Advertise on podcast: Franklin Vineyard Church

No one knows the date or time when Jesus will be returning, but scripture makes one thing clear. We're instructed to stand ready and not fall asleep while we wait for his return. In todays message, listen as we discuss how to stand ready as we wait for the return of Jesus.

Matthew 5:17 Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.When we were children, some of us would get instructions from one parent that felt like it was different than the other, and we would only listen to one. But we were supposed to listen to both because one clarified the other. The same is true with Jesus. He did not come to move away from the Law and Prophets (Old Testament) but to clarify what it meant.Often, Jesus would say, "You have heard it said, but verily I say unto you..." as a way to reframe and refocus confusion from the Old Testament.To maintain the Christian hermeneutic of the Old Testament is a tension. There could be a tendency to throw the baby out with the bathwater (which is really an awful expression if we think about it!), but we are to look at how Jesus engaged with and interacted with the Scriptures to see how we ought to engage and interact with the Scriptures (the Word informs us how to read the word).The Law was this: love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. This summed up the 10 Commandments, and Jesus as the better Moses is teaching that the Law (written by Moses) pointed to Jesus the same way that the Prophets did.He becomes, as NT Wright argues, the climax of the covenant, the embodiment of God's promises to his chosen people, Israel. Not a departure from the promise but a fulfillment thereof.

Matthew 5:13-16 You are the salt of the earth...you are the light of the world... We are back in Matthew! We are now working through another famous portion of Scripture where Jesus talks on a hill...most of us know it as the Sermon on the Mount.Each part of this sermon deals with how we ought to live our lives and how our lives function as a witness to who God is and who we are, and Jesus sets up this sermon by discussing two very important topics: salt and light.Salt, as is the case today, was super important for flavoring food, but it was primarily used for preservation. It was meant to allow certain foods to last longer during different seasons, and in the same way, Christians are called to be salt to preserve the ways of the Kingdom in the world.Salt also functioned as currency where people would use salt to buy and sell goods. It was a highly sought after ingredient that had multifaceted purposes (which we'll talk more about on Sunday!)And light is similar. Christians are called to be light and not walk in the darkness (as 1st John reminds us), and the meaning is pretty simple: we belong to the light. Just as Mufasa taught Simba that everything the light touched was good, as followers of Christ, we are to be in the light as he is in the light, and not only that, we are called as light bearers to drive out the forces of darkness and despair! It's not simply that we are light but we are to push back the ways of the evil one. Being on a hill, the world will look to us to see how we act, we believe, and how we function. And as we act like Christ, as his salt and light, we draw more people into relationship with God.

As a believer, you will eventually find yourself in seasons of discontentment. Times where your life doesn't look the way you imagined it would. The key to successfully navigating these seasons is living according to God's way rather than searching for shortcuts. In today's sermon, Ken Fish highlights the importance and benefits of a continued walk in righteousness instead of striving in our own strength.

In 1 Kings 19, Elijah flees after his life is threatened. Not only does God supernaturally provide for him, but also meets him in a cave and restores his purpose. Be encouraged! No past mistakes or failures can stop God's love from meeting you where you are today. He can and will restore you.

1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. We are taking a break from the Beatitudes by looking at what it means to Minister unto the Lord! The Lord is worthy of our praises and adoration, and we can't just simply think these things about Him. We must open our mouths and proclaim His praises!There's something so powerful about singing to Jesus and worshipping Him in spirit and in truth, and we are joining in the song together. Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Life Together wrote, "It is not you that sings, it is the Church that is singing, and you, as a member of the Church, may share in its song."We sing ourselves into the truth of who God is and who we are as His Bride and Body.

Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.We are nearing the end of end of our mini-series, Blessed, by looking at the end of the Beatitudes. Peace-making is much more active than simply being a peaceful person. Peace-making means entering into places and spaces of conflict and bringing the shalom of God, and this shalom is much more than the absence of strife.God's shalom is God's kingdom. It's His rule and reign, and this task of ushering in the kingdom is the role and responsibility of every child of God. In 2 Corinthians 5:19, Paul says, "God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation." Reconciliation is the Gospel.As God has forgiven us in Christ, we extend that grace, mercy, and peace to one another (and to those that are far from God!). It's such an upside-down value, which is why it follows that as we make peace, we may experience persecution. And to not let persecution dissuade us or discourage us, we must continue to rest in God's peace and flow in His mercy. As C.S. Lewis puts it, "To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you." We aren't doormats, inserting ourselves into chaotic situations and being passive.No, to be a peace-maker means to actively step into situations that need God's presence, God's goodness, and God's Spirit, and say, "Peace, be still."

