Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount

Intro

Have you ever witnessed an event and thought… “I just saw history in front of my eyes!” Some of these events can be obvious, like the election of a new president or a global pandemic. Others can be less dramatic and seem ordinary. This is how I picture Jesus giving his sermon on the mount. Make no mistake, as ordinary as it might have seemed in the moment, this is the moment God himself, in his son, Jesus, gave us the description of what life within God’s kingdom would be like.

For today, my attempt will be to give you a general overview of what the gospel of Matthew shares with us in Jesus’s sermon of the mount as well as some background information and context that might help us understand Jesus’s words more deeply.

Purpose, Background & Context for Matthew’s Gospel

Gospels are literature that share the good news of Jesus Christ. Matthew, is the first of the four of them

The ESV Study Bible Purpose, Occasion, and Background

Matthew crafted his account to demonstrate Jesus’ messianic identity, his inheritance of the Davidic kingship over Israel, and his fulfillment of the promise made to his ancestor Abraham (Matt. 1:1) to be a blessing to all the nations (Gen. 12:1–3).

Matthew’s gospel audience is both Jew and Gentile. To the Jew, it serves as a demonstration that Jesus is the Messiah they had been waiting for so long.

Messiah - A future deliverer and savior who would rescue his people and usher in a time of prosperity and blessing.

To the Gentile, it is an assurance that God’s salvation is for them too.

Themes in Matthew’s Gospel

Matthew emphasizes three things about Jesus he wants to teach us:

Jesus is our King

2 Samuel 7:12 CSB

12 When your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up after you your descendant, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.

God made a promise to King David and Jesus is the fulfillment of the promise.

Jesus is our Prophet

Prophet - Any person directed by the inspiration of God to proclaim His will.

To the Jew, Moses still is God’s first and most significant prophet.

Fun fact: In Matthew’s Gospel, there are five main teaching portions that somewhat correspond to the five books of Torah, or Law.

Fun fact: God spoke to Moses up on a mountain where he gave him the Law. Jesus went up on a mountain and gave this sermon.

Here is what God told the people through Moses:

Deuteronomy 18:15–19 CSB

15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him. 16 This is what you requested from the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, ‘Let us not continue to hear the voice of the Lord our God or see this great fire any longer, so that we will not die!’ 17 Then the Lord said to me, ‘They have spoken well. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. 19 I will hold accountable whoever does not listen to my words that he speaks in my name.

Jesus is that prophet.

Jesus is our Saviour

Matthew 1:21 CSB

21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

Matthew 26:28 CSB

28 For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Now that we have some purpose, background, and background information on the Matthew’s gospel, I will briefly list the topics we will be covering in weeks to come.

Aspects of Life within the Kingdom

Portrait of Blessedness (5:2–16)

What do God’s subjects in his kingdom look like?

Plea for righteousness (5:17–48)

What about the law and the prophets in the Old Testament?

Pattern for prayerfulness (6:1–18)

What does God see?

Promises of faithfulness (6:19–34)

What happens to those who obey?

Principles of holiness (7:1–29)

What does it look like to be holy?

Conclusion

Summary

Jesus is the king, prophet, and saviour who shows us what life within God’s kingdom looks like through the sermon on the mount.

Application

Jesus is who Matthew says he is. Matthew followed him for years and listened to his teaching. He knew who he was.

Who is Jesus in your life?

Is Jesus our king?

Do we follow his commands as proper King of Creation and King of our lives?

Is Jesus our guide?

Do we look to Jesus to know what God desires and requires?

Is Jesus our deliverer?

Do we live in the freedom that only God can bring as our saviour from sin?