SERMON ON THE MOUNT (PART  3)  MATTHEW 6   v1-16

In this part of the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord Jesus gives guidance on the subject of giving alms to the needy and prayer.  The Jews attached great importance on both.  These subjects deserve the attention of all Christians.

 The Jews had three religious subjects in which the good life was based; giving of alms. Prayer, and fasting.  Jesus did not dispute this, but He was concerned that for human beings, the fine things were used for wrong matters.

We must consider this subject accepting the guidance Jesus gives, but we must also consider we are living in a society so different, and approach in a balance manner.

 The vital question to answer is, what is the definition of needy?  A reasonable answer would be, those people who have not the personal means to be able to acquire the necessities of life. There are however many examples of people seeking money and food gifts, who at the same time are spending money on items of entertainment, or non-essential objects.

 In England, the present Socialist government has forsaken many elderly peopleby stopping fuel payments, which were previously paid to help pay the highestfuel bills in Europe and America, so causing their heating to be restricted in what has been a bitterly cold time, placing them in danger of ill-health. Yet at the same time, answering demands from highly paid workers in one trade, with further amounts. 

 I have mentioned what some people will political examples, but did Jesus not speak of political themes when one kind of people have been abandoned in favor of another.  I have quoted these examples to emphasise how needy is always a controversial term. 

 Jesus made it clear, He expected His followers to care for those who were poor and in need, and He would mean truly in need, and I have confidence that a vast number of Christians respond to that, and respond to the statement Jesus made that such giving would be done without personal announcing of their action, as He stated, not letting one hand know what the other is doing.

 Jesus turned to speak about prayer, quoting the Lord’s Prayer, which has been prayed many millions of time in Churches and elsewhere for centuries, and which

some misled clergy want to change.  This prayer was given by Jesus, and all must accept what Jesus said, we say, and to suggest change is an insult to our Lord.

One bishop on appointment, stated we should also say our mother, but if Jesus wanted to include our mother He would have said so, and he did not.  Another cleric stated the Lord’s prayer was problematic for people, and we should say our parent; I don’t know what his problem was; I thought it so silly a statement.

 There are people across the world still living in depressed conditions, deprived of the many aids we have who are totally committed to the words of the Bible, despite the fact they are doing so by hearsay, for they have no Bibles because they cannot afford to buy them.  Bible Societies campaign for gifts to supply bibles for different countries, I wonder if they have ever heard of Africa.

 The verses in the Lord’s Prayer are the most well-known wherever the Christian faith is  found. This is probably so full and simple, and is regularly taught as the first piece of Scripture.   

This prayer is of God, and was meant to be a prayer only for those who are committed to Jesus Christ.  The prayer is specifically stated to be the Apostles Prayer, for it was an Apostle who asked Jesus to teach them how to pray.

  The first three petitions are  to the glory of God,  The second three petitions are to do with our needs and necessities. The third petitions are in which we seek God’s aid and forgiveness.

The first sentence tells us we pray to OUR Father, not my Father, in heaven.

The second sentence is a petition respecting God’s name be hallowed. In saying this, we noting God is holy. We recognize His power, wisdom, holiness, judgment, mercy and truth, and that He may be known and glorified.  The Lord Jesus prayed, Father, glorify Thy Name, in John’s Gospel.

In the third sentence we pray for the coming of God’s Kingdom. That of grace whichGod sets up in the hearts of all Christians.   When Jesus returns to earth again, He will set up the Kingdom, in which sin and sorrow, and all evil will be cast out of the world, and all Jews shall be converted.  This fills an important event.

The fourth sentence is concerting God’s will, that it may be in earth as it is in heaven. We are praying that God’s laws may be obeyed by all people, and those who not now obey His laws will do so.  Our peace and happiness is subject to submission to God’s will.

The fifth sentence is a petition respecting our own daily needs. Give us our daily bread, indicating we are dependent on God to take care of us and for all our bodies require.

The sixth sentence is a petition regarding our sins ,or as is stated in the United States, our debts, which is that in the English Standard Version of the Bible.  We confess our need of forgiveness, and self-justifying.

The seventh sentence is a profession respecting our own feelings towards others; we ask our Father to forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.  This is the only profession in which the whole prayer, and the only part on which the LordComments and dwells upon, when He has concluded the prayer.  This is to remind us we should not pray with malice or despite, in our hearts towards others, for such would be hypocrisy

The eighth sentence is a petition respecting our weakness towards temptation. We are all capable of falling into sin, and so confess our infirmity, and we ask God to hold us up when we are likely to fall, and so avoid us from all sin. We ask that we be prevented of damaging our souls, and never suffer us to be tempted above our ability to bear.

This is one of the more necessary petitions, for there have been occasions when people have walked out of Churches, when it was stated by a preacher that we are all subject to sin.  An enterprising Vicar in one Church in the Southern Counties in England, put a notice outside his church, which stated’ This Church is for sinners’, an obvious abbreviation of what he meant, but the following week two thirds of his congregation were absent.  It was in that area where people are more sensitive than in the North of the country.

The ninth sentence is a petition respecting our dangers. Deliver us from evil that is in the world, the evil that is within our hearts, and the devil.  We confess that as long as we are in the body, we are  hearing and feeling the presence of healing. We pray that God who is above all who can help us, and we plea for Him to protect and preserve us continually delivering us from falling from all ill.

The tenth and last petition is a description of praise. Thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory,  We declare these words in our belief that the kingdom of this world are the rightful property of our Father, and to Him alone belongs the glory but never consider what they are saying.  They do not care for the glory, the Kingdom, or the will of God.  They do not have the dependence, sinfulness, weakness or danger,  There is lack of charity for  their enemies, yet repeat the Lord’s Prayer.

May we resolve that by God’s help, our hearts should go together with our lips and not repeat this great prayer by speaking in robotic manner. People should be happy, who can truly say that God his/her Father through Jesus Christ our Savor 

.  We close by offering to Him the profession of our hearts, that we will give Him all honor and praise,  and will rejoice that He is king of Kings and Lord of Lords.

We examine ourselves and see whether we desire to have the things we have been taught to ask for in the Lord’s prayer.  It is feared that many people will repeat these words as a form.  Happy is he/her who can therefore say with a  heartfelt heartAmen to all that the Lord’s Prayer contains.

WE Praise God’s Holy Name and pray that He be Glorified