Matthew 4:17-7:29

[Jim Watt]

“*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES*

*Jim & Marie Watt*

*Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com*

*Web: www.2rbetter.org*

April 30, 2011



*JAN 25 - MATTHEW 4:17-7:29 - TEACHING OF JESUS: SERMON ON THE MOUNT*


 *1. 4:23 (4:17-25) KINGDOM PATTERN. “And Jesus went about in all :Galilee,
teaching in their :synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and
healing every sickness and every infirmity among the people.” *Father, what
you started in Your Son Jesus, continue on through His Body the church. Now
perfect it in us, Your last day saints. *Hallowed be Your Name!*


 *2. 5:9 (5:1-16) KINGDOM MATURITY. “Blessed the peace-doers, for THEY shall
be called sons of :God.” **Maturity* as in *sons*! Bringing many sons into
glory! This is Your purpose and goal in us, Father. Yes, whatever it takes,
we yield to help effect Your purpose. *Your :kingdom come!*


 *3. 5:19 (5:17-48) KINGDOM HEART. “Whoever therefore shall break one of
these the least :commandments, and shall teach :men so, shall be called
least in the kingdom of the heavens; but whoever shall do and teach them,
the same shall be called great in the kingdom of the heavens.” *Provision
comes to Your saints Father, as we walk in the words of Your Son Jesus, and
teach them. *Your :will be done, As in heaven, so on earth!*


 *4. 6:14-15 (6:1-18) KINGDOM MOTIVATION. “For if you forgive :men their
:trespasses, your :heavenly :Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you
forgive not :men their :trespasses, neither will your :Father forgive your
:trespasses.” *O Father, we hear Your desire. We would be giving, praying
and fasting saints. We would have Your purposes motivate us. Like Jesus on
the Cross, and Stephen at his martyrdom, we would exhibit this same spirit
should we be so called upon. *Our :daily bread give us this day.*


 *5. 6:33 (6:19-34) KINGDOM PROVISION. “But seek you first his :kingdom, and
:righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.” *Father, we bid
anxious thought to flee! We welcome the renewal of our mind after Your word.
We put on as our clothing You, Lord Jesus! * And forgive us our :debts, as
we also have forgiven our :debtors!*


 *6. 7:12 (7:1-12) KINGDOM RELATIONSHIPS. “All things therefore whatever you
would that :men should do to you, so do you also to them: for this is the
law and the prophets.” *Father, evermore let this spirit grip our hearts.
And if all other religions have this maxim also, as Your believers by Your
grace, we will exceed them. *And bring us not into temptation!*


 *7. 7:13-14 (7:13-29) KINGDOM PATHWAY. “Enter you by the narrow gate: for
wide and spacious is the way that leads unto the destruction, and many are
they that enter in by it. 14 Because narrow the gate, and straitened the way
that leads unto the life, and few are that that find it.” *Father, we would
not be deceived concerning the way of Your Kingdom! Help us to thoroughly
understand these words of Your Son, our Lord Jesus! *But deliver us from the
evil one!*


 *NOTE**: 7:28-29 (7:13-29) “And it came to pass, when :Jesus ended these
:words, the crowds were astonished at his :teaching: **29 for he was
teaching them as having authority, and not as the scribes.” *Like Oswald
Chambers and E. Stanley Jones, let us master in our hearts these our
Father's words through our Lord Jesus.


 Many books have been written on the Sermon on the Mount. The ones by Oswald
Chambers and E. Stanley Jones are two of my favorites.


 Mahatma Gandhi of India is one of many who was so taken with this portion,
that he memorized it. When in South Africa as an attorney, he would have
converted to Christianity could he have found but one believer who lived
according to these words of Jesus. But seeing he could not fine one, he
concluded that he might as well stay with his Hindu faith. How sad!


 Is it possible to keep these words of Jesus? *Not* by man's self-efforts,
even through a believer. *Only* one who like Paul walks in Galatians 2:20,
is it possible to walk this way. *“I have been crucified with Christ; and no
longer I live, but Christ lives in me: and what I now live in the flesh I
live by faith which is in the Son of :God, who loved me, and gave himself up
for me.” *Christ living through us by His Holy Spirit, once we have met
Gospel conditions of identifying ourselves with Christ in His death, burial
and resurrection - enables one to do so! Rees Howells Intercessor” by Norman
P. Grubb spells out that two cannot live in the same body! If we wish to be
possessed by the Holy Spirit - *we* must go out - and He takes over in
calling the shots! This is the secret to the lives of all
*overcoming*saints! They have met the condition of
*full* discipleship to Jesus - and from then on their lives reflect the
condition of true *overcomers*! The vast majority of professing believers
know little of this high calling! *All* can qualify if they will - but few
will count the cost and make this self-effacing decision!


 It is important to read *all* the teachings of Jesus both directly and
through His NT apostles. Then to follow, we must walk in *all* of these
teachings, not just those that appeal to our flesh. The Great Commission at
the close of Matthew's Gospel spells out that Jesus expects disciples to
teach *all* His commandments to those they are in turn discipling.


 Those who have met these conditions and paid this price - are few. Jesus
said this would be so. Men like Oswald Chambers and H.A. Baker have
confirmed this word. Let us pray for one another as professing Christians -
that we each one will so qualify - and in turn lead all we are discipling to
this same standard.


 It is important to note that salvation is not based on full discipleship,
but believing the finished work of Christ! The overcoming life flows out of
full discipleship. Jesus prefaces this latter with an “If!” How far do we
wish to press in? Beyond the Outer Court into the Holy Place? And beyond the
Holy Place through the Riven Veil into the Holy of Holies? The choice is
ours.


 Psalm 25:10 reads, “*All** the paths of Jehovah are lovingkindness (CHEsed)
and truth **Unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies!”* David by
the Spirit wrote these words. Was he perfect? Indeed not - nor will we be
even when walking in the above! But - like David - we *will* be overcomers -
and men and women after God's own heart! Perfection awaits our resurrection!
J.A.Watt







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