Latest / Bible in a Year with Jack Graham / Sermon on the Mount

Transcript

Sermon on the Mount · Bible in a Year with Jack Graham

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them
• 0:04
  Speaker 1: that curse you, do good to them that hate you,
• 0:08
  Speaker 1: and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you.
• 0:14
  Speaker 1: Matthew 5.44 Dear Lord, as I listen to the truths
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: in today's reading, I thank you for giving me the
• 0:23
  Speaker 1: beatitudes of how I'm supposed to be in order to
• 0:27
  Speaker 1: live a life full of abundance and freedom. as I
• 0:32
  Speaker 1: begin to honor the way that I am called to live,
• 0:34
  Speaker 1: I thank you that as I pray to you, I
• 0:38
  Speaker 1: do not have to worry about where I'm going to
• 0:40
  Speaker 1: eat or where I'm going to sleep, because when I
• 0:44
  Speaker 1: live in divine obedience to you and your word, you
• 0:48
  Speaker 1: continually provide all that I need. Therefore, I declare that
• 0:55
  Speaker 1: worry and fear will no longer be a part of
• 0:59
  Speaker 1: my story. for I know that like a good parent,
• 1:03
  Speaker 1: you too desire to feed and provide for every need
• 1:07
  Speaker 1: I have. In addition, I acknowledge that my greatest command
• 1:15
  Speaker 1: is to love you and to love my neighbors as myself.
• 1:21
  Speaker 1: With these truths fastened tight around my heart, I will
• 1:26
  Speaker 1: live at a higher level. I will serve with greater humility.
• 1:31
  Speaker 1: and I will lead with my way of being so
• 1:35
  Speaker 1: others may see life and follow you, Lord. In Jesus' name, amen.
• 1:45
  Speaker 1: Thank you for praying with us today. Continue your time
• 1:49
  Speaker 1: with God by listening to today's Bible story, brought to
• 1:52
  Speaker 1: you by BibleInAYear.com.
• 2:04
  Speaker 2: Sermon on the Mount In our last story, we saw
• 2:08
  Speaker 2: Jesus through the eyes of Peter. His mighty works of
• 2:11
  Speaker 2: healing and acts of compassion brought Peter to his knees.
• 2:15
  Speaker 2: He truly saw that Jesus was a man worth following,
• 2:18
  Speaker 2: and he would soon come to the understanding that Jesus
• 2:21
  Speaker 2: was God himself. Now we listen to the heart of
• 2:24
  Speaker 2: Christ through the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus declares what
• 2:28
  Speaker 2: the kingdom of heaven looks like when it is acted
• 2:31
  Speaker 2: out on earth. People awe at his eloquence, wisdom, and authority.
• 2:36
  Speaker 2: Inspired by the book of Matthew.
• 2:40
  Speaker 3: I'm so glad you joined us on the Bible in
• 2:42
  Speaker 3: a Year podcast today. But before we get to today's episode,
• 2:47
  Speaker 3: I want you to know that I would absolutely love
• 2:49
  Speaker 3: to send you my daily devotional that will give you
• 2:53
  Speaker 3: fresh encouragement every single morning and day. From the moment
• 2:57
  Speaker 3: we wake up to the moment our head finally hits
• 3:00
  Speaker 3: the pillow, There are thousands of things demanding our attention.
• 3:05
  Speaker 3: But it's in the midst of all this crush and
• 3:07
  Speaker 3: hustle and bustle that you and I need peace and
• 3:10
  Speaker 3: truth in God's Word. That's why I want to help
• 3:13
  Speaker 3: you spend time each day growing in God's life-giving, life-changing
• 3:18
  Speaker 3: Word by sending you my free daily email devotional, PowerPoint Today.
• 3:25
  Speaker 3: So visit jackgram.org to sign up for your PowerPoint Today devotional.
• 3:30
  Speaker 3: That's jackram.org. In our previous episode, we heard how Jesus
• 3:38
  Speaker 3: called Peter and other disciples to become fishers of men.
