Sermon Tone Analysis

The Setting of the Sermon

Have you ever noticed how much we go crazy for all things ‘Happily Ever After’?

It’s amazing how many stories and movies and books have kings, queens, princes, princesses, knights, swords, and castles...

I mean, think about it… We live in a democratic republic in the USA.

Shouldn’t our fairy tales all be about systems of checks and balances where in order to live happily ever after your bill of happiness must first be ratified in the House and Senate before avoiding a veto on the desk of a man who probably won’t be sitting at that same desk 4 years later?

Seriously though… We looooove kingdom stories.

Why?

From Arendelle and Agrabah to Prince Eric’s Castle to Alice in Wonderland, Disney alone has some 50+ kingdoms of their own!

Why do we long for kingdom enchantment?

We were made for it.

We will one day live, not in a democracy, but in a Kingdom ruled by Christ Himself.

This is written, not only in the pages of Scripture, but on our hearts!

According to Romans, we even know deep down how to behave in Christ’s Kingdom.

It’s written on our hearts.

Illustration: Like Billy Sunday of yesteryear assuming playing cards were always wicked and should not have any place in the life of a Christian, we too can make assumptions regarding the conduct and choices that should mark out a Christian as separate from the world.

Jesus repaints the picture.

Better yet, Jesus is the original artist of the picture.

It is up to us to make sure that our conception of the Christian life matches this one painted over 2,000 years ago on a Galilean hillside.

It’s to that painting, that portrait, we turn now...

Matthew 5

Illustration: Like Billy Sunday of yesteryear assuming playing cards were always wicked and should not have any place in the life of a Christian, we too can make assumptions regarding the conduct and choices that should mark out a Christian as separate from the world.

Jesus repaints the picture.

Better yet, Jesus is the original artist of the picture.

It is up to us to make sure that our conception of the Christian life matches this one painted over 2,000 years ago on a Galilean hillside.

It’s to that painting, that portrait, we turn now...

First, we cannot look at this passage on it’s own.

Oh no!

If you read this passage without understanding the rest of the gospel of Matthew, you will likely walk away with a list of rules that you cannot in any earthly way possibly keep.

Seriously, you have not chance of obeying what Jesus

So what does all this mean, and why is it written?

We have to read it in context.

And since we don’t have the 2.5 hours it would require to read the entire 28 chapters of Matthew, allow me to give you a quick summary of the beginning and the ending...

Literary & Historical Context

We must remember the context of the sermon in the Gospel of Matthew

Matthew begins by calling attention to the sins of God’s people ()

Matthew ends by calling attention to the death of God’s Messiah

Last 8 chapters are all consumed with the last week of Jesus’ life before the crucifixion

In other words, Matthew doesn’t end his Gospel after this sermon as if the main points were:

This is what Jesus taught.

This is how Jesus showed us what it means to be a disciple.

This is what it looks like.

This is what it looks like

This is how you ought to behave and think.

These are the attitudes you are to have, now go and do it!

We must remember the context of the sermon in the history of redemption

How does it fit with the story of the OT

A central theme of Jesus’ sermon is this one word: fulfillment

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

(5:17)

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

verse 18 – Not one little iota or dot will pass from God’s law until everything is fulfilled

The Holy Bible: King James Version.

(2009).

(Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., ).

Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

Jesus doesn’t contradict the Old Testament – He fulfills it

God’s grace is not anti-God’s-law – it fulfills it!

Romans – Paul said, I wouldn’t know lust except the law said Thou shalt not covet

I wouldn’t know salvation unless the law stuck it’s pointy finger in my face proving YOU HAVE SINNED!

SINNER!

Without the law, we would not know God’s grace.

Think about it– If you think you’ve never sinned against anything, why would you need forgiveness and mercy?

Without God’s grace, we are dead in our trespasses and sins

Over and over again phrases like:

f

Over and over again phrases like:

- Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying

The Holy Bible: King James Version.

(2009).

(Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., ).

Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

Matthew is very concerned with showing the seamless continuity between his Gospel and the Old Testament

Matthew is very concerned with showing the seamless continuity between his Gospel and the Old Testament

Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah

New and better Moses

Like Moses escaping massacre as a baby in the basket on the Nile River – Baby Jesus was providentially delivered from a massacre of children in Bethlehem –

Then the phrase used in – “he went up into a mountain” is the very same wording used in the Septuagint (the Greek OT) to describe Moses going up the mountain to receive the law

Matthew 5:1

Matthew’s Jewish audience would have understood this clearly

Just as Moses delivered the law from the mountain, Jesus fulfills the law from the mountain

In the same way that Moses spoke with authority, the end of says that Jesus spoke with authority

Even the very structure of Matthew’s gospel points to Moses and the law

Moses authored 5 books: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy

Matthew gives us 5 different blocks teaching from Jesus

Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; 2 Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.

3 For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house.

4 For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God. 5 And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; 6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

2 Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.

3 For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house.

4 For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God.

Moses himself said, “The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;” ()

5 And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;

6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

The Holy Bible: King James Version.

(2009).

(Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., ).

Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

The Holy Bible: King James Version.

(2009).

(Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., ).

Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

One man summed it up: Like Moses, the Great Redeemer has cried out, “Let My people go.”

He's removed their shackles.

He's killed their harsh taskmaster.