Climbing the Mountain

In this episode, we dive into Jesus’ teaching on the topic of oaths and vows. We look at a number of passages from the Old Testament to help us distinguish these two closely related ideas and the various ways that they show up in our society. We discuss the lack of integrity and honesty that is endemic in our daily lives and the opportunity for the people of God to be a light if we take Jesus’ words on this issue to heart.Scriptures Referenced: Matthew 5:33-37Numbers 30:2Deuteronomy 23:21-22Judges 11:302 Samuel 15:7Exodus 22:10-11James 5:12Leviticus 19:18Leviticus 19:11-122 Chronicles 6:6Leviticus 22:2Psalm 15:4

What does Jesus desire for marriage? In this episode, we look at Matthew 5:31-32 to understand Jesus’ teaching on divorce. We talk about the importance of faithfulness, how marriage mirrors our covenant relationship with God, and the beautiful work that God does in our hearts and spirits when we commit ourselves to growing and loving our spouse.Scriptures Referenced: Matthew 5:31-32Deuteronomy 24Matthew 5:27-30Ephesians 5:21-331 Corinthians 13:4-6Matthew 19:4-6Malachi 2:16

In this episode, we conclude our discussion on wrestling with the word by discussing the topics of spiritual discernment and Biblical interpretation (hermenutics). We discuss how our spiritual discernment grows as we submit ourselves to God and his Spirit through the word. We then spend most of the episode discussing several practical tips for biblical interpretation, introducing principles, steps, and resources that can help you on your own journey.Scriptures Referenced:Hebrews 5:11-6:3Romans 12:1-3Romans 11:33-36Mark 9:14-29

In this episode, we explore how we can know whether a particular opinion or conviction is a debatable matter that can differ from person to person or an essential matter that all Christians must agree on. We discuss specific steps in our processes that we use to help answer that question, acknowledging the need to be Spirit-led and seek support from the community of believers, both in our local congregations and across history.Scriptures Referenced: Romans 14:20-23Galatians 1:10Matthew 7:24-27Philippians 2:5-11

In this episode, we pause from our study on the Sermon on the Mount to start a discussion on wrestling with the word. Different Christians can approach the same passage and come away with different interpretations—how do we develop convictions based on the word of God without succumbing to division? We discuss how an emphasis on basing our individual convictions from the Bible can actually aid unity in a church if we approach the Word and one another in a spirit of humility.Scriptures Referenced: Romans 14:1-15Acts 15:1-351 Corinthians 8:1-13Revelation 1:10Romans 13:11-14

In this episode, we circle back and try to define what lust actually is! We draw connections between lust and greed and higlight the importance of a deeper and more passionate desire for God that can fight against our desire to lust. We then talk about various practicals that each of us have used in our battle against lust, including key scriptures that we cling to in the moment of temptation.Scriptures Referenced: Colossians 3:51 Thessalonians 4:3-8Matthew 5:82 Corinthians 4:6Hebrews 4:12-13Proverbs 5Proverbs 4:252 Peter 1:3-4

In this episode, we continue our discussion of lust. We explore our society’s complex relationship with lust — approving of it in principle but disliking many of its ramifications and manifestations. We then spend most of our time talking about masturbation based on Jesus’ reference of “if your right hand causes you to sin.” We discuss what relationship may exist between masturbatio and lust, if masturbation is ever OK, and God’s desire for sex to be a part of a deeply intimate relationship.Scriptures Referenced: Matthew 5:27-302 Samuel 13 - Amnon and Tamar

Why does Jesus care about lust? In this episode, we dive into Matthew 5:27-30, exploring Jesus’ vivid language on the topic of lust. We highlight the differences between Jesus’ characterization of this issue compared to our society, including the importance of our thought life on the “real world” and lust as a war waging in our hearts.Scriptures Referenced: Matthew 5:27-30Mark 7:20-23Matthew 15:11-20Romans 7:18-251 Peter 2:11

