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The Weekly Show - Episode 87: Study Nine: Motives for Doing Good

Join Tim and John as they study how to give and pray.
Theme: https://uppbeat.io/t/northwestern/a-new-beginning and https://uppbeat.io/t/pecan-pie/halloween-time
Transition Song: https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/
Introduction to the Second Half
We have now reached the halfway point in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. So far, Jesus has shown us that God’s standard of righteousness goes far beyond what the scribes and Pharisees practiced. They focused on outward behavior—checking boxes, keeping rules, and looking religious on the outside. But Jesus keeps pushing deeper, showing that real righteousness starts in the heart.
He has already taught us that true disciples must deal with:
anger in the heart
lust in the heart
truthfulness in the heart
love in the heart
Now, in Matthew 6, Jesus makes an important shift. He moves from what His followers should do to why they do it.
These next studies continue Jesus’ teaching about the kind of transformed life God desires. In Matthew 6:1–8, Jesus examines the hidden motives behind the “good things” people do—giving, praying, helping others, and serving God.
Because here’s the truth:
Even good actions can be ruined by the wrong motive.
You can:
give generously for selfish reasons
pray publicly to impress people
help someone in order to be noticed
do religious things purely for applause
And Jesus says that if your goal is to be seen and praised by people… that’s all the reward you’ll ever get.
But God wants more for His children. He wants hearts that love Him, not hearts craving attention.
The Big Idea
The big idea of the Sermon on the Mount has not changed:
The righteousness Jesus demands is not merely external. True righteousness involves the whole person— the heart, the mind, the desires, and the motives.
In Matthew 6, Jesus teaches us to examine why we do good works:
Do we give to honor God or to be noticed?
Do we pray to talk with God or to impress listeners?
Do we serve in secret or perform for an audience?
Jesus invites us into a life where our good works flow from a heart that loves God and seeks His approval above all else.
This is righteousness from the inside out. This is kingdom living. This is the life Jesus is forming in His followers.
Welcome to Matthew 6
As we step into Matthew 6, Jesus continues to reveal what true righteousness looks like—and just like before, He focuses on the heart, not the performance.
In Jesus’ day, the scribes and Pharisees did many “righteous” things. They gave money. They prayed publicly. They fasted regularly. They looked extremely religious.
But there was a problem— they did these things so people would notice them and praise them.
Jesus exposes the truth: If your goal is to impress people, then people’s applause is the only reward you’ll ever receive. And that reward doesn’t last long.
The Big Picture in Matthew 6
In Matthew 6, Jesus explains that real, genuine righteousness seeks something far better and far higher:
A heavenly reward from the heavenly Father.
True disciples act righteously to please God, not to gain attention, not to gain popularity, not to build reputation, and not to look spiritual.
God sees what is done in secret— and He promises to reward those who seek His approval instead of the crowd’s.
Five Key Areas Jesus Addresses
In this chapter, Jesus teaches about five major areas of everyday spiritual life:
Giving – Are you generous to impress others or to honor God?
Praying – Do you pray to talk with God or to perform for people?
Fasting – Are you hungry for God or hungry for attention?
Seeking – What is your heart chasing—earthly treasure or heavenly treasure?
Worrying – Are you living in anxiety or trusting your Father’s care?
Jesus calls His followers to a better life— a life where every good deed is rooted in love for God and trust in the Father who sees what no one else sees.
Matthew 6 invites us to take a deep look inside: Why do we do the things we do? Who are we trying to please? Where is our treasure? Who do we trust?
This chapter is all about motives, priorities, and a heart fully devoted to God.
1. Giving in Secret
(Matthew 6:1–4)
Jesus begins Matthew 6 with a warning that cuts right to the heart:
“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them.” — Matthew 6:1
In other words: When you give, watch out!
There’s always a temptation hiding in the shadows of good deeds— the temptation to want people to notice you, admire you, and praise you for your generosity.
The Danger Behind Good Deeds
Giving is good. Helping the poor is good. Being generous is good.
But even good actions can be ruined by the wrong motive.
Jesus knows how human hearts work:
We want recognition.
We like attention.
We enjoy being admired.
We want people to see how “spiritual” or “kind” we are.
He calls this the attitude of the hypocrites, who blew trumpets and made a scene when they gave money. They weren’t helping people out of love—they were performing for an audience.
And Jesus says something sobering:
“Truly I tell you, they have received their reward.” — Matthew 6:2
Their reward? A few seconds of applause. Some compliments. A moment of attention.
And nothing more.
Your Motivation Matters
Jesus cares about why you give just as much as that you give.
Do you give so others will be impressed?
Do you give to look generous?
Do you give to feel important?
Do you give to get something in return?
Or…
Do you give because you love God?
Do you give because you want to help someone in need?
Do you give because God has been generous to you?
Do you give because it pleases your heavenly Father?
Motives matter. God sees what others cannot. And He rewards what others will never know about.
Give Quietly, Give Secretly, Give for God
Jesus gives His disciples a new way to give:
“Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.” — Matthew 6:3
This doesn’t mean you literally hide your hand from your other hand. It means:
Give in such a quiet, humble, secret way that you’re not even focused on yourself.
No showing off. No bragging. No spotlight. Just simple, joyful obedience.
The Father Who Sees in Secret
Jesus makes a beautiful promise:
“Your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” — Matthew 6:4
When you give quietly, when you serve without applause, when you help someone with no audience watching, God sees it.
Not one act of secret generosity is ever wasted. Not one is ignored. Not one is forgotten.
God Himself will reward you— and His reward outweighs anything people can give.
The Point
When you give, be careful. There is a real temptation to value praise from people more than praise from God. But true disciples give because they love God, not attention.
The action matters—but the motive matters even more.
2. Morally Motivated
Jesus doesn’t say it’s wrong to want a reward. In fact, He assumes His followers do want to be rewarded. The issue isn’t whether you seek reward— it’s which reward you seek.
The hypocrites in Jesus’ day gave publicly, loudly, and proudly because they wanted something right now:
people’s applause,
admiration,
popularity,
and a reputation for being generous.
Jesus says they got exactly what they wanted— and that’s all the reward they will ever receive.
But Jesus invites His followers to desire something far better: a heavenly reward from their Father, not temporary praise from people.
How to Guard Your Motives
Jesus gives one very practical solution to help you keep your motives pure:
Keep your giving secret.
Not sneaky. Not ashamed. Just quiet and humble.
Why?
Because secret giving removes the craving for attention. It protects your heart from pride. It prevents you from performing for an audience. It forces you to give for God alone.
Try Giving Anonymously
The next time you help someone in need, consider giving in a way where:
they don’t know it was you,
no one else saw,
no one praises you,
and only God knows what you did.
You will discover something beautiful:
When no one else sees, you stop caring about being noticed. And when only God sees, you start caring about pleasing Him.
That is the heart of giving Jesus wants— a heart that gives because it loves God, not because it loves applause.
3. Not Praying the Way Gentiles Do
After teaching about giving, Jesus applies the same principle to prayer. The warning is the same:
Be careful not to do good things just to be seen by people.
Some people in Jesus’ day treated prayer like a performance. They wanted an audience. They wanted attention. They wanted to look holy.
Jesus shows His disciples a better way.
No Faking
Jesus never says it’s wrong to pray in public. Public prayer happens every Sunday in churches all over the world, and it honors God when done with a sincere heart.
But Jesus does say it’s wrong to pray publicly for the purpose of looking spiritual.
If your goal is to impress the people listening rather than talk to God, then your prayer is no longer about God at all—it’s about your image.
So when someone asks you to pray out loud:
Don’t panic.
Don’t refuse just because others are there.
And don’t try to sound impressive.
Just pray honestly, and ask God to help your heart stay focused on Him, not on the audience.
True prayer is simple: You’re talking to your Father, not performing for the crowd.
No Prattling
Jesus also warns His disciples not to pray the way the Gentiles (non-Jews) did. They believed that the more words they used, and the more often they repeated those words, the more likely their gods would hear them.
Jesus says, “Don’t pray like that.”
No babbling.
No empty phrases.
No repeating the same words just to fill space.
No long speeches to make your prayer sound “powerful.”
Your Father doesn’t need a dictionary. He needs your heart.
Prayer Is Not About Word Count
You don’t earn God’s attention by piling up lots of words. You don’t need to repeat a request twenty times for God to hear it. You don’t need to use fancy language.
God listens because He loves you— not because you talk long enough.
The Lord’s Prayer as a Guide
Jesus then gives His disciples the Lord’s Prayer, not as a prayer to mindlessly repeat, but as a pattern showing the kinds of things we should pray about:
God’s name
God’s kingdom
God’s will
our daily needs
forgiveness
protection from sin
God’s glory
It’s not about repeating the exact words over and over. It’s about praying from the heart about the things that matter most.
The Point
Jesus wants His followers to pray with sincerity, not showmanship.
No faking spirituality.
No babbling to get God’s attention.
No performing for people.
Just simple, honest, humble prayer to a Father who already knows what you need and loves to hear your voice.
Conclusion to Study Nine
In this study, Jesus reminded us that true righteousness isn’t just about doing the right things—it’s about doing them for the right reasons.
Giving and praying are both good, godly practices. But even the best actions can be spoiled if the motive behind them is wrong.
Jesus showed us:
Giving becomes empty when we give for applause rather than love.
Praying becomes hollow when we pray to impress people rather than seek God.
The scribes and Pharisees loved the spotlight. They wanted the compliments, the recognition, the reputation. And Jesus made it clear: if human praise is your goal, human praise is your only reward.
But Jesus invites His followers to something better:
Give in secret, where only God sees.
Pray with sincerity, where only God hears.
Seek heavenly rewards, not earthly applause.
Value God’s “Well done” more than people’s approval.
This is what it means to live with a pure heart and a kingdom mindset.
Our Father sees what is done in secret. He knows our motives. He rewards what others never notice.
When we give quietly and pray humbly, we grow into the kind of righteousness Jesus wants for His disciples— a righteousness that is whole, genuine, and born from a heart that loves God.
As we move to the next study, Jesus will continue to teach us how to live for God’s approval above all else— including how we fast, how we seek treasure, and how we trust our heavenly Father instead of worrying.
The journey continues, and Jesus keeps shaping our hearts from the inside out.

