How to begin

The central message is that the key to the Christian life is to come to a joyful love for Jesus, which is facilitated by the Holy Spirit. The speaker compares this process to learning an instrument from a passionate teacher, emphasizing that the goal is to love the subject rather than just perform well. The Holy Spirit's role is to teach us about Jesus so that loving Him becomes the most enjoyable and exciting pursuit, making obedience a source of joy rather than a burden.

The central message is that true Christian life requires constant dependence on God, contrasting with humanity's natural inclination toward self-sufficiency, exemplified by Adam choosing the Tree of Knowledge. Jesus taught that we cannot do anything on our own initiative, drawing parallels to the Vine and the Branches. Therefore, believers must cultivate a life of continuous dependence on Christ to find true rest and purpose.

The service begins with worship praising Jesus for giving everything and acknowledging His resurrection power. The message focuses on Jesus as both the 'helpless one' and the 'Interceder,' encouraging the congregation to fix their eyes on Him as the example for endurance in faith. The service concludes with prayers for God's presence, guidance, and the ability to live as witnesses.

The sermon revisits Jesus' teachings on growing in Christlikeness, focusing specifically on the dangers of seeking human honor in religious acts. The speaker warns against giving or praying publicly to gain praise, emphasizing that true devotion must be done in secret. He stresses that prayer should not be a lecture to God, but a humble exercise of faith, and that all acts of worship—giving, praying, and fasting—must be done to seek God's glory alone.

The central message is that the goal of Christian life must be to live in a way that pleases God the Father, using Jesus Christ as the perfect model. The speaker emphasizes that our ultimate ambition should not be to please people, but to be found pleasing to God when we stand before the judgment seat of Christ. He draws parallels between Daniel's life and Jesus's life to illustrate this principle.

The speaker emphasizes that true Christian service requires recognizing our own helplessness and continually seeking the filling of the Holy Spirit. He draws parallels from biblical figures like Moses, Elijah, and John the Baptist to illustrate how even powerful individuals faltered at the end of their lives. The central message urges believers to emulate Jesus by aiming to live and end life as a humble servant washing the feet of disciples, rather than seeking earthly honor or position.

The speaker urges Christian workers to accurately portray Jesus Christ, emphasizing that the greatest ministry is living a life that reflects Christ's compassion, purity, and humility. He warns that Christian workers face dangers, citing the example of Ephesus, where the danger was losing their first love for the Lord. He advises believers to fix their vision solely on Jesus and to avoid judging others.

The speaker emphasizes that Christian life requires continuous growth beyond the initial reception of Jesus, which is merely the starting line. True maturity involves consistently aligning one's life with God's will, much like Jesus was in all circumstances. He draws heavily on Hebrews 5, urging believers to move from needing 'milk' (basic teaching) to 'solid food' (deeper, mature doctrine) through consistent practice and hearing God's voice.

The central message is that true discipleship is not defined by correct profession or belief, but by one's willingness to remain devoted to Jesus even when his teachings or actions are difficult or offensive. The speaker uses the example of the disciples in John 6 and John the Baptist's interaction with Jesus to illustrate that knowing Jesus means following Him through challenging circumstances, rather than just making a verbal declaration of faith.

The speaker argues that the descent into sin and unrighteousness begins with a loss of thankfulness to God. Drawing from Romans, he points out that the initial problem described is the failure to give thanks, which leads to apathetic sin, idolatry, and various moral failings. Developing a consistent spirit of gratitude to God and to one's spouse is presented as the crucial first step to maintaining a right relationship with God and improving life at home.

The sermon uses Simeon's devotion in Luke's Gospel as an example of pursuing Christ, emphasizing that true discipleship involves an expectant heart. The speaker outlines three ways new covenant believers must remain on the lookout for Jesus, starting with maintaining a genuine expectation of Christ's return, which should evoke profound joy rather than surprise.

The central message is that Christians should not become discouraged, especially regarding spiritual progress, because their ministry is a continuous process of transformation from one degree of glory to the next. True spiritual growth involves looking into the Word of God (the mirror) and focusing on personal progress toward Christ's image, rather than comparing oneself to others or dwelling on past failures. This ongoing process requires reliance on grace, which empowers us daily.

