Sermon on the Mount: Doing the Will of the Father

Matthew 7:21-23 Doing the Will of the Father Introduction: If you’re joining us for the first time - Welcome. We’re currently teaching through Jesus’ most famous teaching known as the Sermon on the mount. Contrary to what some may think the Sermon on the Mount is not teaching us how to get into the kingdom of God- the Bible makes it clear that entrance to God’s kingdom is only through grace - by the sacrificial work of Jesus. The sermon is also not teaching us how we stay in the kingdom. Rather it is a description of the character and conduct of those who already belong to God’s kingdom. The Sermon is not a call to repentance, though that may be involved at times, it is a description of the expression and evidences of true repentance. As we’ve been saying throughout these teachings - Jesus’ sermon is not so much about doing as it is about being. Jesus is transforming his people into a people who do righteousness, and the right thing, because that’s the kind of people they are, or have become. This sermon of Jesus has been used for centuries to shape and form God’s people into the way of Jesus and we are believing that this is what God will do with us as well. We’ve coming into the last section of Jesus’ sermon, and I love what Matthew does here - the teachings of the sermon are done but Matthew includes exhortations from Jesus - It’s a moment to stop and really think through, at a heart level, all that Jesus ha said and taught about what it means to be his follower, about what it means to be kingdom people. And that’s what we’ve been trying to do these last few weeks - reflect upon our own lives in light of Jesus’ teaching - are we his true followers? Jesus gives four different exhortations to his listeners to enter into his way of life that he has described - he says, listen and do. He presents two paths, two trees, two kinds of people, and two kinds of builders. He exhorts us to the arduous path that leads to life; to be healthy trees that bear good fruit; to be doers of his word and not just hearers, and to be wise builder’s that build our lives on his person and his teaching. Note, if you haven’t before the Authority of Jesus in this sermon. When Jesus teaches through passages of the Law of Moses he adds his own -"But I say to you,” an authority on par with Moses? Also, Jesus says here that it is he that grants entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven - “Not everyone that says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom” - Who does Jesus think he is? And lastly vs.24 “Everyone who hears these words of mine - will be considered a wise person.” Christians are often criticized for having too high and exclusive a view of Jesus Christ. It begs the question - Where do Christians get their ideas of Jesus’ ultimate authority and exclusive claims? We get them from Jesus. This is what Jesus said of himself. and If we claim to be Jesus’ people, Jesus’ followers then we would do well to heed the Master’s voice - his blessing and his warnings - we must take them to heart. 1. The Teaching 1. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 1. Not everyone who confesses Jesus as Lord (kurios = YHWH of the OT) will enter the kingdom of heaven…. 2. This is a statement or profession of faith in Christian history and practice - To Call Jesus Lord is to pledge ones allegiance to Jesus, to claim him as master, and king; and yet Jesus says, not all who make this profession are truly his people… 3. Jesus dismal teaching is not supposed to get us speculating about how many people will enter the kingdom of God - but is first and foremost a way to discern true fruit in our own lives and in the lives of others. 4. The Question is: Will I enter the kingdom of Heaven; Am I one of Jesus’ people? Am I doing the will of the Father? What is the will of the Father? -We will come back to these questions in a moment. 2. An Example 1. Jesus gives us an example, or a snapshot of what the scene might look like. 1. “On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” 2. At first approach to this passage I was simply thinking in terms of mere profession and actual practice but notice that the people in this scenario are doing works - seemingly very good ones. 3. They say - “in your name” In the name of Jesus - we prophesied, we denounced evil and proclaimed truth - “Thus saith the Lord”; in the name of Jesus we cast out demons, we over threw demonic powers, and cast down arguments and anything that would exalt itself against the knowledge of God; In Jesus name we healed people, and did other signs showing his power… 4. And though these people claim identity with Jesus again and again - in your name, in your name, in your name - Jesus says, I have never known you. There is no personal relationship, affiliation or identity, and Jesus adds - You are workers of lawlessness 5. Stop for a minute - in what world is prophesying, casting out demons and doing miracles equal to lawlessness - rebellion, people who work the opposite of God’s law?? 1. I guarantee that from an outsiders perspective this would not look like lawlessness - but actually looks very good, very pious, and religious… so what is the difference? 6. In Matthew 24 Jesus connects Lawlessness with people’s love growing cold - suggesting that this is an issue of mercy and care for those in need. 7. "When Jesus uses “fruit” over against mighty charismatic gifts (Prophesy, exorcism, & mighty works), he is getting at what matters most. Do you show love to your neighbors, to your enemies, and to those who happen to be on your path? Jesus is saying here that if you don’t do the latter, he doesn’t particularly care about your charismatic giftedness” - Scot McKnight 1. The Charismatic gifts are no substitute for the righteousness taught by Jesus in the sermon on the mount 2. Listen to how Paul words all this in 1 Corinthians 13 - “If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing (Non-existent, my life is meaningless). If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever!” - 1 Corinthians 13:1-8, NLT 3. What matters to God the Father, what matters to Jesus more than anything is that we live lives of love and mercy - Lives that have assimilated God’s love, mercy and forgiveness toward us at the heart level - remember as we’ve been saying the Gospel begins with Kindness. -This is what it means to do the will of the Father - it is his character and life that has been taught throughout this sermon. 1. So do good works and mighty works matter? Yes they do, when they are flowing out from a heart that is has been transformed. 2. READ MATTHEW 25:31-46 1. The people in this story are so unaware of their good works because they are naturally flowing out of them; it’s just the kind of people they are - this is true evidence of the life of God in us -The will of the Father - when we begin to look, act and think the way God does by second nature, by practice and then by habit, then by character. This is what this sermon is supposed to do in us! 3. Some questions for Reflection: 4. What would our children say about us? Do they see us as merciful, and forgiving; gracious and loving? (Recently asking my kids to tell me how I’m doing) 5. How about our spouse? (Do we do this? Are we open to correction and critique?) 6. How about our co-workers or room mates? Do they see the character and will of the Father in us? - Mercy, compassion, forgiveness. (Exodus 34) 7. Do people see the Love of God in us? 8. If not, why? How has God treated you? With wrath, with un-forgiveness? Did he repay you for your sins? Of course not. What has he done for your soul? stir up your heart recount the Gospel to your self! Why are you living as though God is ungracious, as though the Gospel never happened? Why aren’t you living in response to the gospel and grace of God? Conclusion: It would be such a miss to pass Jesus sermon up without allowing it to search our hearts. Without it really shaping and changing the inner person. Jesus wants to transform us from the inside out to bring us into his way of being; to be his people into a people who do righteousness, and the right thing, because that’s the kind of people they are. To follow Jesus at this heart level is to enter into the true flourishing that he has laid out in this sermon. At a time when politics and culture are polarizing and toxic what our culture needs is not people who recoil and go into hiding, to protect our beliefs, and our christian subculture, but a people who are winsome, kind and empathetic. They need the Kingdom of God in the practice and manifestation of everyday life and circumstances. And this is simultaneously what we need if we are to be trained in true human wholeness and Godliness.