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What is known as the “Sermon on the Mount” as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew takes just 14 minutes to read and they are all the words of Jesus. It this short portion Jesus brings before His disciples and you and me :-
The Priorities of life
Who are blessed.
Exhortations and warnings.
Christ came to confirm the law.
The sixth commandment. “Thou shall not kill”
The seventh commandment. “Not commit adultery”
The third commandment.
The law of retaliation. “Eye for eye - tooth for tooth”
The law of love explained. “Love your enemy”
Against hypocrisy in almsgiving.
Against hypocrisy in prayer.
Against false prophets.
Christ reproves rash judgment.
How to pray. Encouragement to prayer.
Respecting fasting.
Evil of being worldly-minded. “Lay up treasure in heaven”
Trust in God commended. “He knows what you need”
Avoiding the broad and getting on the narrow way.
To be doers of the word, not hearers only.
What are our priorities in life? What things are important to you?
I want to get a good education . What for? To get a good job. What for? o get a good salary or pay. What for? To get a nice house. What for? o get a good car. What for? To have a good standard of living. What for? So that I can get married and have a family. What for? So that I can enjoy my life and have some great holidays What then? Make sure I have a good pension. What then? WELL !!! What about after this life?
This brings us to :-
The Profession of life
“ Not everyone who says to Me, Lord! Lord! shall enter the kingdom of Heaven,” Matt 7:21
There are those who are professing to be followers of Jesus and look from the outside to be just that. They come to church, they read the Bible, they pray, they sing the hymns and choruses, they even tell others that they are Christians.
It is not lip service that the Lord Jesus requires but life service.
Even though some may say but I preached in your name I even cast out demons and healed people and did many miracles and great works for you Jesus will say “ to them I never knew you! Depart from Me,” (Mat 7:23)
But really behind all the outward display their inward desires and their efforts are to fulfill the gratification of the outward life.
In the “Sermon on the Mount” Jesus says “Do not lay up treasures on earth for yourselves”, Mat 6:19 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, With what shall we be clothed?
Mat 6:31
You may ask yourselves WHY? “your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things.” Mat 6:32
We need to make sure we are not just trying to do the things we think Christians do but make sure we do posses the real life that Jesus desires us to have.
The Possession of life
“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on a rock.” Mat 7:24
To possess a life of security and strength and one that endures
Jesus said it is not hearing His words alone that will bring life but hearing and doing them “Then faith is of hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” Rom 10:17 “he who does the will of My Father in Heaven. shall
enter the kingdom of Heaven”. “he who does the will of God abides forever”. (1John 2:17) I hear someone say but how do we know the will of God “ If anyone desires to do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it is of God, or I speak from Myself”. (John 7:17)
“For this is the will of God, your sanctification,” (1Thess 4:3)
“In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you”. (1 Thess 5:18)
“not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,” (Eph 6:6)
Are we managing to live a purposeful life. A real life, a Christ honouring life or are we still living a life governed by the temporal things of this world.
Now is the time to start living out the instructions which Jesus gave us on the mount .
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