Sermon on the Mount

Well, brethren, do you want to be sure that your spiritual house is built on the firmest foundation of all? Upon our rock, the Savior, our Savior, Jesus Christ, do you want to be sure that your spiritual house is not going to seriously waver, no matter how difficult times become in the future? Well, then it's important that you do study the teachings of Jesus Christ.

We've been doing that now for seven different times already. This is part number eight in the series of sermons on the Sermon on the Mount. So it really is important that we inculcate these things that we're studying, put them into our hearts and minds, so that we can truly live by them. We do need to take to heart Christ's words because they really are foundational. So today we're going to begin in verse 38 of Matthew, chapter 5.

So let's go to Matthew, chapter 5, the Sermon on the Mount. We'll start with verse 38. You have heard that it was said, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him too.

Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you, do not turn away. So here we read some very important instructions by Jesus Christ. He talks about the principle that we've all heard many times, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. This law is considered the oldest law of all, perhaps. It's known as the Lex Talionis. It was first written down in the code of Hammurabi in Babylon.

At least, that's where the first written document is found. That was written around 2250 BC. So 2250 years before Christ, this concept of an eye for an eye was written down in the code of Hammurabi in Babylon. Now, in actuality, this law was actually meant to limit the degree of vengeance that one may take upon another. That's not typically how people look at this law, but it was actually meant to limit the degree of vengeance. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. You see, in past times, entire clans or tribes would retaliate against someone who might do something to one of their members in their clan, maybe maim them. They might actually kill the other person, or they may kill several people from that other clan.

So this was actually devised to help limit the amount of vengeance that would take place when something like this occurred. So it was meant to contain the offense, not actually have it spread. Now, Mr. Benedict, Bruce Benedict, gave a sermonette about a month ago in this regard, so I'll refer you back to it. I'm not going to go into all the things that he went into. He went back into the Old Testament and read quite a few of the verses. So you may want to review that actual sermonette in regard to what I'm talking about now.

But back in the old days, you might say, a tribe of people might start an all-out war over an offense that was done to one person. And this law was meant to help prevent that from happening. This was never a law which gave a private individual the right to extract vengeance. It was always a law which laid down how a judge ought to assess punishment and penalty in a court of law.

So I'd like to read just a little bit a couple paragraphs here in William Barclay's commentary in this regard. He says, still further, this law was never at least in any even semi-civilized society carried out literally. The Jewish jurists argued, rightly, that to carry it out literally might in fact be the reverse of justice, because it obviously might involve the displacement of a good eye or a good tooth for a bad eye or a bad tooth. And as Mr. Benedict pointed out in the sermonette, if someone ended up with a chipped tooth, it would be very difficult to chip somebody else's tooth in the same way and in the same manner.

So it was never really something that was carried out literally. But there were certain principles that were spoken to in this regard. Barclay says, and very soon the injury done was assessed at a money value. So there was a money value assessed to this type of damage in a court of law, and the Jewish law carefully laid down how the damage was to be assessed. If a man has injured another, he is liable on five counts for injury, for pain, for healing, for loss of time, and for indignity suffered. In regard to injury, the injured man is looked upon as a slave to be sold in the marketplace.

His value before and after the injury was assessed, and the man responsible for the injury had to pay the difference. He was responsible for the loss and value of the man injured. In regard to pain, it was estimated how much money a man would accept to be willing to undergo the pain of the injury inflicted, and the man responsible for the injury had to pay that sum.

So it's really very similar to what we see today in many respects. If you go to court today, if someone's been damaged, then a jury sits or a judge sits and listens to the case, and they determine how they can try to to make it right as best they can.

Also, in regard to healing, the injured had to pay all the expenses, all the medical expenses, which is often done today. If someone is injured in a car accident or something like that, that was somebody's fault, perhaps, or you know, there would be compensation so that a person would be able to take care of any medical bills that he might incur. Also, loss of time was another factor that was considered. If someone had to lose time off from work, then they would be compensated for that.

