Persecution, palms and perfection
Discovery Church
by Dan Hickingbotham
3d ago
Giving what we cannot keep to gain what we cannot lose Recap: what does it mean to live the good life? Matthew 5:10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 1 We know what we really love by what what we are willing to suffer for —— Matthew 21:6-11 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. 8 Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 And the cro ..read more
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CEOs of Peace
Discovery Church
by Dan Hickingbotham
1w ago
Passage – Matthew 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God” εἰρηνοποιός, peace-making, peace-maker 2 immediate observations: a/ Jesus assumes there will be conflict b/ Jesus commands His followers to engage in conflict resolution 4 ways to handle conflict – think about the crowd gathered — who is there? like a Saducee (plan political gain) like a Pharisee (double down on ‘rightness’) like the Essenes (seek utopian separation) like a Zealot (fight, fight, fight) Like Jesus… a/ humble heart – assume your own ignorance b/ curious questions  – find out the ..read more
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Pure Hearts
Discovery Church
by Francis Hubben
2w ago
Do you over-value the seen over the unseen? So our belief of God is based in the ability to see him, know him, understand him, discern what he is doing. Just show me you are moving, just show me miracles, signs and wonders.   8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Mt 5:8 ESV What is a pure heart? PURE (KATHAROS) & HEART (KARDIA) PURE HEART (KATHAROS KARDIA) The good life is for those who have been pruned to the deepest part of their being. Allow God to enter into those deepest parts of your life and prune it back, prepare you, do a deep work in you. Hard Heart ..read more
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Merciful: Treating them like family
Discovery Church
by Francis Hubben
3w ago
Matthew 5:1-7 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Who gets to ‘live the good life’? Developing your palate Mercy (ἔλεος) and the two levels of relationship How ..read more
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How Soon Is Now?
Discovery Church
by Dan Hickingbotham
1M ago
Matthew 5:5 — “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” 5 blocks of teaching Block 1- Matthew 5-7: 8 beatitudes, sermon on the mount Block 2 – Matthew 10: The “sending” sermon (Go into all the towns) Block 3 – Matthew 13: Kingdom parables (The Kingdom of heaven is like…) Block 4 – Matthew 17-18: The values of the Kingdom (Childlike faith, upon this rock) Block 5 – Matthew 24-25: 7 ‘woes’, new temple, judgement to come Meekness – Psalm 37:7-11 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out ..read more
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Help is on the Way!
Discovery Church
by Dan Hickingbotham
1M ago
Everybody knows what it feels like to have a guilty conscience. To have done something we know we should’t have done. And as we get older, we get more sophisticated at justifying our questionable behaviour to ourselves. If we’re honest, we all still do things from time to time that we know we probably shouldn’t do but we’re way better at convincing ourselves why it’s really not that bad. We say things ourselves like….. I’m a good person I try to do the right things I’m kind be kind to others I pay my taxes. I don’t steal I try not to lie haven’t murdered anyone…. I’m trying to be a decent cont ..read more
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Giving it away
Discovery Church
by Dan Hickingbotham
1M ago
Matthew 5:1-3 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. A tale of two mountains Mount Sinai Mount of beatitudes Old Covenant New Covenant Moses Jesus 10 Commandments 9 beatitudes Written on tablets of stone Written on human hearts Set free from slavery in Egypt Set free from slavery to sin The kind of world that God is making The kind of world that God is making   Wha ..read more
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Camels through the eyes of needles
Discovery Church
by Dan Hickingbotham
2M ago
Luke 18:18-25 The Rich and the Kingdom of God 18 A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’[a]” 21 “All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said. 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. The ..read more
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Less (really) is more
Discovery Church
by Dan Hickingbotham
2M ago
Key Scripture: John 3:22-30 (ESV) 22 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptising. 23 John also was baptising at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptised 24 (for John had not yet been put in prison). 25 Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptising, and all are going to h ..read more
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It’s going to be OK (even if it’s not)
Discovery Church
by Francis Hubben
2M ago
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:16-20 Macquarie Dictionary word of 2023: Cozzy Livs One of Jesus’ favourite places, and ..read more
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