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Bible Note Quote: "Here I am, like Moses, but much less worthy, on the "backside of the dessert" as it were, and while peering across the apparently barren landscape of my life there is a burning bush that captures my attention and my heart. The fire of the bush corresponds with the fire in my heart and I cannot help but follow... The fire still burns!"
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OldWarrior Profile
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Registered: 04-2006
Location: USA, Western hemisphere, earth
Posts: 64
Don't Tell Me Jesus Did NOT Mean Exactly What He Said!


Don't Tell Me Jesus Did NOT Mean Exactly What He Said!

Is that my message title? Oh why not? Let the chips fall where they may, but this burden has been growing upon my heart for quite some time. I shall attempt to deliver the burden... May the Lord apply it to each and every heart as HE pleases!

I am often baffled at how intelligent and highly-educated people try to tell me in so many words that Jesus did NOT really mean what He said in that three-chapter passage in Matthew (chapters 5 through 7) that we usually refer to as "The Sermon on the Mount".

I have recently been all the more convinced that Jesus meant exactly what he said in "The Sermon on the Mount". I decided to think about it in a simple, straightforward way -- albeit by starting from the very end, in chapter seven.

Notice the last two verses: "And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes." (Mat 7:28-29 KJV)

He taught them "as one having authority". He did not say, "It sure would be nice IF people could live like this" or "I think it would be best IF people would TRY to live like this". No, HE SAID to DO this, to act in this way, to BE like this. He said it as though He had the authority to tell us what to do, and He did (and still does!)!

Now, let's look at how Jesus concluded The Sermon on the Mount: "Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it." (Mat 7:24-27 KJV)

So, Jesus is telling us that he who actually DOES what he says to do in this Sermon on the Mount is like the wise man who built his house upon a rock. BUT, He also says that he who does NOT do what He says to do in this Sermon on the Mount is like the foolish man who built his house upon the sand!

Not only is Jesus saying that He means what He says, but that obedience and disobedience will have serious results! Obeying His words will result in spiritual and eternal benefit, BUT disobeying His words will result in spiritual and eternal damage!
Now that we know Jesus meant what He said, let us look at some of the things He said that we should actually do and be.

"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." (Mat 5:6-8 KJV)

So, we can, should and MUST do these things IF we want to have spiritual and eternal benefit: hunger and thirst after righteousness in order to be filled!; show mercy to others and also obtain mercy for ourselves; BE PURE IN HEART, for then we shall be allowed to see God!

Hey, this is only part of the sermon. I am just picking out a few points...

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Mat 5:16 KJV)
Well, we must have God's light within us IF we are going to "let it shine"! This is how we can glorify our heavenly Father. He is NOT talking about bragging, but SHINING! IF we truly have the light of God within us, we just have to be and act accordingly and we will let our light shine!

"Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." (Mat 5:19 KJV)

So many want to use Jesus as an example of disregarding the Old Testament law, but He taught that we should keep every little law that came from God. It was the manmade rules that the Jews ADDED to God's law that Jesus disregarded! So, when God, in the Old Testament tells me not to "look upon the wine... when it moveth itself"* (not to mention the drinking of it!), yet modern "Christians" tell me they just drink a little, I am going to keep that least commandment. I am certainly NOT going to sell nor serve intoxicating drink to others (love thy neighbor as thyself!). This is just one little example of "one of the least commandments".

*"Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright." (Pro 23:31 KJV)

"For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Mat 5:20 KJV)

Jesus was speaking of an actual righteousness, that which is real within the heart of man -- the heart out of which all the sins proceed. HE told them to make that clean which was within! IF it is NOT possible to be clean within then why did He tell them to do it?! IT IS POSSIBLE!

In fact, as some try to say that Jesus was speaking this sermon to people who were still under the Old Testament, and it therefore does NOT apply to us (huh?); I answer that Jesus was telling what the true kingdom of Heaven is really like, which comes without outward observation but is WITHIN us; AND, His death, resurrection, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit which would all come after this sermon would make everything in this sermon possible to all who would believe and obey!

Another teaching of this sermon with a couple subpoints -- all related to the general inner versus outer righteousness idea:
That sinful thing which a man (or woman or child) willfully thinks within his heart he is guilty of even if he never actually commits the act! (not Jesus' exact words, but that is the principle)
"looking upon a woman to lust after her" equals committing "adultery already with her in his heart"; ill will in our heart towards one's brother equals murder;

Here's another of the sermon's points:
"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;" (Mat 5:44 KJV)
And, last but not least, in the examples I am sharing today:
"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." (Mat 5:48 KJV)

Jesus is speaking of a moral perfection within the heart. This is the area in which the Holy Spirit sheds God's love abroad in our hearts. This is what John Wesley preached, Perfect Love. Just because people get hung up on the term perfection and wish to major on the idea that "nobody's perfect", does NOT disprove that Jesus said we should be perfect in this way, and He provided the means whereby it can be accomplished!

"Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate." (Heb 13:12 KJV)

"For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;" (Heb 10:14-16 KJV)

I could go on and on, re-preaching the Sermon on the Mount, BUT, I believe this is sufficient to get across the main point(s) I wish to make at this time. Jesus DID indeed mean what He said!

---
Old Warrior

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God bless you, everyone!
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