Jesus Taught Like a King
Book of Matthew Chapter 5 verses 1 through 16
What happened immediately after Jesus was baptized? Jesus tempted of the Devil.
What happened immediately after Jesus was tempted of the Devil? Jesus began His ministry.
Jesus began His ministry with what is now called the Sermon on the Mount also called the "Beatitudes".
We can understand the "beatitudes" as the blessedness of the saved soul.
We are nothing unless we have accepted the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ!
Psa 32:1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
You are not forgiven by our Holy God until you have accepted the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ, it is just that simple!
We can also understand this sermon of the Lord Jesus Christ as the "qualities" of all those who will be found in the Kingdom of God.
We must begin these qualities once we have accepted the salvation of the Lord, "we must be Born Again"!
Remember John the Baptist preached "repent because the Kingdom of God is at hand".
Jesus begins by preaching the qualities of those who will be found in the Kingdom of God.
If we consider that blessedness is happiness, then we can understand the preaching of the Apostle Peter:
1Pe 4:14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: "on their part he is evil spoken of", but on your part he is glorified.
1Pe 4:15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.
1Pe 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, "let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf".
Or James the half-brother of our Lord and Savior:
Jas 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: "for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him".
We can consider blessedness and happiness to be almost equal in this first sermon of our Lord Jesus.
*****Mat 5:1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:
We first see the compassion Jesus had for the people.
His disciples came to Him. As disciples we should always be seeking Jesus!
These Jews were seeking King Jesus!
The Lord Jesus chose this place on a mount because it was big enough to accommodate those multitudes who were following Him.
It was also a place His voice would carry. We can just imagine these people being quiet because they wanted to hear what Jesus had to say.
If you are a human being then it behooves you to hear what the Lord Jesus Christ has to say!
The Lord Jesus Christ was a great preacher who was always full of the Holy Spirit:
Joh 3:33 He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.
Joh 3:34 "For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him".
Joh 3:35 The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.
Joh 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
We can understand these words of Christ Jesus as a proclamation of the Kingdom of God "by the King of His coming Kingdom".
Jesus is teaching His disciples.
Jesus is showing His authority over the Scriptures. His authority was within Himself.
Jesus taught as the Jewish Messiah. The Messiah who would be King of His Kingdom.
Mat 7:28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:
Mat 7:29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. (A scribe could only read the Word of God)
We will see that the way to be saved is not given in this Sermon!
But we should not forget all Scripture is written for us to learn!
2Ti 3:16 "All scripture" is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
This includes all the Old Testament and all the New Testament. (This does not include the acrophobia books not inspired by the Holy Spirit)
So let us begin:
*****Mat 5:2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,
Mat 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
What will we be like as "Subjects" in God's Kingdom?
Notice Jesus did not start by passing out copies of the Old Testament. Jesus sat down and taught with the Words of His mouth.
Jesus teaches us as the fulfillment of all the Scriptures. Jesus taught with authority!
To be blessed is to be "happy".
To be blessed is a spiritual joy and satisfaction regardless of the conditions we face.
The Apostle Paul understood this to mean:
Php_4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
This is the thing carries us through times of pain, and sorrow, and loss and grief.
Everyone wants to be blessed, but most of the world seeks that blessedness in the things of this world and it cannot be found in the things of this world!
1Jn 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1Jn 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
Those who are blessed are those who choose the Lord because He first chose them!
Psa 65:4 Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.
Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
We cannot associate these poor in Spirit with those who are poor in worldly things.
We cannot associate those who are mean spirited with those who are poor in Spirit.
We should not understand that the poor in Spirit are poor in spirituality.
Poorness of spirit, in a godly sense, is true humility or true contrition of heart, because we acknowledge that we are sinners in need of a Savior.
We are poor in spirit when we acknowledge we are nothing without the Lord Jesus Christ and then Jesus Christ will take us into His Kingdom!
*****Mat 5:4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
To mourn is the condition of all those who are brokenhearted because of their own sin or of the sin of others or the sin of this world.
It can be somewhat compared to mourning over the death of a loved one.
Isa 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Isa 53:4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
Isa 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
It can be that brokenness when we read the things Christ Jesus went through on the cross, while realizing it was our sin that put Him there!
