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Pastor Scott L. Harris
Grace Bible Church, NY
January 27, 2008
The Messiah’s Kingdom Program
Introduction
This morning we are going to look at Matthew 5-7, a section of Scripture often referred to as The Sermon on the Mount because of Jesus spoke these words on a mountain. Up to this time Jesus had been busy traveling throughout the region of Galilee teaching in the synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every kind of disease and sickness among the people (Matthew 4:23). (See: A Light Shining in the Darkness) Great multitudes had come out to see Him, to be healed from their diseases and follow Him. They came from the immediate area of Galilee, from Decapolis to the east across the Sea of Galilee, from Syria to the north, from Judea to the south, and from the area to southeast on the other side of the Jordan river (Matthew 4:25). When Jesus saw the multitudes He went up the side the mountain overlooking the Sea of Galilee and sat down with His disciples and began to teach them along the multitudes that were also present (Matthew 5:1-2).
Jesus had been proclaiming that the kingdom of heaven was at hand (Matthew 4:17), and the people would have many questions concerning the kingdom, its nature and how they could be part of it. In this sermon Jesus answered many of those questions by explaining the true nature of the kingdom of heaven and contrasting that with the teachings and practices of the Scribes and Pharisees and concluding with a call to obey God. The sermon’s theme is found in Matthew 5:20, “your righteousness must exceed that of the scribes & Pharisees.” True righteousness is a matter of the heart, not of outward compliance to a list of man made rules and regulations. Faith is placed in a gracious God and not on one’s own ability to keep a self imposed standard. (See: Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount)
Jesus begins the sermon with an explanation of the characteristics of those that would belong to the kingdom of heaven. He later contrasts that with the teachings of the Scribes and then the practices of the Pharisees before calling for faith and obedience to God.
The Beatitudes – Matthew 5:1-16
Matthew 5:3-12 is often referred to as “The Beatitudes.” It is a description of the characteristics that demonstrate true righteousness. These are the qualities of those that will be part of this kingdom. Each one of the beatitudes is presented as a statement of fact, “Blessed are . . .”, and not as a conditional phrase, “if you . . . then . . .”. The beatitudes do not describe the requirements of how to earn your way into the kingdom of heaven, for you cannot earn righteousness or salvation. Instead, they describe the characteristics of those that have true righteousness and therefore enjoy the blessings of righteousness. These are the characteristics of those that belong to the kingdom of heaven. These are the qualities that belong to the saved.
Each beatitude begins with the statement, “Blessed are.” Some have equated blessedness with happiness, but the two are not the same. Happiness is totally dependent on current circumstances. Blessedness is not dependent upon circumstance and is far beyond happiness. Blessedness is dependent upon the mindset of the person. The Greek word used here was originally used solely to describe the state of the gods because they were unaffected by the afflictions assailing mankind such as poverty, disease, weakness, misfortune and death. The word was then used in wishing people a state of bliss like that enjoyed by the gods. The world has its own idea of what brings happiness, but God marks off here the characteristics that bring true blessedness. A quick comparison shows the contrast between the two.
God’s Blessedness vs. the World’s Happiness
*Blessed are the poor in spirit, they inherit the kingdom of heaven
Happy are the proud, they gain their own kingdom
*Blessed are those who mourn, they are comforted
Happy are the Celebrating, they will laugh
*Blessed are the meek, they inherit the earth
Happy are the assertive/mighty, they will take over the earth
*Blessed are those hunger & thirst after righteousness, they will be satisfied
Happy are those hunger & thirst after mammon, they will get success
*Blessed are the merciful, they will receive mercy
Happy are the vengeful, no one will dare cross them
*Blessed are the pure in heart, they shall see God
Happy are the sly/cunning, they shall gain profit
*Blessed are the peacemakers, they are called the Sons of God
Happy are the trouble-makers, they will have other do their bidding
*Blessed are those persecuted, theirs is the kingdom of heaven
Happy are the persecutors, they will get respect
We will not have time this morning to go over each beatitude in detail, but I do want to show how they all link together. You will also find my detailed sermons on each of these verses from a previous sermon series posted on our website.
