Kingdom Principles from the Sermon On the Mount

When I was in the Philippines doing mission work in 2007, the Lord put it on my heart to write a Bible study based on the Sermon on the Mount. This Sermon is the law of the kingdom and is God’s heart for His people. Jesus will soon return and set up His millennial reign and the Sermon on the Mount will be the governing law of that kingdom. So the sooner we get started learning His law, and living by it, the more blessed our lives will be. Also, the easier the transition from this time period to the next will be for us. I am not saying that we are to go back under the law, but these principles are guidelines to let us know where we are with God.

I begin with lessons on the seven beatitudes which is an example of our Lord’s character. I have included another sixteen lessons on the principles that Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount. There are twenty three lessons in all. These lessons are designed to help the leader of a home group or Sunday school class. You can also use them for your individual study. These lessons have thought provoking questions to help you see and evaluate where you are in your character development. This is a good study to be used in a discipleship class with new believers as well as the more mature ones. It will help ground the new believers in the word of God, and act to strengthen the more mature believers in their faith. Jesus says, “Feed my sheep,” so as a leader in the body of Christ you are called to do this. This guide can be used as a receipe book to feed God’s people, and you can change the lessons as you want as long as you remain true to the scriptures. Some people follow a receipe exactly, but others can see some things that can make it better, so feel free to use this guide the best way that works for you and your group. In your home group or Sunday school class encourage everyone to share how God is using these lessons to help them grow in their faith. These lessons go right to the heart of Jesus’ teachings and reveals God's heart for you. If you learn these concepts, and meditate on them, they will change your life. If you are struggling in your walk as a Christian, this study will help you come through to victory. Peter gave us good instruction on how to make our salvation secure: “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (II Peter 1:5-11). If you spend time in the word of God your mind will be renewed and your character will be changed. Jesus uses the water of the word to wash us and make us clean (Ephesians 5:26).

Elwood Trost came to Jesus in 1974 during the Jesus revival and was filled with the Holy Spirit. He has held positions as an assistant Pastor in the Foursquare Denomination. He held the position of President of Land and Sea Missions of God (A Northern California Mission) that has started approximately 500 new churches in the Philippine Islands. He has done missionary work in the Philippines and Thailand both with Land and Sea Missions of God and YWAM (Youth with a Mission).. Elwood has been called to be a teacher in the body of Christ. He has a father's heart and desires to help others grow in their relationship with Jesus. God has given many insights into His word over the last 40 years.