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A
New Approach
INTRODUCTION
Today
we will study a passage from the Sermon on the Mount. This is one of the
best known sections of the New Testament and contains the ‘Beatitudes’, ‘the
Lord's prayer’, the ‘Golden Rule’;
teachings about the birds of the air, the lilies of the fields, as
well as other famous instructions. It
is sometimes commented that churches neglect the ‘Sermon on the
Mount’, because it does not spell things out as explicitly as the
Epistles do and this makes the texts often difficult. This
however seems to be a reaction by people who do not want to face up to
what the text is clearly saying. Certainly,
most expositors in centuries past did not seem to have this difficulty
with the text. Many modern
churches seem to have created this problem for their several reasons. Some
avoid the Sermon, because they divide history by the cross and call the
gospel with the sayings of Jesus as pre-cross.
The Sermon is pure law, giving a code of law, which emphasizes
motive that lay behind offences and therefore has no relevance for people
under grace, such as the Church is. For
example, dispensationalists teach that the Sermon only applies to the
Kingdom age, which will begin when Jesus returns.
They teach that those who try to apply the passages to their
present life, do not understand that people are now under grace and that
since the Sermon talks about law and Kingdom, it has nothing to do with
this age. These
that attack the Sermon as being not relevant for Christians today,
obviously fail to grasp their present position and the perfection of
Christ to which every believer is called and in which they rest. Certainly,
to be led by the Spirit means something radically different from living
according to the world and its rules. If we come to understand this, we
will be forced to stop doing a lot of the things that we do and reject a
life of hypocrisy. We know
that is a very difficult matter for people who profess to be believers,
for we can look around us and see disgraceful behaviour as the norm. We
should treat the Sermon as being in a sense wisdom literature, as Jesus
properly unfolds the Law, shows us what is true for believers, which will
make them effective as salt and light and contrasts this with the false
interpretations and views of righteousness, which were accepted and taught
by the religious leaders in those days. This section of Matthew is of
utmost significance for Christian ethics, or rules for Christian living. These
are strong legal statements and Jesus teaches us that they are critically
important to us. Following them will profit us now and in the future.
God the Father sees everything we think and do in private and he
will reward us for or good works. In
other words, as one writer puts it: “
Obedience to the rule of Christ brings enrichment, usefulness to God,
greatness in the Kingdom and temporal life to the believer. Obedience
to the rule of Christ can be seen from: Christ
authoritatively describes enrichment as coming to those who live according
to the attitudes of God climaxing with persecution for following him”. The
entire Sermon on the Mount is full of comparison statements and assertions
which are Christ's commands “but
I say to you…….” It
is full of consequences to those who are obedience and disobedient to His
commands. The
people to whom Christ was speaking were expecting Him to be the King
because he was proclaiming the Kingdom (4:23) and He was doing the works
of Messiah. So
it is reasonable to assume He now speaks as the Son of God, the King (cf
context of Matthew 1-4). The
subject is obedience to the rule of the King. The
Sermon on the Mount is such a distinctive exposition of Jesus' teachings
that men have argued over its meaning and how it relates to our lives. But
let us remember that Matthew did write his Gospel after the crucifixion,
resurrection, and ascension of Christ.
His Gospel was clearly aimed at the church, believers living in the
church age, however interpreted. He
stressed the demands of Christ for purity of life, which would bring great
blessing. We
know that this Sermon relates more to sanctification that justification.
