Jesus Tells Us How God Wants Us To Live

Jesus Tells Us How God Wants Us to Live

 

Today we are continuing our study of Jesus’ famous “Sermon on the Mount” found in Matthew 5,6 and 7 of our Bibles.  Jesus is calling out a people to reject the world’s usual way of doing things and live their lives completely trusting their heavenly Father.  As children of God, Jesus calls us to a new way of living, and He gives us His Spirit to help us walk in this new walk.  Jesus gives his followers many different commands in this sermon.  Without His Spirit to help us keep these commands we would not be able to obey any of them on our own. 

 

Jesus calls His followers to live in the Spirit and not in the flesh. To be citizens of the “kingdom of God” and not of this world.  One of Jesus’ commands in his sermon is the command that we not judge other people. Many of us like to judge others.  Jesus does not forbid the condemnation of wrongdoing.  But He does forbid the spirit of faultfinding and overlooking our own shortcomings while assuming the role of judge and picking apart others.

 

 Here are Jesus’ words regarding this command: “Judge not, that you be not judged.  For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged: and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.” (Matthew 7: 1-2)

 

It’s so easy to judge others and to find fault.  The whole world around us does this and it often is a natural response.  Sometimes it is even fun.  But Jesus calls us to a different lifestyle in the Spirit.  We are called to build others up and not tear them down.  Other Scriptures tell us as Christians that when we see a fellow Christian falling into a sin, we should with love go and confront him or her. And try to help the fellow Christian turn from sinning.  But that is different from cutting a sinner down behind his or her back.  

 

Jesus stops briefly and gives this advice to His followers: “Do not give what is holy to the dogs: nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.”  (Matthew 7:6) As Christians we are called to tell others about Christ and hold Him up as Savior and Lord.  But we must sometimes use discretion when we tell others. To share God’s Word with those who hold Christ in contempt and to share with those who blaspheme and make fun of our Lord, not only cheapens our precious faith, but some of these rebellious people can harm us. 

 

Jesus gives us a big compliment.  He tells believers in Him that we are “salt” and “light”.  Salt gives food it’s flavor and light will chase away the darkness and show the Way. Here is what Jesus says: “You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?  It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.  You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light so shine before people that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”  (Matthew 5:13-16) 

 

Christ says that when we share God’s Word and love others and help those in need in His Name, we are the “salt” being added to a bland and sometimes meaningless life.  Our Christian “salt” adds flavor and zest and spices up lonely and sad lives with the knowledge of Gods’ redeeming love. Our “salt” gives joy and meaning to life.  And when we bring our “light” into this dark world, it shatters the darkness. Our little light is really Christ, the Light of the world, shinning through us and pointing the Way.

 

But Jesus warns us not to let our precious “salt” lose its flavor, for then it is useless - good for nothing.  Jesus also warns us to hold our light up high on a lampstand so all can see.  To never hide our light so those around us continue stumbling through the darkness.

 

 How sad it is when Christians water down the Truth and hide or forget the Light they have been given.  And how sad to go to a church that gives out salt with no flavor and holds out a light that is all covered up!  As Christians our salt and our light are alive and powerful. Let’s not forget how much Christ has given us who believe.

 

In His Sermon on the Mount Jesus commanded His followers to love their enemies.  This is what He said:  “You have heard that is was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I tell you, ‘Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.  That you may be sons of your Father in heaven: for He makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matthew 5:43-45) 

 

Jesus continues: “For if you love those who love you, what reward have you?  Do not even the tax collectors do the same?  And if you greet your brothers only, what do you do more than others?  Do not even the tax collectors do so?  Therefore, you shall be ‘perfect just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”  (Matthew 5:46-48)

 Why does Jesus command us to love our enemies?  His answer seems to be “That you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”  (Matthew 5:48) In other words, we are children of our heavenly Father and we are to be like our heavenly Father and fit into our heavenly family. Children should have some resemblance to their fathers. And our heavenly Father continues to love and show mercy to sinners. Always waiting for them to come to Him.

 

The devil tempts us to hate our enemies and it is so easy to follow that lead.  But we are not children of the devil and should never follow him. Christ commands us to pray for our enemies and have compassion and good will toward them. We are citizens of the kingdom of God – not the kingdom of this earth.  We are children of the Light – not the darkness.   Let us always live in the Light.  – the Light of Christ.  If we do that, we must put off our judging and our hatreds.    

 

You see here that Jesus is calling us, His followers, to do things that are almost impossible for us to do without His help.  But He give us His Spirit for just that reason.  We will be able to obey His command to love our enemies, not be judgmental and to obey the other commands He gives us in this sermon, if we ask for His help.  His Spirit is here in our lives to give us power to give up hating our enemies and to love these enemies through us.  Jesus doesn’t ask us to do anything that He doesn’t give us the power through His Spirit to do. 

 

As we are approaching Easter, we will be celebrating the fact that Jesus rose from the dead.  And because He lives, we shall live also!  Hallelujah!  (John 14:19)