Sermon Tone Analysis

I. Reading of Scripture

This is God’s Word, Amen.

Pray

II.

Introduction

A. Introduction to Theme

I once found myself working with a group of people that didn’t get along very well.

We were given a specific task to accomplish, a worthwhile task, and we all believed in that work and wanted to see it fulfilled.

But we couldn’t do it, because there was a problem.

There were actually, several problems.

WE were the problems!

Each one of us on this team had a different way we thought the work should be accomplished.

Rather than seeing the unique contribution and strengths each person brought to the task at hand, we let our selves get in the way of the work.

What could have, and should have been a united success, became divided and dysfunctional — and even emotional and frustrating.

This kind of thing happens on repeat: in workplaces, in churches, in marriages…we all have to live and work with people who think and do things differently than us.

In fact, have you ever asked the Lord: “Why did you make people like this!?”

I found as I studied our problem, that while a group of people may be given the same task to accomplish, each person may have a different motivation for accomplishing that task.

Different motivations cause people to approach tasks differently.

One person, for example, may be motivated by a desire to control everything in order to protect others.

That is a problem when working with someone who is motivated by a desire to be happy and that means being free from all restrictions.

Another person wants security.

Another wants competency.

Another wants authenticity.

Another wants everyone to be at peace.

For me, my main motivator is a desire for everything to be done right.

Correctly.

Perfectly.

This is a good thing, especially for a teacher of God’s Word.

You want someone who will study, and invest in getting it right.

You want someone overseeing the church who is concerned for the details, who counts the cost, and builds on a slower but solid foundation rather than quick sand.

While my motivation for things to be right is a strength, as with any strength, it also has weakness.

One weakness of mine, that I am very well aware of and constantly working on, is that I can spend an enormous amount of time on something so ridiculously small, in hopes that it might become perfect — and I’m always disappointed and I’m always critical of myself when I realize time and time again that perfection is unattainable and out of reach in my flesh.

My strength is also my weakness.

So when Jesus says:

— That gets my attention!

Because Jesus reveals something about God that resonates with me.

He is perfect!

And because God is perfect, I will be perfect too.

What does it mean for God to be perfect?

And what does Jesus mean when he says “You must be perfect”?

B. Introduction to Text

Jesus introduced The Sermon on the Mount by pronouncing “Blessings.”

Those who are happy, those who are blessed in God’s kingdom, the kingdom of heaven, are not those who seek to change their circumstances, but those who are content as they are in whatever their circumstances, in Christ.

Jesus is the blessing!

And as He is, so are they!

They are blessed, not because of what they do, but because of who they are — as a matter of identity — they are who the King says they are!

They are blessed, because the King says they are blessed!

His Word and His presence inform their identity as His people!

Jesus then narrows the focus from “they” to “you.”

He speaks not OF his disciples, but TO his disciples directly, and identifies them as the Salt of the Earth and the Light of the World.

These are not hopeful wishes of what you might become or will become in the future.

These are declarations of you are, now!

Your function in this world, your purpose on earth, serves a heavenly purpose as representatives of God’s heavenly kingdom.

You season the earth with kingdom words and slow its inevitable decay with a gospel witness.

You let the light of Christ shine in you in as you walk in the darkness of this world, being IN the world but not OF it.

Then, Jesus narrows the focus once more to Himself.

He speaks not of “they” or “you” but of “I.”

He speaks of Himself with authority.

And then with these terrifying words, Jesus says:

Jesus takes a condemning statement and by his grace makes it a conditional statement.

Entrance into the kingdom of heaven is possible — for those who have a surpassing righteousness.

A “better righteousness” (Luz).

Not a righteousness like that of the Scribes and Pharisees, which is an outward righteousness.

The kind of righteousness that says “Do as I SAY but not as I DO.”

That is an incomplete and ineffective righteousness.

But Jesus speaks of a righteousness that is deeper.

A righteousness of the heart.

A righteousness that does what it says and says what it does.

The righteousness of Jesus, who did not abolish what was spoken in the Law and Prophets but fulfills every iota and dot of the Law, as the Great Fulfiller of the Law and the Prophets.

And now Jesus goes on to explain for His followers, what surpassing righteousness looks like.

What perfection looks like.

And it is not about conforming to a set of rules.

It’s not external.

For Jesus it’s about something internal.

It’s about what motivates us, as His followers.

(France).

So what does that look like?

Jesus begins to show us by focusing further further from His work as the Great Fulfiller, now to His work as the Great Revealer.

Jesus fixes our eyes upon Him, so that through Him, He might help us see our Heavenly Father!

When Jesus began this body of material in his teaching, he called out a thought that his followers were thinking, or would be tempted to think about his coming.

He said “Do not think...” in verse 17.

He anticipated a thought and answered it with a truth.

Now, in this section of Matthew 5:21-48, Jesus draws back from history and selects six statements that are not thoughts, but that that have actually been heard or said.

For each one, He intensifies those statements with the authoritative words: “But I say to you.”

As we hear these statements, note that Jesus is not placing the emphasis on the TEACHING itself and he is not contradicting the TEACHING of old.

What Jesus emphasizes is — WHO SAID IT, so that in all of these we will be reminded of WHO IS SPEAKING these things to us.

Jesus tells us WHAT was said of old, but he doesn’t tell us WHO said it of old, so we might hear his words “But I say to you” with all the authority with which they are meant to be heard!

Brothers and Sisters, we live by what Jesus says.

Not by external teachings, but by the Holy Spirit within, steering our minds to the words of Christ who reveals to us the Father (see GCM).

Without Jesus, we have no authority or ability to obey and live out His teachings!

This is why for this kingdom teaching, Jesus tells us both WHAT is said, and WHO says it, so that we might know WHO we are to listen to and obey.

III.

Exposition

A. (5:21-32)

1. Murder (5:21-26)

a. 5:21-22 - Brotherly Love

If we are to be perfect, as our Heavenly Father is perfect, we can’t settle for simple statements of what to do, and what not to do.

We have to go deeper than that, to the root of the problem.

My children are of the age where I have to tell my son not to bite his sister.

“Don’t do this action.