This past weekend at Eastbrook, as we continued our series "Becoming Real" on the Sermon on the Mount, we turned to Matthew 6:25-34. This passage speaks right into one of our most personal and constant issues as human beings: worry. I explore what worry is and what it does and doesn't do. I also spent …
Real Treasure: the heart and the life
This past weekend at Eastbrook, we continued our series "Becoming Real" on the Sermon on the Mount by looking at Matthew 6:19-24. This brief passage explores what it means to have our interior and exterior lives unified in terms of what we most value and how that plays out in our material wealth and treasure. …
Real Spirituality: three vital spiritual practices
This past weekend at Eastbrook, we continued our series "Becoming Real" on the Sermon on the Mount by looking at Matthew 6:1-18. This passage builds on the earlier teaching by Jesus about surpassing righteousness (see "Real Righteousness") by exploring three vital practices for spiritual growth: almsgiving, prayer, and fasting. You can find the message video …
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Contrasting Forms of Righteousness in Matthew 5: how Jesus’ way is different from that of the Pharisees and teachers of the law
This past weekend in my message, "Real Righteousness," I focused on Jesus' striking statement in Matthew 5:20: "For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven." While this statement has often plagued interpreters, I believe Jesus …
Real Righteousness: the old and the new
This past weekend at Eastbrook, we continued our series "Becoming Real" on the Sermon on the Mount by looking at a very long portion of Scripture in Matthew 5:17-48. This long passage of teaching by Jesus looks at what it means to truly be righteous before God and in relation to others. Jesus has not …
Matthew Erickson 