Jesus begins “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” The word poor here (ptwcoV / ptoxos) is a very strong word that could be better translated as “destitute,” or “impoverished.” It is someone without any resources and so they are begging poor. Jesus ties this word with spirit to describe the spiritual state of those that are truly righteous. They come to God in complete humility for they know they have nothing to offer and no means by which to make a bargain with God. Pride is gone, self assurance is gone, and they come to God empty-handed. (See: Blessed are the Poor in Spirit)
Beyond being just spiritually destitute, this person is also characterized by mourning because they are keenly aware of their own sin. (See: Blessed are Those Who Mourn) This is the Godly sorrow described by Paul in 2 Corinthians 7:9-10 that brings repentance. This in turn will result in them calling out for mercy, which is the fifth beatitude. (See: Blessed are the Merciful) The person that is poor in spirit, mourns over their sin and calls out to God for mercy will receive His mercy and the comfort of His forgiveness and be welcomed into the kingdom of God. That is the message of the gospel. God has given sinners hope of forgiveness and restoration if they come to God on His terms, and you come to God on His terms or not at all. God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5). God’s terms are receiving His grace and mercy through faith in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. He rejects all self-righteousness.
The person who comes to God in this way will exhibit other characteristics as a result of the working of the Holy Spirit in their lives and their changed beliefs. They will become meek, which is not weak, but a person who has yielded themselves to Holy Spirit’s control so that they respond in a godly manner regardless of circumstances and personal insults and attacks. Moses is described as meek and he withstood Pharaoh face to face even though Pharaoh was the most powerful man of his time. The meek are given the assurance that they are part of the future kingdom when God makes a new heaven and new earth. (See: Blessed are the Meek)
The person described here will also hunger and thirst after righteousness, and they will find it because they are walking with God and growing in His word. (See: Hungering for Righteousness) The heart of those who belong to the kingdom is changed so that they seek purity and holiness. They long for the day when they shall see God and be fully sanctified and sin no more (1 John 3:2-3). (See: Blessed are the Pure in Heart)
Such a person desires to bring others to know the same peace they have with God. They are peacemakers. However that problem that peacemakers face is that they end up in the firing line of those who do not want peace. (See: Blessed are the Peacemakers) They will have evil people cast insults at them, persecute them and say all manner of evil against them falsely for the sake of Christ and righteousness. (See: Blessed are The Persecuted) Their comfort is that this is the way evil people have always treated godly people including the prophets that were before them, and God assures them that they are part of His kingdom. (See: Persecuted, But Joyful)
In Matthew 5:13-16 Jesus states some additional facts about those who are godly. They are the salt of the earth and they are the light of the world. This is not something they become, it is something they already are. Salt was a valuable commodity in the ancient world and had several uses including flavoring and preserving food. These qualities are metaphorically applied here to the effect of Christians in society. The righteousness of the believer makes life more bearable for all, for even sinners do not like it when someone sins against them, and the righteous prevent society from spiraling downward into utter moral and spiritual decay. Light exposes the darkness and allows you to see things how they really are so that you accomplish your goals while avoiding the dangers. The Christian is to have that effect on society as well. The lives of the righteous promote stability in at society so that people can reach their goals while at the same time exposing the evil that would damage that society. The only question here is whether the righteous will fulfill their roles as salt and light. If they become contaminated by the world they will lose their saltiness, and if they hide their light they will provide no benefit. That is why Jesus concludes this section commanding them “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven,” which brings out the additional point that a righteous life brings glory to God. (See: Salt & Light)
Purpose of the Sermon – Matthew 5:17-20
Jesus explains the purpose of his message in the next section of the sermon. The kingdom of heaven was going to be different from what the people were experiencing at that time, but Jesus did not come to abolish the Law or the prophets. He came to fulfill them. Jesus fulfilled the ceremonial, judicial and moral laws of the Old Testament in His own life and brought back their purpose in promoting true righteousness. The sad thing was that the religious leaders of that time had so twisted the Law that its purpose was no longer being fulfilled. That is why Jesus gave such a stern warning “that at unless your righteousness surpasses [that] of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:17). True righteousness is a matter of the heart, not outward conformity to a set of man made rules. Jesus expands on this and illustrates the hypocrisy and unrighteousness of the scribes and Pharisees in the next two sections. (See: Fulfilling the Law)
Refuting the Scribes – Matthew 5:21-48
In the rest of Matthew 5, Jesus refutes the errors of the teaching of the scribes. They had twisted the Mosaic law so that they could proclaim themselves to be righteous while violating the very purposes of God’s law. Jesus exposes them in six areas: murderer, adultery, divorce, vows, revenge, and loving your neighbor.
