September 22-Sermon on the Mount
Write out the Scripture.
Matthew 5:17-18, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
Observe what it is saying.
As Jesus prepares to lay out specific teaching in His sermon, he, first, makes sure we understand the connection with the Old Testament. The phrase "Do not think that" clarified and eliminated potential misunderstandings as to the nature of His kingdom. Jesus' mission was not "to abolish" or destroy the Law or the Prophets, which is a description of the Scriptures He used. Jesus fulfilled them in the sense they all pointed and became completed in Him by his person, actions, and teaching. In no way does His fulfillment abolish the Old Testament as Scripture, though the sacrificial system was no longer needed because Jesus became the final sacrifice. Instead, the Old Testament's authority was now understood through the Messiah’s coming. God’s entire purpose prophesied in Scripture will take place and will eventually be consummated in God’s kingdom on earth. The Apostle Paul also understood that the Law and the Prophets pointed to Jesus. Romans 3:21-22a, “But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.” Faith in Jesus is the door into which we enter the eternal kingdom of heaven through which the Law and the Prophets had been pointing the whole time.
Relate it to your life.
I join Jesus in bringing His kingdom to earth as I trust and follow His teaching and lifestyle.
Do something.
Jesus, I pick up the cross of total obedience and follow You today, tomorrow, and evermore. Amen.
September 23-Sermon on the Mount
Write out the Scripture.
Matthew 5:19-20, Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Observe what it is saying.
The good news is the person who sets aside or does not adequately teach these commandments will not be left out of the kingdom. The bad news is they will be found to be less important in the kingdom. So, what are "these commandments"? They are of the Old Testament where we have just been told that they have not been scrapped but fulfilled by Jesus. Therefore, these Scriptures must be practiced, but they also point forward to Jesus and His teaching. So, they are ultimately obeyed in relationship to Jesus’ teaching. Ranking in the kingdom is found to our degree of conformity to Jesus' teaching. As we will soon find out from several examples, Jesus’ teaching is far from being more lenient but demands our heart and attitude, as well as, our actions. Jesus gave them a startling revelation that the Pharisees and teachers of the law are not good examples of proper righteousness and standing with God. As will soon become clearer in the sermon, their piety was all about appearances, far from an authentic faith.
Relate it to your life.
I must not settle for a fake faith but understand that authenticity is the currency of God’s kingdom.
Do something.
Jesus, please strip away everything that is false or for show. Make me the real deal. Amen.
September 24-Sermon on the Mount
Write out the Scripture.
Matthew 5:21-22, “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.
Observe what it is saying.
As Jesus moves into practical matters, He took six Old Testament laws and interpreted them in light of His kingdom that He was establishing. He made a fundamental change to each by including the attitudes and intents of the heart, not simply the external actions. The Pharisees had a long list of sins, but Jesus said the origin of each sin came from the attitudes of the heart. Jesus begins with murder and expands it to include anger. Anger is murder of the heart. There is a holy anger against sin as in Romans 1:18, but, here, Jesus talked about an unholy anger against one another which means “a settled anger, malice that is nursed inwardly.” Jesus described that such anger being the same as murder as they explode and call a fellow believer “Raca” which is an Aramaic swear word meaning “empty-headed.” They do not stop there but go on to call them “fool” which demeans and destroys their personhood even further. Jesus equated such destructive words, as the same as, if they had actually murdered them. Jesus warned that such unchecked and over-the-top anger would cause them to face judgment and the danger of the fire of hell. The word used for “hell” referred to the Hinnom Valley near Jerusalem where child sacrifice by fire was performed in Old Testament times. It became a natural metaphor for a place of eternal punishment.
Relate it to your life.
I need to realize I can murder another person with my heart and mouth.
Do something.
Lord Jesus, please forgive me when I have had such an angry heart and spoken hateful words that destroyed another person. Amen.
September 25-Sermon on the Mount
Write out the Scripture.
Matthew 5:23-24, “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.
Observe what it is saying.
Today, we look at the first of two illustrations that Jesus offers showing the seriousness of anger. The setting is in a temple worship service and relates to a relationship with a fellow believer. However, the anger is not the worshiper’s anger but their “offense” that prompted the other believer’s anger toward them. We are often more likely to remember when we have something against others than when we’ve done the offending. If we are truly concerned with dealing appropriately with our own anger, we should, also, be concerned when we do something that causes such feelings in others and take the initiative to reconcile. As the offender gave their gift at the altar, they remembered what they had done. In the middle of their worship time of giving, they left their it behind and went to reconcile. They apologized and did all they could to make the relationship whole again. Only after doing so, could they return to the scheduled community worship. Authentic worship involves confessing, apologizing, and reconciling.
Relate it to your life.