Sermon: When Fear Replaces Faith

Sermon Date: 03/01/2026
Bible Verses:
1 Kings 11-14
Speaker: Rev. Timothy "Tim" Shapley
Theme: https://uppbeat.io/t/northwestern/a-new
Jeroboam’s story is one of the most tragic in Scripture.
He was chosen.He was called.He was promised blessing.
And yet his name becomes a warning repeated for generations:
“He walked in the way of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin.”
Jeroboam is not just a historical figure.
He is a case study in what happens when fear outruns faith.
Jeroboam Son of Nebat — A Man Called by God
1 Kings 11:26–40
Jeroboam did not rise to power by ambition alone.God Himself raised him up.
The prophet Ahijah tears a garment into twelve pieces and gives Jeroboam ten, symbolizing that God would give him ten tribes.
And God makes him a staggering promise:
“If you will listen to all that I command you, and walk in My ways… I will be with you and will build you a sure house.” (1 Kings 11:38)
Do you hear that?
God offers Jeroboam:
A kingdom
A dynasty
His presence
His blessing
All conditioned on one thing:
Obedience.
Jeroboam’s story begins with opportunity.
But opportunity without trust becomes disaster.
Jeroboam’s Sin — Fear of Losing Power
1 Kings 12:25–33
Once Jeroboam becomes king of the northern tribes, fear creeps in.
He thinks:
“If these people go up to Jerusalem to worship… their heart will return to Rehoboam.” (12:27)
He is afraid of losing influence.
So he devises a plan.
He sets up golden calves in Bethel and Dan and says:
“Behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.”
The echo of Exodus 32 is unmistakable.
Jeroboam knew God.He had God’s promise.But fear of losing control outweighed trust in God’s word.
Notice something critical:
He did not reject worship.He restructured it.
He created:
Alternative locations
Alternative priests
Alternative festivals
Alternative symbols
It looked religious.It felt practical.It was politically brilliant.
But it was rebellion.
✦ Jeroboam’s sin was not atheism. It was convenience.
He chose security over submission.
The Prophet and the Warning — 1 Kings 13
God does not stay silent.
He sends a prophet to denounce Jeroboam’s altar.
The prophet obeys God at first—but then listens to a lying “prophet” and disobeys the Lord’s direct command.
He is judged immediately.
Why include this strange chapter?
Because it reinforces the theme:
God’s word is not flexible.
Not for kings.Not for prophets.Not for anyone.
Jeroboam witnessed judgment firsthand.
He saw God’s power.He experienced God’s warning.
And still—
“After this thing Jeroboam did not turn from his evil way.” (13:33)
Warning without repentance hardens the heart.
Jeroboam’s Judgment — 1 Kings 14:1–19
Jeroboam’s son becomes sick.
He sends his wife in disguise to the prophet Ahijah.
But you cannot disguise yourself from God.
Ahijah pronounces judgment:
Jeroboam’s house will be cut off.
His dynasty will not last.
Disaster will come.
Why?
“You have done evil above all who were before you… and have cast Me behind your back.” (14:9)
That phrase is devastating.
Jeroboam did not merely ignore God.He put Him behind him.
He ruled.He planned.He worshiped politically.He governed strategically.
But God was behind him—not before him.
Fear led to compromise.Compromise led to idolatry.Idolatry led to judgment.
Jeroboam’s Evil Legacy — A Sin That Outlived Him
The most chilling part of Jeroboam’s story is this:
He dies.
But his sin doesn’t.
Over and over again in 1 Kings we read:
“He walked in the way of Jeroboam…”(1 Kings 15:34; 16:8–14; 16:15–22; 16:23–28)
King after king repeats the pattern.
Jeroboam didn’t just sin personally.He institutionalized sin.
He created a system of worship that shaped generations.
And eventually, that idolatry leads to Israel’s exile.
Jeroboam’s name becomes shorthand for rebellion.
That is legacy.
Not the one he wanted.But the one he built.
What Jeroboam Teaches Us
Jeroboam’s story warns us about five dangers:
Calling does not guarantee faithfulness.
God may choose you.You must still obey Him.
Fear is often the root of compromise.
Jeroboam feared losing control.Faith trusts God with outcomes.
Religious appearance can hide rebellion.
You can look spiritual and still be idolatrous.
Ignored warnings lead to hardened hearts.
Repeated grace does not eliminate consequences.
Sin shapes generations.
Your private compromise can become public legacy.
The Greater King
Jeroboam feared losing a throne.
Jesus surrendered one.
Jeroboam built calves to secure power.
Jesus carried a cross to secure redemption.
Jeroboam altered worship for convenience.
Jesus purified worship through sacrifice.
Where Jeroboam grasped, Christ obeyed.Where Jeroboam feared, Christ trusted.Where Jeroboam caused Israel to sin,Christ saves sinners.
Conclusion: What Will Your Legacy Be?
Jeroboam began with promise.He ended with warning.
He was offered a sure house.He chose a false altar.
The question for us is not:
“Do we have influence?”
The question is:
“Will we trust God enough to obey Him when fear whispers otherwise?”
Because compromise rarely begins with rebellion.It begins with anxiety.
And anxiety, if not surrendered, becomes idolatry.