Jesus is speaking to His disciples, and crowds that are following
are listening. The teachings
are extensive. The
Sermon has been called many things such as: -
the Ordination address to the Twelve -
The Compendium of Christ's doctrine -
The Magna Carta of the Kingdom -
The Manifesto of the King -
The Charter of the New Age -
The description of the Kingdom of God Its
special importance comes from the fact that it is given at the beginning
of Jesus' public life. Jesus knew that His disciples were guilty of the same evil of which we modern Christians are guilty. Nowadays we call it secularism. The disciples and us are guilty of secularism when we routinely think and act like the world around us, adopt the same attitudes, values, and goals as those who do not know Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord. This is evil! We however do not really want to subject ourselves to the teachings of Christ. Strangely though, unbelievers who have probably never read the complete Sermon, often seem to think that this Sermon is an important guide to proper living and will often say that they try to live by the “golden rule”. Very early in his ministry Jesus had to pay close attention to this attitude in His disciples and in the other followers. Note that the disciples were committed to him but the mass of others were not fully committed but were following him for the benefits they thought they could derive from him. Beyond the circle of the disciples the multitudes had been touched, were fascinated by his preaching, with heart stirred up, but still uncommitted. The Sermon called on the committed believers to attitudes and actions that were required of them and that would of benefit in this life as well as in the Kingdom. It also made the uncommitted mass listening, understand what God was all about, so that they could count the cost of being a disciple, and understand that a radical change was necessary, a change only possible with the ‘New Birth’. Jesus even had to teach this to the intellectual, spiritual Jewish leader Nicodemus. The Context. Matthew had told us that the dark night of Israel was about to receive light with the supernatural birth of Jesus. Then he jumped straight into the visit of the wise men from the East, showing us the uninterested religious rulers and the crafty, evil and destructive Herod, who tried to extinguish the life of the Messiah, when he realized the Magi had tricked him. Then Matthew introduced us to the preaching of John the Baptist, who called on the corrupt society to repent, confess their sins and be baptized. Note that John described the religious leaders as a generation of vipers, warning them not to rely on any idea that Abraham was their father. The wrath and purging with unquenchable fire was coming. Then Matthew takes us directly to Jesus being confronted by Satan in the wilderness. Satan used every method of temptation to make sure that the Messiah would never succeed in his mission, for Satan did not want Messiah’s Light to shine in the world. Matthew presents us with a dark picture indeed, where the enemy of God would do everything that was possible to continue corrupting men and thwart the coming promised salvation of God. Jesus had to teach his disciples and the following multitudes, that they were not to be like the world. One writer warns that followers of Christ must live counter to every single culture. If we are to be followers of Christ, we are to be unique in the world. That is it plain and simple. That is why true Christianity is so offensive. That is why true believers will always be persecuted. And that is why many professing believers will never accept the word of Scripture, or Law, for to suit themselves and their flesh, they want to create their own way of life and insist that God must take this as acceptable. Jesus makes eight pronouncements in this Sermon, and describes those of a certain condition as being “Blessed”. He describes “seven” distinct features of character, with the eighth pronouncement simply saying that those possessing the specified characters will be persecuted, even though they will be “Blessed”. These are both marks and goals of all Christians or citizens of His Kingdom. These are really the attributes that we should earnestly covet. “ Blessed” is described by one writer thus: “ The word blessed is ‘makarios’ in Greek. It can have the unfortunate connotation of being the religious, but originally the word was not particularly religious. It connotes the idea of essential well-being. This word is sometimes translated happy, although happiness is a bit too transitory. It is also occasionally translated joyful. It describes people whose inner lives are rightly aligned. They have discovered what is really important in life, and there is a profound sense of well-being that descends on them as a result. Things are as they ought to be, like an instrument that is in tune. There is a kind of peace, settledness, happiness, and sense of approval that comes from being in such a condition.” With
respect to the teachings of Jesus he comments: “These issues that Jesus raises all have to do with deprivation; and the ability to honestly recognize that life is not what it ought to be. That is Jesus' grand starting place. We have to be able to talk about brokenness and hurt and loss”. We note that the first four Beatitudes
describe our failure and inadequacy.
