by Jeremiah Burroughs
"And seeing the multitude he went up into a mountain, and when he was set, his Disciples came unto him. And he opened his mouth, and taught them." Matthew 5:1
This chapter, along with chapters six and seven, contains a sermon that Jesus Christ preached on the Mount, which is the most extensive and comprehensive sermon recorded in the Scripture. It is the sermon of Christ Himself.
As a minister of Christ, I have been thinking about what would be most suitable for your edification. What could be more fitting for a minister to preach on than the sermon of Christ? Therefore, with God's grace, I intend to go through this whole sermon of Christ with you, as long as I have the strength and liberty.
It is negligence for a minister to preach other men's sermons, but it is faithfulness to preach Christ's sermon. In 2 Corinthians 5:20, the ministers of God are the ambassadors of Christ, and they are to speak to people as if Jesus Christ is speaking to them through them. Therefore, they are to consider themselves as coming to them in Christ's stead.
If we must preach as if Christ were preaching, what is more suitable than to preach what Christ Himself has preached? This sermon, contained in these three whole chapters, was preached by the Son of God Himself, who is the wisdom of the Father and has all the treasures of wisdom in Him. He has been in the Father's bosom from all eternity, and He knows all His mind, His whole heart, and the counsels of His will concerning man's eternal estate. He is the one sent by the Father into the world, appointed to this office, to preach His mind and will to the children of men.
Therefore, as you hear this sermon of Christ repeated to you, opened, and applied, you should pay close attention.
We have infinite reasons to thank God for the way He has revealed His mind to us through Jesus Christ, His Son. In former times, the Lord revealed His mind to people in various ways, but in these last days, as the Apostle says in Hebrews 1, He has spoken to us through His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, and through whom He also made the worlds. Jesus is the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person.
Oh, how blessed are we who live in the times of the Gospel, for God speaks to us through His Son. Christ has come from the Father to make Him known to us, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son will reveal Him. There are great things to be known about the mind of God, given that the second person in the Trinity is appointed by the Father to come and preach His mind to the children of men.
If we hear of a friend who has come from a distant land to tell us important news, we gather around him, eager to know what he has to say. How much more eagerly should we listen to Jesus Christ, who comes from God the Father, who knows His Father's mind completely, and is sent by Him into the world to reveal all those counsels of God that were kept hidden from the beginning of the world?
Jesus brings us news about our eternal estates, for that is the Gospel. The Gospel means nothing but good news that Christ has come to bring. Therefore, I urge you to listen to God when He says, "This is my well-beloved Son in whom I am well pleased; hear Him."
I am beginning now and intend (God willing) to continue preaching what Christ says. Therefore, as long as I stick to His words, you must hear Him in me. Your sin will be greatly aggravated if you do not pay attention to what will be preached now because it is the sermon of Jesus Christ that is to be opened, and it is the most extensive sermon that He ever preached, which is recorded to us. In Hebrews 12, we can see how important it is that God has revealed Himself to us through His Son (verse 25). We must not refuse to listen to Him because if those who refused to listen to Him when He spoke on earth did not escape, how much less will we escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven? In this chapter, Christ speaks from heaven, even though He was on earth at that time. Therefore, we must consider Him as speaking from heaven. This is the sermon of Christ, which is our subject, and it calls for serious attention, fear, and reverence. Oh, may we carry this thought with us while we listen to Him preaching in these chapters.
At this time, all I will do is to preface this sermon. There are six things that we need to consider in this sermon.
First, we need to find out whether the sermon recorded in Matthew is the same as the one recorded in Luke. If they are the same, it will be useful because one will enlighten the other.
Secondly, we must inquire about the time when Christ preached this sermon and the occasion.
Thirdly, we must find out the place where He preached it.
Fourthly, we must discover to whom He preached it.
Fifthly, we need to examine the manner in which He preached.
And sixthly, we need to identify the scope of His sermon and what it aimed at primarily. These six things will be helpful in preparing the way for what will follow.
