Sermon on the Mount (09): Righteousness and the Law In Matthew 5:17–20, Jesus declares that He has not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets but to fulfill them. This is one of the most important statements in His Sermon on the Mount. Many in His audience would have been shocked. The scribes and Pharisees had elevated the Law,…

Sermon on the Mount (08): The Fulfillment of the Law In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus makes a striking statement: “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.” With these words in Matthew 5:17, He clarified not only His relationship to the Old Testament but…

Sermon on the Mount (07): Being Salt and Light Christians today live in a culture that constantly pulls them away from God’s truth. The pressure to blend in, to follow the values of the world rather than those of Christ, is very strong. But Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount calls believers to be different—to be “salt” and…

Sermon on the Mount (06): The Character of the Kingdom In the opening verses of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus presents a striking portrait of the kind of person who belongs to His kingdom. These well-known verses—called the Beatitudes—describe values and virtues that stand in sharp contrast to the world’s. They show us what it means to live under…

Sermon on the Mount (05): Our Relationship with God and Others As we continue through the Beatitudes in Matthew 5, we find ourselves on a path that is both humbling and transformative. Each blessing builds on the one before it, forming a seamless structure that reveals the inner life of a disciple. This isn’t a random list of virtues—it’s a…

Sermon on the Mount (04): The Beatitudes The Beatitudes, found at the beginning of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, offer us a profound portrait of the Christian life. Though simple in structure, their meaning is rich and layered, calling for deep reflection. These eight blessings are more than just encouraging sayings. They describe the kind of life God approves of—the…

Sermon on the Mount (03): The Radical Invitation of Jesus' Kingdom The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7) is not simply a collection of ethical precepts or religious ideals. It is a bold and sweeping call into a way of being—an invitation into the upside-down kingdom of God, where the heart is the arena of true righteousness, and where internal…

Sermon on the Mount (02): The Practicality of Jesus Teaching The Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew 5–7, is one of Jesus’ most profound and practical teachings. It provides a clear picture of what life looks like under God's rule, and it reaches every part of our lives. We can approach the sermon using a seven-part outline that helps…

Sermon on the Mount (01): Getting Ready for Life in God’s Kingdom This blog begins a new series on the Sermon on the Mount, which is the longest single collection of Jesus’ teachings in the Gospels. What Jesus teaches here is not easy. It challenges everyone who reads it and takes it seriously. Jesus talks about the kind of people…

Living from the Center: The Practical Power of the Sermon on the Mount Matthew 5–7 The Sermon on the Mount is no random collection of lofty ideals; it is a profoundly integrated and relevant vision for life. It speaks to every sphere of our existence—heart, mind, and action. When understood correctly, it reveals how followers of Christ are called to…