• 3:42
  Speaker 3: We saw how when they obeyed him in faith, he
• 3:44
  Speaker 3: provided more abundantly than they could have ever imagined. And
• 3:48
  Speaker 3: we saw how Jesus' healing ministry began to grow and
• 3:51
  Speaker 3: spread in the region. But in all this business, Jesus
• 3:55
  Speaker 3: never neglected to find time in solitude to seek God's presence,
• 4:00
  Speaker 3: the Heavenly Father's strength. Today, we'll hear from Jesus' most
• 4:04
  Speaker 3: well-known sermon and his words concerning God's kingdom and what
• 4:08
  Speaker 3: that looks like when we live out kingdom principles and
• 4:12
  Speaker 3: priorities here on earth. It's called the Sermon on the Mount.
• 4:16
  Speaker 3: So let's hear the word of God.
• 4:19
  Speaker 2: Jesus scanned the crowds as they followed his every step.
• 4:23
  Speaker 2: His popularity was growing rapidly, and thousands of people followed
• 4:27
  Speaker 2: him into the valley outside Galilee. Their hearts were hungry
• 4:31
  Speaker 2: for truth. They were longing to know what the kingdom
• 4:34
  Speaker 2: of God truly looked like. Jesus gathered them at the
• 4:37
  Speaker 2: bottom of a small hill. He climbed to the top
• 4:41
  Speaker 2: and sat. The wind carried his voice for all to hear,
• 4:44
  Speaker 2: and they listened to every word flowing from his mouth.
• 4:48
  Speaker 2: Blessed are those who are poor in spirit. The kingdom
• 4:52
  Speaker 2: of heaven belongs to them. Blessed are those who hurt,
• 4:56
  Speaker 2: for the time will come for them to be comforted.
• 4:59
  Speaker 2: Blessed are those with strength, but use it for good,
• 5:02
  Speaker 2: for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who
• 5:05
  Speaker 2: long for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are
• 5:09
  Speaker 2: the merciful, for they will receive mercy in return. Blessed
• 5:14
  Speaker 2: are those who are persecuted for doing what is right,
• 5:17
  Speaker 2: for the kingdom of heaven will reward them greatly. The
• 5:21
  Speaker 2: crowd was completely silent as they listened to Jesus. You
• 5:26
  Speaker 2: all are salt, but if the salt loses its flavor,
• 5:29
  Speaker 2: how shall it be used? You are also a light
• 5:33
  Speaker 2: meant to guide and direct people to safety, and a
• 5:36
  Speaker 2: light is of no use hiding under a basket. Let
• 5:39
  Speaker 2: your light shine so they might glorify your Father in heaven.
• 5:43
  Speaker 2: Jesus could see the crowds processing his words. What he
• 5:47
  Speaker 2: spoke were old truths, but it seemed new to them.
• 5:51
  Speaker 2: Jesus smiled and held up his finger. Do not think
• 5:54
  Speaker 2: that I came to abolish the laws or the prophets
• 5:57
  Speaker 2: you have learned since your youth. I have not come
• 5:59
  Speaker 2: to destroy the law, but bring it to fulfillment. For
• 6:03
  Speaker 2: you have heard it said, Do not murder. But I
• 6:06
  Speaker 2: tell you, whoever harbors hatred in his heart or insults
• 6:09
  Speaker 2: his brother is judged the same. You have heard it said,
• 6:13
  Speaker 2: Do not commit adultery. But I have come to tell
• 6:16
  Speaker 2: you that whoever lusts after a woman in his mind
• 6:19
  Speaker 2: or treats a woman as an object is committing adultery
• 6:22
  Speaker 2: in his heart. The crowd began to stir a bit.
• 6:26
  Speaker 2: What Jesus was saying was revolutionary and changed the way
• 6:30
  Speaker 2: they saw themselves. Then Jesus said something that would change everything.
• 6:35
  Speaker 2: You have heard people say, An eye for an eye.
• 6:38
  Speaker 2: But if anyone slaps you on the cheek... You ought
• 6:41
  Speaker 2: to turn the other cheek. Do not return evil for evil.