Regarding the first point, whether it is the same sermon that Luke records, many interpreters are troubled by it. However, if you read the sermon itself, you will find that the substance of it is the same, and the words are almost the same, though not recorded as extensively as Matthew does. In Luke 6:20, Christ lifted up His eyes to His disciples and said, "Blessed are the poor," and then goes on just as He does here. The reason for the doubt is that in Matthew, Christ chose His disciples in chapter 10 and sent them out. But in Luke 6:13, you will find that Christ chose His disciples before this sermon was preached. The twelve were sent out first, and then the sermon was preached. That is the difference.
Secondly, Matthew says that Jesus Christ went up to the mountain and taught His disciples (verse 1), while Luke says that He came down with them and stood in the plain and lifted up His eyes to His disciples (verse 17). Matthew says He sat, and Luke says He stood in the plain. Some interpreters say that it was a different sermon, but these differences can easily be explained.
Regarding the first point, although Luke makes it appear as if it happened after the sending out of the twelve and Matthew seems to make it appear as if it happened before, it can be reconciled thus: Although it is recorded in Matthew after in chapter 10, many times the scripture does not set down things that happened before in time, but always before in place. I could easily show you many things that are after in a book but were done before those things that are set down first. It is ordinary. In this case, Matthew had occasion to speak of Christ's doctrine first, then in chapter 10 to speak of sending out His disciples. That is not an argument to say that it was not before the events in chapter 5.
As for the other point, that Matthew says Jesus was on the mountain and Luke says he came down to the plain, the answer is that it is not said here that he came down to the plain and preached there. Instead, it is said that after he had sent out his disciples, he came down to the plain, and then the company came to him. So after he had given his disciples the commission to go and preach, a multitude of people came to him. He had been on the mount all night, as we shall see by and by, and then sent out his disciples. Then he came down and saw a great multitude of people, healed them, and then returned to the mountain, withdrawing himself from the tumult of the people to preach to his disciples and those who came together with him. So although it is said he was in the plain and he stood, that is, he stood while the multitude was with him, but after he had done some work about them, he retired into the mountain again, and there he fell to preaching, according to Matthew. There is no objection of any importance (that I know of) why it should not be the same sermon, and these two differences can easily be reconciled. Therefore, since the substance of the sermon is the same, we will assume that it was all one sermon. Now that we know it was all one sermon, we will find much help in comparing the different accounts of the evangelists.
The second thing to inquire into is when Christ preached this sermon, and for that, we must turn to Luke. You will find it very helpful to inquire after this. The night before he preached this sermon, he was in prayer all night, as Luke 6:12 tells us: "And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray and continued all night in prayer to God." So it was the night before this sermon was preached.
This Scripture justifies long prayers on extraordinary occasions, as Jesus Christ Himself prayed all night before He preached this Sermon. However, in ordinary circumstances, it is more appropriate for family prayers to be short rather than long. The fact that Christ spent an entire night in prayer shows how important the things of the Glory of God and the good of His Church were to Him. Consider this, those who spend their nights in sinful behavior like chambering and wantonness, drinking, and playing, Christ spent an entire night in prayer. By praying all night, He sets an example for His ministers to pray for people, even when they are sleeping or busy with other tasks. The occasion for His long prayer was the work He had to do the next day, which was to send forth His disciples. As it says in verse 13, "When it was day, he called unto him his disciples, and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles." Christ viewed this task as a great and weighty work, the greatest work that men had ever been called to do since the beginning of the world, to go and preach the Gospel. Therefore, in preparation for this great work, Christ spent the entire night in prayer to God.
Now, concerning the occasion for Christ's whole night of prayer before preaching this sermon, it seems to be the work he had to do the next morning, which was to send forth his disciples. As the text states in verse 13, "When it was day, he called unto him his disciples, and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles." Choosing twelve apostles to go out and preach the gospel of God was a great and weighty work, perhaps the greatest work that men have ever done since the beginning of the world. Christ knew the importance of this task and saw it as an opportunity to glorify God and benefit the church. Thus, by way of preparation, he spent a whole night in prayer to God to equip him and his disciples for this great work.