Also, indignity. If a person suffered some kind of indignity due to an injury, some kind of some type of humiliation, then a certain money value would be placed upon that. You probably heard of people receiving a million dollars because of some kind of damage that was done. So, it was an assessed value based on what a person had to suffer, what they had to go through. So, this particular law, again, it was mainly taken in a figurative sense. What does Christ want us to learn from this? So, he obviously doesn't want us to be retaliating. He says, you've heard it said, and I had a tooth for a tooth, but I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turned the other to him also. Now, obviously, we're not talking about a death blow here. It wasn't that serious. It was a situation that happened between people, a personal relationship where someone would offend another person. If someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him also. So, it was basically saying that a person was willing to suffer an offense and even allow a person to go even further in that. If someone would lose a tooth and a brawl, again, you know, they wouldn't retaliate like they did in times past. They would just try to make it as equitable as possible.

This is a verse that should be used in the context that is given here. Christ, again, wants us to be willing to suffer loss. Christ set the perfect example for us. Jesus Christ was not guilty in any way, and yet He allowed Himself to be crucified. He allowed Himself to be beaten and to suffer humiliation and all of that, setting an example for all of us. So, if someone were to figuratively slap us on one cheek, then we could figuratively turn the other cheek. And by so doing, we would show the nature of Jesus Christ in our own life. Christ was willing to suffer in order to show another person how they ought to live. It really diffuses things if someone doesn't retaliate. If you don't retaliate, then typically it ends the argument or the problem very quickly. But if you do retaliate, then it escalates things. And things oftentimes get out of hand, and things are said, and things are done that so many are so often regretted.

If you're guilty of an offense, then you should also be willing to suffer. Especially if you have done something to offend another person, and they do retaliate against you, then you should be humble and meek, realizing that you should have never done what you did in the first place. And if they decide to take it out on you, well, you've deserved it. If you've done nothing to offend, and the slap is strictly bad behavior by the other person, because that often happens as well, maybe you haven't done anything to warrant any kind of offense or bad behavior on another person's part. If you allow them to take it out on you, so to speak, then oftentimes they realize their own foolishness. They see that, you know, they should have never done that in the first place. And so oftentimes they're a lot more repentant if you don't retaliate against them. It's a very gracious gesture to be willing to suffer wrong when you've done nothing wrong. There's a scripture in 1 Peter chapter 2. In fact, I'd like to turn to it. 1 Peter chapter 2. And it speaks of Jesus Christ. It speaks of how He responded when He was being crucified. And it's a verse that we should well remember when someone has something against us and is perhaps treating us wrongly. Notice in verse 18 of 1 Peter chapter 2, servants be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and the gentle, but also to the harsh. Now we talked a little bit about this in the Bible study last night. Up north we had a good turnout for the Bible study up there in McKinney.

Oftentimes we're treated harshly by others, but the best way to get through to someone who's treating you harshly is to respond meekly.

He says, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh, for this is commendable if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. If you are willing to take something that is actually offensive to you, you don't deserve it, and you take it, and you don't respond, then that sets an example that really lasts a lifetime. People take note of something like that. It's unexpected. For what credit is it if when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? In other words, if you if you deserve it and you take it patiently, which oftentimes people don't, even when they deserve something, they continue to retaliate and to escalate things. But if you take it patiently and you were guilty of it, that's really nothing great in itself. But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable. If you've done good and still you're suffering wrongfully, again, Jesus Christ always did good. Jesus Christ never sinned. He was very loving. He was compassionate, kind, very generous, very giving.

When you do good and you and you suffer, if you take it patiently, then it is commendable before God. God takes note of that. It's commendable for you. For to this you were called because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow His steps. And what was the example that Christ said? Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth. Who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return. When He suffered, He did not threaten. But committed Himself to Him who judges righteously. Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness by whose stripes we are healed. For you are like sheep going astray, but you've now returned to the shepherd and overseer of your souls. So Christ set that perfect example for us who was willing to say, not my will, but your will be done.