• 6:46
  Speaker 2: Love your enemies. Bless those who scorn you. Everyone is
• 6:49
  Speaker 2: good at loving those who love them in return. However,
• 6:53
  Speaker 2: the mark of a pure heart lies within someone who
• 6:55
  Speaker 2: is able to love the unlovable. Jesus looked at the crowd.
• 7:00
  Speaker 2: He could see a group of Pharisees glaring at him
• 7:02
  Speaker 2: in the corner of his eye. Jesus' tone was gentle
• 7:06
  Speaker 2: yet firm. He spoke clearly, saying, There is a trap
• 7:10
  Speaker 2: that many people fall into. They desire to only do
• 7:13
  Speaker 2: good when people are watching. For them, their reward is
• 7:16
  Speaker 2: in the validation of others. Beware of this. When you
• 7:20
  Speaker 2: give to the needy, do not sound a trumpet like
• 7:23
  Speaker 2: some do in the synagogues. Give in secret, for your
• 7:26
  Speaker 2: Heavenly Father sees you. When you pray, do not add
• 7:30
  Speaker 2: spectacle or poetry to come off as righteous to others.
• 7:34
  Speaker 2: Some love to stand on the street corners and proclaim
• 7:37
  Speaker 2: their devotion to God. When you pray, do so just
• 7:40
  Speaker 2: between you and the Lord. Some of Jesus' disciples interrupted
• 7:45
  Speaker 2: him and asked, Then teach us how to pray. Jesus
• 7:48
  Speaker 2: answered and said, Our Father, holy is your name. May
• 7:53
  Speaker 2: your kingdom come and your will be done here as
• 7:56
  Speaker 2: it is in your perfect will. Provide our daily needs
• 8:00
  Speaker 2: and forgive us of all our sins. And may we
• 8:03
  Speaker 2: also forgive those who have trespassed against us. Lead us
• 8:07
  Speaker 2: away from temptation. and deliver us from evil. The prayer
• 8:12
  Speaker 2: was simple yet profound, and it spoke of the relationship
• 8:15
  Speaker 2: man ought to have with God. Do not be anxious
• 8:19
  Speaker 2: for anything, Jesus said. Look at the birds of the air.
• 8:22
  Speaker 2: They do not toil and worry, yet their heavenly Father
• 8:25
  Speaker 2: feeds them. You are more important than they, so trust
• 8:29
  Speaker 2: that the Lord will provide. No one ever added one
• 8:32
  Speaker 2: moment to their life by worrying. Do not be anxious
• 8:36
  Speaker 2: about tomorrow. It has its own troubles. Live today. Jesus
• 8:41
  Speaker 2: could see that some of the people were beginning to
• 8:43
  Speaker 2: look to one another. The nature of humans is to
• 8:46
  Speaker 2: look at the flaws in one another instead of inward.
• 8:49
  Speaker 2: Jesus knew this and gave a stiff warning to all
• 8:52
  Speaker 2: who were listening. Be careful not to judge others, for
• 8:56
  Speaker 2: you yourself will be judged. Why would you point out
• 8:59
  Speaker 2: the small piece of sawdust in someone else's eye when
• 9:03
  Speaker 2: you have a large wooden plank stuck in your own?
• 9:06
  Speaker 2: There was a chuckle from among the crowd. Jesus smiled.
• 9:10
  Speaker 2: Be mindful to understand your own flaws before mentioning the
• 9:14
  Speaker 2: flaws of others. You will serve them better if you
• 9:16
  Speaker 2: do so. Jesus welled up with love for the people.
• 9:21
  Speaker 2: He saw them as God did, children in need of
• 9:25
  Speaker 2: a loving parent. Ask great things of God. Seek him
• 9:29
  Speaker 2: and he will answer. How many of you parents would
• 9:33
  Speaker 2: deny your children bread and instead give him a stone?
