Life on the West Side

Everyone I know longs for genuine happiness, lasting peace, real beauty, ultimate purpose, and honest, sincere and overwhelming love. I want you to know that Jesus came so that you can experience rich, abundant life and overwhelming love! Join me, Nathan Guy, preaching minister for the West Side Church of Christ in Searcy, Arkansas, as I share my passion for Jesus Christ in weekly teachings, conduct exciting interviews with other ministers, authors and church leaders, and discuss things learned along the way. Each episode will offer a recent sermon or interview with inspiring guests intended to encourage you in your faith formation as disciples of Jesus Christ. In addition, I will link to further resources such as a discussion guide, points to ponder, and recommended resources. You can watch these sermons and find more resources at nathanguy.com, follow me @nathanpguy and subscribe to my weekly e-mail at nathanguy.substack.com.

All Episodes

Life on the West Side

Your Blessed Life Now

August 28, 2023 • Nathan Guy • Season 3 • Episode 2

This isn't my best life; but it is my blessed life. If your "best" life still awaits, how can you experience a "blessed" life even in the midst of trials and pain? Jesus shows us promises to accept, portraits to be admired, and pathways to be attempted as we walk hand-in-hand with the Blessed one, Jesus Christ.

The sermon today is titled "Your Blessed Life Now." It is the second installment in our series "One Sermon That Changed The World." The Scripture reading is from Matthew 5:3-12 (ESV). Originally preached at the West Side Church of Christ (Searcy, AR) on August 27, 2023. All lessons fit under one of 5 broad categories: Begin, Discover, Grow, Learn, and Serve. This sermon is filed under DISCOVER: A New Lifestyle.

Click here if you would like to watch the sermon or read a transcript.

Click here if you would like to download "Living the Sermon on the Mount," a free teachers guide and workbook resource for class and small groups.

Click here for the "Outside the Walls" podcast discussion of this sermon.

Footnotes (Sources and References Used In Today's Podcast):

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1754).
“Ronald MacDonald charged with stealing from Wendy’s in Manchester,” Foster’s Daily Democrat, Nov 28, 2005.
Jonathan T. Pennington, The Sermon on the Mount and Human Flourishing.
Skip Heitzig, “Stranger Things–Matthew 5:1-12,” Calvary Church.
Revd Dr Sam Wells, “Dwelling in the Comma,” a sermon preached in Duke University Chapel on Jan 30, 2011.
Randy Harris, Living Jesus: Doing What Jesus Says in the Sermon on the Mount (2012).
Brian P. Stoffregen, “The History of the Word ‘Makarios’ (Blessed),” Crossmark Christian Resources.
Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life In God.
Ambrose, Treatise on the Gospel of St. Luke 52.1-2.
Gregory of Nyssa, Homilies on the Beatitudes 21.
John Chrysostom, Homilies on Matthew 15.9.
Augustine, Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount 1.4.11-12.
Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Matthew, p.150.

I'd love to connect with you!

Watch sermons and find transcripts at nathanguy.com.
Follow along each Sunday through YouTube livestream and find a study guide and even kids notes on the sermon notes page.
Follow me @nathanpguy (

People on this episode

Nathan Guy

Host