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The Sermon on the Mount: Life Inside The Kingdom (Matthew 5.17-48): Mission Impossible

INTRO:

Have you ever noticed that every Mission: Impossible movie begins the same way? Ethan Hunt gets a message that basically says, “Good morning, Mr. Hunt. Your mission, should you choose to accept it…” Then they hand him a task that’s completely absurd.

“Infiltrate the world’s most secure building…”

“…without being seen.”

“…steal a device that doesn’t officially exist.”

“…save the world.”

“…and trust no one.”

By the end, he’s hanging from airplanes, climbing skyscrapers, driving motorcycles off cliffs, and somehow sprinting faster than people half his age.

We watch because we know it’s called Mission: Impossible, not Mission: Fairly Challenging.

When we come to Matthew 5:17 and beyond, Jesus almost sounds like He’s giving His own impossible mission. Continue reading “The Sermon on the Mount: Life Inside The Kingdom (Matthew 5.17-48): Mission Impossible”

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The Sermon on the Mount: Life Inside The Kingdom (Matthew 5.13-16): Kingdom Impact

My family eats a lot of green beans. It’s our go to vegetable for many meals. They’re quick and easy and…it’s something I can cook…But you just don’t open a can of green beans and put them on the table…They have to be prepared correctly, and today, I’ll show you how…But the key ingredient, no matter how you prepare them, is salt.

Continue reading “The Sermon on the Mount: Life Inside The Kingdom (Matthew 5.13-16): Kingdom Impact”

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The Sermon on the Mount: Life Inside The Kingdom (Matthew 5.1-12): Kingdom Character

We just celebrated our country’s independence last week. I got to experience this while on vacation and everyone’s spirit about the 4th of July was notable. I’m sure, while I was away, fireworks were popped here for at least 3 days…I walked around the cruise boat singing Proud to Be an American in a Caribbean accent. But if you asked many people what it looks like to be an American, you may get just that many answers. Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount gives us a glimpse of what it looks like to be a citizen of God’s Kingdom…

Continue reading “The Sermon on the Mount: Life Inside The Kingdom (Matthew 5.1-12): Kingdom Character”

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Lois Mitchell: Pennies and a Life Well Lived

A Cebration of Life Service for Mrs. Lois Mitchell

January 9, 2026

Today we gather with heavy hearts—but also with grateful hearts. Grief and gratitude often sit side by side at moments like this. We grieve because we love. And we give thanks because God gave us the gift of Mrs. Lois for 77 years.

Mrs. Lois was many things to many people: a daughter, a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a sister, a friend. But if you were to ask her family how they would summarize her life, you wouldn’t hear long speeches or grand claims. You’d hear words like caring, giving, and big-hearted. You’d hear stories about faith lived quietly and love shown consistently.

Continue reading “Lois Mitchell: Pennies and a Life Well Lived”

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The Surprise of Christmas

This Christmas at our house, there was a lot of smiling and a lot of thankfulness—but not a lot of surprise. Every time someone opened a gift and tried to act shocked, somebody else would say, “It was on your Amazon list.”

And as soon as that was said, the surprise was gone.

We live in a world where almost nothing catches us off guard anymore. We track packages. We make lists. We already know what’s coming.

But the first Christmas?

Nobody had a list.

Nobody expected it to happen this way.

And Luke reminds us that Christmas isn’t about God meeting expectations—it’s about God doing something far better than we imagined.

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Holy Living: 1 John 2:16 Counterfeit Coconuts

In some parts of the world, people catch monkeys with a simple trap: they place a treat inside a narrow-necked jar. The monkey reaches in, grabs the food—but with its clenched fist, it can’t pull its hand out. Freedom would be as simple as letting go, but the monkey refuses, and stays stuck.

This morning we’re going to look at 3 coconuts, if you will, that keep us trapped.

The world grabs our attention with what looks like treasure. But it traps us when we refuse to let go. The flesh says “I need it,” the eyes say “I want it,” and pride says “I deserve it.”

Continue reading “Holy Living: 1 John 2:16 Counterfeit Coconuts”