The Weekly Show - Episode 86: Study Eight: Loving Your Enemies

Join Tim and John as they study how to love your enemies.
Theme: https://uppbeat.io/t/northwestern/a-new-beginning and https://uppbeat.io/t/pecan-pie/halloween-time
Transition Song: https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/
Introduction
Jesus has been steadily raising the standard for what true righteousness looks like. He has taught us:
how to control anger,
how to guard purity,
how to speak truthfully,
and how to respond wisely instead of seeking revenge.
Now Jesus brings us to one of the most stunning, most challenging teachings in the entire Sermon on the Mount:
loving your enemies.
This command is so countercultural that it turns the world’s values upside down—and shows exactly what makes followers of Jesus different.
The World Says:
“Love people who love you.” “Be kind to people who are kind to you.” “Help your friends, ignore your enemies.” “Treat people the way they treat you.”
But Jesus calls His disciples to something far greater, far deeper, and far more beautiful.
Jesus Says:
“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” — Matthew 5:44
This teaching doesn’t come from human strength or human wisdom. It comes from the heart of God Himself. Jesus wants His followers to love the way He loves:
generously
sacrificially
unconditionally
consistently
even when the other person doesn’t deserve it
Why? Because this is the kind of love that changes the world.
A New Kind of Righteousness
Jesus isn’t asking His disciples to be “nice people.” He is calling them to be children of their Father in heaven— people whose love reflects God’s love.
God loves the unlovely. God forgives the guilty. God shows kindness to the undeserving. God sent His Son to save sinners—not friends.
When we love our enemies, we display God’s character more clearly than almost any other act.
A Test of the Heart
Loving enemies is not easy. That’s why it reveals the true condition of our hearts.
Anyone can love:
friends
family
people who treat them well
But only someone transformed by Jesus can love:
people who hurt them
people who insult them
people who oppose them
people who don’t return the love
This kind of love cannot be faked—it must come from the Holy Spirit working in us.
A Light That Shines Brightest
Enemy-love is one of the clearest signs of the kingdom of God. It’s what makes Christians stand out. It’s what shows the world that Jesus is real. It’s what pushes back the darkness.
In Study Eight, you will learn what Jesus means by loving your enemies, why He commands it, and how the Holy Spirit helps us live out this radical, life-changing, world-changing kind of love.
Jesus is leading us deeper into the heart of God— and the heart of God loves even its enemies.
1. The Old Way of Love (Love Your Neighbor, Hate Your Enemy)
Jesus begins this section by quoting what people had heard all their lives:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’” — Matthew 5:43
The first part—“Love your neighbor”—is in the Bible. God taught His people from the very beginning to love those around them with kindness, fairness, and compassion.
But the second part—“hate your enemy”—is not in Scripture. It was a twisted, human-made addition.
Hating Enemies Comes Naturally
Human nature doesn’t drift toward love. It drifts toward hatred, revenge, and cruelty.
When someone hurts us, the natural response is to hurt them back.
When someone excludes us, the instinct is to exclude them.
When someone insults us, we want to insult them in return.
People of every age struggle with hatred— but kids and teens are especially known for how cruel they can be to each other:
name-calling
gossip
mocking
ignoring
shaming
excluding
celebrating when someone they dislike gets hurt
It’s heartbreaking, but it’s true: “Hate your enemy” is the default setting of a sinful heart.
Jesus Doesn’t Pretend We Don’t Have Enemies
Jesus never says:
“You don’t have enemies.”
“Everyone will like you.”
“No one will ever hurt you.”
He knows the real world. He knows your life. He knows what people are capable of.
But instead of telling you to pretend, Jesus tells you how to respond.
Ask for God’s Grace to Love
Loving enemies is not natural. It is not easy. It is not automatic.
That’s why Jesus calls us to something supernatural: Ask God for the grace to love the person you would normally hate.
You cannot do this on your own. You need God’s help. And He promises to give it.
What Does That Love Look Like? Three Commands
Jesus shows us three practical ways to love our enemies— three things you can do, even when your feelings don’t match.
1. Bless
Speak kindly to them. Speak kindly about them. Refuse to use your words as weapons.
2. Do Good
Find ways to show kindness in action— even small things that reflect God’s heart.
hold a door
offer help
refuse gossip
show respect
choose kindness even when it feels undeserved
3. Pray
This is the deepest form of enemy-love.
Pray for:
their heart
their life
their relationship with God
their healing
God’s blessing on them
Praying for someone softens your heart and invites God to work in theirs.
The Point
The “old way of love” is predictable: love those who love you, hate those who hate you.
Jesus calls His followers to something better— a new way of love that reflects the heart of God.
2. God Loves All His Creation (He Sends Rain on the Just and the Unjust)
After telling His followers to love their enemies, Jesus gives a powerful reason why:
“…so that you may be children of your Father in heaven. For He makes His sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.” — Matthew 5:45
In other words, Jesus says:
“Love your enemies because that’s exactly how your Father loves.”
God Shows Kindness to Everyone
Every person on earth—good or bad, kind or cruel, loving or hateful— lives every day under the generous gifts of God.
The sun rises on people who love God and on people who ignore Him.
Rain waters the fields of the righteous and the fields of the wicked.
Food grows for the grateful and for the ungrateful.
Air, beauty, and life are given to everyone whether they honor God or reject Him.
God doesn’t wait for people to behave before He blesses them. He gives grace freely.
God’s Love Isn’t Based on People’s Performance
People usually love others because they deserve it. God loves because it is His nature to love.
He blesses:
the kind and the unkind
the thankful and the thankless
the fair and the unfair
the humble and the proud
the friendly and the hostile
God’s love is not earned. It’s given.
And Jesus is saying:
“If you are God’s child, your love should look like your Father’s.”
This Is What Makes Christians Different
Jesus says it plainly:
“If you love only those who love you, what reward do you have?” — Matthew 5:46
Anyone can love people who are nice to them. There’s nothing special about that.
But loving people who:
hurt you
insult you
treat you unfairly
make fun of you
ignore you
oppose you
—that’s different. That’s supernatural. That’s kingdom love.
God’s Love Is the Model for Our Love
God doesn’t treat people the way they treat Him. He treats them with mercy, patience, and kindness.