Jesus begins with the subject of murder (Matthew 5:21-26) and quotes both the Old Testament law (Exodus 20:15) as well as the scribes interpretation of it that those that commit murder were guilty before the court. Jesus authoritatively declares that God will also judge man for the expressions of hatred that underlies murder. The apostle John understood this and that is why he said in 1 John 3:15, “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” God’s standards are higher than man’s. Those who are righteous will seek to reconcile with others, not just avoid murdering them because of conflict. (See: Hate & You Lose)
Jesus then tackles the subject of adultery (Matthew 5:27-30). He again quotes the Old Testament law (Exodus 20:14) and then goes on to expose the wicked heart of adultery that precedes any action of adultery. Unrighteousness exists in the heart, not just the outward actions. The righteous take the quest for holiness very seriously to avoid those things that would cause them to stumble into sin. (See: Lust & You Lose)
Jesus next takes on the related issue of divorce (Matthew 5:31-32). There were several different interpretations of Moses’ law concerning divorce in Deuteronomy 24:1-3, and though they differed in when divorce was allowed, they still concluded that divorce was acceptable as long as the proper paper work was done. Jesus cut through that to expose the actual result of unrighteous divorce which is multiplied adultery regardless of the paperwork. The only exception was if the divorce was caused by sexual sin (porneiva, porneia), in which case the “innocent” spouse could remarry without committing adultery themselves. (See: Dangers of Divorce and What God Says About Divorce)
Jesus’ next correction was on the issue of vows (Matthew 5:33-37). The scribes would teach the principle that you were not to make false vows, but were to fulfill your vows to the Lord (Numbers 30:2, Deuteronomy 21:23), but they had all sorts of ways to nullify the obligation. It was sort of like people in our day who say their promise doesn’t count because they had crossed their fingers. They just used more religious language to do the same thing. Jesus exposed the fallacies of the common ways they did this. God holds people accountable for all their vows. Jesus then pronounced that anything beyond a simple “yes” or “no” was of evil. Righteous people are true to their word. (See: What’s In a Promise?)
The scribes had twisted the Old Testament statement, “An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth,” (Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:19) from a limit on revenge into a command to take revenge (Matthew 5:38-42). Jesus taught that the righteous are humble, compassionate and gracious. Their world does not revolve around personal pride, protection, or possessions. They trust the Lord and live for His glory. They leave any vengeance in God’s hands (Romans 12:19). (See: Resisting Revenge)
That leads to Jesus’ correction of the scribes’ perversion of the command to love your neighbor (Leviticus 19:18). The scribes omitted part of the command while adding their own thought to “hate your enemy” (Matthew 5:43-48). Jesus completely contradicts them by teaching that the righteous are to love their enemies and pray for those that persecute them. He then goes on to show that the scribes’ standard of righteousness could even be met by the tax gathers and Gentiles. The righteous are called to be reflect God’s righteousness. (See: Loving Your Neighbor)
Correcting the Pharisees – Matthew 6:1-18
In the next section of the sermon, Jesus contrasts true righteousness with the hypocritical practices of the Pharisees in the areas of giving alms, prayer and fasting.
