North Gate Church

Have mercy? Does it leak out? Is that good or bad? How do you show mercy? Why does it matter? This sermon unpacks the promise of Jesus that it goes well with those who are full of mercy... even when it makes no sense.

We live in a world that promises that goods, services, and experiences are guaranteed to provide 100% satisfaction, but research shows that they fail to deliver. Jesus sheds light on this human condition. Satisfaction is within reach.

There is a race in this world to influence and control. There's an effort to establish a legacy, create a kingdom, and change things. Jesus tells us that there's another approach that doesn't include taking, but it does include inheriting. Benjamin explains what it means to go against the grain for His Kingdom.

How could anyone experiencing grief enough to actually express it be blessed? There is a promise from Jesus for those who mourn, and we must understand it. The comfort of God is on the line.

Most everyone attempts to escape or avoid poverty with much effort. What if there were one area in which being poor was good? Jesus begins the Sermon on the Mount by turning our understanding upside down.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus shares eight statements about those who are blessed. If we are not careful, we will see these eight statements as impossible goals to reach to earn blessing. If we do not rightly define blessing, we will chase after the hollow promises of this world. In this sermon, Benjamin shares the posture we must have toward the Beatitudes as well as the biblical definition of blessing.

What does it mean to be successful? At what moment can you say, "I've made it"? The pressures of this life to be successful can pull us in a lot of directions, and even doing good can feel like success. Benjamin looks at Matthew's account of up-and-coming ministry of Jesus and how we can follow Jesus into the right definition of success.

When Jesus calls us, we must not miss the weighty honor. In Matthew 4, we see the call of Peter, James, John, and Andrew. Their response was to follow Jesus, but how much did it cost? Why would they sacrifice so much? A look at the historical context and a cross-reference of the Gospels helps us hear that they heard when Jesus said, "Follow me."

When we feel unseen, it doesn't feel good. When the things that we do or the person that we are feel hidden, it's easy to feel that we are doing something wrong. Jesus went into obscurity. Should we follow Him there too?

What would you do to see God's will done on earth as it is in Heaven? Would you compromise? Would the end justify the means? Benjamin shares the final temptation of Jesus to see His Kingdom come... by some other means than God's way. Jesus makes a choice, and both His means and end are justified.

Jesus appeared to many after His resurrection, and yet it seemed as though those who saw Him didn't see Him at all. They needed something for their eyes to be opened. Benjamin discusses what several of those who saw Him needed to see in order to see Jesus and seeks to help us to answer the question: have you seen Him?

When Jesus came into Jerusalem for the Passover celebration, He was greeted as a triumphant King, destined to save! But, even in the celebration, the people were missing something vital. When the King comes in, He has a purpose. Benjamin discusses how our desire for saving can actually cause us to miss the Savior.

Satan attempts to get Jesus to use His position as Son for relief from the difficult wilderness journey that the Holy Spirit led Him into. Somehow, Jesus remains focused on what matters and resists. Why? Benjamin shares how not only does Jesus do what humanity failed to do historically, but in the process the wilderness serves as preparation for His purpose.

The right thing at the wrong time is... wrong. Jesus finds Himself in the wilderness, tempted to use His power to feed Himself in the wilderness. We all want to escape the wildernesses of our lives as quickly as possible, but how do we walk it out well?

The Holy Spirit may lead us into the wilderness, and there is purpose there. But why is must we go? Benjamin walks us through Matthew 4 and the beginnings of the temptation of Jesus.

Have you ever felt unlucky? Can you imagine being known for running snakes out of town? That would mean that at some point there were snakes all around. That's unlucky! Benjamin discusses the luck of Maewyn Succat in light of Scripture. There might be more snakes in your life than you realize.

What have you done? Have you done things that you regret? Have you done things that you are proud of? In Matthew 3 we see God and His response to what Jesus did. God's response to what Jesus did may just change the way that you believe God sees you.

The wilderness can be a scary, dangerous place. What if there's something more in the wilderness? What if there's something that you should not live without? Benjamin shares a surprise in the desert from Matthew 3:1-3. Transformation.