Phil Rowlands

Hello, my friends!

Today, as we conclude our reflections on the profound teachings of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount that we have been covering over the previous 11 blogs, we're reminded of the life changing power of His words. This sermon, delivered over 2000 years ago, remains just as relevant and transformative today as it was then. It's not just a set of rules or guidelines, but a description of the very life of God that He desires to live in and through us.

Jesus begins this sermon with the Beatitudes, offering a revolutionary perspective on what it means to be blessed in God's kingdom. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5). This isn't about mustering up meekness through our own efforts. Rather, it's a celebration of the divine nature that God imparts to us through His Spirit. When we exhibit meekness, it's a sign that we're experiencing the very life of God within us. Paul echoes this sentiment when he encourages us to “put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering” (Colossians 3:12). These qualities aren't something we manufacture, but rather, they're the fruit of the Spirit's work in our lives.

Friends, as we continue through the Sermon on the Mount, we encounter Jesus' call to be peacemakers. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9). This isn't just a nice suggestion – it's a fundamental characteristic of those who are living in God's kingdom. Paul reinforces this teaching when he urges us to “endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). As children of God, we're called to actively pursue peace in our relationships and communities.

One of the most challenging aspects of Jesus' teaching is His call to love our enemies. “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). This radical love goes against every natural instinct we have. Yet, it's precisely this kind of love that demonstrates we're children of our heavenly Father. Paul reiterates this teaching when he says, “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse” (Romans 12:14).

It's important to understand that Jesus isn't giving us an impossible standard to live up to through our own efforts. Rather, He's describing the life that He Himself will live through us as we abide in Him. This is why He says, “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). We're not striving for sinless perfection, but rather allowing God's perfect nature to be expressed through us.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus also addresses our tendency to worry and be anxious about life's necessities. “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life” (Matthew 6:25). He reminds us that we have a heavenly Father who cares for us even more than He cares for the birds of the air or the flowers of the field. Paul echoes this teaching when he encourages us to “be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6).

As we delve deeper into Jesus' teachings, we find Him challenging the legalistic practices of the religious leaders of His day. He exposes their hypocrisy in giving to charity, praying, and fasting for the sake of being seen by others. Instead, Jesus encourages us to do these things in secret, with pure motives, seeking only the approval of our heavenly Father. This aligns perfectly with Paul's instruction to bondservants to work “not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart” (Ephesians 6:6).

Friends, it's crucial to understand that the teachings of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount are not in conflict with the message of grace that Paul and the other apostles preached. In fact, they're in perfect harmony. When Paul says, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10), he's echoing Jesus' teaching about letting our light shine before men that they may see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven.

The key is understanding that we're not called to produce this life in our own strength. Jesus invites us to ask, seek, and knock – to depend on our heavenly Father for the grace and strength to live this supernatural life. As John reminds us, “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:14).

As we come to the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives us a powerful analogy about building our lives on a solid foundation. “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matthew 7:24). This isn't about earning God's favour through our works. Rather, it's about allowing the life of Christ to be expressed through us as we walk in faith and obedience.

When Jesus finished this sermon, the people were astonished at His teaching “for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes” (Matthew 7:29). His authority wasn't based on shouting or intimidation, but on the fact that He was presenting a life that He Himself would fulfill and impart to His followers.

It's important to note that Jesus was primarily addressing His disciples when He delivered this sermon. As we read in Matthew 5:1-2, “And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them.” This doesn't mean these teachings aren't relevant for all believers, but it does highlight that Jesus was instructing those who had already committed to following Him.

The life that Jesus describes in the Sermon on the Mount isn't just a lofty ideal or an impossible standard. It's the very life of God that He desires to live in and through us. We can't produce it in our own strength, but as we abide in Christ and walk by faith, His life will be manifested in and through us.

This understanding helps us avoid two common pitfalls in interpreting and applying the Sermon on the Mount. On one hand, we must be careful not to fall into legalism, trying to earn God's favour through our own efforts to live up to these standards. On the other hand, we shouldn't dismiss these teachings as irrelevant or impossible, thinking they don't apply to us today.

Instead, we need to approach these teachings with the understanding that they describe the life of Christ that is now available to us through the indwelling Holy Spirit. It's not about striving to follow a set of rules, but about allowing the life of Christ to be expressed through us by His grace and through the power of the Holy Spirit.

This life is like building a house, as Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 3:9, “For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building.” We are building on the foundation of Christ's finished work, not with dead works, but with good works that God has prepared for us to walk in.

Friends, as we consider the teachings of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, we must remember that they are not isolated from the rest of Scripture. In fact, we find similar teachings throughout the New Testament epistles. For example, Jesus' teaching on murder and anger in Matthew 5:21-22 is echoed in 1 John 3:15, “Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” Similarly, Jesus' teaching on divorce in Matthew 5:32 is reflected in Paul's instructions in 1 Corinthians 7:10-11.

The consistency between Jesus' teachings and the apostles' writings underscores the timeless nature of these truths. They are not just applicable to a specific time or culture but are foundational principles for living in God's kingdom. As we read and study these teachings, we should approach them with the expectation that they will transform our lives and our relationships.

Moreover, we must remember that the power to live out these teachings comes not from our own efforts, but from the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised His disciples that He would send the Holy Spirit to empower them and guide them into all truth. This promise is for us as well. As we yield to the Spirit's work in our lives, we will find ourselves naturally exhibiting the qualities and behaviours that Jesus describes in the Sermon on the Mount.

Be blessed today, my brothers and sisters. May we continually marvel at the profound wisdom and transformative power of Jesus' words. Let's embrace this supernatural life He offers us, not through our own efforts, but through faith in His finished work and the indwelling power of His Spirit. As we do, we'll find ourselves building our lives on the solid rock of Christ, able to withstand any storm that comes our way. And as we live out this life, may others see the light of Christ shining through us and be drawn to the Father's love.

Phil