Surprised by Scandal

Matthew 1-7 is filled with shocking stories and scandalous teachings. In a world marked by violence, Jesus teaches us to turn the other cheek and go the extra mile. In a world obsessed with power, Jesus says blessed are the poor in spirit, the meek, and the merciful. Jesus' genealogy is filled with shocking names, and let's not forget that immediately after the high point of Jesus' baptism, temptation and hardship immediately follow. Matthew 1-7 is filled with surprising, shocking, even scandalous content, however, is there anything more shocking than Jesus' command to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us? As we kick off our new series, Surprised by Jesus, we'll start with Jesus' scandalous command to love even those who hate us.