Lesson #9 Sermon on the Mount Matt 6-7

One of my favorite gospel books is "The Measure of Our Hearts" by Marvin J. Ashton. In this book is a chapter called "That's just the way I am."  It talks about how sometimes we use this excuse to not change ourselves, an excuse for our laziness.  He talks about going into a prison and seeing a man with a tattoo that says: "A Born Loser" and therefore he acts like one and doesn't bother to change. So sad.

The Sermon on the Mount is a call to change.  It was a call for the newly called apostles and other disciples to change the way they have known religious leaders to be.  It was a call for the general population, or at least those who would listen, to change the way they relate to God.  It was a call to change the way they worship, learn and live.

READ Matt 6:1-4 (ALMS)

READ Matt 6:5-8 (PRAYER)

READ Matt 6:16-18 (FASTING)

WHAT ARE THE THINGS WE ARE BEING WARNED AGAINST?

List of what not do:

·      The main message, do not your alms before MEN

·      Do not be a hypocrite (a pretender) – though it might feel like pretending in the beginning i.e. canned missionary experience

·      What is the reward of men?  Glory, assessment of knowledge/spirituality

·      Breeds comparison, pride, condescension, or prideful ascension (I am better than you or they are better than me)

·      If people say I’m spiritual, I must be.  Vicious cycle of self-confirming spirituality instead of spiritual confirmation from God.  Which means we end up thinking we are better than God or have no need for his counsels.

·      Don’t be dramatic (sad countenance)

·      Do not boast in what you’ve been given (6:3).  D&C 3:4 and 7

o   For although a man may have many revelations, and have power to do many mighty works, yet if he boasts in his own strength, and sets at naught the counsels of God, and follows after the dictates of his own will and carnal desires, he must fall and incur the vengeance of a just God upon him. (v7) For behold, you should not have feared man more than God.

o   Other issues with boasting: Elder Ashton:  Consideration for the feelings of others should always be important to worthy Latter-day Saints. Rightfully we may be happy about the number of children with which we have been blessed, the missionaries who have served, the temple marriages of our offspring, and the accomplishments of family members.  However, others who are not so fortunate may have feelings of guilt or inadequacy.  They may have been praying long and hard for the same blessings about which we are boasting, and they may feel that they are out of favor with God.  For this reason our appreciation should be sincerely felt, and we should express gratitude frequently to our Father in Heaven – but not too vocally to the world.  We should be gratefully aware of the source of our blessings and strengths and refrain from taking undue credit for personal accomplishments.

HOW DO YOU COMBAT HYPOCRSY?

·      All examples begin with self-mastery/self-control

·      Pray in secret, only report to Heavenly Father.  If you need to report it to someone else, don’t be boastful.

·      Avoid vain repetitions – WHAT ARE VAIN REPETITIONS?  Saying words over and over again or just speaking too much.

o   HOW DOES KNOWING THAT OUR FATHER KNOWS WHAT WE NEED BEFORE WE ASK HELP US NOT BE BOASTFUL OR OFFER VAIN REPETITIONS?

·      Just be obedient and get on with life. (wash thy face and fast – do it in secret)

READ Matt 6:19-20 (Lay not up treasures on earth)

·      Nephi decided to give up the judgment seat over a wicked people and with his brother Lehi went about preaching the word of God.  In doing so they remembered the words of their father Helaman:

o   Helaman 5:7-8 Therefore, my sons, I would that ye should do that which is good, that it may be said of you, and also written, even as it has been said and written of them.  And now my sons, behold I have somewhat more to desire of you, which desire is, that ye may not do these things that ye may boast, but that ye may do these things to lay up for yourselves a treasure in heaven, yea, which is eternal, and which fadeth not away; yea, that ye may have that precious gift of eternal life, which we have reason to suppose hath been given to our fathers.      Then he explains how to do this in vs 12:

o   And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless we, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

Lesson #8, Part 1 of The Sermon on the Mount

The Sermon on the Mount is probably one of the most studied sections of scripture ever, anywhere.  There is so much that can be gleaned from the words of the Savior during this sermon.  As I read it this time through, I saw it as a call to serve, or a call to be what Heavenly Father thinks I can be.  The perfectionist part of me gets overwhelmed reading all the "beattitudes" because I feel like I should be more than I am, that if I could be everything on this list, I would be what Heavenly Father wants.  In this reading, I didn't feel that.  That is, I didn't feel overwhelmed.  I felt grateful for direction and grateful that direction comes from the Savior, who can help me be a peacemaker, a merciful person, a humble person, a stalwart, a seeker of wisdom.

The beattitudes and the information following is for the Jews to know that the Law of Moses has been fulfilled and that what is required of those who believe Christ is going to be a little more personal, a little more introspective and therefore a little more service oriented.  Which takes a lot more self-control and discipline (which more and more I'm discovering is the whole purpose of life: self-control).

Matthew 5 is full of doctrines from the law of Moses and then how they are fulfilled in Christ: "ye have heard that it was said" to "but I say unto you," followed by the new doctrine that requires further restraint or more understanding/empathy, based on a foundation of doctrine.  For instance: 

21¶Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou^ashalt not ^bkill; and whosoever shall kill shall be ^cin danger of the judgment:

22But I say unto you, That whosoever is ^aangry with his brother^bwithout a cause shall be ^cin danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, ^dRaca, shall be ^ein danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

 Most of us have conquered the not killing people, but not even being angry most of us need to work on (I do!). 

I will talk more of this in the next post!