According to the Bible, Jesus Christ is the son of God who came down to this earth in the form of flesh. During his days on the earth, Christ performed miracles like healing the sick; casting out devils, raising the dead and performed wonders that cannot be numbered. He went about preaching the gospel to all kinds of people. He preached in the temple, mountain, and wherever he went. Christ’s sermons were in the form of parables. He used parables to make people understand his message more effectively and clearly.
Jesus Christ came into this world to turn sinners from their evil ways and offer forgiveness to mankind. Jews did not believe that Jesus Christ was the expected Messiah and crucified Him on the cross of Calvary with the false assumption that He was only a ordinary human being. They did not believe that He was the son of God.
In the Bible, His sermon on the mount is narrated in the book of Matthew and chapter 5, 6, 7. Through His sermon, He taught the people as how to live a perfect life without sin. In the first part of the sermon, Christ describes a list of people as "Blessed". He says "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of God". Here, the poor in spirit denotes the broken hearted people who are crushed because of their worries and problems.
Christ says that heaven is for these kinds of broken people. Jesus Christ came into this world to heal the broken hearted and prepare them to inherit heaven. Secondly, He says "Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted”. Here Christ speaks of those who weep and cry for the loss of their loved ones. The mourners will be comforted in heaven. Heaven is a place where there will be no sorrow, no death, no weeping and crying. It is the most joyous place. There will be no pain and God will wipe away all their tears in heaven.
Thirdly, Christ points out those who long to live a righteous and pure life. Such kind of people will be satisfied with righteousness in heaven where no sin can be found. In the seventh verse, He says "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Here merciful people signify kind and loving people who care for the poor and down-trodden. These merciful people will find mercy in the eyes of God. Next He considers the "peacemakers’" as blessed. Here peacemakers signify those who create peace and harmony in lives of others.
He further states that the people who suffer for Christ's sake are considered as "Blessed". It signifies martyrs, ministers of the gospel who face opposition, dangers, accusations and threats because of their ministerial work for Jesus Christ. Christ encourages them to be glad and happy for a precious reward waits for them in heaven. He explains that children of God are the salt of this earth and light of this world. If there is no savor in the salt, it has no use. In the same way Christ tells us to live a life of witness filled with holiness that we may draw others to Christ.
All the prophecies mentioned in the Bible will be fulfilled before the second coming of Christ. Everyone should follow the scriptures and walk accordingly. This is the will of God. But if anyone does not follow the commandments in the Bible, they will be considered least in the kingdom of God. We ought to love one another and put away vengeance and murder. If anyone commits murder, He will be thrown into the hell on the Day of Judgment. Every human being has to live in peace with all men. If anyone has bitterness or wrath against his fellow being, Christ says he must first reconcile with his enemy against whom he has the bitterness and then offer his money in the church.
In the sixth chapter of Matthew, Jesus Christ teaches us the way a prayer should be made. We have to pray sincerely with a true heart and not pray for gaining the praise of others. When we give alms to the poor, it has to be done secretly and not by blowing the trumpet to let people know that we are helping the poor. From verses 9-13 Christ teaches a prayer which is prayed in almost all the churches and denomination thought the world. It is as follows:
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom is come. Thy 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 lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory for ever. Amen.
Christ acknowledges adultery as a sin and even looking a woman with a lustful eye is considered to be adultery. He also warns husbands not to put away their wives except for the reason of adultery. If any man marries a divorced woman, he is an adulterer. Jesus Christ preached not to make any promises to people by swearing in the name of heaven or earth because heaven is His throne and earth His footstool. Instead we are asked to speak the truth and follow it.
One of the peculiar teachings of Christ is to have forbearance and longsuffering towards our neighbors’. Christ quotes a saying “An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth” which means we render others the evil that they have done to us. We as human beings tend to hurt others the same way they did to us. But Christ warns us not to be ordinary human beings but apply the concept of forgiveness to our enemies by our gentleness and long forbearance.
