Again, depending on whether or not you have a Bible that inserts little breaks and headings, such as ‘Jesus Calms the Storm’, you may be led to think that this passage is a collection of separate, discrete events. I do not think that such divisions are entirely helpful. The core question is why Matthew, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and following his own intelligent mind to organise his material, chose to include certain stories and why he sequenced or grouped them as he did.

This passage commences with crowds – great crowds followed him (v1) and ends with crowds – they brought to him many who were possessed … and [he] cured all who were sick (v16). In between these two massings of people, there are three individual healing stories. This structure is important for us to recognise.

We are now at the end of this long extended ‘sermon’, which we have identified as being like a Kingdom Manifesto. These are Jesus’ concluding words on the matter. We might anticipate that they will be very important, as anyone would make the final words of a major document very significant.

Well, this is another of those passages that cause us lots of debates. If it is taken on its own, at face value, we are likely to be very disappointed. Ask, and it shall be given to you… Let’s not imagine this promise to be like the Golden Tree in the Magic Garden, where, if only we know the Secret Incantation, we may obtain all that our hearts desire.

Of almost everything that Jesus ever said, perhaps the first three words of this reading has been more misused than anything else:Do not judge...An entire generation of Millennials has taken it on as their mantra: Don’t judge me!

The conflict between living in this moment enjoying life, and planning for the future has been a constant source of difference between my wife and me. I don’t mean conflict – we haven’t squabbled about it very often – just a difference. We approach life differently, largely because of our backgrounds, but also perhaps just our different personalities.

This is a familiar passage. Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes, and thieves do not break in and steal. We commonly think that this means we should take our focus off money and consumables, and focus more on godly things like being kind and doing good. After all, good deeds aren’t subject to decay or theft, as money and ‘stuff’ are.

Matthew appears to have constructed this passage carefully: Jesus’ model prayer which we call ‘The Lord’s Prayer’, is bracketed at the beginning by a passage on how not to pray, (and how to pray), then at the end by a passage on how not to fast and then how to fast.

This is a deeply personal reflection which I perhaps should not be committing to print. But the message was such a clear answer to my short prayer, as you will see, that I am writing it here – fully aware that any merit that I might have earned is completely lost by my telling of it to you – as you will understand by the time you reach the end.

This short passage (and the following sections) frame a Revolutionary Kingdom Manifesto. Any group of people who took all of this seriously would have to live so counter-culturally that they would be trolled off social media in the first week. I don’t think that Jesus is suggesting these principles as a way for the whole world to live. They (again) describe what it is like to live in the kingdom of heaven which he has come to inaugurate.

I've chosen to commence our section at v11, today, because it seems to me there is a natural break. In the Beatitudes which we read yesterday, Jesus speaks in a general way: Blessed are those who …But now, in v11, we read Blessed are you… We must note the distinction. These words are addressed directly to his disciples – including us.

Chapters 5 to 7 contain the material known as the Sermon on the Mount. (There is similar material in Luke 6, where it is said to be delivered on a plain. Those who love to poke holes in the Bible gleefully point to this as an error or an inconsistency. It is much more likely a proof of its accuracy.

It’s impossible to fully understand the New Testament without having a good grasp of the Old Testament. I’m always thankful that from the age of 20, I spent at least 30 years reading the Old Testament thoroughly. Even today, I turn most naturally to an Old Testament book to read for pleasure.

Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. I usually ask the Holy Spirit not to lead me into temptation, and to lead me into green pastures, not deserts.

My Bible starts this chapter with the curious little phrase, In those days…What are ‘those days’? They are the days that were introduced at the end of the previous chapter. Joseph is told in a dream that it is safe to return to Israel after Herod dies.

This is a very dispiriting chapter to read! How do you feel after reading it? Everyone except the religious leaders of the people were actively seeking, but they were asleep at the wheel – and totally careless about it.

Thank you for joining me in this series of Lenten reflections on Matthew. First, a couple of housekeeping comments.