Mapping Matthew

Mapping Matthew

Beatitudes: The Peacemakers

In this week’s message, Brant continues our study of the Beatitudes, picking up in Matthew 5:9. It’s not easy to make peace, but Yeshua’s teachings require us to take steps to make peace, to turn this world right-side up, if we’re going to expand the kingdom of heaven here and now. We’re called to bring change to the world around us in a way that reflects and honors…

Beatitudes: The Pure in Heart

In this week’s message, Brant explores what it means to be “pure in heart” (Psalm 24:3-5) and how we become “pure in heart”. Do we seek to live a life of integrity, doing the “right” thing even when we know it won’t be rewarded here on earth and may even cost us? Or are we conformed to the world around us?

Beatitudes: Those Who Mourn

In this week’s message, Brant explored the connection between those who mourn and those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. In Hosea 4, we read about the land mourning due to the lack of righteousness as the L-rd pronounced judgement on Israel. Yeshua wants us to be sensitive to the unrighteousness around, not to become numb to it, and to pursue righteousness–and…

Beatitudes: Abundance or Scarcity?

In this week’s message, Brant reminded us that abundance comes from the L-rd and warned us that, in the west, it requires diligence to live a life that’s “poor in Spirit”. Instead of relying on the L-rd like Joseph, and living lives of abundance, we can easily end up looking to our surroundings and living lives of fear based on perceived scarcity.

Followers, Believers or Disciples?

In this week’s message, Brant examines the three groups of people in the crowd that Matthew describes: believers, followers, and disciples. Only the disciples were willing to be with Yeshua when it gets hard, while the others were plagued by “narcotizing dysfunction”. Which group are you in?