Week 36 Matthew
Sometimes when I’m reading-through I make up exercises to help keep my mind on track – I’ll find a topic that interests me and look for all the places a writer talks about it.
Matthew six gave me a good idea for an exercise – it was to look for things that the Lord taught (I could call it: What Lessons Did the Lord Teach?)
The Sermon on the Mount is a long teaching passage. Right away I saw eight kinds of people who would be blessed by the Lord. They are people:
who realize their need of the Lord
who mourn
who are gentle and lowly
who are hungry and thirsty for justice
who are merciful
whose hearts are pure
who work for peace
who are persecuted because they live for God
One good thing about putting together a list like this is that it helps focus my attention.
On the downside this list might be pretty demoralizing. For example I sat looking at these eight things and did a quick personal inventory. I didn’t check off too many boxes.
I’d be in way better shape if I could get away with just recording the list. But at the end of his sermon the Lord said: anyone who listens to my teaching and obeys me is wise…but anyone who hears my teaching and ignores it is foolish.
Note: quotes from Matthew 5:3-10 & 7:24-26 (NLT)