5:1 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.
The Beatitudes
2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons1 of God.
10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Salt and Light
13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that2 they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Christ Came to Fulfill the Law
17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.19 Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Anger
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 brother3 will be liable to judgment; whoever insults4 his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell5 of fire.23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison.26 Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.6
Lust
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.29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.
Divorce
31 “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’32 But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Oaths
33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’34 But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God,35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.36 And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.37 Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.7
Retaliation
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.40 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic,8 let him have your cloak as well.41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.
Love Your Enemies
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?47 And if you greet only your brothers,9 what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Giving to the Needy
6:1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
The Lord’s Prayer
5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.9 Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.10 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done,11 on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread,12 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.13
14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Fasting
16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Lay Up Treasures in Heaven
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust14 destroy and where thieves break in and steal,20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light,23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.15
Do Not Be Anxious
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?1628 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin,29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Judging Others
7:1 “Judge not, that you be not judged.2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye?5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
6 “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.
Ask, and It Will Be Given
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
The Golden Rule
12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy17 that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
A Tree and Its Fruit
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
I Never Knew You
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
Build Your House on the Rock
24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
The Authority of Jesus
28 And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.
Footnotes
[1]5:9Greek huioi; see Preface [2]5:16Or house. 16Let your light so shine before others that [3]5:22Some manuscripts insert without cause [4]5:22Greek says Raca to (a term of abuse) [5]5:22Greek Gehenna; also verses 29, 30 [6]5:26Greek kodrantes, Roman copper coin (Latin quadrans) worth about 1/64 of a denarius (which was a day’s wage for a laborer) [7]5:37Or the evil one [8]5:40Greek chiton, a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin [9]5:47Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters [10]6:9Or Let your name be kept holy, or Let your name be treated with reverence [11]6:10Or Let your kingdom come, let your will be done [12]6:11Or our bread for tomorrow [13]6:13Or the evil one; some manuscripts add For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen [14]6:19Or worm; also verse 20 [15]6:24Greek mammon, a Semitic word for money or possessions [16]6:27Or a single cubit to his stature; a cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters [17]7:13Some manuscripts For the way is wide and easy
5:1 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.
The Beatitudes
2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons1 of God.
10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Salt and Light
13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that2 they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Christ Came to Fulfill the Law
17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.19 Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Anger
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 brother3 will be liable to judgment; whoever insults4 his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell5 of fire.23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison.26 Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.6
Lust
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.29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.
Divorce
31 “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’32 But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Oaths
33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’34 But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God,35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.36 And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.37 Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.7
Retaliation
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.40 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic,8 let him have your cloak as well.41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.
Love Your Enemies
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?47 And if you greet only your brothers,9 what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Giving to the Needy
6:1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
The Lord’s Prayer
5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.9 Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.10 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done,11 on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread,12 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.13
14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Fasting
16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Lay Up Treasures in Heaven
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust14 destroy and where thieves break in and steal,20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light,23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.15
Do Not Be Anxious
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?1628 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin,29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Judging Others
7:1 “Judge not, that you be not judged.2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye?5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
6 “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.
Ask, and It Will Be Given
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
The Golden Rule
12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy17 that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
A Tree and Its Fruit
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
I Never Knew You
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
Build Your House on the Rock
24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
The Authority of Jesus
28 And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.
Footnotes
[1]5:9Greek huioi; see Preface [2]5:16Or house. 16Let your light so shine before others that [3]5:22Some manuscripts insert without cause [4]5:22Greek says Raca to (a term of abuse) [5]5:22Greek Gehenna; also verses 29, 30 [6]5:26Greek kodrantes, Roman copper coin (Latin quadrans) worth about 1/64 of a denarius (which was a day’s wage for a laborer) [7]5:37Or the evil one [8]5:40Greek chiton, a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin [9]5:47Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters [10]6:9Or Let your name be kept holy, or Let your name be treated with reverence [11]6:10Or Let your kingdom come, let your will be done [12]6:11Or our bread for tomorrow [13]6:13Or the evil one; some manuscripts add For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen [14]6:19Or worm; also verse 20 [15]6:24Greek mammon, a Semitic word for money or possessions [16]6:27Or a single cubit to his stature; a cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters [17]7:13Some manuscripts For the way is wide and easy
Redeemer exists to celebrate and declare the gospel of God as we grow in knowing and following Jesus Christ.
Joel Brooks:
This summer, we've been going through the Sermon on the Mount, and, it's the most influential sermon that's ever been preached. And, it's words that at times you just you're ready to stand up and sing hallelujah, and there's times where it kinda rubs you the wrong way, in which Jesus really is conforming us into his image. And I hope it's been beneficial to you. It's been really beneficial for me going over these last 13 weeks, taking up all these small chunks of this sermon and just expounding on it. I encourage you, if if you're new to redeemer or you're just coming back from the summer, go back and listen to those sermons.
