In a continuation of the series on the Sermon on the Mount Pastor Doug explains how the Pharisees and scribes had twisted the law into an uncaring instrument for showing one's outward "righteousness" far from the guide for interacting with those around us in a caring manner it was meant to be. We still do the same thing today and just like the Pharisees of old we have missed the boat! 

We are on our fourth part of a walk through the Sermon On The Mount! In the Beatitudes, at the beginning of this series... Jesus spoke to a culture (very much like ours) that built their holiness and merit before God on their works in the Law...Jesus opened His sermon by making it clear the exact opposite was true...He told them (and us), the only starting place with God is to realize that we CAN DO NOTHING... That we are hopelessly sinful...  And there is no good in us! And that all we can do... ALL HE WANTS us to do...Is desperately, humbly seek HIM with all our hearts...

Before the break after surgery, we spent two weeks looking at the Beatitudes from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. This first public sermon that Jesus preached was one of the most important sermons in all of Scriptures to Christians. It was not designed to address unbelievers. It was Jesus Christ, the Author of all of Scriptures, beginning His earthly ministry by correcting the terrible damage which the Pharisees and Scribes had caused in their interpretation of these Scriptures.

On Wednesday night our lesson was about the fact that God not only calls us to be His saved, Blood bought servants...But also... As hard as it is to comprehend... His friends!
 John 15:13-15