Matthew 5:8-9 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.The heart is the seat of personality, and the personality is the sum total of mind, emotions, and will. The mind is our intellect and thought processes. Emotions are how we feel. And our will is how we make decisions. All together, this is our heart.Purity, obviously, means purity. It means without blemish and stain and shame, and in a lot of ways, Jesus is recounting the 10 Commandments here: to love the Lord with all that you are and to have no other gods before Him.That's what purity is all about! To acknowledge and recognize that God alone is God (which is what the Jews would recite often in their shema "Hear O Israel"). As they were pure in heart they would see God. Jesus is promising that the disciplined person would not only have an eternal reward but an "on-earth" one as well.Paul says in Romans, "As much as it depends on you, be at peace with all people..." And it's that challenge that should confront much of our modern way of keeping record of wrongs and holding things against one another.We live in a world that feels like we're always teetering on combustion, with wars and rumors of wars, and the Christ-like modus operandi is to make peace. This is an active move, not passive, in entering into hostile environments and bringing the shalom of Jesus into places.It's not the absence of problems and pain, but it's His presence. And that is why they will be called Sons of God; they are functioning as Christ Himself in reconciling two distant parties, two far away people. This is the way of the Kingdom.

Matthew 5:6-7 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. A.W. Tozer once said that you could have as much of God as you want. This desire, this need, to be filled by God is created by God so that God alone can meet the need!What Jesus is talking about in this beatitude is that you are blessed if you have such an appetite, such a need, that you cannot live without what you are longing for. The Greek word for thirst has connotations of a thing you cannot live without; you've got to have it, or you won't live any longer. He's not simply talking about being parched. It's a holy desperation! Jonathan Edwards wrote about this desperation in his book, Religious Affections, which deals with the spiritual manifestations and the desires of the heart. Paul wrote in Colossians 3, "Since you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above and not on earthly things." The irony of this godly desire is that it seems so natural where you want it so much that you can't even tell the difference between true physical desire.The next Beatitude continues this thread of building off the earlier ones: receiving the very thing that is being given. Mercy is an attribute of God. It is letting people off the hook, not reminding them of their faults or failures or the ways that they've messed up. In a word, being godly is being merciful, and it's absolutely an act of our will! We could easily go tit-for-tat, keeping track of all the wrongs done to us, but as Paul reminds us, love keeps no record of wrongs. It's not reactive; it's responsive.But as God has forgiven us in Christ, we too forgive those who trespass against us. That forgiveness is reason enough for us to pray for those that hurt us, to turn the other cheek, to give to those who ask, to be kind to those who are ungrateful, and to show mercy even when others are unmerciful.This is the leaven of the Kingdom that affects the world one trespass at a time! It may seem like a slow process, but it's the small seed that becomes the Oak of Righteousness!

Matthew 5:4-5 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. We are moving into our next set of blessings, and John Stott, a British pastor, once said that this verse can be almost translated, "Happy are the unhappy." You'll remember from last week where we talked about the upside-down values of the Kingdom, and this is another one of those instances. Who would ever think that weeping and mourning are good things? But the promise is this: Jesus says that those who mourn will be comforted. Their sorrow may last for the night, but joy will come in the morning!There is a season for everything, and the promise that Jesus offers here (and in His Farewell Discourse in John) is that the Holy Spirit will give comfort to those who need comfort. That is His name after all!Mourning creates an entry point for the Holy Spirit to do what only He can do, to provide His love and grace in the moments that we need Him. And it goes along with meekness because it recognizes our great need for the Comforter. Meekness is easier to describe by what it isn't than what it is; it's the opposite of self-righteousness, arrogance, haughtiness, smugness, and defensiveness. And in a world that focuses greatly on what we can accomplish, meekness is recognizing the greatness of God and His strength make perfect in weakness.The end result is inheritance. As Paul says in Romans 8:18, "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." Or as Winston Churchill said, "If you're going through hell, keep going." The other side of pain is glory, and as we walk through the fire, He is with us!

