Transcript

Podcast Introduction

Today is Gospel Saturday. We’ll read Matthew 5-7. And after the reading, I have some comments I’m calling today’s episode “The Sermon On the Mount.”

Comments on the Sermon On the Mount

Jesus had begun drawing large crowds by now. He taught in synagogues, he preached the gospel of the kingdom of Heaven, and he healed all kinds of disease and sickness among the people. He became famous, and people are always drawn to famous people. In Jesus’ case, they wanted to see miracles and hear him teach.

So on this particular day, when Jesus saw the crowd, He walked up a mountain so that his voice could be heard by them, and once he found a place to sit, he began speaking. It was common in that day for teachers to sit, and students to stand, and we have other examples Jesus sitting while teaching. Matthew 13:2, 23:2, 24:3, Luke 4:20.

Given the denseness of Jesus’ message, there is no way to talk about every point in one episode of this podcast. But I do have a couple of points I want to address.

Jesus Fulfilled the Law and the Prophets

In 5:17 Jesus says, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have not come to abolish these things but to fulfill them.” This is very important, because He will be accused of blasphemy when the religious leaders hear certain parts of His teaching. He was declaring here that His purpose was *not* to oppose the Law that God gave to Israel through Moses. He came to fulfill the Law, to live it as God intended, not as the Scribes and Pharisees had misinterpreted it.

No one had ever fulfilled the Law, because to do so would mean that he or she had never sinned. Jesus is the only one in the history of mankind to live a sinless life. Jesus never broke the Law of God.

The Law and the Prophets pointed to Jesus. He fulfilled them.

The Law and the Prophets proclaim that the penalty for sin is death. Jesus’ death on the cross fulfilled this as well. He had not sinned, but He took my sin and yours upon Himself. He was the perfect and final sacrificial Lamb. Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

The apostle Paul wrote in Romans 10:4, “Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.”

The Bottom Line

If I was forced to distill the Sermon on the Mount, what would I say was the lesson Jesus wanted the crowd to leave with?

Jesus laid out some pretty high standards, didn’t He? If you’re angry with a brother, you will subjected to judgement. If you look with lust at someone who is not your spouse, you are an adulterer. If someone hits you on the right cheek, you are to turn your other cheek to him. And you have to love your enemies. And that’s only part of the first chapter.

Maybe I’m alone here. Maybe I’m the worst guy on the planet. But according to Jesus’ teaching in this sermon, I. Am. Guilty. Guilty as charged. I cannot sit behind this microphone and claim to be righteous. I can’t expect to get into Heaven on my merits. 

I am in deep, deep trouble. 

Am I alone? Hmm? Oh, good.

This realization that we fall far short is exactly what Jesus intended with this sermon. He needed to make us aware of our need for Him. We desperately need Him. We need him more than food, more than water, more than the air we breathe. Because without Him, our future is bleak. Our future holds nothing but blackness, torment, and separation from God.

But here is the Good News! In John 3:17 and 18 Jesus says, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world should be saved through him. 18 The one who believes in him is not condemned.”

If I believe in Him, I am free from condemnation! My sins, which are many, are not only forgiven, they are forgotten. They are as far from me as the east is from the west. God sees me as pure and holy and righteous, because of what Jesus did for me. And for you.

That is the best news you will hear today, tomorrow and forever. Period. 

Do you believe it? I sincerely hope so.

Today’s Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 5 NET, Ch. 6 NIRV, Ch. 7 ERV

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Matthew 5-7: The Sermon on the Mount (LSFAB S13E021)

[TEASER – 0:00]
People are always drawn to famous people aren’t they?

[INTRO S13E021 – 0:10]
This is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible coming to you from Riverside, California. And podcasting since 2004, I’m your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is the daily podcast where we’ll read through the entire Bible in a year. This is Gospel Saturday, and we’ll read Matthew 5 through 7. And after the reading, I have a few comments. I’m calling today’s episode, “The Sermon on the Mount”.

[OPENING PRAYER- 0:34]
Let’s pray. Our heavenly Father we pray, Lord, that You would bless this time of reading. This, the greatest sermon that was ever preached, is so important, and I pray God that you would help us to grasp it, to understand it, to make it a part of who we are. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

All right, are you ready? Let’s begin.

[MATTHEW 5 (NET) – 0:54]
Matthew, chapter 5.

(1) When he saw the crowds, he went up the mountain. After he sat down his disciples came to him. (2) Then he began to teach them by saying:
(3) “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
(4) “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
(5) “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
(6) “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
(7) “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
(8) “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
(9) “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God.
(10) “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
(11) “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things about you falsely on account of me. (12) Rejoice and be glad because your reward is great in heaven, for they persecuted the prophets before you in the same way.

