Matthew 5

Sermons by Eli Hofer
03/14/01
08/22/01
08/11/02

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Jesus said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, immerse [baptizoô] them in the person [onoma] of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teach them to obey all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age." (Mt 28:18-20)

Explicit commands of the Lord Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount
Chapter 5 of Matthew

1. "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." (Mt 5:16)

Light:

"Every one who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does what is true comes to the light, that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been wrought in God." (John 3:20-21)

Once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. (Eph 5:8-10)

Good works:

We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Eph 2:10)

Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works. (Heb 10:24)

2. "If you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift." (Mt 5:23-24)

Reconcile:

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:34-35)

This is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. (I John 3:11)

We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. (I John 3:14)

"If you love me, you will obey my commands." (John 14:15)

3. "Make friends quickly with your accuser, while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison; truly, I say to you, you will never get out till you have paid the last penny." (Mt 5:25-26)

Accuser:

"If your brother sins, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector." (Mt 18:15-17)

I wrote to you not to associate with any one who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of immorality or is eager to gain material possessions [pleonektes], or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or robber... Do not even to eat with such a one. (I Cor 5:11)

4. "I command you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply Yes or No; anything more than this comes from evil." (Mt 5:34-37)

Swearing oaths:

Above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath, but let your yes be yes and your no be no, that you may not fall under condemnation. (James 5:12)

5. "I command you, Do not resist one who is evil. If any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also; and if any one would sue you and take your coat, let him have your cloak as well; and if any one forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles." (Mt 5:39-41)

Non-resistance:

Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world; if my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight, that I might not be handed over to the Jews; but my kingdom is not from the world." (John 18:36)

"He who does not obey the Son shall not see life, the wrath of God rests upon him." (John 3:36)

6. "Give to him who begs from you, and do not refuse him who would borrow from you." (Mt 5:42)

Give to him who begs:

If any one has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or speech but in deed and in truth. By this we shall know that we are of the truth, and reassure our hearts before him. (I John 3:17-19)

7. "I command you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." (Mt 5:44-45)

Love your enemies:

"I say to you that hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from him who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt." (Luke 6:27-29)

8. "You must be spiritually mature [teleios], like your heavenly Father." (Mt 5:48)

Spiritually mature:

Jesus said to him, "If you would be spiritually mature [teleios], go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." (Mt 19:21)

We look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. (II Cor 4:18)

Jesus said, "Why do you call me Lord and not do what I say?" (Luke 6:46)

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