Matthew 5:17-48
The Fulfillment of 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 tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Murder
21 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.
23 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.
25 “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.
Adultery
27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.
Divorce
31 “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Oaths
33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ 34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 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 swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
Eye for Eye
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
Love for Enemies
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 6:25-26
Do Not Worry
25"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 important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look 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?
Ephesians 2:8
Faith, A Gift of God
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.
Acts 4:8-12
Salvation is Found in No One Else
8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: "Rulers and elders of the people! 9If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, 10then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11He is
" 'the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the capstone.12Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
John 17:3
Now This is Eternal Life
3Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
I was once asked if reading the New Testament (and specifically Jesus' teachings) made me feel guilty, and does that guilt make we worry or worry more about life...Jesus in His "But I tell you statements", does have some very hard teachings and they are hard to always to follow what He taught and did...In these statements Jesus compares murder to being angry with your brother or sister...He says that when one has looked at another woman lustfully, he has committed adultery...He says that divorce can only be right, when your spouse has been unfaithful...He says do not swear, and let your yes be yes, and your no be a no -saying anything beyond this comes from the evil one...He teaches if someone forces you to go one mile, instead go two miles with him...And then He tells us to love and pray for our enemies...
In trying to follow these high standards He sets forth, can make one feel guilty about them...One could even worry about not being able to follow His teachings...I myself in the above standards He sets, can only get one right, out of the six...That is a terrible percentage...But He does add to be perfect as His Heavenly Father is perfect...When we are like His Father (we would be perfect)...We would know how to Love and Love that would be complete...We will Love everyone, even the one's we consider our enemies (like He does), if we were perfect like Him...I am far from perfect, and I have not achieved anything like this...Jesus, who does not sin, has set the bar for human potential far beyond me...I know the only way I could even fulfill these six teachings is if He were to somehow change me, (or help me be reborn) into one who is more like Him...I hope He does that some day...
Jesus teaches us also that we should not worry...He tells us that we are much more valuable than the birds of the air, and His Father feeds them...And since we are much more valuable than all the birds of the air, do not worry, because He Loves us...He does not want us to spend our lives worrying, He wants us to realize that it is He that makes all things possible for the birds, and for us...He is my hope...I seek Him, and I follow Him the best I can...I acknowledge and confess that the Holy Spirit in me is not strong, I am poor in spirit...I lack the strength of spirit that He wants us to reach for and attain...I need His help to do many of the things (if not all) that He teaches here...Jesus teaches the way His Father wanted us to be from the beginning, and then we fell from grace...It is very, very difficult to see how I can get back to the Garden without Him...I lack many, if not all, of Jesus' abilities...
My hope and my salvation is rooted in His Gift of Grace...And in knowing that I have found Him and that salvation is found in no One else...