The Sermon on the Mount is of course considered by many to be Jesus’ most well-known message, given shortly after he chose the men who would become his 12 disciples. It is with this word that he lays down some important truths regarding the Old testament law and the fulfillment of God’s promise to His people. Today we will be looking at certain key parts of the Sermon and discuss how we can apply the teachings of Christ to our lives.
The Be-attitudes:
>Matthew 5:6—Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. (KJV)
Verses 1 through 12 of Matthew 5 outline the proper conduct—more importantly, the way of life—for the followers of God. Christ knew and understood the importance of seeking out after righteousness; the purity of heart and spirit. God the Son offered a form of nourishment more than mere physical nourishment: this is how we prepare and sustain ourselves for our eternal relationship with our Father.
Christ already established a precedent for seeking spiritual nourishment whilst in the wilderness fasting and seeking his Father. Before he engaged his disciples, and before he established his pulpit at the mount, he was tempted by the tempter—
>Matthew 4:3-4—And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. (KJV)
Christ’s wisdom is such that he knows how to establish himself fully in the Father and the Father alone; he understood the spirit of the law as well as the letter of the law, and he wanted to get at the spirit firsthand before he delved deeper into the true spirit of a good, lawful, and righteous person, one who lives not as the Pharisees, but as one of God’s true chosen people.
The Light and the Law:
Christ offered encouragement and exhorted the people who would listen that they should light forth before the world:
>Matthew 5:14-16—Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (KJV)
We are commanded not to simply sit on our haunches and do nothing; Christ commands with authority, for he knows by Whose Authority we live and we breathe. It is God’s hand that moves us, and it is Christ’s words that guide us to more fulfilled living. Christ understood this better than the Pharisees, who knew not of the Spirit or the nourishment that lies within the Spirit.
What should be noted here in the sermon on the mount is the fact that Christ cared deeply for the laws set down by His Father:
>Matthew 5:17—Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. (KJV)
The Left and the Right:
Christ was quick to call out those who made a show of the good that they do—he had no time for showboating or arrogance. As he says in the beginning of chapter 6:
>Matthew 6:1-4—Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. (KJV)
While we are to let God’s light shine through us, it is not about us but about Him. Our good deeds and our talents should not be meant for making for ourselves praise. It is all for the glory of God, as well as for leading others to Him; we should always be seeking to bring more people to His kingdom, not to glorify ourselves in any way.
Ask and Yes Shall Find:
As if circling back to seeking and thirsting for righteousness, in chapter 7 Christ has some powerful words to say:
>Matthew 7:7-8—Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. (KJV)
When we ask, again this is not for personal gain—but rather for seeking what the Lord will place on our lives, for good and not for evil. God opens doors for us as we are willing to walk where He will have us walk; Christ understands this principle well as he speaks it into our lives.
Conclusion
This is just a partial count of the truths Christ will speak to us from his Sermon on the Mount. When we go before God, are we coming with righteous hearts searching for His wisdom and salvation? Do we ask for Him to work within us; do we do good deeds not to be seen but to spread His love? Are we coming to His kingdom for the right reasons?
These questions are not to be answered glibly; rather, we must be willing to reconcile ourselves to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. To God be the Glory, amen.
