Serious Joy

"Judge Not, that you be not judged." This is probably the most well known statement Jesus made. What is he commanding us to do? Are Christians never to make judgements on behavior and teaching, or is there more to it than that?

In this message, we look at the commandment to not be anxious and how that is rooted in our treasuring and trusting Christ. We are missing the first 5 or 6 minutes of Audio and Video, that was just a recap of some of the concepts in the previous message in this series, Trash and Treasure. Below is the sermon manuscript for the couple of minutes that where missing in the video so you will know wher...

We all leave impressions in this life. What kind of mark will you make?

Jesus said that where our treasure is, our heart is also. How do we keep our treasure and our hearts in the right place?

Jesus clearly teaches us that we are to be motivated in doing righteousness by the reward we receive. So, then what is that reward? It is the unshakable joy of satisfaction in Christ.

Jesus offers a way of escape from temptation. "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."

Our prayer must be connected to a sincere, humble willingness to obey God.

Ryan Ballard ministers the word of God from Ephesians and Revelation with a warning to complacent churches and Christians. Do not forget your first love.

The Lord's Prayer offers us a framework for our own conversations with God.

Prayer is mostly asking, and God delights when we ask Him.

We have an example, a great power, and a great friend in Jesus Christ to stand against temptation.

The praise of men is an intoxication temptation. If we fall into it's lure, we lose the reward of our Father.

There is danger in doing the right things for the wrong reasons. Glory belongs to God. Let us not be thieves.

Our testimony of God's goodness can be seen in how well we treat those who don't treat us well.

Christ calls us to a better response when we are treated poorly by others. He empowers us in that better response through his assurance of a better possession in eternity.

Let what you say be simply "Yes" or "No".

The strongest defense we have for protecting our marriages is the picture we have of Christ and the Church.

We go to great lengths to defend and protect what is important to us...property, rights, relationships. To what lengths will we go to defend and protect our relationship with Christ?

Jesus calls us to a ministry and message of radical reconciliation that requires humility and a desire for peace.

The law points us to Christ for salvation.

Matthew 5:14-16 “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."

We have a responsibility to pray for others. What then should we pray for them when we don't know what to pray for?

Salt that isn't salty is worthless. Christians who don't live like Christ are no different.

Not all persecution is blessed, but that, for righteousness sake, has both a purpose and a reward.

Persecution will come to the Christian. That is the testimony of scripture, the testimony of the Apostles, the testimony of history, and the testimony of our Lord. But be encouraged. Though we are reviled, our reward is great.