And He calls His children to do the same.
When you show kindness to someone who doesn’t deserve it, your life starts to look a little like God’s.
When you pray for someone who mistreats you, your heart begins to reflect the heart of your Father.
When you forgive someone who hurt you, you shine with the grace He has shown you.
A Simple Truth
God loves all His creation.
If we belong to Him, our love should look like His— wide, patient, undeserved, and willing to bless the very people who don’t bless us back.
That kind of love isn’t weak. It’s powerful. It’s world-changing. It’s evidence that God is alive in your heart.
3. Loving Those Who Don’t Love You (What Makes You Different?)
Jesus now presses His point even deeper by asking a simple but challenging question:
“If you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?” — Matthew 5:46
In other words:
“If you only love people who love you back, how are you any different from the world?”
Anyone Can Love Their Friends
Loving people who treat you well is easy. Everyone does that:
friends love friends
families love their own
teammates get along with teammates
groups care for people in their group
Even people who don’t follow Jesus show kindness to those who are kind to them.
There’s nothing special about returning love for love. It comes naturally.
Jesus Calls Us to Love Beyond Our Circle
Followers of Jesus are supposed to stand out— not because we are louder or more talented, but because we love differently.
Jesus asks:
Do you love people who annoy you?
Do you love people who hurt your feelings?
Do you love people who make fun of you?
Do you love people who disagree with you?
Do you love people who don’t treat you the way you treat them?
This is where real Christian love shines.
The Test of Christlike Love
Jesus says that loving those who already love you does not prove anything. But loving those who don’t love you shows:
a changed heart
a transformed mind
the power of the Holy Spirit
the character of God growing in your life
Anyone can return kindness. Only a disciple can initiate kindness.
Anyone can treat a friend with respect. Only a disciple can treat an enemy with grace.
Anyone can respond with anger. Only a disciple can respond with prayer.
Loving Enemies Shows You Belong to Jesus
The world expects you to fight back. Jesus calls you to forgive.
The world expects you to gossip in return. Jesus calls you to bless.
The world expects you to ignore the people who ignore you. Jesus calls you to pray for them.
When you love people who don’t love you, you show:
you are God’s child
you trust God to handle justice
you are living for heaven, not this world
you want others to see Jesus in you
There’s nothing ordinary about that kind of love. It’s supernatural, surprising, and unmistakably Christlike.
4. Be Perfect? (What Jesus Really Meant)
Jesus ends this powerful teaching with one of the most famous—and most misunderstood—statements in the entire Sermon on the Mount:
“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” — Matthew 5:48
At first glance, that sounds impossible. And if Jesus meant “never make a mistake,” it would be impossible.
But that’s not what He means.
“Perfect” Means Whole, Complete, and Mature
The word Jesus uses for “perfect” means:
complete
mature
whole-hearted
growing toward God’s character
It describes someone whose love is not divided or shallow, but genuine, consistent, and full.
Jesus is saying:
“Love others with the same kind of complete, whole-hearted love that God shows.”
Not half-hearted, not selective, not only when it’s comfortable, but real and full—like the Father’s love.
Loving Enemies Is a Mark of Spiritual Maturity
Anyone can:
love their friends,
be kind to nice people,
show grace to those who show grace back.
But loving enemies? Blessing those who hurt you? Praying for those who wrong you?
That takes spiritual maturity.
When you love like that, you are becoming more like Jesus.
God’s Love Is the Standard
God loves:
faithfully
constantly
generously
without favoritism
without bitterness
even when humans rebel against Him
His love is complete. Whole. Perfect.
And Jesus invites His followers to imitate their Father—to grow into that kind of love more and more.
It’s About Direction, Not Perfection
Jesus is not demanding flawlessness. He is calling His disciples to pursue whole-hearted love:
not fake
not divided
not shallow
not limited
The goal is to let God’s love fill your heart so completely that it overflows into how you treat everyone— friends and enemies alike.
Growing in Love Takes Time
Just like a plant grows from a seed into a full tree, Christian love grows over time.
As the Holy Spirit works in you:
your heart softens
your reactions change
your patience deepens
your compassion widens
your desire for revenge fades
your resemblance to Jesus becomes clearer
Jesus ends with a high calling— but He also gives the power to live it out.
The Point
“Be perfect” doesn’t mean “never mess up.” It means:
“Be whole-hearted in your love. Let God shape your heart until it looks like His.”
That is the kind of love the world desperately needs.
Conclusion to Study Eight
In this study, Jesus took us to the highest and hardest commands in the Sermon on the Mount—commands that reveal just how different His kingdom truly is. Loving enemies and praying for those who mistreat us isn’t natural. It isn’t easy. And it certainly isn’t something we can do on our own strength.
But it is the kind of love that reflects the heart of our Father.
We learned that the world’s old pattern— love your friends, hate your enemies— comes naturally to fallen people. But Jesus calls His followers to a new and better pattern.
Bless those who hurt you.
Do good to those who wrong you.
Pray for those who oppose you.
This is not pretend love. It’s not “be nice on the outside but hate on the inside.” It is real, heart-level, God-shaped love that only the Holy Spirit can produce.
We saw that God Himself is the model. He sends sunshine and rain to everyone— the just and the unjust— because His love is generous and His mercy is wide.
When we love those who don’t love us, when we forgive those who fail us, when we respond to hatred with grace, we look like our Father. We show that we belong to Him.
Jesus ended this section with a call to be “perfect”— not flawless, but whole-hearted. He wants our love to be genuine, complete, and growing— a love that mirrors the heart of God.
This kind of love is powerful. It softens enemies. It surprises the world. It transforms families. It heals wounds. It strengthens churches. It shines with the light of Jesus.
And the good news is this: Jesus never commands us to do something without giving us the power to obey. Through His Spirit, He teaches us to love beyond what we thought possible.
As we move into the next study, Jesus will continue to show us what real, heart-level righteousness looks like—this time focusing on giving, prayer, and living for God’s approval instead of people’s applause.
The journey continues. And with each step, Jesus forms us more and more into people who love like He loves.

