by David Flatt
Synopsis: David offers an introduction to Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. Over the next 24 months, he will lead us in a detailed examination of this important text and the vital doctrines contained therein.
Just as Isaiah had prophesied, the Light of the world came preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom in Galilee (Isa. 9; Matt. 4:12-25). What had quietly begun at a wedding reception in the town of Cana turned into an unstoppable movement that only seemed to gain momentum by the day. People from as far away as Syria poured into the northern region of Israel to find a man who spent His days healing the sick and teaching the Gospel of the kingdom. At the height of this popularity, Jesus of Nazareth preached a sermon the world would not soon forget.
The Sermon on the Mount may be the best-known teaching of Jesus; however, its precepts are rarely practiced. The longest recorded sermon of Jesus in the Bible, this teaching best exemplifies the faith He authored. According to Luke's chronology, Jesus preached this sermon during the second year of His public career. This lesson distinguished Jesus as a teacher from those whom others may have mistakenly considered to be His "contemporaries." Jesus had real authority, unlike the scribes and rabbis of His day. This sermon helped solidify His authority in the minds of many who heard Him teach.
The sermon is the Gospel of the kingdom: the good and hopeful news about God's kingdom. The whole of the Old Testament anticipated God's Messiah and the kingdom (Rom. 1:3-4; 1 Cor. 15:3-4). With the birth of the Messiah, the kingdom was at hand (Matt. 4:17). Ultimately, the kingdom of Jesus would be established through the cross and resurrection. However, for people to become part of the kingdom and advance the kingdom on earth as it is in heaven, they would have to live by the teachings of this most transformative sermon.
Jesus describes kingdom life in this sermon—a life through which the purposes of God are unleashed in the world. This is critically important to understand. Many have viewed the sermon from merely a moral and ethical perspective—teachings which can improve life in the world. Yes, these teachings can improve our lives. However, living this sermon may also bring persecution. Therefore, this sermon is not designed merely to bring happiness, but holiness. This sermon, and the teaching of Jesus as a whole, is designed to transform humanity into a force which reflects the glory of God into the world and restores order to His creation. Briefly consider how this works in the Sermon on the Mount.
Jesus begins the sermon with the Beatitudes. What does being human, the pinnacle of God's creation, mean? What did God intend humans, His image bearers, to do in life? In the Garden of Eden, being human involved bearing the image of God, man and woman living harmoniously in marriage, reproducing, and subduing the earth (Gen. 1:27-30). Adam and Eve did some of this for a time, but became corrupted by idolatry. They wanted to be as gods (Gen. 3:5). Their idolatry was evidenced through sin. Life in God's creation became drastically different from its original function. Sin, decay, and death became part of the human experience.
Likewise, the same cycle has been repeated many times by the human race. For example, Paul described Gentiles rejecting God, turning to idolatry, and living in sin (Rom. 1:18-32). Turning to idolatry and sin brings decay which culminates in death. Therefore, God sought to restore order to creation and offer eternal life. This order and eternal life have been restored and offered through the Messiah and His kingdom (Rom. 3:21-31; 5:14-21).
How does this relate to Jesus and the Sermon on the Mount? The life Jesus describes in this sermon is designed to transform humanity one person at a time. This transformation enables humanity to bring glory to the Creator. The Beatitudes describe the true character of what God has always wanted for us. This character of life is brought into being by submission to God through Jesus. Bringing our lives into harmony with these traits is how we become the salt of the earth and light of the world. For what purpose? So that we might influence the rest of the world to share in a life directed towards glorifying God (Matt. 5:3-16).
Yet, this is not all. The renewal we experience is a renewal of heart and mind which transforms our approach to engaging with the rest of humanity. Rather than advancing ourselves by oppression and violence, we promote the kingdom through love. Yes, power in this kingdom is both understood and used differently than worldly power (Mark 10:42-45). We treat our fellow man with dignity and respect. When we treat others as worthless and senseless, we must seek reconciliation with our victims (Matt. 5:21-26). We learn to control lustful passions from an awareness that actions of sexual immorality begin in the heart (Matt. 5:27-30). We pursue marital fidelity due to a recognition that marriage is a powerful symbol to the world of God's harmonious order (Matt. 5:31-32). We practice honesty in all areas and situations of life (Matt. 5:33-37). We never act or react with vengeance and retribution (Matt. 5:38-42). We learn to love our enemies (Matt. 5:43-48). We are ministers of God's redemptive love, not His wrath. We seek to make family out of our enemies that even they might join in glorifying God. All of these are easy to say, but hard to do. However, they are essential to the life of the citizen of the kingdom.
Why do we live the life of a citizen of the kingdom? Just to keep the rules? To become better than those who refuse to live this life? As a means to calculate how to accomplish the greatest good by hurting the fewest number of people? No, we live this life to reflect the glory of God in the world as a means to advance His kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. The hope of the world being united with the Creator in heaven rests in how they will respond to believers reflecting His image. If we fail to reflect the glory of God in life, our conduct will only cause the world to speak against God (Rom. 2:24). The quality of life described by Jesus is strange to those whose eyes are not focused on their Creator. However, the life explained in this sermon is precisely how our Creator intended life to be lived.