From this, we can see that the work of ministry is a significant undertaking. Although you may think of it as a simple task, Christ regarded it as crucial. He prepared solemnly for choosing His Apostles and prayed to God all night before. Those who are in the ministry should recognize this as a mighty and solemn business. If Christ spent so much time in prayer, then it must be a serious matter. Those called to the ministry should view their work accordingly. When choosing or calling a minister, people should not take it lightly. Some might hastily say, "Let's have him presently," but when Christ chose His Apostles, He prepared by praying all night. It is fitting that people who choose a minister should spend much time praying and seeking God. While choosing civil officers or those who assist the civil magistrate does not require such solemnity, it is different for those who exercise the power of Christ in administering ordinances. From the beginning, deacons were brought in with prayer and imposition of hands (Acts 6). Elders, who are to exercise the power of Christ, should be brought into their places with great solemnity, as shown in Acts 14, where they were chosen with prayer, fasting, and imposition of hands.
The work of the ministry is a solemn and weighty matter, and all Ministers of God should reflect on Christ's prayer as a means of preparing for their calling. They should consider and have faith in the blessing of Christ's prayer upon them. In John 17:20, Christ states that he prayed not only for those present but also for all others who would believe. Therefore, when Christ spent the entire night in prayer, he was not praying only for the twelve Apostles, but for all those in the ministry who would preach the Gospel of Christ to the end of time.
After spending the entire night in prayer, the first thing Christ did in the morning was to choose his twelve Apostles. When the crowd approached him, he briefly withdrew from them and began to preach an excellent and notable sermon that we are now discussing. Even though Christ had been up all night in prayer, he began preaching the next day. Some may have been concerned about his health, but he was not concerned about tiring or wearing out his body. He knew the importance of preaching and was ready to take the opportunity to spread the Word of God.
This passage teaches that ministers of the Gospel should not be overly concerned with their physical comfort, nor should they constantly complain about their weakness or tirelessness. Instead, they should be ready to serve whenever the opportunity arises, even if it requires weariness and sacrifice. If their service leads to a shorter lifespan, it is still worthwhile to do a lot of good in a little time. A person's life should be measured by their service, not by how many years they live. Christ preached a long sermon, possibly the longest one he ever delivered, after spending the entire previous night praying. It was a most heavenly sermon. The prayer he uttered just before his death, spanning two or three chapters from John 14, is the most Christlike thing recorded in scripture. Therefore, ministers should pray more if they want to preach better. The way to become a good preacher is to pray fervently, just as Christ did. Ministers should come to the pulpit, reeking with the fragrance of prayer. The best sermons are those that are warmed in a minister's heart by prayer. They come to dispense the milk of the Word, and just as nurses warm milk before giving it to a child, the Word of God is most nourishing when it has been warmed in a minister's heart through prayer before being presented to the congregation.
And thus we can note that the way to be filled with the Holy Ghost, to be filled with heavenly truths and a spiritual frame, is to spend much time in prayer, doing it with purpose. This will not only help Ministers but also Christians to rise up full of the Holy Ghost and divine truths. Consider that this sermon was preached the next morning after Christ had spent a whole night in prayer. It adds much to the excellency of the sermon and serves as a special motive for attention and receiving what shall be said from this sermon. Surely there must be some notable matter in this sermon that was preached immediately after such a prayer. This is the second consideration by way of preface, the time when this sermon was preached.
The third thing by way of preface to this sermon is the place where it was preached, for there is nothing in Scripture without use. My text says that Jesus went up to the mountain, having been in the mountain in prayer. He came down and did some work among the people, and then went up again to preach.
Why did Christ preach on the mountain? Some people speculate that it was to fulfill the prophecies about preaching the Gospel on the mountain mentioned in Isaiah 40:9 and Joel 3:18. But these are only guesses. Others allegorize the idea of the minister being on the mountain and how heavenly he should be while preaching, but I don't think it's appropriate to stretch the Scripture beyond its intended meaning. Therefore, I believe that we only need to consider the convenience of the mountain, as it was a secluded place. With a crowd of people around, he couldn't speak as openly and effectively for edification. That's why he retreated to the mountain again, where he had spent so much time in prayer. Christ didn't wait to reach the synagogue or the temple to preach; he took any suitable place to preach to the people. It's not necessary to have a consecrated place for preaching the Word.
Which mountain was it, you might ask? Some people believe it was Mount Olivet, but that's not possible because Christ was in Upper Galilee at that time, and Mount Olivet was near Jerusalem, as close as Islington is to the City. However, Christ was about 40 miles away from Jerusalem then. Therefore, Jerome and others suggest that it was Mount Tabor.
