Jesus' Sermon On The Mountainside: Jesus' Authority

Everyone who heard Jesus recognized that what He was teaching came straight from God

And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes (Matthew 7:28-29)

The scribes and Pharisees spoke from “the authorities” of past rabbis and experts of the law. But Jesus spoke with the voice of God Himself.

God’s wisdom comes with obeying His word

Hearing what’s right is not enough.

Knowing what’s right is not enough.

You need to have it inside you, be a part of you because you are obeying what’s right, you’re living it.

** The more you obey that which is right, the more you will be able to recognize that which is wrong. **

The two roads help you and me to examine the cost of our profession of faith. Is the way hard, is there a cost?

The two trees help us to see whether our lives are really changed – is there spiritual fruit?

The two houses give assurance that true faith in the Lord Jesus Christ will last – there will be strength, wisdom and courage for the crises of life, and there will be the assurance of God welcoming us into heaven on the last day.

Review what the Lord Jesus Christ is saying to you in these commands and warnings. Take one thing and apply it before this day is done; God will help you, by His spirit.

* Jesus may be saying you have to stop judging someone,

* Or you may need to persevere in prayer about something, specially in asking for wisdom.

* God may be calling you to love someone else the way you want them to love you.

* Could be God is pointing out where you have chosen the wide gate instead of the narrow gate.

* Could be you‘ve been learning a lot in studying the Bible but you haven’t been obeying it.

How ready are you to go to the next level with God and do what Jesus is teaching you as He enables you?

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Jesus' Sermon On The Mountainside: Wrong Foundation

4) The Lord Jesus Christ's fourth warning was to watch out that you don’t build on the wrong foundation for life, which is anything else besides God’s Son
The real key to this verse is not hearing, or even understanding Jesus’ teaching.

-->The real key, the crux of the matter, is whether you put Jesus’ teaching into practice in your life<--

Wisdom is not the extent of what you know. Ph.D’s in theology will not make you wise. Putting into practice Jesus’ words, Who speaks with authority, will make you wise.

Only storms will reveal the quality of the foundation upon which your house has been built

"Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

"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.

"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.

"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." (Matthew 7:24-27)

The foundation is the application of Jesus’ teaching.

* The foolish person maybe applies what the Lord Jesus says to everybody else.

* The foolish person will have an intellectual understanding of Jesus’ teaching.

* In fact, by Jesus’ definition, a person can even be teaching Jesus’ words to others, but if they are not applying Jesus’ words to their own lives, they are foolish, and when crises hit, they will discover that they have no wisdom to deal with it.

What are the storms in your life revealing about the foundation you’ve built on?

The two houses can also represent the end of this life, when God will call all people to judgment.

There are false teachers at the gate that leads to the broad way of self-indulgence, making it easy for people to enter.

But when judgement comes, all those houses built on sand will be swept away and nothing will be left. The final test is not what we think of ourselves, or what other people think of us. The final test is what will God say?

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Jesus' Sermon On The Mountainside: Wrong Focus

3) The Lord Jesus Christ's third warning was to watch out for the wrong assumptions about good deeds, which ignore relationship with God’s Son

The test for a claim to Christianity is whether or not we have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ

"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, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?'

"And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.' (Matthew 7:21-23)

There are two vital points here.
1) The first is that only the person who does the will of the Father will enter the kingdom of heaven. Flip with me to the Gospel of John,

Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”

Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” (John 6:28-29)

The will of the Father is to believe in His Son.

2) The second point is the critical, vital, importance of being known by the Lord Jesus, to be intimately connected with Him, made one with Him.

God’s wisdom comes to those who have His Spirit

Spiritual discernment comes from a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

How do you know whether you have a personal relationship with Christ?

Tell God, “I want to make sure about my relationship with you. I want Your Spirit to tell me in my inner being that I am Yours. I confess that I am sinful person, and I know I deserve Your judgement. I know I stand condemned, and that I deserve the punishment that sin earns. I understand that I am I am helpless to change that.”

