Jesus takes anger beyond our outward actions and invites us to examine what’s happening in our hearts. Hurt, offense, bitterness, and resentment can build up when left unchecked. But Jesus calls us to something better: allowing Him to search our hearts, pursuing reconciliation wherever possible, and extending the same grace to others that we’ve received through the cross.

Jesus doesn’t just give us a new way to live. He gives us a new identity: you are salt and you are light. Salt changes what it touches, and light pushes back darkness. As people of His Kingdom, our faith is meant to make a real difference in the world around us!

We’re kicking off Astonished, our new series through the Sermon on the Mount. Through the Beatitudes, Jesus turns our idea of the good life upside down, showing us that true flourishing begins with recognizing our need for Him and living in deeper dependence on our King.

This week, we’re asking how Christians should think about modern Israel. Scripture points us beyond the headlines to a deeper spiritual battle unfolding within God’s redemptive story. Our response isn’t fear, hatred, or political allegiance, but discernment, compassion, prayer, and confidence in this truth: the Lamb wins.

In Week 2 of The People of God, we tackle two big questions: Who is Israel today, and are Jewish people saved? From the Old Testament through Jesus and Romans 11, we see that while modern Israel is connected to the biblical story of Israel, they are not the same. Ultimately, Scripture points us to one clear truth: salvation for both Jew and Gentile is found through faith in Jesus alone!

God’s plan has always been to create a people through whom the nations would be blessed. From Abraham to Moses, David, and ultimately Jesus, the story of Israel points us to Christ and His redemptive story for all people. Before we can understand Israel’s place today, we first have to understand its place in the redemptive story God has been writing all along.

Beauty isn't just something we admire, it's something God uses to draw us to Himself. As the Creator, God made us in His image to create, cultivate, and reflect His goodness in the world. As we behold Jesus, the source of all beauty, He transforms us to become more like Him and invites us to join His redemptive work wherever we are.

When life feels heavy and God seems distant, it can be hard to know what to do. In Psalm 13, we see David bring his pain honestly before the Lord, trusting that God welcomes our questions and hears our cries. Even in seasons of waiting, we can hold on to His faithful love, knowing He is at work and worthy of our trust.

This week is a loving wake-up call: prayerlessness may be one of the great reasons the Church lacks power in a spiritual war. Jesus prayed, the early Church prayed, and some things only move through prayer, not strategy, talent, branding, or religious activity. The invitation is simple and weighty: repent of self-sufficiency, return to the secret place, and ask again, “Lord, teach us to pray.”

This week asks a simple but piercing question: what is keeping you stuck? Jesus calls us to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, which means discipleship has to touch our wounds, our connection with God, our thought life, and even our bodies. The goal is not becoming a better version of ourselves, but removing the barriers that keep us from receiving more of Jesus and becoming healthy disciples God can use in a hurting world.