And certainly, this further justifies that preaching can occur in any place where Ministers have the opportunity and can provide peace and edification. There are two foolish conceits that people have. Some believe that certain places are too profane for preaching due to their common uses, while others think that certain places have been too superstitiously used for preaching because of the superstitions present there. As a result, they refuse to attend a sermon. Truly, this insight can help us avoid both of these mistakes.
Regarding the place of preaching, it is clear that there is no location so defiled by profane uses that it would render preaching unacceptable to God. Even if it had to be in a former playhouse, it would not diminish the sacredness of the work, as long as it was the most convenient location available. It is a sad reality to consider that thousands of souls may perish without knowing God and Christ because they lack a consecrated place. This Mountaine (if it is Mount Tabor, as both Jerome and others believe) was as inappropriate a place for preaching as a playhouse could be. Nevertheless, Christ preached this sermon there. It was a location that was likely to be abused for superstition and idolatry, as Hosea's prophecy mentions. The verse in Chapter 5, verse 1 reads: "Hear ye this, O priests, and hearken ye house of Israel, and give ye ear, O house of the King: for judgment is toward you because ye have been a snare on Mizpah and a net spread upon Tabor." This means that when the ten tribes abandoned the true worship of God in the Temple of Jerusalem and set up their calves in Dan and Bethel, some people were more devout and scrupulous than others. They refused to worship there and preferred to worship in Jerusalem. However, the laws of the king and the priests were against it, and it was risky for anyone to worship in Jerusalem. Therefore, priests and others set watchers to monitor those who went up to worship in Jerusalem, just as in the past, men were sent to watch when people left their parish churches, even if they had no preaching at home. Therefore, there were guards set up on Mount Tabor to watch those who went to Jerusalem because they had to pass through that location. Consequently, it was said that there was a net spread upon Tabor. Although this place was defiled as much as any other, Christ preached his sermon on this mountaine. Setting watchers to spy on those who went to the true worship of God in Jerusalem was as wicked as making a play, yet Christ preached there.
And regarding any superstitions associated with certain places, the synagogues and other places of worship set up by the 10 tribes were used in opposition to the true worship of God in Jerusalem, yet Christ preached wherever he went, without refusing to preach in any such place, even if it had been abused in one way or another. Christ seized every opportunity to preach the word and do his work, without regard to the place. This brings us to the second point: all Ministers of God should take every opportunity to do good, and this is the third consideration by way of Preface.
The fourth consideration by way of preface to this sermon is the question of who the audience is that the text speaks of. Some believe that it refers to the multitude of people who were present and gathered around Christ, and that He was moved with compassion to preach to them. Indeed, it is a moving sight for any godly minister to see a willing and abundant congregation. In another instance, Christ was moved with compassion upon seeing a multitude of people, as it says in Matthew 9:36, "But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd." Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest." Seeing a multitude of people is a moving sight, and we should preach and pray that God would send faithful ministers to preach to them. However, I do not think it is appropriate to build a point of doctrine on this, because at this time, Christ went up into the mountain and withdrew himself from most of the people. The text says, "And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain, and when he was set, his disciples came unto him." So it is probable that Christ retired to speak to his disciples rather than spending time among the multitude. His chief work was about his disciples, about sending out the twelve and making them apostles. While preaching to the multitude is a good thing, Christ focused on His work with His disciples.
From this, we can learn that we must focus on our current work and not be distracted by thoughts that we might do better in some other way. We must do what God has called us to do at present and trust in His blessings. Secondly, we can see that Christ has a special concern for His Ministers, as He withdrew from the crowd to speak to them. Although He did not prohibit anyone from coming, His intention was to talk to the Ministers. Christ has a particular interest in His Ministers, knowing that great things depend on them. As mentioned later in this chapter, He called them the Salt of the earth, suggesting that the world would rot and decay without them. Similarly, He referred to them as the Light of the world, without whom the world would be in darkness. Ministers should be filled with the will of God, just as Epaphras prayed for the people to be filled with all the will of God in Colossians 4:12. Being filled with the will of God is a wonderful thing for a Minister, like a sail filled with the wind!
Those who are most instructed by Christ are most fit to instruct people. Christ himself preached to his chosen apostles, so that they may preach to the people. No one can preach to the hearts of people if they themselves have not had Christ preaching to their hearts first.
