Matthew 5:1-11 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: (2) And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, (3) Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (4) Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. (5) Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. (6) Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. (7) Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. (8) Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. (9) Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. (10) Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (11) Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

This is the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, the first recorded major message given by Jesus Christ. The Sermon on the Mount goes from Matthew 5 to the end of Matthew 7 and covers a range of topics except for salvation. People may declare that they live by the Sermon on the Mount and they can certainly try, but they will fail: why? Because of their sin nature. The Christian message is not found in the Sermon on the Mount for the Sermon on the Mount provides a lifestyle and ideals to live by, much like the Law gave the Jews a lifestyle and ideal to live by. Turn to Romans 8, then Galatians 3.

Romans 8:3-4 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: (4) That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Galatians 3:21-25 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. (22) But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. (23) But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. (24) Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. (25) But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

The Law was given to direct people to their need for the Saviour. Only one man was able to keep the Law and that was Jesus Christ. In a sense, the Sermon on the Mount is the giving of high ethical standards for the believer in Jesus Christ to follow, but these three chapters cannot be lived without the power of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the Sermon on the Mount is not for the lost person, it is for the believer. J. Vernon McGee wrote:

The great principles set down here are profitable for the Christian to study and learn, but he can never attain them in his own strength; he must go elsewhere to look for the power. What you have in the Sermon on the Mount is a marvelous electric light bulb, but you do not have the generator that produces the power that will make the light. And it is the light, not the bulb, that is all important.

Remember the Gospel according to Matthew presents Jesus Christ as the King and it is the only Gospel that delivers the whole Sermon on the Mount. The Gospel according to Luke gives a portion of the Sermon, but from the context in Luke, it may have been given at a different time. The Sermon on the Mount is presenting the law of the kingdom as set forth by Jesus Christ. This will be the law of the land during the Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ after the Great Tribulation. It is during this time that Jesus Christ will reign on earth as the King and the Sermon on the Mount gives the way we will live, love and serve Him. That does not mean that the Sermon on the Mount is worthless for us today, instead it gives us guidelines for how the believer should live today. However, the only way any believer can follow the instructions given in the Sermon on the Mount is by obeying the commands of Jesus Christ and living as the Holy Spirit of God directs.

Romans 8:6-10 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. (7) Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. (8) So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. (9) But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. (10) And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Only a born again child of God can live the directions given in the Sermon on the Mount and even that can only happen when the child of God is walking in obedience to God. The Sermon on the Mount provides to us the mind of Jesus Christ which is the mindset that each believer should have. Go to Philippians 2: Phi 2:5-8 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: (6) Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: (7) But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: (8) And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Consider this passage for a moment: Jesus Christ knew that He is equal to God – because He IS God – but look at what He did: Jesus Christ humbled Himself and became a man and became a servant. He could have become a man and a king here on earth, but He became a humble servant. He humbled Himself and chose to be obedient to God and that obedience led Him to the cross and His death. That is the mindset of Jesus Christ: to be a servant of others and that is suppose to be the believer’s mindset as well. Jesus Christ humbled Himself before the beings He created and served them and died for them on the cross of Calvary. The believer should humble himself before God and love and serve Him and daily take up their cross daily. Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. That is the mind of Jesus Christ and that should be the mind of every believer in Jesus Christ – to cast aside the ungodly things in our lives and take up our cross and obediently love and serve God. A person cannot live by the directives of the Sermon on the Mount without the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 5:1, 2 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: (2) And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

Note the progression here: Jesus Christ saw the multitudes and went up to a mountain. Jesus Christ chose a spot to sit down and His disciples came before Him. Jesus Christ sat down because this was the position which a teacher would take when teaching to His students. Jesus Christ taught the Sermon on the Mount to His disciples and they were to then take it to the multitudes. That is the example believers are to follow today: we receive the Gospel message of Jesus Christ and then deliver it to those that do not know their need for the Gospel. Matthew Henry wrote: To them he directed his speech, because they followed him for love and learning, while others attended him only for cures. He taught them, because they were willing to be taught (the meek will he teach his way); because they would understand what he taught, which to others was foolishness; and because they were to teach others; and it was therefore requisite that they should have a clear and distinct knowledge of these things themselves. The duties prescribed in this sermon were to be conscientiously performed by all those that would enter into that kingdom of heaven which they were sent to set up, with hope to have the benefit of it. But though this discourse was directed to the disciples, it was in the hearing of the multitude; for it is said (Mat_7:28), The people were astonished. Verse 3 begins the Beatitudes. Note that Jesus Christ is not stating what people are to do, but how they are suppose to be like.