Vintage Grace's Podcast

Faith = Invitation to Intimacy
Matthew highlights an outsider recognizing Jesus’s authority over sickness & demonstrating greater faith than anyone in Israel to introduce the inclusion of Gentiles in God’s redemptive work.
God wants this for YOU too… to see, receive & respond in faith to all things— Gap things, Time/ Talent/Treasure things — anything as something to surrender & see that Jesus is Astounding!

Sin left us banished from God’s presence. Jesus leads us home, back into relationship with God.

The 2 houses serve as a warning & as a way to live: hearing & doing (CultivatingKingdomLiving). The wise build their lives on Jesus's teachings & endure. The foolish ignore Jesus's words & tragically fall because of it. In all of the Sermon On the Mount it's evident that Jesus's teaching is not like the religious establishment; He has authority that comes from above.

In the conclusion of Matthew's take on the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus emphasizes authentic faith. 
2 Roads & 2 Trees + 2 Claims, & 2 Houses. 
The Kingdom Choice: In this text the focus is on recognizing & possessing authentic faith. 
Authentic faith has a real, fruit producing, relationship with God. (Kingdom Choice: receive & reflect this)

"The (Kingdom) choice is set out in the imagery of two roads, contrasted in their character (broad & narrow), in their popularity (followed by many & few) and in their destination (destruction & good life)." 
-France, NICNT

Jesus invites us to pursue God, knowing God is a good father who is delighted to give us HIS good, which empowers us to live His way.

Jesus is inviting His crew — and you — not only to surrender the throne of your heart, but also to follow Him, being cultivated in Kingdom living.

Through the power of the Holy Spirit at work within us, we are becoming part of a community marked by humility, self-examination, and Spirit-led discernment — emptied of judgmentalism — all for His glory and the good of others.

The Gospel frames reality for us.
The most important event in the history of the world, the resurrection, has the power to change your life today & for an eternity of tomorrows.

Jesus is giving us a description of kingdom life— the joy of having Him on the throne of our hearts.

We’ve given our hearts to what we care about the most! In the Kingdom, God wants us to desire Him above everything else—not just for Him, but also FOR our own sake, because divided loyalties are literally impossible. 

The master of money will consume you; the true Master, YHWH, invites you into His glory.

Fasting to impress others is dangerous and leaves us empty. 

Fasting to connect with God helps us encounter His loving presence.

Jesus taught us not to pray to be seen but to pray to see God. We pray for His glory, acknowledge our need for Him, and rely on his grace. The Lord’s Prayer isn’t just something to say—it’s a way to see.

Prayer is not a performance, it's a relationship with our Father in Heaven, and is also here.

We are passionate about building joy filled communities of faith, who is very existence inspires individuals to live in abundant Christian life, made up of three key relationships: a deepening relationship with God (R1), a life changing relationship with others (R2), and an engaging relationship with those to believe (R3).

Jesus instructs his core about the Kingdoms upside-down approach to conflict resolution. 

Love your enemies. Loving your enemies is how God plans to Glorify Himself & perfect you. May we look, love, & lead like our Father!

Jesus gives us the appropriate understanding of the law relating to adultery, divorce, and oaths.

Jesus teaches forgiveness and reconciliation are remedies to the anger cycle. 

In the kingdom, anger is a signal to tell us something wrong that needs to be made right. 

When we choose to not take out our rage on others, pursue forgiveness, and make amends, we take part in God’s Kingdom on earth.

Your reputation does not just belong to you. Our reputation is inherited and cultivated.

Jesus makes it clear that our Kingdom reputation is about our identity as sons and daughters- we ARE salt, we ARE the light of the world.

This is not about striving harder, but living out who Jesus already says we are. All for His Glory and the good of humanity.