Obviously, Christ suffered a great deal for us, and He suffered for those who have all sinned. The only one who didn't sin was Jesus Christ. He's the only one that was not worthy of death.

So He sets the perfect example for us. He shows us how we should retelli—or how we should respond if someone is mean to us or is hurtful or is hateful. We should do well to remember Christ's example at all times. And again, this isn't talking about someone who is out to kill you. It's just talking about personal relationships, one with another. Perhaps someone who's been a friend and you've done something to offend them or they get upset with you for whatever reason. How are you going to respond to them? Are you going to treat them as one you love? Or are you going to quickly, quickly forget that you really do love this person? Instead, remember that it's okay to suffer wrongfully and to take it patiently that's commendable for you.

You know, Christ's brother James said that we should resist Satan. We should resist evil. There is a time, obviously, to resist evil. We should always resist Satan the devil when he's out to tempt us and to hurt us. And there is a time to resist someone who is out to hurt us as well. There's a time to perhaps defend oneself. This isn't talking really about self-defense at all. It's just talking about personal relationships here.

God doesn't want us to allow evil to prevail. And for us just to be doormats, you know, there is a time to speak up. There is a time to say things that should be said. But we should pick our times carefully and we should do it when it's going to make a difference, when it's going to help. We're supposed to be known by the love that we have for each other as Christ disciples.

One very powerful way to get through to people is to show humility and to show weakness in the face of arrogance and pride. When someone treats you in an arrogant way or in a prideful way, if you respond humbly, then that normally diffuses things. In many, many cases, it diffuses the situation. It doesn't escalate it. It actually gets better. So if somebody rises up against you in pride, respond as Christ would. Respond meekly and humbly. You will certainly be the victor in the spiritual sense.

That's the example that Jesus Christ set for us.

Now, we know that Christ is going to come back. He is going to put down evil. He is going to put down rebellion. Those who are the firstfruits will be there with Him to do that. There's a godly balance again in how we respond to things and how we behave ourselves. We need to bring all the scriptures into mind and choose carefully how we are going to respond to one another. It's very clear that the Bible says that we are to live peacefully with our fellow man. That we should seek peace. That we should pursue peace. It is going to require a lot of humility on our parts if we're truly going to be peacemakers.

By turning the other cheek, again, we will soften another person's wrath. If someone is wrathful, by retaliating, we will make them even angrier. We could really get ourselves into a dangerous situation. If we're not careful, people have died because of simply responding in kind.

People get more angry and never know exactly what they could possibly do if they get angry enough.

So that isn't the example that Christ said. He did not retaliate. As I just read, when he was reviled, he did not revile back at them.

So it's important, again, that we remember these words of Jesus Christ. These are words that really do impact us and affect us on a regular basis. There have been times when all of us have had to apply these things in our life. Sometimes I'm sure we've done better than others. There are times when I wish I had remembered these words and applied them. It would have gone much better for me. I guess you get a little wiser, hopefully, as you grow older and you don't do some of the stupidest, stupider things that you did when you were younger. So getting back to Matthew chapter 5, if we go back, if we go to verse 40, if anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, that was the undergarment that people would wear in those days at the time of Christ. It was a long inner garment. It was made of cotton or linen. It was relatively inexpensive. The poorest man would have more than one undergarment, but the cloak was the heavy blanket-like outer garment which a man wore as a robe by day and then would use it as a blanket by night. Typically, the average Jew would have only one cloak because it was more expensive. When one would wear out, then they would buy another one, but they typically didn't have more than one. If we go back to Exodus chapter 22, it talks about this cloak. Exodus chapter 22, there was an actual law about someone's cloak in the Old Testament. Exodus chapter 22 verse 26, if you ever take your neighbor's garment as a pledge, so if somebody owes you money and you take their outer garment as a pledge, in other words, you owe me money, I'm going to take your cloak. If you don't pay me, I'm going to keep your cloak. Well, the thing was, every night you had to give that back. He says, so if you take your neighbor's garment as a pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down, for that is his only covering. It is his garment for his skin. What will he sleep in? And it will be that when he cries to me, I will hear, for I am gracious. So God didn't take this lightly, a cloak was an important garment, and it was one that would need to be given back, so a person would be able to stay warm at night. So getting back again to Matthew chapter 5, if someone takes your cloak, Christ says, give them your garment as well. So it's going way above and beyond what a person would normally expect.

