Sunday Morning Service

Matthew 5:1-20 (Click title for audio access)

"The Preamble" • 5.16.10 • Calvary Colton Sunday Morning Service

Intro

- We have arrived at sacred ground, in that what we are about to study is a sermon that comes from the heart and lips of God Himself.

- It is called the "Sermon On The Mount" and it's the King's manifesto, His vision, of what His Kingdom citizens will be like.

- For the next 3 chapters, covered over several weeks, we will attempt to uncover these incredibly deep, yet simple truths about the foundation of the Christian mindset.

˚ "It has been said if you took all the good advice for how to live ever uttered by any philosopher or psychiatrist or counselor, took out the foolishness and boiled it all down to the real essentials, you would be left with a poor imitation of this great message by Jesus." David Guzik

- For those listening to Jesus in His time, the shock of these words was palpable. If we understand it, in even the smallest degree, it will change our lives.

- I pray that we might get the tiniest sense of that as we study this amazing sermon over the next several weeks.

Text

• Matthew 5:1-3a : "And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: 'Blessed...'" : As we saw last week, Christ's ministry of teaching and preaching, authenticated by healing and miracles, drew large crowds.

- There were thousands of people who sought to be where Jesus was. Before addressing them, it was important that He instruct His disciples.

- He wants them to understand the basis of the Kingdom, what it's substance is. If they were now working for this Kingdom and seeking to draw men into it, they must know what it meant.

- God's Kingdom citizens will define themselves by the tenants found in the next 111 verses.

- Jesus, sitting here to teach, means to give an official statement of great importance.

- He begins with a word that we will see 9 times in these first 12 verses. It's the word "blessed." The common translation that is used is "happy."

- Happy seems to be such a trite statement. There is much more to this word. The Greek gods were said to be "blessed" in that they were sufficient unto themselves and had no other need.

- There was an island called "Makarios" which was an island that one never had to leave. All that was needed was right there.

˚ "Makarios then describes that joy which has its secret within itself, that joy which is serene and untouchable, and self-contained, that joy which is completely independent of all the chances and changes of life." William Barclay

- Jesus is saying that the Kingdom person, the one who is blessed, is settled and satisfied, lacking nothing, mostly because, as we'll see, He shares in the very mental position of God!

- The sense here is congratulatory. The blessed one has found a position in life that is settled in joy. I think of it like this: What does a super rich man worry about?

- Spiritually, God's people have struck gold and discovered what life is really all about! They are indeed "blessed?" What might you expect to find? Each of us may have a working definition.

- This is where we need to check that vision at the door. Most of what we would express would likely be outward, dealing with possessions or worldly status.

- Jesus directs His disciples and us toward inward attitudes.

• Matthew 5:3-6 : "Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled." : Jesus begins with this volley. Congratulations to the ones who know that they are desperate for God.

- Those that realize they are destitute beggars are worthy of congratulations for the blessing that they have! It goes without saying that this is not the way we might start our lists!

- Those who are poor in spirit, people who admit their spiritual poverty, receive the Kingdom of God. They that have nothing spiritually have everything!

- This is where everyone must start. To admit that there is nothing that we can offer up to God is to surrender to His rule.

- Congratulations to the ones who mourn. Those who mourn, literally lament or bewail? Mourn what? Their spiritual condition!

- The first beatittude is intellectual. This is emotional. There is a heart wrenching sadness at our lack of capacity to please God.

- That person will be comforted. They will sense the Lord's comfort over their soul.

- How about the meek? Here's a word that we just do not understand. This English word does not clearly convey what Christ is describing here and other translations render little help as well.

- To be meek refers to the power to submit oneself entirely to the Lord and to wait upon Him to bring things to pass in our lives. It is power under control.

- There is a great picture that I will always have in my mind. When I was a kid, our family had the opportunity to go to the circus. My brother fell in front of an elephant, whose trainer kept him from crushing Mike underfoot.

- That person, quite opposite of the one from the world, will inherit the Earth. In other words, God is saying, the Gentle Man will not end up last, but will indeed end up first!

- Finally, blessed are the ones who deeply desire, ardently crave righteousness. These shall be satisfied, satiated, filled.

- Notice how each of these first four attitudes all reflect an understanding of our own condition. These all bear a spiritual burden of lack and need.

- I wonder if we ever get satisfied with ourselves, feel that we have accomplished enough. On the other hand, I wonder how many have just said, "I'll never be what I want, so I'll just concede."

- The blessing told of here is of the man who sees his own lack, but presses continually on to find that which is missing in his life.

• Matthew 5:7-9 : "Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God." : Jesus now speaks toward those whose attitudes lead to actions. These are extensions of the type of heart that He has exposed.

- Those who are poorest in spirit, mournful regarding their own condition, etc, are exactly the ones who are quickest to show mercy because of the mercy they have received themselves.

- These are the pure in heart. Does this refer to a person who has never sinned or who has never had a dirty thought? This is what we think of when we consider the word "pure."

- That's not what Jesus is referring to. Jesus refers to a product that is unmixed. It is genuine, authentic, cleansed and whole. Whatever it is, it is purely that!

- Blessed are they whose heart is fully and completely God's, for they shall see God!

- They will see God move in their lives. They will see their circumstances in the light of God's activities and actions.

- Finally, congratulations are in order to the ones who are peacemakers. This is the only time that this word appears in the scriptures. It refers to being the one that brings peace into any situation.

- They are that person who is unaffected by circumstance or position. They just want God's best for each person. That person is called by others a son of God.

- These three activities are extensions of a correct heart. Are they part of our lives?

