Tag Archives: the Sermon on the Mount

No Worries?

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Matthew 6:25-34

“Faith is our personal confidence in a being whose character we know, but whose ways we cannot trace by common sense.” (Oswald Chambers; Studies on the Sermon on the Mount; Oswald Chambers Publishers; updated 2016; p 59)

Chambers says common sense is mathematical. Faith works on illogical lines. We want to believe that if something happens, there is a result we can predict. If it rains, flowers will grow. If I get married, I will be happy. If I am good, good things will happen to me. But we all know life is messier than that.

This past weekend, several of us had a girls’ weekend in Gatlinburg, Tennessee to attend the Gaither Family Fest. While we were there, one of the ladies received word her brother had had a stroke and they were rushing him to a hospital in Jacksonville, about 60 miles away from his home. Our friend was stuck hundreds of miles away, unable to be with him and their family at such a critical moment.

We all know her brother. Rick is a good man, a deacon at our church, a willing servant of God, and a lover of Jesus. How do we make sense of his trouble at this time? That’s where faith comes in.

First let me say, as I think about this portion of Scripture, not one of the seven of us in that mountain cabin ever asked how something like this could happen to such a good guy. No one said, “He doesn’t deserve this.” I don’t think any of us questioned why this was happening. But all of us went to God in faith, trusting God for the outcome. Knowing the character of God, we can rest in His love of and care for Rick’s physical body. He’s the same God who cares for the flowers and the birds, and Rick is more dear to God than any flower or bird.

God has already done the best thing for Rick when He took care of his sin problem by dying on the cross. Rick is God’s precious child through his faith in the saving work of Jesus. We can trust God for Rick’s eternity. Certainly we can trust God for Rick’s present.

Jesus tells us not to worry. So what does it say when someone claims they can’t help but worry? Do they not have faith in God’s power and promises? If Jesus tells us to do something, and we say we can’t do that thing, is that disobedience?

Jesus doesn’t tell us not to be concerned. He doesn’t tell us not to seek medical help, or to erase Rick’s situation from our minds, and pretend it’s not happening. What Jesus is saying is not to waste time wringing our hands or pacing the floor, imagining worst case scenarios, and being paralyzed by fear. We are praying for Rick with open hands, trusting that the God whose character we know and love, is working even this out for Rick’s good and God’s glory.

Paul expressed this kind of faith in Philippians 4:19, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Rick’s need right now is physical healing. As people who love him, we are praying that his physical body will be healed so we can enjoy this ornery guy for a long time yet. But we hold on lightly, understanding this life is not the end.

Chambers asks this important question for all of us: Are we going to be true to the revelation that God is good? Are we going to be true to His honor, whatever may happen in the actual domain?” (p 60)

My prayer is yes.

PS: I had just hit the “publish” button when I got a text from Rick’s sister saying that after the doctor looked at the test results and spoke with Rick to find an improvement in his speech, they cancelled surgery! God answers prayer, dear ones. I know not every situation has the same results. But God is good and works for the good on behalf of his children. Rick’s not out of the woods, and we will continue to pray, but I just wanted to share the good news with you. May God be praised!

Jesus Just Doesn’t Let Up

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Matthew 5:38-42

Have you ever heard anyone say this passage in confusing or even that it certainly can’t mean what it says: should women stay in abusive marriages? Should I sit back and watch a thief ransack my home and not defend it? Should I give money to every bum with a cardboard sign by the side of the road?

I want to share what Chambers says about this: “We always say we do not know what Jesus Christ means when we know perfectly well He means something that is a blunt impossibility unless He remake us and make it possible.: (Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, Oswald Chambers Publishers, updated 2016, p 40).

Throughout his sermon, Jesus is speaking about our character, our disposition, our integrity. In these verses He continues that lesson using shocking examples from their culture.

To us He says: “Think of the worst insult or disrespect you can imagine, the biggest offense against you, the most unfair treatment you’ve every encountered. Then imagine you not having the desire to defend yourself or get even. Imagine you reaching out to the offender with generosity. Imagine you being kind to the person intent on hurting you.”

“Impossible!” you say. “That person doesn’t deserve my kindness.”

God’s answer? “Did I ask you to treat them the way they deserve? Do I treat you the way you deserve?”

Jesus doesn’t let up, does He? He’s always revealing one hard truth after another. This time He is addressing humble obedience. It has to do with letting go of my perceived rights and allowing Him to live His character through me. I have to surrender my will and accept His will.

Nowhere does Jesus talk about money in this passage. But we read these verses and interpret them materially. We read it and think about the bum on the side of the road. It’s a lot easier to think that way than to face my pride and my self-esteem or my skewed sense of fairness. Yet those are the things God is asking us to face.

You and I both know Jesus tells us to love our enemies and pray for those who mistreat us. Here, in this portion of the Sermon on the Mount, He is telling us how that looks in real life.

Impossible on our own. But very possible, a done deal, when the Holy Spirit is free to express the character of God through us.

Mean It

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Matthew 5:34-37

Jesus continues to talk about integrity here in His Sermon on the Mount. His message is that if I speak the truth, if I mean what I say, there is no need to back it up with an oath. Words like, “I swear to God,” or “I swear on my mother’s grave,” or “I swear on a stack of Bibles,” are tools used by liars to manipulate people.

Speak the truth out of a pure heart. If someone doubts you, let the truth speak for itself. Let your yes mean yes and your no mean no. Don’t say something. you think someone wants to hear, knowing what you say isn’t true. That makes you a liar.

I think God would much rather we live out the truth than argue for it. It’s not up to us to prove what is true. Speak truth and leave it at that. Now I know sometimes we get sucked into debates and arguments. But we often find ourselves trying to pick out the right words to get our point across. It becomes more about the words than the truth. And the one with the best words wins. God is warning against that.

Let your yes really mean yes and your no really mean no. Make sure what you are saying is really the truth and back it up with your life. Anything more than this is from the evil one. (vs 37).

What Do You Mean You Don’t Know Me?

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Matthew 5-7

If there were no other Scripture than the Sermon on the Mount, and if people everywhere did what Jesus said, our world would not be in the shape it’s in. I mean, who can argue with controlling your anger, being a faithful spouse, treating people with kindness and respect, giving to the needy, living by the Golden Rule? This is good stuff!

I read recently that even Gandhi memorized Jesus’ entire sermon.

But taking out God’s rules for living and separating those from the person of Jesus Christ is the difference between building a life on sand and building a life on the Rock. You won’t survive the storm on sand.

Living a good life – even living a really good life – will mean nothing in eternity if Jesus doesn’t know you.

It would be like a person going into a bank to close out a savings account, only to find there is nothing there because he’s put all his money in his mattress in a house that has burned to the ground. The man might argue, “But I saved almost a million dollars,” only to hear the owner of the bank say, “But not with this bank. I don’t even know you.”

The things Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount ought to be lived out in the lives of all believers. An honest person will look at Jesus’ words and admit it’s impossible to live like that 24/7. And that would be true if the foundation of your life is self, religion, academia, or whatever.

But if your foundation is Jesus and his work on the cross on your behalf, living the truth of the Sermon on the Mount becomes more and more possible every day. When you and I are wearing Jesus’ righteousness, living the way Jesus lived becomes second nature. Maybe not immediately. But walk with Jesus for a while. He rubs off on you!

My prayer is that you are laying up treasures in heaven. Because one day you will want to cash in your account. When you stand before God, I pray He will welcome you with open arms and call you by name. It would be awful if he turns you away, and you hear yourself argue, “What do you mean you don’t know me? I’ve done a lot of good things.”

But you’ll know the answer to that question, and the life you built on sand will crumble.