Matthew 5:1-48

Comment:

The entirety of Chapter 5 of the Gospel of Matthew is not something I can cover in a single message. It is, of course, the first half of the Sermon on the Mount. As such, it represents the very essence of the message and ministry of Jesus Christ. He begins by upending conventional religious teaching. Challenges in life are not a punishment from God. They are rather opportunities for which we should be grateful—opportunities to make the new choices that will result in the new consciousness that Jesus described as the kingdom of heaven.

What I would suggest is that you work slowly through the chapter, resisting the temptation to soften its radical energy. Sometimes the very familiarity of its words can obscure the revolutionary message Jesus is delivering—that mere obedience to traditional religious dictates is not enough. It is necessary to recognize and claim our innate spiritual identity.

I explored the Sermon on the Mount thoroughly in my book The Secret According to Jesus. It's out of print, but it may still be available on Amazon.

Blessings!

Rev. Ed