If we are smitten on our cheek, He teaches us to bear it as Christ bore stripes for mankind on the cross of Calvary. This is one of the toughest teachings of Christ which is hardly practiced among people. He further states that we are to help others through our physical strength and also materially. He mainly emphasizes in showing love to those who trouble and hate us. This unique concept of “Love” which Christ describes demands humility and child-like innocent obedience.
The Bible says that we to love our enemies and do good to those who hurt us. By doing this we become perfect children of our heavenly father and also store our reward in heaven. We are considered as a perfect individual according to the Bible when we follow this. Christ tells us that there is no use in showing love to those who love us and there is no reward for this. But the Bible tells us to overcome evil deeds with good works. This means we have to repay only good things to those who have been evil towards us.
As Christ died on the cross of Calvary bearing the sins of all wicked and evil men, in the same way, we are e asked to forgive others mistakes as God forgives our shortcomings and failures. But if we don't forgive our neighbors faults, even our sins will not be forgiven by the Lord.
Jesus Christ explains on how to conduct ourselves during a fast. We should not have a sad or a mourning face for men to know that we are fasting. According to the Bible, we ought to anoint our head with oil, wash ourselves and then pray.
Christ urges us not to store riches and wealth in this world, but rather help the poor and needy with our money. By doing this, He says that we are accumulating treasures in heaven. This means we will be rewarded in heaven for helping the poor. Jesus considers eye as an important organ of our body, because we see all things through our eyes. So if we have holy eyes, we can lead a pure life.
Jesus Christ tells us not to worry about our future as to what we will eat, drink or wear. Jesus asks us to consider the birds of the air. They don't worry about their food, clothing and shelter but yet they have their food everyday. This food is provided by the Almighty. When God can take care of the birds, won't He care for human beings who are much more precious than the birds? We have to first give our priority to God and His kingdom than anything else. If we do this, then the Lord will take care of everything concerning us. We shall not lack any good thing if we first prioritize God in our lives.
In chapter 7, we are asked not to judge others when we ourselves have our own faults and sins. If there is a need or want, we are asked to look unto the Lord for His help. Only when we ask, we will receive. Will a human father give a stone if his child asks him for bread? Never will such a thing happen. When a human father can provide his children with good things, then definitely our heavenly father can take care of us and load us with good benefits when we ask him.
The way which leads to heaven is a narrow one which means we can enter heaven only when we forsake all the evil pleasures of this world. Every human being in this world has to live a clean and a pure life. Those who do not lead a pure life will be condemned to hell. No one can enter heaven just by saying prayers, prophesying and casting out devils. Only those who lead a pure life can enter heaven.
In this chapter, Christ gives an example of a good and a bad tree. A good tree symbolizes a healthy plantation which yields only good fruits which is fit for consumption. But a bad tree which does not yield good fruits will be cut and thrown away. Christ compares these trees to human beings. If we are a good person, we can never do evil to others and is a life filled with witness which brings glory to Christ. But if only bad and corrupt works are manifested in a person, the Bible says he cannot enter heaven but will be thrown to hell on the Day of Judgment.
Jesus concludes His sermon by saying a parable, where he states that whosoever heareth His teachings and doeth them is a wise man who built his house upon a rock. That house cannot be destroyed by wind or flood. In the same way when we follow the commandments, no problem or trials can shake us in this world. But when we fail to keep His commandments, we are like a person who built his house upon the sand, which can be easily blown off by wind and storm.
Works Cited
"Sermon on the mount." biblepath.com. Thomas Nelson Publisher, 2013. Web. 3 Dec. 2013.
"Jesus' sermon on the mount." christianbiblereference.org. N.p., n.d. Web 3 Dec. 2013.
"Sermon on the mount." gci.org. N.p., 2013. Web. 03 Dec. 2013.
"Introduction to sermon on the mount." biblegateway.com. Publisher of the New International Version, 2011. Web 03 Dec. 2013.
Bickle, Mike. "Sermon on the Mount: The kingdom Lifestyle." mikebickle.org. N.P., 4 Feb. 2012 Web 3 Dec 2013.