• 9:37
  Speaker 2: If you, being sinful, would not even do this, even
• 9:40
  Speaker 2: more so God will give happily to those who seek
• 9:43
  Speaker 2: his favor. There was a pause and Jesus stood to
• 9:46
  Speaker 2: his feet. The wind blew from behind him and his
• 9:49
  Speaker 2: robe flowed in the wind. He stepped down once and
• 9:53
  Speaker 2: raised his voice. He did not want anyone to miss
• 9:56
  Speaker 2: his next words. Treat others the way you wish to
• 10:00
  Speaker 2: be treated this is the true heart behind the law
• 10:04
  Speaker 2: of God and understand this that the gate to the
• 10:07
  Speaker 2: kingdom of God is narrow the easy path is wide
• 10:11
  Speaker 2: and open however its ease is deceptive it is the
• 10:16
  Speaker 2: way of death The true path of God is hard.
• 10:19
  Speaker 2: It requires sacrifice, struggle, and humility. This is why many
• 10:24
  Speaker 2: will choose to avoid it. Ultimately, a tree is judged
• 10:28
  Speaker 2: by its fruit. Every healthy and good tree bears fruit
• 10:31
  Speaker 2: that people can enjoy. Every bad tree produces thorns and poison.
• 10:36
  Speaker 2: The same is with our hearts. A good heart will
• 10:39
  Speaker 2: produce good actions. Likewise, a bad heart will produce corrupt actions.
• 10:45
  Speaker 2: Make no mistake, words are not enough. Not everyone who
• 10:49
  Speaker 2: declares to know the Lord will enter into the kingdom
• 10:51
  Speaker 2: of heaven. Jesus began to walk down the hill. When
• 10:56
  Speaker 2: he looked upon a firm stone on the ground, he
• 10:58
  Speaker 2: picked it up and smiled. He held the stone up
• 11:01
  Speaker 2: in the air and said, Everyone who hears these words
• 11:04
  Speaker 2: of mine and does them is like a wise person
• 11:06
  Speaker 2: who builds their house on a firm rock. When the
• 11:09
  Speaker 2: rain fell and the floods came, their house was sturdy.
• 11:13
  Speaker 2: Yet those who do not listen and do not do
• 11:15
  Speaker 2: these things are like people who build their homes on sand.
• 11:19
  Speaker 2: When troubles come, they will be washed away. Jesus dropped
• 11:23
  Speaker 2: the stone and walked away. The crowd stood there, astonished
• 11:27
  Speaker 2: that he held so much authority in his words.
• 11:33
  Speaker 3: As we begin today's reading, a large crowd is gathered
• 11:36
  Speaker 3: outside of Galilee to hear Jesus speak. Jesus stood on
• 11:41
  Speaker 3: top of a mountain, a place where his voice could
• 11:43
  Speaker 3: reach far and wide so that all in the crowd
• 11:46
  Speaker 3: could hear what he had to say. Because what he
• 11:48
  Speaker 3: had to say was life-changing. He began by telling the
• 11:52
  Speaker 3: people what it means to be blessed. These weren't blessings
• 11:56
  Speaker 3: as we understand them. It wasn't about good fortune or
• 12:00
  Speaker 3: wealth or health. It was something far greater, much deeper.
• 12:04
  Speaker 3: This was about the blessing of joy and of total
• 12:07
  Speaker 3: satisfaction and to live in the fullness and the wholeness
• 12:10
  Speaker 3: of God's grace. Jesus then went on to describe the
• 12:14
  Speaker 3: attitudes that will lead to this fulfillment, the perfect satisfaction.
• 12:18
  Speaker 3: These were attitudes that we call the Beatitudes. And these
• 12:23
  Speaker 3: attitudes are the attitudes that we should seek. Not only
• 12:27
  Speaker 3: attitudes towards ourselves, but attitudes towards others. The Beatitudes Jesus
• 12:32
  Speaker 3: describes here stand in stark contrast as to how the
• 12:36
  Speaker 3: world sees what is important. These were deep, deep teachings
• 12:41
  Speaker 3: and not easy ones to follow. He then reminded the
• 12:45
  Speaker 3: people of the purpose of these Beatitudes, that we were called,
• 12:50
  Speaker 3: all of us who follow Jesus, to be salt and light,
• 12:53
  Speaker 3: to be agents of preservation and illumination in a dark
• 12:57
  Speaker 3: and desperate world. We are still called to do that today,
• 13:00
  Speaker 3: to be salt and light in our world, in our culture,
• 13:03
  Speaker 3: to make a difference in people's lives, to turn on
• 13:06
  Speaker 3: the light of the gospel, and to be salt in
• 13:09
  Speaker 3: the earth. Next, Jesus turned his attention to his own purpose.
