The Sermon on the Mount.ppt

7/27/2019 The Sermon on the Mount.ppt

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The most famous sermon ever preached is, nodoubt, The Sermon on the Mount. Such should not

come as a surprise due to the preacher, the Sinless

Son of God. The Sermon on the Mount is recorded in

Matthew chapters five, six, and seven. The Sermonon the Mount is only about 2000 words, and 107

verses (KJV, compare the 30 verses of Luke 6: 20

through 49, "The Sermon on the Plain," thought to be

Luke's condensed recording of the same sermon).


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One wrote:

"The Sermon on the Mount is Jesus' fullest

exposition of moral and ethical life. The fame of this

Sermon is such that even those remotely familiar

with its contents, experience a certain nostalgia at itsmention" (Allen Isbell, War and Conscience, p. 139).


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The Sermon on the Mount was delivered from

about six months to one year into Jesus' three

year ministry, probably on one of the hills locatednorth/west of Capernaum. Jesus originally

addressed his sermon to both the multitudes who

were already thronging him and especially to his

disciples (cp. Matt. 5: 1).


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Historian Augustine of Hippo is attributed as beingthe first to call this discourse, "The Sermon on theMount" (in about 400 A. D.). However, such adesignation is only natural and was probably usedlong anterior to Augustine (cp. Matt. 5: 1). Thesermon is at once a masterpiece and unsurpassedin terms of simple but practical morality, spirituality,

and God/man relationship. While in terms ofsimplicity, the sermon is viewed as easy; yet, Jesus'presentation is replete with challenge.


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Many think of the "Sermon on the Mount" as

containing the most combined summary and sample,

as it were, of all that Jesus taught, all beautifullycondensed into 107 verses.The Sermon on the

Mount is said to in place and importance, occupy a

position to the whole of Jesus' message to man that

the Ten Commandments served to the totality of theLaw of Moses. The Sermon is a succinct presenta-

tion, no doubt, of what Jesus had been saying in,

"preaching the gospel of the kingdom" (Matt. 4: 23).


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In the Sermon on the Mount, we see Jesus as the

epitome of a preacher. Matthew chapters five, six,

and seven illustrate, "Never man spake like thisman" (John 7: 46). The sermon is a perfect blend

of gentleness and militancy. To those mourning

over sin and imperfection, Jesus compassionately

says, "they shall be comforted" (Matt. 5: 4). Yet,in the Sermon on the Mount, we see a forceful,

combative, and militant Jesus (Matt. 5: 20).


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"Never man spake like this man" (John 7: 46).


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One manifest goal is to explain God's moral codeon such a high level as was never before soexplained and to challenge and refute the Jew'sperversions of these moral laws. This intent isespecially observed in Jesus' six instances of,

"but I say unto you" (Matt. 5: 21-48). It isequally seen that Jesus is in his sermon presentingan expos of Phariseeism (Matt. 5: 20, 6: 1-6, cp.23: 2, 5-12, 5: 33-38, cp. 23: 16-22).


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Teaching residing in the Sermon on the Mount. Itwas on the occasion being discussed that Jesus

set-forth what we call the "Beatitudes" (Matt. 5:

2-12). These beatitudes are core and foundational

to all the rich teaching that follows and withoutthem, this teaching then and now cannot be

received. They are:


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Eight Beatitudes


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The sermon under review contains Jesus' often

quoted teaching about salt and light (influence, 5:13-16), being anxious over material things and thedanger of materialism (5: 19-34); flawed judgmentor the, "judge not, that ye be not judged;" (7: 1-5);

the "Lord's prayer" (6: 9-15); the strait and narrowway (7: 13, 14); warnings about false prophets andhow they are known by their fruit (7: 15-20); and thewise and foolish man (7: 21-27).


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Better known teaching found in the sermon wouldbe, the "Golden Rule" (7: 12); "love your

enemies" (5: 44); and, "Take heed that ye do not

your alms before men, to be seen of them." (6: 1).


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Relative to the most famous sermon, there are

many formed views and positions that determine

how one perceives and accepts the sermon. Let us

notice some of the most definable ones.


