skip to Main Content

January 27, 2021

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
1 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.........Continue Reading

Next: Matthew 6

Back: Matthew 4

This Post Has 7 Comments
  1. The Beatitudes is always a great reminder of the attitudes God wants us to have. I know that another name for the beatitudes is “the blessings” and so accordingly our life will be blessed if we can embrace these character traits. Pastor’s series on the Beatitudes he did in his daily words was so awesome in breaking them down.
    I love that the rest of this sermon on the Mount is a reinforcement of many of the commandments God gave Moses that we just read about in Exodus. Reminders of the simple rules that if we follow can keep us from sin.
    But my favorite part of this chapter is the reminder that we should be the salt and light to the world. Salt brings out the best flavor in things as we should always love others and our dealings with them help to bring out their best. While light makes things brighter and clearer to see and we should be that light to others to clearly see Jesus’ love!

  2. Jesus ups the ante in the definition of what it means to be righteous. Not a mere external righteousness, but a heart of righteousness.

    A heart that hungers and thirsts for righteousness, is merciful, meek, pure, peacemaker, persecuted for Christ and righteousness. A life that is a shining light. A life that obeys and teaches every commandment with righteousness that exceeds the leaders. A heart of reconciliation devoid of anger. A mind and body of total faithfulness to one’s spouse and honoring to other’s. A person who is completely honest in all matters. A servant or slave who goes beyond what is asked. A person who loves their enemies. “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”

    I think this is all Christ’s way of driving home that THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE! Man cannot be perfect! We cannot attain a righteousness worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven…an earthly kingdom ruled by Christ. But with Christ, we can enter the Kingdom of God. With Christ’s death and the indwelling Holy Spirit, we may enter the Kingdom of God. “Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” John 3:5

  3. How completely radical and out of the box this sermon is. It honors the law but transforms it as well compared to the external way the Jews were applying it to their lives. The beatitudes kick it off by emphasizing those things that are the opposite of what people would normally prioritize. Being poor in spirt, mourning, meek, merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers and hungering for righteousness and being willing to be persecuted for it are not usually sought after, applauded or attained. Jesus makes clear that He has not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it and then reveals the deeper, heart oriented way it was to be followed. And there’s alot about relationships that is found here: the priority of commitment in marriage, restoring relationships quickly and responsibly, just letting your yes be yes and your no be no and loving your enemy. All are vitally important for life, society and orienting us to the kind of people God desires and enables us to be. All defy the ways of the flesh and normal human interaction and lifts us higher to be more the way God is. We will never be perfect the way God is in our own strength, but that is where the bar is set! Thank God that He provides His righteousness through faith in Christ and then empowers us to be more like Him through His word and His Spirit. Radical!

  4. 14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.15Neither 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.16In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back To Top