Deeper Prayer Life

1. Deeper Prayer Life A Sermon Series on Prayer

2. Praying Through The Sermon on the Mount: Your Values Must Be Changed Matthew 5:3-12

3. The Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7) is the most famous among the discourses of Jesus Christ recorded in the gospels. So many books and sermons have been written and preached on it. But our challenge in this series is to pray through this sermon given by Jesus Christ to his disciples early in his ministry.

4. “It is important to note that the Sermon on the Mount is descriptive before it is prescriptive. It describes what the Christian is before talking of what the Christian should do. For Jesus, obedience grows out of blessedness; the statement of our condition precedes the demands of our discipleship.” (Iain Campbell)

5. “‘Blessed’ was a powerful word to those who heard Jesus that day. To them it meant ‘divine joy and perfect happiness.’ The word was not used for humans; it described the kind of joy experienced only by the gods or the dead. ‘Blessed’ implied an inner satisfaction and sufficiency that did not depend on outward circumstances for happiness.” (Warren Wiersbe)

6. The Blessedness of Humility (vv. 3-5)

7. The Blessedness of Humility (vv. 3-5) “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”

8. The Blessedness of Humility (vv. 3-5) “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” Totally REPENTANT Totally SURRENDERED Totally DEPENDENT

9. The Blessedness of Humility (vv. 3-5) “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” Mourning over sin is the expression of true and total repentance.

10. The Blessedness of Humility (vv. 3-5) “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” Meekness = gentleness, unpretentious, self-controlled, free from malice/vengefulness A meek person acknowledges that he is sinful & imperfect.

11. The Blessedness of Humility (vv. 3-5) • Humility indicator: When we live lives with NOTHING to PROVE.

12. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”

13. The Blessedness of Holiness (vv. 6-8)

14. The Blessedness of Holiness (vv. 6-8) “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”

15. The Blessedness of Holiness (vv. 6-8) “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” An intense longing to be and to do what is right and just before the eyes of God.

16. The Blessedness of Holiness (vv. 6-8) “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” A merciful person shows compassion on others because they are sinful.

17. The Blessedness of Holiness (vv. 6-8) “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” They are single-minded in their devotion to God.

18. The Blessedness of Holiness (vv. 6-8) • Holiness indicator: When we live lives with NOTHING to HIDE.

19. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”

20. The Blessedness of Harmony (vv. 9-12)

21. The Blessedness of Harmony (vv. 9-12) “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

22. The Blessedness of Harmony (vv. 9-12) “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. They treasure peace and they pursue peace.

23. The Blessedness of Harmony (vv. 9-12) Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

24. The Blessedness of Harmony (vv. 9-12) Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

25. The Blessedness of Harmony (vv. 9-12) • Harmony indicator: When we live lives with NOTHING to LOSE.

26. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”