Ask Jesus to save you from the punishment you deserve, and believe with confidence that He will do that, He will save you because you know that He is God the Son and He came to earth specifically to save you from the judgement of your sin, because He loves you so much more than you could ever even imagine.

Ask Jesus to give you new life by coming into your life, by putting His Holy Spirit into your heart.

Tell Jesus you are ready to submit to His authority in your life, as He gives you the power to do it. You know you can’t do it by yourself, but when He puts His spirit in you, you will obey what His spirit says; as He enables, you will work it out.

Jesus says that whoever comes to him He will take to himself, so believe it, it is true, count on His peace and affirmation.

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Jesus' Sermon On The Mountainside: Wrong Teachers

2) The Lord Jesus Christ's second warning was to watch out for the wrong teachers, who undermine God’s Son's teaching

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves." (Matthew 7:15)

Not all teachers are true, truth can be violated.

False teachers usually conceal their hostility to the gospel, and will try to blend in with true believers. They’ll use the right language, all the same words, and will talk a good line. So we need discernment to recognize the true sheep from wolves dressed up like sheep.

One clue would be whether they teach
--> The narrow gate and closeness with Christ, living under His authority, or
--> The broad road, which caters to our own sense of importance, indulges our desires and is permissive.

Ultimately false teachers are not interested in helping people, they’re interested in helping themselves to fame, or popularity, or power and influence, or wealth, or some other gain by exploiting people. That road leads to destruction.

Two trees,

"You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit." (Matthew 7:16-18

You may not see it right away, but once the fruit begins to mature, you will begin to see the difference between fruit that is healthy for you and fruit that is poisonous

1) Look at the way they live – are they following the narrow way in their lifestyle?
2) Listen to their words: do they glorify God, or themselves?
3) Look at the people who have been applying their teaching, what is the fruit in their lives?

Do you recognize the fruit of the Spirit?

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)

Is serving the Lord Jesus Christ the focus of their lives?

Or are they all about the blessings, earthly prosperity, or power, or some other bonus that they say comes from being a Christian?
4) Listen to what they teach – is it scriptural?
- Do they teach the denial of self, or promotion of self?
- Do they teach the cross, or do they teach that life on earth is supposed to be like heaven?

What kind of tree are you?
* What are you teaching your children?
* What do your children see in your own lifestyle?
* Can you recognize the fruit of your teaching, your character, and your lifestyle in your children?

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Jesus' Sermon On The Mountainside: Is The "Narrow Gate" Legalism?

How often do you deny yourself in the course of an ordinary day?

How often do let go of your own rights, as you view them, for the sake of what’s better for someone else?

People, as a rule, don’t like discipline and self-sacrifice, so this narrow way is often accused of being legalism.

What have you accused as being legalistic, recently?

Legalism exalts law above grace.
* Legalism elevates human rules and traditions to the level of divine law.
* Legalism binds God’s people where God has left them free and this was the Pharisees’ way – they counted on their scrupulous observance of God’s law and their own added regulations to earn their way into the kingdom of heaven, and condemned everyone who did not do as they did.

The Pharisees’ way certainly looked like the narrow gate.

How discerning are you about the difference between the narrow gate and the wide gate?

Legalism majors on the minors and minors on the majors, it is really adhering to the letter of the law to the exclusion of the spirit of the law, which makes it doable for the few very disciplined people, and just about too hard for everyone else.

The narrow gate Jesus is talking about is totally the opposite. He is the gate, and through Him God puts His Spirit in us to obey His word completely, in spirit and in truth.

Compared to Jesus’ gate, legalism becomes the broad gate, because it is doable without the Holy Spirit living in you.

Humbling yourself to Jesus’ strict authority, and willingly obeying even the spirit of His commands will be hard.
* Denying yourself,
* Disciplining yourself,
* Self-sacrifice for the sake of others,
* Giving up your rights for someone else is hard.

But Jesus’ road leads to life.

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Jesus' Sermon On The Mountainside: Wrong Gate

Jesus’ warnings begin with two gates,

"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." (Matthew 7:13)

God the Father will become the of each person who believes in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Narrow Gate.

