North Gate Church

We are running a race. There is opposition; there are obstacles. There is a call to run, but we do not have to run alone. There's a cloud of witnesses cheering us on, but we have to cast off weights that hold us back. Is today the day that we choose to cast off what's holding us back?

One of the biggest obstacles we will run up against in the journey toward forgiveness is grief. Jesus grieved and so must we. Grief is not always obvious, and it's not always easy. What are you feeling and experiencing? It may just be grief.

There are journeys in life that take more effort or energy than others. Jesus models for us the journey of forgiveness and invites us to walk this impossible journey to the end. The obstacles that have stopped you might just be the steps that you need to take.

We know that living above the law (as if it doesn't apply to you) comes with very real consequences. We also know that living under the law can feel oppressive. Jesus, in describing the kind of righteousness that He expects, gives us a glimpse of living below the law. What does that mean? This sermon invites us to get to the heart of the law and the heart behind our behavior.

How are we to interact with the Old Testament? What does Jesus mean when He says that He fulfilled the law and that we are to be even more righteous than the Pharisees? This sermon unpacks the heart of Jesus for us today.

Jesus is the light of the world, so why does He call us that? In Matthew 6, Jesus tell us not to do righteous works before others, but in Matthew 5, He says to do acts of righteousness for others to see. So what are we to do? This sermon digs deeper into the words of Jesus to help us to know how to be a light in this world.

What did Jesus mean by calling us the salt of the earth? Historical context provides an overwhelming number of meanings as to what the disciples might have heard, but they all point to one thing for us to do...

We have all felt unfairly treated at one time or another. But what is persecution? Is that really a thing that we need to think about anymore? How can someone who is persecuted be blessed? This sermon examines the final Beatitude of Jesus's Sermon on the Mount.

There are peaceful people. There are peaceable people. There are even peacekeepers. In a world crying out for peace, Jesus asks us to be peacemakers. How do we make peace? A look into the ministry of Jesus and some historical and Scriptural context reveals how.

Who is blessed? Those who have a pure heart. Is that possible? Can you have a pure heart at all? Can you see God? Jesus requires a pure heart from His disciples. This sermon shares the path to a pure heart and how to see God's face.

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?