1. THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT

2. Introduction
Matt. 4:23-25, “And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.   And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.  And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.” 

3. What we do know from the Bible about the location of the Sermon on the Mount is that it was on a mountain near the Lake of Gennesaret and Capernaum, the fishing town on the northern shore of the Lake of Gennesaret. Since a location northeast of the Lake of Gennesaret is likely to have referenced Bethsaida, which is the fishing town near Capernaum but east of it, the location of the Sermon on the Mount is likely to have been northwest of the Lake of Gennesaret.

4. Before the sermon on the mount, Jesus had been traveling throughout Galilee preaching the kingdom at hand, and healing the sick. This would had taken a few months.
It is not until the sermon on the mount that one receives a detailed teachings of the Messiah. Hence, the sermon on the mount becomes His manifesto. It is also the longest sermon in the New Testament by Christ.
Luke records that the sermon was delivered after the Lord named the twelve apostles (Luke 6:12-20).

5. The sermon was directed at His disciples.
Luke 6:20, “And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples…”
Matt. 5:1, “And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him.”

6. Yet, we know it was meant for all to hear because of the ending statements made in Matthew’s account:
Matt. 7:28, 29, “And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” 

7. I. THE DIVISION

8. 1. Citizens of the Kingdom
Those eight beatitudes point to the required attributes of a citizen of the Kingdom (Matt. 5:1-12).

9. Blessed are the poor in spirit…
Blessed are they that mourn…
Blessed are the meek…
Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after righteousness…
Blessed are the merciful…
Blessed are the pure in heart…
Blessed are the peacemakers…
Blessed are they that are persecuted for righteousness sake…

10. 2. The Character of the Righteous
“Ye are the salt of the earth…” (Matt. 5:13).
“Ye are the light of the world…” (Matt. 5:14-16).

11. 3. The Contrast of Old Law and the Law of Christ.
In Matthew 5:17-20, Jesus begins this section to proclaim that He came to “fulfill the law.”
He teaches first on the contrast between their interpretation of the law of murder and the law of Christ (Exodus. 20:13, Lev. 24:31).

12. Matt. 5:21-22, “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.” 

13. Second, He speaks of adultery (Exodus 20:14; Deut. 5:18).
Matt. 5:27, 28, “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” 

14. Third, the Lord speaks on Divorce and Remarriage (Deut. 24:1).
Matt. 5:31, 32, “It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.” 

15. Fourth, He speaks on taking oaths (Exod. 20:7, Num. 30:2; Deut
Fourth, He speaks on taking oaths (Exod. 20:7, Num. 30:2; Deut. 23:21; Lev. 19:12).
Matt. 5:33-37, “Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.  But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.” 

16. Fifth, He speaks on retaliation (Exodus 21:24).
Matt. 5:38, 39, “Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.”

17. Sixth, He speaks of hating your enemies.
Matt. 5:43, “And ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.”
“Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD” (Lev. 19:18).

18. 4. The Carefulness of the Disciple
1) Be careful when you give (Matt. 6:1-4).
2) Be careful when you pray (Matt. 6:5-15).
3) Be careful when you fast (Matt. 6:16-18).

19. 5. The Concerns of the Disciple
1) Be concerned about storing treasures in heaven (Matt. 6:19-24).
2) Be concerned about seeking the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 6:25-34)
The key: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matt. 6:33). 

20. 6. The Caution of the Disciple
Be cautious on how you judge (Matt. 7:1-6).
Be cautious when asking from God (Matt. 7:7-11). “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Matt. 7:7).

21. The Golden Rule
Matt. 7:12, “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” 

22. Take caution in what gate you enter and what road you take.
Matt. 7:13, 14, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” 

23. Be cautious of false prophets.
Matt. 7:15, 16, “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.  Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?” 

24. Be cautious in doing the will of God (Matt. 7:21-23).
Matt. 7:21, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” 

25. 7. The Conclusion and summation of the sermon.
Matt. 7:24-27, “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.  And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.” 

26. II. THE RECEPTION

27. Matt. 7:28, 29, “And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” 
The scribes were only puppets of the Sanhedrin. Most of what they taught was useless rhetoric. Jesus taught with knowledge, compassion, and an understanding of the audience. He pulled no punches. There was no compromise of doctrine, but a sincere direct narrative of what was involved in being a follower of Jehovah.