Sermon on the Mount: The Heart

Recap

What have we been talking about over the last three weeks?

The sermon on the mount. Remember Jesus is preaching this sermon to us, Christians. He is showing us how to live, how to walk the walk and not just talk the talk. We’ve seen what Jesus calls us to look like in order to be blessed. We have also seen that Jesus called us to be what? *Salt and Light*

Matthew 5:17-20

Why is Jesus saying this? He wants people to know that he did not come point people away from the Old Testament, the Law. Rather Jesus came to fulfill the law. What does that mean?

Jesus came to complete the law. Jesus followed the Law given to Moses perfectly. He lived without sin, without breaking the law. Something you and I could never do. But fulfilling the Law meant that he also needed to make the law clear to some, clear to us.

The law had become customs to them. These people had actually made even crazier laws to make sure that the Law of the Old Testament was being followed. They were using the law for political gain, to judge one another, to make themselves feel righteous. It was all about doing and not about being. What are some things that you do to please other people? Cleaning our room just so our parents won’t fuss. Dress certain way so that people will accept us. Sometimes we do things just for outward appearance. We do things just to please people or just to boost our ego. That is what was happening with the Old Testament Law. People were more worried about keeping the Law then actually having their hearts in the right place.

Jesus came to say “Check Your Heart”

Matthew 5:21-26

The first thing Jesus does is, he says look the law says this but it really means this. Jesus gives us six examples about the Law stating one thing but really there is a much deeper meaning. Let’s look at Matthew 5:21-26

Jesus says that the Law says do not commit murder but I say do not hate. Is Jesus saying don’t listen to the law? NO!!! Why is murder a sin? (Because it is the outward action of hate in one’s heart.) The sin isn’t in the physical action but in the heart itself.

How many times do we justify our sin because we didn’t act on it? How many times have you ever said, well I really could have given her a piece of my mind but I’m a Christian so I won’t? I really wanted to knock him out but I’m a Christian so I won’t. Not committing a sinful act physically or verbally does not make us holy. Having pure hearts make us holy. We can only strive for pure hearts when we have Jesus in our hearts.

Jesus calls out brother and sister in v. 22. Jesus is talking about us, the body of believers. The first thing Jesus warns us about here is our anger. He says “everyone who is angry with his brother or sister will be subject to judgement.” How many of you have ever been angry? What really gets under your skin? Jesus says look, that attitude of anger, that is sinful. Jesus didn’t call us to be angry. I love what Paul says in Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice. Jesus calls us to be joyful, why? Because of Jesus. When we fix our eyes on Jesus we aren’t phased by those things that get under our skin.

Next Jesus calls out our words. Has anybody ever said anything they regret? Too many times we let the sin that begins in our hearts overflow out of our mouths. Luke 6:45 tells us that whatever we have in our heart will come out of our mouths. Look at this toothpaste bottle what is going to come out of it? Toothpaste!! Why because that is what is inside. Now once I squeeze this out it’ll be impossible to put it back in right? Our words are like that we can hurt some many people, end so many relationships with our mouths.

So what does Jesus tell us to do to fix this issue first he says if anybody has anything against you fix it. Burry it. Paul tells us in Eph. 4:26 to not let the sun go down while we are angry. Why? What happens when you sit in your anger? You get angrier!! You sin longer, you go deeper into your sin.

I know there’s a lot of things that hurt us, a lot of reasons we can be angry. There are probably a lot of reason you are angry right now. But know how serious Jesus takes that and he does not want us to be angry.