Jesus declares a blessing “on the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Mourning leads to comfort. Meekness leads to a real inheritance. Hunger and thirst lead to real satisfaction. The response of God brings life.” THE TEXT
After teaching these Beatitudes and indicating that these principles of living would inevitably lead to rejection and persecution, Jesus explained why it was absolutely essential for these righteous attitudes to be inculcated and displayed. We learn that there is a reason why the Christian life must be a distinctive life. When a true believer behaves as he should, he glorifies God and contributes positively to the society. There can be no hiding or concealing the distinctiveness of Christianity. Jesus illustrates the importance of this by pointing out that the believer is salt of the earth, and has to remain salty, stable and unchanging, so that the unrelenting march of corruption is held back. The believer is also light, driving back the darkness, always conspicuous in testimony, being beacons, communicating that they are followers of Jesus Christ, instructing, directing, bringing the word of life, and comforting. Believers must always be salt and light, for if not, they will be useless and worthless, fit only for destruction. Verse 17. Two great realities are now presented. They stand over ever culture, philosophy and historical event. First, Jesus makes it clear that he was at the center, had all authority and is the one with whom everything has to deal. Second, the standards that God has set up for the human race reflects the character of God, and therefore, from the very beginning it was required that men align themselves with what God had required for joy and blessing. These standards cannot change, and his authority will not contradict the Law of Moses, the Law and prophets, which together make up the rule of faith and practice. There can be no thought of cancelling or weakening any of the Scriptures. One writer puts it this way: “ I am not come to destroy but to fulfill-- Not to subvert, abrogate, or annul, but to establish the Law and the prophets-- to unfold them, to embody them in living form, and to enshrine them in the reverence, affection, and character of men, and I come.” Other writer puts it this way stating: “Let
not the profane Jews, who have a disaffection to the Law and the prophets,
and are weary of that yoke, hope that I am come to destroy them.” Let
not carnal libertines imagine that the Messiah is come to discharge them
from the obligation of divine precepts and yet to secure to them divine
promises, to make them happy and yet to give them leave to live as they
list. Christ commands nothing
now which was forbidden either by the Law of nature or the moral law, nor
forbids anything which those laws had enjoined; it is a great mistake to
think he does, and he here takes care to rectify the mistake. The Savior of souls is the destroyer of nothing but the works of the devils, of nothing that comes from God, much less of those excellent dictates which we have from Moses and the prophets.” Verse
18.
Stating that he is the final authority, with exclusive prerogative
to give Law, he asserts that the Law and the prophets will never be
annulled or superseded, but will endure.
The great truth and principles of Old Testament revelation will
remain unchanged, this unchangeable rule applying even to the least and
most minute command, for they reflect the nature and word of God. There is no imperfection in either the greatest or the smallest requirement, for these go back to creation itself and will continue its work until the very end. Verse 19-20. These laws of God are embedded. It is foolish to think that one can take these immutable words of God and set them aside out of whatever misguided sense of mercy, kindness, wishing, compromise or anything else one might feel. The disciples were told that it is dangerous to break them, to change the extent of their application, or to weaken the obligation of believers to them. That is serious ungodliness, corruption, and sin. Those that encourage discontent with God, will forever remain away from God. The righteousness required from God excludes partiality, following only some of the Law and the prophets, stressing only the ritual aspects of worship and staying away from godliness on the inside, in the heart. The law and the prophets is not only an external code. It must be written on the heart. It is not a fashion show that changes with each new style. God's Commandments upholds his character. Verse
21.
Again, on his authority as the author of the Law and the creator of
everything, Jesus now begins to look at the heart of a person, which he
notes is always displayed before God.
Behind the actions is now the focus of Jesus’ instruction, for
now it was necessary to show the spiritual nature of the Law and the
prophets and the extent to which it had been tampered.
Jesus now looks at the traditional perversions of the Law and gives
it the true sense.
