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Sermon on the Mount
Part 3
Matt 5:21-32
In our last two studies we tried to imagine Jesus sitting on a hillside preaching the "Sermon on the Mount" to His disciples and the gathered crowds. He was explaining the principles of His kingdom and describing what a kingdom person is like. He introduced us to a higher standard than the Law. Here Jesus calls us to be like Him...humble, hungry & thirsty for God, merciful, pure in heart, and a peace-maker, because in Him we see the fulfillment of the Law.
In the rest of chapter 5 Jesus reinterprets the Law according to His high standard. Six times Jesus uses the same couplet: "You have heard that it was said...but I say to you..." No wonder the Pharisees hated Jesus! He was speaking as an Authority higher than the Law. Actually all He was doing was moving the rules from the head
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to the heart. He was saying in essence, "Have you grasped the heart of the Law - to honor and please God? Or are you only going through the motions?"
Even the godless world knows that you are not supposed to murder and if you do you will be judged. That's not a high standard. Jesus said, "You will be judged if you are angry with your brother without cause." They would have to face the Sanhedrin if they called someone "Raca". "Raca" meant "dummy, stupid, idiot". It was a hate-filled put-down with murderous intent. But they faced the danger of hell fire if they called him "You fool"! That meant they considered him a morally and spiritually corrupt person. Anger is the underlying motive for murder - especially a simmering grudge with desire to get revenge. God looks deeper into a man than just his actions. He sees the motive - the anger that lies in the heart.
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Jesus said, "Take care of anger, whether it's yours or someone else's against you." Anger left smoldering will eventually break out into a fire - maybe a murdering one. If we bring a gift or sacrifice to the altar (church) with anger in our hearts or unresolved hatred, God will not be pleased with the gift. Possibly this was one of the causes of Cain's failure to please God and the subsequent murder of his brother Abel.
What steps should we take then when we become aware of our anger against someone or their anger against us?
1. We go to the "altar" (church) to give our gift.
2. God reminds us of someone who has something against us.
3. We must not offer our gift because it would not please God.
4. Instead, we go to the person to seek and give forgiveness.
5. We then return to offer our
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programs. Through the children you reach the home.
Children need to be evangelized. Do not make the mistake of saying they are too young to understand. What is it to understand? Salvation is a gift. Children understand the receiving of a gift. They don't try to pay for it. We just have to take the gift of salvation and live for the Lord Jesus Christ. Just be sure that you have made the way of salvation
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plain. God loves them, just as they are. The only Son of God died in their place to pay for their sin. Sin is any thing that is done, thought or said that I displeasing to God. We have all sinned, but Jesus paid the penalty for our sins on the cross and rose again the third day. Hs is in heaven today sitting at the right hand of God the Father interceding for all of us. We have to let Him come in.
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We can KNOW all the above, but if we don't accept the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, we will NOT go to heaven. The children need to accept Jesus and it is our duty, our joy to lead them to Jesus and teach them to grow in grace and knowledge of Him. Don't neglect the little ones.
Make sure the Sunday school teachers know how to make Salvation plain to the children. That they know how
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