Di Sermon for Di Mountain

One hillside wey dey above one lake. Grass, wild flowers, birds dey fly for top. Hundreds of people dey sit down for di slope. And di teacher for front sit down and talk say, blessed are those wey poor for spirit.

Di news about Jesus don spread all over Galilee and pass am. Crowds dey follow am everywhere, from di towns near di lake, from Jerusalem, from di other side of di Jordan. So Jesus go up one mountainside and sit down, di way teachers dey do for im time. Im disciples gather near am, and di crowds dey listen. Wetin e talk next na di longest part of im teaching for di Gospel of Matthew. Since dat time, people dey call am di Sermon for di Mountain.

E start with blessings, and dem no be wetin anybody expect. Blessed are those wey poor for spirit, because di kingdom of heaven na dem own. Blessed are those wey dey mourn, because God go comfort dem. Blessed are those wey gentle and humble, because dem go inherit di earth. Blessed are those wey dey hungry for wetin correct, those wey get mercy, those wey heart clean, those wey dey make peace, and those wey people dey treat bad because dem dey do good. Then e look di ordinary people wey dey im front and talk, Una be di salt of di earth. Una be di light of di world. No hide una light under bowl. Make am shine, so dat people go see una good works and praise una Father wey dey heaven.

Then Jesus take di commands of God and go deeper. Una don hear say dem talk, no kill person. But I tell una, no even keep anger for your heart against your brother or your sister. If you wan bring offering to God and you remember say somebody get something against you, go make peace first. Una don hear say dem talk, love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I tell una, love una enemies, and pray for those wey dey persecute una. If person slap you for one cheek, turn di other one give am. If person force you make you go one mile, go two miles with am. Una Father wey dey heaven dey send im sun and im rain on top of good people and bad people di same way. Make una be like am.

E talk about giving, praying and fasting for quiet, for God eye and no be for people to clap. E teach dem one prayer wey start with, Our Father wey dey heaven. And then e point to di world around dem. Look di birds. Dem no dey plant, dem no dey harvest, dem no dey fill barn, and una Father wey dey heaven dey feed dem. Una no worth pass dem far far? Look di wild flowers. Dem no dey work, dem no dey sew, but even King Solomon with all im glory no dress reach one of dem. So no worry about tomorrow. Seek di kingdom of God first, and im way of doing wetin correct, and God go add all dese things give una too.

Ask, and dem go give you. Seek, and you go find. Knock, and dem go open di door for you. Treat other people di way wey you want make dem treat you. And then e finish with one story. One wise man build im house on top of rock. Rain fall, di rivers rise, breeze beat dat house, and e stand. One foolish man build im house on top of sand. Di same storm come, and di house fall with big noise. Everybody wey hear dese my words and do dem, Jesus talk, be like di wise man. When e stop to talk, di crowd surprise. E dey teach like person wey get authority, no be like di teachers wey dem dey hear before.

Dat line about to go di extra mile get sharp edge for di first people wey hear am. Soldiers and officials for di Roman world fit force local people make dem work for dem, make dem carry load for road. Di Gospels show say e dey happen: as dem dey go di cross, soldiers force one man wey dem dey call Simon of Cyrene make e carry di cross of Jesus, and Mark use di same word wey Matthew use here. Di people wey dey listen to Jesus know dat feeling well. E tell dem make dem answer am by going double di distance.

Di Sermon for di Mountain. You go find am for Matthew chapter five to seven. Jesus no want make people just admire im words. E want make dem build dem life on top of dem. So see one question wey you go carry dey go. Which of di words of Jesus you fit build your life on top of dis week?