Jesus grew up in Nazareth, hidden in the upper
region of Israel. He spent most of His early public ministry in the hills and
towns surrounding the peaceful, yet lively lake of Galilee. And it was in this
setting that His most notable “Sermon on the Mount” took place, perhaps along
the seashore village of Capernaum.
It has been debated whether this great sermon was
one actual continuous discourse as recorded by Matthew, chapters 5 through 7.
Some scholars think that Jesus taught many short lessons while He spent time
around the Sea of Galilee and that He repeated much of His teaching in order to
make the message sink in. These sermons were then collected and recorded into
one long passage. Either way, we should be concerned with the content of His
Sermon – what He said and how He said it!
Jesus certainly taught some ideas that were
startling to His audience. They were mostly Jews, who lived under the Old Law
and were familiar with the expectations and teachings of the Pharisees. But in
this sermon, Jesus was making statements that were challenging, unexpected, and
fresh!
He begins His gems of wisdom with declarations of
blessedness, The Beatitudes, as we commonly call them.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for
righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for
righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 5:1-10, NKJV)
In these few statements of happiness, Jesus tells us
that true contentment comes by looking at life from God’s point of view, not
man’s. Happy are those who follow God! Interestingly enough, the first
beatitude says to be humble. Pride is perhaps man’s greatest shortcoming.
Next, Jesus compares His disciples to the “salt
of the earth” and the “light of the world”. Obviously, He expected
those who believed in Him to be moral and spiritual influences in the world.
(Matt. 5:13-16) Are we?
Then Jesus addressed the religion of the Pharisees
and lawyers in Matt. 5:17-48. He told His listeners to rise above the
traditions and interpretations of the Old Testament and of the rabbis. To enter
the kingdom of heaven would require a morality that went beyond the letter of
the Law.
He redefined murder as unresolved anger (vs. 21-26).
He redefined adultery as mental lust (vs. 27-30). He clarified the divorce and
remarriage issue under the Law of Moses (vs. 31-32). He taught to avoid making
unnecessary oaths (vs. 33-37), to practice justice with all men (vs. 38-42),
and to “love your enemies” (vs. 43-47).
True Christianity also involved proper behavior. But
unlike the outward pretenses of the Jewish religious leaders, Jesus explained
that His followers would do the right thing, simply and humbly. They would
realize the value of one’s true inner character (Matt. 6:1-18), and not possess
that desire to be men pleasers.
Of special note is the model prayer that Jesus
taught: “Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come.
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily
bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us
into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and
the power and the glory forever. Amen.” (Matt. 6:9-13 NKJV)
In the next passage Jesus discusses our involvement
with money and material possessions (vs. 19-34). We worry too much about such
tangible things. Our Savior tells us to quit being so anxious. God will provide
for his people, just as he has been doing for centuries and centuries.
Another important topic dealt with judging right and
wrong. Jesus said that we need to pay more attention to our own faults rather
than trying to point out the sins of others (Matt. 7:1-6). Hard to do
sometimes, isn’t it?
He also spoke of how our heavenly Father will answer
our requests. But we must ask, seek, and knock (vs. 7-11). Remember the golden
rule: “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for
this is the Law and the Prophets.” (Matt. 7:12 NKJV)
As a conclusion, our Lord challenged His listeners
to obedience. It would definitely require a changing lifestyle. Few would do it
(vs. 13-14) but it would be obvious by their fruits and by their actions who
were the true followers (vs. 15-23). Anyone who applied these precepts would be
compared to a wise man (vs. 23-27).
At the end of this great sermon, Matthew says that
the people who heard Jesus were “astonished” at His teachings (Matt.
7:28). They were literally ‘overwhelmed’, ‘stunned’, and ‘amazed’. How about
you? How does this sermon and its implications affect your life?
RAY McMANUS
WORRY AND THE
CHRISTIAN
As
children of God, we are not expected to be blind followers. We are not to serve
in ignorance as do slaves, but we are to have the understanding of a child. In
(Rom. 8:16-17), “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our Spirit, that we
are the children of God. And if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and
joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also
glorified together.” Then we should exercise our minds in the teachings of
Christ. We should study the Word of God daily and practice its truths in our
lives. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not
to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (II Tim. 2:15). We are
to prepare our minds so that we can love the Lord as we should!
There
are many ways we can clutter our minds so it would be difficult to love God. If
we fill our minds with these non-essential things it leaves little room for
God. One of the troublesome things that can occupy our mind is worry – needless
anxiety – fear. Worry can so fill our minds that it would be difficult to keep
God first.