- Can people look at our life and see mercy? Would pure be a word that we would use to describe our hearts? Whose son have you been called?

- It's interesting how this goes: We go from inner attitudes, to outward expressions, to the response of the world.

• Matthew 5:10-12 : "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." : One would think that a person described by the first 9 verses of chapter 5, would receive applause and adulation.

- Not so! In fact, they receive quite the oppposite! Jesus tells His disciples and those who would be His disciples, that they can expect downright hostility!

- You are blessed when they persecute you for righteousness sake. Please underscore that: They persecute you for righteousness sake, not for being a self-righteous jerk!

- This person has dedicated themselves to doing right, acting right, living right. They are mocked, misunderstood and alienated on this earth, but theirs is the Kingdom of heaven!

- I like the NLT's take on verse 11:

• Matthew 5:11 : "God blesses you when you are mocked and persecuted and lied about because you are my followers."

- That is the sense. You will be insulted and people will say all kinds of evil against you, but again, please notice the word "falsely." If there is truth to be exposed, then the issue is with you!

- When the world sees God's people, they will stoop to all levels to bring them down.

- What should be our response? Jesus tells us to rejoice and be filled with gladness! Should this be our response because we are masochists? "Oh, I just love feeling bad!"

- No, our excitment is because of our reward and our company. Our reward is great in heaven.

- Early on in the New Testament, the Lord let's us know that there is reward due to those who follow Him. Today, you and I forsake the accolades of the world, for the reward of heaven.

- That reality must ever be in our minds. I must view suffering, insults and persecution, when occuring for the sake of the Lord, as wages earned.

- The Lord does not expect us to consider this experience of walking with Him as a pauper's existence. It may be on this side of heaven, but heaven will be where we receive payment in full!

- Great is our reward and great is our company. The prophets of God were also treated with contempt. They were hated, spoken evil of and persecuted.

- Jesus is saying that we are simply next in that same honored line of men and women.

- We move now from the believers attitudes, actions and reactions, to their purpose:

• Matthew 5:13-15 : "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." : There is a reason for our existence on this planet. We are the salt of the earth and the light of the world.

- Salt at the time of this message, was much more valuable than it is today. At one point in history, soldiers were paid in salt!

- It's main function however, was to flavor material. Jesus is telling His believers that they are to bring their flavor to the world around them.

- Some believers who have just listened to the response of the world, might feel a bit different. They might rather blend in. Jesus says, "Stay distinctive."

- One Pastor put it this way this week: Jesus never envisioned a secret Christianity!

- A believer without distinction just falls under the feet of others. They are ineffective and have no other purpose.

- Jesus uses a second illustration involving light. Again, the influence of this disciple of Christ is provocative in that light violently disperses darkness.

- The light of a city upon a hill would be a tremendous contrast to the world around it. Consider what one in darkness would think about that city!

- Imagine you're caravan, far from the city in the darkness of the wilderness. Remember, there were no lighted highways. The light of a city would be powerful.

- Perhaps your audience is not that large. As believers corporately, our audience is that large. However, each believer is a light in their own home.

- The lamp, however small, would accomplish the same thing within a home. Neither of these light articles are meant to be hidden. Light exposes. Light shines brightly.

- You cannot deny it's function. Jesus brings the illustration to a close: Let your light, however large, so shine. Jesus is telling you to shine wherever you are!

- Be distinctive, light up your workplace, but be conscious of the goal: That they might see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

- Listen to those words: Our light is equivalent to our good works! We often complain that we are unable to speak clearly about our faith in Christ.

- Let me say clearly that our works speak clearly about what we believe! Good works lead to the potential to share good words!

- The goal is to glorify our Father. What does that mean? The word "glory" as I understand it, refers to the weight of a scale of value measurement.

- The weight would be the value of any given object. When Jesus uses it in verb form, the idea is that our actions reveal the value of God in our lives.

- We add to His reputation when we act as He intends us to act!

• Matthew 5:17-20 : "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." : These verses are the perfect bridge to what we have looked at and what will come next in the Sermon on the Mount.

- To the disciples, or any other Jewish person, it might seem as though Jesus was advocating a new law, thus "destroying" or "dissolving" the law and the prophets.

- Jesus is completely committed to the Law and the Prophets. He came to complete them.

- He did this in four ways: "Jesus fulfilled the doctrinal teachings of the Law and the Prophets in that He brought full revelation.

- Jesus fulfilled the predictive prophecy of the Law and the Prophets in that He is the Promised One, showing the reality behind the shadows.

- Jesus fulfilled the moral and legal demands of the Law and the Prophets in that He fully obeyed them and He reinterpreted them in their truth.

- Finally, Jesus fulfilled the penalty of the Law and the Prophets for us by His death on the cross, taking the penalty we deserved." (David Guzik)

- A person's status in the Kingdom is dependant upon their view of the Law. Do you want to be called least or great? It's not about your respect for the law, but your obedience to it.

- Now, his perfect clinching statement: Unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the Kingdom of heaven.

- Jesus has provided us with the foundation for what He has been talking about. The scribes and the Pharisees were considered righteous, but their righteousness was focused on externalism.

- Jesus is telling His disciples that the Kingdom of God will be occupied by people who will be righteous from the inside out. The kind of righteousness, not the degree, is what Jesus is looking for.

Conclusion

- This morning, the truth is that any believer in Christ, has indeed surpassed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, because we as believers, have Christ's righteousness in our banks!

- For those who are not in Christ, Jesus calls you to understand that without Him, you are lost and have no hope of entering the Kingdom on your own.

- Ironically, if you can say that, then you are right where all of the rest of us started. Today can be your day to learn what it means to be blessed!