Simple Faith

Let's Keep It Simple

Pastor Chuck Swindoll • Matthew 5—7

Of all the sermons that have been preached, none is more famous, more profound, or more convicting than the one Jesus preached on the mountain. It is timeless, ever-relevant, and never dull. With penetrating power, Jesus exploded the brittle veneer of Pharisaic hypocrisy and explained the essence of true righteousness. Weaving threads from the Old Testament through this new garment of truth, Jesus set forth principles that, to this day, refuse to be ignored. Yet how few truly embrace His words! We analyze and interpret them. We outline and compare them. We admire and quote them. But those activities, while worthwhile, are not the reason Jesus preached this sermon. He preached it so that change might occur—so our lives might be different in this world gone wrong. God's people are to be thoroughly Christian—a divine minority who live in contrast to a secular majority.

The Qualities of Simple Faith

Pastor Chuck Swindoll • Matthew 5:1–12

We can read Jesus's Sermon on the Mount in fifteen minutes or less. No teacher or preacher has ever packed more truth into such a brief period of time. For centuries, these words from Matthew's gospel have been scrutinized by millions of Bible students, authors, pastors, and missionaries. Yet, no one has even come close to exhausting Jesus's message. Our hope in this study is to glean a few fresh, practical insights that will enable us to stay on course in living lives that are distinctively different. For as we shall be periodically reminded, the underlying challenge of this sermon is: be different! With this primary theme woven throughout, it's no surprise that our Lord began His famous sermon with a list of character qualities unheard of in a dog-eat-dog society.

A Simple Counterstrategy: Shake and Shine

Pastor Chuck Swindoll • Matthew 5:13–16

Influence . . . always a timely subject! We influence others when we direct them without exerting force over them. In numerous, intangible ways, we sway people's opinions and modify their lives. It's commonly called “impacting.” Parents impact children. Teachers impact students. Leaders impact organizations, teams, and nations. The media impacts our thinking. But much of the impacting we see today is either negative or temporal. Power-obsessed people abuse their authority, relying on money, prestige, or even brute strength to get their way. As Christians, we must focus on making a lasting impact for good—influencing others without resorting to force or other means of control. The crucial question is how? Jesus's answer in Matthew 5 is still the best. Though His words are familiar, we must apply them with greater diligence and more confident faith. They work!

Simplicity Starts from Within

Pastor Chuck Swindoll • Matthew 5:17–26

Though centuries have passed since He spoke them, Jesus's words remain just as penetrating as when they first fell on the ears of His original audiences. Because He alone spoke with anointed authority, people were amazed as they listened and ultimately became changed individuals. Christ's teachings continue to bring about powerful transformation and arouse the attention of all who study them. Nothing Jesus stated was ever more profound than His Sermon on the Mount. With searching wisdom, He peeled back the externals of hypocritical religion and addressed the issues that really matter. In the section of Scripture we'll examine in this lesson, Jesus discussed the Christian's relationship to the Mosaic Law. At the heart of Jesus's instruction is righteousness—the state of having sufficient grounds to stand before a holy God.

Simple Instructions on Serious Issues

Pastor Chuck Swindoll • Matthew 5:27–37

There's no more telltale sign of a society's moral erosion than the breakdown of integrity. In domestic settings, this breakdown reveals itself most dramatically in marital infidelity. In the personal lives of individuals, it evidences itself most clearly in verbal dishonesty. When partners cheat on each other . . . when people lie to one another, a community's moral fiber weakens and quickly deteriorates. Such things should not characterize those who claim to belong to Christ. In His greatest of sermons, Jesus addressed both these issues. As He did, He went deeper than the letter of the Law. He made it clear that marriage requires absolute faithfulness, and personal relationships require absolute truthfulness.

Simple Advice to the Selfish and Strong-Willed

Pastor Chuck Swindoll • Matthew 5:38–48

What stubborn people we can be! Selfish to the core, we want our way, not someone else's . . . and certainly not God's. Shortsighted, we see the immediate and the obvious, not the ultimate and the hidden. Easily irritated and impatient, our first reaction when taken advantage of is to retaliate, to establish a defensive posture and not give anyone an inch. Those efforts only intensify when faced with an adversary. Then we aren't satisfied with simply standing our ground and being determined . . . getting even becomes our agenda. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus offered revolutionary, even strange, advice for His people. Without pulling His punches, Jesus addressed the very best way to handle sensitive situations with those who threaten our personal rights. He offered countercultural counsel and dared us to obey. In place of retaliation, release . . . instead of hate, love . . . don't get even, pray. It's with this counsel in Jesus's sermon that most people have their greatest struggles.

Beware! Religious Performance Now Showing

Pastor Chuck Swindoll • Matthew 6:1–8

In many ways, our walks with God are something we shouldn't keep to ourselves. By sharing our faith, we not only spread the good news; we go on record as being Christians . . . and not ashamed of it. On the other hand, it's possible to be so conscious of others watching us that we turn our spirituality into a public performance. When that occurs, we're “practicing . . . righteousness . . . to be noticed by them” rather than walking humbly with our God (Matthew 6:1). In this section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus took on the hypocrites with both guns blazing! Drawing on common examples of showy righteousness, He instructed us on the importance of being people of quiet sincerity, seeking to glorify God rather than impress others.

