The Sermon On The Mount (Matt. 5-7) …

Lesson 3 – Kingdom Citizens 5:13-16 The Similitudes  The “sad challenge” of Mt 5:3-16…  Some will choose to be transformed vv. 3-9  Others will choose to persecute those who are transformed vv

The Sermon On The Mount (Matt. 5-7) Lesson 3 – Kingdom Citizens 5:13-16 The Similitudes  The “sad challenge” of Mt 5:3-16…  Yet, the very ones so vilely mistreated are actually needed by their persecutors  Along with Christ, we are their only hope!!

The Sermon On The Mount (Matt. 5-7) Lesson 3 – Kingdom Citizens 5:13-16 The Similitudes  The “sad challenge” of Mt 5:3-16… Though totally separated from the world…and abused by those still in the world, kingdom citizens are related to the world by a determination to rescue some out of the world’s rotting decay & darkness.

The Sermon On The Mount (Matt. 5-7) Lesson 3 – Kingdom Citizens 5:13-16 The Similitudes  The “sad challenge” of Mt 5:3-16…  Kingdom citizens have no desire to be the “center of attention” (focus) 1 Thess 4:11-12  They want others to see their “good works and glorify the Father in heaven” v. 16

The Sermon On The Mount (Matt. 5-7) Kingdom Righteousness 5:17 – 7:12  Kingdom citizens & their work has been described 5:3-16  Next, Jesus will discuss the type of righteousness to be found in His kingdom  By far, the biggest section of the sermon

The Sermon On The Mount (Matt. 5-7) Kingdom Righteousness 5:17 – 7:12  He decries empty, smug self-righteousness found among the scribes & Pharisees  Sadly, such is still prevalent in man-made organized religion (hypocrisy, vanity, etc.)  People are turned off by this

The Sermon On The Mount (Matt. 5-7) Kingdom Righteousness 5:17 – 7:12  Repeatedly, Jesus makes His appeal to the heart…not to outward actions  If the heart is right, proper actions with the proper attitude will follow Mk 7:14-23

The Sermon On The Mount (Matt. 5-7) Kingdom Righteousness 5:17 – 7:12 Re: The Law & Prophets 5:17-20  Jesus won’t destroy the Law to establish His kingdom v. 17a  The Jews didn’t like the company Jesus kept (Mk 2:16-17) nor His “claims” (Lk 5:17-26) (this was no “secret”)

The Sermon On The Mount (Matt. 5-7) Kingdom Righteousness 5:17 – 7:12 Re: The Law & Prophets 5:17-20  Before Jesus preached this sermon, He had already had 3 sharp confrontations with the Jews Lk 6:1-11 Mk 3:1-6 Jn 5:2-18  The people witnessed this…Jesus was aware they were forming an opinion about Him

The Sermon On The Mount (Matt. 5-7) Kingdom Righteousness 5:17 – 7:12 Re: The Law & Prophets 5:17-20  Most 1st century Jews “equated” the Law of Moses with the scribes & Pharisees  To see & hear them = to hear the Law itself  To remove them = to remove the Law  This was the mindset Jesus now addresses

The Sermon On The Mount (Matt. 5-7) Kingdom Righteousness 5:17 – 7:12 Re: The Law & Prophets 5:17-20  Jesus needed the people to know His problem was not with Moses’ covenant  The problem was with the distorted rabbinic interpretations of the Law by the Pharisees and their scribes

The Sermon On The Mount (Matt. 5-7) Kingdom Righteousness 5:17 – 7:12 Re: The Law & Prophets 5:17-20  Jesus was not going to “blast away” at the scribes & Pharisees (the Law also) …then build His kingdom upon those ruins  Just the opposite…Jesus came to “fulfill” the Law v. 17b

The Sermon On The Mount (Matt. 5-7) Kingdom Righteousness 5:17 – 7:12 Re: The Law & Prophets 5:17-20  Jesus fulfilling the Law of Moses  He shows His attitude toward the O.T.  They were the words of His Father  So important was the Law that no part could pass away…no matter how “small” v. 18

The Sermon On The Mount (Matt. 5-7) Kingdom Righteousness 5:17 – 7:12 Re: The Law & Prophets 5:17-20  Jesus fulfilling the Law of Moses  Anyone who tried to “annul” the Law would be “least” in the kingdom v. 19a  Anyone who kept the Law would be “greatest” in the kingdom v. 19b

The Sermon On The Mount (Matt. 5-7) Kingdom Righteousness 5:17 – 7:12 Re: The Law & Prophets 5:17-20  Jesus fulfilling the Law of Moses  He believed the O.T. was the eternal word of an eternal God Isa 40:7-8 cp. 1 Pet 1:22-25  He acknowledged the O.T. as always accomplishing its purpose Isa 55:8-11

The Sermon On The Mount (Matt. 5-7) Kingdom Righteousness 5:17 – 7:12 Re: The Law & Prophets 5:17-20  Jesus fulfilling the Law of Moses  He “fulfilled” all O.T. types & shadows Col 2:16-17 Heb 10:1-4 (esp. sacrifices)  He “fulfilled” all O.T. Messianic prophecies Lk 24:13-27

