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We have looked in Matthew Chapter 6 at Jesus Christ’s simple yet profound and practical teaching on giving and prayer and fasting. Do not be like the hypocrites, and just go through the motions, in order to get credit from other people.

The heartbeat is not this practice or that practice, but our relationship with God.

There are various references here to doing things in secret – verse 4 – verse 6 – and verse 18. It appears in each of these three activities.

We have almost to disguise these three activities, even allowing fasting to…  ( Click for more )

In Matthew Chapter 6, Jesus addresses three areas of Jewish piety – giving and prayer and fasting, and it is interesting that He begins this whole section with “Be careful”!

When we come to fasting we are catapulted into an area which may be strange to many. It is something mentioned frequently throughout the Bible but it has not been part of our culture.

Saul of Tarsus fasted three days and three nights after he met the risen and living Lord Jesus Christ.

Fasting today is like a lost key. It has been set aside and misplaced by the church.

Jesus…  ( Click for more )

When we read these words of Jesus in Matthew Chapter 6 regarding prayer, what are these claims which God the Father has upon His children?

He expects Reverence – Co-operation – and willing Submission. It is there so simply.

Jesus moves on to what the children can claim from their Father.

Some do think that God is not really interested – that He is too big or too busy – too much to do – and we are not that important – or we are not fit to come to Him or that somehow He is not able to help. We might not always put it like that,…  ( Click for more )

We are in Matthew Chapter 6 and in verses 5 to 15, where we come to prayer. Prayer is similar to giving. For whom are you doing it?

Some of these religious leaders ‘loved to pray’ or ‘say prayers’ so that other people would see them and perhaps even hear them.

Jesus teaches a very different attitude. When it comes to praying make your prayer secret.

There is difference between praying and parading.

Daniel prayed at his window. Was he showing off? No. Daniel was just continuing to do what he had been doing before prayer…  ( Click for more )

We are studying these opening verses of Matthew Chapter 6 and they are so refreshingly challenging – are they not? This is basic fundamental teaching for disciples of Jesus Christ from the Sermon on the Mount.

There is no choice about serving. We will either serve Almighty God or Mammon the God of money! It is not whether we serve, but who!

Where your heart goes, your money will follow. People will pay two or three thousand pounds, or dollars, a year to follow their football team, or some other sport or interest, and we have to consider our time too. I understand…  ( Click for more )

Matthew Chapter 6 verses 1 to 4 – where Jesus Christ is speaking to His disciples about giving, and like the previous sentences, He is very practical, and if you look on further Jesus is also very practical regarding praying and fasting and how to handle money and worry.

There is a slight switch in emphasis. Much of Matthew Chapter 5 is ‘hard going’ and this is not any easier, but it is slightly clearer, I hope!

Jesus turns to Worship – and how disciples should live and worship. There is far more to the Christian life than trying to be nice, and…  ( Click for more )

When we come to Matthew Chapter 5 and verse 43Jesus teaches his disciples, “Love your enemies”, but what does this really mean? Will we ever understand it and will we ever be able to put these commanding words of Jesus Christ into practice?

1 - Love your enemies. What does Jesus mean? It is the word ‘agape’. It describes a particular kind of love – a love for those who do not love us – for those who do not deserve our love – it is an unconditional love – it is the love God has for the sinner.

We are not to wait for…  ( Click for more )

Matthew Chapter 5 verses 43 to 48 – We are reading something of the climax about a righteousness which comes from the heart. There is no value in having a superficial Christianity, and we soon see that reality as Jesus challenges us and confronts us regarding the ways in which we live.

It was thrilling to follow Jesus. He was an exciting person to be with, and here he is sitting down and telling the disciples what type of person they were to become and be. He is teaching – no murder, even by what you say – no adultery – not even a lustful look –…  ( Click for more )

We come to this teaching of Jesus Christ in Matthew Chapter 5 and at verse 42. Give to the one who asks. Do not run away from the one who wants to borrow. There may be some unknown reason, as to why someone wants to borrow.

Do not stand on your dignity. Jesus is asking for more than mere non-retaliation. Take positive steps. Be actively generous. It is all so very personal.

This is how we, as disciples of Jesus, can become the salt and the light. We cannot apply this to others.

Jesus is challenging the social trends. These can go against the grain. …  ( Click for more )

We are slowly making our way through the Sermon on the Mount and we reach Matthew Chapter 5 and verses 38 to 42. Are these sections not deeply challenging? They are so relevant and so bang up to date.

Jesus Christ is speaking about how His disciples must be different from everybody else. We are not to do things to be seen – or to be hard or harsh.

Our righteousness – our rightness – is to be from the heart.

This is why these challenges strike so deeply – because they go to the heart.

The Pharisees would go to the Temple and tell…  ( Click for more )

We are reading, and hopefully studying, in Matthew Chapter 5, and we come to this passage beginning at verse 33. We are in what is called the Sermon on the Mount and we have looked at the Beatitudes and Jesus’ speaking about salt and light, and how Jesus came to fulfil the law. We have looked at murder, and settling matters quickly, and adultery, and divorce. These are not ‘easy studies’ but it is Jesus Christ who deals with these topics, when teaching those whom he has called.

Jesus is describing the Christian life – the life of the disciple.

Jesus…  ( Click for more )

When we come to Matthew Chapter 5 and verse 31, Jesus speaks about divorce, and the Church, as I have seen it, has been woolly on this one too. Jesus goes beyond the legal and the superficial.

People were taking the Old Testament law to justify or defend their own wrong doing. The Pharisees and the Scribes were experts at doing this.

This passage could be preached and interpreted hurtfully, if dealt with insensitively.

This passage can raise deep wounds and bring to the surface painful memories.