Prayer and Fasting Minus All the Pizzazz

Pastor Chuck Swindoll • Matthew 6:9–18

It is not necessary to have lived in Jesus's day in order to understand His concerns. Our times include vivid illustrations of the very things that troubled our Lord. Religious performance. Theatrical displays. Showmanship. Competition. Hypocrisy. Piety on stage for the purpose of making a good impression . . . the whole nine yards. How timely are the Master's words! What an indictment of the 21st century! As we go deeper into His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus's words turn our attention from all the circus-like pizzazz of performance to the simplicity of prayer and fasting, two disciplines all-too-rarely done His way for His glory. Let's seek out His counsel so we can carry out His instructions.

When Simple Faith Erodes

Pastor Chuck Swindoll • Matthew 6:19–24

Divided loyalties are nothing new. It's not uncommon to find people who were formerly single-minded, committed to the core, with their full allegiance given to one major objective. But as time passed and one compromise led to others, they became distracted, leaving their loyalty diluted and divided. Insightfully, Jesus did not leave this stone unturned as He spoke on the mount centuries ago. Realizing the beast of greed within all of us, He chose not to ignore it but to expose it and to warn against its ravenous appetite. Every genuine disciple of Jesus Christ must come to terms with the question: "Which master will I serve?"

The Subtle Enemy of Simple Faith

Pastor Chuck Swindoll • Matthew 6:25–34

Jesus's grand Sermon on the Mount remains timeless in its scope. No one would ever guess that His words were spoken more than nineteen hundred years ago! They drip with relevance and significance. His thoughts are so beautifully woven together that the sermon is a masterpiece of logic, persuasion, and brevity. The ten verses we'll examine in this lesson flow very naturally out of what our Lord had just finished saying. They represent such a complete unit that little is left to be added or amplified. And talk about an up-to-date subject! No one can improve on Jesus's instruction on worry. If we would simply do as He says, our anxiety levels would reduce to zero and our joy would know new heights.

If You're Serious About Simple Faith, Stop This!

Pastor Chuck Swindoll • Matthew 7:1–5

What's the best thing to wear while listening to the Sermon on the Mount? A pair of steel-toed boots! Could any body of truth be more convicting than Matthew 5, 6, and 7? Without concern for how folks would react or what opinions they would form, our Lord declared His penetrating message for all to hear. His words cut like a sharp spade through rocky soil, leaving no stone unturned . . . and no listener untouched. Throughout history, the sermon has stood as a timeless, relevant rebuke. Today is no exception. The first five verses of chapter 7, though succinct and simple, pose a reproof to us every time we are tempted to judge others. May these words reach us, touch us, and strike at our hearts to bring to an end our longstanding and unattractive transgression of judging.

The Most Powerful of All Four-Letter Words

Pastor Chuck Swindoll • Matthew 7:6–12

The Sermon on the Mount overflows with frequently quoted statements that have become familiar mottoes. Most are better known than Ben Franklin's wit and wisdom . . . and they're certainly more penetrating! Stop and consider several of them: “Let your light shine.” “Every jot and tittle” “An eye for an eye . . . a tooth for a tooth” “Turn the other cheek.” “They have their reward.” “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” “You cannot serve God and mammon.” “Oh ye of little faith.” “Do not judge lest you be judged.” In this lesson, we'll examine three other well-known, penetrating statements: “casting pearls before swine,” “ask, seek, and knock,” and a third that's known as the Golden Rule.

Simple yet Serious Warnings for Complicated Times

Pastor Chuck Swindoll • Matthew 7:13–23

The closer Jesus drew to the conclusion of His magnificent Sermon on the Mount, the greater His intensity. By the time He got to the passage in this lesson, it was clear He was not mildly suggesting we simply resolve to try a little harder and do a little better. He pressed for absolute, radical transformation of our inner convictions and external lifestyle. He aimed for His followers to go far beyond the formal piety of superficial religion. Remember His words in Matthew 5:20? Our righteousness must surpass that of the Pharisees! Such a lofty ideal calls for some terribly unpopular decisions, each of which has a more pleasant and appealing counterpoint that could be chosen instead. Interestingly, Jesus concluded His sermon with four sets of paired alternatives: two paths, two trees, two claims, and two foundations. In this lesson, we will consider the first three choices to be made. Jesus's teaching may be unpopular, but it is essential.

The Simple Secret of an Unsinkable Life

Pastor Chuck Swindoll • Matthew 7:24–29

Storms and life go together. There is no place on earth where any of us can be free—completely free—of tension or pressure, trouble or pain. Escaping such is only a dream . . . a fantasy. Our need, therefore, is not to think of ways to get away from the storms but to learn the secret of going through them. This brings us to the last words Jesus spoke in His immortal Sermon on the Mount. As He drew His remarks to a close, He used a vivid word picture of two houses, built on opposite foundations. From this familiar illustration, we can learn the secret of an unsinkable life.

Insight

14 Sermons on Matthew 5–7