2Co 7:10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
It is the Lord Jesus Christ who can only provide that comfort!
Joh 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
You know, it is the Lord Jesus Christ who will wipe away all those tears of mourning!
*****Mat 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
It is all those who have humbled themselves before Christ who can enjoy the remainder of their days upon this earth!
They are teachable in the ways of the Lord.
They have nothing to prove to this world.
They have a renewed purpose and meaning and a significance in this life knowing it will end in the glory world, in the Father's House!
As Christians we learn to control our circumstances by not allowing our circumstances to control us!
We know we are on the winning side and we act like it!
*****Mat 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
When we hunger for righteousness it means we have put to death the sin in our lives!
Rom_8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of
the body, ye shall live.
Jesus Christ died to remove sin and the control that sin had over our lives.
It is righteousness that will fill that gap where the sin is gone forever!
Eph 3:19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
Being filled with our Righteous Savior!
*****Mat 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
To be merciful is to be compassionate!
Fourteen times in the Gospels, the word compassion is used where 10 of those times Jesus used the word compassion Himself.
The other 4 times it said Jesus had compassion or that Jesus was moved with compassion.
This verse states emphatically, that if we are merciful to all others showing compassion, then God will show mercy to us and He proved this on the cross!
The modern Church have removed the importance of the cross because they would rather cling to their sin calling it the modernization of the Word of God. God is not old fashioned!
The Lord gives us an example.
Mat 18:22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
Mat 18:23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.
Mat 18:24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.
Mat 18:25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
Mat 18:26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
Mat 18:27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
Mat 18:28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.
Mat 18:29 And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
Mat 18:30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
Mat 18:31 So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
Mat 18:32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
Mat 18:33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?
Mat 18:34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
Mat 18:35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
Every believer can be merciful and therefore "must be merciful"!
When we understand the blessings of God, then we should understand that it is certainly more important to give than to receive!
The Lord will deal with us just as we deal with other people. We had better keep this in mind!
So, whatever mercy we desire from God, then we had better show that mercy to our brothers and sisters in Christ!
A merciful heart is a pure heart!
*****Mat 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
A pure heart is "clean", it is unsoiled from the things of this world. It is unpolluted, "a pure heart is Holy"!
Remember no one can see God and live, yet here we read that those with a Holy heart shall see God, in fact they are the only ones who will ever see God face to face!
Of all the other traits of the Christian, none of those traits can be true if our heart is not pure and like the heart of the Lord Jesus Christ!
How do we see God now?
1Co 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
1Co 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
Perfect charity comes from a pure heart! Charity is a "giving love"!
Our pure heart will become a reality when we meet the Lord in the air!
1Jn 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, "we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is".
1Jn 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him "purifieth himself", even as he is pure.
All the qualities of the true Christian come together with a pure heart which leads us to righteousness!
Psa 17:15 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.
Only then can we become a true peacemaker, a true child of God.
*****Mat 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
The Lord has left us upon this earth after our salvation "to become peacemakers".
It is our job to prepare the highway to the Lord for individuals who are lost, just as did John the Baptist begin preparations for Jesus to build the "Highway to Heaven"!
It is our job to make peace between the lost and the Lord!
We are to solve disputes and never be the cause of them!
We must find ways to explain the truth of God to those who do not understand it, without compromising the Word of God.
We must take our faith, with a pure heart, full of mercy and love, and show these things to the unbeliever.
Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Rom 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
We must remember we can only get close to Christ Jesus because of the blood He shed for us.
Eph 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Eph 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
Eph 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
Eph 2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
We are reconciled to God by His "grace" and we must show "that same grace" to all we meet, even to our enemies.
When we do these things, we will be persecuted by those who are sold out to Satan.
*****Mat 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 5:11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Mat 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
There are many people in this world who are persecuted for one evil reason or another, only the Church is persecuted for doing good.
The Church is persecuted simply because most of the leadership of the world hates the Lord Jesus Christ and the principles that He teaches through His disciples!
The teachings of Jesus Christ reveal the wickedness and immorality that is approved by the world, even though the queer movement represents only a small fraction of the world's people, less than ten percent.
The teachings of Christ Jesus go against abortion, when it is those two people who decide to commit a sinful act, neglecting the responsibility of their actions!