Devotion: Serving the Lord with Gladness

Sermon Date: 02/22/2026
Bible Verses:
Psalm 100
Speaker: Rev. Timothy "Tim" Shapley
Theme: https://uppbeat.io/t/northwestern/a-new
Psalm 100
“Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!Serve the Lord with gladness!Come into His presence with singing!”
Today we gather to celebrate something beautiful.
Not just years.Not just talent.Not just ministry.
We celebrate faithfulness.
Psalm 100 is not a complicated psalm.It is simple, joyful, and direct.
Make a joyful noise.Serve the Lord with gladness.Come before Him with singing.
And when we think about Silvia’s life of service, it feels like we are watching this psalm lived out in real time.
“Serve the Lord with Gladness”
Silvia did not serve reluctantly.
She sang.She played.She showed up.She gave herself to the work of the Church.
And Psalm 100 reminds us that true service is not about applause. It is about gladness.
Not perfection.Not platform.Not spotlight.
Gladness.
Over the years, through singing, through playing the piano, through denominational service, through Women’s Missions—she has not just filled roles. She has filled rooms with worship.
Service in the Kingdom is not about how loud you are.It is about how faithful you are.
And faithfulness over decades speaks louder than a thousand notes.
“Come into His Presence with Singing”
There is something powerful about music in the Church.
Music teaches.Music comforts.Music unites.Music carries theology into the heart.
Psalm 100 reminds us that singing is not decoration—it is devotion.
Every time Silvia played.Every time she sang.Every time she led others into worship—
She was helping the Church step into the presence of God.
Not drawing attention to herself.But pointing upward.
And that is sacred work.
Some preach with words.Some teach with lessons.Some serve behind the scenes.
But those who sing and play in the house of God are doing something eternal:They are helping hearts open.
“Know that the Lord, He is God”
The psalm continues:
“Know that the Lord, He is God!It is He who made us, and we are His.”
Years of service in a denomination and in Women’s Missions are not small things.
They represent:
Loyalty
Commitment
Submission
Belief
Silvia’s life says something steady:The Lord is God—and He is worth serving.
Not just in moments.Not just in seasons.But across decades.
That kind of consistency is rare.
And Scripture tells us why it matters:
“For the Lord is good; His steadfast love endures forever,and His faithfulness to all generations.” (Psalm 100:5)
God’s faithfulness stretches across generations—and He uses faithful servants to bridge them.
Through music.Through leadership.Through quiet obedience.
The Beauty of Long Obedience
We often celebrate big moments.
But heaven celebrates endurance.
A lifetime of worship.A lifetime of showing up.A lifetime of serving.
Not because it was easy.Not because it was glamorous.But because it honored the Lord.
Psalm 100 ends with gratitude.
“Enter His gates with thanksgiving…”
And today, we enter with thanksgiving for a life poured out in service.
Silvia’s legacy is not just notes played or songs sung.It is seeds planted.Hearts encouraged.Women strengthened.A denomination blessed.
And most importantly—A Savior honored.
Closing Reflection
Psalm 100 reminds us:The joy is not in the noise.The joy is in the Lord.
And when someone serves with gladness for years, it tells us something powerful:
God’s grace sustains what love begins.
So today we say thank you.But more than that—we say praise be to God.
Because every gift,every song,every act of service—
Was ultimately for Him.
And one day, the One she sang about,played for,served faithfully—
Will say the words that matter most:
“Well done.”
 

The Weekly Show - Episode 85: Study Seven: Keeping Your Word (Oaths)

Join Tim and John as they study keeping your word.
Theme: https://uppbeat.io/t/northwestern/a-new-beginning and https://uppbeat.io/t/pecan-pie/halloween-time
Transition Song: https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/
Introduction
Up to this point in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus has been showing His followers that true righteousness is not just about avoiding bad actions—it’s about having a changed heart. A person can look good on the outside while still being dishonest, bitter, or vengeful on the inside. Jesus wants His disciples to live differently.
Now Jesus turns to two areas that touch daily life in very practical ways:
Telling the truth
Responding to unfair treatment
These issues happen everywhere— in families, friendships, schools, workplaces, and churches. What Jesus teaches here affects how we speak, how we react, and how we treat people when situations aren’t fair.
In this section, Jesus explains that His followers must be known as people whose words can be trusted and whose responses show wisdom, not revenge.
When we speak, people should be able to believe us without us stamping on extra promises.
When we are hurt or wronged, we should not strike back out of anger, but respond with the patience and grace of Christ.
Jesus is forming a people who are:
dependable
truthful
gentle
wise
slow to get even
quick to forgive
This is the kind of righteousness that shines in a dark world— a righteousness that comes from the inside out.
In Study Seven, we will learn how to apply Jesus’ teaching about oaths, honesty, and the temptation to “get even,” and how to live as people who reflect God’s truth and mercy in everything we say and do.
1. If You Say So
Jesus begins this section by addressing how His followers speak—specifically, how they handle promises, commitments, and the truth. In His day, people often tried to make their statements sound more convincing by adding an oath.
An oath was a way of making a promise sound more official or believable. People would swear by things they considered sacred or powerful, such as:
God
heaven
the earth
the temple
or even their own heads
Why did they do this?
Because their regular words didn’t mean much. People had learned not to trust each other’s everyday promises. So to make their statements sound stronger, they added something “holy” or impressive to back it up.
Jesus steps into this confusion and teaches something radically simple:
“Let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ be ‘No.’” — Matthew 5:37
In other words:
God’s people should be so truthful that they don’t need to “prove” anything with extra promises.
A simple yes should mean yes. A simple no should mean no. No fancy oaths. No dramatic promises. No “I swear to God!” No “I promise, I promise!”
Just honest words backed by honest character.
Christian Character Makes Christian Words Trustworthy
Jesus expects His followers to be known for:
honesty
integrity
reliability
truthfulness
consistency
People shouldn’t have to guess whether we’re telling the truth. Christians shouldn’t have different levels of honesty depending on who’s listening. We shouldn’t need to swear oaths to convince anyone.
Our regular, everyday speech should be trustworthy because we are trustworthy.
A disciple’s word should be as dependable as a signed contract— not because we talk fancy, but because we live in a way that honors God with every word we speak.
2. An Eye for an Eye
After teaching about honesty and integrity, Jesus turns to another everyday issue: how to respond when someone wrongs you.
Many people in Jesus’ day used the phrase:
“An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.”
They quoted it as if the Bible encouraged personal revenge. But that was never what God intended.
What “An Eye for an Eye” Really Meant
The original command, found in the Old Testament, was meant for Jewish courtrooms, not personal arguments. It was a legal guideline to protect people from unfair punishment.
It meant:
the punishment should match the crime
the penalty should never go beyond what was done
justice should be controlled, not emotional
In other words:
It was a limit, not a license.
It stopped angry people from going too far.
People Misused This Principle
Over time, people twisted the phrase into a justification for payback:
“You hit me, so I’ll hit you.”
“You insulted me, so I’ll insult you.”
“You hurt me, so I’ll hurt you back.”
This is not what God intended. And it is not how Jesus wants His followers to act.
Jesus Calls Us to Wisdom, Not Revenge
Instead of encouraging retaliation, Jesus teaches His disciples to respond with wisdom, patience, and mercy.
He is not saying Christians must let people abuse them. He is not saying we can’t defend ourselves in dangerous situations.
He is saying:
Don’t let anger control your reaction.
Don’t repay evil with evil.
Don’t seek personal revenge.
Don’t treat people the way they treated you.
Don’t let bitterness become your guide.
Jesus wants His people to respond with the kind of love that surprises the world.
Responding Wisely Honors God
Jesus is training His followers to be different:
Instead of escalating conflict, we calm it.
Instead of striking back, we think first.
Instead of demanding payback, we choose patience.
Instead of revenge, we seek peace.
It takes wisdom, not weakness, to respond this way. Anyone can lash out. Only someone with a transformed heart can respond like Jesus.
The Point
Jesus teaches that:
Honesty matters (your “yes” and “no”).
Anger matters (don’t repay evil for evil).
The heart matters most of all.
His disciples shine brightest when they respond to unfairness with grace— when they choose the wisdom of God over the instinct of revenge.
Conclusion to Study Seven
In this study, Jesus showed us two important ways His followers should stand out in everyday life: by being truthful and by responding to others with wisdom instead of revenge.
First, Jesus taught that His people should speak with such honesty and integrity that their words never need extra proof. A simple “yes” or “no” should carry the full weight of truth. Our character should make us trustworthy, because our lives reflect the God who never lies.
Then Jesus addressed the natural human desire to get even when someone hurts us. The principle “an eye for an eye” was never meant to justify payback—it was meant to limit punishment in courts. Jesus calls His followers to go further: to reject revenge, to respond with patience, and to show the kind of grace that comes from a changed heart.
Together, these teachings show that disciples of Jesus are not shaped by deception or retaliation, but by truthfulness and gentleness. Our words should build trust, and our reactions should bring peace.
Jesus continues to raise the standard—not to burden us, but to free us. He wants to form people who display God’s character in their daily lives: people who keep their word and respond wisely even when life isn’t fair.
As we move to the next study, Jesus will take us even deeper into what real, heart-level righteousness looks like—this time showing us how to love not just our neighbors, but even our enemies.

