The New Covenant - Kingdom Actions & The World
The New Covenant • Sermon • Submitted
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· 6 viewsJesus shows what actions ought to follow a person who is who he ought to be
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Introduction
Introduction
13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Body
Body
In our last lesson Jesus was telling us how we ought to be in the Kingdom of God.
In this lesson, He’s showing us the behavior that will naturally follow in a believer’s life when we are who we need to be.
When we focus on the internal qualities of who we ought to be, the behavior, the actions naturally follow.
When we focus on the external actions, we will fail at both.
Holiness vs. standards
13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
Two characteristics of salt: Preservation and influence
Preservation - Salt preserves by making the environment too dry for harmful mold and bacteria to live.
Influence - Salt influences the flavor of most foods positively. According to one food technology publication, “Gillette”, in an article entitled “Flavor effects of sodium chloride”, “Salt can improve the perception of product thickness, enhance sweetness, mask metallic or chemical off-notes, and round out overall flavor while improving flavor intensity.” - Gillette, “Flavor effects of sodium chloride” Food Technology. 1985;39(6):47-52.
Application:
These characteristics are both always present, or both always absent. They are inseparable.
In other words, either you’re salt, or you’re not!
Either you preserve AND influence, or you don’t!
We are to Preserve those things God has entrusted to us:
God’s Word
We are to halt corruption and prevent moral decay in our world.
We are to Influence the world around us for Jesus Christ. We are to affect change in our environment. Our environment is not supposed to affect change in us!
Losing your “Savor”, or saltiness.
In Thomson’s “Land and the Book”, He says this about salt. “It is a well-known fact that the salt of this country [i.e., Palestine], when in contact with the ground, or exposed to rain and sun, does become insipid (or bland, lacking distinctive qualities) and useless. From the manner in which it is gathered, much earth and other impurities are necessarily collected with it. Not a little of it is so impure that it cannot be used at all; and such salt soon effloresces (to change either throughout or on the surface to a mealy or powdery substance upon exposure to air) and turns to dust - not to fruitful soil, however. It is not only good for nothing itself, but it actually destroys all fertility wherever it is thrown…No man will allow it to be thrown on to his field, and the only place for it is the street; and there it is cast, to be trodden under foot of men.”
If you lose your distinctive qualities (preservation and influence), i.e., your saltiness, how will the earth be salted?
What will take its place?
Salt substitutes are out there, but they just can’t quite replicate the distinctive qualities of real salt.
We’re not quite sure exactly how we detect “saltiness” on our tongue.
Salt replacements are sometimes okay in small amounts, but if you get too much, you’ll tell the difference.
People, by and large, can tell if you’re the real deal or not!
The “real deal” is one who is consistent with scripture.
If you make peace with the world to avoid persecution and hardship, you will be rendered impotent and unable to affect the world around you for Jesus Christ.
14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Jesus now switches from the analogy of salt to that of light.
Three times in the book of John Jesus refers to Himself as “the Light of the world.” (John 8:12; 9:5; 12:46).
12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
The world is in spiritual darkness, and we are lights that are to illuminate through the darkness.
Men can discover aspects of truth in darkness, but the fulness of truth can only be discerned when illuminated by the Holy Ghost.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Light is meant to be seen, to shine forth, to make itself known.
We let our light shine by our good actions. By demonstrating Jesus to those around us.
Remember, good actions stem from being who we ought to be
Behavior comes from character. NOT personality.
When we do this, it is God who receives the glory, not us. It is His character being perfected and revealed in us. Not ours.
17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Up to now, Jesus has spoken of the ideal character of His disciples, and of their need of allowing that character to appear through their actions. Now Jesus turns to speak of the position that they should hold towards the soon-to-be Old Covenant.
He lets us know His position on the law.
He was accused many times of breaking the law (healing on the Sabbath, associating with publicans and sinners, etc.)
He’s letting us know why He came: to fulfill the law. In other words, to satisfy once and for all the requirements of the law.
He lived a perfect and sinless life according to the law.
He was offered up as the perfect, sinless sacrifice and so satisfied the requirements of the law for us.
18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Here Jesus emphasizes the permanence of the law. He cannot and will not destroy it. It will remain forever. It is, quite literally, God in written form.
Jesus is going to bring the law to its intended goal. He’s going to fulfill it.
In the New Testament, the Law of God is more fully revealed to us, and power is given to us to actually obey the fuller revelation.
33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
The Old Testament remains relevant for Jesus’ followers, but none of it can rightly be interpreted until one understand how it has been fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Every Old Testament text must be viewed in light of Jesus’ person and ministry and the changes introduced by the New Covenant he instituted.
Some of the law was fulfilled with His first coming (sacrifices, feasts, circumcision, etc.)
Some will be completed and fulfilled after His return, or after the last days (salvation requirements, spiritual warfare, etc.)
19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Having established the absolute authority of God’s Word, and specifically His law, He now lays out the danger of setting parts of His law aside, or declaring them no longer relevant. Even “one of these least commandments.”
If you do no adhere to all of God’s Word, believing that some of it just does not apply to us today, and worse, teach others the same, you will suffer obscurity in the kingdom of heaven.
You will have no power with God
You will be ineffective in ministry
You will be at the mercy of the enemy
However if you do believe and follow the entire book, and then teach what you’ve already professed to be true while depending on God to give the ability to live accordingly, God will reward you with spiritual greatness.
You will have power with God
You will be effective in ministry
God will give you victory over the enemy
Although this verse does not say you will be removed from God’s kingdom for teaching something other than God’s Word, other verses do:
20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Here Jesus introduces the Pharisees. They were not currently in the kingdom at all. He mentions them precisely because they were an example of the greatest righteousness imaginable within Judaism.
He does not challenge their close attention to the law, but uses them to demonstrate that in the New Covenant, discipleship and a right relationship with God will require a greater righteousness than is currently possible.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Our actions will reflect who we are on the inside. We need to focus on letting Jesus transform us so that we reflect His character