The Sermon on the Mount
INTRODUCTORY WORDS
1. The key to the Sermon on the Mount is found in Matthew 4:23 : "preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom."
Before the Lord sat a great crowd of people and among them His own disciples. As He looked into those hungry faces He saw the same needs there, that we would see in any audience today. The one yearning of their hearts was that they might find happiness. They had failed. Many thought that wealth would make them happy. They had been disillusioned. They had sought laughter and pleasure, but found only sorrow.
2. As Christ looked into the faces of those people He opened His mouth and taught them the true secret of happiness. The word "blessed" means "happy." He showed them that true happiness could not be found among the material things of this life, but rather in the spiritual. He taught them that there was no true happiness until they had found the life hereafter and had learned to live for another world.
3. Christ summed up true happiness in the beatitudes. " Blessed are the poor in spirit" He said. The audience doubtless gasped. They had thought that the man who could be proud of his accomplishments here on earth was the happy man. But Christ said that the happy man was poor in spirit. There are many people who are poor in material wealth, but very little poverty of spirit is ever made manifest.
Again Christ shocked His audience, "Blessed are they that mourn," He continued. Certainly people never choose to shed tears today. It has been the custom from time immemorial to pity those whose sorrow causes them to mourn.
When Christ continued and said, "Blessed are the meek" the people were doubtless horrified. Meekness is gentleness. The meek man is too big to be offended. But the meek man is always downtrodden.
Certainly there could be no joy in "hungering and thirsting," even if it were for righteousness. Anyway sin is that which the world seeks after when they want happiness.
"Why be merciful? Justice is more satisfying to the human heart when one is injured by another. Mercy requires suffering on the part of the one who shows mercy, inasmuch as some one must suffer because of sin.
Was it true that purity of heart would make one happy? Most people tread the paths of sin in search of happiness. To be a peacemaker is to place oneself as a target for both disagreeing parties. And finally, there could be no joy in being persecuted, misrepresented, slandered and reviled I
4. Christ taught these people that true happiness would be reaped hereafter, by suffering now. In order to fully appreciate the comfort of a Saviour for eternity, one must sorrow now and go through the fires of trial. Sunshine is never appreciated until it rains. He proved that it paid to be. meek, for the meek will inherit the earth. The proud are not the type of people Christ will choose as rulers for His Kingdom hereafter.
The man who has no hunger for righteousness will never eat and partake of the Bread of Life. People are not merciful who do not know the Lord and will never show nor receive mercy. God is sinless and will not fellowship sin. One must be pure in heart to see God. But when the Blood of Christ cleanses your heart, one of these days you will actually see God! Furthermore there is no peace until one knows the Saviour as their Saviour, A peacemaker is a soul-winner, and soul-winners will shine like the stars in eternity, and "be called the children of God." Suffer now, and be rewarded when Jesus Christ comes again. Truly the Beatitudes are the secret of everlasting and eternal happiness.
I. WHAT WE ARE (Matthew 5:12-14)
1. "Ye are the salt of the earth." Salt has many uses. It is used as a seasoning. It is used as a preservative. It is used as an antiseptic. The Christian is the salt of this world. If it were not for the Christian, the world would be much more corrupt than it is today. Satan would then have complete sway. Even the unsaved recognize the need of the Christian in the world. No one would want to live in a city without a church nor a Bible, even though they themselves were not Christians.
Christians who have lost their savor are worthless. Loss of savor can be the result of sin, or of a compromising position. If we are to have any useful place in the world we must keep our standards high.
The flavorless Christian is good for nothing. He might as well be cast out. Even the sinners despise the Christian who does not live up to his own Christian standards! He is trodden under the feet of men. Are you good for nothing? Wake up, and live for God. Stand true.
2. "Ye are the light of the world." The world has no light except that which shines forth from the Christian. If our light be hid, men will never know the Way of Life. Don't ever allow your light to be hid under the bushel of sin. Again, be sure that you do not hide your light by the wrong position. A city on a hill can be seen for miles around. It simply can't be hid. On the other hand many cities built in the valleys are never seen, though their light is shining brightly. Many Christians are not serving in the place where God wants them to serve. He wants them to be doctors and they are preachers. He wants them to preach and be missionaries and they are street cleaners. Build on the mountain top of God's will and your light cannot and will not be hid.
II. JESUS CHRIST THE FULFILLMENT OF THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS (Matthew 5:17-20)
1. Has the Law passed away? No. The Law is still God's perfect standard of righteousness. Is it true that we are under Grace, and not Law? Yes. We are saved by the Grace of God, through faith, and that not of works. We cannot do anything to be saved. We are saved through the Blood of Christ. He finished the work of our salvation. Our good life neither saves us, nor keeps us saved. Christ saves and keeps. However, when we are saved we live for Him, for we become new creatures, the sons of God. God lives in us. We live new lives. We keep the Law. Under Law, man fails.
