JESUS' SERMON ON THE MOUNT

Jesus' most famous discourse to the ordinary people of his time is known as the "Sermon on The Mount". In it this (Perfect) Jewish Rabbi living under the Law speaks to people also living under the Law and tells them what the Law really requires of those who seek to live by it. Most people would think that the Law, even as seen by many in it's bare physical essentials, was impossible to keep anyway, but when Jesus shows you the intent God had in giving the Law as a standard, they come to realise that it "really" is impossible to keep! Let's read part of the sermon together...

Matthew 5:21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.

Jesus illustrates the real depth of the Law and what it means to the individual to try to keep it. Attempting to be righteous by obedience to the Law is quite different to living by grace through faith in God.

Now before the giving of the Law at Sinai God's people lived by faith, and under God's grace, but the Israelites were arrogant enough to think that "Whatever God said, they could do!" So God gave them the Law to keep and by that to earn His blessings. Of course they and us could not keep it. All they and we deserve through our self-effort is the penalty (curse) for NOT keeping the Law - disease and death!

And it's not just a few laws which we might choose ourselves that we have to keep perfectly. James tells us that if we break just one of the commands in the whole Law, which has 613 commands, then we are guilty of breaking them ALL!

James 2:10 “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.

Jesus Himself went on to show the actual requirement of many of these laws as He continued to teach the crowds in His Sermon on the Mount.

We can look at another small example in Matthew 5:27-28.

Matthew 5:27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

It is not just the physical act of adultery which breaks the Law. Jesus points out that if anyone listening to Him or reading His message later had lust in their heart for someone, they were breaking God's Law, and when you break one.....

But the whole idea is for you to realise that you cannot live righteously of yourself and to see that you need a saviour. You need someone to die for you; you need someone to take your punishment for you; you need someone to be buried and go to hell for you; and you need someone to rise from the dead and give YOU life! You need the Gospel!

You NEED Jesus!

When we understand the concept of the Kingdom of God, that Jesus and Father God live IN the true believer and so the life we live is not ours but it's Jesus who lives His life in and through us, then on accepting Jesus, we will be empowered to live righteously.

We (Christians) are the righteousness of God. We are to live guided by Holy Spirit 24/7 so that as we rely on Jesus living His life through us we can be changed by the living word.

So we can ask ourselves this simple question - "When last did we believe IN Jesus and rely on Him rather than ourselves?" If we do that we will become more honest, more humble, more loving, more truthful, more faithful, more gracious, and more enlightened. Thus people will see more of God's righteousness reflected in us with each day that we let Jesus live His life through us! Then others will WANT to know what makes us like that! Our lives will be a beacon of light shining out in the world. And all because, ....

"JESUS IS OUR LIGHT"!

Best wishes for Grace and The Peace of Jesus.

Attlee.

Another thought....