The heart of the problem with the Pharisees is stated in the warning Jesus gives in Matthew 6:1. “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.” The Pharisees practices were designed to gain the attention of men. They wanted the honor and glory of being thought of as being very pious. The honor of men is the only reward they would receive. (See: Where Does Your Reward Come From?)
Alms were gifts given to help the poor. When the Pharisees gave alms they would have a trumpet blown so everyone would see what they were doing and honor them. Jesus contrasted this by teaching that the righteous would give their alms in secret (Matthew 6:2-4). Their motive was to honor God by meeting the needs of others and God would reward them for that. (See: Giving From the Heart)
The religious hypocrites would also called attention to themselves when they prayed by doing so in public places. Their purpose was to gain the honor of men, and Jesus said that was the only reward for such prayer (Matthew 6:5). Jesus then went on to teach the characteristics of proper prayer that God would hear and answer. First, the proper purpose of prayer is to focus on speaking to God and not on gaining the attention of people, so prayer should be done in secret (Matthew 6:6). This does not exclude public prayer, for even Jesus and the apostles and prophets before them did pray in public at times, but it does mean that even public prayers are focused on God and not on the other people present that are listening and who are supposed to be joining in the prayer.
Second, proper prayer has the proper practice of communicating to God your actual prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, so prayer is not to be made of up of repeated phrases that become meaningless (Matthew 6:7-8). That was the practice of the Gentiles because they thought their gods would only hear them if they used many words. Tragically, many people who profess to be Christians still practice repetitious prayers that become meaningless. Our God knows what we need even before we ask, so our prayers are not to be made with the idea that we have to somehow get His attention and then wear Him down in order to get our petitions granted. (See: The Proper Purpose & Practice of Prayer)
Jesus then gave a model prayer for them to follow. This is often called “The Lord’s Prayer,” but it not a prayer Jesus would have prayed. It is an example prayer for the disciples to follow. The tragedy is that so many professing Christians use this prayer in a manner of meaningless repetition instead of according to its purpose in giving us an outline of how to properly pray. This model prayer is simple in that it consists of less than 60 words in Greek (67 in English), and yet it covers all of what prayer is about. It tells us what our relationship is with the One to Whom we are praying, what His position is, what He is like, what is important in life, what we have need of, the source of that need being met and it covers past, present and future. This prayer seems simple on the surface, but the closer you examine it, the more intricate, more complex, and more beautiful it is. Our desire should be to pray according to its pattern. (See: Jesus’ Pattern of Prayer, Part 1; Jesus’ Pattern of Prayer, Part 2; Jesus’ Pattern of Prayer, Part 3)
| Prayer | Relationship | Spirit |
| Our Father | Father/Child | Family |
| Who art in heaven | Creator/Creature | Unpretentious |
| Hallowed be Thy name | Deity/Worshiper | Reverent |
| Thy Kingdom come | Sovereign/Subject | Loyal |
| Thy will be done, On Earth as it is in heaven | Master/Servant | Submissive |
| Give us this day our daily bread | Benefactor/ Dependent | Beneficiary |
| And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors | Savior/Sinner
Teacher/student |
Penitent
Responsible |
| And do not lead us into temptation | Guide/Pilgrim | Humble |
| but deliver us from evil | Liberator/Debtor | Grateful |
| For Thine is
the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen |
Sovereign/Subject
|
Triumphant Protected Jubilant Eternal |
Jesus concludes this section with an expansion of the petition in verse 12 regarding forgiveness. Jesus says in Matthew 6:14,15, “For if you forgive men for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 “But if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.” This is not to suggest that we earn God’s forgiveness by forgiving others, but rather that we demonstrate our understanding of His forgiveness when we practice the same with others. That was the point of Jesus’ parable in Matthew 18:21-35 about the unjust steward. If I am unwilling to forgive others their small transgressions against me, how am I going to expect God to continue to forgive my great transgressions against Him? We in fact demonstrate that we are like the unjust steward. A characteristic of the righteous is that they both receive and give mercy.
