Matthew Chapters 5-7
Though it was still early in Jesus’ ministry, Jesus already had many followers. One day he went up a mountain and taught.
What he taught that day is now called the “Sermon on the Mount.” His message there could be put into 5 main ideas:
- Jesus taught how his followers should act
- He taught that we should live a higher, more difficult law than the world teaches
- Jesus taught how we should think of heavenly things compared to worldly things
- Jesus said we should be careful in how we think about others
- He taught that our Father in Heaven will give good things to us when we ask him
Here are some of the things he taught about those 5 ideas.
He taught how his followers should act.
- He said we should be humble: He said the meek “shall inherit the earth”
- He said we should be peacemakers; not fighting, but stopping fights
- Jesus said we should seek to do righteous things: He said we should “hunger and thirst after righteousness”
- Jesus taught us to give to those who ask
- He said we should be an example of goodness to others, not so people will think you are great, but so people will know that God is great. He said, “Ye are the light of the world… let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.”
He taught we should live a higher law than the world teaches:
- The world teaches not to kill, but Jesus said, “I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger”
- The world teaches us to love our friends and families, but to hate our enemies, but Jesus taught, “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you.”
- Jesus reasoned that anybody can be kind to their friends and family, but that we should be kind to everyone.
- And the highest law of all that he gave: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”
He taught about heavenly things compared to worldly things
One of the main things he taught at this time was that we should think more about the things of God than about the things of the world. We should care more about what God thinks about us than what people in the world think about us. A Heavenly reward is worth more than an earthly reward. These are some of the things he said about this:
- “Whosoever shall do and teach the commandments shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven”
- We should give to those in need or to charities who help those who need help; but do it out of love, not for getting people’s praise.
- When you fast, don’t do it to get attention from people; do it so only God knows you are fasting and He will reward you.
- Don’t worry about gaining worldly treasures, but seek for treasures in heaven because “where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
- Don’t worry so much about fancy things of the world because your heavenly Father can bless you with greater things of heaven
He taught us to be careful how we think of others.
- “if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you”
- “judge not that ye be not judged”
- Don’t worry about pointing out other people’s problems and imperfections, because you have your imperfections also. Jesus said, “And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? … first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.”
He taught about how our Father in Heaven will give us good things
- “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.”
- Jesus said that our Father in Heaven knows how to give good things to us, even more than people know how to give good things to their children. He said if a child asks their parent for bread to eat, of course the parent will not give them a stone to eat! And if our parents know how to give good things to us, “how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him.”
At the end of this teaching, Jesus said that those who listen and follow these teachings are very wise:
“Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine,and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.”
When Jesus was finished teaching the Sermon on the Mount, the people were amazed at the things he taught and also that he taught these things with such knowledge and authority. This day of teaching is still known as one of the greatest collections of what Jesus taught his followers.
What do you think?
- Are all of the things Jesus taught easy to do? Which do you think are easiest? and hardest?
- What do you think about Jesus teaching that our Father in Heaven will give good things to those who ask? How do we know what good things to ask for?
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