May 20, 2024
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Matthew? Here’s today’s reading:
Matthew 5 (NIV)
Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount
1Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2and he began to teach them.
The Beatitudes
He said:……Continue Reading
Matthew 5
44 “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,fn
45 “that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
”For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.“
Matthew 5:20 NKJV
Again Jesus preaches the kingdom of Heaven, which is an earthly kingdom (that will be established in the millennium) under the law. We know there is no way, apart from Christs atoning death for our sins, that we can enter either Kingdom. Prior to Jesus death, He drives home the level of obedience that God would require for entrance. The Jewish leadership would not accept the Way that God planned to allow entrance, for themselves or anyone else.
”Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.“
Matthew 5:48 NKJV
Not possible for man.
”When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Then Peter answered and said to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?” And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.“
Matthew 19:25-27, 29 NKJV
Reading ahead last night and then today in chapter 5; there is so much that Jesus said to the multitudes. When Jesus started talking about the Beatitudes it was contrary to the way that the Pharisees were. Jesus was referring to the inner person who truly has a right relationship with God through faith, when one fully trusts in God. Here is how The Bible Knowledge Commentary words it: [ The POOR IN SPIRIT in are those who consciously depend on God, not on themselves; they are ” poor” inwardly, having no ability in themselves to please God. {Romans 3: 9-12} Those who MOURN recognize their needs and present them to the One who is able to assist. Those who are MEEK are truly humble and gentle and have a proper appreciation of their position. ——Those who HUNGER and THIRST for RIGHTEOUS have a spiritual appetite, a continuing desire for personal righteousness. The MERCIFUL extend mercy to others, thus demonstrating God`s mercy which has been extended to them. The PURE IN HEART are those who are inwardly clean from sin through faith in God`s provision and a continual acknowledging of their sinful condition. The PEACEMAKERS show others how to have peace with God and how to be instruments of peace in the world. They desire and possess God`s righteousness even though it brings them persecution. These qualities contrast sharply with the Pharisees ” righteousness”.] These comments are said better than I could have said. Hope it makes things clearer.
Thanks for sharing Dennis!
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
The sermon on the mount is simply put, the essentials of living a life where God is truly at the center of your heart and mind and directing all your thoughts and actions. Jesus speaks about “what to do” but also “how and why”. It isn’t just about the doing but Jesus shows us here the importance of our thinking as well. Of course we know that we should not sin but we can not forget the battle that happens in our minds. Sinful thoughts speak to who is steering the ship, our we being leading by selfish desires or is God really in control in our lives. Jesus shows us here that when we keep God first, a life indicative of that will follow.
The greatest contrast of worldly values compared to Godly values. No fame and fortune mentioned here. But. Mourning. Hunger. Persecution. And to rejoice when persecuted. You’re on the right path. To be lights as a. It’s on a hill. Are we quiet when we should speak. Going along with the crowd. Sin dims light. Ignoring other people’s needs. So easy to shine In today’s world. Anger. Don’t let it fester. It grows so fast. Go to that person and talk it out Ok lust. Let’s go on to divorce. Marriage. Pray with each other daily. God will bless that marriage. Vs 38 and on To want to give someone who has wronged you a taste of his own medicine. Natural. To forgive and love. Unnatural. Has to be supernatural to pray for someone who has wronged you
Matthew 5 The Sermon on the Mount – Jesus preached about how position, authority, and money are not important in his kingdom. What matters is our faithful obedience from the heart. If we follow Jesus we will be truly blessed meaning we will have real joy and have hope always. Jesus tells us to rejoice when we are persecuted cause then we take our eyes from worldly things and focus on him.
5:11 & 12 Jesus proclaims he is more than a prophet or teacher, when he said, “for my sake.” Instead of asserting the blessing, reward for their righteous suffering for/to the sake of God, he substituted himself. In doing so, Jesus presented himself as God. I never saw this before. Thus Jesus begins ministry! -reb
MATTHEW 5
I looked up the word BEATITUDE and it said a state of great joy. Feeling blessed. The 1st one Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. I then had to look up poor in spirit. Recognizing everything good in our nature comes from God. Anything worthy of praise in us comes from God and God alone. Being poor in spirit is a type of spiritual posture, acting as “beggar”before the Lord.
We are to let our light shine before man .that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. If some breaks the least of the commandments and teaches others to do the same he is called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven.
If our righteousness is not greater than the pharisees and teachers of law you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven.
Re oaths let your yes be yes and your no be no. Anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
Jesus compares believers to salt and light. We as believers are to show God`s goodness and love to people we come in contact with telling them about the One who died for them. As light; we are to not hide it but instead bring it to darkness so the darkness will be exposed. To make men aware of their sin so they can come to the Savour. For we are His representatives as little lights to share Christ with others. John 1:7,8. { The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men though Him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.} 1 John 1:5c, 7. { God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.} If we are truly walking with Him our light which we have in Him will shine.
Two of the scriptures Jesus is saying that our righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees and that we must be perfect even as our Father is perfect. Verses 20, 48. The Pharisees only looked good on the outside but inside they were like dead men walking chained to their legalism and looking down upon others that didn`t meet the legal standards. Except that our righteousness comes from our Savour for He took our place on the cross. We don`t have our own righteousness. The Pharisees didn`t get it. The verse that speaks of being perfect as our Father is perfect is only possible through Christ. We will never get there until we are with Him in Heaven. But He still desires us to walk as godly people following His example. We have to live in His strength and wisdom in this present world. May we do so as we follow Him.
Jesus makes it clear…we are to get radical in our war against our flesh and sin.
Not because we can somehow earn our way or work our way into heaven. No. Because Jesus has made us new creations. We have been born again. And because God, through His Spirit in us, is MAKING us perfect…at whatever pace we ourselves will allow.
C.S. Lewis says it best in Mere Christianity…
“On the one hand, God’s demand for perfection need not discourage you in the least in your present attempts to be good, or even in your present failures. Each time you fall He will pick you up again. And He knows perfectly well that your own efforts are never going to bring you anywhere near perfection”
“On the other hand, you must realise from the outset that the goal towards which He is beginning to guide you is absolute perfection; and no power in the whole universe, except you yourself, can prevent Him from taking you to that goal”
“The job will not be completed in this life: but He means to get us as far as possible before death”
May we all take HIS yoke upon us and live in a manner that reflects our reality in Christ…we are new creations, we have been crucified with Christ…it is no longer we who live, but Christ who lives in us, and the lives we now live in the flesh, we live by faith in the Son of God who loved us and gave Himself for us! We do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness (or perfection) were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose! (Galatians 2:20-21)
Matthew 5
We certainly learn from the Sermon on the mount what Jesus cares about and what He would ultimately enable. He cares about the state of our hearts, our relationship with God and how willing we are to represent Him and He cares about our relationships with others. You also can’t help but see the backwards nature of how God’s kingdom works as opposed to what the sin nature and the world operates under. Jesus also points here not only to behavior but what is in our hearts as well. Both matter to God, but the Jews emphasized only the behavior. Yet in the context of that, I was struck by how much Jesus focuses on human interaction. He mentions how we disregard each other, how we lust, how we function in marriage (a central expression of relationship), keeping our word, our willingness to suffer loss as opposed to defending ourselves and loving our enemies. God has a will and has power for all of this and I would say for much of it, only the Sprit can produce it in us. But just think how society would be if we all functioned in this way! That is what Jesus is calling us to. Are we willing to live this way and thereby be representatives of His kingdom?
Matthew 5