The last correction of the practices of the Pharisees concerned fasting (Matthew 6:16-18). They would call attention to themselves by putting on a gloomy face and neglecting their appearance. Jesus said that when you fast you are to “anoint your head, and wash your face 18 so that you may not be seen fasting by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will repay you.” (See: Fasting, Then & Now) The heart of the righteous is focused on God and not on getting the attention of men. Their religious practices of giving alms, prayer and fasting will not be revealed outwardly by what they do or even how they look. They are seeking God’s honor and not man’s.
Three Prohibitions for the Righteous – Matthew 6:19-7:6
In the next section of the sermon Jesus gives three prohibitions. Each command is in contrast to a practice of the Scribes and Pharisees, but they are now more in the background since Jesus has proven His point that they are not righteous. His three commands are to help the people live in true righteousness.
The first command is given and explained in Matthew 6:19-34. “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” The general command itself is quite basic and designed to reveal what the individual actually thinks is important. It will be either the things of this life, treasures on earth, or the things of the life to come, treasures in heaven. The ramifications of this command are great. (See: Where is Your Treasure?)
Jesus goes on in Matthew 6:24 to make it clear that you cannot serve two masters. You will either serve God or mammon, the riches of this world. The one that is your master will be revealed by what makes you anxious. (See: Who’s Your Master?) Jesus goes on to say that we are not to be anxious about our lives, what we will eat, drink or wear. He explains how God meets these needs for those who seek first His kingdom and righteousness. The point here is simple. God wants our lives to be focused on Him, so His promise is to meet the needs of those that walk with Him. However, there is no promise to those who do not do that, so if your treasure is on earth and mammon is your master, then you have reason to worry because it is all dependent upon you. (See: The Cure for Anxiety)
The second prohibition is “Do not judge lest you be judged.” Many people think that is the whole command and end up with some very bad theology and practice. Jesus continues on to explain that we are not to be hypocritical and condemning in our judgement. We are to use a correct standard and first humbly examine and correct our own large faults so that we can then help a brother with his small faults (Matthew 7:1-5). Paul would later state this same principle in Galatians 6:1-5. (See: Judging Others)
The last prohibition is in Matthew 7:6. “Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.” This is in contrast to the prohibition of verses 1-5. The follower of Christ is not to exercise hypocritical self righteous judgement against others, but at the same time he must be careful not to heedlessly expose sacred things to persons who subject them to abuse. What is holy needs to be treated as holy. (See: Our Holy Treasure) The disciple must be judicious, not judicial. Evil condemnation is to be avoided, but discrimination is absolutely necessary.
Admonitions and Warnings – Matthew 7:7-27
In the last section of the sermon, Jesus gives admonitions and warnings. There are things the righteous can and should do with confidence, and things about which they need to be very careful lest they be lead astray or self-deceived.
The first admonition is in Matthew 7:7-12. The righteous can be confident in God’s good character, so that he can ask, seek and knock with the expectation that God will answer his prayer. This admonition then concludes with what is often called the “golden rule.” “Therefore, however you want people to treat you, so treat them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” This gives in one practical sentence the basic principle of living in practical righteousness which is the general context of the sermon. It gives specific guidance on how to judge without being condemning, and it is the basic rule for how to love our neighbors which is the second of the great commands. (See: Our Good Father)
Matthew 7:13 & 14 give a serious admonition and warning. “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. 14 “For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it.” The scariest thing about these verses is that it is addressed to people that have already demonstrated a great interest in religious matters by traveling to Galilee to hear Jesus teach. It is not just those who are outwardly evil, such as the immoral unrighteous of Romans 1:21-32, that are on the wide road to destruction. The moral unrighteous (Romans 2:1-16) and the religious unrighteous (Romans 2:17-29) are also on this road to hell. (See: Which Way to Heaven?)