If anyone wants to sue you and they want to take your tunic, perhaps you've done something to them. You did something that you should not have done to them. And so they have a valid reason where they could go to court and they could take your tunic for what you've done. Christ says, let them have your cloak also. So that would be a real hardship for you to give up your cloak. So this was pretty unheard of, this type of teaching that Christ was giving here. He says, and whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him too. Now, at this time, Jerusalem and the environs around Jerusalem, Judah, they were an occupied country. The Romans ruled over that land. And so if a Roman soldier would do a lot of marching, they would have backpacks that were very heavy, between 60 to 100 pounds. And so it was within the law that they could get someone to give them a rest and carry their backpack for a mile. But they could only have them carry it for one mile. If they made them carry it more than that, then they could be punished for that. So this is a reference to that. If someone compels you, in other words, they can impress you into service. That was part of the law. It was an occupied country. So a Roman could require a Jew to carry this backpack for a mile, but no longer. So Christ is saying, well, go ahead and give them that extra mile. Go that extra mile. If they want you to carry it one, then give them more than the law requires. Go a second mile.

So the example that Christ set for us, and that He also tells us that we should follow, is one of generously giving of ourselves. It's sacrificing of ourselves.

On page 167 of William Barclay's commentary, he says, the Christian thinks not of his rights. We shouldn't be so consumed with our rights, but of his duties, not of his privileges, but of his responsibilities. The Christian is a man who has forgotten that he has any rights at all. Now, I don't know that we need to go that far. I think there are times when it's okay to remember that we have certain rights because some people will certainly take advantage of them, and they will go much further than they should. So again, there's a godly balance in this.

He says, the man who will fight to the legal death for his rights inside or outside the church is far from the Christian way. So it is important for us to consider, again, the example that Christ said for us, an example of sacrificing, of laying his life down, of giving everything for us, for others.

There is a time even Paul invoked Roman law at times. He was being beaten, and he brings up the fact that he was a Roman citizen.

It was unlawful to beat a Roman citizen, and basically he made them acknowledge that he was a Roman citizen, and they had to back off in that regard. So there is a time when it would be okay to use some proper legal rights, of course.

But we should be careful how we do that. Another thing that happened during this time of Christ, back when the Romans occupied the land of Palestine, the word that is used here is the word used to compel, to compel someone to go an extra mile. It is a word that basically meant a courier. It was a Persian word. The Persians had a very efficient postal service that Cyrus had put into place, and it was broken down into various stages or legs, each lasting one day. At each stage there was food and water for the courier and for the horses. There were also fresh horses for the next leg of the route. But if by chance there was anything lacking, then a private person could be impressed into service. He could be compelled to also get involved, and he would have to provide whatever product or service was lacking. It was considered their duty. So this is again what what Christ is referring to. Also in the Bible, where it speaks of Simon of Cyrene, it says he was compelled to carry Jesus' stake or the cross upon which Christ was crucified. So the Romans, again, they occupied the land. They had the right to do that.

Christ says, go above and beyond that. Give them an extra mile. Provide them more food, perhaps, than what's required. Do more than anyone would expect.

