Who Is Jesus, Lesson 11: The Greatest Sermon: What Jesus Taught on the Mount

Welcome to Authorized Sword Ministries. This is Lesson 11 in our series, Who Is Jesus? Today's lesson is called The Greatest Sermon: What Jesus Taught on the Mount.

We're so glad you're here.

We have looked at who Jesus is, what He did, and the signs He worked. Today we listen to Him teach. The Sermon on the Mount is not a set of suggestions for nice people. It shows the heart of the kingdom, the holiness of God's law, and the only sure foundation.

Our Key Verse

"Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock."
— Matthew 7:24-25 (KJV)

The sermon ends with a choice. Hearing is not enough. The wise person hears the sayings of Jesus and does them. The rains will come, to men and to women, to every house. The question is the foundation.

The Heart of the Kingdom

Jesus opened His mouth and began with blessing, not with pride:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted."
— Matthew 5:3-4 (KJV)

The kingdom does not start with the strong, the loud, or the self-satisfied. It starts with those who know they are poor in spirit, and those who mourn over sin. He goes on to speak of the meek, of those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, of the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake. This is not a list for one gender or one personality. It is the character of everyone who belongs to the King.

If you have felt too small, too sad, or too stained to be blessed, hear Him again. The blessing is for the poor in spirit and for them that mourn.

He Came to Fulfil the Law

Some thought Jesus had come to throw the law away. He said the opposite:

"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil."
— Matthew 5:17 (KJV)

Then He took the commandments deeper than the outward act. It is not enough to keep from murder if the heart is full of anger. It is not enough to keep from adultery if the heart is full of lust. He spoke to husbands and wives about faithfulness, to every person about truth in speech, and to all of us about loving our enemies and praying for them that despitefully use us. The standard is the holiness of the Father.

No one can walk down from that mountain and say, "I have done well enough." The sermon shows us our need of a Saviour, and then it shows us how a saved person is meant to live. Jesus fulfilled the law for us, and then He writes it on our hearts.

A House on the Rock

At the end, two men build two houses. From the outside, both houses may look fine. Then the rain, the floods, and the winds come. The difference is not the weather. The difference is the foundation. The foolish man hears and does not. The wise man hears and does.

As an application, the sayings of Jesus are not for the shelf. They are for the home, the work, the hidden thought, and the hard relationship. Build on the Rock, and the house will stand.

A Simple Step for This Week

Read Matthew chapters 5, 6, and 7 this week, a little each day, out loud if you can. After each section, ask two questions: "What did Jesus say?" and "What will I do?" Write down one act of obedience, and do it.

A Prayer

Lord Jesus, You are the King who taught on the mount, and You are the Rock under the house. Make us poor in spirit, and make us doers of Your Word, not hearers only. Fulfil Your law in us, and help our lives stand when the storms come. In Your name, amen.

Thank you for spending this time with us. This is Authorized Sword Ministries. God bless you.

Study Questions

1. According to Matthew 7:24-25, what makes a person like a wise man who built on a rock?
2. What two kinds of people does Jesus first call blessed in Matthew 5:3-4, and what is promised to them?
3. Why would "poor in spirit" and "they that mourn" be a surprising place to begin a kingdom sermon?
4. What did Jesus say He came to do with the law and the prophets in Matthew 5:17?
5. How does Jesus take the commandments deeper than outward acts in Matthew 5?
6. Who is the sermon for — only a few special disciples, or everyone who will hear and do?
7. What happens to the house that is not founded on the rock, according to the verses that follow our key text (Matthew 7:26-27)?
8. What is the difference between hearing the sayings of Jesus and doing them?
9. Which saying in the Sermon on the Mount most searches your heart right now?
10. What one act of obedience will you take this week because of something Jesus said on the mount?