Matthew chapters 5–7 contain the most famous teaching Jesus ever gave. Each passage reveals what the Kingdom of God looks like from the inside out.
As He speaks on the mountainside, Jesus reaches out to all the people and makes a promise that they will be taken care of by God. As He talks to them, they understand that they are heard by God. Each person living the life of a faithful believer will be delivered from this evil world.
"Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." — Matthew 5:1–12Jesus wants us to understand how important we are to Him as we tell the world of His great love. He tells us we are the salt and we are the light, proclaiming to us that we have an important job to do for Him. If we refuse, we become useless to the work of God.
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." — Matthew 5:13–16When the disciples asked Jesus how to pray, He gave them this model prayer. It begins with adoration ("Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name"), moves to submission ("your will be done"), then petition ("give us today our daily bread"), and forgiveness (as God forgave us, we must forgive others). Jesus tells us to pray in this way to understand who He is and what He expects from us — a picture of what conversation with God looks like.
"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." — Matthew 6:9–13The fear and stress in the lives of the people were real. Jesus wanted them to understand that God loved them more than any animal on the earth. He reminds them that God had taken care of the birds and He had taken care of them as well. He tells them not to worry, but to have faith; God will provide for all of their needs.
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you — you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." — Matthew 6:25–34Jesus tells the people that if they really came to God and asked Him for the things they needed, He would provide for them. When He shows the comparison of evil men giving good gifts to their children versus God giving good gifts to those who trust in Him, He points out that God does a perfect job in taking care of those who trust in Him.
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." — Matthew 7:7–12