Some of those on that road want to take you with them. They may be aware of their evil bent or completely self-deceived, but either way, Jesus warns about these false prophets and wolves in sheep’s clothing in Matthew 7:15-23. While their true character may not always be obvious at first, we can recognize them by the fruit of their lives. It is not the size, prestige or accomplishments of their ministry that count, but whether they are actual followers of Jesus Christ or not. (See: Beware of False Prophets) I think the most tragic and scariest passage in the Bible is what Jesus says here in verses 21-23. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. 22 “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.'” They deceived themselves into thinking they were serving Jesus Christ when in reality they were living for themselves in disobedience to God. (See: The Deception of Self-righteousness)
Jesus’ final admonition and warning are illustrations of whether a person is wise or foolish. The wise will hear Jesus’ words and follow them. The foolish will hear Jesus’ words and ignore them. The wise man builds his house on a rock while the foolish builds it on the sand. It takes more time, work and money to build a foundation on a rock. It is easy to build on the sand. Both houses will face storms, but only the house on the rock will remain standing. The rock that the wise man builds upon is true righteousness found in Jesus Christ alone. The sand that the foolish man builds upon is self-righteousness. (See: What is Your Foundation Built Upon?). (For a conclusion to the Sermon on the Mount, see: The Amazing Teaching of Jesus)
Are you wise of foolish? If the former, rejoice in all that Jesus Christ has done for you and commit yourself to living in righteousness for His glory even as explained throughout this passage. If you recognize foolishness, then it is time to change and become wise. Humble yourself before God and ask Him to be merciful and enable you to understand, believe and respond to the claims of Jesus Christ that you might be forgiven of your sins through faith in Him and then begin to follow Him in a walk of righteousness.
Sermon Notes – 1/27/2008 A.M.
The Messiah’s Kingdom Program – Matthew 5-7
Introduction
The “Sermon on the Mount” takes place on a mountain in ___________
The sermon’s theme is ____________, “your righteousness must exceed that of the scribes & Pharisees.”
The Beatitudes – Matthew 5:1-16
Happiness is depending on ______________. “Blessedness” is dependent on _____________
The poor in spirit come to God in complete ___________ and enter the kingdom of heaven
Those who mourn are those who have _____________over their sin leading to repentance & forgiveness
God extends ________ to the merciful
The meek yield themselves to the control of the Holy Spirit and respond in _________ to circumstances
Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness will _______ with God and _______ in His word
The pure in heart long for the day they will see God and be fully _____________. They will see that day.
Peacemakers seek to ____________ sinners to God and so demonstrate they are sons of God.
The righteous are _______even when persecuted, insulted & lied about because they are assured of heaven
The righteous are the _____of the earth. Their presence preserves society from moral & spiritual _______
The righteous are the _____ of the world. They reveal the truth promoting stability and _________ evil.
Purpose of the Sermon – Matthew 5:17-20
Jesus came to _________ the law and prophets, not __________ them
True righteousness is a matter of the __________, not outward ____________to a set of man made rules
Refuting the Scribes – Matthew 5:21-48
All those who hate are in danger of God’s ____________, not just those who murder
Adultery occurs in the _________ long before it occurs in action.
Unrighteous divorce results in increased ___________ even if the proper paperwork is done
God holds people accountable for all _______. The righteous do not _______ but answer “yes” or “no”
The righteous are humble and ___________. They trust the Lord and leave ___________ in His hands
Loving your neighbor includes loving your ____________ and praying for those that _________ you
Correcting the Pharisees – Matthew 6:1-18
Those who practice their righteousness to by noticed by _____ will not receive a reward from the Lord
Alms given in ________ are rewarded by God.
