Authority Matthew 7:28–29 The Authority of Jesus And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes. — Matthew 7:28–29 This passage mentions Jesus teaching the crowds, yet at the start of the Sermon on the Mount, it …
Tag: Sermon on the mount
Two houses
Stand firm Matthew 7:24–27 The Sermon on the Mount “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, …
Two trees
Is your fruit bad? Matthew 7:15-20 The Sermon on the Mount Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes, or figs from thorn bushes? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased …
Highway to Hell or Stairway to Heaven
Why make the hard road* Matthew 7:13–14 Matthew's Gospel, the Sermon on the Mount Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few …
Happy and blessed 8: Peacemakers
Happy and blessed 8: Peacemakers Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Matthew 5:9 ESVUK Peace MAKERS. Jesus is not saying, "Blessed are the pacifists." Peacemakers are not those who avoid conflict but those who bring the conflict to an end. Peacemakers are people who bring people and communities together. That was easy, …
Rules — and when to break them
Break the rules? It has been said that rules were made to be broken. But what about Gods rules, can you break them? Religion is all about rules, rules about when to pray, how to pray, what you can eat and when you can eat it, who you can have sex with and when. It …
Ice cream and God
Parenting 'Dad, can I have an ice cream?' 'Not now, wait til you have had lunch.' A conversation familiar to anyone who has been a parent, saying no to your children, letting them down gently. Of course, in the above example a good parent wold have to come up with ice cream after lunch. At …
What animal are you?
Dogs, pigs and other mammalian insults I'm a pussy cat. Which is fine, but have you ever been called a cow? Or slothful? These insults come in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus said: Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and …
Who judges who?
Here comes the judge Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgement you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your …
What if?
Don't worry about a thing “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither …
Making an ass of myself 