Sermon on the Mount

The Savior taught what has come to be known as “The Sermon on the Mount”. Elder Lawrence E. Corbridge said, “The Sermon on the Mount is the greatest sermon ever given. It is not a random collection of truths but rather a carefully orchestrated sermon that leads to an important conclusion” (link to article).

The Savior spoke to His disciples and taught them how they could be blessed in this life—blessed if they mourned, if they were merciful, as they were peacemakers, among other attributes (see Matthew 5:3-12). It seems that the Lord had a higher standard for those who followed Him—a standard that may sometimes seem counterintuitive with our natural reaction. As we learn more about the Savior and emulate His teachings, we can become more and more like He is.

He taught about letting your light shine and being the salt of the earth—being an example to others. Before we can help others shine we need to shine ourselves. Elaine S. Dalton reminds us of how to have the Savior’s light burning within us, when she said,

“[Do] the simple, doable things…such as prayer, fasting, scripture study, temple attendance, and following the counsel of our prophets. Doing these things consistently opens the door for the Spirit to be our constant companion. Each prayer, each scriptures read, each temple session attended adds oil to our lamps. President Spencer Kimball said that the oil in our lamps is accumulated a drop at a time and that it is an individual pursuit….

“As we accumulate oil for our lamps, we become vessels….

“Through daily doing the simple, doable things, we will become vessels pure and holy and filled with light. We will carry the oil with us that will burn brightly for all to see.” (Elaine S. Dalton, A Return to Virtue, p56-57).

There are those who may seek the praise or recognition of the world, but the Savior taught a higher way. When we give service, “let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth” (Matthew 6:3). When we fast or pray, we should do so humbly, sincerely, and privately, “and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly” (Matthew 6:6, 18).

I find it interesting that among the many synonyms for the word open are the words, “revealed”, “unlocked”, and "unsealed" (link to thesaurus). Perhaps the Lord is teaching us that as we humbly and sincerely seek Him the windows of our understanding may be unlocked to some of His mysteries. As we understand the ways of the Lord, and his dealings with men (see 1 Nephi 2:12), we may be less inclined to murmur or complain because of trials and challenges we face.

The Savior taught of learning to control our thoughts, rather than just our actions. Learn to control our anger, our desires, or habits we may have which are offensive to the Spirit. Learn to love our enemies, give more than we receive, and ultimately, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).

The Savior continued to teach, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth,…But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven,…For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:19-21). 

What are our treasures? What are those things that occupy much of our time, or our thoughts: work, family, technology, reading, temple worship, service? I am sure that we can each come up with a list that goes on and on. The purpose is to take an accounting of our lives and see if we are spending our time on those things that matter most, or if there is  room for improvement. Are we too busy with the care and burdens of life to enjoy those things that truly, eternally, matter? If so, we may do well by listening to the counsel of President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, who said:

“The wise…resist the temptation to get caught up in the frantic rush of everyday life. They follow the advice ‘There is more to life than increasing its speed.’ In short, they focus on the things that matter most….

“The search for the best things inevitably leads to the foundational principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ—the simple and beautiful truths revealed to us by a caring, eternal, and all-knowing Father in Heaven. These core doctrines and principles, though simple enough for a child to understand, provide the answers to the most complex questions of life” (link to talk).

Elder Richard G. Scott gave a little more insight into how to focus on the treasures of heaven when he said,

“Many voices from the world in which we live tell us we should live at a frantic pace. There is always more to do and more to accomplish. Yet deep inside each of us is a need to have a place of refuge where peace and serenity prevail, a place where we can reset, regroup, and reenergize to prepare for future pressures.

“The ideal place for that peace is within the walls of our own homes, where we have done all we can to make the Lord Jesus Christ the centerpiece" (link to talk).

The Savior taught, “seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things [every necessary thing] shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33). As we seek to focus on those things that matter most, the Lord will bless us beyond our capacity to understand. 

Looking at the teachings of the Savior—and the long list of changes we many need to make—we may become discouraged by how far short we are at perfection. What seems to matter to the Lord, however, are our motives for what we are doing. Are we looking to please the Lord, or to be seen of men? It may take time to be able to do things for the right reason, but even if we’re in the ‘honestly trying’ stage, then we’re moving in the right direction. 

One thing we need to remember is that we are here on earth to progress. If we are moving forward in one thing, even if we may not be making headway in anything else, the Lord will celebrate our progress. The Lord loves each and every one of us, no matter our stage in life or our circumstances. The great Plan of Salvation was designed to teach us by experience—experiences specifically tailored to our individual needs. When the Savior was on the earth He blessed the people one-by-one. If He were here today, He would do the same. Each and every one of us is His beloved child. We can turn to Him, talk to Him, and allow the Spirit to guide us as we travel on the path of life. 

One of the ways to have the Spirit guide us through life is by prayer, and during the Sermon on the Mount the Savior gave His disciples an example of how to pray (see Matthew 6:9-13). Jesus Christ was perfect in everything He did. His prayers were perfect. When He prayed He was humble and acknowledged His dependence on, and trust in, His—and our—Heavenly Father. His prayers were full of gratitude for trials, and the opportunity to overcome. He also demonstrated His willingness to be obedient to all that the Father asked—through His words and His works. 

The Savior also taught that we can “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Matthew 7:7). I know there have been times where I have asked and not received, and sought and not found. The Gospel of Luke seemed to clarify this for me a bit more, “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” (Luke 11:13).

As we seek the Lord, we can have the Holy Spirit to be with us. As we knock, and act on the promptings we receive, we can likewise be guided. 

The Savior, in His teachings, is not trying to discourage us or to tell us that we have an unattainable goal ahead of us. He is teaching us the way that we must follow—the way that He followed—if we are to return to live with our Father in Heaven again. As Nephi taught, “this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God” (2 Nephi 31:21). Jesus Christ is the way that we must follow, and from His teachings we can learn how to follow Him.

Regarding the Sermon on the Mount Elder Corbridge said, 

“The Lord describes a process beginning with the recognition that we are poor in spirit, which in turn may cause us to mourn for our sins, focus on things of eternal value, be filled with the Holy Ghost, avoid all that would offend the Spirit, and stand firm against adversity to the end, that we become ‘the salt of the earth,’ ‘the light of the world,’ and ‘a city that is set on an hill’. He said, ‘Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven’.

“At the end of the sermon, the Savior [guides us to the] conclusion to be fruitful:

“’Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. …

“’Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them’.

“The purpose of the Father’s plan is not only that we be redeemed from sin and endowed with power from on high but also that by the power of the Holy Ghost we become a ‘good tree’ and make a difference in the lives of others, especially by helping them partake of the fruit of the tree of life [to be forgiven of your sins and be endowed with the power of the Holy Ghost]—the most important thing” (link to article).

May we carefully study the teachings of the Savior, and try to emulate them in our lives, so that we can one day become even as He is (see 3 Nephi 27:27).