Matthew 5-7 is the greatest sermon from the greatest preacher-teacher Jesus himself. The crowds have surely seen the legalistic, man-centered pseudo-righteousness of the Pharisees. In place of that, Jesus urges a new, living way based on our identity with our Heavenly Father. Indeed, the key verse to understanding the sermon is verse 48. In the same way the Old Testament called believers to be holy as the Lord himself is. Now, Christ says entirely the same thing in relational terms. Be like your father. That word is relational. A father has children and children have parents. What we think of fathers and much more is how God relates to his people, e.g., his family.

• Who God's Children Are
  • Who? Followers of Jesus
  • How? God's Response to Sinners' Repentance
  • What? Favor + Family
  • When? Today + Tomorrow
  • Why? Magnifies God's Character
• What God's Children Do
  • Imitate the Father (Mt 5.43-48)
  • Glorify the Father (Mt 5.14-16)
  • Please the Father (Mt 6.1-18)