2-LJ 06 2nd Year

q LIFE OF JESUS 2019 MINISTRY - 2nd YEAR Part 3 Lesson #6 PREPARATION FOR LESSON: Read Harmony of the 4 Gospels, SECTIONS 54-59 or Matthew 5:27 – 8:13; 11:1-30; Luke 6:24 thru 8:3 SERMON ON THE MOUNT continued from Lesson 5 Examples of God’s Requirements in His laws in comparison to the requirements in Sanhedrin laws (Mishnah) Mt. 5 How good or how right does a Jewish person have to be to get into God’s kingdom? When Jesus is referring to Mishnah laws, He uses the phrase, you have heard it SAID (meaning the oral law) He means, This is how the oral law, the Mishnah explains what God’s law given to Moses requires. When Jesus talks about God’s laws given to Moses, He says, it is WRITTEN. He means, I will tell you what standard of rightness God’s law given to Moses truly requires God’s Law: do not commit murder. Sanhedrin said: you are guilty only when you actually commit premeditated murder. Jesus says: you are already guilty when you have resentment or animosity in your thoughts or emotions. God’s Law: do not commit adultery. Sanhedrin said: you are guilty only when you commit the act of adultery. Jesus says: you are guilty as soon as you have a continual desire for adultery (lust). God’s Law: if you make a vow to God, you must keep it. Sanhedrin said: you are not guilty if you break a vow using a loophole or had mental reservations. Jesus says: you are already guilty when you have a desire to find a loophole. The Sanhedrin is teaching - if you are born a Jew, you will automatically enter God’s kingdom. Your position of honor in the kingdom will be based on how well you keep the outward letter of God’s law as well as Mishnah laws. Jesus now teaches - To meet God’s standards, His laws thru Moses also requires purity of emotions and thoughts. Unless your goodness/rightness involves your inner life as well as your outer life, you cannot enter God’s Kingdom. Unless your rightness surpasses that of the Sanhedrin, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. Mt. 5:20 IMPORTANT – This is teaching for the Jews ONLY during the years of Jesus’ ministry. They are still under Old Testament standards. It is before Jesus’ death and resurrection. It is before the Church. The only requirement of faith for Jews at the time of Jesus was… To believe the Old Testament prophets. To accept and believe that Jesus was the promised Messiah. Context of Commands and Phrases ◆ Peacemakers – Mt. 5:9 When diplomats get nations to sign a peace treaty, the media will often say, you know the Good Book says, Blessed are the peace-makers. But Jesus was never talking about nations making peace. He was talking about spiritual leaders who show they are right with God by not continually fighting with each other to get power. ◆ Divorce - Mt. 5:31 Jesus is dealing with Mishnah laws that said a man could divorce his wife for any reason. Sanhedrin members used divorce so they could live with another woman and not be guilty of adultery. Jesus says if the intent of divorce was adultery, then they are guilty even if they have a divorce. God originally gave the law of divorce for protection. In our day, a spouse may need protection because of drugs, alcohol, violence, abuse, pornography, personality disorders or anything else that endangers their physical, mental, emotional or spiritual life. – a law of protection when someone demanded punishment that did not fit the crime. If a person lost an eye, they couldn’t demand the death penalty - maximum penalty was the other person’s eye. God’s law was for protection. The Sanhedrin used their law to say it gave them the right to take personal vengeance. ◆ Eye for an eye Mt. 5:38 ◆ Turn the other cheek Mt. 5:39 - To be used only when persecuted for one’s faith in Jesus. Jewish religious law - punishment for blasphemy - slapped with backhand on RIGHT cheek. Roman civil law - punishment for refusing to say Caesar is Lord - slapped with backhand on RIGHT cheek. q MINISTRY - 2nd YEAR part 3 Page 2 ◆ Go extra mile Mt. 5:40-42 - Accept persecution for your faith instead of retaliating. Roman soldiers could force any conquered people to carry their baggage one mile or give them anything they demanded. Roman soldiers hated the Jews for their faith in Yahweh God. To show their hatred, they required Jews to do more than Roman law required. ◆ – Mt. 7:1 We are not to set up our own rules and use them to judge others. If God has not given a command about something … I may believe it is wrong for me, but I cannot make a rule and say it is wrong for everyone. If God has given a command about something … I have a right to agree with God - to say it is wrong or right because God said so. I am to hold people responsible, set boundaries, know right from wrong and defend the faith. Judge not The Reason for this Sermon on the