Matthew 5:13-16, continues to explore life in God’s kingdom. Jesus declares that his followers are “salt” and “light.” What imagery! Our Lord begins to explain how the heavenly kingdom is to be applied in our earthly relationships, shaped by the values and characteristics of the previous Beatitudes. As salt, primarily serving as a preservative against spoiling and as an enhancer to flavor, Christians are to be redemptive agents wherever they go in private and public contexts. As light, Christians reflect the hope and glory of the true Light of the world. Both pictures underscore how identity (who we are) shapes behavior (what we do), something which Jesus will address repeatedly, and when there is a gap between those realities it just doesn’t make sense. Salt would lose its saltiness; light would not be seen. May we, instead, live out our identity with gusto!

Redeemer Church, Mason Ohio

Salt and Light (Matthew 5:13-16) || Life in God's Kingdom

Now, we consider Matthew 5:10-12, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” With this statement, we find the same promise as the first Beatitude: the kingdom of heaven belonged to those who were poor in spirit, and now it belongs to those who are persecuted. Not only is this an “inclusio” literarily (providing a bookend) which makes this section a complete whole, it also seems there is a connection between the two. What is it? Is persecution good in and of itself? If we are not persecuted, how can we support or identify with those who are?

Blessed are Those Who Are Persecuted (Matthew 5:10-12) || Life in God's Kingdom

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” In Matthew 5:9, Jesus says if you want to look like a child of God, then be in the business of peacemaking! What, exactly, does “peacemaking” mean? How is it best pursued? What if one party is unwilling to make peace in a conflict? And how in the world are we blessed if in fact we pursue it? 

Blessed are the Peacemakers (Matthew 5:9) || Life in God's Kingdom

There are not many stories in the Bible that center around a woman's prayer. Hannah's persistence in prayer led her to understand more deeply who God is and how he works in our world. You may have prayers that God has not yet answered, or you may believe that prayer simply does not work at all. But Hannah's story teaches us that God is closer to us than we think and he works through our prayers in mysterious ways. The good news is, we can all pray like Hannah and hope with the same tenacity. I pray that this story will guide us to re-energize our prayers.

Hannah's Prayer (1 Samuel 1-2:10) || Guest Pastor Ryan Zhang

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” (Matthew 5:7) Purity of heart may evoke images of a wearing promise ring, watching only G-rated movies, or achieving perfect church attendance. While those may certainly be demonstrative of this Beatitude, they by no means capture its essence – you can have outward conformity without inward sincerity. The pure in heart, however, have singleness of devotion toward the things of God, an internal reality that shapes all they do. Such kingdom citizens get glimpses of their King in a way only they can.

Blessed are the Pure in Heart (Matthew 5:7) || Life in God's Kingdom

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” (Matthew 5:7) Mercy, in a nutshell, is grace in action, and it has two sides to it: compassion and forgiveness. Jesus says in this Beatitude there is a correlation between receiving it and extending it. How so? What does mercy look like in the real world? Are there boundaries to mercy? Hope you can join us as we explore this next characteristic of those striving to live as citizens of God’s kingdom.

Blessed are the Merciful (Matthew 5:7) || Life in God's Kingdom

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” (Matthew 5:6) If you like a good meal and a refreshing drink, it should be easy to identify with premise of this Beatitude! In this upside-down kingdom, though, the driving desire is not for sushi, a filet, tea, an energy drink, or wine, but rather for the things of God. Jesus is describing a longing to live out Christ’s calling with integrity and zeal, and for seeing that manifest in the world around us.

Blessed are Those Who Hunger & Thirst for Righteousness (Matthew 5:6) || Life in God's Kingdom

“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5) That’s not a word we use very often – “meek” – and if we do is it typically a quality that seems less than admirable. It conjures up images of someone who is frail, spiritless, and lacks backbone. Yet if Jesus himself emulates these kingdom qualities, clearly there is more to it! The word is challenging to translate, but comes closer to “gentle.” Why does Jesus value this so much and how do we nurture and grow in this blessed state?

Blessed are the Meek (Matthew 5:5) || Life in God's Kingdom

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4) In Jesus’ view, mourning is not something to be avoided, but embraced and even cherished as it invites God’s blessing. How is this the case? What are we to be mourning? Where is the comfort to be found? We hope you can join us on Sunday to explore this next Beatitude – a fitting one for many of us who have reasons to feel heavy-hearted.

Blessed Are Those Who Mourn (Matthew 5:4) || Life in God's Kingdom

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3) So begins Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, an extended treatment highlighting the values in His Kingdom. If we call Jesus our King, then quite simply we need to adopt his value system and shed the world’s – or perhaps even or our own. What is poverty of spirit, and how could it possibly be considered a blessing? In what way does such a state lead to possessing the kingdom of heaven? That’s what we will explore together Sunday, and hopefully all of us will leave encouraged and challenged.

Blessed are the Poor in Spirit (Matthew 5:3) || Life in God's Kingdom

We are beginning a new series covering the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7. If you have a red-letter Bible, you will note that it is the longest extended message Jesus gives in the Gospels, and we find him painting a picture of what life in God’s Kingdom is all about – its motives, intentions, and actions, which stand in stark contrast to the values of those who live independent of God. With that in mind, for those us who claim to follow Christ, it will be an opportunity to ask: how are we doing?! For those not yet committed, hopefully the vision will be inspiring and captivating.

Life in God’s (Upside Down) Kingdom (Matthew 5:1-2) || Life in God's Kingdom

This week, Dave Dupee joins us to preach! Dave was born in Cincinnati and grew up in Clifton. He came to faith in high school and is a graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University, and Gordon-Conwell Seminary (M.Div.). He and Meg were married in 1976 and worked in college ministry together for four years at Thiel College in W. Pennsylvania with the CCO. After seminary (1980-83) they moved back to Cincinnati for Dave to work in the family staffing business (Olsten) where he served as CEO until it was sold in 2000. From 2005-2007, he served as the first director of Whiz Kids, a reading based mentoring ministry for at risk kids through City Gospel Mission. He and Meg were part of the initial core launch team for New City Church, and Dave continues to serve as an elder there. They have two adult children, David (Alison), and Sarah, and three grandchildren who live in Milwaukee.

The Riches of His Grace (Ephesians 1:3-14) || Summer Break Series

This week, we reflect on the first few verses from Genesis. The English title of the book comes from the Greek Septuagint translation of the Hebrew (3rd cent. B.C.) and means "origin, birth or generation." The Hebrew title is taken from the opening word translated "in the beginning." The book of Genesis sets the stage for the redemptive storyline of the Bible. The story opens with God confronting chaos and disorder to bring order and beauty in creation. Humans are formed and appointed to participate in God's divine rule of the universe. As his representatives, we can choose to trust God for wisdom to rule, resulting in blessing for the entire world.

In the Beginning God (Genesis 1:1-2:3) || Summer Break Series

Today, Pastor DeLayno Robinson is preaching from 2 Timothy 4:17-18: "But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen."

The Lord is Faithful (2 Timothy 4:17-18) || Summer Break Series

Today, Ashish Pushkaran is preaching from Hebrews 12: 1&2a: "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith."

Stepping Out in Faith (Hebrews 12:1-2) || Summer Break Series

As a multi-ethnic community in Mason, Ohio, Redeemer Church strives to reflect a picture of heaven on earth. Redeemer Church was founded in 2013 and represents a diverse community, across cultures, generations and ethnicities. To that end, our messages reflect consistently biblical messages that apply to your real life. You are welcome here and we hope you will join us for services at 10:30am every Sunday!

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Redeemer Church, Mason Ohio

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