Every time I come to worship the Lord, I need to do an inventory of my life to determine if have caused any offense to another believer or family member and go apologize and reconcile
Do something.
Jesus, may I take this spiritual act of preparation for worship to heart just as You commanded it. Amen.
September 26-Sermon on the Mount
Write out the Scripture.
Matthew 5:25-26, “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.
Observe what it is saying.
The second example of anger that Jesus gives relates to an adversary who wants to take you to court. The person who has caused the legal issue is required to pay for damages done or debts to be repaid. In that culture, a civil court matter could result in being put in prison. Jesus was giving wise practical counsel to settle out of court so you would not face double punishment of prison and repayment. To settle would seemingly only require payment to be made. As the offender, you must humble yourself, admit to your wrong, and be willing to make recompense. So, whether it is with a fellow believer, as the case yesterday, or any adversary who is angry for failure to abide by a contract, followers of Jesus should be responsive and settle such matters quickly. These actions of taking necessary steps to reconcile relationships and resolve civil matters reveal the nature of the kingdom Jesus was ushering into the world.
Relate it to your life.
As a follower of Jesus, I am charged with taking the lead to make things right with others.
Do something.
Jesus, give me humility and courage to take the necessary steps to make things right with others. Amen.
September 27-Sermon on the Mount
Write out the Scripture.
Matthew 5:27-28, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Observe what it is saying.
As Jesus expanded murder to include unrighteous anger toward others so He expanded the sin of adultery. It is more than a physical act. It is a matter of the heart and mind. Jesus insisted that the seventh commandment points toward purity that refuses to lust after another person, even if, it does not result in a physical affair. Jesus’ kingdom demands more than just outer conformity to prescribed laws. The laws are necessary because of our sinful propensity, but Jesus knows that the mind is where it starts. Jesus wants all of our thoughts. He wants purity deep within us. For Jesus, it is not just about being in compliance with a set of rules, it is about having a transformed Spirit-filled life that impacts all of our thinking and living. It moves us from mere duty to a loving desire to become like Jesus in every imaginable way.
Relate it to your life.
My internal and external purity matters because it is a reflection of my mind and heart’s condition.
Do something.
Jesus, I confess to You I have entertained thoughts that linger longer than is holy and healthy. Purify my mind. Cleanse my heart. Keep my eyes focused on heaven. May I be so in love with You that I have no desire to lust after anyone or anything. Amen.
Write out the Scripture.
Matthew 5:17-18, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
Observe what it is saying.
As Jesus prepares to lay out specific teaching in His sermon, he, first, makes sure we understand the connection with the Old Testament. The phrase "Do not think that" clarified and eliminated potential misunderstandings as to the nature of His kingdom. Jesus' mission was not "to abolish" or destroy the Law or the Prophets, which is a description of the Scriptures He used. Jesus fulfilled them in the sense they all pointed and became completed in Him by his person, actions, and teaching. In no way does His fulfillment abolish the Old Testament as Scripture, though the sacrificial system was no longer needed because Jesus became the final sacrifice. Instead, the Old Testament's authority was now understood through the Messiah’s coming. God’s entire purpose prophesied in Scripture will take place and will eventually be consummated in God’s kingdom on earth. The Apostle Paul also understood that the Law and the Prophets pointed to Jesus. Romans 3:21-22a, “But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.” Faith in Jesus is the door into which we enter the eternal kingdom of heaven through which the Law and the Prophets had been pointing the whole time.
Relate it to your life.
I join Jesus in bringing His kingdom to earth as I trust and follow His teaching and lifestyle.
Do something.
Jesus, I pick up the cross of total obedience and follow You today, tomorrow, and evermore. Amen.
September 23-Sermon on the Mount
Write out the Scripture.
Matthew 5:19-20, Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Observe what it is saying.
The good news is the person who sets aside or does not adequately teach these commandments will not be left out of the kingdom. The bad news is they will be found to be less important in the kingdom. So, what are "these commandments"? They are of the Old Testament where we have just been told that they have not been scrapped but fulfilled by Jesus. Therefore, these Scriptures must be practiced, but they also point forward to Jesus and His teaching. So, they are ultimately obeyed in relationship to Jesus’ teaching. Ranking in the kingdom is found to our degree of conformity to Jesus' teaching. As we will soon find out from several examples, Jesus’ teaching is far from being more lenient but demands our heart and attitude, as well as, our actions. Jesus gave them a startling revelation that the Pharisees and teachers of the law are not good examples of proper righteousness and standing with God. As will soon become clearer in the sermon, their piety was all about appearances, far from an authentic faith.
Relate it to your life.
I must not settle for a fake faith but understand that authenticity is the currency of God’s kingdom.
Do something.
Jesus, please strip away everything that is false or for show. Make me the real deal. Amen.