Mount: To prove the Jews could never meet God’s standard in the law’s He gave to Moses. It is why they needed animal sacrifices to be forgiven. But animals have only covered their sin. They need a better sacrifice - a Savior. Jesus is the only One who is able to keep, fulfill and complete Moses’ law. This qualifies Him to be their Savior - the Lamb of God, the perfect Sacrifice, who not just covers, but takes away the sin of the world. EXPLANATIONS Roman army captain Luke 7:1-10 His life: he loves the Jews/Jewish nation; paid for building the local synagogue; cares about his servants. His words expressed his humility, confession and faith. Lord, I do not deserve to have You come under my roof. But say the word and my servant will be healed. Today, church liturgy uses his words to express our humility, confession and desire to be forgiven. God’s words to us: Forgiven; You are free from the guilt you have been carrying. I give you spiritual healing. The widow - Jesus resurrects her only son Luke 7:11-17 This son had been her only means of support. Facing life alone, her situation seemed unbearable. Jesus had compassion - Luke uses a Greek word that was seldom used. splanchnizomai σπλαγχνιζοµζι It literally means Jesus felt emotion in all His vital organs - He felt it to the core of His being. With her son’s resurrection, she went from despair to unbelievable joy - all in a moment and all because of Jesus. Simon, the dinner host, a member of the Sanhedrin Luke 7:36-50 Invites Jesus as a set up so later the Sanhedrin can publically criticize Him During the meal, sandals are removed and feet washed; guests recline, leaning on left side, head toward table. Arranges for a prostitute to come in, walk by Jesus and touch Him. She, in Jesus’ presence, is overwhelmed by her sin - inwardly repents and accepts His forgiveness Knowing she is forgiven, she has tears of profound gratitude. Kissing washed feet was common to show profound respect of a leading rabbi. She uses perfume, not as part of her profession, but to show her love and say thank you for His forgiveness. Thinks: if Jesus were a prophet, but He is not, He would know about this woman and not let her touch Him. Jesus, using deity, reveals not only His knowledge of the woman, but also the thoughts of Simon. Lesson for them Simon feels no need to be forgiven, so has no gratitude of forgiveness nor desire to respond to Jesus. The woman knew her need of forgiveness and will always live with profound gratitude and desire to respond. Lessons for us The more God has forgiven us, the deeper our love for Him, in feelings and choices, emotions and will. Evidence of mature faith is the awareness of God’s grace in our lives. We cannot thank Him enough. Jesus’ support people offered meals and lodging in appreciation for His teaching. Several wealthy women gave money to help meet expenses. Luke 8:2-3 Jesus working in His humanity. q MINISTRY - 2nd YEAR part 3 Page 3 John the Baptist His doubts and questions are not a lack of faith, but about himself and the way things are happening. Based on the Old Testament prophets, he expected that when he pointed everyone to Jesus, the Sanhedrin and nation would respond; Jesus would free the Jewish nation from Rome and the Kingdom would be established. Instead John has been in prison for 8 months and the Sanhedrin have turned against Jesus. John is wondering if he failed in his ministry or message. APPLICATION: Blessed is the person who does not stumble in their expectations of Me Mt. 11:6 The more we obey, mature in our faith and have experienced God’s answers in the past, the more we have expectations of what God will do and how He will do it in the present. In sickness, we expect He will heal. When children rebel, we expect He will change them. When marriage has problems, we expect God will fix it. God will answer our prayers and our problems will go away. THE GREATER OUR FAITH, THE GREATER OUR EXPECTATIONS OF WHAT GOD WILL DO. But God’s ways are not our ways nor His thoughts our thoughts. Some of those who are closest to God and have served Him the most, are the ones who suffer the most. The problem is never with our questions, but what we DO with our questions. We can turn from God or to God. Sometimes He removes the problems, but most often He takes us thru the problem. He tells us to remember how He has taken us thru problems in the past. He promises to give us His power, strength and ability. He will give us wisdom to know when to accept a situation or remove ourselves from it; when to speak up and when to be silent; when to take action and when to wait for God to work. What Jesus said to John, He says to us. If you can accept My way of doing things, your life will be enriched by the Holy Spirit. Mt. 11:6 My grace is sufficient – no matter what. ▲