The Narrow Path | Part 4 | But I Say Unto You
In today’s passage, Jesus both gives the strongest possible confirmation that the law of Torah, and also says that there are sure limitations to it and we need to look beneath the surface of the law as we seek to live a life that glorifies God. After this introduction, Jesus goes through several hot topics…
The Narrow Path | Part 3 | The Beatitudes
In this opening statement to His great sermon, Jesus turns our whole understanding about His Kingdom upside down. From the get go, His listeners know that there is something very different about this man’s teaching, and they’d better pay attention. Interestingly, commentators wildly differ on how to take these blessing statements. Is Jesus describing good…
The Narrow Path | Part 1 | Intro
This message is an intro message to a 10-part series on the Sermon on the Mount. This one sermon from Jesus has been called: Jesus great Manifesto, a description of a life under the rule of God, a vision for individual and communal flourishing, the best TED-talk ever and many other things.
Jesus intention was for His followers to live these words. But how can we? It is so radical, so counter-cultural, and perhaps unattainable?
In this message, Koen is giving you a framework for approaching the Sermon on the Mount, which will serve us as a guide for the coming weeks as we work through its themes.
The Presence of God
The pattern of the presence of God The presence of God in the OT The presence of God in this time
Ephesians | Chapter 6 | Prepare for Battle
There is a war going on all around us, and we are not civilians, but soldiers. Paul describes the average Christian as a Roman soldier with a full armour always ready for combat. What is this fight about? Who is our enemy? And how should we prepare for battle?
Ephesians | Chapter 5 | Walk as Children of the Light
In Ephesians 5, Paul encourages us to confidently and boldly live life differently from the world around us. Paul specifically highlights three areas where he is inviting Christians to stand out to the world, as children of the light, to be radically different; sex, language and our relationship to possessions. But instead of pointing us to bad behaviour to avoid, Paul is helping us to focus on the life God has for us and points us to three counter practices of the Way of Jesus.
Ephesians | Chapter 3 | Let THAT sink in
There is something that needs to ‘sink in’ to the heart of every Christian.
If this doesn’t happen – we continue to feel powerless to the struggles we face.
If this doesn’t happen – we continue to feel shame over what we’ve done
If this doesn’t happen – we continue to feel guilt over that habits we just can’t shake.
If this doesn’t happen – we will always continue to feel unworthy, unloved and unwanted in the family of God.
What needs to sink in is simply that what the Bible says about us is actually true.
How God sees us – needs to become how we see ourselves.
What is theologically true about us, needs to become our experienced reality.
What we know needs to make that 10-inch drop from the head to the heart.
When this sinks in, a whole new world is in front of us.
If that never really sinks in, we will get stuck.
