SERMON ON THE MOUNT OR ON THE PULPIT?

*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*

*SERMON ON THE MOUNT OR ON THE PULPIT?*

*Scripture Treasure.*

Matt 5:1-11

v1 *And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:*

v2 *And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,*

v3 *Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.*

v4 *Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.*

v5 *Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.*

v6 *Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.*

v7 *Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.*

v8 *Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.*

v9 *Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.*

v10 *Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.*

v11 *Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.*

*Insight and Highlight.*

Jesus' sermon on the mount is the core role model of every sermon.

*Scripture Commentaries.*

Sermons are not to be oratory or overblown or a spectacular delivery of spechees to entertain but to prepare Christ's people for the Kingdom.

It is to prepare His people for His will to be done here *".....on earth as it is done in heaven..."* (ref Matt 6:10).

In the sermon on the mount (known as the Beatitudes or sermon of the *"Blessed...."*) was found the "The Golden Rule".

The sermon covers Matt 5, 6 and 7.

The core beatitudes begins from Matt 5:3-12 while the rests verses to Chapter 7 cover prayers, and the path to the Kingdom (namely the narrow and wide gates).

Matt 7:12 (Luke 6:31) highlights the sermon as a core Christian teaching if we are to make heaven.

In this sermon, Jesus instructs, *So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.*

This is a golden rule.

The sermon on the mount called the "Beatitudes" can easily be translated as "Let this be your attitude"

"Let this be your attitude if you are going to be blessed."

The question to us as preachers is "Do we preach and adopt these as our attitudes?

To some preachers, they preach that these are what Christ teaches but they are not to be reflected in their attitudes.

The Beattitudes sermons on the mount have been their "Be-not-attitudes.

We have become impressionists.

We have become impersonators.

Though not all preachers are impressionists and impersonators.

The beatittudes in Matt 7:12, Luke 6:31 are tied to the second greatest commandment, "Love your neighbor as yourself". and if it is tied to the second ot is also tied to the first greatest command "Love the Lord thy God with all your heart" (Matt 22:37-38 and Mark 12:30.

You can not love God whom you can not see when you do not love your neighbour/brother/sister you could see (1 John 4:20-21).

The pulpit affords us to demonstrate the power of God that has pulled us out of the pit (of sin) but if it is without the beatitude mindset we are still in the pit of life.

When we preach the beattitude from the pulpit we are demonstrating the power that has saved us and we manifest the attitudes in the beatitudes in our attitudes.

*Remorse corner.*

Today, the pulpit may not represent the "manifesto", the golden rule, but the Sermon on the mount, forever, remains the standard by which all Christian core values rest.

*Call to Word action.*

The sermon on the mount is the Christian code of conduct.

*The Christian clarion duty.*

The sermon on the mount is action over words. We demonstrate the sermon

through active and actionate behavior towards others. 

*Prayer.*

Lord help me, as l preach from the pulpit, to do according to Christ's sermon on the mount in Jesus name.

Good morning all and have a blessed day.

God bless you.

Shalom.