Sermon: Beware False Doctrine

Sermon Date: 02/15/2026
Bible Verses:
1 Timothy 4
2 Corinthians 11:13–15
2 Timothy 4:1-5
Speaker: Rev. Timothy "Tim" Shapley
Theme: https://uppbeat.io/t/northwestern/a-new
Introduction: Jesus Didn’t Say “Be Curious”—He Said “Beware”
Jesus did not spend His ministry warning His disciples about Rome.He did not primarily warn them about persecution.He warned them—again and again—about false teaching.
“Beware of false prophets…”“Watch out…”“See that no one leads you astray…”
Those are not suggestions.They are commands.
False doctrine is dangerous not because it is loud—but because it is convincing. It does not usually announce itself as false. It comes wrapped in spiritual language, religious authority, and half-truths that sound almost right.
The greatest threat to the Church has never been pressure from outside.It has always been corruption from within.
Point One: False Doctrine Is a Predicted Reality
1 Timothy 4
Paul does not say false teaching might happen.
He says it will.
“Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons.” (1 Timothy 4:1)
That phrase “later times” does not mean some distant future only. In the New Testament, it refers to the entire period between Christ’s ascension and His return—which means now.
False doctrine:
Causes people to depart from the faith
Does not come from ignorance alone
Is energized by spiritual deception
Paul continues:
“Through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared.” (v. 2)
That’s chilling.
Some false teachers are not confused—they are calloused. They can speak religious words without conviction, truth without submission, Scripture without obedience.
False doctrine is not always born from error.Sometimes it is born from pride.
Point Two: False Teachers Often Look Legitimate
2 Corinthians 11:13–15
Paul pulls back the curtain:
“Such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.”
Notice the disguise.
They don’t oppose Christ openly.They imitate Him.
Paul goes further:
“Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.”
False doctrine rarely looks dark.It looks enlightened.It sounds compassionate.It feels inclusive.It appeals to what we already want to believe.
And that’s the danger.
✦ Error doesn’t succeed because it is obvious—it succeeds because it is attractive.
If Satan came looking evil, no one would listen.So he comes looking spiritual.
Point Three: False Doctrine Appeals to Desire, Not Truth
2 Timothy 4:1–5
Paul’s final charge to Timothy is urgent because the danger is personal:
“The time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching…”
Why?
“…but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions.”
False doctrine survives because people want it.
It promises:
Comfort without repentance
Blessing without obedience
Salvation without submission
A Jesus who never confronts sin
Paul warns that people will:
“Turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”
False doctrine does not always deny Jesus.It redefines Him.
That’s why Paul tells Timothy:
“Be sober-minded… endure suffering… fulfill your ministry.”
Truth will cost you something.False doctrine always offers a discount.
Point Four: Jesus Himself Repeatedly Warned Us
Jesus warned more about false teaching than almost any other danger.
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing.”
“Many will come in My name and lead many astray.”
“If possible, even the elect would be deceived.”
Jesus never said deception would be rare.He said it would be persistent.
And He never told His disciples to out-argue false teachers.He told them to know the truth.
✦ The best defense against counterfeit truth is familiarity with the real thing.
Point Five: How the Church Guards Against False Doctrine
Scripture does not leave us helpless.
Paul tells Timothy:
“Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching.” (1 Tim. 4:16)
False doctrine is resisted by:
Sound teaching
Scripture-shaped discernment
Pastors who preach the Word, not trends
Churches that value truth over popularity
And believers who:
Read Scripture
Test what they hear
Refuse to trade truth for comfort
✦ Discernment is not suspicion—it is spiritual maturity.
Conclusion: Beware—Because Truth Matters
False doctrine is not harmless.It does not merely confuse.It leads people away from Christ.
That’s why Jesus said beware.That’s why Paul warned the Church.That’s why Scripture calls us to be watchful.
The goal is not fear.The goal is faithfulness.
We do not guard doctrine to win arguments.We guard doctrine to protect souls.
“Hold fast the word of life.”
Because truth saves.Truth sanctifies.Truth sets free.

The Weekly Show - Episode 84: Study Six: Purity & the Heart (Lust)

