đđ» Heavenly Father â We come to sit at the feet of Jesus as Matthew records His Sermon on the Mount. Wash our hearts clean with Your sovereign grace so that we may hear these words in a new way. What mental blocks we have, reveal them, so that with Your help, they can be removed. Guide us closer to You, Father. We ask this in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.
Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount
5 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them.
The Beatitudes
He said:
3 âBlessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 âBlessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Points to Ponder: From the start, Jesus disrupts the worldly status quo. The poor in spirt⊠those who mourn⊠the meek? These are not the people that weâd usually call âBlessedâ. Pure in heart? Is that even possible? Peacemakers⊠like once in a while or all the time? When people insult me and say all kinds of evil against me, the last thing I feel like is blessed. đŁ If they direct that at me because of Jesus, itâs hard to believe that I could respond with joy!
Matthew has led us to this point by pointing out the Old Testament prophecies, and reminding us that with Jesus, the Messiah, God is doing a new thing⊠there is a great mystery being revealed in the ministry of Jesus. When He spoke these words, the people had not yet received the Holy Spirit to help them – only Jesus did at His baptism. Jesus starts this sermon with a bold announcement that challenges the traditional understanding of being blessed.
We see what it means to be counter-cultural⊠what it means to start a revolution, but in a non-violent, gentle way. At a time when our own country and the world around us seem to be at the height of division⊠on the brink of both civil war and/or world war⊠I find myself drawn to see the teachings of Jesus in a new light, with a humble heart.
In logic⊠we start with assumption A and we get to B⊠then C⊠etc. Get ready for Jesus to challenge ALL OUR ASSUMPTIONS! Beginning with the believerâs IDENTITY.
Salt and Light
13 âYou are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
14 âYou are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Points to Ponder: Here we see two attributes of Jesus that we just saw in the last chapter, but now they are applied as attributes that Jesus expects in His followers. [Matthew 4: 16] In the kingdoms of this world, people are walking in darkness in the shadow of death. What do they need? Salt and light! Salt is not just a seasoning, but it is a preservative. It slows down decay. And light dispels the darkness â light is needed for re-creation and growth. Note the warning⊠If we are no longer slowing decay, have we become aligned with it? Have we lost our saltiness?
Jesus is telling us that His expectation for us is active participation. We are to let our lights shine so others can see our good deeds and glorify OUR FATHER in heaven. NOTE: What Jesus is NOT saying is that good deeds make us Christians. What He is saying is that if we are re-created, it will be revealed in our actions⊠people will notice the difference. You will know the difference. You are now a child of God and all the honor and glory, for this new difference, go to Him.
The Fulfillment of the Law
17 âDo not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 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.
Points to Ponder: Jesus is not Godâs plan B. All of history⊠creation, fall, Israel, Babylon, Rome, Jesusâ birth, ministry, death, resurrection, ascension, & His return make up the entire story of Godâs redemption plan for humanity. The Old Testament was all they had when Jesus delivered this sermon and He is making it quite clear to them and to us, that the law is still valid.
The law reveals our sinfulness. Without it, we wouldnât approach Jesus with confession and heart-felt repentance. Jesus fulfills the law by remaining sinless and therefore being the perfect, spotless, Lamb of God â the only one capable of being an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
Make no mistake. Sin is still sin. And heaven and earth will disappear at the end of time. [Revelation 21:1] It is interesting that Jesus acknowledges the role of the law for believers⊠some will set aside one or more of the laws, they will be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. Some will practice and teach the commands of the Old Testament, they will be called the greatest. There is also a warning that having a title⊠being a religious leader⊠doesnât guarantee entry into heaven.
Salt & Light gave us our identity⊠our team colors. The Law gave us a framework⊠Now, Jesus begins to teach about how we are to behave as citizens of His kingdom. Think of these sections as a way to periodically measure our Spiritual growth and challenge our assumptions.
Murder
21 âYou have heard that it was said to the people long ago, âYou shall not murder, [Exodus 20:13] and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.â 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, âRaca,â is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, âYou fool!â will be in danger of the fire of hell.
23 âTherefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.
25 âSettle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.
Points to Ponder:
Being angry at a fellow believer or treating them with contempt is now equivalent with murder. We cannot harbor those feelings in our hearts and be salt and light at the same time. Treating another believer, poorly, is not extending the same grace that God has shown us, nor does it glorify God our Father.
The harsh teaching is this⊠if you think your anger is justified, youâre wrong.
