Sermon on the Mount The Highlights
Notes
Transcript
Well as we continue to go through the Bible
We come to one of the Biggest and most famous sermons in the world
I have favorite sermons by some of favorite pastors
I enjoy listening to Adrian Rodgers, Allister Begg, probably my favorite sermon of all time was given by W.C Criswell at the 1985 Southern Baptist Convention in Dallas TX
It is entitled Whether we live or die, I encourage you to go and listen to it
Another famous story about sermons is by Charles Spurgeon
He came to check the acoustics of a building he was going to preach and preached the Gospel Message and the legend goes that someone he didn’t know was there heard it and came to know Christ, got saved by someone checking the accustics of a building in prep to preach
But another famous sermon is called the Sermon on the mount given by the greatest of all preachers
If Charles Spurgeon was the prince of preachers then this guy is for sure the king of preachers
This is Jesus’s most famous sermon
The Sermon on the Mount
1 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. 2 He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying,
As Jesus is going about He starts to gather a large very very large following
Remember He had started and started to walk around
Last week we read how He calls people to follow Him and they leave what they know to be obedient to follow after Christ
So it would make sense that He has gathered a following of sorts
Seeing this he tells them have a seat and listen
Since they are on the side of a mountain or hill that is why it is called the Sermon on Mount
Jesus goes up and begins to teach them
As he gives this sermon one commentary says the sermon does not teach people how to get into heaven but rather how people who are already going to heaven, who have a relationship with Jesus how they should live their lives
Sort of how you and I as believers should be living our lives
Because we answered yes to follow after Jesus
I would challenge you and encourage you to go and read through the Sermon on the mount we are not going to get to all of it today
As you read through the Sermon on the Mount you constantly hear the words They have their reward
As I was preparing for the sermon
I read through it and continued to see that phrase
They have their reward
It was always in contrast to what Jesus would say
If you could wrap up the sermon on the mount
2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.
I know that is not in the sermon on the mount per say but the idea is
That if we are focused on Christ and the things above we are doing what He preached in the sermon on the mount
And church that is exactly what He is telling us to do in the sermon on the mount
How you and I as believers should be living our lives
Focused on Jesus
Within the Sermon on the mount you have the Beattitudes
How Jesus fulfilles the law and makes the Old testament law the 10 commandments now a matter of the heart
How we are to give and even how we are to pray
How we do the spiritual disciplines
Probably just for me but the cure for worry
But this morning I want us to dig into what a disciple of Jesus is
13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
Jesus answers the question of what now
Now that you have submitted to Christ how you should be living
One Commentary had this quote “Salt permeates and performs its vital function in society. Light illumines the darkness and points people to the one who is the source of all light and life.”
Jesus explains that in this section of the sermon
13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.
That you are to be salt
Understand this is not to be salty in todays language
But to be salt as the table condiment
Salt adds flavor and seasoning to life
You don’t get to live how you want under the guise that it adds flavor to things
Rather you as a believer in Jesus
Having your mind set on the things above and not on the things of this earth
As someone who has died to yourself
Now you are to effect your surroundings
That is exactly what salt does
If you don’t believe me cook a dish and serve it to people and see what they do and say
They will ask for salt or say it needs salt
Same is true if you happen to dump to much salt in there
It has an even greater effect on its surroundings
Salt has an effect on food
Salt affects food by enhancing flavor and sweetness, suppressing bitterness and improving texture through processes like strengthening gluten or improving water retention according to google
Do you understand the purpose of salt is to do just that
Have such an effect on its surroundings
In the Ancient world is was to purify, preservation, flavor, healing and creation of thirst.
Jesus is saying that we are to do the exact same
have an effect on our surroundings
Which would mean to premeat the soul with the words of Christ to people we come into contact with
Allow the spirit to use us to get in and root out any evil and death in peoples life’s
That those around use can’t help but notice that we live for Christ
That we are different than the rest of the world
That we have said yes to Jesus and because of that church
We should effect those around us
Now that doesn’t mean you get to live for Jesus only if you submit to ministry
Or if you go on a mission trip
What is so amazing is that our surrounding is not overseas
But rather
8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”
We are to effect those in this area
To the nations of course
We are called to send and go and support those who go to the nations to tell them about Jesus
But we are also called to go to work and effect that change
We are to called church to even effect our neighborhoods for Jesus
Starting with our next door neighbor
What would happen if everyone reached their neighbor first and through multiplication
All because church we are called to be salt to a lost world
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
After you and I are called to be salt in a lost and death filled world we are then called to be light
Which church we are to go out and to illuminate people so they can find Jesus
Light
We are to be light in a dark world
If God is light then the devil is darkness
If as children of God through a personal relationship with Jesus we are light
Then the world is darkness
Our job is to be a light
Think Lighthouses
Lighthouses were invented to guide ships safely by warning them of dangerous areas and helping them find their way into port, especially during nighttime and bad weather. according to google
Think during darkness and storm the thing that usually brings peace is when the lights are on so you can see
If you can see you are usually calmer
Why because the light has searched out the darkness
IT has expelled it
5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
Darkness cannot overcome the light
It can never be dark enough to remove my light
But as children of God
And children of Light we are to effect our surroundings that other can see because of the light we shine
Because of our light we cannot be hidden
The commentary had this quote about light”This light is not for a few; it is for the world. It should attract. It should give direction. It should stand out near and far.”
In a dark room no one turns on their flashlight only to hid it
Like we hear that and go well duh that makes sense right
Like you don’t get to say you are going to follow after Christ and hide that from the world
We are called to make that known
32 “Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven.
Church living as a light in a dark world we are to confess Christ to the lost and dark world
When we do that Christ then confesses us before God the father
This is how you and I are to live if we have said yes to following after Jesus
That is the purpose of the sermon on the mount that you are to be different than the world
That when they are loud about their prayers
When they are loud about their giving or telling people they are struggling with fasting to ellict a pour you response
Jesus is clear they will have their reward here on earth
Ours is not
We do not get our reward here on earth
And I get it sometimes that is difficult we would like to see some sort of reward here on earth
Understand church because we have said to following Jesus when He called us
we are forever changed
And we will do things different than this world
And because of that our reward will not be men or women being excited for us or feeling sorry for us or being proud of us
But rather our reward church will be when Christ says well done my good and faithful servant
Welcome home
16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
Through being salt and being light we are to not lose our saltness or allow our lights to dim
When we become infected with the world we lose our purpose in being salt
When we become infected with the world our lights start to dim
to be inflected with the world is to allow the world to dictate our theology
To be inflected with the world is to allow the world to decide was is truth and what needs to be said when it needs to be said
Church as salt and light we are to stay connected to Christ
We do that by living our life in such away that is it glorifying to God
Let me clear it is perfectly fine and church even expected for you and I as believers in Jesus to be different than the world
To live differently to raise our kids differently why
Because our reward is not on earth
Because we have been called to something bigger and better than this world can offer
So when we live our life differently it is not gain the upper hand
It is not to gain praise money and accolades
The commentary says this, “Followers of Jesus are not the source or origin of these good works but only the conduits, the channel. God gets the glory through my transformed life.”
Live your transformed life on display for all to see that they come to Christ
Church that is what we are called to do as we say yes to following after Jesus
This morning as we come to a close and our band comes up
Maybe you are here and don’t know Jesus would you come and speak with someone about how to be saved this morning
Maybe you have a personal relationship and need to spend sometime in prayer this morning
The alter is open
