This has been quite a week for me. I had to come up with a lot of money for some bills, and I didn't know how I was going to get them payed. Thank the Lord Jesus that He provided the funds in answer to my prayer. I am grateful to the Lord for His provision.
Last week, we finished our study in I John. I hope that everyone who went through the series learned something. I mentioned last week that I was considering some different options concerning what to present for the weekend sermon in the upcoming weeks. I've decided to start a series of messages on the Sermon on the Mount. This is a vital teaching of Jesus, and I know that there is much to be gained from a thorough study of these words from the Lord. I pray that you will be blessed as we look at these words of Jesus together.
The Sermon on the Mount is found in Matthew chapters 5,6 and 7. A similar teaching in a shorter version is found in Luke chapter 6. In all likelihood, Jesus probably preached these words on several different occasions using some material at one time and adding or subtracting material as the case warranted. Along with the Upper Room Discourse recorded in John's gospel, the Sermon on the Mount is one of Jesus' longest recorded teachings.
Before we get into the heart of the Sermon on the Mount itself, let's explore some of the different theories of interpretation concerning this teaching.
Some believe that the Sermon in the Mount presents an impossible standard that no one can measure up to. In other words, Jesus was presenting the requirements that needed to be fulfilled in order to keep the law and be in right standing with God. Since no one could possibly live up to the requirements set forth in the Sermon on the Mount, this demonstrates that no one can keep the law. Therefore, it is necessary to trust in Christ by faith alone apart from works for salvation.
While I absolutely agree that we are saved by grace through faith apart from works, I don't believe that this interpretation is correct. I don't see this as Jesus' intention at all because He never mentions anything concerning this in the Sermon on the Mount itself.
Another interpretation similar to the one just mentioned holds that the Sermon on the Mount was all about the law and was no longer in effect after Jesus' death and resurrection. What this interpretation basically says is that the Sermon on the Mount is not for today.
Once again, I do not agree with this interpretation. Jesus repeats some of what is in the Sermon on the Mount in various ways elsewhere in the gospels. Also, many of the teachings in the Sermon on the Mount are echoed in later New Testament writings especially in the epistle of James.
One other interpretation that I'd like to mention is the one that holds that the conditions of the Sermon on the Mount will only be applicable during the Millennial reign of Christ. They are teachings about the future Kingdom.
Again, I don't agree for the same reasons I stated before. Most of these dispensationalist theories set up too much of distinction between the way in which God operated throughout the Bible and will operate in the future. They split the Bible into too many different ages.
I believe that the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount are for today and that they are to be taken literally. The teaching of the Sermon on the Mount are the manifesto of the followers of Jesus Christ. He expects His followers to do their best as they are empowered by the Holy Spirit to live up to the principles taught in the Sermon on the Mount. Of course there are some things that will not receive their ultimate fulfilment until the return of Christ. However, we are to strive to live our lives in accordance with the teachings of Jesus right now. It is hard. There are some difficult teachings in the Sermon on the Mount as we will see in the weeks to come. However, that doesn't mean that the contents of this great message should be ignored simply because they are difficult.
My approach as we go through the Sermon on the Mount will be to find practical ways to live out those things that Jesus expects of His followers.
The Sermon on the Mount begins in Matthew chapter 5. Jesus went up the hill and called His followers to Him. This is important. As we will see, Jesus taught with authority. Under His authority as God come in the flesh, He would actually change some of the Old Testament laws. This demonstrated to the people that He was divine. He was greater than Moses, and He was instituting new laws and interpretations for His Kingdom. The Sermon on the Mount is a display of Jesus' ultimate authority.
Chapter 5 opens with a familiar passage of Scripture known as the Beatitudes. These appear in a slightly different form in Luke 6.
Often, the word blessed used here is translated as happy. I'm not sure that this is the best interpretation. Living according to these principles won't make anyone happy necessarily.
I think that the point Jesus is trying to get across here is that those who live according to the principles of the Beatitudes will have the favor of God on their lives that will lead to ultimate blessing in the age to come.
Next week, Lord willing, we will look at some of these individual Beatitudes in greater depth. May God bless you. Amen.
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