Matthew 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. The way up is down is a great summation of so much of what Jesus taught, and as He begins His teaching on the mount, He starts by highlighting the "poor in spirit." In one sweeping statement, Jesus invites all who feel helpless, hopeless, full of despair, unworthy, and totally empty to taste and see that He is good.It's an invitation for all of us to experience the love of God in a brand new way! This first Beatitude isn't addressed to the elites or to the higher ups, but to those that are far from God (and probably even feel far from God!) that they really are blessed. They may not realize it, but these people, us, are the very candidates for carrying the message of the Kingdom because it's all about God! It has nothing to do with our merits or strengths, but it is all about God's grace made perfect in our weakness.The quickest way to get God's attention isn't by shouting or showing of great strength, but it's when we have nothing to give, nothing to offer. Because then it really is God showing up! To quote the great hymn: Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found. 'Twas blind but now I see.The message of this first Beatitude is all about Grace: God's unmerited kindness towards humanity. And this lays the foundation for all of the blessings that come from God. It has nothing to do with what we bring to the table, but it is all about what God has done for us in Christ Jesus.

Matthew 5:1-2 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them... We are continuing in our Matthew study and looking at a new portion in Matthew 5, The Beatitudes. It's called the Beatitudes because of the Latin rendering of "blessed." This portion of the Sermon on the Mount talks about the blessings of being God's people! Nowhere is the Holy Spirit mentioned in this portion, but this is really just the Fruits of the Spirit said in another way. And Jesus talks about being in the Spirit leads to blessings. Rather than focusing on worldly success, power, or status, the Beatitudes emphasize humility, mercy, righteousness, peacemaking, and faithfulness, presenting a vision of true blessing that often challenges human expectations.For Christians, the Beatitudes serve as both a source of hope and a guide for daily living. They reveal God's promises to those who trust Him, even in the midst of hardship, and encourage believers to develop Christlike character in our relationships with others.By studying the Beatitudes, we can gain a deeper understanding of Jesus' message and are challenged to live lives marked by compassion, integrity, and unwavering faith in God despite the situation we may find ourselves in. It's one of those upside values that we experience blessings even if it doesn't always feel that way.

Acts 2:42-47 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.We often speak of the church as family. It's an idea that God started in the Garden of Eden, and the very first church was the Family of Adam and Eve.All throughout Scripture, there's this cadence of God bringing more people into His family, and this reaches a crescendo in Acts when the Holy Spirit was poured out in the Upper Room.God wants to build His church, and He's really good at it! He brings in people and sends out people, and that's how it all goes. The church is literally the "sent out ones," and our identities won't fully be realized without stepping out to what God is doing.In Acts, there's a gathering and a sending, a breathing in and breathing out, and we're so excited to partner with God is doing in this new season.

Ephesians 4:16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.Last week, we talked about how God has prepared good works for each of us to do, and this week, we are looking at our role in the whole body!When a person comes alive in the Body of Christ, the whole flourishes. And that's how God designed it to work. It's like a beautiful symphony, but every instrument needs to be in tune and every instrument needs to be heard.God has given incredible gifts to His Church, and it's His People!You and I are all created for something greater, and that is found in how we use our gifts for the glory of God and the building up of the Church. It was never meant for just use to have a gift, but our gifts are for the whole Body to grow and thrive.Join us at church where we will have a time of Mining for Gold!

Romans 8:19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. We are taking a break from Matthew to take a look at an important concept: Listening to the Lord! In Romans, Paul speaks about all of creation longing for the children of God to rise up, and many of us are unwilling to take that next step into our purposes and callings because of fear, disappointment, anxieties, and maybe even not recognizing that God is calling us into it!Listening to the Lord is such an important tool, and it's a holy ask. We have to constantly ask Him to speak, and even more so, we have to constantly create space on our end to listen.God's design, God's blueprint, is that His people would thrive, that we would step out of darkness and wilderness into His light and into the Promised Land. But we'll let fears and worries keep us out of what God has for us. But as Paul reminds us in Ephesians, "God has created us as His workmanship to do good works which God has prepared in advance for us to do!" It's a divine set up. It's our calling card. And many of us stay in the shadows because we don't know what God's voice sounds like or may not even know what He's calling us to!