Hereâs a thought â If you were angry at me 10 years ago, when I didnât even know that I was a Christian, does it count? đ We donât know anyone elseâs heart nor do we know the plans that God has for them. Best to assume that someone may be a future Christian or a new Christian but still immature. Perhaps it is your salt and light that God plans to use for them to see their way out of the darkness.
If you are aware of a broken relationship, do all you can to be the peacemaker⊠before bringing your gift⊠your prayers⊠your praise⊠your worship⊠to church⊠as if thereâs not a reconciliation that God is still waiting for you to act on. [James 4:17]
Sometimes the hardest act of faith is the first step of obedience. Raise a prayer and ask for His strength and His words so that you can initiate a conversation to ask for forgiveness in a relationship in which youâve caused an offense. If someone else has offended you and you are still harboring bitterness, forgive them. If you find this difficult, spend some quiet time and list ALL your own sins and thank God for forgiving them. If youâve received Godâs forgiveness, you now have it to share with others. Our Lord expects us to be active in filling His kingdom!
Adultery
27 âYou have heard that it was said, âYou shall not commit adultery.â [Exodus 20:14] 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.
Points to Ponder: Jesus welcomes both men and women to follow Him. This was huge in a culture where women were often overlooked and undervalued. Here, lusting after someone who is not your spouse, is made equivalent to adultery. Christian men and women both need to discipline themselves and behave differently from what is acceptable in the culture around them, especially in terms of sexual relationships. [Luke 12:51]
The plain teaching is this â even when words like âconsentingâ are used, sex outside of heterosexual marriage is sin.
Already the increase of human sex trafficking is a sick statement on the progress of humanity. If your eye is lingering, get off that path, it leads to death and you have lost your saltiness.
Divorce
31 âIt has been said, âAnyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.â [Deuteronomy 24:1] 32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Points to Ponder: This is a whole new level of moral standard that might be familiar for my generation, but not for my kidsâ. Rather than argue about divorce, letâs admit that we never understood Godâs concept of marriage as ordained in Genesis â when Adam was alone [Genesis 2:18] and God said it was not good. In 1991 Dr. Timothy Keller did a series on Marriage as Ministry Power. The first 35-minute episode was replayed on the Gospel in Life podcast on 09/04/2023. (The whole series took the rest of September, every Monday, Wednesday, Friday⊠through 9/29.) Suffice it to say, God ordained this institution as part of creation. It too has suffered from the effects of sin. I was blessed by the wisdom shared by Dr. Keller in this series.
Jesus makes a pretty strong statement here â if you divorce your spouse, unless they are unfaithful, you make her guilty of adultery. [Matthew 19:9 tells the husband that unwarranted divorce opens him up to the sin of adultery if he were to remarry.]
Never have I felt more strongly about pre-marital counseling for all Christians!
Oaths
33 âAgain, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, âDo not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.â 34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is Godâs throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply âYesâ or âNoâ; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
Points to Ponder: Such a simple command. When we need to give our word, can we be comfortable with answering with a simple âYesâ or âNoâ? Or do we feel the need to elaborate? Do we find ourselves making promises or saying something and then later, needing to provide detailed excuses for not doing what we said we would.
Our integrity matters. We all recognize hypocrisy when we see it and when we are on the receiving end of a broken promise, it hurts. That kind of behavior needs to be out of a Christianâs life. If we are to bring light into a dark world, we are to be people of truth, otherwise weâre acting as agents of darkness.
Eye for Eye
38 âYou have heard that it was said, âEye for eye, and tooth for tooth.â [Exodus 21:24, Leviticus 24:20, Deuteronomy 19:21] 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
Points to Ponder: The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. [John 10:10] Sometimes, the devil is permitted to attack, like we read in Job. Other times, it is a lost soul being influenced by the darkness around them that will attack. Jesus reminds us that vengeance is the Lordâs. [Deuteronomy 32:35 Proverbs 25:21,22] When an evil person slaps you â donât engage from a motivation of revenge. But also remember that when Jesus was slapped, He called them out on their injustice. [John 18:22,23]
On these verses, J.C. Ryle writes: âIn our feeling and acting towards our fellow man our Lord forbids everything like an unforgiving and revengeful spirit. A readiness to resent injuries, a quickness in taking offence, a quarrelsome and contentious disposition, a keenness in asserting our rights â all, all are contrary to the mind of Christ. The world may see no harm in these habits of mind but they do not become the character of a Christian.â
Love for Enemies
43 âYou have heard that it was said, âLove your neighbor [Leviticus 19:18] and hate your enemy.â 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Points to Ponder: Again, we see that Jesus calls us to a much higher standard than we are prepared to face on our own. Thank You, Holy Spirit for the power to do this with increasing frequency. We have to reexamine our thoughts as to who our real enemy is. When we face hostility and choose kindness, compassion, and tolerance, we glorify our Father by shining our light in what seems like the very face of darkness â our enemies.
