Sermon on the Mount
“You cannot be serious”
In the 1970’s and 1980’s John McEnroe raged about the tennis courts of the world. He was named Superbrat. One of his famous lines – which he would scream at umpires – was “You cannot be serious!” That phrase was the title for his autobiography. That phrase is an appropriate title for the Sermon on the Mount (SM).
Listen to a sample selection of some the SM which highlights its difficulty -
" “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. “You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire." (Matthew 5:17-22, NRSV)
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Matthew 5:27-28, NRSV)
“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery." (Matthew 5:31-32, NRSV)
"Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matthew 5:48, NRSV)
“Do not judge, so that you may not be judged." (Matthew 7:1, NRSV)
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven." (Matthew 7:21, NRSV)
The SM has inspired and confronted the church, in fact the world, for centuries. Different people and groups have sought to live it with varying degrees of success and failure. Some of the most famous movements in world history have been birthed from a reading of the SM. A quick survey of history shows that…
The Early church used the SM as a manual for new Christians and the ongoing discipleship for all believers.
Origen (a church father – early leader) tragically castrated himself as a result of his reading of doing away with anything (Matt 5:29 & 19:12) that would cause you to sin.
Augustine – that great pioneering theologian of the 4th/5th century was the first one to coin the phrase “The Sermon on the Mount.”
Martin Luther – the 16th Century church leader tried to come to terms with its teaching by suggesting it referred to two Kingdoms; sacred and secular. The SM was impossible law in the secular world and only applied in the spiritual realm.
So a person could be a judge (“do not judge”) or in the army (“turn the other cheek”, “love your enemies”) but hold the SM in their heart.
The Christian movement – the Anabaptists – disagreed. They read the SM as needing to be absolute pacifists and to not be involved in society in terms of holding positions in government, joining the army, or even owning property. They were persecuted for their beliefs. And they lived their beliefs faithfully. Dirk Williams was an Anabaptist and was imprisoned and on the eve of his execution, he managed to escape. As he made his way across a frozen river, one of his pursuers fell through the ice. He turned back because Jesus had said to “love your enemies” and “bless those who persecute you.” He rescued the man, was caught and burnt at the stake the next morning.
Leo Tolstoy the famous Russian writer really took the SM seriously. Especially in terms of not resisting evil with violence. Gandhi and Martin Luther King both based their strategies on Tolstoy’s work with SM to bring about fundamental changes in their countries. More recently the popular Christian author wrote a book “The Jesus I Never Knew.” His chapter on the SM is entitled “The Sermon of Offence.”
We stand in a history of the SM being read and lived by Christians and non-Christians. Now it’s our time. Our turn. As a people of God. As disciples of Jesus to turn our hearts towards the Word of God and listen. For us to take in the SM.
Over summer we have been praying the prayer in Eph 3:14-26. A prayer about knowing the dimensions of the love of Christ; about being strengthened in our inner being; about God doing more than all we can ask or imagine – so that he made be gloried throughout the church and all generations. Maybe God will begin answering that prayer as we engage with the SM.
In 50 years, is there any reason why another preacher in reciting the history of Christian’s living out the SM shouldn’t be referring to you?
There is no reason…
If you pick up the Sermon on the Mount and just start reading with the intent of embracing it and obeying it – you will fail. You will soon be quoting John McEnroe – “You cannot be serious!” In order for this to make a difference – must be read correctly. And to read it correctly – it is important to see it as a part of the overall story of Jesus, and God’s plan for the world.
When Matthew wrote his gospel – he wrote it under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and the first people to read his version about the story of Jesus were Jews who as Christians were now being hassled by the “synagogue across the street.” So they begin reading…
And this is what they begin to read, and begin to see and hear:
Matt 1: New Creation announced: Genealogy (1:14) – and they take note that there 42 generations mentioned. “6x7” = 6 days of creation, 7th day of rest. The early church made a lot of this. They realise they are reading a new account of creation.
Matt 2: Child born under persecution – they read about a child being born and being persecuted and Egypt features as that child and His family escape to, and return from that country.
Matt 3: River Jordan last barrier to Promised Land – at the river Jordan John baptised and Jesus Himself is baptised. Jordan, traditionally, the last barrier to Promised Land.
Matt 4: Testing in the desert – over 40 days and nights. A time of testing in the desert.
Is this reminding anyone of anything?
Then stepping back and looking at Matthew as a complete book – you will notice that there are five major sermons:
- ¨ Matt 5-7 – Sermon on the Mount
- ¨ Matt 10 – Mission instructions
- ¨ Matt 13 – Kingdom parables
- ¨ Matt 18 – Church Relationships
- ¨ Matt 23-25 – Warnings & Encouragement
This arrangement is no co-incidence. It recalls the first five books of the Bible (Pentateuch) – the books of Moses. These “five sermons/books” are now the five books of a New Moses, a New Law for a New Israel. So – we take the Sermon on the Mount – and we read the first two verses (Matt 5:1-2):
Matt 5:1
Jesus ascends the mountain just as Moses ascended Mt Sinai to receive the Law
He sits down. The customary position of a Rabbi teaching. But in contrast to the mounting hysteria of the crowd.
His disciples approach Him, putting distance between themselves and the crowd. They draw near to hear the words of Jesus.
There is a sense that these words can only be taken in, only be embraced and lived by disciples. You cannot live the SM apart from a relationship with Jesus. The crowds could still hear – and by the end of the SM we read that the crowds were astounded at His teaching. But to hear His words you need to draw near. As a disciple of Jesus.
Matt 5:2 He began to speak.
It seems a redundant phrase. But it is a powerful comment. Whereas when Moses went up the mountain, God spoke to Moses. This time the New Moses is God Himself. This time the Words spoken by the One on the mountain is the Living God. When the Gospel of Matthew is considered in its entirety – you will see that there are two “bookends.”
Scholars call it an “inclusio.”
Matt 1:23 – Immanuel & Matt 28:20 “And remember, I am with you until the end of the age.” The whole story of Jesus as told by Matthew is the story about God speaking and living with His people. What this means for us is that – when we read the SM…
“It is Matthew’s first window into who God is and what He is really like and what Christians will be like in forgiving others.” The SM is not about “me.” It’s about Jesus and how I respond and follow Him. The SM is about the reign of God. It is grace and it is demand. It’s not all pie-in-the-sky-when-you-die stuff. It’s about living here and now under the reign of God. And about the reign of God coming in increasing measure – and living the SM by being empowered and enabled by God.
The SM is a lightning flash illuminating the whole countryside on a dark and stormy night. And for a moment we see everything. The way home. The SM shows how life can be lived under the rule of God.
The SM.
This is our time; your time; to hear the Word of God. Your time to live SM.
Presented By: Rev. Geoff New