Is all anger bad? If not, what does it look like to handle it in a productive way? This episode focuses on these questions, looking at Jesus’ own life for examples of dealing with anger. We also talk about how to weed out anger and bitterness from our hearts. This episode concludes our discussions on anger from Matthew 5:21-26.Scriptures Referenced: Matthew 5:21-26Matthew 24:9Romans 12:17-21James 1:19-21John 2:13-25Matthew 5:5Mark 3:1-6John 8:1-11

In this episode, we pick up where we left off. We begin by talking about the relationship between the command to offer our lives and bodies as a sacrifice with Jesus’ command to “leave our gift at the altar” if our brother has something against us. We then discuss the need to be right with others for us to be right with God. We finish by wrestling with the question: “if being reconciled is so important, am I held hostage to other people’s feelings and opinions?”Scriptures Referenced: Matthew 5:21-26Ephesians 4:25-321 Corinthians 6:18-20Romans 12:1-3Rev 5:8Rev 8:41 Peter 3:7Matthew 6:14-15Hebrews 13:151 John 2:9-111 John 4:19-21Matthew 15:7-10John 15:18-25Romans 12:18

In this episode, we begin our discussion on Jesus’ teaching on anger. We reflect on why Jesus uses such stark language against anger, and go back to Cain and Abel, the first story of a horizontal relationship, to discuss how anger played a devasting role. We talk about whose anger we should care about (mine? Yours?) and how Jesus’ command to “leave your gift at the altar” relates to communion today.Scriptures Referenced: Genesis 4:1-8Matthew 5:21-26Romans 12:1-31 Corinthians 6:18-20

Jesus says that unless our righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, we won’t enter the kingdom of heaven. How is this possible, and how can we do this while experiencing a life of abundance instead of fear?

In this episode, we discuss other scriptures that can help us understand what Jesus means by “fulfilling the law.” We discuss how the Mosaic law is foundational to what Jesus came to do and teach and how there may be more similarities than we might expect at first glance. We end by discussing how both Paul and Jesus agree that the fulfillment of the law is love. Jesus’ definition of what “love” is can be markedly different from our culture’s definition, so we anticipate being challenged by his teachings as he draws out what love looks like in the rest of the sermon.

In this episode, we begin our discussion on Jesus’ claim that he came to fulfill the law. We talk about the different meanings of the word law in the Bible and what Jesus might have meant by the word “fulfill”. Along the way, we meditate on how Jesus’ work of fulfillment in us is a continual process and how both Old and New Testaments contain treasures for us to uncover.Scriptures Referenced: Matthew 5:17-20

In this we ask how our righteousness needs to surpass the Pharisees and teachers of the law. What does Jesus even mean by righteousness, and why would he say that we’ll be persecuted for it if it’s a good thing? We talk about the high calling in the sermon on the mount and how it challenges our thoughts, hearts, actions, and even definitions of what good is. We share scriptures that we cling to when we are convicted by Jesus’ teachings and end with concluding thoughts on the question from our first episode: is the sermon on the mount a new law?Scriptures Referenced: Luke 22:20Romans 12:1-3Matt 5:3-11Matthew 6:33Matt 7:13-27Matt 5:48John 15:1-8Philippians 3:12–16

In this episode, we begin our discussion of the Sermon on the Mount by wrestling with the connections between Jesus and Moses. Since Moses gave the law, did Jesus give a new law? We discuss this question, the differences between the old and new covenant, and the importance of the Holy Spirit in bringing change to our hearts.Scriptures Referenced: Hebrews 12:14John 1:11Matthew 23Matthew 4:23Matthew 9:35Luke 22 - Last SupperDeuteronomy 18:15 - Prophet like meGalatians 3 - The law is like a guardian or schoolmasterHebrews 8Hebrews 8:10Matthew 5:19Exodus 19:6 - kingdom of priestsJohn 14 - Holy spiritLuke 5:4