Join Tim and John as they study Lust, Adultery and Divorce.
Theme: https://uppbeat.io/t/northwestern/a-new-beginning and https://uppbeat.io/t/pecan-pie/halloween-time
Transition Song: https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/
Introduction
In the last study, Jesus showed us that true righteousness isn’t just about what we do—it’s about who we are on the inside. He taught that anger and hatred don’t begin with violent actions; they begin in the heart, long before anything happens on the outside.
Now Jesus takes that same heart-level teaching and applies it to another deeply important area: purity.
Just like with anger:
sin doesn’t start with your hands,
and it doesn’t even start with your eyes.
Sin starts in the heart.
Before a person ever acts on temptation… before they send the message… before they take the second look… before the thoughts turn into choices…
The battle is already being won or lost inside.
Jesus wants His followers to understand that purity is not just about avoiding certain actions—it’s about cultivating a heart that loves what God loves, desires what God desires, and rejects anything that leads toward sin.
In a world filled with temptation and constant pressure, Jesus calls His disciples to a different way of living: a life of internal purity that overflows into external faithfulness.
This study will help us see:
why purity matters to God,
how lust begins in the heart,
how Jesus calls us to fight it,
and how the Holy Spirit empowers us to walk in real, lasting freedom.
Purity is a heart issue—and Jesus begins His teaching right where the real battle happens: within us.
1. Honoring Marriage
Long before Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount, God had already made His expectations for purity clear. One of the Ten Commandments says:
“You shall not commit adultery.” — Exodus 20:14
This command wasn’t just for married people—it was for everyone. It teaches that faithfulness matters:
before marriage
during marriage
and throughout your entire life
God designed marriage to be a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman. It is meant to reflect His faithfulness, His love, and His commitment to His people. Because marriage is so important to God, purity before and after the wedding matters deeply.
Jesus Goes Deeper Than the Commandment
Just as He did with anger, Jesus goes to the heart of the issue. The Pharisees focused on the action of adultery— “as long as you don’t physically betray your spouse, you’re fine.”
But Jesus says that adultery doesn’t begin with a physical act.
It begins:
with the mind,
with the imagination,
with the desire,
with the look,
with the thought,
with what the heart wants.
Jesus teaches:
If you look at someone with lust, you have already committed adultery in your heart. — Matthew 5:28 (paraphrased)
He isn’t exaggerating. He’s revealing the truth: purity is a heart issue long before it’s a physical issue.
Why Does This Matter?
Because God cares not only about what we do, but why we do it and what we desire on the inside.
He knows that:
lust destroys trust
lust corrupts the imagination
lust weakens self-control
lust can harm future marriages
lust objectifies people made in God’s image
lust pulls the heart away from God’s design
Even if no one else sees what’s happening inside, God sees the heart—and He cares about it.
God Calls Us to Faithful Hearts
Honoring marriage isn’t just about saying “I do” on a wedding day. It means developing a heart that values purity and faithfulness now, no matter your age or season of life.
That means:
guarding your eyes
guarding your imagination
refusing to fantasize about what God forbids
choosing purity in your thoughts
respecting other people as brothers and sisters—not objects
asking God to shape your desires to match His
Jesus isn’t trying to shame us with an impossibly high standard. He is rescuing us by showing where sin really begins.
Purity protects you. Purity honors others. Purity honors your future spouse. Purity honors God.
And purity begins in the heart.
2. Adultery: Adults Only?
When people hear the word adultery, they often think, “That’s a sin for married grown-ups. It doesn’t apply to me yet.”
But Jesus makes it clear: purity is not just an adult issue. It’s a heart issue—so it matters for everyone, at every age, and in every season of life.
Temptation Is Everywhere Today
In Jesus’ day, people did not live surrounded by screens, images, videos, and constant advertisements. Our world is filled with temptation in ways that no generation before us has faced.
Now more than ever, it is difficult to obey Jesus’ teaching because:
impurity is easy to find
culture constantly promotes it
peer pressure encourages it
social media normalizes it
curiosity grows quickly
“just looking” feels harmless
But Jesus wants us to understand something important:
Sinful lust always hurts people. Lust is never harmless.
It damages:
your future marriage
your personal purity
your mind
your relationship with God
your view of others
Even if the world laughs about it, Jesus takes it seriously because He sees the long-term effects that we often ignore.
Hands and Eyes Don’t Make You Sin—Your Heart Does
Jesus says that if you look with lust, you have already committed adultery in your heart.
But He also wants us to understand how temptation works.
Many people say:
“It’s not my fault—my eyes just saw it!”
“It’s my phone’s fault.”
“It’s just normal curiosity.”
But Jesus teaches something different:
“From within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts…” — Mark 7:21
Your hands aren’t the problem. Your eyes aren’t the problem. Your devices aren’t the deepest problem.
The heart is the problem.
When the heart desires what God forbids, the eyes simply follow where the heart is already looking.
This is why Jesus doesn’t just want us to change our habits— He wants to transform our hearts.
Purity Protects You and Honors God
When Jesus warns us about lust, He isn’t trying to take joy away from us. He’s trying to protect us from:
guilt
shame
addiction
broken relationships
damaged trust
future regret
distorted views of love and intimacy
Purity protects the joy God designed for marriage and keeps the heart clean for God.
Jesus Can Clean the Heart
The good news is that Jesus:
forgives the impure
restores the broken
frees those caught in temptation
reshapes desires
heals the heart
strengthens self-control
makes purity possible
No one is too far gone. No temptation is too strong. No failure has the final word.
Jesus has the power to give His followers clean hands, clean hearts, and clean minds.
3. Radical Amputation
After warning us about lust, Jesus uses some of the strongest language in the entire Sermon on the Mount. He talks about tearing out an eye and cutting off a hand (Matthew 5:29–30).
That sounds extreme—and that’s exactly the point.
Jesus is not telling anyone to literally harm their body. He is teaching us how seriously we must treat sin:
Do whatever it takes to remove sin from your life. No excuses. No half-measures. No playing around with temptation.
This is what we call radical amputation.
Why Such Serious Words?
Because lust is powerful. If left alone, it grows. If ignored, it spreads. If entertained, it becomes destructive.
Jesus uses uncomfortable imagery to grab our attention:
If something causes you to stumble—cut it off.
If something leads you toward sin—get rid of it.
If something keeps pulling you away from purity—remove it from your life.
He is asking a simple but life-changing question:
“How serious are you about staying pure?”
Radical Amputation Means Taking Action
This kind of obedience is not passive. It’s active, practical, and sometimes inconvenient.
Radical amputation might look like:
deleting an app
setting up device filters
changing your music, shows, or social media habits
avoiding certain websites or platforms
ending a flirtatious friendship
choosing different friends
refusing to be alone with temptation
telling someone you trust what you struggle with
replacing bad habits with godly ones
If something feeds lust, Jesus says to treat it like a burning snake in your bed— get rid of it immediately.
Obedience Must Come From the Heart
Radical outward steps are important, but Jesus reminds us they only work if they come from a heart that loves God.
You can throw away your phone, but if your heart remains unchanged, sin will simply find another doorway.
Real purity requires:
a heart that wants what God wants
a mind being renewed by Scripture
a spirit strengthened by prayer
a will shaped by the Holy Spirit
Heart change leads to life change.
God Honors Those Who Take Sin Seriously
Jesus gives this command not to terrify us, but to protect us.
He wants us to understand that:
purity is worth fighting for
holiness is worth protecting
marriage (present or future) is worth honoring
the heart is worth guarding
When we take drastic measures against sin, God meets us with grace, strength, and freedom.
The Goal of Radical Amputation
Not punishment.
Protection. Purity. Freedom. Holiness. A heart that belongs fully to God.
Jesus wants His followers to be people who take sin seriously because they take God seriously.
And the good news? The Holy Spirit empowers us to do exactly that.
4. Adultery and Divorce
After teaching about lust in the heart and taking radical action against sin, Jesus addresses another sensitive but important topic: divorce. He brings it up because purity, faithfulness, and marriage are all connected. What happens in the heart eventually affects relationships, and what affects one relationship often affects many others.
Divorce Hurts Everyone
Jesus makes it clear that divorce is never a small or simple thing. It brings pain to:
the husband
the wife
the children
the extended family
close friends
the church family
the community
And most importantly, it grieves the heart of God.
Why?
Because God designed marriage to be something strong, sacred, and lasting.
Marriage Pictures God’s Relationship with His People
From the very beginning, God intended marriage to be a living illustration of His love—faithful, committed, covenant love. Marriage is supposed to reflect:
God’s loyalty
God’s forgiveness
God’s faithfulness
God’s compassion
When a husband and wife remain faithful to each other, they are mirroring the way God remains faithful to His people.
That’s why purity matters so much. That’s why lust is dangerous. That’s why Jesus teaches about the heart before He ever mentions divorce.
Why Did Moses Permit Divorce?
Some people in Jesus’ day tried to justify divorce by quoting Moses. But Jesus corrects their misunderstanding:
“Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce… But from the beginning it was not so.” — Matthew 19:8
In other words:
Divorce was never God’s ideal.
God permitted it in extreme cases because people’s hearts were hardened by sin.
But God’s original design was and still is lifelong faithfulness.
Jesus doesn’t pretend marriage is easy. He knows relationships can be deeply wounded. But He calls His followers to pursue the kind of love, patience, forgiveness, and purity that strengthens marriages instead of breaking them.
The Connection to Lust and the Heart
Jesus places this teaching right after lust because:
Lust destroys purity.
Impurity destroys trust.
Broken trust destroys marriages.
Hard hearts destroy covenant love.
Jesus wants to protect marriage by addressing sin before it grows into something that breaks a family apart.
Jesus Calls Us to Honor Marriage
Whether you’re:
married,
single,
engaged,
dating,
or years away from marriage,
Jesus is calling you to honor marriage— your future marriage or your current one— by honoring purity today.
Honoring marriage means:
guarding your heart
resisting lust
practicing self-control
treating others with dignity
valuing faithfulness
choosing forgiveness
asking God to soften your heart
When we do this, we reflect the kind of love God shows us.
The Hope We Need
The good news is that Jesus:
forgives adultery
heals wounded marriages
restores broken hearts
softens hardened hearts
redeems lost years
strengthens weak relationships
empowers purity and faithfulness
No matter what your past contains, God offers grace, healing, and new beginnings.
Jesus’ teaching here isn’t meant to shame us— it’s meant to protect us, guide us, and help us build marriages (present or future) that honor God and overflow with love.
Conclusion to Study Six
In this study, Jesus has once again taken us beneath the surface of outward behavior and shown us the true battlefield—the heart. Just as anger can grow into hatred and conflict, Jesus teaches that lust begins deep inside long before it ever shows up externally.
Purity is not just about what we avoid with our hands or what we look at with our eyes. Purity is about the direction and desires of our hearts.
We learned:
Honoring marriage is about guarding purity long before marriage even begins.
Lust is not merely an “adult issue”—it affects everyone because it begins inside us.
Radical amputation means taking whatever steps are necessary to fight temptation.
Divorce grieves God because marriage reflects His faithful love—and impurity attacks that picture from the inside out.
Through all of this, Jesus is not trying to crush us with impossible commands. He is rescuing us by showing where sin really grows and how we can fight it.
Jesus wants us to understand that:
purity protects us
purity honors others
purity guards our future
purity strengthens marriages
purity draws us closer to God
And ultimately, purity comes not from our own strength but from the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit can:
reshape our desires
renew our minds
strengthen our self-control
cleanse our imaginations
heal past wounds
free us from destructive habits
No one is too broken for Jesus to heal. No heart is too far gone for Him to restore. No sin is too strong for Him to forgive.
Jesus calls His followers to purity because He loves us. He protects what is precious. He guards what is holy. He renews what sin has damaged.
As we move forward to the next part of Jesus’ teaching, He will continue to show us what true, heart-level righteousness looks like— this time focusing on truthfulness, honesty, and keeping our word.
The same Jesus who calls us to purity also gives us the strength to walk in it.