The speaker addresses believers who may have only focused on forgiveness of sins, arguing that they must also pursue the 'gospel of the glory of Christ.' This involves understanding the concept of the narrow way, which is contrasted with the broader path. The message emphasizes that true Christian life requires partaking in the very nature and glory of Jesus Christ.

The speaker distinguishes between mere intellectual understanding and receiving divine revelation in the heart, emphasizing that true Christian life requires more than just knowing doctrines. He contrasts forgiveness (which requires only repentance) with salvation, which demands the power of God and is available only to those who truly believe. Ultimately, the message stresses that faith must be a continuous, life-long process, not just a single initial step, warning against settling for partial understanding of God's promises.

The sermon emphasizes that Christian life requires active, personal responsibility to build up the body of Christ, moving beyond passive attendance. Drawing from Ephesians 4, the speaker stresses that every member must function properly, like joints in a body, to support the whole. The key indicator of spiritual life is the active fight against sin, comparing it to the body's natural ability to fight disease; a lack of this internal struggle suggests spiritual death.

The central message is that true Christian witness comes not merely from preaching words, but from living a life that exemplifies Christ's example. The speaker emphasizes that believers must move beyond simply 'bearing witness' to actively 'being witnesses' by following Christ's example in all areas of life, starting with humble consistency. He urges the audience to imitate Jesus's life, particularly focusing on the foundational, humble aspects of discipleship, comparing this to starting in 'kindergarten' rather than jumping to advanced stages.

The central message is that true Christianity requires the inner life to align with the outward life, a concept of 'living the truth.' This truth, realized through Jesus Christ, is superior to the external adherence to law. The speaker warns against hypocrisy, emphasizing that while one should confess sins only to God, one must never pretend to be okay or spiritual when one is not, as pretense leads to spiritual danger.

The central message is that the goal of the Christian life is to become an exact reflection of Jesus, which requires both personal purity and active participation in the local church. The speaker emphasizes that this transformation is not achieved by self-effort but through complete dependence on Christ's grace, drawing on verses like John 8:11, Matthew 11:28-30, and John 15:5 to illustrate the need for continuous surrender to Him.

The speaker compares the Old Covenant to the New Covenant, using the analogy of Moses failing to lead Israel into Canaan, while Jesus, like Joshua, leads believers into the promised life. He defines sin not just as breaking a law, but as anything contrary to the perfect life lived by Jesus Christ. The central message is that believers must press on toward Christlikeness, understanding that the goal is to become like Jesus, which is possible through the grace of the New Covenant.

The speaker emphasizes that true Christian life is not proven by mere knowledge or religious activities, but by a radical trade: exchanging self-centered desires and riches for following Christ. He draws parallels from the Rich Young Ruler and the calling of Andrew and John, concluding that living in Christ means adopting a life of dependence on the Holy Spirit, characterized by peace and trust.

The Christian life is compared to a race, drawing parallels from Hebrews 11 and 12. The central message is that believers have a greater opportunity than those in the Old Testament to run this race by faith in Jesus Christ. To run effectively, one must lay aside every encumbrance, such as unresolved matters or sin, and fix their eyes on Jesus, who also ran this race by overcoming daily temptations.

The central message is that true preaching must be rooted in personal experience and authority, mirroring Jesus Christ's ministry. The speaker argues that merely knowing scripture or speaking eloquently is insufficient; one must first live out what they preach, as Jesus demonstrated by doing what he taught. He contrasts this with the current state of Christianity, where many preach without having lived the experience, leading to a disconnect between words and life.

In this sermon on Matthew 5, Zac Poonen teaches that the foundation of the new covenant is internal transformation rather than external observance, using Jesus's hidden 30-year private life as the model. He emphasizes that true Christian living involves secret sacrifices and inward attitudes, contrasting this with Old Testament externalism, and applies this principle to anger as the root sin beneath murder.

This sermon encourages believers to follow the example of Jesus by actively doing good works. It emphasizes that true discipleship is demonstrated not just by belief, but by tangible actions of kindness and service to others. The message calls for a practical imitation of Christ's life.