(13) “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its flavor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled on by people. (14) You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill cannot be hidden. (15) People do not light a lamp and put it under a basket but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. (16) In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven.

(17) “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have not come to abolish these things but to fulfill them. (18) I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth pass away not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter will pass from the law until everything takes place. (19) So anyone who breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever obeys them and teaches others to do so will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (20) For I tell you, unless your righteousness goes beyond that of the experts in the law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

(21) “You have heard that it was said to an older generation, ‘Do not murder,’ and ‘whoever murders will be subjected to judgment.’ (22) But I say to you that anyone who is angry with a brother will be subjected to judgment. And whoever insults a brother will be brought before the council, and whoever says ‘Fool’ will be sent to fiery hell. (23) So then, if you bring your gift to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, (24) leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother and then come and present your gift. (25) Reach agreement quickly with your accuser while on the way to court, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the warden, and you will be thrown into prison. (26) I tell you the truth, you will never get out of there until you have paid the last penny!

(27) “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ (28) But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to desire her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (29) If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away! It is better to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into hell. (30) If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away! It is better to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into hell.

(31) “It was said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a legal document.’ (32) But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

(33) “Again, you have heard that it was said to an older generation, ‘Do not break an oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.’ (34) But I say to you, do not take oaths at all – not by heaven, because it is the throne of God, (35) not by earth, because it is his footstool, and not by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King. (36) Do not take an oath by your head, because you are not able to make one hair white or black. (37) Let your word be ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no.’ More than this is from the evil one.

(38) “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ (39) But I say to you, do not resist the evildoer. But whoever strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other to him as well. (40) And if someone wants to sue you and to take your tunic, give him your coat also. (41) And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two. (42) Give to the one who asks you, and do not reject the one who wants to borrow from you.

(43) “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ and ‘hate your enemy.’ (44) But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you, (45) so that you may be like your Father in heaven, since he causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. (46) For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even the tax collectors do the same, don’t they? (47) And if you only greet your brothers, what more do you do? Even the Gentiles do the same, don’t they? (48) So then, be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

[MATTHEW 6 (NIRV) – 6:45]
Matthew, chapter 6.

(1) “Be careful not to do ‘good works’ in front of others. Don’t do them to be seen by others. If you do, your Father in heaven will not reward you.

(2) “When you give to needy people, do not announce it by having trumpets blown. Do not be like those who only pretend to be holy. They announce what they do in the synagogues and on the streets. They want to be honored by others. What I’m about to tell you is true. They have received their complete reward. (3) When you give to the needy, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. (4) Then your giving will be done secretly. Your Father will reward you. He sees what you do secretly.

(5) “When you pray, do not be like those who only pretend to be holy. They love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners. They want to be seen by others. What I’m about to tell you is true. They have received their complete reward. (6) When you pray, go into your room. Close the door and pray to your Father, who can’t be seen. He will reward you. Your Father sees what is done secretly. (7) When you pray, do not keep talking on and on the way ungodly people do. They think they will be heard because they talk a lot. (8) Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need even before you ask him.

(9) “This is how you should pray.

“‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored.
(10) May your kingdom come. May what you want to happen be done on earth as it is done in heaven.
(11) Give us today our daily bread.
(12) Forgive us our sins, just as we also have forgiven those who sin against us.
(13) Keep us from falling into sin when we are tempted. Save us from the evil one.’

(14) Forgive people when they sin against you. If you do, your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you. (15) But if you do not forgive people their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

(16) “When you go without eating, do not look gloomy like those who only pretend to be holy. They make their faces very sad. They want to show people they are fasting. What I’m about to tell you is true. They have received their complete reward. (17) But when you go without eating, put olive oil on your head. Wash your face. (18) Then others will not know that you are fasting. Only your Father, who can’t be seen, will know it. He will reward you. Your Father sees what is done secretly.

(19) “Do not put away riches for yourselves on earth. Moths and rust can destroy them. Thieves can break in and steal them. (20) Instead, put away riches for yourselves in heaven. There, moths and rust do not destroy them. There, thieves do not break in and steal them. (21) Your heart will be where your riches are.

(22) “The eye is like a lamp for the body. Suppose your eyes are good. Then your whole body will be full of light. (23) But suppose your eyes are bad. Then your whole body will be full of darkness. If the light inside you is darkness, then it is very dark!

(24) “No one can serve two masters at the same time. He will hate one of them and love the other. Or he will be faithful to one and dislike the other. You can’t serve God and Money at the same time.

(25) “I tell you, do not worry. Don’t worry about your life and what you will eat or drink. And don’t worry about your body and what you will wear. Isn’t there more to life than eating? Aren’t there more important things for the body than clothes? (26) Look at the birds of the air. They don’t plant or gather crops. They don’t put away crops in storerooms. But your Father who is in heaven feeds them. Aren’t you worth much more than they are? (27) Can you add even one hour to your life by worrying?