Why is the everyday taxpayer held responsible for the acts of two people who should be held accountable?
It is not the child who is at fault, so why is the child punished with death?
Abortion is now used, not just to murder an innocent living child, but also to choose the sex of the baby, to check for traits that are unwanted, and many other reasons and then aborted child is not treated with any respect but is sold for its body parts. "True wickedness".
When we are persecuted for doing what is right, it shows how low our world has become!
2Ti 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
I accept the fact that I may be persecuted just because I love the Lord Jesus Christ, but it does not make it easier, it is just like all the other Word of God, I just accept it as the truth and move on.
It just shows that I serve an all-knowing God!
Whoever thought people would be treated so bad just because they were trying to do good for all people.
Our government has already decided that we are too ignorant to know right from wrong!
Today you can do all manner of evil and much of the world will stand up in your defense, even come to your rescue, but if you try to do the things the Lord Jesus Christ did or try to live your life according to the Word of God, you are treated as less than a human being.
In fact the world will say you are mentally unfit.
But it does not matter because we have a Savior and if you reject that Savior you are only causing harm to yourself and to those you love.
Just because you persecute God's people, you cannot rob them of God's blessings!
Jesus speaking here just says, I can be happy that I am seen to be like Him.
In fact Jesus says to rejoice! Be exceeding glad! For our rewards are just piling up in Heaven!
Persecution is just a test of true discipleship!
1Pe 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
1Pe 4:14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
1Pe 4:15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.
The world may try to protect the murderer, and the thief, and the evildoer, and all those who are busybodies in other people's matters, but "Heaven is not open to the world".
Jesus is not preparing a home for the world He is preparing a home only for those who love Him!
Joh 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
Joh 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
I will not worry about what this world can do to me, because I have a Living Savior who cannot be touched by the ways of the world and I want to be like Him!
The Church exists for the sake of the world to try to change the evil ways of the world, but most of the world have sold their souls to the Devil and they are not looking to change!
*****Mat 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
At one time salt was so valuable in this world that Roman soldiers were paid with salt because it could be used to meet their needs in any nation they traveled and was more valuable than gold.
Salt makes many foods acceptable because it changes the flavor of the food.
Job 6:6 Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg?
Salt was a preservative especially for edible meats and fishes and is still used today for this reason.
Salt can also be used for destruction of the land not allowing it ever again to produce life, such as the land that was once Sodom and Gomorrah.
Zep 2:9 Therefore as I live, saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them.
Psa 107:34 A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.
Salt is also used in blessings.
Lev 2:13 And every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt.
It is the Christian life that can change the evil ways of Sodom and Gomorrah in our world today.
It is the Christian life that can show the world the beauty of living for Christ Jesus before it is too late.
It is the quality of Christian salt and not the quantity of Christian salt, that can make a difference in this world!
The flavor of evil can be changed by salt of God's people!
Remember God's people are salted and preserved forever more!
But much of the Church has lost its saltiness and it has no more value than the soil we walk upon.
In fact, as the false church gains in popularity, the world becomes a barren wilderness of sin!
The true Church is also the Light of this world.
*****Mat 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Mat 5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
The Christian who stays true to the Word of God cannot be hidden any more than the Sun can be blocked from its light.
God is Light, darkness is sin:
1Jn 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
Every Christian being filled with the Holy Spirit has the Light of God living within them, glowing with the Light of Life.
Joh 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Joh 9:5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
Now that our Lord Jesus Christ is in Heaven, then the Church is the Light of the World.
Eph 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
Eph 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
Eph 5:10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
Light is clear and pure.
Light penetrates darkness.
Light enlightens, it enlarges our vision.
Light reveals, it opens up the truth of darkness.
Light guides us down the right path.
Light strips away darkness.
Light protects us from the ways of darkness.
Our own Christian Light will grow dim if it is not used!
The more we confess the Lord Jesus Christ, the brighter we will shine, and no amount of persecution can change that.
There is no other light in this world that can benefit this world, we cannot allow our Christian Light to become dim and go out!
Light only has one purpose and that purpose is "to shine"!
After God created Heaven and the void of Earth, He next made "Light"!
Amen
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