An Outline of “The Sermon on the Mount”
from A Far Better Life

1. “The Beatitudes” (Matthew 5:3-12). The Father will be with you during the hardest of times, particularly when you are spiritually broken, overcome with sadness, treated unfairly, trying to live correctly, seriously drained from being merciful, deeply longing to stay pure, overmatched in your peacemaking efforts and when you are persecuted because you follow Jesus. Because He is with you, you will find yourself full of joy. Invite Him into your living space, and you will enter into the Kingdom of the Heavens.

2. You don’t have to let your life be guided by your hurt. Wounds can control your heart when they bring up hopelessness, contempt, lust, dishonesty, retaliation and false righteousness (Matthew 5:13-6:6). In each of these, Jesus stresses it is crucial to win the battle at the heart level, or the battle will surely be lost. Taking care of these wounds can be thought of as healing. Jesus does not spell out exactly how to deal with these wounds, apart from continually seeking the Father’s guidance.

3. “The Lord’s Prayer” (Matthew 6:7-13). Talk everything over with the Father. In everything, He is to be honored. Invite Him to take control of every area in your life, to help you keep your heart prioritized (to deal with worry, forgiveness, lust and dishonesty) and to live each day from your heart instead of from your hurt

2’. When hurt no longer clogs up your heart, the Father will be right there to guide you to live from your transformed heart. He will bring these characteristics into your daily life – forgiveness, genuineness, peacefulness, loving relationships and sincerity. These will declare to everyone who your Father is (Matthew 6:14-7:23).

1’. Building your life on this sermon is like building your house on a rock. During the hardest of times He will be with you, so that you will be able to withstand any storm. But be very clear about this: Hearing this sermon is not enough. When it directs your life, you will be able to face anything because He is with you. Without Him, you will face certain destruction (Matthew 7:24-27).