Do you have a spiritual to-do list?
If you’ve been listening to The Bible Speaks to You Podcast for any time at all, you’ve probably heard me say, maybe more than once, that if you’re not sure what to do in a given situation, if you don’t know what your purpose is, or if you’re just trying to follow Jesus better, the best solution is to read the Sermon on the Mount and make a list of all the things Jesus says to do. Then do them. This sermon is really a ready-made spiritual to-do list, a gift from Jesus to keep you on track in your life.
You’re probably very familiar with the Sermon on the Mount. And you’ve probably read it multiple times and found things that you’re already doing and doing well. But you’ve probably also found things that you need to focus on a little more, maybe like forgiving someone, or being less judgmental.
The Sermon on the Mount is a spiritual to-do list
So today, I’m going to go through the Sermon on the Mount, treating it like a spiritual to-do list, and specifically point out all the action items Jesus recommends. Some of them are direct instructions of what to do, or not to do, as the case may be. Some of what Jesus says to do in his sermon is more implied than spelled out specifically, but I’m including these as well.
You may feel like some of the things Jesus is telling you to do are beyond your ability. That’s okay for now. Focus on the things that you can do and that will help prepare you to act on the things that seem beyond your reach.
Let’s set the scene. Jesus has been preaching and healing in surrounding towns and villages. Because of this, lots of people were following him around to hear what he had to say and to ask for healing or see him heal someone. And just in case you’re not familiar with this sermon, you can find it in Chapters 5, 6, and 7 of Matthew.
Chapter 5 of Matthew begins with Jesus seeing all these people following him.
Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them. Matthew 5:1, 2 NIV
Jesus is still teaching us today
In the custom of the day, when a teacher had something to teach his students formally, he sat down to instruct them. Jesus knew he had important lessons to teach his followers. He took the sitting position of teacher. These were not random remarks, but ideas carefully thought out and well organized.
He began with what we call the Beatitudes. Now, you could say the Beatitudes aren’t really a spiritual to-do list. Jesus is just telling about specific attitudes and actions that bring blessing into your life. But the implication is that these are attitudes you want to put into practice in your life.
Ask yourself: What can I do or think to be poor in spirit, mourn in a way that’s a blessing, and be meek?
What do you need to do to be hungry and thirsty for righteousness? What do you need to do to be merciful, and to be a peacemaker?
Are you accepting these blessings from Christ?
As for being blessed when you’re persecuted for being righteous, I don’t think Jesus is telling you to go out and try to get persecuted. The action item in this case is to rejoice that you’ve been persecuted because you’re following him.
That’s quite a command, to rejoice when you’re being persecuted for following Jesus and doing what’s right. But give it a try. Jesus says you’ll be blessed when you do. It turns your focus back to God, taking care of you.
One more thing about the Beatitudes I think is important. These are blessings. The action item for all of them, indirectly, is to see accept these blessings, which come directly from Christ. Never leave these blessings on the table when they are yours to take.
Spiritual to do-list items: Hold on to your salt and light
Then Jesus says to all his listeners, and that includes you and me,
You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?
You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Matthew 5:13, 14 NIV
He goes into more detail, but the action items here are clear: Don’t lose your saltiness, your flavor, your ability to preserve and heal. Don’t hide your light. The real action item here is to see and remember your value and share it with others.
Let your light shine so everyone can see it and glorify God. The unsaid implication is that you will see someone else letting their light shine. Your action item in that case is to glorify God.
Next Jesus clarifies he has not come to do away with the laws of God but to fulfill them. Then he adds,
Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:19 NIV
The point here is to obey God’s commandments. That will always be an action item on your spiritual to-do list.
Revisiting the commandments
Now that Jesus has set the framework for his teachings, he gets more specific in addressing specific commandments and giving a new perspective on what it means to obey them.
First up: Thou shalt not murder.
But Jesus takes it to a whole new level. He says it really means not to be angry with people.
I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. Matthew 5:22 ESV
Jesus is pretty direct here. He’s telling us exactly how not to see and define people. And he goes into more detail about dealing with unresolved relationship conflicts.
Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. Matthew 5:23, 24 NIV
Jesus is giving you a very specific thing to do here when someone is upset with you. It may seem extreme not to offer your gifts or talents to serve God until you reconcile with the person who is upset with you, but it can bring a powerful blessing when you do. And if you make the effort but it’s not well received, then you can put it all in God’s hands and know you did your part in obeying Jesus’s command.
Don’t ignore this important teaching of Jesus.
Next on Jesus’s spiritual to-do list
Next, Jesus gives another example of coming to terms with people who disagree with you in a more serious situation.
Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny. Matthew 5:25, 26 NIV
This is good advice in a literal situation if you’re being taken to court. And if you’re taking someone to court, Jesus is saying to be willing to settle before you get to the courtroom. It’s all about the reconciliation.
But you can also take this passage metaphorically. When someone has a disagreement with you, or is judgmental, make every effort to settle things in a loving, fair, and just way. And if you’re the one accusing someone else of something, be open to all efforts to settle things in an amiable way.
In both these examples Jesus is really telling you to love your neighbor as yourself. This is something you can do.
Purity is definitely on the spiritual t0-do list
Next, Jesus expounds on what it means to commit adultery. He digs deep into our hearts and instructs us to have purity in our inner most thoughts.
I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Matthew 5:28 NIV
The command here is to watch your thinking and keep it pure. And just for the record, this applies to men and women equally.
When Jesus says to cut out your right eye and cut off your right hand if they cause you to sin, he’s not talking about literally getting rid of body parts. He’s just made the point that adultery is a mental sin. So it is with your hand or your eye.
Jesus is telling us to get rid of the specific thought, not a body part. The culprit is not your eye or your hand but the sinful thoughts that cause certain actions or reactions. Cut out those thoughts, those sinful motives, from your mind. It may be something you think is important or is part of you, but if it causes you to go against God’s will, it’s time to remove it from your thinking.
And while he’s on the subject of adultery and relationships, he says the only legitimate reason for divorce should be sexual immorality. He’s really telling us all to take the vows of marriage seriously and work toward healing and reconciliation when possible.
Your spiritual to-do list heals relationships
There’s an ongoing theme here of reconciliation and love.
Jesus continues with some very specific instructions on dealing with people, or rather dealing with your attitudes toward people. To his spiritual to-do list, he adds some things not to do.
… do not swear an oath at all:
All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. Matthew 5:34, 37 NIV
In other words, keep is simple and to the point with no drama.
I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. Matthew 5:39-42 NIV
In your heart, you will find the best way to obey these commands of Jesus both literally and metaphorically. We can’t just have knee-jerk reactions when people approach us with their needs. It should be a prayerful, listening-to-God moment.
More details and more intense
The action items on Jesus’s spiritual to-do list get more and more detailed and intense. Next he says,
…love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Matthew 5:44 NIV
That is a tall order! How are you doing on that one? It takes some spiritual discipline and a deeper sense of love to obey Jesus on this. But you can do it with God’s help.
Then to top it off, Jesus says something that seems impossible, but remember it’s in the context of how you love everyone, even those who are different from you.
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:48 NIV
Even if this feels impossible, keep your eyes on the fact God is perfect, and strive to know and be more like Him. One step at a time.
Look at your motives
In Chapter 6 of Matthew, Jesus gets to the heart of our motives in regards to praying, fasting, and charitable giving.
He says not to do these things to be seen by others. Give your money to charities privately. Don’t let everyone know you’re fasting. Go into your closet to pray in secret and don’t pray with just a bunch of words going on and on. Keep it simple and heartfelt.
He explains,
…your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Matthew 6:8 NIV
The implication here is, Jesus is telling you to trust God to take care of you. We’ll see that theme developed more in just a little bit.
As for how to pray, Jesus gives very specific instructions in the Lord’s Prayer. The beautiful thing is you can follow these instructions perfectly.