The Sermon On The Mount (Matt. 5-7) Kingdom Righteousness 5:17 – 7:12 Re: The Law & Prophets 5:17-20  Jesus fulfilling the Law of Moses  He was the absolute “fulfillment” (end) of the righteous requirements demanded by the Law Rom 10:1-4

The Sermon On The Mount (Matt. 5-7) Kingdom Righteousness 5:17 – 7:12 Re: The Law & Prophets 5:17-20  Jesus’ “defense” of the Law was not a claim to it being eternally binding  A point many fail to understand even today  Remember the Law’s purpose…it was to bring lost men to the Seed Gal 3:10-25

The Sermon On The Mount (Matt. 5-7) Kingdom Righteousness 5:17 – 7:12 Re: The Law & Prophets 5:17-20  Jesus’ “defense” of the Law was not a claim to it being eternally binding  The Law was never meant to “justify” man  On this point, it was “weak” or “useless” Rom 7:7 8:1-4 Heb 7:18

The Sermon On The Mount (Matt. 5-7) Kingdom Righteousness 5:17 – 7:12 Re: The Law & Prophets 5:17-20  Jesus’ “defense” of the Law was not a claim to it being eternally binding  Despite this “deficiency” the Law’s original intentions were still good Rom 7:12, 14  This is what Jesus was “defending”

The Sermon On The Mount (Matt. 5-7) Kingdom Righteousness 5:17 – 7:12 Re: The Law & Prophets 5:17-20  What needed “removing” was man-made perversions of Divine expectations in the Law  Man-made traditions always “annul” or “invalidate” God’s word v. 19a Mt 5:1-14  They don’t lead to God…only to the “ditch”

The Sermon On The Mount (Matt. 5-7) Kingdom Righteousness 5:17 – 7:12 Re: The Law & Prophets 5:17-20  To be in heaven’s kingdom, our righteousness must “surpass” (exceed, do better than) the smug self-righteousness practiced by the scribes and Pharisees v. 20 cp. Rom 10:3  This is what Jesus illustrates in 5:21-48

The Sermon On The Mount (Matt. 5-7) Kingdom Righteousness 5:17 – 7:12 Re: Man’s Traditional Teaching 5:21-48  This section has been greatly misunderstood  The “general” understanding… “You’ve heard Moses say… But I’m setting you straight. Here’s how it really is…”

The Sermon On The Mount (Matt. 5-7) Kingdom Righteousness 5:17 – 7:12 Re: Man’s Traditional Teaching 5:21-48  The greatest barrier to the kingdom would not be Gentile idolatry & immorality  The greatest barrier would be the perversions of the Pharisees & scribes Mt 23:13-15  “Legalistic thinking” Mt 23:16-24

The Sermon On The Mount (Matt. 5-7) Kingdom Righteousness 5:17 – 7:12 Re: Man’s Traditional Teaching 5:21-48  Jesus’ 6 “contrasts” illustrate 1 main point… God is not just concerned about outward actions…He is also concerned with motives that might lead to those actions.

The Sermon On The Mount (Matt. 5-7) Kingdom Righteousness 5:17 – 7:12 Re: Man’s Traditional Teaching 5:21-48 Contrast # 1 Ù Murder (vv )  A “legalistic” Jew saw Ex 20:13 and thought “Don’t take another man’s life”  This left untouched malice, hatred, contempt… areas courts cannot condemn

The Sermon On The Mount (Matt. 5-7) Kingdom Righteousness 5:17 – 7:12 Re: Man’s Traditional Teaching 5:21-48 Contrast # 1 Ù Murder (vv )  Jesus teaches otherwise  The Jews missed the Law’s intent Lev 19:17  “Divine courts” will condemn a heart full of ill-will towards another person

The Sermon On The Mount (Matt. 5-7) Kingdom Righteousness 5:17 – 7:12 Re: Man’s Traditional Teaching 5:21-48 Contrast # 1 Ù Murder (vv )  Jesus even emphasis how such malice towards another affects one’s worship  The gospel of the kingdom connects hatred and murder 1 Jn 3:14-15

The Sermon On The Mount (Matt. 5-7) Kingdom Righteousness 5:17 – 7:12 Re: Man’s Traditional Teaching 5:21-48 Contrast # 2 Ù Adultery (vv )  A “legalistic” Jew saw Ex 20:14 and thought “Don’t go to bed with another man’s wife”  This left untouched lust, sinful desires  Jesus teaches otherwise

The Sermon On The Mount (Matt. 5-7) Kingdom Righteousness 5:17 – 7:12 Re: Man’s Traditional Teaching 5:21-48 Contrast # 2 Ù Adultery (vv )  Lust is already “adultery of the heart”  Left unchecked, it will lead to literal adultery  A point even taught before the Law Job 31:1

The Sermon On The Mount (Matt. 5-7) Kingdom Righteousness 5:17 – 7:12 Re: Man’s Traditional Teaching 5:21-48 Contrast # 2 Ù Adultery (vv )  David’s sin was not so much in “seeing” a naked Bathsheba…it was in “looking upon her” and finding a way to satisfy his desire 2 Sam 11  Such temptations must be “radically removed”

The Sermon On The Mount (Matt. 5-7) …