Sermon on the Mount 11

Introductory Thoughts:

· The Sermon on the Mount—The King’s instructions for the Kingdom of Heaven
· The Beatitudes: The inward attitudes result in outward behavior:

· These are the character traits of all true believers
· The Inward attitudes (3-6)
· Outward to people (7-9)
· Outward touching the world around us (10-16)
· Context—how we are to respond to a hostile world.
· Persecution is inevitable in a lost world
· Our attitude to persecution
· Salt and Light

· Now we move into a new section of the sermon






1. Various Views on The Law and the Gospel

a. Continuity (cultic version)

(1) The Law applies today just as in the OT
(2) Salvation is by works/grace combination
(3) Invalid for obvious reasons

b. Continuity (regular churches): a mixed approach

(1) No distinction between the covenants

(2) Most OT laws apply today just as before
(3) Infant baptism replaced circumcision
(4) The ministry replaced the OT priesthood
(5) Ceremony and ritual are important

(6) The New Covenant is a continuation of the Mosaic Law, just as the Mosaic Law was a continuation of the Abrahamic Covenant.
(4) Invalid: the covenants are not lined up that way

c. Selective continuity—
(1) take the parts of the Law that you like and ignore the rest—
(2) invalid: with the Law, it is all or nothing. Gal 3:13 "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:"

d. Total Discontinuity—There is no Law at all today, there is no ethical standard.

e. (Orthodox and True) The Doctrines of Promise and Fulfillment—The Larger Context to follow—Christ is going to begin to give the Laws of the New Covenant, and He first gives the relationship of New and Old.

(1) Key phrase: “But I say unto You…” (12 times total in Mat) Mat 5:22, Mat 5:28, Mat 5:32, Mat 5:34, Mat 5:39, Mat 5:44.

(a) What Christ is doing—

(b) Correcting the Jewish leaders’ misunderstanding of the Old Law
(c) Changing the Law to reflect the coming New Covenant.

(2) What this passage (17-20) teaches us about the Bible
(a) It is one Bible
(b) It has total authority, to the letter
(3) It is the Standard for all things
(4) The Source of the Authority is the Author

2. Jesus Relationship to the Old Testament : “…17 "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill…”

a. The first Statement is a mouthful. “…Think not that I am come to destroy…”


(1) He Could! He has the authority to dismantle what He Himself has established.
(2) What a claim of authority to even admit the possibility!
(3) But He was not going to do so at THAT time

b. The Law and the Prophets—the entire OT.

(1) (Mat 7:12) ""Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets."

(2) (Mat 22:40) ""On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.""

(3) (Luke 16:16) ""The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it."

(4) (John 1:45) "Philip found Nathanael nd said to him, "We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote; Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.""
(5) (Rom 3:21) "But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,"

(6) (Luke 24:44) "Then He said to them, "These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.""

c. The definite statement—I am NOT come to destroy

(1) In the Greek, the statement is emphatic—NOT,

(2) In the Greek, it reads like this: “… NOT for a moment should you think that I have come to destroy…”

(3) First, the Law is good—in its place—1 Tim 1:8 "But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;" (See 1 Tim 1:9-11)

(4) The purpose of the Law
(a) To set God’s moral standards
(b) to demonstrate His will for morality
(c) to convict men of their need of a Savior. (Rom 3:19-20).
(d) The Law cannot save, nor can it keep one saved; the Law convicts and shuts up. but, the LAW is an expression of God’s righteousness.

(5) Second, many of the same things will be in the New Covenant—God’s moral code does not change.

d. The fulfillment of the Law by Christ—“…but to fulfill…”

make come true, bring about (of Scripture); fill, make full; bring to completion, complete, accomplish, finish; make fully known, proclaim fully (Rom 15:19; Col 1:25); supply fully (Php 4:18, 19

(1) There is some scholarly disagreement as to what “fulfill” means.
(a) Fulfill the prophecies about Him?
(b) Complete the Law and the Prophets?
(c) Fulfill them and culminate them as the New Covenant comes in.
(d) My position is… “Yes!”