• 13:14
  Speaker 3: He told them in no uncertain terms that he did
• 13:16
  Speaker 3: not come to abolish the law or the writings of
• 13:19
  Speaker 3: the prophets, but to bring them to fulfillment. This is
• 13:22
  Speaker 3: very important. God had outlined in the Ten Commandments the
• 13:26
  Speaker 3: requirements for holy living. a life set apart for God.
• 13:30
  Speaker 3: This is the law that he gave to Moses. This
• 13:33
  Speaker 3: was the standard by which people were expected to live
• 13:36
  Speaker 3: and principles that we can live by even today. The
• 13:40
  Speaker 3: Ten Commandments spoke of murder and adultery and divorce and
• 13:43
  Speaker 3: swearing oaths and vengeance and love. And for each of these,
• 13:47
  Speaker 3: Jesus began with the basics of the law. But rather
• 13:50
  Speaker 3: than lowering the standards of the law, Jesus raised the standards.
• 13:55
  Speaker 3: He was showing them that the real perfect standards was
• 13:58
  Speaker 3: not just weighty and burdensome, it was impossible in our
• 14:03
  Speaker 3: own power. This is why we need a Savior. Jesus
• 14:07
  Speaker 3: came to fulfill the law and the prophets for us,
• 14:10
  Speaker 3: and when we trust in him, his righteousness becomes our righteousness.
• 14:16
  Speaker 3: He was also teaching them and all of us something else.
• 14:20
  Speaker 3: The issue of sin and disobedience to God is an
• 14:23
  Speaker 3: issue of the heart. Without changed hearts, it is impossible
• 14:27
  Speaker 3: to live a righteous life. They didn't know this yet,
• 14:30
  Speaker 3: but the one speaking to them was their only hope
• 14:33
  Speaker 3: and our only hope for a life changed, a heart changed,
• 14:37
  Speaker 3: the only way that any of us could meet the
• 14:40
  Speaker 3: high and holy standard that God has established. Jesus cautioned
• 14:44
  Speaker 3: people against acting righteously for the sake of recognition, that is, self-righteously.
• 14:50
  Speaker 3: especially with regards to caring for the poor. Again, he
• 14:53
  Speaker 3: was pointing them to the heart of the matter, their
• 14:55
  Speaker 3: own hearts. The Lord then began to teach the people
• 14:59
  Speaker 3: about prayer, starting with the posture of prayer. Prayer is
• 15:03
  Speaker 3: not to be a spectacle, a show for others to see.
• 15:06
  Speaker 3: It is rather a personal conversation with the God who
• 15:09
  Speaker 3: created us. Jesus himself lived by this example, often retreating
• 15:15
  Speaker 3: in solitude to pray. When asked how they were to pray,
• 15:20
  Speaker 3: Jesus gave them a pattern for praying, an outline, if
• 15:23
  Speaker 3: you will, as to how to pray. We know it
• 15:25
  Speaker 3: as the Lord's Prayer, and it is a beautiful model
• 15:28
  Speaker 3: for how to speak to our Father in heaven. It
• 15:31
  Speaker 3: is a prayer that has endured to this day, one
• 15:34
  Speaker 3: that speaks to our relationship with God, our submission to
• 15:37
  Speaker 3: His will and dependence upon His provision and forgiveness, and
• 15:41
  Speaker 3: our need to forgive others as God has forgiven us.
• 15:46
  Speaker 3: As He continued to teach the crowds, Jesus poured out
• 15:49
  Speaker 3: wisdom from God's heart. He called people to invest in
• 15:52
  Speaker 3: God's kingdom, to be generous, storing up treasures in the
• 15:56
  Speaker 3: life to come, treasures that will never decay or be destroyed.