And also do it cheerfully. That's another thing that the Bible tells us. God loves a cheerful giver, not someone who begrudgingly just does what's required of them. God says we are to be profitable servants, that we are to go above and beyond. Not just do what's required of us, but to truly be profitable. Oftentimes, we think of just doing the bare minimum. At least, I know that's how I sometimes think, is I'm just going to do enough to get by here. They don't deserve any more than this. Maybe at work, if an employer perhaps isn't the greatest employer in the world, then sometimes it's easy to get into an attitude of, I'm just going to do the bare minimum. Whatever is required, they're not going to fire me. So I'll just barely get by. That's not the approach that Christ wants us to take, of course. We should strive to be very profitable employees. And we should realize that usually, if we are profitable employees, that is recognized. And we'll actually be blessed for being a good employee. I think most of us realize that, and we do try to give a lot more, perhaps, than the normal person or the average person. As a Christian, we really do need to set the best example possible. And as an employee, we have an opportunity every day of our lives, or five days out of the week, typically, to set a good example. Again, we shouldn't be begrudging employees. We should be those who are cheerful employees. We should be efficient employees. We should strive to give as much as we can. We should not be resentful employees. We should be gracious employees. And we should ask ourselves, how well do we measure up to the Christian principle of giving an extra mile, of going above and beyond the call of duty?

In verse 42, Christ says, Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you, do not turn away.

If it's in your power to help someone, Christ says you should help them. You know, if you have the means, and someone comes to you and is looking for some help, then you should fulfill their request. The Bible says, Ask and you shall receive. So if someone comes and asks for help, then you should think of ways that you can help them, not ways that you shouldn't help them.

Now, it doesn't mean that you shouldn't also consider who's asking and why they're asking, and whether or not it would be helpful for or would be healthy for them for you to for you to help them. And how should you help them? Some people will take advantage of us, and it's really not in their best interest to just do what they want. We have to evaluate that and consider what would be the most helpful, and what we what we could do to help the person in the long run, especially. So we shouldn't be naive. We shouldn't consider another person's motives. But again, Godly balance is the key in these issues, but we should consider these things and not dismiss them quickly. It should be something that we give careful thought to.

And it is best to err on the side of graciousness and generosity. It's much better to err on the side of graciousness and generosity than on the side of being miserly and stingy.

Let's go to Deuteronomy chapter 15 for a moment. Deuteronomy chapter 15, where some laws of giving are laid down for us. Deuteronomy chapter 15.

Deuteronomy chapter 15 verse 7, If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother, but you shall open your hand wide to him. Not just a little bit. It says you should open your hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for his need. And of course, this is Old Testament, isn't it? Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. It's the same person who gave this law as gave the law in the Sermon on the Mount. So we see many parallels, but Christ oftentimes magnifies things in the New Testament in the Sermon on the Mount. He magnifies it because a lot of people didn't get it. They weren't living by it. And they certainly were not living by this law when it came to helping the poor. You shall open your hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he needs. Beware, lest there be a wicked thought in your heart.

Again, that's something that we should consider. Is there any kind of wicked thoughts when it comes to not helping people, not being very generous, not giving? Beware, lest there be a wicked thought in your heart saying the seventh year, the year of release is at hand. Every seven years, debts would be released. They would be forgiven.

So, the seventh year, the year of release is at hand, and your eye be evil against your poor brother, and you give him nothing because the year of release is coming and he might not pay you back. And so, you won't give him anything until the year of release starts over again. So, you're more likely to get paid back. You're not supposed to think that way. If someone needs help, they need it right then. And if you can help them, then you should try. So, if your eye be evil against your poor brother and you give him nothing and he cry out to the Lord the eternal against you, then it becomes sin and it becomes sin among you. You shall surely give to him and your heart should not be grieved when you give to him. Again, God loves a cheerful giver. So, if you give begrudgingly, then there's no reward for that. Even though you end up giving the same amount of money or help, so you might as well be cheerful when you do it. Of course, it speaks to one's attitude. Because for this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your works and in all to which you put your hand. For the poor will never cease from the land. Therefore, I command you, saying, you shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor and your needy in your land. So, there's a lot that the Bible says about helping the poor. Christ said there will always be poor amongst us. There are those who are poor amongst us today in the church of God. Some people have greater material blessings than others. So, we should be generous. And I've seen many examples of generosity, by the way, since I've been here in the Dallas-Fort Worth congregation. And many people do it quietly, which is the proper way to give, to do it as quietly as possible.