Look at the order of this prayer. It doesn’t start with the problem or asking God for anything. It starts with God, His glory, His kingdom, His will. Once you have honored and acknowledged God, then is the time to ask for your daily needs, forgiveness, and deliverance from evil. And Jesus says to conclude by reaffirming God’s glory, power, and kingdom.
When you pray, follow this order. And Jesus specifically says to pray to the Father, not to him.
And just in case you didn’t understand how important forgiveness is in the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus makes a point of reminding us all to forgive anyone and everyone who has sinned against us.
When you do this, when your forgive others, you will experience freedom in your own life as well as feeling God’s forgiveness of your sins.
Jesus goes deeper with his spiritual to-do list
Jesus doesn’t leave anything off this spiritual to-do list. Next he talks about the importance of keeping your spiritual priorities. Very bluntly he says,
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,…
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,… Matthew 6:19, 20 NIV
Jesus is really telling us to treasure things of the Spirit. Again, this is something we can all do. And we may have to rearrange our priorities.
Then when he says,
The eye is the lamp of the body, Matthew 6:22 NIV
he’s really telling us to monitor how we see things, to keep our thoughts pure.
And while he’s at it, he gets right to the heart of the matter and asks: Who do you serve as your master, God or money and the material world?
The indirect command here is to serve only God.
What was the crowd thinking?
Think about how the crowd is listening and following along with everything Jesus is saying. When he gets to the point of not focusing on money, not serving it, or thinking it has control over your life, he takes his listeners on a much deeper dive into how to get their needs met.
The next thing Jesus adds to his spiritual to-do list is tell everyone there not to worry about what they’re going to eat, drink, or wear. That’s probably exactly what a lot of them were thinking about when he brought up the topic of money. Many of them were probably constantly worrying about having enough money to buy the food and clothes they needed.
But Jesus keeps telling them over and over not to worry.
For encouragement, he instructs them to observe nature. Here’s another important item on our spiritual to-do list. Look at the birds. Look at the wildflowers growing in a field. They don’t worry about having what they need. God provides for them.
If you’re ever worried about not having what you need, Jesus is commanding you to go observe the beauty and order of the natural world and look for examples of how God is taking care of things on a much grander scale than just dealing with your problems.
Basically, the action item here is to trust God to meet our needs. Don’t worry about tomorrow. Trust God for today.
But on a deeper level Jesus is commanding us to see our value in God’s eyes. Will you obey him on this?
The most important thing on your spiritual to-do list
Next, Jesus points us to what we really need to focus on. He could not be more clear when he says,
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. Matthew 6:33 CSB
Are you seeking first and foremost God’s kingdom and righteousness? This too is something you can do.
With the top priority established of seeking God’s kingdom, Jesus comes back to ways that we can participate in that kingdom.
Do not judge, so that you won’t be judged.Matthew 7:1 CSB
If you see someone else doing something wrong, don’t be so quick to judge or think you that can straighten out their lives before you correct your own shortcomings. Jesus makes the point,
First take the beam of wood out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the splinter out of your brother’s eye. Matthew 7:5 CSB
Be discerning
And in your efforts to help others, be alert to who you are trying to help. Are they receptive to what you have to offer? Do they value it?
Jesus gives another action item,
Don’t give what is holy to dogs or toss your pearls before pigs, or they will trample them under their feet, turn, and tear you to pieces. Matthew 7:6 CSB
That’s the not-to-do item. The to-do item is to share your ideas with people who value them.
This is clear teaching directly from Jesus about how to share with others.
When you’re overwhelmed
When things get overwhelming and you don’t know what to do or you can’t seem to find an answer, Jesus gives us an obvious next action item on his spiritual to-do list.
Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7 CSB
Ask. Seek. Knock. Admit you need help and ask for it. Make an effort to find what you need. When there’s an obstacle, keep pursuing every option.
Then Jesus drops a spiritual treasure for us to pick up. It’s so valuable we call it the Golden Rule.
Therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them. Matthew 7:12 CSB
If you ever don’t know where to start on your spiritual to-do list, this is a perfect first step. And you can definitely obey this one, and probably have been for years.