Watch out for the wrong gate, it won't lead you into the kingdom of heaven, it will lead you to destruction.

Jesus is saying, "Make the right decisions because it will affect the whole rest of your life."

We all have a bias for sin, inherited from Adam, we all have the tendency to act out that sin, every day. Those who come to Christ for forgiveness in this life will never have to face judgment, they entered the narrow gate of Jesus. Those who reject Jesus Christ as savior from sin and Lord of life will be judged for all their sin, including the sin of unbelief.

There are only two gates, there’s no neutral zone. Not deciding is really deciding to enter through the broad gate.

"For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few." (Matthew 7:14)

The word “narrow” in the first quote does mean “narrow.” But in the second quote “narrow” means “tribulation.”

“The way of discipleship is narrow, restricting, because it is the way of persecution and opposition”

Entrance into the kingdom of heaven is through this narrow gate, under the strict authority of Jesus, through persecution and tribulation.

Jesus says there is no way to the Father but through Him. When you want to begin a new phase of your life with the Lord, as a Christian, you want to go deeper, a new level of a life of faith, then it will mean denying yourself and taking up your cross to follow Jesus.

* Living out the Gospel is the narrow way.

* Being permissive is the broad way.

It's hard to obey Jesus' teachings; it's easy to be permissive and tell people what they like to hear, and indulge their wants.

As parents, you know what that kind of parenting leads to. The Bible says "The Lord corrects the people He loves and disciplines those He calls His own."

The Bible continues this teaching by saying "Be patient when you are being corrected! This is how God treats His children. Don't all parents correct their children? God corrects all of His children, and if He doesn't correct you, then you don't really belong to Him."

Jesus pointed out that any one of us earthly parents, as flawed as we are, feed our children with good food and; we don't give them what is bad for them, or dangerous for them.

Scripture teaches that "Our human fathers correct us for a short time, and they do it as they think best. But God corrects us for our own good, because He wants us to be holy, as He is. It is never fun to be corrected. In fact, at the time it is always painful. But if we learn to obey by being corrected, we will do right and live at peace."

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Blended Gospels: Jesus' Sermon On The Mountainside, Warnings

"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. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits, for each tree is known by its own fruit. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, 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. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

"The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

"Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you? 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, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?'

"And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'

"Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a wise man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, it did not fall because it had been well built and because it had been founded on the rock.

"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 -- ground without a foundation. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and when the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and great was the fall of it, and the ruin of that house was great.

"And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes."

[Blended Gospels: Matthew 7:13-29, Luke 6:44-49, ESV]

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Jesus' Sermon On The Mountainside: Fourth Command, The Golden Rule

4) The Lord Jesus’ fourth command was to reverence God the Father, Creator of us all by doing to others what we would have them do to us,

"In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 7:12)

Just as you and I ask God for good gifts, and He gives them, so we must share those good things with others:
* Love,
* Forgiveness,
* Grace and
* Mercy

Who in your life are you having a relationship problem with?

After reviewing Jesus' four commands in Matthew 7:1-12, what on your own side is the Lord showing you, you might change?

1) Are you judgmental of them right now?

2) Are you talking about things that frustrate them, and draws the worst out in them?

3) Do you need discernment in what they need, and wisdom in how to help them?

4) Are you loving them the way you would like them to love you?

God’s wisdom comes with prayer

What have you given up praying about?

Would you be willing to start praying about it again, and this time not only ask God for what you need, but keenly search for His response, and keep knocking until He opens the door and gives you the good thing you need?

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Jesus' Sermon On The Mountainside: Third Command, Ask-Seek-Knock

How do you and I gain discernment to tell who to talk with and what to talk about?
3) The Lord Jesus’ third command was to pray,
Since He is the Sustainer of all things by the power of His word, it is wise to pray to your Father in heaven, Who will give you the good you need

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." (Matthew 7:7)

Ask – The word “pray” means to ask, ask for the specific things you need.

* You know that you can’t get whatever it is for yourself.

* If God doesn’t give it, you know you will have to live without it.

