Matthew 5:1–12: Who Jesus Calls Blessed
Before Jesus gives a single command in the Sermon on the Mount, he tells the crowd who is actually well off. The blessings fall on people the world would not congratulate, and each one rests on the kingdom of heaven.
Why Jesus Taught in Parables: Matthew 13:10–17
Jesus answers the disciples' question directly: parables reveal the kingdom to those given understanding and conceal it from callous hearts. The disciples are blessed to see what prophets longed to see.
Matthew 7:21–23: What Jesus Will Never Say
Jesus ends the Sermon on the Mount with a warning that surprises us: religious activity done in his name is not the same as being known by him. The passage turns our attention from the size of our ministry to whether we do the Father's will and rest in Christ.