Matthew 5:1-2
“And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: . . .”
Matthew 5-7 contain one continuous message that Jesus preached to His followers on a hillside overlooking the Sea of Galilee. Although it is called a sea, it is actually a lake. The Greek word for sea and lake are the same word.
Verse 1 gives us the setting in which this sermon was given. We read, “seeing the multitude, He went up…” This great message on Christian ethics and Christian living was motivated by seeing the multitude. The word “multitude” simply means a large group of people. It is used in the Gospels to speak of the great number of people who, while being drawn to Jesus, had not yet received Him. The multitude illustrates for us the unbelieving world. The Bible teaches us how Jesus feels about the unbeliever. He loves them so much He bled and died for them. So, here we find Jesus wanting to save the lost; wanting to reach the multitude, and as a result, He departs from them to spend time with His disciples. A disciple is one who has received Christ and is following Him.
You see, the method Jesus uses to reach a lost world, is through the lives of His followers. The more time we spend with Him, and the more we become the Christian of the sermon on the mount, the greater influence we will have upon the world, for Christ.
As you read Matthew 5-7 pray and apply the Scriptures to your daily living and let’s see God use you to reach the world for the kingdom of heaven.
Pastor Jim
Questions for Chapter 5
Chapters 5 – 7 record a message given by Jesus to His followers explaining how Christians should live, it is most commonly referred to as “The Sermon on the Mount”
The word, blessed, means happy.
- According to Jesus, where will we find true happiness?
- Why does Jesus compare His followers to salt?
- Why light?
- How can you apply verse 16 today?
- In verse 18, what promise does Jesus give regarding His Word?
- Is there anyone who you need to reconcile with today? How can you humbly seek to repair the broken relationship?
- Is your eye causing you to sin? What things do you need to change to help you not look at what you shouldn’t? Find someone you can be accountable to, let them know what you are struggling with so they can pray with you.
- Since marriage is so sacred to Jesus, how can you work on yours?
- What does Jesus mean by “turn the other cheek”?
- How does loving your enemies set a Christian apart from the unbeliever? Who are you having a hard time loving? How can you apply this verse to you situation.
Old Testament
Genesis 9- Cover It Up
Genesis 10- Babel
Jim Gallagher 