdom of heaven required a greater love than what was taught by the religious leaders of that day. As Kingdom citizens, we can answer Christ’s call to live according to His greater love.
May 4, 2025 |
Matthew 5:31-37 |
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Today, we’ll be focusing on Matthew 5:31-37. We’ve titled this sermon: FAITHFULNESS IN THE KINGDOM because it addresses King Jesus’ call to be faithful in keeping the marriage covenant and in our daily communication.
In the gospel of Matthew 5:31-37, Jesus taught His disciples that true righteousness in the kingdom of heaven required a deeper faithfulness to the commitments they made than what was taught by the religious leaders of that day. As Kingdom citizens we are called to pursue faithfulness in all our commitments.