(2) First, Jesus taught the Law fully (and correctly) Mat 7:28-29

(a) The Scribes and Pharisees knew the Law, but they did not know the Law giver, nor were their interpretations correct.

(b) They ignored the most important matters Mat 23:13-26

(c) They were religious to cover up their evil

(d) They gained converts to their position, not to God

(e) They argued about meaningless matters: 23:16-22

(f) They majored on minors and ignored the majors—Mat 23:23

(3) Christ Lived the Law fully—

(a) John 8:46 "Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?"
(b) Heb 4:15 "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."

(c) In His personal character, He WAS The Law fully.

(d) The Law was God’s statement on ethics and morality written in stone; Christ Jesus was God’s statement on ethics and morality written in flesh and bone—1 Pet 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

(4) Christ fulfilled the Judicial provisions of the Law—He became the sacrifice for sinners. Gal 3:13, 2 Cor 5:21, Rom 5:6-8, 3:31

(5) Christ fulfilled the Ceremonial provisions of the Law—Heb 9-10

3. The Bible Stands On The Authority of Christ— “…For, Verily I say unto You…”

a. Verily—“Amen…” – indicates strong affirmation

b. Jesus’ Personal Authority Stands Behind The Bible—“…I say…”

c. Context—the inaugural address of the King of Kings

(1) His Authority is Eternal—Rev 1:8 “… I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty…”
(2) His Authority is absolute—Mat 9:2-6, Mat 28:18-20

(3) Jesus’ Personal Reputation is Staked on the Bible—He affirms the Truth of the following

(a) Moses—Mk 12:26
(b) Adam and Eve—Mat 19:4,
(c) Jonah—Mat 12:39-41
(d) Satan— Luke 10:18 "And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven."
(e) Abraham—Jn 8:56
(f) Sodom, Lot’s Wife—Lk 17:9
(g) Abel—Lk 11:51
(h) The Genesis Creation account—Gen 1:26-28—Mat 19:1-11
(i) Noah—Mat 24:38-39

(4) The Bible is Permanent—“…till heaven and earth pass…”

(a) God’s Word is eternally settled—Ps 119:89
(b) Jesus’ Word is permanent—Mat 24:35
(c) God’s Word is relevant—Heb 4:12
(i) Relevant as to morality, law, ethics, society
(ii) Relevant as to man’s nature
(iii) Relevant as to sin and its consequences
(iv) Relevant as to our need of salvation
(v) Relevant as to the way of salvation
(vi) Relevant as to the coming end

4. The Extent of The Inspiration Of The Scriptures— “…One Jot or One Tittle Shall in No Wise Pass From the Law…”

a. The Theology
(1) Verbally inspired
(2) Fully inspired
(3) Fully authoritative
(4) Without error

(5) Jot and tittle—smallest parts of the Hebrew Alphabet

(6) Pass From—be annulled.

(7) The Certainty of the Bible—till all be fulfilled

b. First, we see all will be fulfilled

(1) All Has been so far (examples)
(a) Mat 12:15-21
(b) Mat 27:9
(c) Mat 27:35
(d) Acts 13:25-35

(2) All Will be fulfilled
(a) Acts 1:11
(b) 1 Cor 15:21-25
(c) Rev 17:15-17

c. Second, we see the principle of promise and fulfillment—The OT is promise, the NT is fulfillment.

d. Third, we see promises guaranteed by the character of God—Heb 6:13-18

5. Applications

a. The Lordship of Christ requires inerrancy
(1) A Bible with errors means a Savior who was wrong.
(2) He ties His Words to the Word – if it is not true, He is not true
b. Our attitude to the Word
(1) We are to honor the Word in our lives—Titus 2:1-8
(2) We are to be diligent in its study—2 Tim 2:15
(3) We are to defend the Bible—Jude 3-4
(4) We are to be ready to answer—1 Pet 3:15