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One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. 2 “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people. 3 A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ 4 The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, 5 but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’ ” 6 Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. 7 Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have...

Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, “Sit here while I go over there to pray.” Matthew 26:36

For me this statement, isn’t just about prayer. Even though yesterday we talked about how important prayer is and how it should be the beginning, middle and end of everything we do.

Jesus suffered. If you keep reading in Matthew 26:36 you can see how his best friends in life let him down. They just couldn’t stay awake. Jesus Christ’s life was characterised by suffering:

• It was foretold, Psalm 22:6-8, Matthew 16:21
• He suffered as a child Matthew 2:13-15;
• Because of his family Mark 3:20-21;
• His disciples slowness to get it

Mark 8:17-21 Jesus knew what they were saying, so he said, “Why are you arguing about having no bread? Don’t you know or understand even yet? Are your hearts too hard to take it in? 18 ‘You have eyes—can’t you see? You have ears—can’t you hear?’...

“And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.” Luke 11:9

That does not mean that one needs to be persistent because God is reluctant to give. The point of the parable is not that God, like the person in the house, must be persuaded to give. Just the opposite. One needs to be persistent because God longs to give good gifts to his children, and he is sure to answer. (Schreiner, T. R.)

Go ahead and ask what’s on your heart: beg, call for, crave, desire...

But keep it positive, don’t spend time with God only focused on the negative.
Don’t forget, he doesn’t give you whatever you want! But if you’re in his will and connected hearing the Holy Spirit. God fulfills his will through your heart’s desire when your heart’s desire is to know his will and do it.

How does Jesus want you to treat others?

Pray for that...

“But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also.” Matthew 5:39

In Matthew 5:21-48 Jesus is addressing head on different sins like murder, adultery, divorce, etc. Three things are important about these statements from Jesus:

1. Obeying the commands is a heart issue. If keeping the commands is not internalized to the very nature of who you are, you’ll be able to justify and nit pick the commands to death...thus missing the point. Like when Jesus spoke on divorce in 31 and 32. Resolve in your heart to obey.
2. If you don’t make it a heart issue, you’ll do your best to find a way around the commands of Jesus. This ends up hurting God and others (breaking the two most important commands). But possibly the biggest consequence is that you will think you are safe from God’s judgment. There is no tricking God, which is why Jesus goes after the heart of the problem.
3. We can’t ignore these...

“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.” Matthew 7:12

In chapter 7:1-12 Jesus is addressing your attitude toward others and God, specifically being judgmental.

There’s two types of judging:

1.  Hypocritical

You are most likely guilty of the very same thing you are judging in the other person.  You don’t even realize you need grace and forgiveness and are frankly too preoccupied with other people’s issues.  Jesus is trying to warn you that this is the worst sin of all (Luke 18:9)

'Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer to himself.: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners,...

Then Jesus answered his thoughts. “Simon,” he said to the Pharisee, “I have something to say to you.” “Go ahead, Teacher,” Simon replied. Then Jesus told him this story: “A man loaned money to two people—500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces to the other. But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?” Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.” Luke 7:40-43

Those who realize they are in the most need of forgiveness are the ones who will respond with the most love and gratitude.  Jesus wasn’t trying to point out that Simon was somehow rude, but that the woman showed “extraordinary” love. People who assume they are all good will never experience the kind of love Jesus is offering because they don’t understand their own brokenness.

How does Jesus want you to love...

“No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you.” John 14:18

In this statement Jesus is assuring his freaked out disciples during the last supper.
For the Jews, they often compared a Rabbi to a father and if a disciple’s Rabbi died they would compare themselves to orphans.

“A commitment to an ongoing relationship and to the attitude and behaviour demanded by it. It is evident in human relationships and also in the covenant relationship between God and his people.” (Martin Manser)

God keeps his promises, which is the example to follow.

“Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.” Hebrews 10:23

“Praise the LORD who has given rest to his people Israel, just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the wonderful promises he gave through his servant Moses.” 1 Kings 8:56

How does Jesus want you to treat others?

Ruth 1:16-17 “But Ruth replied,...

“I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!” John 15:11

Remember how we’ve talked about one of the results of abiding in Jesus and obeying his commands is joy? The fruit of the true disciple is joy, and frankly, no matter what.

Jesus wants you to treat others just like he treats you. It’s what shows people around you that you’re a true disciple of Jesus.  The bible uses the word here for joy in two ways. It can either be in feeling or in action.

You are expressing a positive intention about a past or future action/event...
Even how we remember can be covered in joy if we remain in Jesus. And most certainly how we plan to act on some offense in the future matters to Jesus.

How does Jesus want you to love others…

Be filled with JOY, no matter what. Two things stood out to me in trying to understand this statement:  

1. Be joy, in your actions, thoughts and attitude. That kind...

"God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted. God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth." Matthew 5:3-5

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus starts with Eight Beatitudes or blessings for a specific type of person/attitude/character.  For me, you can summarize Jesus’ promises recorded here as, how joyful are the ones who recognize they only need God!

How does Jesus want you to treat others?

Recognize your need and total dependence on God to love others well. You can’t do it apart from God...period.  Develop a humble and God-dependent heart and you will be more gentle with the ones you love and the ones who are difficult.

God-dependent people are simply more gracious and kind and gentle.

You can become like the great Saints of the bible:

David — “The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and...

“But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant.” Luke 22:26

“I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:11-13

In Luke 22:26 Jesus is talking to his disciples at the last supper. Of course, which must have been exhausting for Jesus, the disciple get into an argument about who’s going to be greatest among them.  Where individuals sat at an ancient Jewish table for a meal mattered. The seating arrangement was highly important.

Jesus knew who was going to betray him, Judas, and yet he gave Judas the seat to his left! This was the seat reserved by the host for the person designated as most honored guest!

In John 15:11-13 we learn how Joy is...