Moreover, Christ saw that the work was very challenging, and the ministry is indeed a difficult task. Christ spent a great deal of time praying for his apostles and instructing them before setting them as a light upon a hill. People would observe them closely and scrutinise their every action. The apostles were to bear the brunt of everything and even approach any hazardable work. Luther once said, "What is it to preach? But for a man to drive the envy of people that are evil upon himself." That is why Christ prepared his apostles before sending them out.
The fourth consideration about the preface to Christ's sermon is his auditors, the people he preached to. The fifth consideration is the manner of Christ's preaching. Three things are observable, and it is essential to take note of every aspect of Scripture since it is all useful. Scripture is not like a carpenter's yard where chips lie around and are of no use; it is like a goldsmith's shop where every dust is precious.
There are three things recorded about the manner of Christ's preaching. Firstly, that he sat and preached. Secondly, that he opened his mouth and spoke. And thirdly, that he fastened his eyes upon his disciples, as stated in Luke 6.
We find two of these mentioned in Matthew: that he sat and opened his mouth and spoke. When Christ preached, he sat down instead of standing as preachers do now. This was the ordinary way of preaching among the Jews. For example, in Matthew 23:2, it says, "The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses' seat; therefore, whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works." This was also mentioned in Matthew 24:3 and 26:55. Christ stood up when he read the Law, but when he preached, he sat down. In Luke 4:20, it says that he sat down and began to teach.
Some people try to find spiritual significance in Christ's sitting while preaching, but it was likely just a cultural gesture. Christ observed the common practice of sitting while preaching during his time. It was not a spiritual signification, but simply a customary practice. In the same way, French ministers preach with their hats on, as it is their custom, and if one were to attend their church, it would be appropriate to observe their customs. Some churches prefer to stand while preaching instead of sitting.
You may ask, doesn't this justify conforming to ceremonies in churches since Christ himself conformed to the ceremony of sitting? So why did we have such a stir about kneeling at the sacrament? The answer is clear. You must understand the difference between ceremonies. Any ceremony that is purely natural or civil, and only helps in the worship of God in a natural and civil way, we should certainly conform to the customs of the church wherever we go. But when a ceremony has a spiritual use, and by the institution of man, some spiritual thing is attached to it, as our ceremonies have, then we must not conform to them unless we want to sin against Jesus Christ and our consciences. This is because they have a form of worship in them when they have spiritual meanings attached to them by way of institution. However, if there is nothing more to a ceremony than what the nature of the thing carries to be helpful in God's worship, then the prudence of men is sufficient for its ordering. For example, it is a natural aid for people to have convenient seats when they come to hear the word. When it is used in a natural way, it is perfectly fine. But kneeling at the sacrament and other such ceremonies had a spiritual efficacy attached to them and were instituted by man.
Regarding garments, it is natural for a minister to wear appropriate clothing, but if an institution mandates that a garment must be considered decent because it is appointed, then the issue becomes spiritual and not just natural. This is because the institution puts a spiritual significance on it. However, if a ceremony is just natural and helpful in a natural way, there should be no contention about it among the churches of God. Christ observed the ceremony of the Jews as a natural help. Secondly, it is mentioned that Christ "opened his mouth and spake." One might ask why this is mentioned since how else could he speak to them? The answer is that there is a speaking without opening of one's mouth, as stated in Hebrews 11:4 where the Holy Ghost speaks of Abel offering a sacrifice to God, even though he is dead. Some think that this is a similitude, suggesting that Christ preached through his life as well, like a minister of God who should continually preach through his holy life.
The mention of Christ opening his mouth when he spoke serves to emphasize the importance of what he had to say. In Jewish tradition, to open one's mouth when speaking implied that the speaker had something significant or weighty to convey. This can be seen in the book of Job, where Elihu proclaims that he has "excellent things to say" and will therefore "open his mouth to speak." Similarly, when we say that we saw something with our own eyes, we mean that we paid close attention to it. And when we say that we heard something with our own ears, we mean that we listened intently and took note of it. So, when it is said that Christ opened his mouth and spoke, it is not merely to indicate that he spoke, but also to underscore the importance and gravity of his message.
