The Perfect Sermon

How does Jesus motivate people in the Sermon on the Mount?
Matthew 5-7

1. He provides comfort through the beatitudes
2. He gives promises of blessings through the beatitudes
3. He communicates value and identity through the parable of Salt and Light
4. He affirms the law previously taught so that there is ground to stand on
5. He begins a series of challenges and bases them on previous understandings:
   • Do not murder -> Reconcile anger with everyone
   • Do not commit adultery -> Do not lust
   • Men must give a written notice for divorce -> Do not divorce
   • Carry out your vows -> Do not make vows
   • Punishment must match the injury -> Do not resist and evil person
   • Love your neighbor and hate your enemy -> Love your enemies
   • Give to the needy -> Give your gifts in private
   • Pray -> pray in private and earnestly
6. He continues with more important instructions:
   • Forgive others or your heavenly father will not forgive you
   • When fasting, don’t make it obvious
   • Store up your treasures in heaven instead of here on earth
   • Do not worry; God will provide all that is needed
   • Do not judge others, lest you will be judged
   • Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy
   • Keep on asking the Lord and you will receive
   • Do to others what you would like them to do to you
   • The gateway to heaven is narrow and only a few will ever find it
   • Identify false prophets by their fruit
   • Only those who actually do the work of God will enter the kingdom
7. He concludes the sermon and then immediately lives out his message by healing and continuing the work of God

Jesus begins the perfect sermon with words of comfort and promises of blessings that specifically appeal to the discouraged. He then communicates to them their value and identity in the Lord.

He provides further encouragement by affirming the law that they had previously been taught, which also helps to give the listeners a foundation of truth to grow upon.

He bases all of the new instructions and teachings on things that his listeners had been previously taught, which helps them to fully grasp the new concepts and also to understand the full extent of the points that he is making.

Jesus knew his audience and preached specifically to the needs of his people. He spoke perfect truth and related to his listeners perfectly, in perfect timing, with perfect structure, strategy, and vision.

All hail King Jesus.