The rabbis laid down five laws in regard to giving based on the verses that we've just read. So, let me just go through those laws that they laid down. One was, giving must not be refused. If a man refuses to give when he is able, remember there may come a time when he needs help and must himself ask for help, perhaps from the same people that he refused to help in the first place. So, you've heard the law of what goes around comes around.

I mean, we shouldn't do it just because of that, obviously. We should help others whenever we're capable of helping. We can't out-give God, so if we learn to be generous, we can know that God is going to be generous with us.

So, giving must not be refused. A second principle they laid down was, giving must be fit the man to whom one is giving.

One should be given what he lacks. Giving must be fit the man to whom one is giving. So, one should be given what he lacks. If a person once had quite a bit and he lost it all, then one was expected to give to the level that the person had grown accustomed to, at least to a point. In fact, Barclay mentions that Hillel arranged that the poverty-stricken son of a noble family should not be just given food to keep him alive, but also a horse to ride, and even a slave, perhaps, to wait upon him. Barclay says there is something gracious and lovely in the idea that giving must not only remove actual poverty, but it must do something also to remove the humiliation which poverty brings. Most people don't like to ask for things, by the way. It's very difficult. In fact, a lot of people will suffer greatly because they just will refuse to ask for any help. So, again, there's a godly balance in all this. God allows people to be poor, doesn't He? God could make all of us rich. He doesn't choose to do that for a number of reasons. So, one who is poor should learn to humble themselves if they do need some help. There are many people that are very willing to help, but they don't really even understand or know that someone's in need. That could easily go on in today's society. It could easily happen that people are in much greater need than we realize.

So, that second point, again, was to give to a person in such a way that it would not be so humiliating to them. If they were used to having a lot, it's going to be perhaps more difficult for them to have nothing. So, maybe you would try to give them a little more, so it would not be quite so humiliating for them, even though they may need to be humbled to some degree. Maybe that's one of the reasons why they're going through the trial. Who knows? A third principle that the rabbis laid down was, giving must be carried out privately and secretly. The highest kind of giving is of the anonymous variety, where a person doesn't even know to whom they are giving or who is giving to them. In other words, a person shouldn't give because they want to get something back in return, whether it be something in regard to a claim. They shouldn't try to give so that others can see how generous they are. That's not the motive that we should have. Giving should be carried out as secretly as possible. On the other hand, if someone really needs help and the only way to help them is for them to know it, it's better to help them than not to give the help.

Another principle was, the manner of giving must be fit, the character, and the temperament of the recipient. If it was difficult for someone to receive help, then the way or manner in which the gift was given should be taken into account. Perhaps the gift could even be disguised as a loan.

Sometimes people do that. They really don't intend to ever have the money back. But because it's difficult for a person to receive help, well, let me just give you a loan and you can just pay me back. But they don't really expect to get paid back. They know that it's not likely that they're ever going to be paid back. But they do it just to help the person be able to receive help. So we should consider these things and try not to try to make it as easy as we can for someone if we're going to to help them. Because, as I said, it is humbling.

And we should look at it more as humbling rather than humiliating.

We shouldn't really look at it as humiliating. If we need help, we need help.

Giving another principle that the rabbis laid down, a fifth principle is that giving was considered a privilege and an obligation. For in reality, all giving is nothing less than giving to God. It is a privilege and an obligation for all people. To give to a needy person was not something a person ought to do, but it was looked upon as something that he must do. It's part of our Christian obligation. If he refused to help, then he refused God's command to help. God says, take care of the poor. That is a part of our responsibility. God is merciful and gracious to us, oftentimes, to the degree to the degree that we are merciful and gracious to others.

And Berkeley said in his commentary that the rabbis loved to point out that loving kindness was one of the very few things to which the law appointed no limit at all. Loving kindness, you can give that in all measure possible.

When giving, one should not encourage another to develop a welfare mentality, however. A welfare mentality is not a good mentality to have.

In fact, it's a very bad mentality to get into.

