Sermon on the Mount | Part 1

DEVOTIONAL

Matthew 5:1-32; Luke 6:17-19

After Jesus had chosen twelve of us to serve as apostles, His assistants to advance the Kingdom of God, we made our way down to a large open area on the gradual slope of the hillside. Already gathered to see Jesus was a huge crowd of people from all over Judea, Jerusalem, even as far north as Tyre and Sidon. As soon as they saw Jesus approaching, the entire crowd surged toward Him, like ‘sheep without a shepherd’, as Jesus often described them. They were anxious to hear Him and be healed of their diseases. Those of us appointed by Jesus and others of His followers helped with crowd control. All morning and into the early afternoon Jesus healed the people of diseases and injuries. Men, women and children with every malady one might imagine possible

seemed to have come for healing. The people just wanted to touch Him or have Him touch them because they knew power to heal went out from Him. Soon every person that needed healing was made well and the demon-possessed were set free. It was an amazing day! I wished I had not wasted my life collecting taxes but spent more time helping the poor. I thank God Jesus saw more in me than just a publican. Wanting to hear Jesus speak, the crowd sat on the grass and listened. He knew how to project His voice so the people could hear and He spoke with authority, often quoting Scripture. Let me share a brief summary of what He said. He blessed the poor, the mournful, the hungry, and the persecuted.

He told us we were the salt of the earth and the light of the world. He elaborated on the law, confirming it is valid and here to stay. He said being angry at someone is like murder and encouraged us to be reconciled to one another. Lust is more than sexual desire in God’s eyes, it is adultery. Divorce and remarriage without just cause such as infidelity is considered adultery. As I watched the crowd, I saw some people squirm because divorce and remarriage were commonly practiced for insignificant reasons. Jesus was trying to put the sacredness back into marriage.

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