The Wisdom of the Sermon on the Mount

 

If you wish to be challenged by Jesus, just go to Matthew, Chapters 5-7, and read through the Sermon the Mount.  There are rich ideas there, many of which inspire us Christians to a deeper life in Christ.

The Sermon on the Mount is a collection of sayings and teachings of Jesus, which emphasizes his moral teaching found in the Gospel of Matthew (chapters 5, 6 and 7.^] It is the first of the Five Discourses of Matthew and takes place relatively early in the Ministry of Jesus after he has been baptized by John the Baptist and preached in Galilee.

The Sermon is the longest piece of teaching from Jesus in the New Testament, and has been one of the most widely quoted elements of the Canonical Gospels.  It includes some of the best known teachings of Jesus such as the Beatitudes, and the widely recited Lord's Prayer. To most believers in Jesus, the Sermon on the Mount contains the central tenets of Christian discipleship.

Matthew 5:3-12 discusses the Beatitudes. These describe the character of the people of the Kingdom of God, expressed as "blessings".^[ In Matthew, there are eight (or nine) blessings, while in Luke there are four, followed by four woes.^[

 

In almost all cases the phrases used in the Beatitudes are familiar from an Old Testament context, but in the sermon Jesus elevates them to new teachings. Together, the Beatitudes present a new set of ideals that focus on love and humility and they echo the highest ideals of Jesus' teachings on spirituality and compassion.

Matthew 5:13-16 prsents the metaphors of Salt and Light. This completes the profile of God's people presented in the beatitudes, and acts as the introduction to the next section.

There are two parts in this section, using the terms "salt of the earth" and Light of the World to refer to the disciples - implying their value.

In Matthew 6 Jesus condemns doing what would normally be "good works" simply for recognition and not from the heart.  The discourse goes on to condemn the superficiality of materialism and call the disciples not to worry about material needs, but to "seek" God's kingdom first. The Lord's prayer (6:9-13) contains parallels to 1 Chronicles 29:10-18.

The first part of Matthew 7, i.e. Matthew 7:1-6 deals with judging. Jesus condemns those who judge others before first judging themselves: "Judge not, that ye be not judged.

In the last part in Matthew 7:7-29 Jesus concludes the sermon by warning against false prophets, and emphasizing that humans are unable to do right ("bear fruit") apart from God.  Matthew 7:12 is the famous Golden Rule and Matthew 7:24-27 is the parable of the House Built on the Rock.

 

David Jeremiah - Stilling the Storms in Your Life

The Supremacy Of Christ by John Piper

An Amazing Truth -- Prayer Causes Things to Happen by John Piper

Rick Warren: Living a life of purpose

How to Make the World a Better Place to Live

 
HOW TO TREAT OTHERS WITH RESPECT

Living a Christian life makes the world better -- that is realized in treating people with great resoect. Treating people with respect makes your world a nicer place to live in, whether it's at home, at school, or out in your church or community. And it's a simple formula - all you have to do is treat people the way you like to have them treat you.
 

          Matthew 7:12  ¹² So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

Here are a few ideas for making respect for others real in your life..

• Don't insult people or make fun of them.
• Listen to others when they speak.
• Value other people's opinions.
• Be considerate of people's likes and dislikes.
• Don't mock or tease people.
• Don't talk about people behind their backs.
• Be sensitive to other people's feelings.
• Don't pressure someone to do something he or she doesn't want to do.

We live in a diverse nation made up of many different cultures, languages, races, and backgrounds. That kind of variety can make all our lives a lot more fun and interesting, but only if we get along with each other. And to do that we have to respect each other. In addition to the list above, here are some other ways we can respect people who are different from us.


• Try to learn something from the other person.
• Never stereotype people.
• Show interest and appreciation for other people's cultures and backgrounds.
• Don't go along with prejudices and racist attitudes.
 

 

Concrete Ways to Live the Christian Life!

Act like a Christian in any circumstance.
Follow Jesus' (the Son of God) greatest commandment: Love God completely and everybody even if they treat you wrongly whether you know them or not. Jesus said "love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" Jesus says in John 13:15, "I have given you an example, that as I have done, so should you do." In I Corinthians 11:1, Paul says, "Imitate me as I imitate Christ." Ephesians 5:1 says, "Be imitators of God as dear children."

Acknowledge that you have faults (sins) and then repent -- change your attitudes and pray. Realize that conversion is not simply one act but the beginning of a life-long commitment. Persistence, perseverance are continuing attitudes for engaging your opportunities. Don't be hard on yourself if and when you fail but -- admit it; pick yourself up; trust in God -- go forward.

Read your Bible. You can really learn a lot from this. "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable [for something] for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;"(2 Timothy 3:16) If you open to a part that is not meaningful to you consider skipping a chapter or two and try again or close your Bible and open it again.

Set aside time for effective and meaningful prayer. Make intercession for people who do not pray enough for their own development, i.e.: children, cousins, friends, enemies and family, etc. In Ephesians 1:16 Paul prays for a "Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation" I recommend that you say the prayer in Ephesians 1:16-23 for yourself everyday for one year and God will open up your spirit and develop your understanding. You will have so much spiritual insight that you make a big impact on others.

Try to see the perspectives (point of view) of others, even if you personally disagree with them. Of course, an answered prayer for peace for your enemies and that they would become blessed as children of God would help both you and them.

Be patient with people who anger you; work on trying to forgive those who may have hurt you. You must learn to love your enemies. God loves everyone, and we need to, also. Say farewell to selective loving. If you have a hard time loving your enemies, pray to God for help.

Work and pray for others to the best of your abilities to help others in many ways. Care for the poor and the needy. This is one of the things Jesus talked about the most in all of His teachings

Treat others kindly as you would like to be treated. Even simple acts of kindness like holding a door open for someone are good deeds that can help you feel less paranoid--because then you feel that others should think well of you and of your testimony in Christ. Live by the Golden Rule!

Volunteer to help people. For example, you could take a shift at a food pantry near you,visit a people staying in a nursing home.

Remember that pride can be dangerous. Pride may imply that you are judging others falsely, and is said to be the mother of all sins, because pride resides in each one of us. The source of all sin is oneself and not considering others (greed, lust, hate, murder, theft, etc.).

Share your beliefs so that you spread the good news. Remember, living the Christian life through your actions will make others want to follow God.

Make special efforts to fellowship with other believers. It is a wonderful thing that God wants Christians to unite in church and Bible study evenings--so do not think of others as hypocrites or hold yourself out as an example. Give the credit for any good that you may do to God and to God's blessing. You will find it a blessing to talk with Bible study members about the Christian life: but not sensationalism like argumentative opinions or sex-talk, of course... This may be called being accountable--being open to share your views or any misgivings and weaknesses.

Reform yourself: it's crucial--but not for salvation--only to do well and to be right (in line with the Truth). You must "put off" the old man and "put on" the whole armor or God. One may sin against himself and possibly against God's purpose and plan by just carelessly maintaining old habits. The Bible says "Therefore, rid yourselves of everything impure and every expression of wickedness, and with a gentle spirit welcome the word planted in you that can save your souls."(James 1:21)

Remember the heart of your faith should be love, not an obligation to check off these boxes but to live as Jesus--easier said than done--but as long as you are aspiring to be like him, you're on the right track. God will always be there to help you through it, one step at a time.

Fall in love with God, and trust Him with all your heart, mind and soul! He loves you more than anyone on the planet is even slightly capable of doing! That's worth everything!

Make sure you know what you're talking about before you preach it.

Share your beliefs with others, but do it in a loving way. Do not personally attack anyone.

Practice what you preach.