We should not encourage laziness on the part of others. We're not doing them any favors. If they're capable of working and they refuse to work, God says something about that, too. He says one who refuses to work shouldn't eat. So, someone who is capable of working, they should work. That's a very fundamental principle. It's one of God's basic principles that we should strive to take care of ourselves, to work diligently, to be faithful, and then we'll reap the blessings of doing so. So, again, there's a godly balance in all this. It is important to try to see the needs of other people, try to ascertain if someone really is in need and in help, and you don't necessarily have to wait until they ask. In fact, if you can graciously offer help, that is, I'm sure, greatly appreciated by those who are in need and those who need help, those who could use some help. So, we should be mindful of situation if someone hasn't worked in a long time, but they've diligently tried to find work, and they've worked hard at trying to get a job, but they just haven't yet found one, then obviously there would be a time there to intervene and to help out.

Sometimes people have to take lesser jobs for a while, too. Maybe they're not able to get the high-paying job that they're used to, but rather than not work at all, for a time, depending on, again, upon the situation, it would be wise to take a job that would not pay quite so well so that you could provide for your family and not necessarily have to have so much help.

Also, another principle to always keep in mind, it's better to help a score of fraudulent beggars than to refuse or neglect to help someone who truly needs our help. There's a balance there, again. I think most of the people that are out begging, you know, they try to stop your vehicle.

Most of those people could find other work. If they're healthy enough to be out there on the street corners, then most likely they could find other work. Oftentimes, those people are bringing in more money than someone who's working hard. So, I'm not real quick to give money in a case like that. I would want to know a little bit more about that person than to give money to someone who is working the system and is taking advantage of people's generosity and goodness.

But if you're not sure, it is better to help someone like that than to refuse somebody who really does need help.

Let's go on in Matthew chapter 5.

What time is it? Matthew chapter 5. Matthew chapter 5 and verse 43. Matthew chapter 5 verse 43.

Here it says, you have heard that it was said, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.

But I say to you, love your enemies and bless those who curse you. Do good to those who hate you. Pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven, for he makes his Son rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Now this is a very, very important part of the Sermon on the Mount. Again, this is teaching that you don't see it anywhere else. This is teaching that's exclusively to our Savior, Jesus Christ. It comes from him.

He says, you have heard that it was said, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. Now notice that, hate your enemy is...

It's not italicized like, you shall love your neighbor. That you can find in the Bible. I don't believe you can find anywhere where it says that you are to hate your enemy, but that is the practice. That was the practice that many people had. That's exactly how many people felt and how they acted. Christ requires so much more of his people. He requires so much more of his disciples. We are to love our enemies and even pray for them.

You don't really read that in the Qur'an. That's not the teaching that's given there or anywhere else. This is teaching exclusively from our Savior, Jesus Christ. We are to love our enemies. We are to pray for our enemies. It's difficult to hate someone for whom you are praying. In fact, if you do hate someone, then start praying for them. Because you really need to pray for them. If you harbor hatred or resentment towards a person, then you really need to pray for them. That's what Christ said. And before long, you'll find out that you don't hate them nearly so much. If you are praying properly, there is, I suppose, a way to pray that is improper, that might even strengthen your hatred, but not the right type of praying that Jesus Christ teaches. We are to love our enemies, Christ says, and pray for those who spitefully use us and persecute us.

Bitterness fades away when we genuinely pray for those who have wronged us and caused us to become bitter. Bitterness can eat us alive. A root of bitterness can certainly lead to the lake of fire. A root of bitterness is something that we all need to repent of. If we've allowed a root of bitterness to develop within us, it is something that we'll have to be repented of before we enter God's kingdom.

The word for love is agape here. It doesn't mean a feeling of the heart that we cannot help, but it is a determination of the mind to be a certain way. Agape love is an unselfish love here.