(28) “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the wild flowers grow. They don’t work or make clothing. (29) But here is what I tell you. Not even Solomon in all of his glory was dressed like one of those flowers. (30) If that is how God dresses the wild grass, won’t he dress you even better? After all, the grass is here only today. Tomorrow it is thrown into the fire. Your faith is so small! (31) So don’t worry. Don’t say, ‘What will we eat?’ Or, ‘What will we drink?’ Or, ‘What will we wear?’ (32) People who are ungodly run after all of those things. Your Father who is in heaven knows that you need them. (33) Put God’s kingdom first. Do what he wants you to do. Then all of those things will also be given to you. (34) So don’t worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

[MATTHEW 7 (ERV) – 11:33]
Matthew, chapter 7

(1) “Don’t judge others, and God will not judge you. (2) If you judge others, you will be judged the same way you judge them. God will treat you the same way you treat others.

(3) “Why do you notice the small piece of dust that is in your friend’s eye, but you don’t notice the big piece of wood that is in your own? (4) Why do you say to your friend, ‘Let me take that piece of dust out of your eye’? Look at yourself first! You still have that big piece of wood in your own eye. (5) You are a hypocrite! First, take the wood out of your own eye. Then you will see clearly to get the dust out of your friend’s eye.

(6) “Don’t give something that is holy to dogs. They will only turn and hurt you. And don’t throw your pearls to pigs. They will only step on them.

(7)“Continue to ask, and God will give to you. Continue to search, and you will find. Continue to knock, and the door will open for you. (8) Yes, whoever continues to ask will receive. Whoever continues to look will find. And whoever continues to knock will have the door opened for them.

(9) “Do any of you have a son? If he asked for bread, would you give him a rock? (10) Or if he asked for a fish, would you give him a snake? Of course not! (11) You people are so bad, but you still know how to give good things to your children. So surely your heavenly Father will give good things to those who ask him.

(12) “Do for others what you would want them to do for you. This is the meaning of the Law of Moses and the teaching of the prophets.

(13) “You can enter true life only through the narrow gate. The gate to hell is very wide, and there is plenty of room on the road that leads there. Many people go that way. (14) But the gate that opens the way to true life is narrow. And the road that leads there is hard to follow. Only a few people find it.

(15) “Be careful of false prophets. They come to you and look gentle like sheep. But they are really dangerous like wolves. (16) You will know these people because of what they do. Good things don’t come from people who are bad, just as grapes don’t come from thornbushes, and figs don’t come from thorny weeds. (17) In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, and bad trees produce bad fruit. (18) A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot produce good fruit. (19) Every tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. (20) You will know these false people by what they do.

(21) “Not everyone who calls me Lord will enter God’s kingdom. The only people who will enter are those who do what my Father in heaven wants. (22) On that last Day many will call me Lord. They will say, ‘Lord, Lord, by the power of your name we spoke for God. And by your name we forced out demons and did many miracles.’ (23) Then I will tell those people clearly, ‘Get away from me, you people who do wrong. I never knew you.’

(24) “Whoever hears these teachings of mine and obeys them is like a wise man who built his house on rock. (25) It rained hard, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house. But it did not fall because it was built on rock.

(26) “Whoever hears these teachings of mine and does not obey them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. (27) It rained hard, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house. And it fell with a loud crash.”

(28) When Jesus finished speaking, the people were amazed at his teaching. (29) He did not teach like their teachers of the law. He taught like someone who has authority.

[COMMENTARY – 15:10]
Well, this was the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus had begun drawing large crowds by this time in his ministry. He taught in synagogues. He preached the gospel of the kingdom of heaven to the people. And He healed all kinds of disease and sickness among the people. He became famous and people are always drawn to famous people, aren’t they? In Jesus’ case, they wanted to see miracles and hear him teach.

So on this particular day, when Jesus saw the crowd, he walked up a mountain so that his voice could be heard by them. And once he found a place to sit, he began speaking. It was common in that day for teachers to sit and students to stand. And we’ve got other examples of Jesus sitting while teaching in the scriptures: Matthew 13:2, 23:2, 24:3, Luke 4:20 are some of them.

Given the denseness of Jesus message, there’s no way to talk about every point in one episode of this podcast, obviously, but I do have a couple of points that I want to address.

First, in chapter 5, verse 17, Jesus says, “Do not think that I’ve come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish these things, but to fulfill them.” Now, this is very important because he’s going to be accused of blasphemy when the religious leaders hear certain parts of his teaching. He was declaring here that his purpose was not to oppose the Law that God gave to Israel through Moses. He came to fulfill the Law, to live it as God intended, not as the scribes and Pharisees had misinterpreted it.