• 16:00
  Speaker 3: He called the crowds to release their worries to God,
• 16:03
  Speaker 3: trusting that he will provide for their every need. And
• 16:06
  Speaker 3: he urged them and us to boldly ask God to provide,
• 16:10
  Speaker 3: reminding us that the Father in heaven is infinitely gracious
• 16:15
  Speaker 3: and kind and giving good gifts. to all who ask. Finally,
• 16:20
  Speaker 3: Jesus concluded the message with an illustration. He said in
• 16:24
  Speaker 3: Matthew chapter 7 and verses 13 and 14, Enter through
• 16:29
  Speaker 3: the narrow gate, for wide is the gate, and broad
• 16:31
  Speaker 3: is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter
• 16:34
  Speaker 3: through it. But small is the gate, and narrow the
• 16:37
  Speaker 3: road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
• 16:41
  Speaker 3: So with this is an illustration and a warning. He
• 16:46
  Speaker 3: warns us about those who would lead us astray, false
• 16:49
  Speaker 3: prophets and false religions, disguised disciples who claim to follow
• 16:54
  Speaker 3: the Lord but are way, way lost. Jesus' words would
• 16:59
  Speaker 3: stick to some that day. Those who heard and held
• 17:02
  Speaker 3: on to his teaching would build their foundation, their lives
• 17:05
  Speaker 3: on a solid rock, and they would be prepared to
• 17:08
  Speaker 3: weather the storms of life. It is so important that
• 17:11
  Speaker 3: you build your life on the foundation of Jesus Christ.
• 17:15
  Speaker 3: As Jesus taught us, we must not build our lives
• 17:19
  Speaker 3: on the sifting sands of time that crumble, but upon
• 17:22
  Speaker 3: the solid rock who is Christ himself. At the center
• 17:26
  Speaker 3: of Jesus' famous sermon is the theme of true righteousness
• 17:30
  Speaker 3: and the truth that righteousness is not a result of
• 17:33
  Speaker 3: our action, but a condition of our hearts. And ultimately, Jesus'
• 17:37
  Speaker 3: words would remind us that our hope, our only hope
• 17:40
  Speaker 3: for righteousness is him, Christ himself. He is the ultimate
• 17:45
  Speaker 3: good gift of the Heavenly Father, who knows our needs
• 17:49
  Speaker 3: and provides for them in every way so that we
• 17:52
  Speaker 3: could accomplish His purpose and will for our lives. Let's pray.
• 17:57
  Speaker 3: Thank you, dear God, for this powerful sermon from the
• 18:01
  Speaker 3: very lips of Jesus and how it points us to
• 18:04
  Speaker 3: our great need of you. You have told us to
• 18:07
  Speaker 3: be perfect even as the Heavenly Father is perfect, and
• 18:09
  Speaker 3: we know we are not perfect, but you are. So
• 18:13
  Speaker 3: we thank you for your perfect sacrifice for us on
• 18:15
  Speaker 3: the cross, for your resurrection, that we might have forgiveness
• 18:19
  Speaker 3: of our sins and be given your righteousness, that we
• 18:22
  Speaker 3: may live in the eternal hope of heaven. Help us
• 18:25
  Speaker 3: to live, putting you first in all things, to seek
• 18:28
  Speaker 3: first the kingdom of God and your righteousness, Lord, knowing
• 18:32
  Speaker 3: that you will bless us with everything we need in
• 18:35
  Speaker 3: life and in the life to come. Amen. Thank you
• 18:39
  Speaker 3: for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast. I'm
• 18:43
  Speaker 3: Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. And before we go, I
• 18:46
  Speaker 3: want you to know that I would love to send
• 18:48
  Speaker 3: you my daily devotional to give you fresh encouragement every
• 18:52
  Speaker 3: single day. So visit jackgraham.org to sign up for your
• 18:56
  Speaker 3: PowerPoint Today devotional. That's jackgraham.org.