March through Matthew in a Month

Matthew 5

During the season of Lent in March 2026 we are reading through the Gospel of Matthew as we follow Jesus from Bethlehem to Nazareth to Galilee to Jerusalem to Calvary to an empty tomb and by grace through faith in Christ to heaven.

Some Points to Ponder as we read Matthew 5:

1. The Gospel of Mathew has five major sections of sermons or discourses of Jesus which are found in Matthew chapters 5-7, chapter 10, chapter 13, chapter 18, and chapters 24-25.  

2. Matthew 5 is the beginning of what is known as Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7).

The Lutheran Study Bible has a helpful note introducing and summarizing the Sermon on the Mount (p. 1586 comments on Matthew 5:1-12):

Jesus introduces His Sermon on the Mount with nine beatitudes that detail the future blessedness of His disciples. These promised blessings are God’s gracious gifts to those who repent of their sin and trust Christ for righteousness. Only after Jesus has assured His disciples of God’s goodness to them does He call on them, in the rest of His sermon, to be good and do good. When we recognize our own spiritual poverty, when the Lord leads us to hunger and thirst for God’s righteousness, when He makes us pure in heart so that we seek to worship only the true God, then we are blessed, now and forever.

+PRAYER: Gracious Savior, keep my eyes ever focused on You and Your blessings, which are mine by grace alone. Amen.

3. Jesus begins His sermon on the Mount with the Beatitudes. Beautitudes are statemets of blessings. Jesus likely delivered this famous sermon in the hilly area of northern Israel in the region west of the Sea of Galilee.

4. In this sermon Jesus is describing how God radically transforms the entire lives of those chosen and called to be His disciples. The name “disciple” (“mathetes” in Greek) can be used in the narrow sense to refer to the l2 learners (disciples) or original apostles Jesus chose and sent out (see Matthew 10:1-4). In the broad sense, the name “disciple” can refer to us or any believer and follower of Jesus. It is interesting to note: “Disciple” is only used in the Gospels and Acts and is not used in the rest of the New Testament.

5. Here is an analogy to help us understand the relation between faith and works. Think of our Christian life as a healthy fruit tree. The fruit tree itself (roots, trunk, branches and leaves) represents our living faith thriving as we are rooted in Christ. God gives us spiritual life, sustains and strengthens our faith with the nutrients of His Word and Sacraments, and keep us growing by grace. As a healthy fruit tree produces fruit (apples or cherries or peaches whatever!) so also a healthy believer connected to Christ (see John 15:1-8) naturally bears the fruit of faith (see Galatians 5:22-24) by doing good works.

6. As Lutheran Christians we know it is very important to distinguish the two primary teaching in Scripture--Law and Gospel--as we study and strive to interpret God’s Word.

The LAW has to do with what God demands of us. The GOSPEL proclaims and delivers what Jesus does for us in order to forgive and save us.

Simply put… 

The LAW shows us our sin. 

The Gospel shows us our Savior.  

This important distinction helps us interpret the wide variety of issues of faith and life Jesus addresses in His Sermon on the Mount (such as anger, lust, divorce, oaths, etc.). 

7. A helpful axiom: Good works do not save us, but when we do good works it shows that we are saved.

8. Interesting: The word “Amen” is first used by Jesus in Matthew 5:18. It is translated as “truly” in English (ESV) but it is actually “Amen” in the orginal Greek. The word “Amen” is used by Jesus 31 times in Matthew. “Amen” is most often used as an affirmative declaration of faith at the end of our prayers, and “Amen” is a word indicating “yes!” or “so be it!” as something we know and believe is true.

APPLICATION: In what ways is it challenging or difficult to live as a faithful and joyful disciple of Jesus today?

We now read Matthew 5…    

Matthew 5 (ESV)

The Sermon on the Mount

5 Seeing the crowds, [Jesus] went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.

The Beatitudes

2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Salt and Light

13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.

14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Christ Came to Fulfill the Law

17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19 Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Anger

21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. 23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. 26 Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.

Lust

27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.

Divorce

31 “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Oaths

33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ 34 But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.

Retaliation

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

Love Your Enemies

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Look again at what Jesus says in the final verse-- Matthew 5:48.

> What does this mean?!?…

48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Whoa! How is this possible?

How can you or I be perfect as God/Jesus demands? The answer is: We cannot!

Our attempts to obey God’s Law and commands are always feeble, fall short and fail. We truly are poor, miserable sinners, and as sinners, God’s demand of perfection is beyond our ability or grasp. Instead, we receive perfection and righteousness by GRACE! 

Jesus is driving us (sinners) to depend upon and trust in Him completely for forgiveness, mercy, and salvation. God has had mercy on us and sent Jesus to be our Savior from sin. Christ’s perfect obedience is freely transferred to us! We are indeed saved by grace through faith in Christ.

We are “the poor in spirit” who recognize our spiritual poverty. We stand before God as unworthy beggars who are mercifully “blessed” by Jesus and made right(eous) and acceptable in the eyes of God by Christ’s perfection and sacrificial love.        

+Prayer+ Dear Jesus, thank You for calling me to be one of your chosen children and disciples. As I read and strive to understand and apply Your Sermon on the Mount to my life, help me to see my sin and to depend on You, my loving Savior, for forgiveness and slavation. In Christ’s Name I pray. Amen.

Pastor Scott Schmieding

Senior Pastor

Immanuel Lutheran Church and School

115 S. Sixth Street

Saint Charles, MO 63301

636.946.2656