Calendar Date: October 6
Day of the Year: 279
Timeline. Map. Go to today’s Bible reading (use your browser arrow to return): Matthew 5-7
True Righteousness and Grace Living (the Sermon on the Mount)
If a large group of people was gathered in a room, hanging on your every word, what would you say to them? Would you tell jokes like you were in a comedy club? Would you say, “Let’s have a party”? Would you make a political speech? Would you preach to them? What would you do?
In today’s Bible reading, Jesus teaches masses of people who gather to hear him. On a mountainside in Galilee, he shares what is commonly called, “The Sermon on the Mount.” Jesus teaches life lessons to his disciples and the gathered crowd. What he tells them is also useful for us.
Lesson 1: What a life of blessing looks like
Jesus taught the beatitudes to the large crowds who followed him. These series of blessings are meant to answer the question, “if following the regulations of the law and the traditions of religious leaders doesn’t make me righteous, then what does?” Jesus then describes what a blessed life looks like. “Blessed” in this context means happy or fortunate.
Happy or fortunate are those who are
Poor in Spirit
These people depend on the grace of God. Their own abilities are not sufficient to make them righteous, so when they call upon the Lord, he makes them righteous, and full of the riches of his grace (more...).
Those who mourn
They recognize their needs and present them to the Lord, who can comfort them. There they will find comfort and peace for their souls .
The Meek
They are gentle, humble, and unassuming in their positions, and they let God lead. “They will inherit the earth,” meaning they will serve God in his future millennial kingdom on earth.
Those Who Hunger and Thirst after Righteousness
These have a ravenous spiritual appetite to obey God’s Word. They will be filled (see Psalm 119)The Merciful
They extend mercy and grace to others who, like us, don’t deserve it. Because God was extremely kind in saving us, we should be kind to others.
The Pure in Heart
They are clean in their hearts because of their salvation and calling upon God whenever they need cleansing of sin (more...). They will meet God personally.The Peacemakers
These try to reconcile others to God. We show we are sons and daughters of our heavenly Father when we seek to reconcile others to him (James 5:19-20).Those Who are Persecuted for Righteousness
They endure insults, mockery, slander, beatings, and even death for Jesus’ sake. In the end, they will receive great rewards in heaven.
Note: These beatitudes are in stark contrast to the pompous, demanding, and hypocritical ways of the religious leaders in Jesus’ day.
Lesson 2: Be Salt and Light
Next, Jesus tells believers their mission is to be salt and light in the world. Salt is a preservative and gives flavor. They're to preserve an excellent character and dispense grace, even during times of persecution (indeed, this is a difficult thing to do).
Light illuminates things. Jesus wants their excellent character and deeds shown, not for personal glory, but so others will praise God and be attracted to him, the source of light and life. Do our lives preserve goodness and dispense grace? Do our character and deeds display God’s glory?
Lesson 3: What is True Righteousness?
Jesus contrasts true righteousness with the righteousness of the religious leaders, the Pharisees. The Jews were taught that keeping all the Law of Moses, interpreted by the traditions of the Scribes and Pharisees, will bring them righteousness. Jesus shocks the crowd and religious leaders by saying something more. He says, “I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:19-20, NIV). This something more refers to the meaning of the beatitudes Jesus just shared with the crowd.
Despite Jesus’ teachings on the beatitudes, Jesus’ mission is not to abolish the Law and the Prophets, the charge of which the Pharisees and teachers of the law accuse him. Instead, he comes to fulfill them (Matthew 5:17).
The Law refers to the Laws of Moses (primarily Deuteronomy). The words “The Law and the Prophets” probably encompasses all the Old Testament teachings. The Apostle Paul instructs us, “But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe” (Romans 3:21-22, NIV).
Lesson 4: A Life of Faith
Salvation has always been by faith, not by keeping God’s law. Even so, the Law is God’s holy standard. Jesus says,
Anyone who 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 practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:19, NIV).
Jesus instructs the Jews to keep the law by faith. Obeying the law pleases God and fulfills his requirements; however, the Jews must not nullify it by adding their traditions.
The Pharisees have rituals that legally keep the letter of the law but destroy its intent. They practice the law hypocritically. They are like some tax advisors, lawyers, and politicians, today— they look for loop-holes in the law to get around its intent.
Jesus speaks truth with authority over the traditions of the religious leaders and teachers of the law. He counters their teachings on murder, adultery, divorce, the taking of oaths, revenge, and their treatment of friends and enemiesWhat audacity! The religious leaders must have thought, “Who is this fellow that he can speak with authority over us?”
Many Christians know the answer: Jesus is none other than the Son of God who came down from heaven. Initially, however, Jesus was with his Father and the Holy Spirit when the LORD dictated the Law to Moses and spoke through the mouths of the prophets. He has a perfect character. The religious leaders were hypocrites.
Lesson 5: A Life of excellent character
Character is essential to God—what we say and do matters to him. We need to go beyond the laws of God and exercise the intent of it—acting with grace, humility, and righteousness as Christians—this is true righteousness and grace living. This is what we should do and teach. Even if our audience is our children, grandchildren, or a Sunday School class, we should set the example and teach them these truths.
The crowds were amazed because Jesus spoke with authority, not like the teachers of the Law (Matthew 7:28). We, too, should speak God’s Word with power, instead of being all squishy in our doctrine like milk toast. We have the truth of God in his Word. People are looking for truth. Let’s teach it, preach it, and apply it to our lives. We shouldn’t just teach about the Bible, giving various opinions; we should help people discover the meaning God intends. Let’s remember to teach not only the Law of God but also the grace of God. God gave both Law and Grace.Discussion
What are true righteousness and Grace Living? How can it be shown?
How does Jesus fulfill the Law and the Prophets?
Focus Verses
John 1:16-17 (NIV) “From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”
Here is a clip of the Sermon on the Mount from the Jesus film. Watch here.
End Notes: Insights for this page are drawn in part from Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, by W.E.Vine, M. A., Macdonald Publishing Co, ISBN 0-9170006-03-8, and by The Bible Knowledge Commentary of the N.T., edited by Walvoord and Zuck, ©1985, pp. 28-29)
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Looking Ahead: We want to become like those who have had an influence on our lives, to become their protégés. Usually, this is a good thing, but be careful who you follow! Learn more about it in our next lesson.
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