“A Beginners Guide to Kingdom Living” (The sermon on the mount and the Christian Life) Week 6

Theme: Living into the Kingdom

Scripture: Matthew 7: 13-21

Notes: Jesus says the gate is narrow and the path is difficult that leads to life and few travel it. Throughout the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus has been showing us baggage we need to unload to make it through the narrow gate. We need to let go of our anger and hatred, we need to let go of our judgementalism, we need to let go of storing up treasures on earth, we need to let go of worry, we need to let go of false piety. Of course, it is not easy to let go of these things—Jesus did say the path is difficult that leads to life, and few travel it. But, with the help of God all things are possible! If we were to describe this path in a few words, we might say the Golden Rule or the Great Commandment, and this is a good starting point. But of course, there is more to following Jesus. The Sermon on the Mount makes that clear. Along the path we encounter false prophets who promise that if we leave our path and follow them on theirs, our lives will be better. There are a lot of false prophets today. So, it is important to remember the Golden Rule, the Great Commandment, and Jesus words “Not everyone who cries Lord, Lord will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but those who do the will of my Father. And that is what we have been talking about. Kingdom of God living. It is not easy, but it is good.

“A Beginners Guide to Kingdom Living” (The sermon on the mount and the Christian Life) Week 5

Theme: Judge not lest you be judged

Scripture: Matthew 7:1-5

Notes: We live in a time when judging others has become a form of entertainment. We watch families going through crisis and take some satisfaction in knowing that while we are not perfect, at least we are better than them! We would do well to remember Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount: Judge not lest you be judged. Jesus was not saying that we have no need for judges. We do, and it is important to hold people accountable for actions. He was saying “don’t be judgmental.” Don’t think of yourself as somehow better than others. Don’t hold people to a different standard than you hold yourself. Just the act of judging other people means we have a log in our eye—and it is hard to see through a log! It is important to take the log out. So how do we break the practice of judging others and in the process remove the log from our eyes? First, remember everyone has a story. Second, remember people are more than their worst moments. Third, remember that the judgments we pass say something about our lives and our brokenness and our need for the healing grace of God—which leads us to prayer.

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