In the middle part of Jesus' sermon, He identifies three human-made hindrances to reflecting God's glory: self-righteousness, materialism, and anxiety. One of the primary methods whereby we reflect the glory of God in the world is through worship. When saints worship, united in their desire to glorify God, they powerfully declare the rule of the Savior to the end that the world might believe (John 17:20-23). Jesus warns against the dangers of corrupting worship. Worship must never become an exercise in egotism, but a way of exalting God's glory (Matt. 6:1-18). Worship which promotes humans is idolatry. Idolaters will only incur the wrath of God (Rom. 1:18).
Too often, the lust of the eyes captures our hearts and minds. We become consumed with life in this world. We obsess over material possessions to the detriment of the blessedness Jesus earlier preached in this sermon. Today too many have bowed to the god of mammon in the place of the Creator. Jesus warned of the dangers that materialism and anxiety produce. Both will prevent faith, keep us out of the kingdom, and render us useless to advance its cause in the world (Matt. 6:20-34).
Many have mistaken the purpose of God's kingdom in the world. Many have been misguided, malicious, and even murderous in their attempts to advance the kingdom. In this sermon, Jesus declares we are not to pass self-righteous, hypocritical judgment against others. The purpose of kingdom work is not to pass judgment against the world. On one occasion, James and John were deeply offended by the Samaritan's rejection of Jesus. In their self-righteous, vengeful anger, they asked Jesus if they should call down fire from heaven to destroy the Samaritans (Luke 9:54). Rebuking James and John, Jesus said, "Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them…" (Luke 9:55-56).
Like James and John, some do not realize whose spirit they reflect by their self-righteous indignation towards sinners. Our kingdom work is about salvation, not condemnation. Those living in sin already have a Judge. They do not need another. What those in sin need is for someone to help them and save them. As royal priests in God's kingdom, we are ministers of God's mercy. Our ministry is to be shaped by our struggles with sin and personal challenges to repent. Dealing with sin is sensitive work. The Golden Rule must shape, guide, and direct our approach to advancing the kingdom in the lives of sinners (Matt. 7:1-12). Yes, love motivates our work.
As Jesus begins to bring His sermon to a close, He indicates the choices we have to make in life. What we do with Jesus and His teaching matters. We cannot render the teachings of Jesus inconsequential through indifference or rejection. Jesus forces us to choose a path in life. As complicated and confusing as life can seem at times, Jesus simplifies our choices. We have two options with two very different results. We can choose a narrow road or a wide road. One leads to life. One leads to destruction. The choice is ours to make (Matt. 7:13-14).
In making this choice, beware. False prophets may cloud our ability to discern the right path. They may deceive us into thinking the wide road leads to life. Many have fallen prey to false prophets. Before heeding what someone offers, we must pay attention. We can know what is in a person's heart by his works (Matt. 7:15-20). Some will be deceived. Some will be led to believe they can have life without living in harmony with the teachings of Jesus. For those, Jesus describes an unpleasant and rude awakening in judgment (Matt. 7:21-23).
Then, to illustrate the choice we must all make about Jesus and His teaching, Jesus provides a parable. After all, what would a sermon by Jesus be without a parable? Two men built houses. One man was wise. One man was foolish. The wise man built on a rock. The foolish man built on sand. Both houses experienced a storm. The house on the rock withstood the storm. The house on the sand fell.
The parable is analogous to how we choose to live life. We all build lives. We all have hopes and dreams. We all have goals. However, there is a storm on our horizon if we do not respond properly to the teaching of Jesus. If we do not build our lives on Jesus, the Rock, great will be our fall in death (Matt. 7:24-27). Through Jesus and His kingdom, God is seeking to save us in death. This is why our choice to obey or reject Jesus and His teaching matters. At the end of all things, only His Kingdom will endure, and only His faithful followers will be saved (1 Cor. 15:24-28).
When Jesus finished this sermon, the people were amazed. It distinguished Jesus from the scribes. Jesus solidified His authority in the hearts and minds of the people (Matt. 7:28-29). As Jesus came down from the mount, the people followed Him. In each of the interactions Jesus had with the people, they appealed to His authority to be used to heal them (Matt. 8:1-34).
Is it time for us to take a fresh look at this sermon? Is it time for us to take a new look at Jesus and His teaching? Believer and unbeliever alike often look at Jesus and His teaching from purely a moral and ethical perspective. Jesus just gave people a set of rules, a moral standard, or an ethical code of conduct. In our post-modern world, where truth is considered relative and traditional norms and mores are quickly rejected, Jesus and His teaching are brushed aside with little thought. Many think Jesus and His message have no place in modern society. Even among those claiming to be His followers, many attempt to soften His teaching by offering alternative meanings to what Jesus taught and commanded.
For the next two years, Mark Mayberry has committed the Doctrine Column to a study of the Sermon on the Mount. Each month, insights will be offered to better understand the purpose of this most transformative sermon of Jesus. May I strongly urge the readers of this magazine to rededicate themselves to Jesus. Let us resolve to rededicate ourselves to bringing our hearts and minds into harmony with the principles of Jesus' message. Let us rededicate ourselves to bring glory to God to advance His kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. May God bless us in this effort.
Author Bio: David Flatt and his family have labored with the Thayer Street congregation in Akron, Ohio since 2008. He can be reached at dflatt85@yahoo.com.