* So you ask in expectation, in faith, continually, waiting for God to give wisdom, discernment (James 1:5-7)

Seek – Is to look for.
* You are alert to where God’s hands will be at work, providing for you what you are asking of Him.

* You are determined not to miss it, no matter how unexpected a place it might come.

* Look for God’s will about the things you are asking Him for. As you search you will discover what the good is that God is answering your prayer with

Knock – Is the active, diligent pursuit of God’s way.

* As you seek out and find God’s will on a matter, go and knock on that door.

* You don’t throw the door open and take what’s inside, but you knock until God opens that door for you and gives you what He has for you. Knock patiently and expectantly, trusting in God’s timing.

This is what Jesus does with you, knocking on the door of your heart, patiently and lovingly, until you open the door of your heart and invite Him in to fellowship with you.

The actual verb tense in the Greek holds the meaning that we are to be continually praying:
- Keep on asking,
- Keep on seeking,
- Keep on knocking
............reverently.

Jesus promises that God, Who is good, wise, loving and powerful, He will certainly give you what you need to live for Him.

"For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?

"If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" (Matthew 7:8-11)

Jesus was referring to the little round limestone stones on the shore of Lake Galilee which were exactly the shape and color of little loaves; and to eels, which were often drawn up along with other fish, in the nets, but which were considered unclean to eat, since they had no scales.

The Father will give you what you need, and what your heart desires for, deep down. He won’t give you counterfeit bread, and counterfeit meat, He will give you the real thing.

God never changes. He is completely good, without any shadow of meanness or darkness in Him, and God is consistently good.

God’s goodness is not arbitrary or capricious, God’s goodness flows from the perfection of His character. The Bible explains that every good and perfect gift comes from God.

He is not only the standard for goodness, He is the source of all goodness.

What are you asking God for right now?

God will always answer your prayers, but He will answer in His way. God’s way is perfect wisdom and perfect love.

God will sometimes allow suffering, trouble, grief, all kinds of things you didn’t realize you were praying for, but don’t be discouraged. The Father is answering your deep need:
1) For the sense of His presence,
2) For His comfort and courage,
3) For His strength and spiritual power,
4) For maturity in your character,
5) For depth in your personality,
6) For a capacity to love and forgive that begins to match His own.

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Jesus' Sermon On The Mountainside: Second Command, Keep What Is Sacred

2) The Lord Jesus’ second command was to Reverence the Father by not giving what is sacred to those who despise God,

“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces." (Matthew 7:6)

Pearls are formed slowly over time, layer by beautiful layer, covering a grain of sand that started out as an irritant in the oyster. The pearls in our lives start out as something that hurts, and as we hear God’s word and obey it He begins to layer that hurt with His comfort and wisdom.

Pearls can refer to personal insight into God’s word, God’s enabling and equipping, what you receive from God in prayer; your life in Christ. What is sacred can refer to what belongs to God, such as being involved in God’s work.

Dogs and pigs in ancient times referred to people who had given clear evidence that they rejected God with scorn and had a hardened contempt towards the things of God. In this verse that includes the rejection of God’s Son

The dogs and swine Jesus was referring to were wild creatures, not pets or farm animals. They were usually ravenously hungry, and often dangerous. If you got close enough to a dog or a pig to give them something it better have been something they could eat. Pearls would just frustrate them and make them turn on you.

– Be wise in choosing your audience for quoting a particular scripture, sharing a deep personal insight from God’s word, or a burden God has placed on your heart.

– Be wise in offering something sacred, like the Lord’s table, or a leadership position to someone who is not a Christian, or who is not dealing with some sin in their life, even if in every other way they seem like nice, capable people.

God’s wisdom is expressed in humility and love

We need to use wisdom in love and tenderness when we help other people.
* Don’t judge, but do use sober thinking, guided by God’s word and His Spirit, discerning what is right or wrong, true or false, good or bad.

* Humbly receive God’s conviction and correction in your own life and gently help to restore fellow believers from sin.

* Be wise about what you share with people who clearly reject Jesus and are turned off by the things of God. They may not be ready to receive the gospel in words, but you can love them with God’s love.

