Matthew 5:14-16

Stand Out and Stand Firm

This sermon is based on Matthew 5:14-16. You can also view each week's sermon/worship service on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ncsq_QNvCv61bIwKUpP5A SERIES OVERVIEW: What in the world convinced people back in the Roman world to abandon their beliefs and gods and come to Christ? After all, there were no immediate incentives—no promises of instant and lasting health; no promises of a life of exorbitant happiness; no promises of immediate and continued wealth and no promises of adoring popularity. There were, however, plenty of deterrents. In fact, anyone who became a Christ follower back then could expect a largely negative response from others. So, what in the world convinced them to make such a commitment? Surprisingly, it was the people in the church. And unsurprisingly, it is the same thing today. That’s what we want to explore in our new series which we are calling, “Stand Out.”

The Knack of Blessing Others

This sermon is based on Matthew 5:14-16. You can also view each week's sermon/worship service on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ncsq_QNvCv61bIwKUpP5A SERIES OVERVIEW: Let’s be honest: for most of us, the idea of sharing the good news of Jesus with our friends is really bad news. Talking about spiritual issues with those around us is a sure way to lose friends and annoy people. But again and again, we are called to be Jesus’ witnesses to those around us (I know, that’s more bad news). But what if we could develop a skill (what some may call a “knack”) that makes witnessing less of a chore and more of a relationship? What if evangelism wasn’t trying to get someone to sign on the dotted line, but rather, loving the people God puts in our path? And what if we could learn these skills so that we could have a knack of