BibleBlox
61. sermon on the mount
/ matthew 5-7 /
/ listen as you follow along /
One morning, 🌅 Jesus looked out and saw lots of people who wanted to learn from Him. He walked up a big green hill, and everyone followed Him, carrying their blankets and snacks. 🍿🥨Some brought their children, 🧒 👧🏼 who sat close to their parents in the soft grass. Jesus looked at all the smiling ☺️ faces and began to teach them wonderful things about how to live with love ❤️ in their hearts:
"Blessed are the people who are kind 😊 and gentle," Jesus said. "God has special gifts 🎁 for them. He loves 💕 people who help others feel better when they're crying 😢 or having a bad day – like when you give your friend a hug 🤗 when they're sad, 😞 or share food 🥘 with someone who's hungry." 🤤
"You are like beautiful, 😍 bright lights 💡 in the world!" 🌎 Jesus said. “Think about when it's dark at night, and Mommy or Daddy turns on a nightlight. It helps you see better, right? When you're kind to others, you're being like that nightlight. 🔦 You're showing everyone God's love.” ❤️
Jesus looked at some birds 🦅 flying overhead and some pretty flowers 💐 growing nearby. "See those birds?" 🦢 He asked. "They don't worry about what they're going to eat – God feeds them. And look at these beautiful flowers 🌺 in the field. They're wearing colors more beautiful than any clothes in the world! If God takes such good care of birds 🐦 and flowers, 🌹 think about how much He cares for you!"
Jesus also taught them something we call the Golden ⚜️ Rule: "Treat other people the way you want them to treat you." He explained, "If you want friends to be nice 😊 to you, be nice 👍 to them first! If you want someone to share with you, share with them first." 🥇
Then Jesus told them a story about two 2️⃣ builders: 🏗️
"Once there were two builders making houses. 🏘️ The first builder 👷♂️ was very wise. 🧠 He worked hard to build 🔨 his house 🏠 on solid rock. 🪨 The second builder 👷 was in a hurry and built his house on soft, sandy beach. 🏖️ Then one day, it started to rain, 🌧️ heavy rain. ☔️ The house on the rock 🪨 stayed strong and safe, but the house on the sand 🏝️ washed away!"
Jesus explained, "When you listen 👂🏻 to my words and do what I say – like being kind, 😊 sharing, and loving 🥰 others – you're like the wise builder 👷♂️who built on rock. 🪨Your life will be strong and happy.” 😊
Then Jesus taught them 👨🏼🏫 a very special way to pray. 🙏 “When you talk to God," He said, "you can call Him 'Our Father.' You can tell Him about your day, thank Him for your food, 🥘 your cozy bed, 🛌 and all the people you love. ❤️ You can ask Him to help you be good and to take care of everyone."
Jesus gave them an example of how to pray, 🤲 which is called the Lord's Prayer:
"Our Father in heaven,
Your name is holy. 😇
Please bring your kingdom here,
And let what you want happen here on Earth 🌍 just like it does in heaven.
Give us the food 🥘 we need today,
And forgive us when we do wrong things,
Just like we forgive others.
Keep us safe 🔒 from bad things,
For your kingdom is wonderful forever and ever.”
Everyone who heard Jesus that day went home 🏡 with joy in their hearts. 💞 The children remembered His stories about the birds, 🦅 flowers, 💐 and the wise builder. 👷♂️ The grown-ups remembered His words about being kind and loving. 🥰 They all knew that Jesus had taught them something quite special, that God loves them very much, and that they should love others just as much.