He looks at the law against murder, making it clear that the Law had forbade men from killing each other. The teacher's had taught that the Law was aimed at ensuring national and political peace only, and therefore was interested only in restraining the actual act of murder physically. In such a case the courts of judgment would sit, and whoever would kill would be in danger of the judgment. The law was seen as given for a direction for the courts, telling them how to act in the event of murder. Verse 22. Jesus however asserted that the Commandment about killing was much broader, for a murderer faced not only the local court, but the court of God. This latter court looked at the heart and its motives, as well as actions. Rash anger was considered in the court of God to be heart murder, and a breaking of the sixth commandment. Anger is natural but it can be sinful and when there is no good, righteous or just cause for it, then it becomes outrageous, mischievous and exceeds the boundaries set by God, it seeks to hurt and destroy, and breaches the sixth commandment. The evil and angry thought in the heart is murder, and murder will be carried out if there is an opportunity. Verbal abuse, is therefore destructive, and there is punishment for this is character assassination. Let us remember that the word “Raca” or “You fool” was really used of someone in moral rebellion or a dangerous and wicked person; so accusing a person of ‘foolishness’ was an accusation that the person was not just silly, but was in active rebellion. This kind of anger in the heart showed hatred. God recognized it as such. The existence of this in the heart therefore, puts a person in line for divine retribution from the heart searching Judge. The heart is such an important matter to God, that one should settle any situation of anger, ill feeling or malice to the brethren, so that a person’s sacrifice would be acceptable to God. God would not receive a sacrifice from one whose heart was filled with sin. Reconciliation must be sought before the gift was offered. Verse 27. The same heart principle applied in the law against adultery, the seventh commandment. It had been taught that this commandment only referred to acts of sinful intercourse between or with married people exclusively. In this perverted interpretation of the commandment, a person would be warned not to have sex with someone to whom they were not married. Vs. 28. Jesus made it clear that when one looked at the woman with a determined will to feed sinful desires, to commit any form of impurity, even if the acts themselves were not carried out, the Searching Judge of the heart regarded this as the sin, covered by the seventh commandment. Jesus is warning us against giving temptation its way in our minds, to fix our attention on a person and fantasize about them, to imagine what it would be like to have physical relations with them, to create dreams where lustful experiences with another person who is not one’s husband or wife or maybe the wife or husband of another. If we are doing any of this, Jesus says we have already committed adultery. Note that Jesus indicated there is a progression to sin. Jesus warns that if any of our situations put us into difficulties where these kind of thoughts develop, we should stop it at the start. Get out of the situation. Do not intensify the fantasy before you try to stop it. It is very clear that the wisdom of the world, reflected in the entertainment media and in every aspect of the culture say that sexual fantasies are good and healthy for us. Jesus however says those thoughts are adultery. God sees the heart. Let us understand that we are not just helpless victims. We have the ability to make choices, to stop acting in ways that cause problems, to say no. The church faces the same problems that people in the world face. Let us be honest with ourselves, go to God with all or problems for he is faithful to forgive our sins and remake us. Let us move away from situations, entertainment, actions, the environment that put unhealthy thoughts in us and substitute the Psalms and things of God in our hearts. We must react with great indignation at the trap Satan has laid for us, quickly, promptly, despite the cost remove the offending occasions of sin, strike at the root of this unholiness. We want to avoid being cast into hell. (verses 29-30) Verse 31. Jesus referred to the Law of divorce which had placed checks on separation, requiring that a person must go through a legal process, outlined in Deuteronomy 24. Verse 32. Even though Jesus acknowledged that there was a process for divorce, this did not mean that God liked it but in fact, in addition to providing a safety net for women, giving them proof that they were indeed free, God had permitted only one exception clause to terminate a marriage. That was unfaithfulness. If divorce occurred for any other reason, God did not consider it as a valid divorce. Two could not be easily separated and a man could not put away his wife on any other pretence. God would not recognize an illegitimate divorce. Jesus considered this matter so serious that He warned that if divorce occurred on any other ground but unfaithfulness, any remarriage would automatically make those involved guilty of the sin of adultery with its related punishment. Any