The purpose of prayer is to talk to ________, not to impress ___________.
God is not impressed by _______prayers or many ______________prayers that have become meaningless
“The Lord’s Prayer” is actually a ________ for prayer, and not to be done ____________/ meaninglessly
Those who refuse to ________are like the unjust steward (Matthew 18) and are not _________themselves.
When you _______, others should not be even able to tell that you are doing so.
Three Prohibitions for the Righteous – Matthew 6:19-7:6
The righteous lay up treasures in _________, not on ________ where will be either destroyed or stolen
You cannot serve both God or ___________ (the riches of this world)
If we seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness we need not ___________ about the needs of life
The righteous are to judge correctly by first ________correcting their major faults before helping a brother
The righteous are to be discerning and not expose sacred things to those who will subject them to ______
Admonitions and Warnings – Matthew 7:7-27
The righteous can ask, seek and knock because they trust God’s _______________to answer prayer
The “Golden Rule” succinctly states how to practically live in ___________ and love your neighbors
The wide road leading to destruction is filled with all the ___________: immoral, moral and religious
We will know the false prophet & the wolf by the ________ of how well they follow Jesus Christ.
Some are self-deceived thinking they are serving Christ, but they are ___________
The wise man hears and _______ the words of Jesus. He will withstand the world and enter the kingdom
The foolish man hears but ______________ the words of Jesus. He will fall and not enter the kingdom.
KIDS CORNER
Parents, you are responsible to apply God’s Word to your children’s lives. Here is some help. Young Children – draw a picture about something you hear during the sermon. Explain your picture(s) to your parents at lunch. Older Children – Do one or more of the following: 1) Write down all the verses mentioned in the sermon and look them up later. 2) Count how many times “righteous” is used in the sermon. Talk with your parents about the nature of true righteousness Jesus presents in Matthew 5-7.
THINK ABOUT IT!
Questions to consider in discussing the sermon with others. Where was Jesus when He gave the Sermon on the Mount? What ministries had He been doing to that point in time? What doe the “Beatitudes” (Matthew 5:3-12) describe? What does it mean to be “blessed”? What does it mean to be “poor in spirit” and what is its blessing? What do they mourn for and how are the comforted? What does it mean to be meek? What satisfies those who hunger and thirst after righteousness? Why do the merciful receive mercy? What about the unmerciful? Why do the pure in heart see God? How is their heart made pure? What do peacemakers do? Why is that dangerous? Why are the righteous persecuted, insulted and falsely accused? Why can they rejoice even in those circumstances? How are believers the “salt of the earth?” How are they the “light of the world?” Why did Jesus come to do? What is the purpose of the Sermon on the Mount? Why does Jesus equate acts of hatred with murder? Why does Jesus equate thoughts of adultery with actual adultery? How important is it to avoid sin? Why does unrighteous divorce result in adultery? What is the only exception to divorce not resulting in additional adultery? What does swearing indicate about the person who does it? Can Matthew 38:38-42 be legitimately used to justify pacifism? Why or why not? Contrast the teaching of the scribes and that of Jesus in regard to response to enemies? What is the reward for practicing your righteousness to be noticed by others? What is an alm? How should we practice giving alms today? How can you pray in public and not violate Matthew 6:6? What is the purpose of prayer? Why is it wrong to make repetitious prayers? Did Jesus ever pray “The Lord’s Prayer?” Why or why not? What is the purpose of that prayer? How can you properly use it in your own life? Why do those that will not forgive remain unforgiven themselves? How should you look and behave when you fast? How can you tell what is really important to a person? What is the cure for anxiety? How does the “Golden rule” (Mt. 7:12) help you carry out the commands in Matthew 7:1-6? Why can the righteous be confident when they pray? Who is Jesus talking to when He admonishes them to “Enter by the narrow gate?” How can you recognize a false prophet or a wolf? Who will enter the kingdom of heaven? Describe the differences between a wise man and a foolish man?
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