Community Christian Church Podcast

The Getting Right series continues CCC's journey through Core52, a book to boost your Bible IQ, by Dr. Mark Moore.

-Jesus's Golden Rule tweaked the Silver Rule, thus massively transforming religion. -When James spoke of religion as care for widows and orphans, he showed how his perspective matched that of his older brother, Jesus. -James, like the Old Testament prophets, called us to justice, kindness, and humility as true religious expression. Matthew 7:12 Whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

-God wants your heart, not your money. -Stewardship is spiritual. -Generosity blesses the generous. Matthew 6:19-21 Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

-The most important lesson on prayer is to recognize God as Father. -When our prayers are aligned with God's agenda, our requests are approved. -Our prayers will be hindered by withholding forgiveness from other and by continuing habits of sin. Matthew 6:9-13 Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

-Jesus called us to deeper, not broader, righteousness. -in each of the six illustrations Jesus gave, we're forced to get to the root of morality, and that is our motive. -To love our enemies is not only Jesus's most offensive statement and most challenging moral expectation but also the one he devoted his life and death to. Matthew 5:20 I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

-Both Hebrews and Greeks were blessed by friends, wealth, and health, as well as the wisdom and morality to live in the right way. -Jesus, amplifying themes expressed earlier in Jewish literature, altered the normal rules of who was blessed to include the poor, meek, mourning, and beaten. -In Jewish tradition, martyrs were blessed by obeying God's commands. In Christian tradition, we're blessed by obeying Jesus's commands. He and God are on par. Matthew 5:11-12 Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

-Worry is negative psychology. it's under our control, and it only hinders our effectiveness. -Worry is bad theology. It started with sin in the Garden of Eden, and it always minimizes our trust and joy in God. -Jesus (along with Paul) offered several insightful steps for controlling our thoughts. Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

-Your happiness is a chemical cocktail you can control by practicing habits that release oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin, -While genetics account for 50 percent of the variability in happiness, circumstances account for only 10 percent - leaving a whopping 40 percent of our happiness to the choices we make. -Psalm 1 offers wise counsel about building happiness. Psalm 1:1-3 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.

Mark 2:27-28 And he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath."

-Wisdom is the practical ability to succeed at life. -Fear of the Lord is like respect for fathers - it is not antithetical to love. -Fear of the Lord is demonstrated by obedience to his commands. Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

-Living in the freedom of grace is one of the biggest challenges most Christians face. -In the Spirit we can experience full freedom. -God, through Jesus, has provided everything necessary for our freedom. Romans 8:1 - There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

-Radical transformation is possible - the Bible promises this. -The power to change is found in God's love, God's people, and God's Spirit. -Personal transformation may require changing friends, environments, and priorities in order to put off old practices and start new ones. Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

A sermon on Micah 6:8 by Ian Johnson

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