Sermon on the Mount

DEVOTIONAL

Matthew 6:16 – 7:6

Jesus continued on with His sermon. As He spoke, I saw a group of Pharisees talking among themselves and pointing at Him. They were obviously upset because what He had said exposed them as hypocrites regarding giving and praying. Now He spoke about fasting, which the Pharisees were famous for. “Don't be a hypocrite,” He said, “and promote your piety to others by looking gaunt and dishevelled. Don't become a public spectacle. Instead, with a pure heart fast quietly at home between you and God.” Then He addressed money, again implicating the Pharisees who dressed in beautiful clothes and lived in nice houses. “Store up treasure in heaven not in this world. You can't serve God and money too.” Jesus spoke then about something that affects everyone— worry. “Don't worry about the things of everyday life. God will take care of you. Birds don't worry and God cares for them. Flowers are dressed beautifully and don't spin or sew. If God cares about them how much more for you?” I worry all the time about my fishing business. Are the hired workers doing it right? Will there be enough fish to catch? Will the price of fish go down? Jesus put it all into perspective. “Don't worry about things which your Heavenly Father knows you need. If you seek the kingdom and a relationship with Him, all these things will be taken care of. Don't worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow has enough problems of its own. Do not judge other people,” He continued, “or you will be judged. Hypocrites look for a speck in someone else's eye and fail to see the log in their own.” I'll have to admit, when Jesus invited Matthew to be a disciple, I was not very happy and judged Jesus as having made a big mistake. Time has proved me wrong and I have asked both Jesus and Matthew for forgiveness. At first, I thought this sermon was just what the Pharisees needed to hear, but now I realize I needed to hear and apply it too. I don't want to be a hypocrite. I want to become more and more like Jesus.



Dennis Nickel was pastor for 30 years in Alberta, British Columbia, and Upper Columbia (US) conferences. It was during his morning times with God that he wrote his book A Day in the Life of Jesus.