Sermon On A Mount

Jesus amazed people all over the region of Galilee. Who was this, they wondered, who performed miracles, forgave sins, and spoke as he did? People followed him everywhere. When he saw the crowds – some people had come from as far as Jerusalem to hear him – he went up on a mountainside and sat down. He began to teach them things that they had never heard before.

"If you are gentle, if you are sad, if you are hungry and thirsty for the things of God, if you are merciful and if your heart is pure, you will be blessed. If you are persecuted for being righteous, even if people insult you and say terrible things about you, you will be rewarded in heaven! The prophets were persecuted, and surely they were blessed."

Perhaps a man in the crowd turned to his friend and asked, "What is this man saying? Am I supposed to be glad when the Romans insult my faith and my God?"

"I don’t know," his friend may have replied. "Yet there is something about this man Jesus that makes me believe him. Let’s keep listening."

Jesus continued. "Don’t just love the people whom you like, people who are good and kind to you. Anyone can do that. Love people who are mean to you. Bless those who hate you. Your heavenly Father loves everyone. Be like him. Love like him."

Maybe a woman turned to her husband and asked, "How can I love our landlord, who raised our rent just when he knows we are the least able to pay?"

Jesus then said, "If you need something, ask your heavenly Father for it, and he will give it to you." The woman would have understood then that God would help her to love her landlord.

When Jesus finished speaking, the people were amazed. He was not like the teachers in the synagogue. He taught like a man with authority!

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(From Classic Bible Stories, A Family Treasury retold by Lise Caldwell (c) 1998 Standard Publishing.  Used by permission.  This book may be purchased at your local Christian Bookstore or from Standard Publishing (800-543-1301).