When Jesus Christ enters the heart we through love and the power of the Holy Spirit keep the Law which men cannot keep otherwise. It is still God's perfect standard. And through Christ it is kept. Therefore He came not to destroy the Law, but, through His death and power, to keep the Law.
2. Those who keep the Law will be the great men of the Kingdom. Teaching the Law is good, but, to teach the Law and not do the Law is contradictory. James describes the man who reads the Law without fulfilling it in his life, as a man who looks in a mirror, and remarks how dirty is his face. Then, straightway, he forgets about it, and does nothing to remedy it. Law shows us our need. Let us live accordingly. How many people there are today who read the Bible and attend church, but live on as if they had never heard the truth.
3. Righteousness a condition of Kingdom entrance. The Pharisees were probably the strictest moralists of their day. They prided themselves upon their good lives. Their religion was a religion of good works. They were trying to get to Heaven on their own righteousness. Christ said that no one could enter into Heaven unless they were better than the Pharisees. The only way our righteousness can exceed, or even reach the righteousness of the Pharisees is in the forgiveness of our sins through Christ. Imputed righteousness is ours through Christ. But this verse means more. If we are to share in Christ's Kingdom, and enter into the glories of the Kingdom, experiencing the rewards of the righteous, we must live and fulfill the Law in a greater sense, than did the Pharisees.
III. THE LITERALNESS OF HELL (Matthew 5:22)
1. The judgment. Five times in the 5th chapter of Matthew Christ says, "Ye have heard," and then contrasts the Law as read, with "But I say unto you." In each instance He is showing that under the Law of Moses men were judged for their sinful deeds, while in the Kingdom men would be judged for their sinful motives. In other words, if a man has murder in his heart, he will be judged even before he commits the crime. Such a judgment today would be impossible, upon our part, inasmuch as we do not know the intent nor the motive of any man's heart. But when Christ judges this earth in person He will know, and judge the motive.
In the Millennium we will not need to lock our doors, nor have any fear for our lives. Criminals will be punished before they commit a crime. Christ will rule with holiness on the bells of the horses.
The judgment in Christ's day, consisted of a senate that had the power to sentence men to death. Christ states here that in the Millennium this senate will be restored, and will sentence men who have the hatred of murder in their hearts.
2. The Jewish council was the Sanhedrin. A like Sanhedrin will act again, with power of life and death, as it did yesterday.
3. Hell fire is the "danger" of the man who has murder in his heart. Christians will not have murder in their hearts during the Kingdom age, however the sinner will receive punishment and be in danger of hell.
IV. FIRST THINGS FIRST (Matthew 5:23-24)
1. The first of reconciliation. While the standards of the Sermon on the Mount have a direct application to the Law of the Kingdom age, nevertheless, their standards apply today. We, as Christians, should live them today even as men must live them tomorrow when Christ comes.
How foolish it is for a man to try to bring gifts to God, when he owes his neighbor. How ridiculous it is for a man to bring his gifts to God when he has wronged his brother. All the gifts in the world cannot and will not be received, until we have made right that which is wrong with our brother. Our fellowship is absolutely severed with God when we are living in known sin. That sin must be forgiven. To have that sin forgiven we must willingly do all in our power to correct it. It was Zacchaeus who said, "If I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I will restore him fourfold." The newspapers, some time ago, recorded how one man went to another man and confessed that nineteen years ago he was a thief and had robbed him. He repaid him with interest, after stating that he had robbed many men and spent many years in repaying them all, because he had been saved. He paid his last debt. Christians are not satisfied, until they have made reconciliation.
2. The first of seeking God. Another verse in the Sermon on the Mount that parallels with the one above, is Matthew 6:33, "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." There can never be any lasting joy till Christ comes. There can never be any sure and lasting peace on earth until Christ comes. There can be no satisfaction in things down here until Christ comes. The things of earth are a mirage. But when the Kingdom is a reality, and Christ rules and reigns, peace and everlasting joy will be forever. Seek ye first the Kingdom. Seek ye first His righteousness. All these things will then truly be added unto you. Live for tomorrow and eternity; not for the things that will fade and pass away.
V. THE LAW OF PURITY (Matthew 5:29)
1. The single eye is spoken of in Matthew 6:22. What is the single eye? The single eye is the eye that only sees one thing. The single eye is centered upon the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. The sins of this world are foreign to its sight. The single eye is in covenant with God not to behold evil. The single eye is so centered on Christ, that it has no time to look upon filthy pictures and obscene views. There are too many Christians wearing bifocal glasses. They are trying to behold the things of God and the things of sin at one time, and their whole soul is darkened. Bifocal eyes see two ways at once. The bifocal eye is a compromising eye.