Joel Brooks:
In particular, I wanna encourage you to look at last week, which was really a summation of the entire Sermon on the Mount. And that's an important, passage, that we looked at as Jesus was concluding the Sermon on the Mount, and it's just something that I think we as a church need to hear, and to be reminded of the gospel. So I would encourage you to go back and listen to last week. Back in May, when I was plotting out the preaching schedule for this, it was hard to try to break up everything into 13 weeks and to figure where do you land, what do you stretch out, what do you really narrow in on. There's a lot of uncertainty in that, but the one thing I knew was where we would be today.
Joel Brooks:
What we would be doing at this time. And that is that we would actually be reading the entire Sermon on the Mount together. It's how I wanted us to finish our time, and is actually to hear and to be shaped by Jesus' actual words. The Sermon on the Mount is after all a sermon. It is something that we are to listen to in its entirety.
Joel Brooks:
And it's not just a random collection of sayings by Jesus, but you do see this progression and this theme building throughout it. And so we need to listen to these words in their entirety. And, it only takes 20 minutes. And Jesus only needed 20 minutes to preach to change the world. It takes me like 35 to 40, you know, but, probably Matthew took out his jokes, maybe some of the acronyms, and just kinda reduced it down there to 20 minutes, and those are 20 minutes well spent for us as a church.
Joel Brooks:
Really, I would say the last 13 weeks, my goal, and all of our goals as as the pastors of this church, in preaching through this, has been to lead you to Jesus's actual words. Not that you would necessarily remember the words that we've said, but that now your appetite has been wet. You've seen the table now set, and you're you're ready to actually feast on Jesus's words, themselves. I think that's actually the goal of all preaching. It's not for you to ever walk away and remember the things that we say, but in order for you really to be drawn to the actual words that God says, in scripture.
Joel Brooks:
Paul, when he was encouraging Timothy, in his first epistle to Timothy, one of the things he tells Timothy to devote himself to is the public reading of scripture. Really, Timothy, in a lot of ways, reads as almost an instruction manual to pastors as to to how to minister to a church. And one of the important things that Paul says is you need to devote yourselves to reading out loud scripture for the congregation. And there's tremendous benefit for us as a as a body individually to go in our homes and maybe in the morning time for you to get your cup of coffee and your Bible, and for you to personally read and to hear from the Lord. Tremendous benefit in that.
Joel Brooks:
But it's also equally important for us as a body, to submit to God's word and to listen to it corporately and be shaped by it. I believe God's word changes us not just individually, but changes us as a community. And so I want to invite us all to actually listen to Jesus's words. The sermon was preached 2000 years ago on a hillside in between two small villages in the middle of nowhere, to a bunch of nobodies. The equivalent for that today would be like Jesus going to Pell City.
Joel Brooks:
Alright? Going to Pell City and picking somebody's farm and going and preaching in the pastor, and that's not a knock on pill city at all. That is just saying that's how God works. He goes to these small places. The places that we overlook and that's where he goes to change the world.
Joel Brooks:
And this sermon has endured for 2000 years, not just because it is a great sermon. That in its own right, it it probably would have endured or it certainly would have endured, but but the real reason it endures is because Jesus still speaks to us through this sermon. Through his spirit, as we listen to these words, he still speaks to us, Still calls people to himself self. Still shows us what it means to follow him. And so you've heard me, over the last 13 weeks talk about the kingdom of God, talk about what living as a citizen within that kingdom looks like, but now I want you to actually listen to your king and to submit to his words.
Joel Brooks:
And so take the next 20 minutes and listen to Jesus. And I you can certainly read with me if you want, but I encourage you to listen. I almost picked a different translation, so you couldn't really read with me and you had to listen, and maybe one of the more modern translations like The Message or something like that. But, then I would have to say afterwards, this is almost the word of the Lord or this is like 60% of the word of the Lord. And you you wouldn't know if you should say thanks be to God after that or not.
Joel Brooks:
And so, so we're gonna stick with the ESV, but I do encourage you to actually listen. Just hear. Hear these words spoken to you. Hear what Jesus has to say. And so before we open up the word and listen to him, pray with me.
Joel Brooks:
Our father, every week, our goal is for my words to fall to the ground and blow away and not be remembered anymore, but lord, your words remain and change us. And so that's our goal, is for your words to remain and change us, and so we wanna take time to listen to your words. So, father, we ask that through your spirit, you would allow us to hear your son, Jesus. And, Jesus, that we would take to heart your blessings, we would strive to obey your teachings, and we would heed your warnings. And we come to you now poor in spirit, needing only you.
Joel Brooks:
We pray this in your name, Jesus. Amen. And seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain. And when he had sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them saying, blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Joel Brooks:
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Joel Brooks:
Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely. On my account, Rejoice, be glad, for your reward is great in heaven. For so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Joel Brooks:
You are the salt of the earth. But if salt has lost its saltiness, how can this saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. You are a light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand and it gives light to all in the house.
