More and more people began to listen to Jesus. Whenever He spoke, a
large crowd usually gathered.
One day, Jesus took His disciples to a quiet mountainside. He sat
down and began to teach.
"You are the light of the world!" He said to them. "A city on a
hill is hard to hide. And when you light a lamp, do you put a
bucket on top of it? No, of course not! You set it on a table so
the whole house is lit by it.
"Let your life shine like a bright light so others will praise God
the Father for the good He is doing in you!"
Jesus warned them, "Be careful when you help people or give to
those in need. Make sure you do it quietly and from your heart.
Don't make a big show so people will praise you. God will reward
you! And when you pray, don't use fancy words and talk loudly. But
pray in a quiet place—God is listening."
Jesus taught them this prayer:
Dear Father in heaven,
Your name is the most holy.
Let Your kingdom rule,
Let Your will he done,
On earth just like in heaven.
Give us what we need for today.
Forgive us when we do wrong,
And help us to forgive others who do wrong.
Lead us far away from what tempts us,
And save us from evil.
Your kingdom and power and glory will last forever! Amen.
Words To Live By
Jesus is the ultimate law-giver, and what gracious laws he gives! He begins by saying that the laws God gave to Israel were true and right, but they had been perverted into nothing more than a list of "dos and don'ts". The "dos and don'ts" are important, but God is most concerned about the attitude of our hearts.
Murder is wrong, but we must also guard our hearts against hatred, which is a form of spiritual murder. Adultery is wrong, but we must also guard our hearts from lust. Our promises and behaviour should be completely reliable, because we are the children of God whose Word is always trustworthy.
When other people make us angry, we may want to get even, but Jesus says we must do good to those who harm us.
J
