Sermon on the Mount Part #2 (Matthew 5:13-16)
Notes
Transcript
Continuing Through the Sermon on the Mount
Continuing Through the Sermon on the Mount
Last week: Jesus moved from the crowds and went up to a mountain. Speaking to his disciples, not the general crowd
He taught about the “beatitudes” (blessings-Latin) showing them that they would be blessed when they are meek, when they mourn for the un believers, and even when they are persecuted for His names sake. They will receive the blessings.
Remember he is not talking to the unbelievers, he is speaking to those who have repented. And he is showing them how they should act as those who have repented and are waiting for the Kingdom of Heaven.
When he has finished the beatitudes, he continues to teach them. Open your Bibles to Matthew 5:13-20
When he has finished the beatitudes, he continues to teach them. Open your Bibles to Matthew 5:13-20
Jesus first points to two things: Salt and Light
And for both of these things he looks at those people listing and says YOU ARE. You are the salt of the earth. Your are the light of the world.
What is he talking about?
SALT: What is salt used for? (flavor, preservation) As a believer, you bring a flavor to this world. A world that is lost and dying and headed to hell, you have something for them that will preserve them. Give them eternal life. We should all consider if our lives we are living are full of flavor with the love of Jesus Christ, and is that flavor preserving the world. Because if you life is not adding flavor, look what Jesus says...
“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. (v. 13)
You are the SALT of the Earth.
He also says that you are the LIGHT of the world
LIGHT: Light is very important. Yes? With light you can read, study for school, see where you are going. But the light that Jesus talks about here is not NEPA. When Jesus says you are the light, he is saying that the light of the gospel is in us, and we should not hide it. Look at what he says about light:
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.
Light is meant to shine. Light is meant to illuminate.
16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Jesus is speaking to those who have repented. He is speaking to those closest to him who has seen his miracles, and have seen and heard his things…they believe. They believe he is the Son of God. So now he is telling them to take that belief and show it. They things they have seen, the are still t o see. The teaching they receive and will continue to receive, DON’T LET THEM STAY WITH YOU. Release them so others may know the same thing.
He is telling them that when they are salt and they are light, then others (unbelievers) will see the good things you are doing and what? GIVE GLORY TO YOUR FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN.
Jesus then begins to talk about the Law
Jesus then begins to talk about the Law
Read Matthew 5:17-20
The Jewish people had lived with the Law and the words of the Prophets for many generations. Moses recieved the Law from God on Mt. Sinai, and every Jewish man, woman and child did their best to obey the Law.
How many laws were there? There were 613 laws given to Moses from God and they make up the Mosiac Law.
Now those 613 laws included things like what foods that they can eat, what animal sacrifices they should bring before the Lord, what clothes they were supposed to wear. But I believe that he he is first talking about the 613 Laws, but then he moves to the commandments. Let me show you.
Look at verse 17:
17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
He says I have come not to abolish (or cancel) the Law or the Prophets, but to fulfill them.
Now first of all, lets divide these two things up: Law and Prophets.
613 Laws. Looking ack now, we know that Jesus replaced most of these Laws. After his sacrifice on the cross, and payment for sin, there was no longer need to go before the high priest so that he could go before the Lord for them. There was no more need to bring an animal for sacrifice as Jesus die and rose again as the ultimate sacrifice. Most of the Law was fullfiled, just like he said.
Prophets: Every prophecy that was told…he would fulfill every single one of them.
I believe, those are the Laws and the Prophets that he has fulfilled.
But then he says
18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
19 Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
I believe he is only talking about the 10 commandments. Why do I think this? Next week as we continue into the other parts of Chapter 5 he points to murder and adultery in his teaching. And remember this is one long sermon. It is a continuous teaching. So as he moves forward, he is building on what he has said before.
SO what Jesus is saying here, and by now is being heard not only by the disciples who are listening, but also maybe a crowd of unbelievers that have gathered, is that the Law will not save you. Eating a certain food, or bringing an animal for sacrifice is not what i snow required. What is required is repentance and righteousness. But he concludes this thought with verse 20:
20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Unless your righteousness is more than the scribes and Pharisees , you will not enter heaven. For those unbelievers listening that day, this would have cut them to the bone. They viewed the scribes and the Pharisees and Holy people, certainly they were very holy. Surly they very very close to God because the kept the Law (not really).
So Jesus says that unless your righteousness EXCEEDS the scribe sand Pharisees you will not go to heaven. His point, they are more about LAW than the Messiah. They were so focused on doing the LAW that they could not see the one who full-filled the law....Jesus.
So how does all of this apply to us today?
So how does all of this apply to us today?
First: Salt & Light. If you have repented of your sins, confessed with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and you have begun to follow hime… You should be SALT & LIGHT. You should be adding flavor to the word you live it. You should be looking for ways to preserve the world you live in. And as a Christian, that mean speaking the things of God, doing the things of God, and obeying the things of God.
Secondly: Righteousness. What does this word mean for us? Righteousness mean striving to God’s expectation. Wanting to please God in everything we do. Not just obeying God’s commands, but wanting to honor him with everything we do.
What did the beatitudes say from last week?...
6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
So what about you? Are you being salt? flavoring your world with message of Jesus Christ? Are you being light, so that others would see the reason why you are light which will glorify him?
Because, if you are not being salt, Jesus says that your witness is good for nothing. And if your are not being light, you are missing the chance to bring the light of the gospel to others.
And finally, are living a righteous life? Examine yourselves. What are you displaying? Are you displaying a life filled with nothing, or do you hunger and thirst for righteousness?
Because that is the follower of Christ that God desires.