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Jesus' Sermon On The Mountainside, How Not To Judge

The Lord Jesus Christ's command not to judge has often been misinterpreted to mean accepting people in every condition without any thought of what is good or bad, true or false, right or wrong.

We’re afraid of being called "intolerant" or "phobic."

"Not judging" has become, in our society, a completely permissive attitude, afraid to use sober discernment in the matter of right and wrong.

That is not what Jesus is saying here. The apostle Paul gave some further insight,

"Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." (Galatians 6:1)

Those of you who are spiritual should gently lead the person who is trapped in sin back to the right path. You and I obey the law of Christ when we offer each other a helping hand in this way. How do we do this?

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye" (Matthew 7:3-5)

We not only need God’s wisdom in recognizing sin, we also need God’s compassion in order to truly help someone.

--> You and I can’t help someone else when we’re blind to our own problems and issues, and when we’re busy feeling superior, or dislike the other person.<-- The desire to correct needs to be transformed into the desire to help, encourage and restore.

Let the Holy Spirit bring to your mind some of the people you might be judging in your heart.
1) Put yourself in the place of the other person you are tending to judge

2) Give that person the benefit of the doubt

3) Try and see yourself from that person’s point of view

4) Ask God to remove any bit of dislike and superior attitude by flooding you with His agape love for that person

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Jesus' Sermon On The Mountainside, Judging Others

If I were to ask you what you thought the biggest need in the Christian community were today, what would you say? What do Christians today need more than anything else?

What would you say to wisdom?
* Wouldn’t you like to know how to respond to the people in your life in a way that would actually help them?

* Wouldn’t you like to know when you should speak, and when you should keep quiet?

* Who to listen to and who not to?

* What things you should do and what you shouldn’t in a given situation?

In this last section of the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord Jesus gives four commands and four warnings.

The commands come in the first half, the warnings in second half, and all have to do with right conduct in relationship with others, and with God the Father, the first Person of the trinity.

1) Jesus first command was to: Reverence God the Father, Judge of all people, by not judging others,

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged." (Matthew 7:1

“Few activities in life rival the thrill of passing judgment on another human being.” That’s one author’s comment. Think about it.
- “Oh, the nerve of that person!”

- “Well, I wasn’t raised like that!”

- “Who died and made him king?!”

In our minds we condemn people who thwart us, get in our way, annoy us, irritate us. The chief reason judging people is so satisfying is that I’m affirmed as being the better person – I know better than they do, I do better than they do. No matter what I’ve done, or how bad I am, I can always find someone else who is worse.

If they seem better than me, then with just a little bit of hunting, I’ll be able to find some flaw in them that I don’t see in myself, which automatically makes me better than they are in my mind.

- “She thinks she’s so perfect, but I wouldn’t go out in public with my bra strap showing, like she does!”

- “Everyone thinks he’s so nice, but I saw him be rude just yesterday morning!”

- “I wouldn’t let my children do what they let their children do.”

That’s why we love to read about famous, beautiful, perfect people toppling, or hear about some spiritual giant falling into sin. They seemed better than me, but now that they’ve fallen, it turns out I’m better than even that person! Without having improved in any way at all, I am all of a sudden better than them, and boy does that feel good.

But there’s a consequence to all this forbidden pleasure,

"For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." (Matthew 7:2

+ Give love and you’ll receive it,
+ Give mercy and you’ll receive it, you and I reap what we sow.

BUT

If we indulge in judging, we better get ready to be judged and if we want to escape judgement then we better not judge at all.

Instead, you and I need to remind each other all the time of God’s grace.

Wisdom finds its source, the Bible says, in a reverent awe of God. He alone can read hearts and knows the true motives, and He alone has the right to judge, since He really is pure, perfect, all-wise, all-knowing and the Creator of us all.

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Blended Gospels: Jesus' Sermon On The Mountainside, Judgmentalism

"Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.

"For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.

He also told them a parable: "Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.

"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? How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.

