Devotional Reflections on the Sermon on the Mount

By Charles Lee Holland Jr.

The Sermon on the Mount, as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, is the superlative body of religious statements in all literature. It’s the pinnacle substance of the teachings of Jesus, with the Beatitudes being the centerpiece of the discourse. It’s revered for the eloquent and inspiring way it introduces the means to happiness and purpose in life. However, there’s much more to the sermon than inspiration and beauty of expression.

In Devotional Reflections on the Sermon on the Mount, author Dr. Charles Lee Holland Jr. offers an interpretation of one of the best-loved and best-known portions of the New Testament. In this devotional, he doesn’t provide a verse-by-verse analysis, but he presents the respective topics individually to emphasize the relevance of the sermon for our time. Holland focuses on showing the abiding influence of the old covenant between God and Israel on one hand and the new covenant between God and his people as taught by Jesus.

He shows how the Sermon on the Mount provides ways Christians can truly exercise the light, to present the king of the kingdom, Jesus the Christ. Devotional Reflections on the Sermon on the Mount demonstrates that the teachings of Jesus should be understood as present tense. As you read the Sermon on the Mount, you understand that Jesus continues to speak to his disciples.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Mar 10, 2022
• ISBN: 9781664257979

Charles Lee Holland Jr.

Charles Lee Holland Jr. is a retired minister who continues to be active in preaching assignments, Bible teaching seminars, classes, and group studies. He’s a graduate of Mercer University, the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Columbia Theological Seminary, and received several honorary degrees. Holland has served as church pastor in Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington, DC. He and his wife have three daughters, nine grandchildren, and several great-grandchildren and live in Fort Worth, Texas.

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Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible,

copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United

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ISBN: 978-1-6642-5798-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-5799-3 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-5797-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022902874

WestBow Press rev. date:  03/08/2022

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In Memoriam

Hannah Jane Williams Nolen

December 30, 1889–April 10, 1960

Beloved grandmother and faithful servant of her Lord Jesus.

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CONTENTS

Preface

Introduction

1     The Beatitudes

2     Salt and Light

3     The Law and the Prophets

4     Anger

5     Adultery

6     Divorce

7     Oaths

8     Retaliation

9     Love for Enemies

10   Almsgiving

11   Prayer

12   Fasting

13   Concerning Treasures

14   The Sound Eye

15   Serving Two Masters

16   Do Not Worry

17   Judging Others

18   Profaning the Holy

19   Ask, Search, Knock

20   The Golden Rule

21   The Narrow Gate

22   A Tree and Its Fruit

23   Self-Deception

24   Hearers and Doers

PREFACE

The devotional reflections on the Sermon on the Mount as presented in this book are the result of many streams of influence. The early instructions given in Sunday school regarding the teachings of Jesus remain primal motivations for continuous study. The many expressions of love for this portion of the New Testament in my childhood home continue to emerge in my memory. Above all, there is the lasting influence of my New Testament professor, Dr. Samuel A. Cartledge. It was in his classes in seminary that the power and grace of the Sermon on the Mount began to attract my attention and, subsequently, my love.

In particular, I shall remain indebted to my daughters, Denise, Alicia, and Beth. In every way, they have encouraged me to write the ideas and ideals from the Sermon on the Mount that I have taught throughout their lives. My heartfelt gratitude is given to them for their love and support.

Therefore, this modest exposition of the summary of the teachings of Jesus—which we know as the Sermon on the Mount—is an offering from the minds and hearts of many people. It is offered with the prayer that its redemptive power may be experienced anew by each reader.

INTRODUCTION

As we begin our study of the Sermon on the Mount, the word relevant is an essential component of the process. Although the statements of Jesus were given in another time and place and culture, we want to know to what extent they have meaning for us today. Quite often, there are people who are not deeply committed to the church and its familiar doctrinal positions. These people suggest that they can fare quite well if they but live by the Sermon on the Mount. Clearly such thinking reveals ignorance of the purpose and content of the sermon. After all, the radical changes Jesus calls for in the sermon challenge the casual and comfortable approach to life that many of us embrace.

On the other hand, there are many people (often found in the church membership itself) who suggest that the Sermon on the Mount includes a collection of idealistic notions unrelated to the real world. Therefore people embrace programs, emphases, and activities that are suited for the self-centered objectives of the contemporary mentality.

In contrast, there are many sincere Christians who remain convinced that in reading and/or hearing the words of the Sermon on the Mount, we are receiving the living word of the living Lord. The words are relevant to this generation, and they are redemptive in their power to give direction and deliverance to our daily lives. This, indeed, is the premise upon which this book is written. The Sermon on the Mount presents God’s living word to humankind.

I am convinced that the words of the Sermon on the Mount are infinitely more important than any words that can be written or spoken about them. Therefore we shall read the biblical text itself, then comment on each respective text, giving attention to its significance and pertinence to us and our own time.

Although the sayings of Jesus as given in the Sermon on the Mount are far more extensive in the Gospel of Matthew, some of the very same teachings are also found in Luke 6:20–49. The Lukan passage is often referred to as the Sermon on the Plain. Other sayings of Jesus found in Matthew may also be found in various settings throughout Luke.

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THE BEATITUDES

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