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Secular Humanism recognizes a few of the

principles set forth by Jesus but in the main, theyreject the teaching as dogmatic and not humanlypossible. "Jesus is too black and white in histeaching, in the real world, there are only scales ofgray," they reason. Secular Humanism is essentially

the Situation Ethics philosophy of the sixties. It istragic in the extreme that Secular Humanism is thereligious doctrine of organic evolution, the religionmany of our American schools have adopted andare forcing on our young people.


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The Postponement Theory. Many today are at leastindirectly influenced by the Postponement Positionand thinking. It is essentially the by-product ofPremillennialism. It goes something on this order:"Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount is soideal that it really is not possible to apply it today,we shall see its fulfillment when Jesus comes toestablish his perfect order when he begins histhousand year reign in Jerusalem and takes over

this world."


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The Interim-Ethic position. Some have maintainedthat the reason Jesus taught with such intensity inhis sermon was due to Jesus' belief that the worldwas about to then end abruptly. They explainedthat Jesus did not know when the end was coming

and that he actually thought it would soon takeplace. Thus, the teaching contained in the sermonwas exaggerated and not to be taken too seriouslytoday.


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The position that Jesus is in his sermon colliding withthe Law of Moses and refuting the teaching of thelaw as found in the Hebrew scriptures and whiledoing this is presenting the truth is fairly common insome circles. This position has many indefensible

attendant problems. In the first place, Jesus said thathe had not come to "destroy" the law (Matt. 5: 17)."Destroy" is from the Greek kataluo, whichmeans to collide or destroy.


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The Jesus is only explaining the Law of Moses and

the sermon is not to be viewed as the gospel ofJesus that was later preached stance. Asmentioned, the Law of Moses contained manymoral codes that were indigenously true (cp. Rom.2: 14). Jesus does, though, lift or sublimatethese codes. Arguing such matters as whether ornot the "Golden Rule" applies today seems like awaste of time, I should think (Matt. 7: 12). It isapplicable.


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Observing Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. Onemay correctly conclude from considering all aspectsof the sermon that Jesus was not the namby-pamby,

soft spoken, "say nothing to offend" preacher thatsome envision, but he spoke as one who knew andloved the truth and hated all error (Heb. 1: 9). Noticethe impression the sermon had on the people whooriginally heard it:

"28: And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended thesesayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: 29: Forhe taught them as one having authority, and not as thescribes" (Matt. 7, cp. Tit. 2: 15).


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Due to the straightforward and forceful preachingJesus does in the Sermon on the Mount, manytoday also find what they think is cause to reject

Jesus and his teaching, as we have seen. "He is toohard and even radical," say they, "man cannot dowhat Jesus taught!" The truth of the matter is, Jesus'teachings address either directly or indirectly everyphase and facet of the life of man. His teaching canmake productive Christians, effect mental health,faithful employers and employees, and wonderfulnations and governments. If applied by all men,Jesus' teaching would result in lasting world peace.


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Blessed are they which do hunger and

thirst after righteousness: for they shallbe filled (Matt. 5: 6).


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Blessed are they which are persecuted

for righteousness' sake: for theirs is thekingdom of heaven (Matt. 5: 10).


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That except your righteousness shall exceed

the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees,ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom ofheaven (Matt. 5: 20).


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Be ye therefore perfect, even as your

Father which is in heaven is perfect(Matt. 5: 48).


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Take heed that ye do not your alms before

men, to be seen of them: otherwise yehave no reward of your Father which is inheaven (Matt. 6: 1).


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But if ye forgive not men their trespasses,

neither will your Father forgive yourtrespasses (Matt. 6: 15).


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Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon

earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, andwhere thieves break through and steal(Matt. 6: 19).


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No man can serve two masters: for either he will

hate the one, and love the other; or else he willhold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannotserve God and mammon (Matt. 6: 24).


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But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and

his righteousness; and all these things shallbe added unto you (Matt.6: 33).


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Take therefore no thought for the

morrow: for the morrow shall take thoughtfor the things of itself (Matt. 6: 34).


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Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the

gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth todestruction, and many there be which go inthereat (Matt. 7: 13).


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Beware of false prophets, which come to

you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly theyare ravening wolves (Matt. 7: 15).


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Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord,

shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but hethat doeth the will of my Father which is inheaven (Matt. 7: 21).

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The Sermon on the Mount.ppt