“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

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

[Blended Gospels, Matthew 7:1-12, Luke 6:31-42, ESV]

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Jesus' Sermon On The Mountainside, Worry, Continued

What are you worried about right now?

Every time you catch yourself thinking anxious thoughts, ask yourself,
• Am I remembering the truth about God?

• Do these thoughts honor God?

• Is this what God thinks about this subject?

• Do my thoughts cast doubt on God’s goodness, do they elevate my own importance or desires?

• Would my thoughts bring God pleasure?

• Are they grounded in faith, do they exalt God’s reputation?

• Are these thoughts causing me to feel more fearful and negative, or

• Are these thoughts filling my heart with courage and a strong commitment to righteousness?

• Would God our Father tell me that these are worthy thoughts for His child?

The Bible says to take your anxiety to God, thank Him for everything that you do have, and ask Him for His comfort, forgiveness and courage to stop worrying.

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6:34)

* Live in the moment right now.

* Seek to be faithful to God and to love Him and the people in your life who are there right now.

* Don’t be carried away by what might happen tomorrow.

After all, God has given you only the grace for what you need to live out today. When tomorrow comes, God will give you the grace you need for then.

God is reliable and trustworthy, He takes care of His own

--> How great is your relationship with God?

--> Is it just for show, or is it vibrant and rich, personal, intimate and filled with spiritual power?

In God's community, we all are supposed to be giving to each other, to the glory of God, in the praise of His grace. If somebody is not sharing, another person may go hungry. When you read about the early church in Acts, that’s how they lived out Jesus’ teaching. They never worried, but gave everything they had to each other, so that no one was left wanting.

If you link Matthew 6:33-34 with Matthew 6:3-4 you discover that this chapter of Jesus’ teaching actually makes an organic whole:

"When you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

"Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

As one Bible translation puts it,

"...Relax, don't be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way He works worry about these things, but you know both God and how He works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions.

"Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met...When you help someone out, don't think about how it looks. Just do it — quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out."

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Jesus' Sermon On The Mountainside, Worry

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?" (Matthew 6:25

Worry and anxiety aren’t just trivial problems. Worry is really a form of unbelief. Worry is sin.

Maybe that feels unfair, but please don’t be discouraged.

Recognizing that the emotional pain of worrying and being anxious is sin is actually good news. Jesus didn’t die to free you and me from uncomfortable emotions. He died to free us from the power of sin. As one author has put it, “Jesus paid the price of every ounce of worry and fear in each of our lives, and He broke the power that worry, and all our sin, has in our lives.”

If you’ve identified with the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, then this is the truth:
* You are free from the bondage of sin,
* Free from the bondage of worry, habitual fears and anxieties.

It may seem like these worries will never let you go, but that’s not the truth. Jesus has empowered you to stop being anxious about your life.

You have been set free.

When you are willing to worship God and put Him first, you will discover that whatever God provides is enough for you to live for Him.

(1) God created you and He is a responsible Father. He will take care of what He has made

"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" (Matthew 6:26)

(2) God sees to it that the earth continues to thrive – He sustains the entire universe by His word

(3) Worry is pointless, and ends up making your situation worse, not better, because you are now emotionally depleted and can even make yourself physically sick with worry

"Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?" (Matthew 6:27)

(4) God even cares about beauty, He has clothed the universe in luxurious colors, scents and sounds

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these." (Matthew 6:28-29)

(5) To be preoccupied by the things of earthly life is to live like an unbeliever.

"...Will [God] not much more clothe you — you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things," Matthew 6:30-32

It’s understandable for someone who doesn’t believe in God to worry about the seemingly arbitrary and capricious and meaningless way life goes along. But it’s sin for someone who claims to believe that God is loving, powerful, good and sovereign to also indulge in an anxious thought life.

(6) God is your Father, and as His child you enjoy privileges that are not available to those who are not members of His family,

"Your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6:32b-33)

Your heavenly Father knows what you need.

You are of far greater value than all the rest of the life on earth, and when you forget that truth, you will live like an unbeliever, always filled with worries and fears.

