Speaker: Zac Poonen
Title: Sermon on the Mount - 18
Date: 03/15/2026
Our Goal as Christians is this: To be an exact reflection of Jesus, the Son of God (Romans 8:29)
We do this individually by growing in purity in our personal lives (1 John 3:2-3)
We do this corporately by becoming fully functioning members of a local Church (Ephesians 4:11-16)
Summary
In this final session on the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 7:1-11), Zac Poonen teaches against judging others while emphasizing the need to judge oneself, and explains that living according to the high standards of the Sermon on the Mount requires persistent prayer and faith in God as a loving Father. Through examples of a Canaanite woman's humility and faith, a widow's persistence with an unjust judge, and Jesus's promise that God eagerly gives good gifts to those who ask, the speaker demonstrates that the extraordinary life described in Matthew 5-6 is attainable through earnest seeking and unwavering trust in God's character.
Outline
The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.
The tendency to judge othersAfter hearing the Sermon on the Mount, our natural instinct is to judge others instead of examining ourselves.
Jesus's love for the outsiderUsing the story of a woman seeking healing, Jesus demonstrates that His love extends even to those outside the Jewish people, showing great effort to help her.
The importance of seeking God's truthLiving up to the Sermon on the Mount requires more than just hearing it; we must actively ask, seek, and knock to receive the power to live this way.
God as a loving Father who gives good giftsIf earthly parents know how to give good things to their children, God is even more eager to provide the grace needed to live according to His standards.
The necessity of persistenceUsing the example of a widow and an unjust judge, Jesus teaches that we must be persistent in our pursuit of God's promises.
Comparing two definitions of eternal lifeThe speaker contrasts the definition of eternal life as a free gift in Romans 6:23 with the intimate knowledge of God described in John 17:3.Romans 6:23
The difference between the gate and the wayUsing Matthew 7:14, the speaker explains that entering the narrow gate is only the starting line of a race; one must also walk the narrow way to reach life.Matthew 7:14
Identifying false prophets by their fruitThe speaker warns that false prophets are those who focus only on the gate and not the way, and they can be identified by looking at the fruit of their lives.
The standard for leadership in the churchTrue leaders must have lives that back up their preaching, following biblical standards regarding family and conduct as outlined in 1 Timothy.
The necessity of hard preaching for spiritual healingThe speaker compares strong, convicting preaching to a surgeon's knife that, while painful, is necessary to remove the cancer of sin from the soul.
Why do we select certain verses and ignore others?People often quote verses about eternal life to explain salvation but avoid Matthew 7:21, which emphasizes doing the will of God.Romans 6:23Matthew 7:21
The reality of many being rejected by JesusMany people will claim to have performed miracles and cast out demons in Jesus' name, yet He will declare He never knew them.
The definition of practicing lawlessnessTo practice lawlessness means to live in sin in one's private life, even if one possesses great spiritual gifts or performs miracles.
The two types of houses and churchesJesus uses the parable of two houses to show that a true church is built on the rock of obeying His words, not just on outward structures.
The fall of Babylon and the importance of a solid foundationJust as Babylon fell suddenly, those who do not build their lives on obedience will face judgment; the speaker concludes with a prayer for all to live by God's word.Revelation 17:5
Speaker: Zac Poonen
Title: Sermon on the Mount - 18
Date: 03/15/2026
Our Goal as Christians is this: To be an exact reflection of Jesus, the Son of God (Romans 8:29)
We do this individually by growing in purity in our personal lives (1 John 3:2-3)
We do this corporately by becoming fully functioning members of a local Church (Ephesians 4:11-16)
Summary
In this final session on the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 7:1-11), Zac Poonen teaches against judging others while emphasizing the need to judge oneself, and explains that living according to the high standards of the Sermon on the Mount requires persistent prayer and faith in God as a loving Father. Through examples of a Canaanite woman's humility and faith, a widow's persistence with an unjust judge, and Jesus's promise that God eagerly gives good gifts to those who ask, the speaker demonstrates that the extraordinary life described in Matthew 5-6 is attainable through earnest seeking and unwavering trust in God's character.
Outline
The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.
The tendency to judge othersAfter hearing the Sermon on the Mount, our natural instinct is to judge others instead of examining ourselves.
Jesus's love for the outsiderUsing the story of a woman seeking healing, Jesus demonstrates that His love extends even to those outside the Jewish people, showing great effort to help her.
The importance of seeking God's truthLiving up to the Sermon on the Mount requires more than just hearing it; we must actively ask, seek, and knock to receive the power to live this way.
God as a loving Father who gives good giftsIf earthly parents know how to give good things to their children, God is even more eager to provide the grace needed to live according to His standards.
The necessity of persistenceUsing the example of a widow and an unjust judge, Jesus teaches that we must be persistent in our pursuit of God's promises.
Comparing two definitions of eternal lifeThe speaker contrasts the definition of eternal life as a free gift in Romans 6:23 with the intimate knowledge of God described in John 17:3.Romans 6:23
The difference between the gate and the wayUsing Matthew 7:14, the speaker explains that entering the narrow gate is only the starting line of a race; one must also walk the narrow way to reach life.Matthew 7:14
Identifying false prophets by their fruitThe speaker warns that false prophets are those who focus only on the gate and not the way, and they can be identified by looking at the fruit of their lives.
The standard for leadership in the churchTrue leaders must have lives that back up their preaching, following biblical standards regarding family and conduct as outlined in 1 Timothy.
The necessity of hard preaching for spiritual healingThe speaker compares strong, convicting preaching to a surgeon's knife that, while painful, is necessary to remove the cancer of sin from the soul.
Why do we select certain verses and ignore others?People often quote verses about eternal life to explain salvation but avoid Matthew 7:21, which emphasizes doing the will of God.Romans 6:23Matthew 7:21
The reality of many being rejected by JesusMany people will claim to have performed miracles and cast out demons in Jesus' name, yet He will declare He never knew them.
The definition of practicing lawlessnessTo practice lawlessness means to live in sin in one's private life, even if one possesses great spiritual gifts or performs miracles.
The two types of houses and churchesJesus uses the parable of two houses to show that a true church is built on the rock of obeying His words, not just on outward structures.
The fall of Babylon and the importance of a solid foundationJust as Babylon fell suddenly, those who do not build their lives on obedience will face judgment; the speaker concludes with a prayer for all to live by God's word.Revelation 17:5