Jesus cares deeply about our spiritual journey and progress and speaks directly to how we proceed. He simply says,
Enter through the narrow gate. Matthew 7:13 CSB
In other words, don’t adopt the ways of the world. Enter life with a focus on God and loving your neighbors.
There are warnings on your spiritual to-do list
Then comes a warning, something to be alert to. This is certainly something we need to do.
Be on your guard against false prophets
You’ll recognize them by their fruit. Matthew 7:15, 16 CSB
Jesus instructs us to observe and discern the end results of how people live, who claim to be sent from God. Don’t be fooled by words.
And speaking of words, they don’t always tell the truth of what’s in someone’s heart. Jesus makes it plain that it’s not enough just to call him Lord.
Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Matthew 7:21 CSB
Talk about a spiritual to-do list! Jesus is saying what we really need to focus on is doing God’s will. Saying the right words without the right actions is completely insufficient.
When you do everything on your spiritual to-do list
In concluding his sermon, Jesus makes his famous statement
…everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. Matthew 7:24, 26 CSB
When the storms of life come, the house built on the rock remains, but the house built on the sand crumbles.
When you add all these action items to your spiritual to-do list, and obey these teachings of Jesus, you have built your house, your life, your purpose, on the Rock of Christ. And there will be challenges, those storms of life that come. But nothing remove you from this strong foundation of obedience to Christ.
Be astounded at Jesus’s teachings!
When Jesus was finished preaching, everyone was astounded at his teachings because he spoke with so much authority. This is a good reminder to you and me that we should be astounded at what Jesus has given us. We need to recognize his authority to tell us these things and our ability to do them.
Nothing could be clearer. It’s not enough to hear Jesus’s words, to read them, to preach them, to do a podcast episode about them. You and I must hear and do all these things Jesus tells us to do. He has given us a spiritual to-do list that will never go out of style or usefulness. It will always give spiritual direction and answers to very specific problems.
Wherever you are in the process of obeying Jesus’s spiritual to-do list in the Sermon on the Mount, however much you’re doing or not doing, I encourage you to take a fresh look at this collection of life instructions. Accept this spiritual to-do list as your own. And don’t be surprised when God will show up in your life as a result.
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James Early, the Jesus Mindset Coach, is a Bible teacher, speaker, and church mentor. He conducts Bible workshops online and in person. His focus is on getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus by learning to think, pray, and love like Jesus. Contact him here.
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Bible References
Matthew 5:1, 2 NIV
1 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him,
2 and he began to teach them.
Matthew 5:13, 14 NIV
13 You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?
14 You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.
Matthew 5:19 NIV
19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:22 ESV
22 I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.
Matthew 5:23, 24 NIV
23 Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you,
24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.
Matthew 5:25, 26 NIV
25 Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison.
26 Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.
Matthew 5:28 NIV
28 I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Matthew 5:34, 37 NIV
34 do not swear an oath at all:
37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
Matthew 5:39-42 NIV
39 I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.
40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.
41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.
42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
Matthew 5:44 NIV
44 love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 6:8 NIV
8 your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Matthew 6:19, 20 NIV
19 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,…
20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,…
Matthew 6:22 NIV
22 The eye is the lamp of the body
Matthew 6:33 CSB
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.
Matthew 7:1 CSB
1 Do not judge, so that you won’t be judged.
Matthew 7:5 CSB
5 First take the beam of wood out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the splinter out of your brother’s eye.
Matthew 7:6 CSB
6 Don’t give what is holy to dogs or toss your pearls before pigs, or they will trample them under their feet, turn, and tear you to pieces.
Matthew 7:7 CSB
7 Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you.
Matthew 7:12 CSB
12 Therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them.
Matthew 7:13 CSB
13 Enter through the narrow gate.
Matthew 7:15, 16 CSB
15 Be on your guard against false prophets
16 You’ll recognize them by their fruit.
Matthew 7:21 CSB
21 Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.
Matthew 7:24, 26 CSB
24 everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.