new relationship would be seen by God as bigamous. Verse 33. With respect to the matter of oaths, Jesus here again pointed people to live under the searchlight of God and not to manipulate, rationalize or find ways around what God required. God was concerned about his followers taking their oaths seriously. They were to fulfill their vows and live up to their word. This is the third commandment stated in Exodus 20:7 and discussed in Leviticus 19:12 and Deuteronomy 23:21. Here false profession is condemned. Verse 34-37. Jesus here warns that the best way for us is not to swear or take any oaths at all, and not to do it lightly or irreverently. Making an oath or the act of swearing, often becomes a creative way of lying and giving the appearance that one is telling the truth. Language is being used to fool people. This is false behaviour. People of character are not to do that. They are to be trustworthy. Men have no authority over heaven or earth, and cannot even change anything about them or their body. So when naming these things in their oaths they are in fact lying, for their swearing means nothing. There is no guarantee of performance though it appears that there is. God takes all or words, and every offer we make seriously. There must be no lying but complete honesty and transparency. We must not use language to mean something we don't mean, or to manipulate people. One writer comments: “
The untruthfulness of our corrupt nature shows itself not only in the
tendency to deviate from the strict truth, but in the disposition to
suspect others of doing the same; and as this is not diminished, but
rather aggravated, by the had it of confirming what we say by an oath, we
thus run the risk of having all reverence for God's holy name, and even
for strict truth, destroyed in our hearts, and so “fall into
condemnation”. The
practice of going beyond Yes and No in affirmations and denials-- as if
our word for it were not enough, and we expected others to question it--
Springs from that vicious root of untruthfulness which is only aggravated
by the very effort to clear ourselves of the suspicion of it.” Verse 38-39. In these verses Jesus now moves away from teaching what should not be done, to teaching what should be done; thus giving positive lessons. He refers to the Law of retribution which was designed to commit vengeance into the hands of magistrates, preventing people from retaliation in vengeance. People do have a tendency to do more in retaliation than they should, so the law permitted them only to do what was equivalent to the loss. But of course, Jesus taught that the only way to be different, to make good triumph over evil, was to resist giving way to our normal tendencies, not to demand our rights in return but to yield, to be prepared to suffer indignity without retaliation. This is the only antidote to the normal human desire for revenge or victory as opposed to wanting justice. We are told to make a deliberate choice to do more than what was required, to forgive injuries, to overcome by submission, knowing that all recompense is in Christ. In this way we will not be like the culture that regards the hurt done to us as greater than the hurt done to someone else. That is the same as a victim mentality. Disciples should learn to become people that can give away their rights, and so be in active communion with God. Remember that though God has many enemies, who are constantly offending him, resisting him at every opportunity, seeking to do him evil, he makes his rain fall not only on the just but also on the unjust. He protects the wicked and constantly calls them to repent and come to him, despite their continuing hostility. Verse 43-44. God would not say, as was frequently taught, that one should love those like ourselves, and hate our enemies. That hatred of the enemy is not to be found in Leviticus 19:18., Exodus 23:4-6, Deuteronomy 23:7or Proverbs 25:21. Men had been voiding the Law of God for their own reasons. But now Jesus taught that there must be compassion and a desire for the good of the enemy. This was going in the opposite direction. Jesus’ instructions make it clear what love means, for this is no ordinary affection. This is sacrificial, self-denying, supernatural love, love as the father loves, which will mark us out as being totally different from the pagans. As adopted children of God, who were previously rebels against Him, we must learn to have compassion on those who have remained rebels and who actively hate their Creator, who blaspheme his name and undermining his purpose at every turn. We must be like God and have compassion on them, treating them with complete generosity. If God withholds his wrath, waiting patiently for them and extending his love toward them who are not even willing to hear from him, we should do no less. We must learn to be like our Father. He gave his love willingly to us and we must do the same. CONCLUSION God
measures us. We must not
conform to the standard of the world. Circumstances,
though humbling for us should make us distrust ourselves and turn to God. We
must never corrupt our convictions, because we want to avoid rejection and
persecution May be learn to live distinctively, reflect the glory of God and bring benefit to our society.
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