It is a love that gives us the power and the ability to love someone that we may not even like that much. I mean, we may not like them very much, but we can actually learn to love them if we set our minds and our wills to learning to love them, to pray for them. I guess we would start liking them some if we start loving them. It is Christ and the Father in us. It is God in us that allows us to be able to love our enemies. God is love, and we are to become as God is. So we are to be loving. We're to be kind and compassionate to all of God's children, no matter how misguided and no matter how ignorant or hateful they are. Remember what Christ said when he was being crucified, when he was on the stake. Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. And Stephen said a similar thing when he was being martyred. Father, forgive them. They don't know what they're doing. Okay, that's real love, to be able to forgive someone who is hurting us, who's harming us, and perhaps even killing us, persecuting us. Christ's followers are to be known by the love that they have for one another. That's the true mark of a disciple of Jesus Christ, the love that we have for one another, for our fellow man. What Christ has said in this first part of the Sermon on the Mount is all about personal relationships, how we are to treat one another, and the example that we are to set for each other. It is easy to make excuses for our behavior, but we should always carefully consider what Christ teaches us here in the Sermon on the Mount.

Again, nowhere else than any other literature of any kind, religious or otherwise, can this type of teaching be found. It is completely unique to love your enemies, to pray for your enemies, to pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. This is the teaching that comes directly from God. Again, God is love, so it's no wonder that it originates from Him. We are to become like God. We are to become like Christ. We are to be holy, even as God is holy. We are to become living sacrifices, as it says in Romans chapter 12, that we are to become a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

We are to become the sons and daughters of our Father in heaven. To be a son of peace is to become a peaceful person. To be a son of joy is to be a joyful person. To be a son of faith is to be a faithful person. To be a son of God is to be a God-like person.

We are called to be sons of God, to be daughters of God, to be children of God.

Now, the Greek word that is used for perfect here, to become you, therefore, perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect. This is an adjective.

It is the Greek word teleos, T-E-L-E-I-O-S. It is used in regard to a perfect sacrifice as one without blemish. Of course, Jesus Christ was the perfect sacrifice, the one without blemish, that perfect sacrificial lamb. A person who has reached his full-grown stature or height is said to be teleos. He is said to be mature. That's what this word also means, to become you, therefore, mature or perfect. So mature as opposed to someone who is only half-grown or immature physically. So the Greek idea of perfection is very functional. A thing is perfect if it fully realizes the function for which it was intended, for which it was planned or designed. Telos, the noun, T-E-L-O-S, means an end, a purpose, an aim, a goal. It says Christ is the end of the law. It's talking about Christ is the example that we are to follow. Christ who perfectly kept God's laws. He is the example that we are to follow.

We have been created in His image, after His likeness. We are to become as He is, as God is. All of you are familiar with a Phillips screwdriver, for example. A Phillips screwdriver is designed for a specific purpose. When it's the right proper size, it works perfectly, doesn't it? We're glad we have a Phillips screwdriver around when we need it. It works better than any other screwdriver, if you have that type of screw that you need to screw into something or to take out of something. It's an analogy. We are designed also for a specific purpose. When we fulfill that purpose, we are becoming mature. We are becoming perfect in that sense.

So, we're all called to fulfill the purpose for which we were designed to become a child of God born into His kingdom. That's our goal, to become born into the family of God. Man was created to become like God. We were made in His image, and God expects us to become like Him. So, that is a very high and holy calling. It is a very tall, tall order, and the Sermon on the Mount speaks to that calling. It shows to the height that we are to aspire to become perfect, even as God is perfect, as Christ is perfect, to become a lamb without blemish, a innocent, perfect sacrifice, to lay our lives down for others.

That takes a lot of humility. It takes a very submissive person. It takes someone like Christ. Christ was very humble. It was very submissive. That not your will be done, or let not my will be done, but let your will be done. That's the kind of example Christ set for us. That's the type of example that we should set for one another. So, brethren, if you want to build your spiritual house on the rock, on Jesus Christ, then follow His example. Do as He did.

Remember what He said in the Sermon on the Mount in regard to loving your enemies, turning the other cheek, going the extra mile. In the weeks ahead, we'll continue to study in detail Christ's instruction that does lead to peace and contentment now, and it does lead ultimately to eternal life.