SECRETS - THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT
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WE ALL HAVE SECRETS. WE CARRY THINGS IN OUR MINDS NO ONE KNOWS. WE CARRY EVENTS FROM OUR PAST THAT WE REGRET. WE HOLD ON TO ATTITUDES THAT HURT AND DESTRY US. WE EVEN HAVE SECRETS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO REMAIN SECRET. IN HIS SERMON ON THE MOUNT, JESUS TALKED ABOUT SECRETS, BOTH GOOD AND BAD. ARE THERE ANY SECRETS IN YOUR LIFE THAT MIGHT NEED TO COME OUT OF HIDING SO YOU CAN BE FREE OF THEIR HOLD? ARE THERE SECRET ACTS YOU CONTINUE TO PRACTICE BECAUSE YOU KNOW IT’S RIGHT TO KEEP THEM SECRET?
SERMON NOTES
SEPTEMBER 1 - SECRET SINS
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MANY OF OUR SECRETS ARE THINGS WE ARE ASHAMED OF AND WOULD NEVER WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW. SOME ARE FROM LONG AGO AND SOME ARE SECRETS WE CAN’T SEEM TO ESCAPE. JESUS TALKED ABOUT SECRET SINS WE MAY NOT REALIZE EXIST IN OUR SOULS. TO PREPARE, READ MATTHEW 5.
SEPTEMBER 8 - SECRET GIFTS
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ONE OF THE SECRETS JESUS TOLD US TO KEEP IS OUR GIVING TO THOSE IN NEED. SOME PEOPLE GIVE OUT OF A DESIRE TO BE PERCEIVED AS KIND, NOBLE AND GOOD. IT’S ALL ABOUT THE IMAGE RATHER THAN GENEROSITY FROM THE HEART. THAT’S WHY JESUS TOLD US TO BE GENEROUS, BE KEEP OUR GIVING SECRET. TO PREPARE, READ MATTHEW 6:1-4.
SEPTEMBER 15 - SECRET PRAYERS
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RELIGIOUS PEOPLE LIKE TO IMPRESS OTHERS WITH THEIR RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY. JESUS SAYS THE TRULY SPIRITUAL PERSON, THE PERSON WHO IS DEEPLY DEVOTED TO GOD, PRAYS IN SECRET. THE PERSON WHO PRAYS IN SECRET CONFESSES SINS HONESTLY AND DELIBERATELY. THEY PROVE TO THEMSELVES AND TO GOD THEIR FAITH IS MORE THAN SHOW. TO PREPARE, READ MATTHEW 6:5-18.
SEPTEMBER 22 - SECRET TREASURES
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WE ALL HAVE A “WISH LIST.” IT’S A LIST OF THINGS THAT GRAB OUR ATTENTION THAT WE THINK ARE “MUST HAVES.” WE DON’T ALWAYS SHARE THIS LIST WITH OTHERS. BUT WE MUST ADMIT IT, WE’RE CONSUMERS. THINGS CAPTURE OUR ATTENTION AND WE INVEST TIME, MONEY, ENERGY IN GETTING THEM. WHAT SECRET TREASURES ARE CONSUMING YOU? TO PREPARE, READ MATTHEW 6:19-24.
SEPTEMBER 29 - SECRET FEARS
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THERE ARE THINGS THAT CAUSE US WORRY WE’VE NEVER ADMITTED TO ANYONE. WE WONDER IF OUR JOB WILL LAST. WE ARE ANXIOUS ABOUT OUR HEALTH OR THE HEALTH OF OUR FAMILY. WE LISTEN TO THE NEWS AND FEAR TERRORISM, NUCLEAR WAR OR THE LOSS OF OUR WAY OF LIFE. SECRET FEARS CAN LEAD TO A DEFEATED AND DISCOURAGING LIFE. HOW DO I OVERCOME MY WORRIES? TO PREPARE, READ MATTHEW 6:25-34.
OCTOBER 6 - SECRET JUDGMENTS
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ADMIT IT, YOU CAN OFTEN JUDGE SOMEONE BY YOUR FIRST IMPRESSION OF THEM. MAYBE YOU EVEN JUSTIFY CERTAIN PREJUDICES BECAUSE OF YOUR UPBRINGING, YOUR EXPERIENCES OR YOU’VE BEEN HURT. MAYBE YOU JUST DON’T TRUST PEOPLE. HERE’S THE THING, YOU MIGHT THINK YOU’RE HIDING YOUR ATTITUDES AND OPINION OF PEOPLE, BUT EVERYONE KNOWS IT. JESUS TAUGHT THAT WHEN IT COMES TO JUDGING OTHERS, WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND. TO PREPARE, READ MATTHEW 7:1-5.
OCTOBER 13 - SECRET NEEDS
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HOW MUCH DO I TRUST GOD TO PROVIDE EVERYTHING I NEED? HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN A PLACE WHERE YOU COULDN’T TELL ANYONE ABOUT SOMETHING YOU REALLY NEEDED AND THE ONLY THING LEFT TO DO WAS PRAY? THE TRUTH IS, YOU’RE IN A VERY GOOD PLACE WHEN THAT HAPPENS. WHAT ARE YOUR SECRET NEEDS? TO PREPARE, READ MATTHEW 7:6-12.
OCTOBER 20 - SECRET INFLUENCES
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WE PUT OURSELVES IN PLACES WHERE WE’RE INFLUENCED BY OTHERS: FRIENDS, FAMILY, CULTURE, CO-WORKERS. WE CAN OFTEN BE IMPACTED BY THEIR INFLUENCES WITHOUT EVEN KNOWING IT. WE START TO BELIEVE SOMETHING UNTRUE. WE START TO DO THINGS WE HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT WERE WRONG. ALL BECAUSE OF THE SECRET INFLUENCES IN OUR LIFE THAT WE MIGHT NOT KNOW EXIST. WHAT UNKNOWN INFLUENCES IN YOUR LIFE ARE IMPACTING THE WAY YOU THINK, SPEAK AND ACT? TO PREPARE, READ MATTHEW 7:15-23.
OCTOBER 27 - SECRETES REVEALED
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USUALLY OUR SECRETS ARE EVENTUALLY EXPOSED. WHATEVER WE BUILD OUR SPIRITUAL HOUSE UPON IS WHO WE BECOME AND EVERYONE CAN SEE IT. SOMETIMES WE’RE THE LAST TO KNOW OUR SECRETS HAVE BEEN REVEALED TO THE WORLD. WHAT YOU BUILDING YOUR LIFE UPON? IS IT TIME TO CONFESS YOUR SECRETS TO YOURSELF, GOD AND MAYBE EVEN TO SOMEONE ELSE? TO PREPARE, READ MATTHEW 7:24-29.