September 24-Sermon on the Mount
Write out the Scripture.
Matthew 5:21-22, “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.
Observe what it is saying.
As Jesus moves into practical matters, He took six Old Testament laws and interpreted them in light of His kingdom that He was establishing. He made a fundamental change to each by including the attitudes and intents of the heart, not simply the external actions. The Pharisees had a long list of sins, but Jesus said the origin of each sin came from the attitudes of the heart. Jesus begins with murder and expands it to include anger. Anger is murder of the heart. There is a holy anger against sin as in Romans 1:18, but, here, Jesus talked about an unholy anger against one another which means “a settled anger, malice that is nursed inwardly.” Jesus described that such anger being the same as murder as they explode and call a fellow believer “Raca” which is an Aramaic swear word meaning “empty-headed.” They do not stop there but go on to call them “fool” which demeans and destroys their personhood even further. Jesus equated such destructive words, as the same as, if they had actually murdered them. Jesus warned that such unchecked and over-the-top anger would cause them to face judgment and the danger of the fire of hell. The word used for “hell” referred to the Hinnom Valley near Jerusalem where child sacrifice by fire was performed in Old Testament times. It became a natural metaphor for a place of eternal punishment.
Relate it to your life.
I need to realize I can murder another person with my heart and mouth.
Do something.
Lord Jesus, please forgive me when I have had such an angry heart and spoken hateful words that destroyed another person. Amen.
September 25-Sermon on the Mount
Write out the Scripture.
Matthew 5:23-24, “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.
Observe what it is saying.
Today, we look at the first of two illustrations that Jesus offers showing the seriousness of anger. The setting is in a temple worship service and relates to a relationship with a fellow believer. However, the anger is not the worshiper’s anger but their “offense” that prompted the other believer’s anger toward them. We are often more likely to remember when we have something against others than when we’ve done the offending. If we are truly concerned with dealing appropriately with our own anger, we should, also, be concerned when we do something that causes such feelings in others and take the initiative to reconcile. As the offender gave their gift at the altar, they remembered what they had done. In the middle of their worship time of giving, they left their it behind and went to reconcile. They apologized and did all they could to make the relationship whole again. Only after doing so, could they return to the scheduled community worship. Authentic worship involves confessing, apologizing, and reconciling.
Relate it to your life.
Every time I come to worship the Lord, I need to do an inventory of my life to determine if have caused any offense to another believer or family member and go apologize and reconcile
Do something.
Jesus, may I take this spiritual act of preparation for worship to heart just as You commanded it. Amen.
September 26-Sermon on the Mount
Write out the Scripture.
Matthew 5:25-26, “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.
Observe what it is saying.
The second example of anger that Jesus gives relates to an adversary who wants to take you to court. The person who has caused the legal issue is required to pay for damages done or debts to be repaid. In that culture, a civil court matter could result in being put in prison. Jesus was giving wise practical counsel to settle out of court so you would not face double punishment of prison and repayment. To settle would seemingly only require payment to be made. As the offender, you must humble yourself, admit to your wrong, and be willing to make recompense. So, whether it is with a fellow believer, as the case yesterday, or any adversary who is angry for failure to abide by a contract, followers of Jesus should be responsive and settle such matters quickly. These actions of taking necessary steps to reconcile relationships and resolve civil matters reveal the nature of the kingdom Jesus was ushering into the world.
Relate it to your life.
As a follower of Jesus, I am charged with taking the lead to make things right with others.
Do something.
Jesus, give me humility and courage to take the necessary steps to make things right with others. Amen.
September 27-Sermon on the Mount
Write out the Scripture.
Matthew 5:27-28, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Observe what it is saying.
As Jesus expanded murder to include unrighteous anger toward others so He expanded the sin of adultery. It is more than a physical act. It is a matter of the heart and mind. Jesus insisted that the seventh commandment points toward purity that refuses to lust after another person, even if, it does not result in a physical affair. Jesus’ kingdom demands more than just outer conformity to prescribed laws. The laws are necessary because of our sinful propensity, but Jesus knows that the mind is where it starts. Jesus wants all of our thoughts. He wants purity deep within us. For Jesus, it is not just about being in compliance with a set of rules, it is about having a transformed Spirit-filled life that impacts all of our thinking and living. It moves us from mere duty to a loving desire to become like Jesus in every imaginable way.
Relate it to your life.
My internal and external purity matters because it is a reflection of my mind and heart’s condition.
Do something.
Jesus, I confess to You I have entertained thoughts that linger longer than is holy and healthy. Purify my mind. Cleanse my heart. Keep my eyes focused on heaven. May I be so in love with You that I have no desire to lust after anyone or anything. Amen.
Posted in Daily Devotionals