6-week sermon series · King James Version
The Sermon on the Mount — 6-Week Series
Six Sundays through Matthew 5-7 — the longest recorded teaching of Jesus, preached as He gave it.
Whole-church series; excellent for a discipleship season
The arc of the series
Blessing, righteousness, secrecy, trust, discernment, and foundation — the shape of a life built on Christ's words.
Week 1: The Beatitudes
Matthew 5:1-16Jesus blesses the people the world overlooks, and then calls them salt and light.
- Blessed are the poor in spirit (v. 3-6)
- Blessed are the merciful and pure (v. 7-9)
- Salt, light, and a city set on a hill (v. 13-16)
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Matthew 5:8 (KJV)
Application: Which beatitude describes the person you least want to be?
Week 2: A Deeper Righteousness
Matthew 5:17-48Christ does not lower the law; He drives it inward, from the hand to the heart.
- I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil (v. 17-20)
- Anger, lust, and the interior life (v. 21-32)
- Love your enemies (v. 43-48)
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Matthew 5:17 (KJV)
Application: Where have you settled for outward compliance?
Week 3: In Secret
Matthew 6:1-18Giving, praying, and fasting are all corrupted by the same thing — an audience.
- Alms in secret (v. 1-4)
- The Lord's Prayer (v. 5-15)
- Fasting without a face (v. 16-18)
Thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
Matthew 6:6 (KJV)
Application: What spiritual practice would you stop if no one ever knew you did it?
Week 4: Take No Thought
Matthew 6:19-34Anxiety is a theology problem: it assumes a Father who does not notice.
- Treasure and the heart (v. 19-21)
- Two masters (v. 24)
- Consider the lilies (v. 25-34)
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Matthew 6:33 (KJV)
Application: Name the thing you worried about most this week. What does verse 32 say about it?
Week 5: Judge Not
Matthew 7:1-20Jesus forbids hypocritical judgment and then commands discernment in the same chapter — the difference is the beam in your own eye.
- The mote and the beam (v. 1-5)
- Ask, seek, knock (v. 7-11)
- By their fruits (v. 15-20)
Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.
Matthew 7:12 (KJV)
Application: What criticism do you make of others that is truest of you?
Week 6: Two Builders
Matthew 7:21-29Both houses face the same storm; only the foundation differs — and the foundation is doing what He said.
- Not everyone that saith, Lord, Lord (v. 21-23)
- The wise builder (v. 24-25)
- The fall of the foolish house (v. 26-27)
Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock.
Matthew 7:24 (KJV)
Application: What one saying from this series will you actually do this week?
Planning notes
- Give the congregation a printed copy of Matthew 5-7 to read weekly.
- Week 3 on prayer pairs naturally with a church prayer meeting relaunch.
- Week 6 is the call to decision; plan for a response time.