No one had ever fulfilled the Law, because to do so would mean that he or she had never sinned. Well, Jesus is the only one in the history of mankind to live a sinless life. Jesus never broke the Law of God. In the Law and the Prophets or what we call the Old Testament, there are many places that pointed to Jesus and He fulfilled them. The Law and the Prophets proclaimed that the penalty for sin is death. Jesus’ death on the cross fulfilled this as well. He had not sinned, but he took my sin and yours upon himself. He was the perfect and final sacrificial lamb. Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

The apostle Paul wrote in Romans 10:4, “Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.”

Second, so what’s the bottom line? If I was forced to distill the Sermon on the Mount, what would I say was the lesson Jesus wanted the crowd to leave with?

Well, Jesus laid out some pretty high standards didn’t He? If you’re angry with a brother, you will be subjected to judgment. If you look with lust at someone who’s not your spouse, you are an adulterer. If someone hits you on the right cheek, you are to turn your other cheek to him. And you have to love your enemies. And that’s only part of the first chapter.

Well, maybe I’m alone here. Maybe I’m the worst guy on the planet. But according to Jesus’ teaching in this sermon, I am guilty. Guilty as charged. I cannot sit behind this microphone and claim to be righteous. I can’t expect to get into heaven on my merits.

I’m in deep, deep trouble.

Am I alone? Hmm? Oh, good. I guess I’m not.

This realization that we fall short is exactly what Jesus intended with this sermon. He needed to make us aware of our need for him. We desperately need Him. We need him more than food, more than water, more than the air we breathe. Because without him, our future is bleak. Our future holds nothing but blackness, torment and separation from God.

But here’s the good news. In John 3:17 and 18. Jesus says, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world should be saved through him. The one who believes in Him is not condemned.”

So if I believe in him, I am free from condemnation. My sins, which are many, are not only forgiven, they’re forgotten. There is far from me as the east is from the west. God sees me as pure and holy and righteous because of what Jesus did for me. And for you.

I guarantee you, that’s the best news you’re going to hear today, tomorrow and forever. Period. End of sentence.

Do you believe it? I sure hope so.

Do you agree that this is the greatest sermon ever preached? Let me know your thoughts. Call the Lifespring Family Hotline at 951-732-8511 and if you’re outside of the US put a +1 at the beginning of that number, or you can go to comment.lifespringmedia.com and comment there or go to the show notes page for this episode at lifespringmedia.com/s13e021.

Tomorrow is Epistle Sunday and we’ll read Romans 7 and 8.

[SUPPORTER SHOUT-OUTS – 20:27]
Lifespring Family Berean Brother Paul of Seattle came in today with his weekly $22.22 donation. God bless you, Brother Paul. Thank you so much for your consistent support in a multitude of ways. God bless you, Brother.

And yesterday, you’ll remember I shared an email from James in Norway. And according to travelmath.com Norway’s about 5000 miles from where I’m sitting right now.

And then today Michael Haner signed up for a weekly $7.77 Stryper donation with this note:

“From SirDudeNamedMikeOfNotThatParis.

“Hello Neighbor. Glad God brought me to you at just the right time in my life. ITM.”

Well, in the morning to you, SirDudeNamedMikeOfNotThatParis. And given Mike’s “Hello, neighbor,” I’m pretty sure that not that Paris is Perris, California only about 10 miles from my location. So how cool is that? Talk about a contrast, from 5000 miles away to 10 miles away. Thank you, Mike. God bless you. And thanks for signing up for that weekly donation. I’m so glad the Lord pointed you here, too. It’s great to have you as a Lifespring family member, Mike.

[LIFESPRING FAMILY HOTLINE – 21:40]
Tomorrow is Sunday, which is one of the days we share prayer requests and praises. We’re called to pray for one another. James 5:16 says, “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.”

And of course, the promise is from Philippians 5:6, “Don’t worry about anything instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he’s done. Then you will experience God’s peace which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

So let’s pray for one another. Call me with your prayer requests and praises. Call the Lifespring Family Hotline at 951-732-8511 or go to prayer.lifespringmedia.com, and I’ll share your prayer requests and praises right here on the show. And of course I’ll pray for you and praise with you in my own quiet time.

[OUTRO S13E021 – 22:44]
Thanks to the team: Sister Kirsty who does the newsletter, Brother Sean of San Pedro, who does the chapters, and Sister Denise who corrects the transcripts.

And thanks to Brother Paul of Seattle and Mike Haner for their donations today. They really do help. God bless you guys. Comment on the show by calling the Lifespring Family Hotline at 951-732-8511, going to comment.lifespringmedia.com or you can always email me at st***@*************ia.com.

Until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. Thank you for inviting me into your day. I’m Steve Webb and Hooray for Jesus as James from Norway would say. Bye.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai

Transcript corrected by Denise