Instead focus on obeying and pleasing God, and everything you need will be given to you.

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Jesus' Sermon On The Mountainside, Wealth as God's Rival

If you and I worship wealth, then we will find ourselves emotionally, spiritually and materially impoverished.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal." (Matthew 6:19)

* We will view the wealth God has given us as really our own wealth and not His, and worry about whether our wealth is secure.

* We’ll worry if there is enough of it to provide for our wants.

* We will become reluctant to share the wealth.

* Instead of being grateful to God, our anxieties and worries will create distance between us and God.

Instead, the Lord Jesus says,

"But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal."(Matthew 6:20)

The Jews were very familiar with this concept of treasure in heaven. One saying was that deeds of kindness done on earth became the treasure a person had in heaven.

Treasure in heaven was also connected with a person’s character. It was said that the only thing a person could take out of this world with them when they died was themselves. So the finer a self that person brought, the greater that person’s treasure would be in heaven.

When you lay up treasure in heaven, you end up using all that you have here on earth for the glory of God. Jesus often talked about how the right attitude toward wealth is a mark of spiritual maturity.

When God made everything we have on this earth, He declared it good. God has often invited His people to enjoy what He has given us. It is not wrong for you to possess wealth, but it is definitely wrong for wealth to posses you.

What is your security?

Think about it this way – go through each aspect of your life and ask yourself “Could I survive the loss of this, or would it spin me into a pit so deep I wonder if I would ever come back up out of it?”

* Maybe you feel you might not survive the loss of your child, or of your husband, or your family.

* Maybe your treasure is your pet, and the loss of that little companion would sink you beyond help.

* Maybe what you are treasuring is for you to be loved, and you fear losing, or being abandoned by, the person or the creature who loves you.

* Maybe your treasure is your sense of security – your house and investments, or your retirement account.

* Maybe it’s your health and strength, and you are undone by the thought of being bedridden.

* Maybe pleasure is your treasure, and the loss of even a little pleasure makes you irritable and grabby.

* Maybe you treasure being popular,
...or having a sense of purpose by being employed,
......or having something to do.

You tell God what your treasure is, and He’ll tell you where your heart is.

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:21)

A prayer-filled life is characterized by godly wisdom:

“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" (Matthew 6:22-23)

Eyes are opened to the light of God's word, illuminated by the Holy Spirit, rather than being blinded by the glare of wealth, which actually brings darkness and clouded thinking.

"No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money (or "Mammom") (Matthew 6:24)

“Mammon” was a commonly used word in Jesus’ day that referred to wealth, but in the negative sense, being enslaved to wealth.

You can’t love and devote yourself to your earthly treasure and think that you can love and devote yourself to God at the same time. Mammon is God’s rival. The love of one will crowd out the love of the other.

* In what capacity might you be trying to "serve two masters"?

* In what ways might wealth, or the desire for wealth, be clouding your thinking?

* What do you find yourself devoting more of your time and energy towards? God, or His rival...Mammon?

God hasn’t promised to always protect your earthly treasure. If you spend your life trying to protect your treasure, which God hasn’t promised to do, you will find yourself in a constant state of anxiety, since you know, deep down, that you can’t control the future.

The only answer is to replace the earthly treasure with a heavenly one, treasuring God even more, treasuring His love and approval even more than your other loves.

A prayerful life has a single focus on God, and not double vision which tries to serve God and some other source of security,
-> Like material wealth,
...or a career,
......or your children,
.........or having a companion and so on.

When your heart is wrapped around earthly treasure, you leave yourself vulnerable to fear, anxiety and worry. A person with single focus is free from anxiety and worry about the things of life, but trusts contentedly in God's provision, even when God’s will allows anguish, suffering, and death.

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Blended Gospels: Jesus' Sermon On The Mountainside, Wealth

“But woe to you who are rich,
for you have already received your comfort.
Woe to you who are well fed now,
for you will go hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now,
for you will mourn and weep.

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you — you of little faith?

"So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

[Blended Gospels: Matthew 6:19-34, Luke 6:24-25, ESV]

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