The Sermon on the Mount (16):  Perfect Love: The Radical Call of the Kingdom As we continue our study of the Sermon on the Mount, we arrive at one of the most profound and searching teachings of Jesus—Matthew 5:43–48. In this brief yet weighty passage, Jesus issues a command so radical and so countercultural that it continues to challenge and…

The Sermon on the Mount (15): An Eye for an Eye When we look at Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:38–42, we find some of the most well-known yet most difficult teachings in the Bible. Jesus says: “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, do…

The Sermon on the Mount (14): Honesty and the Integrity of Our Words In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus reveals that life in His kingdom is not about external religion but about inner transformation. The Christian life begins not with our effort but with the indwelling presence of Christ. As I often say, Christ gave His life for us,…

The Sermon on the Mount (13): The Biblical Teaching on Divorce The Sermon on the Mount presents six antitheses where Jesus contrasts traditional interpretations of the Law with His deeper intent: “You have heard it said, but I say to you.” He begins with murder and anger, showing that sin is rooted not only in outward actions but also in…

The Sermon on the Mount (12): If Your Right Eye Causes You to Sin Jesus continues His teaching in the Sermon on the Mount by moving from murder to adultery. In Matthew 5:27–30, He warns that lustful looks and thoughts are equivalent to adultery in the heart. He also speaks of tearing out one’s eye or cutting off a hand…

The Sermon on the Mount (11): Anger, Identity, and the Path of Liberty In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus goes beyond the surface. He presses into the heart. Where the Pharisees tried to manage sin by narrowing its definition, Jesus expanded the reach of the commandments. He didn’t come to lower the bar; He came to expose our deep…

Sermon on the Mount (10): Murder of the Heart In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches with a kind of authority the world had never heard. Instead of repeating religious tradition, He goes deeper—cutting straight to the heart. In Matthew 5:21–30, He challenges His followers to understand the Law not merely as a list of rules, but as a…

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…