Joel Brooks:
In the same way, let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your father in heaven. Do not think that I've come to abolish the law or the prophets. I haven't come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. For truly I say to you until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot will pass away from the law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven.
Joel Brooks:
But whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the Pharisees and the scribes, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. You've heard that it was said to those of old, you shall not murder, and whoever murders will be liable to judgment. 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.
Joel Brooks:
And whoever says you fool will be liable to the fire of hell. So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift. Leave your gift there before the altar and go. 1st be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going to with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison.
Joel Brooks:
Truly, I say to you, you will not get out until you have paid every last penny. You have heard that it is said that you shall not commit adultery. But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. So if your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out. Throw it away.
Joel Brooks:
For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off. Throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell. It was also said whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.
Joel Brooks:
But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the grounds of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. Again, you've heard that it was said to those of old, you shall not swear falsely but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn. But I say to you don't take an oath at all. Either by heaven for it is the throne of God, or by earth for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head for you cannot make one hair white or black.
Joel Brooks:
Let what you say simply be yes or no. Anything more than that comes from evil. You've heard that it was said an eye for an eye or a tooth for a tooth, but I say to you do not resist the one who's evil. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him you are other. If anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let them have your cloak as well.
Joel Brooks:
If anyone forces you to go 1 mile, go 2. Give to the one who begs from you and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. You've heard that it was said that you should love your neighbor and hate your enemy, But I say to you, love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your father who is in heaven. For he makes the sun rise on the evil and on the good, and he sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
Joel Brooks:
For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you what are you doing more than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Joel Brooks:
Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your father who is in heaven. Thus when you give to the needy, don't sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets that that they may be praised by others. Truly I say to you they have their reward, But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your giving might be done in secret. And your father who sees you in secret, he will reward you. And when you pray, you must not pray like the hypocrites for they love to stand and to pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they could be seen by others.
Joel Brooks:
Truly I say to you, they've received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And there your father who is in secret will reward you. And when you do pray, don't just heap up empty phrases like the Gentiles do, for they think they're gonna be heard for their many words. Do not be like them for your father knows what you need even before you ask him.
Joel Brooks:
Pray like this, Our father in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we have also forgiven our debtors, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For if you forgive others of their trespasses, your heavenly father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others of their trespasses, neither will your father forgive you.
Joel Brooks:
And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly I say they've received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head, wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others, but by your father who is in secret. And your father who is in secret, he will reward you. Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, when neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
Joel Brooks:
For where your treasure is, there your heart is gonna be also. The eye is the lamp of the body. So if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is that darkness. No one can serve 2 masters.
Joel Brooks:
For either he will hate 1 and love the other or be devoted to 1 and despise the other. You cannot love God and money. Therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look, the birds in the air, they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly father, he feeds them.
Joel Brooks:
Are you not of more value than they? And which one of you by being anxious can add even a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? I mean, consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you even Solomon in all of his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Joel Brooks:
But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you? Oh, you of little faith. Therefore, do not be anxious, saying, what shall we eat?' or what shall we drink?' or what shall we wear?' The Gentiles seek after those things, and your heavenly father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.
Joel Brooks:
Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Judge not that you be not judged. For the judgment you pronounce, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that's in your brother's eye, but not notice the log that's in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, let me take the speck out of your eye, when there is a log in your eye?
Joel Brooks:
You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs lest they trample them under foot and turn and attack you. Ask and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be open to you.
Joel Brooks:
For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. Everyone who knocks, it is open to them. Which one of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if his son ask him for a fish, he's gonna give him a serpent?
Joel Brooks:
If you then who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your father who is in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him? So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them. For this is the law and the prophets. And enter by the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction. And those who enter by it are many.
Joel Brooks:
For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and few are those who find it. Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, and inwardly, though are ravenous wolves, you will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? So every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.
Joel Brooks:
Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down, and it's thrown into the fire. Thus, you will recognize them by their fruits. Not everyone who says to me, lord, lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my father who is in heaven. On that day, many will say to me, lord, lord. And did we not prophesy in your name, cast out demons in your name, do mighty works in your name?
Joel Brooks:
And I will declare to them, I never knew you. Depart from me, you workers of lawlessness. Everyone then who hears these words of mine and he does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, the floods came, the winds blew, and beat on that house, but it did not fall because its foundation was on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like the foolish man who built his house on the sand.
Joel Brooks:
And the rain fell, the floods came, the wind blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was its fall. When Jesus finished saying these things, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for He was teaching them as one who had authority and not as their scribes. This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Pray with me.
Joel Brooks:
Our King Jesus, some of these things were easy to hear. They just washed over us. Some of these things were hard to hear, and we wanted to bow up against them. But, Lord, through the power of your spirit, we submit to you, and we bow before our king, and we wanna be shaped by your words, and we come saying your words are life. And through your spirit, breathe life into this place.
Joel Brooks:
Jesus, make us look more and more like you. I pray we would be the salt of the earth. The light shining in the world. A city set on a hill. All for your glory, Jesus.