Part 1 The Sermon on the Mount

Part 1 The Sermon on the Mount

Matthew chapters 5 to 7 records what has become known as the Sermon on the Mount or the Beatitudes. These writings are the foundation on which everything else in the New Testament is built upon. The teachings of Jesus are the foundation stones which Paul and the other writers of the New Testament used as the foundation on which they built and taught.
The sermon of Jesus on the mount is a profound exposition of Kingdom requirements, in other words if we are to enter Kingdom relationship and Kingdom power, the building of these requirements into our lives as a lifestyle is essential.
The Beatitudes (from the Latin "beautus" meaning blessed) in other words if you want to be truly blessed these "beautiful attitudes" need to become part of who you are. These Kingdom Laws are what the King requires of those who wish to become joint heirs with Him in the Kingdom.
Unless these qualities of the Kingdome are part of us, we are just as Paul puts it,"a sounding brass and tingling cymbal" and our so called Christianity is just a mere phantom of what God indented it to be.
So often the main emphasis in the church today is on Gifts, Power, Authority, Success, etc, but the true foundations are not laid in our lives resulting in baroness and frustration, and a profound lack of really knowing God. The problem we have with our relationship with God is one of incompatibility. We are not like Him, which makes a relationship with Him difficult. Jesus came not just to redeem us, but to reveal the Father to us, Jesus in His earth walk demonstrated the heart of God, which is revealed in the Sermon on the Mount.
We need a fresh look at our perception of true Christian values. It is who we are that determines what we do; no the other way round, the Sermon on the Mount lays out who we are to become.
There is a growing realization among many Christians today that our priorities have been somewhat lacking, in our desire for recognition and self glory we have missed the mark completely.
The Sermon on the Mount brings the cross once again into focus; it is about dying to self, and through death and subsequent resurrection we become the qualities required to living in Kingdom reality.

Galatians 2:20	I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me
Galatians 6:14	But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

The Beatitudes

Matthew 5:5	Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
6	Blessed are those who huger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled.
7	Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
8	Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
9	Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the sons of God.
10	Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
The Greek word for Meek is. 4239. praus, prah-ooce'; appar. a prim. word; mild, i.e. (by impl.) humble:--meek.
The Greek word has the meaning of humility. Humility is an absolute essential quality if we are to walk with the Lord and inherit the earth (reign with the Lord in the millennium)
The scriptures clearly say that God resists the proud.

James 4:6

But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

God resists the proud. Greek apposes the proud. Pride quickly becomes a part of who we are and is so powerful it has a way of etching itself into our countenance.
Humility is one of the highest attributes in the Kingdom of Heaven.
When we are clothed with humility, and it is a power that clothes us and is discernable in the spirit realm as a very plain cloak or mantle, the angels in heaven recognize it and bow to it. You cannot enter into true Kingdom life unless you are wearing this cloak. That is why this quality of God is first on the list. You cannot enter into the remaining 5 beatitudes without first wearing or becoming Humility.
For instance if you try to try to enter into the second beatitude without humility i.e. to hunger and thirst for righteousness, you will be resisted by God, you cannot enter in there.
Humility

Matthew 11:29	Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30	For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

The picture here is one of "nonresistance" We have a picture of being yoked to the Lord. The word yoke has the meaning of being harnessed. When bullocks were used to plough fields they were yoked by a harness, if they fought the harness and pulled in the opposite direction to which they were being driven, they were dealt with harshly until they submitted to the yoke.
Jesus is saying come to me; learn of me because I am meek and lowly. Learn meekness from me, don't resist me, submit to me, die to your own self and follow me.
Meekness, humility has no resistance to the Lord nor, to his fellow man.
We see the outworking of this when Jesus said if they compel you to go one mile, go two miles. To be without resistance to the Lord and our fellow man is a requirement or kingdom law, the law of non resistance.
If you are compelled by another to do evil you then of course resist in the spirit of meekness, not the spirit of self righteousness.
Humility demonstrates a total dependence upon the Lord, when we come to the Lord we come with humility a total dependence upon Him for all things. Without him we can do nothing (of worth).

Galatians 5:23	Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24	And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

We cannot come to God's word without meekness; we cannot understand God's word unless He enlightens us. This attitude of meekness is vital to receiving revelation.

James 1:21

Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

Blessed are the meek they shall inherit the earth. The earth was giving to Adam, but through sin he gave it to Lucifer.
Jesus as a man won back the earth and His children inherit again the earth, but only the Meek will inherit it.
When again this planet comes into rest and a New Age of a thousand years opens up, only the meek will rule with Him in this earth.
The other 5 beatitudes are available for us to enter in to along with the blessings they bring, but you cannot enter in to these next five until you become meek in personality and character.

Titus 3:2	To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men.
Colossians 3:12	Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering:
13	Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
14	And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

God Bless you
N Johnson © 2005