Now, bear with me. This is not easy, because we do not know the background…  ( Click for more )

When we come to Matthew Chapter and verse 27, Jesus moves on from the 6th Commandment to the 7th Commandment. Do not commit adultery.

Have you noticed how Jesus is dealing with highly relevant and practical issues in the Sermon on the Mount?

We come to a section which could be called – How to avoid sexual sins – and How to avoid divorce. Are we in the moral mess we are in today because these topics have not been taught by the Church of Jesus Christ?

Let us not blame people out there, if we have been silent on these issues.

In heaven, the thoughts of…  ( Click for more )

We come to Matthew Chapter 5 and Verse 21. So we can sit back and think – we are all right on this one – we have not murdered – we have not criminally killed anyone – but, Jesus takes it further. What have your thoughts been – your attitudes – has there been a wrong type of anger in your hearts?

If you say RACA – calling someone a blockhead – or some other seriously negative term – it is this that Jesus is speaking about, as Jesus goes to the heart of the problem – referring to an ill spoken or harsh word. We can…  ( Click for more )

In Matthew Chapter 5 and we come to verse 21, Jesus Christ is speaking. Our Saviour and Lord is teaching. We keep hearing people say – if only we could live by the teaching of Jesus and not have all this ‘church business’ and ‘theology’ – and if only we could live by His teaching on the Sermon on the Mount, it would all be so much easier! Well, as we have seen already, it is not that easy, and as we read on it does not become easier. It is hard to live like this, even with the presence and help of Jesus and His Word and the Power of the Holy…  ( Click for more )

This is not an easy section of the Sermon on the Mount as we take time to hear Jesus speak about the important of the Old Testament, but as we read through these Chapters in Matthew we can discover that there are no ‘easy sections’ and we have to wrestle with these challenging words of Jesus. We are in Matthew Chapter 5 moving on from verse 17. Do bear with me. This is the teaching of Jesus and we need to understand something of the background.

The Old Testament indicates the reality of sin, and the power of sin, and its devastating effects. We see the problem,…  ( Click for more )

In Matthew Chapter 5 we have these words of Jesus concerning the law and the prophets and his high regard for these writings. In the Old Testament, God is speaking and saying something specific. Often we have these words, “Thus says the Lord”. Almighty God is speaking – therefore, we should pay attention. Jesus Christ comes to fulfil everything that the prophets said Messiah would fulfil.

God speaks so clearly to Moses – commanding him – and one of the things God is doing as He delivers the Israelis from slavery in Egypt is reminding them they…  ( Click for more )

We are reading Matthew Chapter 5 and at verse 17, where we see that it is possible to think wrongly. It is possible to think in a wrong way about what Jesus Christ came to do, and to think wrongly about the Word of God, and about what God wants us to do as disciples of Jesus.

Jesus Christ came to fulfil the law and the prophets, and yet Jesus was not a legalist.

If fact, Jesus got into trouble with the religious leaders of the day because He did not do what they thought he should be doing.

Jesus came to fulfil the law, and Jesus speaks highly of the writings of Moses…  ( Click for more )

As we come to Matthew Chapter 5 and verse 14, Jesus continues to teach – you are not only salt – you are the light of the world.

The fruitful life is like a lamp.

That seed which germinates and grows transforms that man into a lamp.

The main purpose of a lamp is to shine - to illumine - to enlighten.

The true disciple of Jesus Christ is like a lighthouse. He gives light to guide other travellers - but he also warns of the dangers. Not everybody appreciates the second aspect of the lighthouse.

To hide the light which God gives us is SIN.…  ( Click for more )

Living this kind of life taught by Jesus Christ in the Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew Chapter 5, affects not only the disciple, but also affects and influences those around us. These are well known biblical phrases, in verses 13,14.

We have the characteristics of the disciple of Jesus in these earlier verses, and now right away we are encouraged to impact the world.

We are to be willing and prepared to count the cost. Counting the cost first avoids the need to resign, or run away, or compromise later on. Why count the cost? Surely that is one way to put people…  ( Click for more )

We are reading the Beatitudes in Matthew Chapter 5, and when we come to verse 10 we hear Jesus Christ say, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when men hate you - when they exclude you - when they insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day.”

Is that not one of the very last things you want to do when you are going through these experiences?

From the beginning Jesus makes it clear. Follow me and you will be blessed. Follow me and…  ( Click for more )

We come in Matthew Chapter 5 verse 4 to these words of Jesus where He says, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted”. Does this not include those who mourn over sin – the very thought of hurting and offending Almighty God? Will I never free from this behaviour that grieves Him? You will be comforted or fortified, or fortressed. Jesus is so clear and also so simple.

“Blessed are the meek.” This is not weakness. This is being submissive to God, and humbly obedient to God. This requires real strength of character. They…  ( Click for more )

We are in the Sermon on the Mount and have read the concluding verses in chapter 7 for a very specific and pragmatic reason we now turn to these opening verses, which have been popularly called “The Beatitudes” Do read Matthew Chapter 5 verses 1 to 12, and consider the setting. Jesus Christ has been healing people, wrestling with niggling criticisms of the Pharisees and legalists, and calling these twelve men to be disciples.

This passage deals with our relationships – our relationship with ourselves - with other people – and with God. We could…  ( Click for more )

In the Sermon on the Mount, there is what might be called “The Secret of Holiness”. This is the secret of being different, and the practical implications are profound and immense, spiritually and physically and even materially. So let’s start this study afresh and anew and be open to what God says to us through His Holy Word, and I suggested we read Matthew Chapter 7 verses 24 to 29 for a very specific reason.

Jesus gives us an illustration from His building days. Remember, He was in the building trade for around 18 years.

Jesus says - I will show…  ( Click for more )