The third reason why it's mentioned that Christ opened his mouth is to show that his mouth was like the door of a rich treasury. Jesus Christ had a rich treasury in his heart, and his mouth was the door of that rich treasury. Now, Christ opens the door and fetches out these precious things that you will hear in this sermon. Opening the mouth and presenting these things before us is of great use to us. Some people have so much evil in their hearts that it bursts out of the door of their mouths, and they speak without consideration. As a vessel that is full of filthy liquor will break forth when it has no vent, a man who has an unclean heart will speak wickedly. The heart of Jesus Christ was full of heavenly and spiritual things, and he opens the door of his mouth and speaks. This should also be the case with ministers of God, especially, they should have their hearts full of heavenly treasures. When they come to preach, it is just to open the door of this treasury. Their mouths should be the door to vent those treasures of heavenly truths that they have been trading for in heaven. Therefore, all people should have their hearts as a treasure of excellent things, and they should have command over their mouths so that when they see an opportunity to do good, they can open the door of this treasury to vent what good things they have stored in it. Oh, that all our mouths were so! This is the meaning of this expression, Christ opened his mouth. It was a mercy that Christ had his mouth open to speak to this people. If the Scribes and Pharisees had their way with Christ, his mouth would have been shut long before this time. However, through God's mercy, Christ's mouth was open to speak to the people of God's great things. It is also a mercy that ministers' mouths are open, and they can speak to people and show them what God's mind is. We did not have such a mercy long ago, and there were many ministers that had their hearts full of rich truths, yet the door was locked and bolted against them so that the people could not have them. I believe that there was never any reformed church that contracted so much guilt in all the world in stopping the mouths of faithful ministers as England did in former times. But blessed be God, that God has stopped the mouths of the stoppers of mouths. I remember in Chrysostom's time, the godly people then did profess that they had rather have the sun withdraw its beams than the mouth of Chrysostome should be stopped. There was so much excellency in Chrysostom's preaching. They said that if the door of the treasury of John Chrysostom's heart were shut and bolted, and they could not benefit from it, it would be better if they could not benefit from the sun itself. Therefore, consider it a great mercy that the mouths of faithful ministers may be opened to speak unto you. That's the second consideration in the manner of Christ's preaching. He opened his mouth.
Thirdly, the Holy Ghost notes in Luke 6:20 that Jesus lifted up His eyes upon His disciples. The eyes of Christ were full of wisdom and the glory of God shone in them. In Revelation 1:14, His eyes were described as flames of fire. The countenance of a Minister often exudes a great deal of majesty and looking upon the people can be a powerful tool in delivering the message of the word. This is why the text says that Jesus lifted up His eyes upon His disciples, and looked upon them. It can also be used as a tool for reprimanding and threatening. Sometimes, a guilty conscience cannot bear the gaze of a Minister upon them. In Acts 13:9, we read about Paul when Elimas the Sorcerer tried to hinder the work of the ministry on the Deputy of the place, Sergius Paullus. Paul had hopes of gaining the Deputy as a public instrument, and so he set his eyes upon Elimas and spoke to him in a terrible manner, calling him a child of the Devil and accusing him of trying to hinder the word upon an eminent man. The eyes of a Minister of the word can have a great deal of power. We also see in the text that when Peter denied Christ, Christ looked upon him, and Peter wept bitterly. There is much that can be conveyed through the eyes of Jesus Christ and the Ministers of God.
So, my dear friends, this concludes the present sermon. While we continue to preach through this long sermon of Jesus Christ, I implore you to understand that the eyes of Jesus Christ are upon all of you. Why shouldn't we believe this to be true now, as much as it was then, when Christ said, "he who hears you, hears me"? This is the sermon that Jesus Christ Himself preached, and just as He lifted up His eyes to His listeners at that time, know that Jesus Christ lifts up His eyes upon each one of you, and His eyes will be fixed upon every heart while His sermon is being preached. O Christ comes into the congregation to look upon this person and that person, to see how they will receive His word. If you can remember this one thing throughout our time together, it will be of great benefit to you. Remember that the eyes of Jesus Christ will be upon you, observing your behavior throughout. And that, my friends, is the fifth thing to remember by way of preface.
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Lectures on the Beatitudes by Jeremiah Burroughs