We are
told to have “fear” – but this is to be the fear of God. “Let us hear the
conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this
is the whole duty of man.” (Eccl. 12:13) But we read, “The fear of the
Lord is to hate evil.” (Prov. 8:13). The fear that can cause us to worry is
needless fear – the fear of anxiety. “In nothing be anxious; but in
everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be
made known to God.” (Phil. 4:6). In other words, don’t fret, stew around,
concern yourselves about life’s problems – needlessly!!
There
is a story of a young serviceman in Europe during World War II. His duty was to
care for the wounded. Over a period of time he became so worried about the
suffering he saw, he became ill. His condition was diagnosed as combat
fatigued. A psychiatrist at an Army hospital told him his troubles were mental.
He said, “Ted, I want you to think of your life as an hourglass. You know there
are thousands of grains of sand in the top of the hourglass; and they all pass
slowly and evenly through the narrow neck in the middle. Nothing you or I could
do would make more than one grain of sand pass through this narrow neck without
impairing the hourglass. You and I and everyone else are like this hourglass.
When we start in the morning, there are hundreds of tasks which we feel that we
must accomplish that day, but if we do not take them one at a time and let them
pass through the day slowly and evenly, as do the grains of sand passing
through the narrow neck of the hourglass, then we are going to break our own
physical or mental structure.” The soldier practiced that philosophy the Army
doctor gave him and it made a new man out of him. One grain of sand at a time …
one task at a time. We are reminded of a song we sometimes sing, “One Step at a
Time, Dear Saviour.” How true this is!!
There
are many things that could cause us all this needless fear, anxiety, and worry.
Some of them are health, finances, job, other’s misfortune, death, etc.
Certainly, these things are something to be concerned about—but not to the
extent that one’s mind has no room for pleasant thoughts – thoughts of faith!
What do
the scriptures say about this? In (Phil. 4:4-8), “Rejoice in the Lord
always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men.
The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And
the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and
minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true,
whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are
pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if
there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
We, as Christians, of all people should be happy and joyous. We have Christ –
the world does not!! Still, many of us clutter up our minds – leaving little
room for God!
--Copied—
THERE’S MORE
We can only see a little of the
ocean,
Just a few miles distance from the
rocky shore,
But out there – far beyond our eyes
horizon,
There’s more, immeasurably more.
We can only see a little of God’s
loving,
A few rich treasures from His mighty
store,
But out there – far beyond the eyes
horizon,
There’s more, immeasurably more.
Author Unknown
SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES
1. Solomon built the temple of the Lord. Who
designed it?
2. In the Parable of the Prodigal Son, for what two reasons
was the son hungry?
3. According to James, if one breaks one point of
the law, of what is he guilty?
4. What did Zedekiah say would happen to Jeremiah if
he revealed their secret conversation?
5. What kind of water creatures were Israelites allowed
to eat?
ANSWERS
NEXT MONTH . . .
and remember last month’s questions?
1. How many kings did Joshua conquer in the promised
land? THIRTY-ONE (Josh. 12:24)
2. Christ likened Satan’s fall to what? LIGHTNING FALLING FROM HEAVEN (Lk. 10:18)
3. Paul says he buffets his body, for what
reason? TO BRING IT INTO SUBJECTION (1
Cor. 9:27)
4. Which structure was greater in height: the ark
Noah built or the golden image Nebuchadnezzar built? THE GOLDEN IMAGE (Gen. 6:15; Dan. 3:1)
5. What was the first thing Joseph’s brothers did
when he found them in Dothan? STRIPPED
HIM OF HIS COAT (Gen. 37:23)
GOSPEL MEETINGS
DATES PLACE & TIME SPEAKER
July 30 - Fayetteville Rd Church Chad
Prince (AL)
- Aug. 1 Fairburn, GA
& Brad Prince (AL)
August New Bethel Church James
McDonald
6 – 8 Cullman, AL
(Woodbury, TN)
August Owens Rd Church James
McDonald
9 – 13 Prattville, AL
(Woodbury, TN)
August Antioch Church Joe
Hill
12 – 15 Monroe, TN
(Hagerhill, KY)
August Pleasant Ridge Church Thadeus
Eubank
20 – 22 Woodbury, TN
(Waynesboro, KY)
August Willow Oak Church James
McDonald
27 – 29 Russell Springs, KY
(Woodbury, TN)
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THE HARVESTER is a monthly publication intended to encourage all men everywhere to become laborers into God’s harvest (Luke 10:2). This paper is mailed free of charge to anyone who wishes to receive it. Please submit name, address, and all correspondence to:
Ray McManus
141 County Road 474
Woodland, AL 36280
Phone: (256) 449-9221
Email:
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