Vienna Assembly of God Sermons Vienna Assembly of God

The Beatitudes are a pronouncement, based on observation, that a certain way of being in the world produces human flourishing and felicity. These were common in ancient literature, including in Jewish texts. What is uncommon is who Jesus described as the ones who are flourishing.

The Sermon on the Mount provides a lot of guidance for everyday living. But it does so with the end firmly in mind. This is an important understanding for biblical theology - we are never just living for the here-and-now, even while we are encouraged not to worry about tomorrow. We have in view God's grand purpose to redeem and restore all of creation and to bring his people into full and right relationship with himself and each other.

The women came to the tomb that day carrying spices. Those spices represent several things: grief, tension between faith and doubt, tradition and duty, and questions. What have you brought to the tomb?

We are considering Gethsemane, and Jesus' prayer there, and looking at it through the lens of Philippians 2.

Even when face to face with a resurrection miracle, there are those who doubt. Jesus prayed a specific prayer before calling Lazarus out, and it was for those struggling to believe.

Prayers of blessing are much more than just hoping to get something good for yourself. The blessing of God opens channels of favor and paths of right-living within our hearts, and flows out into our families, our church, our community. We need to seek the Lord's blessing.