Sermon: Apostle’s Creed Week Five - I Believe in Forgiveness of Sins, Resurrection of the Body and Life Everlasting

Sermon Date: 02/08/2026
Bible Verses:
Various 
Speaker: Rev. Timothy "Tim" Shapley
Theme: https://uppbeat.io/t/northwestern/a-new
Introduction: Belief That Carries Us All the Way
The Apostles’ Creed ends the way it does on purpose.
It does not finish with the Church.It does not finish with duty.It does not finish with effort.
It finishes with hope.
Scripture reminds us why:
“Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)
The Creed walks us from who God is, to what Christ has done, to where history is going—and then it says one final word:
Amen.
Which means: This is true. This is sure. This is what we stand on.
Point One: I Believe in the Forgiveness of Sins
This is where belief gets honest.
Scripture does not deny sin—it exposes it:
“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)
Christianity is the only faith that does not pretend we are fine. It begins with a confession: we are sinners. But it does not leave us there.
“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses.” (Ephesians 1:7)
“He himself bore our sins in His body on the tree.” (1 Peter 2:24)
To say “I believe in the forgiveness of sins” is to confess two things at once:
I am guilty.
God is merciful.
Forgiveness is not denial.It is not minimizing sin.It is not pretending the past didn’t happen.
Forgiveness is sin taken seriously—and dealt with completely.
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)
Jesus did not forgive sins by ignoring them.He forgave them by bearing them.
The cross tells us this:
Sin matters.
Justice matters.
Grace is costly.
And forgiveness is not partial. It is not temporary. It is not probationary.
In Christ:
Sin is canceled, not covered.
Guilt is removed, not managed.
Shame is broken, not recycled.
To believe in forgiveness is to stop trying to outrun your past—and to stop letting it define your future.
“As far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:12)
✦ Forgiveness is not earned by remorse—it is received by faith.“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us.” (1 John 1:9)
✦ The gospel does not say “do better.”It says “it is finished.”
Point Two: I Believe in the Resurrection of the Body
The Creed now lifts our eyes beyond forgiveness into restoration.
Notice what it does not say:
Not “the survival of the soul”
Not “a spiritual continuation”
But “the resurrection of the body”
Christian hope is not escape from creation—it is the renewal of creation.
“The dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.” (1 Corinthians 15:52)
Jesus Himself promises:
“I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live.” (John 11:25)
Jesus did not rise as a ghost.He rose in a body.Scarred, recognizable, glorified.
This resurrection is bodily, not symbolic:
“He will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body.” (Philippians 3:21)
And Scripture insists that what happened to Him will happen to us.
Creation itself is waiting for this moment:
“The creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption.” (Romans 8:21)
Resurrection means:
Death is not the end.
Bodies matter.
Creation will be healed, not discarded.
This corrects two lies:
That our bodies are meaningless shells
That death is a natural or final answer
Death is an intruder.Resurrection is God’s answer.
✦ What Christ redeemed, He will raise.
Christian belief does not say, “This life is all there is.”It says, “This life is not all there is—and it matters forever.”
What Christ redeemed, He will raise.“Because I live, you also will live.” (John 14:19)
Point Three: I Believe in the Life Everlasting
The Creed now reaches its horizon.
Not just survival.Not just continuation.Life everlasting.
This is not endless time.This is endless life with God.
Life everlasting is not boredom in the clouds.It is not floating existence.It is not abstraction.
Jesus defines eternal life this way:
“This is eternal life, that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” (John 17:3)
It is:
God with His people
Sin finally gone
Death finally defeated
Joy finally unhindered
Eternal life is not earned.It is given.And it begins now—not later.
Scripture promises its certainty:
“Whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life.” (John 5:24)
And its joy:
“In Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16:11)
It is not fragile or temporary:
“An inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading.” (1 Peter 1:4)
And it is secure:
“They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand.” (John 10:28)
Those who belong to Christ already possess eternal life in promise, and one day will possess it in fullness.
This is why suffering does not get the last word.This is why faithfulness matters.This is why hope endures.
✦ The future of the believer is not judgment—but joy.
✦ The future of the believer is not judgment—but joy.“Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man.” (Revelation 21:3)
Conclusion: Amen — This Is What We Stand On
The Creed ends with Amen because belief must end in confidence.
Not confidence in ourselves.Not confidence in the Church.Not confidence in the world.
Confidence in God.
To say Amen is to say:
This is true.
This is reliable.
This is my hope.
We believe:
Our sins are forgiven (Colossians 2:13–14)
Our bodies will be raised (1 Corinthians 15:42–44)
Our life with God will never end (Revelation 22:5)
And that belief changes how we live now.
We forgive because we have been forgiven.We endure because death has been defeated.We live faithfully because eternity is real.
And that belief reshapes how we live now.
“Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58)
✦ The Creed does not end in fear.It ends in hope.