Giving to the Needy
6 âBe careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2 âSo when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Points to Ponder: The teachings of Jesus in this section will cause us to examine our hearts and our motives. Acts of generosity and helping others do not need to be publicized. Obviously, our own left hand knows what our right hand does, but in the body of Christ we are just one part. And we do our part for the benefit of the whole body. What we do, what we give, does not need to be advertised to others. God sees. Our Father sees what we do and what we donât do. He sees our heart and knows our motivation more clearly than we do ourselves.
It is interesting that Jesus opens this teaching with a warning on how not to practice our righteousness⊠Jesus, the Messiah, who gave Himself â apparently expects His followers to be givers as well. But as we have no righteousness of our own, it is not until we are regenerated into new life that we can practice how to live with His righteousness.
When we practice being generous to those in need, we should bring to mind this teaching â no showiness and a sincere examination of the heart.
Prayer
5 âAnd when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
9 âThis, then, is how you should pray:
ââOur Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.â
14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Points to Ponder: Jesus also expects His followers to pray. Again, not with the ostentatious prayers that appear showy. Jesus stresses the one-on-one nature of prayer being the communication between a believer and God â between a child and a loving Father.
And since the crown jewel of the Gospel is that our sins can be forgiven by the blood of Jesus, we had better look at those last two verses in this section again. And I confess that as of yet, I donât think I fully understand them. My own theology on this part is this: when I pray, I ask Him to reveal if there is any bitterness still in my heart revealing some unforgiveness on my part. Being âunforgivenâ was the state I was in that led to death. Unforgiveness is a weapon of evil. I cannot shine my light and hold onto darkness at the same time.
Fasting
16 âWhen you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Points to Ponder: Like giving and praying, fasting is another spiritual discipline that Jesus expects from His followers and He expects it to be a practice that is between you and God. Fasting from food is a practice that is meant to humble the physical needs of the body for a closer spiritual union with God.
Treasures in Heaven
19 âDo not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 âThe eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 âNo one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
Points to Ponder: This chapter ends with two teachings on how to live as children of God, citizens of heaven, while still exiled in our earthly bodies. First, weâre reminded to have an eternal focus â Prioritize God and His Kingdom, humble yourself, bring new life to others⊠your rewards for such faithful acts of service are in heaven. If you focus on treasures here on earth, you will be distracted from God, start loving your things and using people in a way to satisfy yourself.
Christianity does not compromise with the world. Jesus gives us a strong warning about the temptation of money and the role it plays in our lives. We cannot serve both God and money. [1 Timothy 6:10] If money draws our focus⊠our eyes⊠away from God, our eyes are unhealthy and weâre allowing darkness in.
Do Not Worry
25 âTherefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
28 âAnd why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe youâyou of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, âWhat shall we eat?â or âWhat shall we drink?â or âWhat shall we wear?â 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Points to Ponder: This last section reminds us as Godâs children, that He created it all⊠He owns it all⊠He sees it all⊠there is nothing that is not a part of His plan. Whether we understand it or not, whether we like it or not⊠we are to stay focused and trust Him. [Romans 8:28]
Summary: In these chapters we get an overall picture of Jesusâ ministry: (1) He redefines what being blessed or happy looks like in His kingdom. (2) He gives us a new identity â Salt and Light. (3) He gives us the mission statement â fulfillment  Godâs law and the embodiment of Godâs promises from the Old Testament. (4) An explanation of some of the laws that challenge our conventional assumptions â murder, adultery, marriage, integrity, justice â and loving our enemies. He finishes with details about how we are to live this way â he gives us new ways to look at our giving⊠praying⊠fasting. He ends with two thoughts that help us periodically check ourselves. Whereâs our focus? Are we distracted by the treasures of this world? Are we anxious and lacking peace? Have we forgotten whoâs in control?
(We will finish this famous sermon next time when we review Chapter 7.)
đđ» Heavenly Father â We thank you for Your Word. Thank You for the clear teachings of light and darkness â and that we canât have both. You are calling us out of a decaying world â a world that weâre familiar with; a world that has many tempting treasures. Gently remind us to check our hearts and motivations for any bitter roots that desire to fill us again with darkness. Remind us of the freedom we have â from sin, from death⊠and make us bold to salt this decaying world needs and the light that will make darkness flee. It is in the precious name of Our Savior, Jesus, that we pray this. Amen.