Congratulations! You are Approved

Today we kicked off the first of our Sermon on The Mount series, otherwise known as “The King’s Speech”! Chris Abner, one of our elders in GCC preached on Matthew 5:1-12, and helped us to see how Matthew, The Sermon on The Mount and Beatitudes really are about Jesus the King and His kingdom!

Blessedness doesn’t come from something we have done, but how we have been welcomed into His Kingdom, having received an unmerited, beautiful and awesome grace so worthy of praise and celebration. The Beatitudes aren’t moral standards we need to achieve, but are descriptions and commendations of the inhabitants of Jesus’ kingdom. This is so relevant particularly because Christians from all times need to be reminded of this approval, when so many of the characteristics described in the Beatitudes are often seen as those of the “weak” or “losers” in the eyes of the world.

But today, we are reminded that we are called to follow King Jesus. To hunger and thirst for the righteousness that is Christ. And that we already have a King who is eternal, has seen our greatest need, and already made provision for it. Indeed there is no greater king than Jesus Christ. May we only ever seek and find our approval in Christ alone