2. The sanctity of marriage and the marriage vow is discussed at length in this chapter in connection with the single eye. How lightly do people consider the promises they make in marriage today. This covenant between man and God is constantly being broken. The Lord labels such sin in no uncertain terms.
Marriage is more than a vow. It is a type. It is the type of Christ and His love for His Bride the Church. Revelation describes the beautiful Home that He has prepared for His Bride. And in that Book we read of the glorious Marriage and Marriage Supper of the Lamb, and the Church. Her immaculate and brilliant white clothing is described.
When we make a marriage vow we must remember that we are a picture of His marriage. That we should love one another and be willing to lay down our life for our bride; and our bride should be subject to her husband as the Church is to Christ.
There can be no happy home nor successful marriage unless Christ is the Head of the home. He must be recognized with a family altar and the reading of God's Word. No marriage can succeed otherwise.
VI. THE LAW OF ACCEPTABLE SPEECH (Matthew 5:33-37)
1. "Thou * * shalt perform unto the Lord thine oath." How careless Christians are in the things that they promise. How many times they agree to do a thing, and never carry out their pledge. If anyone's word should be dependable, it should be the word of the Christian. Many parents warn their children that they will punish them if they disobey, but they never carry out their threats. Again, they promise rewards, but they never give rewards. Even ministers are oftentimes guilty of making engagements, and not fulfilling them. Men have broken faith one with another, individually, nationally and internationally. Why? Because they have forgotten God. Business cannot stand, no nation can stand, the world itself cannot stand if oaths are not made to be kept. Nations that have turned atheistic cannot be trusted. Men who have forgotten God, break their contracts. God describes the days in which we live, with the words, "trucebreakers" (2 Timothy 3:3). Our world depression is the result of covenant breaking. We have forgotten God. Underlying all of our trouble is a spiritual need.
2. The sin of lying. Let your words be positive. Let them be true. Say yea, or nay. Do not speak in uncertain, nor in contradictory terms. How many people speak only half the truth. What they say is half true, but not altogether true. A half truth is more dangerous than a lie because it is more deceiving than a lie. People will not detect its error as readily as an out and out lie. A Christian should be careful to tell the whole truth and all of the truth. Be always ready to give a full account of your faith. Don't be ashamed of your trust in God, and of your belief in the things of God. Speak in positive terms, telling what you know and not what you think. Let your words be yea, yea, and nay, nay.
VII. THE LAW OF THE SECOND MILE (Matthew 5:41)
1. The other cheek (Matthew 5:39). It is harder to turn the other cheek than it is to give your cloak also, or to walk the second mile. To turn the other cheek is to suffer personal injury. To turn the cheek is to injure one's pride. And yet the Lord says that if anyone would do us injury, we are to return good for evil.
2. The cloak also. To give "the cloak also" is to sacrifice personal property. In other words, if one would take from you part of your possessions, give them all of your possessions.
3. The second mile. Not only are we to suffer personal injury without retaliation, and to suffer property damage without retaliation, but we are to be of service to others when they ask. We are not only to do, in all kindness, what we are asked to do, but also we are to da even more. We are to do all we can, for even our enemies.
An early settler of Ephrata, Pennsylvania, walked all during the night through the sleet and the snow over the mountains. He went many many miles until he reached the camp of General George Washington, just to beg a pardon for a man who was to be shot at sunrise. Said General Washington, "If he is a friend of yours I would like to pardon him, but I cannot pardon him even for a Christian friend, and a minister." "Ah," said the preacher, "That is just it. He is the only enemy I have in this world. I have walked miles to show some kindness to him, in saving his life. I can't let him die an enemy of mine."
Oh, Christian, if the love of Christ has filled your life, you must not have an enemy on this earth. Go the second mile!
AN ILLUSTRATION
"Do you remember the story of the artist who had wrought so long upon an angel statue, and who concealed himself that he might hear what the master Michelangelo would say about it? The master looked upon it while, with breathless suspense, the young artist waited and listened for his verdict As he listened, he heard Michelangelo say, 'It only lacks one thing. So nearly brokenhearted did the young sculptor become, that he could neither eat nor sleep, until a friend of his, in deep concern for him, made his way to Michelangelo's studio and inquired what it was the statue lacked. The great artist said, 'Man, it lacks only life; with life it would be as perfect as God Himself could make it.'
"Many people honestly fail to understand this. They cannot see the difference between a man's morality and a Christian's righteousness. Why a moral man should not simply grow better and better until he is good enough to enter the Kingdom of God, they say they cannot see. But it's the difference between a lifeless statue and a living soul. The difference between a man's morality and a Christian's righteousness is a difference not of quantity but of quality." W. E. B.
Even so even the Beatitudes are far beyond us, unless we have the life of Christ made manifest within to live out their holy precepts.